Years ago, I worked with a remarkable woman who had spent more than 28 years in a wheelchair. Her story was heart-wrenching; she had been a pedestrian hit by a drunk driver, causing severe damage to the entire left side of her body, including her arm, leg, ribs, intestines, and skull. Enduring numerous surgeries, even having ligaments in her fingers and toes clipped to uncurl them from the trauma. After nine months in a coma, she faced a life confined to a wheelchair and bed. My role was to provide massages to alleviate her pain.
As I massaged her week after week, I could sense her frustration. One day, I asked her, “What do you want?” Her response shattered my heart; she said, “I want to walk.” At that moment, I was 30 years old, and realized that she had spent almost my entire life in a wheelchair. While I, too, desired that for her, I didn’t know if it was possible.
Unexpectedly, I found myself saying, “I’ll help you walk. What do you want to do when you can walk?” She told me about her desire to go to the casino on her birthday, which had just passed. Determined to make her dream a reality, I promised her we would go next year, not in a wheelchair but walking. It was a spontaneous utterance, but I had an unexplained certainty in my heart.
My approach was to take it one step at a time, similar to how a baby learns to move. We started with her on the floor on her stomach, practicing lifting her head. Then, we worked on rolling over and eventually sitting upright. Gradually, her strength improved, little by little.
A year later, on her birthday, we went to the casino as promised. I assisted her as she walked to the car, sat in an actual seat, and stumbled into the casino. She played the slot machines until exhaustion, and that day, I cried in amazement. She showed me the incredible possibilities of the human body and mind. She begged to do the things we often take for granted. Her determination proved that healing is possible when you truly desire it. She taught me to cherish the ability to move, to walk. I hadn’t known if she would walk again, but I witnessed a miracle firsthand.
I documented some of her journey and you can see photos here: http://www.lifebylori.com/meet-drema/
We’re not meant to stay in a chronic state of pain weakness and disease. If we are patient and consistent, we can heal. Here are three ways you can start to heal your body.
- Start a daily 15-minute yoga practice and increase the time and intensity as you go.
- Book a massage at least once a month.
- Schedule physical therapy sessions twice a week (insurance often covers this).
Be patient and give yourself a year of consistent effort. If you are interested in doing yoga with me, feel free to let me know.
