Dancing Through Life

 

As I sat in the waiting room of the International Rehab Center for Polio and Post Polio at the Framingham Spaulding Outpatient Clinic, I clutched my CD player listening to the soundtrack from Wicked. If I was going to have to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I was going to have to find a way to dance through life.

In February of 2007, a few months after the 'official' diagnosis of a progressive neuromuscular disease after having undergone numerous diagnostic tests to rule out any other possible causes of my symptoms, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance.

The poem, "Running the Race" flowed out of me and my theme song went from Dancing Through Life to Defying Gravity!

Harnessing the power of the mind/body connection and being blessed with a physical therapist who believed in the body's tremendous capacity to heal and then working with a personal trainer, I traded in my toe up leg brace:

 for a pair of running shoes! I went on to cross the finish line of the 20009 Boston Marathon and transformed my life mind, body and soul through the sport of running.

Christmas 2007 just a few months after working with a personal trainer to see if I could get a little stronger and build on the home exercise program that was prepared for me when I was discharged from Outpatient Care at Spaulding Rehab. When I asked Janine Hightower if she thought she could help me get a little stronger, she used the Henry Ford quote, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." We worked together from October of 2007 and in February of 2008, we did a 6 month re-evaluation of my physical status and goals. I had improved in every area of the assessment and told Janine my new goals were to feel free in my body, to walk outside without my leg brace and to diversify my workouts. She was all set to leave the house when I said "Wait! I have one more goal." She put down her things and said, "What's that?" "I want to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. They have a Race for Rehab team." She was totally non-plussed by the fact I never ran a day in my life and said, "Well you are going to need a pair of running shoes."

She trained my husband, daughter and me for 14 months and after 7 hours and 49 minutes, we finished our journey from Hopkinton to Boston.

Every finish line is a starting line and I've been blessed to have many adventures on the road and off during these past 14 years since I took that leap of faith leaving my award winning career as a VA social worker to heal my life. I am so excited for the adventures ahead!

From "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life":

It was a cold, dark day in February 2007. I sat in a leg brace, using a wheelchair at times for mobility. I faced a grim and uncertain future as the doctors handed down the decree of the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. They told me that if I had any hope of stabilizing the disease where it was, I would have to quit my full time award-winning career as a VA social worker three years shy of when I was eligible for retirement. It was a no brainer. I knew I had to take a leap of faith and leave my career. But what’s a social worker to do after almost 25 years? She opens her heart to the cadence of Dr. Seuss that brought her so much comfort during the painful physical therapy sessions as she recovered from paralytic polio. This is the first poem I penned. Bear in mind, I had never run a day in my life.

 

Running the Race   

 

Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year

everyone around me filled with nervous fear.

Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear

the polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

 

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird

I dropped to the ground just like a stone and no one said a word.

The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse

"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.

 

Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'

but with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.

Miss Holly physical therapist, curly hair and a warm, broad smile

it tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

 

I always wore those 'special' shoes 

the kids they poked and teased                                                    

with no support and much abuse 

 with childhood I wasn’t pleased.                                                      

But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could

I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

 

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give

I accepted the limp, everything else and decided my life I would live.

But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow

I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

 

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day

suffered in silence, alone and afraid tried to keep depression at bay.

And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide

I discovered there was a Post Polio team 

and they were on my side.                                           

 

Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free

for the first time in life, I could truly be me.

The chains are gone and possibilities abound

I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.

 

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do

resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.

Celebrated my body-creaks, groans and need for a brace

while in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.

 

I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine

so much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.

After all these years I can join the loving human race

I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

Be sure to tune into Dreamvisions 7 Radio to hear my conversation with Bernie Siegel, MD on his show Mind Health Matters, on May 21st, May 27th and 28th at 12:00am and 12:00pm ET. We talk about my newest book, my journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma, healing, hope and possibilities and how my relationship with Bernie helped me on my journey of transformation since the 1980's.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

For more information about my journey from childhood polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond, visit my website.

 

My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.