Christmas Pictures

Christmas in Michigan, 2008

Aside from the crazy drive to Michigan in a blizzard and drive home in fog and intense rain, I had a great Christmas with my family. Here are a few videos I took of Zach and Nick while I was there. 

Health & Wellness - One Year Later!!

It's been a year since my accident where I shattered my shoulder/arm. During the past year I've been working very hard to get my health and fitness level back. After three months of being immobilized and six months of physical therapy, I began returning to my Pilates classes and added Zumba into the mix. I've been working out 8-9 hours per week and feel better than I have in many years.

My arm is tons better, but I still have changes I am contending with. I can't shave my right armpit or put on deodorant without resting my arm on something and stepping backwards. Putting on a bra is a challenge, but not impossible. My shoulder aches if sleep on my right side for too long. There are several exercises that I have to modify in order to complete them. I am working on it very hard and hoping I will get back to 100%, but that might not be possible.

The entire experience of being unable to care for myself and very dependent on others for such a long time gave me a renewed appreciation for my well being and health. I've been on a mission to get in as good as shape as possible. Even though I was in decent shape when I fell and that wasn't the cause of my injuries since my fitness level probably saved me from even more severe injuries, I wanted to do what I could to be stronger and feel better.

I've lost over 50 lbs now and have gained a bunch of muscle I didn't have before. My clothes are just hanging on me and I don't quite recognize myself yet. I think it takes some time for your brain to catch up with your body. I love my workouts, which is key for me. I love going to my training classes and visiting with my instructor and fellow students. We've developed a very fun and interesting sisterhood of women all working on bettering themselves. It's quite inspiring. 

I love doing Pilates, both on the equipment and the Pilates mat classes that used to scare the heck out of me because I found them so difficult. Zumba has reminded me that I have a great sense of rhythm and love to dance! I've learned all kinds of latin dance steps and I get lost in the music. It's amazing how something so traumatic can have such a good outcome if you decide to look at it that way. 

The only surprise so far is the reaction I've had to snow this year. After the first snow fall, my body actually started to shake and I felt as though I had a slight anxiety attack. This took me by surprise, as I am not prone to anything like this, but when I think about the fact that last winter was one long stressful time for me, it makes sense. When I was home, I was fine. When I had to go to a doctor's appointment or physical therapy, I worried about falling and reinjuring myself. Or I worried that my neighbor and chauffeur, Ruth, who has her own mobility issues at age 80, would slip and fall and hurt herself. I remember leaving my orthopaedic surgeons office once, there was a man coming back from a run in the dead of winter, watching as Ruth insisted I wait inside the door while she got the car and slowly made her way to her car, walking with her cane through the snow and ice. The runner looked at me and asked "is that your driver?" I answered yes and he just shook his head and said "God bless you both." I came to describe the two of us as the blind leading the blind. When we arrived for my first physical therapy appointment, we were asked which one of us was the patient. 

When I was home, I was worried that my visitors would slip on the same steps and injury themselves, so I made everyone call me upon arrival and I opened the garage door with my spare opener and had them enter that way. I was so relieved when the snow stopped falling and driving and walking weren't such stressful undertakings. So, when the snow started to fall this year, my brain said "we should just stay inside until Spring." Not particularly rational, but very understandable. Someone suggested that I might be dealing with some slight post traumatic stress and after looking it up on the Internet, I guess that's possible. I hope that it mellows and ends before winter is over. I am trying hard not to obsess about how snowy and intense the drive to Michigan for Christmas will be. 

So, long story short, I am proud of myself for all the work I've done and happy to have come as far as I have over this past year. I hope next year at this time, I am in even better shape and spirit!! :-)

Thanks for reading,

Jillian