The greatest gift a person can give another is just to show up. And they did! The majority I knew, some I had not seen in decades, and others I didn’t know at all! Over 29 people have shown up since June 20, 2022… Not just once, but most over and over again. When I first started at Neurokinetix, for
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“Never been one to ask for help. Need a mountain moved, I moved it myself….”, are the first couple lines to one of my favorite country songs by Matt Stell. Asking for help is difficult. The last thing you want to do is to inconvenience or bother someone at the risk of setting yourself up for rejection or seeming selfish.
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A mixture of enthusiasm, nervousness, impatience, and readiness gently awoke me from my slumber on June 20, 2022 at 5:30 AM. My first day, EVER, of physical rehabilitation was about to begin at Neurokinetix. After months of waiting for this day to come, its arrival was hard to believe. Like a student on the first day of school, the angst
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After cutting a small lock of hair off the back of my head, it was placed inside a Ziploc baggie, tucked into a conventional, white envelope, and shipped to Loveland, Colorado. A town akin to Breckenridge; a place reminiscent of fond Rocky Mountain ski trips. Memories came flooding back. Here, I mastered adaptive snow skiing with new friends, while also
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Scraped knees, scabbed elbows, and bruised toes were hazards of walking as a child. Falling was normal. As birthdays passed, walking became more difficult. Occasionally, my dad would hold my hand when walking. Not only a sign of affection, but a source of balance and stability. His large hand would instinctively clinch my tiny one upon the buckling of my
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No more piggies, and chickens, and cows. Oh, my! That’s right, this born and raised Texas COW-girl is no longer eating meat. As of mid January 2020, I am a clean, plant-based vegan. Never in my wildest dreams did I predict those words would come out of my mouth, much less pivot into a lifestyle. I guess you could say
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Unbridled curiosity ramped up my reading and research in order to better understand the scientific side of my genetically confirmed Charcot Marie Tooth type 2A diagnosis, in March, 2019. Never did I dream that months of casual, yet steadfast Google searches would lead me to stumble upon informational gold. A diagram in the Journal of Clinical Investigation caught my eye.
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Wii what??? Around ten years ago, one of the fourth grade students in my class enthusiastically educated his clueless teacher on his new Wii gaming system. I had no idea what he was talking about, but it sounded really cool. I remember being left thinking, “I wonder if this device would allow me to play sports, especially tennis?” After a
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The news of Charcot Marie Tooth type 2A was not earth shattering. After 50 years of uncertainty, advanced genetic testing confirmed the definitive truth about what had been “inconveniencing” my body for 5 decades. Finally, loose ends were tying up and years of unanswered questions were being answered. The quest was over, and in my mind, slowly coming to a
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The last time I visited Margaritaville was Jimmy Buffett’s concert circa summer 1995. Of course, attending with my dear friend and partner in crime, Liz, made it one of the elite memories spanning our 30 year friendship. And, we’ve had a lot of them! It’s so rare to have a friend that you can move forward in time with, experiencing
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My neuromuscular disease had always taken a backseat in my life. Lately, it was riding shotgun; up front, next to me. An unwanted passenger; a Thelma to my Louise. At times, I’ve come to a foggy impasse on the best direction to navigate my health. Thankfully, the refusal to have it drive me over the cliff is in my DNA.
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The “deer in the headlights” look was actually more disappointing than surprising after requesting a prescription for a a standing frame, during my annual visit to the Muscular Dystrophy clinic at UT Southwestern Medical Center in March 29, 2018. Being a clinic of neurology, I expected the accessory of a standing frame to be common knowledge, a basic no-brainer. The
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Safe to say, it usually takes a state of crisis in order to spark a change. I was guilty as charged!, the last half of 2017. This pivotal predicament snuck up on me at the end of August 2017. I never saw it coming. The warm water therapy pool allowed me a place to walk and push my body, more
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The pool has always provided freedom of movement, removing the shackles of gravity. I love how my body flows effortlessly through the waves. A considerably strong swimmer as a youngster, endurance always trumped speed. I took swim lessons, yet the Olympics never came calling. Conquering my Junior Life Saving test, at the age of 12, was a grueling accomplishment, and
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A revitalized strength energized my body in early 2017. Inctuitively, I felt it needed to be challenged with new exercises, beyond my usual training and swimming routine. A doctor suggested a referral to a physiatrist. “Psychiatrist?”, I thought to myself. No, not a psychiatrist. Although, some people might argue otherwise. A physiatrist is a doctor of physical therapy. I was
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This playful, bordering on silly, Easter photo mirrors the lightheartedness I currently sense inside and out. A blessed “rebirth” that truly reflects the joy of the Easter season. For the first time in a while, I relished a holiday outing instead of fixating on getting home and getting through it. Every morning when I open my eyes, I am greeted
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“I never want you to be comfortable…” . WHAT??? Were these words really rolling off Dr. Cris’ tongue? I was stunned. Ever since I entered her office, my main mission was to be pain free, comfortable, and get my life back. Isn’t it human nature to strive for a minimalistic status of comfortable, and beyond? When this whole thing first
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Debilitating cramps in my lower torso were relentlessly pushing my bones out of alignment for months, preventing any forward progress as far as trying to rehab my body. Dr. Cris mentioned magnesium as a supplement to assist in relieving leg cramps. After experimenting with a few different brands, there was NO good path which led to discovering that magnesium was
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Grateful that the rhythms of life were finally boomeranging back to me, I was still far from the imperfectly perfect body I had always appreciated. I knew my body wasn’t fully recovered even after five, long years of a diet overhaul and a strict training regiment. But, hope filled my heart as I was eagerly moving in the right direction.
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Life’s unforeseen turns often unfold God’s biggest blessings! While brainstorming ideas on how to raise funds in order to achieve my financially lofty goal of entering REACT’s gait training program, an unanticipated e-mail from Kendell, director of REACT, popped up in my in-box. Hope filled me, lifting a self perceived iron veil which seemed to be creating a barrier between
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April Fool’s day is one of my favorites. I just can’t resist! Since March resulted in my best monthly evaluation of all, I had to play it up! After 3 plus years, Bob is more than just my trainer. He’s more like a trainer/ friend/ therapist, and when it comes to my health, I tell him everything! Bob’s expression was
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Watching Saturday morning television at 7am is not my forte, but this particular Saturday was different. Early to rise, meant flipping on the tv while doing my morning stretches in bed. God must have choreographed the moment I hit the remote’s “ON” button with the timing of Fox 4 News. My eyes and ears could not believe the story playing
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Most people consider 21 as one of life’s great markers. In Texas, it’s a legal right of passage which officially marks adulthood. Sadly, I have surpassed this milestone (by only a few years, of course!). Nevertheless, 21 still maintains to be a monumental milestone in my life. It celebrates the number of continuous, consecutive days without needing a chiropractic adjustment!
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