Elle had called me Monday to push my time back on Wednesday. I pulled up to Barwis and my Mom was on the phone so I started wheeling myself in the rolldown door. I saw Mike Morfitt and talked with him as I pushed myself up the ramp. I hadn’t done that since a little bit before I tore my hamstring so I struggled a bit. Connor was also coming in the door so he pushed me just inside. I looked to my left (where the blue table is) and to my right and I didn’t see Nick. I wheeled to the door that separates the front desk from the gym. I pushed it open with my footrests and then got stuck. I laughed to myself and luckily; Elle saw me and came over to help me. She agreed to look for Nick as I was able to turn around.
I wheeled to by the chairs as Elle went the other way to look for Nick in the break room. I took a deep breath to breathe in the ambiance. It had been 1 week since I had been to Barwis to workout and I missed it. I don’t remember which song was playing but I remember the smell! It smelled like it ALWAYS has – like turf and hope. Just then, I see Nick waving his arms by the blue table out of the corner of my eye. I rolled over to there and he asked how my leg was.
He stretched my legs carefully while I sat in my chair and stretched me equally as carefully as I laid on the blue table. It felt good to be stretched out but I wasn’t pushing myself SUPER hard. I watched as Garret walked all the way from one end of the gym to the other. Nick told me that he was a quad. I thought all along he was a para so his strides are that much more impressive to me now! I’m GENIUNELY happy for him but get a a tinge of sadness (or longing) because I WANT TO do that!!! My Mom took this pic because it WAS ‘Wacky Sock Wednesday” #26:
Nick put me in my chair and my Mom wheeled me outside. As I was about to get into my car, I heard my Mom say, “Hi” to someone so I turned my head. It was Mike Rhoades. I used to call him Michael. (He didn’t like it – but I did it anyway). We talked briefly and I told him that I tore my hamstring. I told him that it hurt and I can FEEL it. I’ve gotten used to the “trifecta of pain” (butt, quads, and hamstrings). But this wasn’t a “sore muscle” pain but a “hurt”pain. He agreed and said that anyone who tears a muscle says it hurts. My Mom helped me get into my car and I was tired because I hadn’t worked at Barwis for a week but quiet and couldn’t quite figure out why. I miss Jesse and Phil. I KNOW that but I don’t see them. I told Mike that him leaving hurt my heart (in jest going along with the playful banter we always would engage in) but I guess it really DID and seeing AND talking with him made me realize that.