Inspiration & Will Power

[wango]

Walking in the parking lot to the gym and I see a woman on the ramp instead of the stairs. She had a bit of a wide based, waddle type gait, but not too bad, so I played my normal game that my wife & I both share called, name that disfunction (we’re both PTs and we try to make a diagnosis).

I get closer and see she has bilateral below knee amputations, but damn at her age (60’s?) she’s doing it without an assistive device and her husband wasn’t helping. Right then & there I’m wowed, because someone much younger are often times not nearly as steady using 2 prosthetics without any support.

So then I notice the support sleeve on her right arm. Well hello there, she’s an above elbow amputee as well.

Her left arm was flexed and she’s hanging her purse over that bent arm, but she’s wearing a brace. No, her left arm is amputated below her elbow and it’s a prosthesis with a functional grasper.

So I’m in awe, but then see that she is going into my gym. Her husband asks how long she needs and she says an hour & he leaves.

I knew one machine she could use as I’ve seen another leg amputee use it (BTW, bless Planet Fitness). It’s a seated elliptical machine. Yup, her first choice, but to my surprise she’s using her left arm as well, so that is one damn good prosthesis.

I’m about 20-30 minutes into my routine and see she’s heading to the leg press. Now that seat is a bitch and a half to adjust so I hop off the hammer rowing machine and head over there & ask if I can help. She’s got a big smile and thanks me, calls me sweet for asking, I tell her my background and how in awe I am & we proceed to yap for 15 minutes. Of course I tell her anything she needs, please let me know.

We both agree to finally get on with her workouts and I’m watching between sets of rows and holy crap, she’s letting her knees flex to 90 degrees and she’s got a few weight plates on, DAMN. She does 2 -3 sets and . . .

. . . goes to the pec deck! She does one armed pec flies with that ancient looking prosthesis and then heads to an ab machine. The resistance is handles in front of you and from a seated position, flex forward from your trunk.

What’s next? She caps it off with one armed machine bench press.

Oh yeah one more thing. In our conversation, she told me she’s visiting in-laws, had driven in yesterday 10 hours from out of state with her husband, but really wanted to get in a workout today. Damn it, she won’t be back again to the gym, because it’s a short visit.

I’ve been going to gyms for going on 50 years now have seen stroke victims, folks in wheel chairs, severely disfigured burn victims and other amputees, but she was THE most bad-assed thing I’ve ever witnessed. I honestly almost teared up.

If that wasn’t enough to remind me that there is never an excuse to skip a workout, nothing will.

Happy 4th to everyone.

[Test Monsterone]

Wow. Unbelievable. I feel embarrassed when I get upset over trivial things and there are people like her out there doing the best they can, and still kicking ass. I guess you didn’t ask her what happened?

There was a girl who was attacked by a shark recently and had the kindest smile and eyes, it broke my heart what happened to her. But there was one from a few years ago where the girl's dad jumped in to save her. She lost a leg and part of both arms, yet she was ok with it and didn’t blame the shark. She was very optimistic while her dad was the one tearing up. Of course, he better understood the consequences of her injuries and how difficult it will be in the long-term, but she showed incredible resilience nonetheless.

These kind of stories put things in perspective.

[wango]

Wow. Unbelievable. I feel embarrassed when I get upset over trivial things and there are people like her out there doing the best they can, and still kicking ass. I guess you didn’t ask her what happened?

There was a girl who was attacked by a shark recently and had the kindest smile and eyes, it broke my heart what happened to her. But there was one from a few years ago where the girl's dad jumped in to save her. She lost a leg and part of both arms, yet she was ok with it and didn’t blame the shark. She was very optimistic while her dad was the one tearing up. Of course, he better understood the consequences of her injuries and how difficult it will be in the long-term, but she showed incredible resilience nonetheless.

These kind of stories put things in perspective.

.

I knew Diabetes doesn’t really f up the arms like that, but she did have BIG issues with blood sugar, which she is destroying. I simply couldn’t ask what caused 4 amputations on the first talk, though she would have as we were completely chill. We did talk a lot about diet (she initiated it) and how if sucks to get old, and how she had to radically change her diet.

She blew me away when she said in her words, I just saw someone eating chips and Gatorade and she told me “what the fuck are they thinking “? I LMAO. Seriously, this woman, 40 years ago? I’d have likely married. Sure, chop off hee arms & legs, I’m still with you baby!

BALLS!

One of THE coolest moments in my life.

BALLS!

[wango]

I am absolutely exhausted at the moment and have 0 inspiration.
No idea how to get back to normal again.

You can’t force inspiration imo. You can try to set up a routine or establish a new behavior and try to maintain bring positive & focused. But when you’re exhausted it’s tough. It’s “baby-steps” time, just trying to do little things to move you forward & get yourself going. Good luck.