Month: June 2016

I was late to Barwis.  I hate being late!  Before we left and I was figuring if we would make it on time or not, my Mom told me that it didn’t matter because, ” Some stretch is better than no stretch.”  I agreed, so we got in the car and went.  I ended up being late.  Grr!  Nick grabbed my left leg just aftermy Mom pushed me over to the black table.  I felt a bit off and my shins hurt.  I talked with Nick about that as my legs loosened up somewhat.

He helped me onto the table and I laid back still not feeling totally relaxed.  We started doing some PNFs and I still felt uptight I guess.  But then I heard it.  My 4th u2 song!!! “With or Without You.”  I LOVE this “Fit Class!”  I began explaining the meaning to Nick and what do you know?!  My legs started to relax.

Deeds changed the music before the song ended.  He changed each song after it ended.  He switched from the Black Crowes and country.  That was kind of goofy but my time was just about over and my legs and hips felt good and loose which that is the short-term goal. Walking is my ultimate goal as it has always been; but now I understand that I need to focus on the small things and little victories daily; because, if you remember, “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.”

We were running a little late for my time at Barwis and I contemplated cancelling but my Mom told me that “some stretch was better than NO stretch.”  She was completely correct so we ended up being about 20 minutes  late.  Nick and I get right into what is our normal routine and he loosened my legs before I got on the table.  I didn’t feel as tight as I have before but I still felt like I had MS.  (I don’t even remember what a “normal” body would feel like, it’s been so long).

Nick had me lay on my stomach again.  He said that my quads felt kind of tight so we were going to work my “hammies.” I was okay with that, whatever he thinks.  I laid on my stomach and propped myself on my elbows.  I placed my hands flat on the table and got ready to hear the first, “push” from Nick.  Well, it’s true.  Three’s a charm.  I did well with the PNFs.  I “pushed” and “pulled” when I was told to and that felt good!

When we were finished with the two sets on each leg, my time was up.  I rolled over onto my back and I was tired but my legs felt loose.  They were warm and relaxed.  I kept my head on the table and waited a moment and took a deep breath in an out.  As Nick grabbed my ankles to pull me to the edge of the table, he asked how I felt.  I replied, Good.”   Then I amended that by saying, “Really good.”  He pulled my ankles and asked, Really good or really, REALLY good?”  I responded, Really, really good.”  To which he laughed and said ‘F*** yeah!”  He’s a potty mouth like Phil.

I wasn’t sure how I would do at Barwis, I think I felt kind of tight.  My Mom wheeled in and by the mirror not too far from the tables.  We were a little early and I looked over to the door to the gym from the reception desk area and I see Brock… WITH A BEARD!!!  I didn’t even recognize him at first.  He walked over and we talked for a bit.  He looked SO different!  He told me that he started growing it for the hockey playoffs but kept it after the Red Wings lost.  I told him that it looked really good!  I thought of Yukon Cornelius without the pointy mustache and it was darker.  It looked soft and it had curls in it.

When my time came, Nick loosened my legs up and then I got onto the table.  I was on my stomach again and was a little bit nervous how I would do.  I think Brock’s beard was good luck because I did VERY WELL with all the different PNFs!  As Nick walked around the table to switch legs, he asked how I was feeling because I was “Killin” it!”  I REALLY felt like I was!  I told him that, “First is the worst and second is the best!”  because I had such a bad showing the last time!

When I talked with Brock earlier, I told him about tearing my other hamstring and switching workout days from Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays to Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I told him that I WAS killin’ it on the shuttle but now I’m just getting stretched.  I told him “hills and valleys” and he nodded and said, “Sometimes you just need a rest.”  I thought of those words doing the PNFs on my stomach and thought that it IS a rest, but a “rest” with a twist because I WAS “Killin’ it!” which made me feel SO good!

I got to Barwis and it was the day after Sean’s 8th grade graduation.  Hey, that’s a HUGE milestone for me! It was a weekday so I got as many of my family members who could come.  I cried!  I’m a sissy!  I know it!

Hopefully, it’s one of a couple of diplomas and a few degrees for Sean!  How official looking!, ya think?!

So, I’m happy that my boy is growing up but my legs were REALLY tight!  Nick loosened them up a bit and then got me onto the table.  This time, he said we would start on my stomach.  I hadn’t laid on my stomach in a while.  I remembered all the PNFs I would do while on my stomach.  Pulling my foot down to the table was A LOT easier than keeping it up as Nick pulled it down.  He pulled it down with such ease, it was as if he was peeling an orange.  I squeezed my eyes shut, gritted my teeth, and even grunted a bit but it wasn’t helping much!

It wasn’t until the second sets that I finally offered a bit of resistance!  But, I KNOW that it’s better LATE than NEVER!!!  It really stunk and was frustrating that I didn’t have a good showing!  My disease IS progressing and I hadn’t done these in a while.  (Thanks Michael for making mr know that!). Then, Nick worked on my quads.  He pulled my knee up off of the table and this time, I pulled it down.  Quickly and with force.  Nick was happy with this showing!  I rolled over onto my back and I was tired!

We did a little bit of stretching but Nick could see that I was tired.  Once in my car, I was too tired to even talk with my Mom.  I didn’t sleep but closed my eyes and leaned my head back.  I don’t even think we listened to music!  If we did, I didn’t hear it.

I was pretty tight on Thursday.  My body has really been hurting lately.  Nick pulled a stool up to my chair and started to stretch me out.  He agreed that I was really tight.  Just recently I’ve been really thinking about my goals in coming to Barwis almost 3 years ago.  I thought this was going to be a relatively quick process to get me out of my chair and walking.  I had the desire and was willing to do the work.  I thought it would be easy.  I was SO wrong!!!

it has been more work than I could have imagined but all along the way, every single one of my trainers have believed in me and told me walking was possible.  Then there was Mike Rhoades.  In one conversation we had, I spoke of walking and in true form, it’s a charm that is exclusive to Michael Rhoades, he let me know that as I am doing all the work I do at Barwis Methods, my disease is progressing.  Well, that was a bummer!  Even though we both knew this fact was true, Michael (he hates it when I call him that) still worked tirelessly with me in spite of my disease worsening.

I told Nick this story as he was loosening up my legs.  I told him that even though it might be a losing battle (thanks Michael), even though my disease is constantly worsening, I come to Barwis because this work makes my body feel “less worse” and I NEED that!  Even though my legs were still a little tight, Nick got me on the table on my back.  He pulled the wedge over for me to lay on as he tried to loosen my legs up.  They were straight out like two sticks.

Nick slowly worked to bend my knees.  And then they gave out, one at a ime, and bent. Nick smiled and exclaimed that it was the, “Sweet Spot!”  He positioned my foot on his chest and told me that we would just chill there for a bit.  It felt good that my legs FINALLY relaxed and I chose NOT to think about it being fleeting because it COMPLETELY is but rather I chose to appreciate the fact that for right now, I feel “less worse.”

I didn’t feel well at work and my legs were pretty stiff.  I told Nick that I was grading papers at the end of the day and I prayed for my legs to relax because they hurt so badly.  I attributed it to eating badly over the holiday weekend.  Nick grabbed my left foot and  asked me if that was it with a half-smile and I smiled back and said, “Well, I DO have MS.  If you didn’t know, that could be it too.”  We both kind of laughed and he told me that we’d take it “Nice ‘n’ Easy” today.  I liked the sound of that!  My body hurt!

Nick helped me get out of my chair and onto the table.  I couldn’t help him by completely standing up but I helped more than just my knees buckling and bending.  That made me feel better but my body still hurt.  Nick grabbed the wedge for me to lay my head and back on as I laid on my back.  He pulled my right leg out, bent it, and put my foot on his chest.  He told me to give my leg a, “little push.”  I dig these because I can activate my legs just about immediately and do these in quick succession.

As we continued doing this, my body still hurt but then u2 came on!  Vertigo.  I laughed and told Nick that I saw them on their Vertigo tour, “back when I was young and fun… in 2006!” We both laughed and I told him that tickets for the Dismantle tour were too expensive.  I didn’t see them because I had a mortgage at that point.  My body FINALLY began relaxing and I told Nick my “dream engagement” story.

I had to be 25 or 26 and someone at work just got engaged.  Unmarried teachers were in the lounge discussing their “dream engagement” places.  I think I may have come in quickly to make copies and someone asked me, “Hey Rios, where is your dream engagement?”  I didn’t look up and continued working at the copier and just simply said (without skipping a beat), “Ireland.  U2 concert.” It was silent for a moment before they all started laughing and someone said, “Not that you’ve ever thought about it!”  My copies were finished and I told them that I haven’t really but it’s ‘Go Big or Go Home” and left the lounge.  I laughed at that memory and told Nick that, “They have to have a “Going Home” tour!”

My legs REALLY began relaxing and then “Beautiful Day” came on.  The 3rd u2 song I’ve heard at Barwis! ??? I really dig this “Fit Class”!  It took almost three years but I was never going to suggest u2 while I worked out with high school groups or pro athletes.  My time was up and I appreciated that my body no longer hurt for now.  Not only did my body feel better, but I also heard some GREAT music!