Today when I woke up I was 62. Going about my morning routine, having a great workout and starting my workday made me very thankful that at 62 I am alive, healthy and have a big life.
This past winter, just before the blizzard, I slipped on black ice on my porch and thought it would be a good idea to catch myself with my right arm on my railing. Not a good idea. A better idea would've been to fall on my bum and have a sore tailbone for a few days. My brilliant decision plunged me into 7 months of a painful frozen shoulder.
The first month I was bummed out and didn't know how I was going to handle not being able to workout, sleep, or even sit comfortably in a chair. I fought this thing. Every time it started to feel even remotely better, I would plunge in and try to use it and re-injure it. You would think I would've learned the first time. No. I must have re-injured that shoulder 5 or 6 times before I relented to what my body was saying – which was STOP ALREADY. I finally succumbed and settled down to the task of healing.
Healing is a wonderful teacher. I learned to keep my right arm tucked by my side and figure out how to modify my workouts to accommodate it. (After all, there was nothing wrong with the rest of me.) I stopped trying to push it. I reduced my weights to 15 lbs – almost an embarrassment to my pre-injured self. I learned to drop the vanity and concentrate on the healing and wonderful things began to happen. My members watched me practice patience with an injury and not just quit and not work out while I healed it. They watched me modify the Smartrainer to accommodate my one useful arm. They watched me not be afraid to lower those weights. They watched me slow down and be gentle with myself. I had members with similar injuries and was able to help them adjust and not get frustrated with what our bodies sometimes deal out to us to wrestle with.
Physically I watched my left, non-dominant arm get stronger. In the beginning I could only do the left arm exercise and have to skip the right arm. Seven months later I can do both with my left arm. I couldn't even do the chest press with one arm in January and had to take it out of my workouts. Then one day I was able to do it with my left arm with 15 pounds. Today I am up to 17 1/2 lbs. I gained 2 lbs of muscle in the last seven months – more than I gained in my first year at Koko. This taught me that you don't need heavy weights to build muscle if you are consistent and let it take the time it needs – I now know the ins and outs of muscle building.
Time spent in the cocoon of healing has shown me I have much to give gratitude for and increased my appreciation for everyday activities that I often took for granted. With each Facebook message I say a prayer for the poster because friends are an important part of life. With each texting conversation among our family members I laugh, cry, lament, encourage, and cheer on the people I am so thankful to have in my inner circle. With each glass of wine poured out by the fire I sink into relaxation and truly appreciate where I live. With each workout I pay attention to the working muscles and find joy in finally being able to begin working out my injured arm again – sensibly and slowly introducing movement and weight back into it. Healing truly is a wonderful teacher.
And so, as another year commences to go by, injury brought healing, healing brought patience, patience brought a whole new perspective to the way I now approach and value my daily activities. I would like to thank all of you for the precious birthday wishes. Each and every one of you brings meaning and value to my days. Thank you so much and tonight join me at Bartosik's Backyard in raising a glass to just being alive.
* Yes, it does say “Pinapple Express” – I made the mistake and then the drink was so good, my daughter kept calling it that instead of Pineapple Express, so Pinapple Express it is! lol!
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