A Valentine’s Day Wedding Dance… 13 years in the Making

There’s something that always has bothered me about Dan and my wedding day.

He never danced with me to our wedding song on September 10, 2005.

It’s not that Dan didn’t want to. It’s just that I wasn’t able to stand with him for the 2 minutes and 38 seconds it takes for Bruce Springsteen to sing “All That Heaven Will Allow.”

Unfortunately, standing to dance without Dan’s help is something Multiple Sclerosis hasn’t allowed for nearly 17 years.

All this changed when my fairytale wedding wish came true on Valentine’s Day 2019.

Once Upon A Time at Central Michigan University

Two CMU Doctor of Physical Therapy students—Taylor and Lara—come over to our house and work with me each week. These PT sessions involve everything from stretching to range of motion, strengthening exercises and increasing my lung capacity.

It didn’t seem out of place when they told me they wanted me to come to CMU’s campus for our next session. They wanted to get me standing in the PT program’s new piece of specialized equipment called the XY-Gantry. I used it one time before and LOVED it.

The day of my meeting with Taylor and Lara came around, and I was so excited. Our session was going to center on me getting out of my power wheelchair and actually stand. I kissed Dan goodbye as he returned to work in his home office, and my caregiver Marcus took me to campus.

Taylor and Lara met me just inside the CMU Health Professions Building door and walked with me to the PT lab. Even though I know my way around this campus facility, I thought nothing of this because I figured they were just as excited to get me standing.

Entering the lab, I also was unphased that their professor Dr. Haines was there alongside the college’s communications and marketing coordinator. I was told she was there to take pictures of the XY-Gantry in action.

Roses, a balloon and my Prince Charming

Once Marcus, Taylor, Lara and their classmate Lyndsay teamed up to transfer me from my wheelchair and had me standing, they synced Taylor’s cellphone to a speaker and started playing some music.

Three notes into the first song, I immediately recognized it and shouted, “Springsteen.”

Dr. Haines looked at me a little puzzled, and asked, “How did you know that so quickly?”

Just as I was getting ready to say it was our wedding song, Dan walked up from behind me with beautiful roses and a huge heart-shaped balloon!

Turns out Taylor and Lara initiated this plan, and it was up to Dan to make it complete.

And just like that, Dan and I were dancing. To our wedding song. At last.

The PT lab at CMU buzzed with music, love and laughter from a Valentine’s Day surprise that made my dream come true.

What a moment. What a memory.

And so much love with “All That Heaven Will Allow” by Bruce Springsteen:

“… Rain and storm and dark skies 
Well now they don’t mean a thing 
If you got a girl that loves you 
And who wants to wear your ring 
So c’mon mister trouble 
We’ll make it through you somehow 
We’ll fill this house with all the love 
All that heaven will allow. …”