One year ago I was in the best shape of my life. I had been back in the gym for 5 years, I had lost over 130 lbs. and was working out twice a day. On Decemeber 18th I felt some strange tightness in my hamstrings, and on further exploration noticed that my toes on my left foot stopped responding. Over the next two weeks it became increasingly difficult to walk, and I ended up at the doctors.
I was immediatly rushed to a hospital, and the testing started. I was MRI’d, blood tested, and poked and prodded form dozens of “specialists”. Ithe paralysis continued to grow, and I ened up unable to walk or move. I was close to bieng on a respirator when my neuroligist made a choice on how to treat me.
It has been a long year, I am learning to walk again, and for the first time in a year went into the gym. Working out is incredibly difficult, every movement brings incredible pain, and I can lift less than a 1/4 of what I used to lift. The reason I am writing is we have no idea what may happen to us, I never anticipated this happening in my life at 40 yrs of age.
My hope for all of you is that you never take for granted one moment of this life, whether it is in the gym, or walking, or riding a bike. You never know how incredibly vulenrable you are until you can not lift your arm, or walk up a flight of stairs, or do an arm curl, or a squat. Take advantage of every moment you have, every moment in the gym, and trust me, nothing in this world will ever match the feeling you get from a great workout.
I miss lifting big weights, and may never again, yet I can walk, and I can lift a bit. This year has been brutal, to go from a guy who thought he could conquer anything, to having to have help to do basic every day things. Live life , lift each day like it is your last, because it may just be. Have an incredible New Year and life.