Wonder Woman’s Aunt Antiope as soon as advised her, “You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know.” Would I take into account myself like Wonder Woman? Not precisely. But I’ve needed to dig deep for power and internal energy to beat a few of my greatest obstacles.
Today, I’m a supervisor within the Population Health division at Independence Blue Cross. I’m additionally the proud proprietor of some new {hardware}: a second-place medal from the 2022 CrossFit Games. The journey to get up to now wasn’t straightforward. In reality, it was downright brutal.
The First Bump within the Road
I’ve been an athlete my whole life, loving sports activities from a younger age. What started as one thing enjoyable I used to do as a child advanced into the potential to play in school. Being an athlete allowed me to be the most effective model of myself as a result of it gave me the flexibility to dwell a wholesome way of life.
In 2008, as a highschool sophomore, I suffered a collarbone break throughout a basketball sport, which, even after therapeutic, precipitated years of shoulder and sensation points in my neck, arms, and palms.
Doctors identified me with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS), a uncommon analysis on the time. NTOS occurred when the bundle of nerves from my backbone down my arm was being squeezed because it went by means of my shoulder, inflicting ache and lack of sensation.
While I performed discipline hockey at Shippensburg University for the following couple of years, I attempted to alleviate my points by doing bodily remedy. It was clear I wanted surgical procedure, however as a result of my situation was so uncommon, many docs didn’t have sufficient experience within the situation to carry out it. I struggled to seek out a health care provider prepared to do the surgical procedure and to get insurance coverage to cowl it.
Never Losing My Competitive Spirit
As beginning discipline hockey ahead and one of many main athletes within the league and nation in assists, in 2012, I discovered a surgeon prepared to carry out the surgical procedure to take away the anterior and center scalene muscular tissues, or neck muscular tissues, and my first rib on my proper aspect.
The surgeon quickly found that scar tissue had developed across the bones and muscular tissues in my neck and subclavian vein. So, the surgeon needed to peel every part again like an onion, layer by layer. In doing so, he didn’t notice scar tissue was hooked up to the subclavian vein, so when he peeled that layer, he mistakenly opened the vein. I misplaced about half the blood in my physique. Because I used to be a younger, wholesome particular person, I survived; nevertheless it modified every part.
I developed everlasting nerve harm and digestive points from the blood loss, however I by no means let it impede my love for and skill to compete in sports activities. I helped Shippensburg win the NCAA National Championship in 2013, alongside my fellow classmates.
I continued to compete by operating in highway races and ultimately found Spartan Race impediment programs in 2019. I wasn’t solely good at Spartan Races; I used to be probably the greatest on the planet, incomes a spot on the rostrum in eight out of 14 races and rating ninth in my age group globally. While races had been paused in the course of the pandemic, I used CrossFit to remain in race form till they began again up once more.
When Yet Another Door Closes, There’s Always a Window
In September 2020, a Mack dump truck rear-ended my automobile. I suffered from a traumatic mind harm, ataxia (poor muscle management and stability points), and cervical and lumbar radiculopathy.
Since this occurred in the course of the peak of the pandemic, many docs had been compelled to impose new insurance policies to stretch their schedules and restrict the variety of new sufferers they may see. So, it took me three months to acquire an appointment with the specialist I wanted to see. Combined with my NTOS analysis, I confronted a brand new set of seemingly insurmountable challenges.
I needed to come to phrases with the truth that I couldn’t do every part I might do earlier than my accident. I needed to commerce my three-hour-a-day exercises for stationary bike classes.
It was a harrowing, irritating, and nerve-racking realization for somebody as energetic as me. I additionally needed to face an unthinkable actuality that I couldn’t push by means of and compete like I do any time I meet an impediment. It appeared as if the door for aggressive sports activities had closed on me.
But then a window opened.
I found that the CrossFit video games had an adaptive division for neuromuscular contributors, and I used to be eligible. While I used to be thrilled to have the prospect to compete once more, it was a tough capsule to swallow. I went from being a nationwide champion athlete to having this be my solely likelihood to compete and inside a class I used to be not mentally ready to compete in.
I didn’t inform many individuals about my plans to compete. I spent most of my life in an abled physique, doing issues how I needed to and once I needed to. Now, I needed to be fully intentional and take into consideration how my physique would reply to every part I did. I felt embarrassed and pissed off that this was my new actuality, as a result of I couldn’t be the identical particular person everybody had at all times recognized me to be.
But CrossFit helped change my perspective. I overcame these emotions as a result of I noticed I might nonetheless be athletic; I simply needed to discover one other option to do issues. Instead of a field soar, I might do a field step. Instead of operating a number of miles, I might run one mile and row/bike the remaining.
My fitness center group — Urban Fit and CrossFit King of Prussia — has been such a constructive atmosphere for me that it has helped enhance my psychological well being and outlook on my situation. I used to be surrounded by buddies who might problem me, and I might problem myself inside the parameters of what I used to be able to doing.
I registered for the CrossFit Open the day earlier than the deadline and completed third in North America and fourth worldwide in my division. After connecting with and coaching full time with CrossFit King of Prussia fitness center proprietor, Aimee Lyons, I completed fifth within the semifinals, incomes my spot on the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games.
Against all the chances stacked towards me, I received second place within the Women’s Neuromuscular Division.
My Journey Isn’t Finished
I hope my story, braveness, dedication, and grit encourage others who’ve needed to grasp the identical realizations. I hope my expertise exhibits the family and friends of these with neuro circumstances that your help means a lot. Don’t assume we’re at all times okay. We may have somewhat push generally; you would possibly simply have to fulfill me the place I’m.
It helps that my household and buddies perceive that every day is completely different for me, and a few environments may not be superb. Little issues like bringing me dinner as an alternative of going out to loud eating places, which might set off my signs, are large, and that understanding and accommodating go a good distance.
While I promised my docs that I’d solely compete within the Games yearly, having the prospect to do it’s satisfying. I gave each ounce of vitality, ardour, and tenacity and left all of it on the CrossFit Games flooring. I’m decided to maintain surviving and adapting. I’ve seen a counselor,* but additionally with the ability to work out inside a terrific CrossFit fitness center atmosphere and compete helps me hold my psychological state intact.
I’ve discovered to be snug with being uncomfortable, which means I can now step out of my consolation zone greater than I ever have earlier than. Just as a result of one thing has modified in your life doesn’t imply it has to outline your future. And I plan on dwelling life to the fullest each likelihood I get.
*Check your advantages for protection and sources round psychological well being.