So, at my work, I talk to Mr Curl (the PE teacher) and Mr Cooper (the behavior interventionist) often about my progress at Barwis. Curl has the same degree as Phil (in Kinesiology) so he gets what’s going on with my body. Cooper (we call him “Coop”) is a coach for various sports and he looks at Barwis from the coaching, strength and conditioning angle. Both of these men are interested in my progress. I have worked with Coop for 9 years and with Curl for 8 years. I have been in a wheelchair almost from the beginning of working with these men.
On Thursday, I spoke to Curl about my 23 yard drive at Barwis the night before. I made it a dramatic story about my first two “standing” first downs and my third and fourth downs that I went “until fatigue.” He was excited for me and gave me a high-five. Curl and I talk football often. I have made my picks for the Super Bowl (I made them in the WAY beginning of the post season and am WAY, SUPER EXCITED that my teams are still in it!) but he has told me to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone because I don’t want to jinx it. I agreed, you know, I go along with the whole superstitious thing because, let’s face it – I am. He told me that averaging 7 yards a carry will get me about 8 million in the NFL. He told me the Lions will definitely sign me. Well, that’s great! SCORE! 8 million AND I can hang out with Stafford!!! Coop agrees that I can get pretty good money with my 7 yard carry average.
Yesterday, at Barwis, Phil stretched me out in the beginning. My legs were tight, but not as tight as they have been. I was not that impressed with my showing at stands yesterday. We stood a few times and did a few half-squats and then we headed over to the table for a REALLY good stretch. My feet got tangled up when I stood and tried to get onto the table so Phil eventually had to just pick me up and put me on it. It was EXTREMELY apparent that Phil was working really hard to stretch my legs out. I asked him if that was his “concentration face” as he was stretching me. He laughed. It bothers me that my body resists so much. On Wednesday, I watched a young athlete get stretched out and her legs were moving so fluidly, so naturally. I told Phil that I wished my legs moved like that. Jon and Jesse stretched me out like that in the summer and my legs looked CRAZY! I also watched those ladies walking so effortlessly back and forth again and I want to walk like that.
So last night, I wasn’t SUPER impressed with how I did. But I did get a REALLY good stretch! So much so that my legs were jello at the end of it. Phil had to put me into my car. Phil has told me it will go in cycles referring to my legs performing well. Highs and lows. I don’t think this was a low point but I DEFINITELY did not feel that it was a high point either. So I will take a water bottle with me on Monday to Barwis and I ordered my chapstick (I can’t find it in stores and it HAS to be Acai berry!). Barwis does not smell like turf and my chapstick any longer. It smells like turf and Phil’s deodorant. I am going to reinstate my superstitious routines again…just in case. It can’t hurt anything, right?!