ROAD BUMPS…

It seems that my life, in the last 5-6 years, has been a roller coaster ride of challenges. After being an extreme athlete all my life, and following the “no pain, no gain” formula, life finally came to a screeching halt when my knees gave out through overuse complicated by severe osteoarthritis.

I actually ended up in a wheelchair for awhile as I tried to exercise through the pain and continue my very busy career as a Personal Fitness Trainer & Mobile Massage Therapist. I finally rested enough to move from wheelchair to crutches to a cane. It was then that I received a call from my family, explaining that my Mother was just diagnosed with terminal Cancer of the Colon, Liver & Spleen and that she had a year to live. So, I made the decision to sub-let my apartment in the West End of Vancouver, where I had been living for 14 years, had a friend take over my business for me and moved (temporarily I thought) to Penticton to support my Mom in the last year of her life. Needless to say, that year was horrendous as I watched my Mom slip away and finally transition. It was about that time that I heard about Pole Walking and decided to try it as a way to get some exercise and help with the grieving process.

Well, after my first lesson I was hooked and amazed that I could do this sport without experiencing any pain in my knees. I immediately called Keenfit to see about becoming an Instructor. Very soon I had my Certification, a bunch of demo poles and was ready to roll. I had barely taught one or two classes when I developed symptoms which led to a diagnosis of Colon Cancer. Just another of life’s “speedbumps” I told myself. So, I opted for surgery but refused the Chemo that my Doctors ordered. Instead I went full out into any alternative healing modalities that I could put my hands on. I also worked with a Naturopath, a Master Herbalist and an Accupuncturist. I decided to take my Vegan diet up a notch and went 100% raw Vegan.

As I recovered from my cancer surgery, I began taking small forays back into Pole Walking. I started with literally 5 minutes on the flats and worked my way up to an hour on hills. The first few times out on my Poles confirmed how well Pole Walking works the core of the body. I’ve read somewhere that during Pole Walking your abdominal muscles contract 1000’s of times. Well, let me tell you I could feel my ab muscles working hard over my surgery site. I made a fast, miraculous recovery through exercising with my Poles and of course complimented by a pristine raw diet.

It was about 6-8 months after my surgery that I was teaching Pole Walking classes again.

I am currently getting a combination of physiotherapy, cranial sacral & chiropractic for chronic low back pain which stems from my crazy days as an extreme athlete. With 2 compressed discs, and the added complication of sciatica I’m pretty much in constant pain. But, once again, Pole Walking to the rescue. It is the ONLY thing that I can do that doesn’t aggravate the pain and I know that ultimately it will help immensely towards strengthening my core. On the days that I am bent over sideways from a locked up sciatic joint, I use my Poles to get around in my house as it is the only way I can stand up straight.

I’ve had to take a little break from teaching classes due to this extra little road bump, but I’m the forever optimist and know that, like Arnold Schwartzenegger says, “I’ll be back”.

Respectfully submitted,

Cleo