Growing up in Alabama, I was a very active teenager enjoying gymnastics and being on the swim team. As I approached the end of high school my back began to hurt to the point that it was difficult for me to walk. After graduation, I could not endure the pain any longer and went to see an orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed me as having a degenerative spinal condition. The doctors said that I was close to being paralyzed from the waist down and needed an immediate spinal fusion. Arrangements were made for me to travel to Hughston Sports Medicine Hospital in the neighboring state of Georgia for the surgery. It was a complete success and my first “taste” into how important it is to follow a rehabilitation therapy program.
Fast forward twenty-five years… marriage, being blessed with three healthy children, and living with my family on assignment in the Bahamas. My knees started to hurt badly. By this point in time, I was 60 pounds heavier. The combination of my weight gain and knee pain was preventing me from living a functional life and was making me feel depressed. I turned to alcohol and over-the-counter pain medicine to try and ease the pain. Nothing I did helped and I found myself sitting on the couch watching life pass me by. My family would say, “Mom, let’s go out to dinner” and I did not reply with, “yes, that is a great idea”. In my head, I was thinking how many steps I would have to take from the car in the parking lot to the restaurant. This is when I went to that place deep inside myself and decided things had to change in my life.
I underwent an exam on the knee that gave me the most pain with an Orthopedic Specialist. I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis (OA) which is also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. A total knee replacement was scheduled for the following morning. I returned the following year and had a total knee replacement on my other knee. Again, both surgeries were successful and gave me my second “taste” of the importance of following a rehabilitation therapy program.
After several weeks of physical therapy in Florida, I returned to the Bahamas and did an 8-week program that transitioned me from physical therapy into a functionally fit lifestyle. It was not easy. I had many days that I felt I couldn’t endure but I forced myself to go which was the best thing I have ever done. Month after month my body got stronger, my weight started to drop, and I regained the confidence I once had.
I was now ready for more and joined two wonderful fitness groups which helped and encouraged me over the next two years. Slowly the 60 pounds came off. I learned how important it is to take care of your body and look at food in a different way. I set a goal for myself to compete in an obstacle course race in Boston when I moved back to the States.
In August 2014 our family moved to Winchester where I have found a new fitness family. Last month marked two years since my total knee replacement and I am happy to say that on November 15th, I completed my goal of competing in Boston.
Working at Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center is a blessing for me and I wanted to share my story with you. I am a walking billboard and a living example of hope for those of you who have given up. I have set many goals for myself in 2015 and I truly believe that with hard work, determination, and skilled rehabilitation programs anything is possible.
By: Melinda Townsend Grimes, Membership Associate at Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center
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