WELL, IT'S BEEN THREE AND A HALF YEARS SINCE I BEGAN SINCE MY ROAD TO RECOVERY IN WATER. AND IT'S BEEN A GOD-SEND. THERE WERE 15 WOMEN AND 2 MALES IN THE ORIGINAL CLASS AND THEY ARE ALL STILL THERE. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO WE ADDED ANOTHER 12 WOMEN BECAUSE A NEIGHBORING YMCA CLOSED DOWN. I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HAVE TO DROP OUT OF THE CLASS BECAUSE THE ESTROGEN LEVEL IN THE POOL BEGAN TO RISE. BUT, ALL IS WELL. WE HAD OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST TUESDAY AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. WE ARE ALL VERY CLOSE, INCLUDING THE NEW MEMBERS. I'M GOING TO MISS THE GROUP WHEN I HEAD SOUTH IN A FEW WEEKS.

LAST WEEK , I WAS NOTIFIED I HAD BEEN NOMINATED BY MY INSRUCTOR AND THE Y FOR "ARTHRITIS PARTICIPANT OF THE YEAR". I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS OR IF THE PRIZE APPROACHES $1,000,000. WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED AS SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE PROGRESS.

CONSIDERING I HAD VIRTUALLY NO MOVEMENT IN MY ARM AND FINGERS WHEN I BEGAN, AND MY WALKING AND BALANCE LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED, I FEEL GREAT. I DO HAVE ARTHRITIS, BUT THE WATER MAKES THE PAIN DISAPPEAR TOO. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS CLASS, MY INSTRUCTOR AND MY FELLOW WATER BUDDIES, I HATE TO THINK WHERE I WOULD BE TODAY. THEY DESERVE THE AWARD.

MARTY :santahat: