Author: Jen Rios

It rained yesterday on my way to Barwis.  Even though the weather was not good, I didn’t feel TOO, TOO badly.  I got into the center and I heard one of Jesse’s songs.  It was a song I heard a lot this past summer and he used to dance to it and we would laugh.  Phil stretched me out at the Keiser machine (after he gave me a piece of gum because I lost my pack and I really like the gum he chews.  Now I chew it.) and had me stand.  Well, first is STILL NOT the worst because I stood sturdy and strong.  I had to fight for it in the beginning but with Phil telling me to, “Push”, I was able to stand with a *BINK.*  He then told me to do two squats which I did coming up to a complete stand, *BINK.” I stood again and this time I did 3 squats.  I was excited!  So much so, I extended my fist in which Phil “joystick”ed mebut that was okay with me because I was SO happy!

I then completed two more stands where Phil counted down from ten to have me sit again.  He wouldn’t start counting  until I got my bearings and once he started counting, I let out an involuntary, “Wooo!”  Sometimes in life, a well placed, “woo-hoo!” will adequately express your mirth.  I was REALLY happy that I had put forth a good show at the bar so I was looking forward to “Walking Wednesday” #28.

I get set at the line Phil told me to.  Phil has made fun of the fact that I say, “Let’s do this thing!” at the beginning of each down but I said it anyway.  My left foot was getting EXCELLENT steps off and both Phil and Lindsay thought so and were telling me.  My right leg, not so much but my left leg was taking a good lead.  I got 13 yards on my first down.  I got 3 on my 2nd down and 2 on my 3rd down.  I stood for my 4th down but I couldn’t get anything further.  I was squeezing all of the muscles that Phil told me to but I could not will my feet to move.  I sat a bit defeated and said , “I punted.”  I got 18 yards yesterday.  But thinking about it, I have faith in my punter and faith in my D-line.  My return team is GREAT so it wasn’t such a bad thing, I suppose.

Phil didn’t take me out to my car yesterday.  We fist bumped in the center and Phil told me that I did a good job.  I grabbed his fist and gave it a good shake as I yelled, “Joystick.”  I think Phil let me because he wasn’t taking me to my car.  Zakk took me.  He complimented my rims and I told him, “If I’m gonna roll, I’m gonna roll in style.”  I got into my car COMPLETELY by myself!  I sat in the car and rested a long while, drank water, and texted Jesse to tell him how I did.  He responded, “Wow you have been steady w that”  I guess I have! I have gotten double-digit yardage for tha last three “Walking Wednesdays.”  I responded, “I have!  It’s coming!!! “Little by little…”

TOTAL YARDAGE = 341 and 2 steps

 

Because of the rain, my legs felt REALLY tight yesterday.  I almost hit a duck who was crossing the parking lot at Barwis!  I was getting into my zone and didn’t see it until almost the last second.  Phil stretched me out at the Keiser machine and I stood.  Phil didn’t time it but I think it was for an hour or so.  Seriously, might have been AT LEAST a minute.  It was a strong, sturdy stand; one in which my right leg joined the party immediately.  I sat when Phil told me to VERY slowly and with the UTMOST grace!  (At least that is how I perceived it to be).  It was even the first one and it WASN’T the worst!  I stood again equally as good.  On my third stand, Phil had me do squats in quick succession.  I did 19.  I was on my way up to make it 20 and he said, “I’m not taking you out to your car today.  The new intern is.”  Well, I lost my concentration with that so I had to sit.  I could have done like 30 maybe.. not really, I was already losing steam.

I rested and stood again but I only got 5 more squats.  He fist bumped me and “joystick”ed me.  I let him.  Phil yawned and told me that he was tired and that I was the 7th client he had with neurological problems that day.  I replied with a smile and throwing my hands in the air, “Lucky 7!”  That’s me.

I tried another stand and only completed one squat.  I was disappointed and Phil told me that I was tired.  Well, I guess I WAS.  I told Phil that, “I wanted to knock your socks of but I guess I will save that for “Walking Wednesday.” ”  He stretched me again before my time was over.  He told me I did a good job and we fist bumped like 3 times.  I think he was waiting for me to try to “joystick” him. But, I said that I’m not going to steal his thunder anymore… or am I?  It was nice to just fist bump again.

Zakk took me out to my car which I got into almost by myself.  I undershot the car seat a bit so he had to help me get onto the car seat.  I sat in the car for a while because I was  tired but it was a “good” tired.  I worked hard.  I wondered if I will ALWAYS have to work this hard.  I’m okay with that too though.  It’s bound to get easier!  It already has compared to the days BEFORE Barwis.  I ended up doing like 5 stands and 25 squats yesterday!  I think I can REALLY see walking on the horizon!  We’ll see what “Walking Wednesday” #28 brings…

I woke up to this thought for the day:

Well, I know that I am trying!!!  I just have to wait and either way good things will happen but I’d prefer “better”things to happen.

Yesterday, Phil started stretching me at the Keiser machine.  It was Friday.  The habit now is to immediately go to the mat.  I asked him why we were at the Keiser machine and he repeatedly answered my questions with his usual responses of, “Shhh,” and, “just.”  After he stretched me, we went over to the mat.  Phil moved it to the middle of the turf away from the clock as is the usual place now.  He told me to get down on the mat and he started stretching me more.  I was laying on my stomach and he was stretching my left leg.  My foot was up in the air and he was stretching me HARD-CORE!  He lifted my knee up a little and I began to laugh a little bit because it hurt SO badly.  He lifted my knee a little more and I yelled, “Unbelievable!”  It just came out because it hurt SO much!  Phil was amused by this and continued to repeat it for the rest of the hour.

After this CRAZY stretch, it was time to kneel.  Yesterday, it was a little bit MORE difficult because my butt, quads, and hamstrings were STILL hurting!  I can’t see the clock when it is time to kneel so I just kneel until Phil tells me to stop.  Phil says that I knelt 12 times for a total of 7 minutes.  I knelt 10 times for 30 seconds and twice for 1 minute. It felt like A LOT longer than that!!!  But, I just did what Phil told me to do.  I KNOW that it had to be longer because after Barwis, I drove straight to the Center for Performing Arts for the viewing of the Dearborn High student films. (My nephew was in one of them).  After it was over and the lights came up, it was UNBELIEVABLE how much my butt was hurting!!!

Phil had to put me into my car yesterday after my three failed attempts to do it on my own. I have decided to stop “stealing his thunder” after he gave me a forced “joystick” AGAIN and just let him do his worst.  So, my butt STILL hurts A LOT and this is a new “hurts so good” for me.  I KNOW that it is good that it hurts but I didn’t know that it could hurt this MUCH!!!  But I’ve said before that “I’ll do ANYTHING to walk” and if enduring this pain is part of that “anything” then BRING IT!

 

 

 

I was early for Barwis yesterday.  I knew that I needed to get “combobulated” for “Walking Wednesday” #27 and being on time was one thing to help with that.  It rained yesterday morning as I was getting ready for work.  Phil told me that, “It’s a mindset.”(to get over the weather) and I have my mind set on walking so I pushed through my shower.  I was feeling pretty good when I got to Barwis and Phil stretched me at the Keiser machine.  Then, he had me stand.  Now, historically, first is ALWAYS the worst so I prepared myself for it to be bad.  Not this time.  I pushed through and stood with a *BINK.*  I even proceeded to do 3 squats!  I sat back down and was surprised.  I asked Phil if he was impressed because I KNOW I was!  That was even the first attempt!  The first is ALWAYS the worst.  I did it again.  4 squats this time.  The bar was set lower for these two sets.  I asked why it was and Phil told me that it will work different muscles.  After I sat after the second set of squats, i again asked him how it was.  I told him NOT to patronize me and he told me that he wasn’t and told me that it was, “not too shabby.”  He told me to head over to the turf and I tapped his knee and told him that I was REALLY excited!!!  He half smiled at that and sort of laughed.  I rode down the ramp (with NO hands of course!) and lined up at the line he told me to as he got my crutches.

I got 7 yards on my first down.  My second down, I had a stutter step, or 2 of them!  On my third attempt, I got 8 yards.  I hit somewhat of a slump and only got 3 yards for my 3rd down.  I ended with 5 yards on my 4th down.  I got a total of 23 yards yesterday!  I was TIRED!  I got mostly into my car by myself yesterday and Phil refused to fist bump me on the turf.  We did get one fist bump in with NO shenanigans because it has been so long since he congratulated me like that.  He forced my hand into a fist when I was in my car and yelled, “Joystick!” and told me that I stink at those.  Well, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, PHIL!!!  I’ll SHOW him!  Eventually.

Mr. Curl says that at the top end, I would be worth about 9 million in the NFL with the average carry that I had.  I’ll take it! Today, as I write this; my butt is KILLING me!!!  My quads and hamstrings have decided to join that party and the are KILLING me as well!!!  i texted Phil, telling him that I am trying to decide which hurts the most.  I can’t decide.  They ALL hurt!!!  But this pain shows me that my legs and butt are contributing entities in my body to get me walking and that makes me feel SO good!!!

TOTAL YARDAGE = 323 YARDS AND 2 STEPS.