I have a client named Bruce. He has Parkinson’s disease. He’s had it for close to ten years and is currently in the advanced stages. He has a lot of trouble picking up his feet to walk and cannot stand up out of chair on his own.
His wife found me a couple of years ago and asked to bring him in to work on using his muscles and to fight the disease with strength training.
When she arrived at my gym we discussed his weekly activities: group therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, appointments at Shands. I told her what a great job she is doing, getting him help each week. And then in my typical foot-in-the-mouth way, I said, “Sounds like you need some time to yourself. You must be exhausted!” And thankfully, she didn’t bolt. But honestly replied, “I am!”.
So, it was settled.
When she brought Bruce, she would workout too. While Bruce and I walk, stand up out of a chair and fight that disease with every muscle fiber he can muster, she spends some time on herself. Some days she goes for a walk. Some days she looks me in the eye, leans in, and says she needs to slam something.
Taking care of her husband, she has torn her rotator cuff, damaged her knees, pulled her back, cried many tears, and simply just gotten to the laughing stage. And each week, as long as there aren’t any doctor appointments or travel, she comes.
Not because it’s easy. I can hardly imagine the effort and time it takes each morning to get her husband up and fed and dressed and out the door. Not because anyone is watching her. And not because she thinks there will be this miraculous turn around and he will be back to his old self again.
She does it because she is committed to him. To the end. “We’ve been married 47 years. He took care of me for years. What am I to do?” says she.
And so in the midst of bodily disfunction and great sadness, is this terribly beautiful display of what commitment looks like. For the long term.
Maybe you’ve seen this display of sacrifice and commitment in your own life. Maybe you are that person! And even if you haven’t seen it, let me share a few things that these two wonderful clients have shown me in the years I’ve known them:
It doesn’t have to be pretty, and sometimes, it will just be ugly.
You don’t have to have the best attitude all the time about it… but don’t let that stop you.
Silver linings are everywhere. Look for them and celebrate them.
Always leave with a smile.
Show up regardless of whether you brushed your hair.
Go until you’re exhausted. Then have a seat. Get back up and do some more.
There’s nothing like a good slam ball.
Let us remember that many of the things we worry about or are afraid of will not be remembered in the long run. Only the test of time will truly show what we are committed to. Let us skip while the skippin’s good, then walk while we can walk, plod when we need to plod, and crawl when we need to crawl. In the end, it’s not how we get there. It’s just that we do.
Keep moving!
Priscilla
p.s. Know what you want but not sure how to get there? That’s where we come in. We give you step by step instruction on what to do next. With all the ideas, diet advice and newest forms of exercise, it can be overwhelming. So let us help you determine your next step. Click here if you’d like to set up a free consultation.
[zenplanner_button url=”https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=12171180&appointmentType=8163389″ target=”blank” size=”13″ center=”yes”]Book a No Sweat Consultation [/zenplanner_button]
Recent Comments