b'or talk again. However, on her birthday, she woke up and asked for water. After a couple of months of inpatient rehabilitation, she was able to walk again. Kimberly came to Cone Health Outpatient Neurorehabilitation Center and worked hard with occupational and physical therapists. She recently walked a mile of the Heart & Stroke Walk.Kimberly still has trouble controlling the muscles on her left side. To make walking easier without using a brace, Kimberly uses a high-tech muscle stimulation system. She has an electronic device strapped to her leg in two places. Her therapist uses an iPad to set up the parameters of the stimulation so that when she takes a step with her weak leg, the device sends a signal to make her lower leg muscles contract. This helps lift up her toes so that she doesnt drag them or trip over them. Dont be mistakenKim has to work hard even when the device is helping. But its exciting to get the benefits of a leg brace without any brace.Kim will tell you shes a strong, powerful woman. She uses the things she was good at beforebeing goal-oriented and staying on task. She pulls from her experiences as a college athlete. She stays positive, digs deep and works hard, using her formula for success: 75% her effort and 25% rehab.Where most of us would askWhy me? in this situation,Kim genuinely asks theopposite, Why not me?because she feels she canbear this where perhapssomeone else could not.She knows shes going tomake it. And she findsmeaning by giving. Kim andher family started afoundation that performscharitable acts like feedingpeople in need andsponsoring events forseniors. All of it adds upto success.Pictured: Kimberly Saunders with physical therapist, Robin Waldron2526'