31 July 2007
I had no idea that it's been almost 2 months since I updated the blog. I've been very busy and was falling a bit behind with updating the blog but it didn't occur to me that it has been that long.
I've made a lot of progress over the last two months. My walking is better and faster and my running is more symmetrical. Neil has been accompanying me to do my running practice on the running track since ANZAC Day and it has definitely helped. It's always helpful when there is another person there because I can't see myself when I run so he can give me some feedback. Also, it's nice to have someone there with me while I'm doing my running practice. I still feel intimidated by people around me sometimes.
One major progress is that I just started to be able to jump on the weekend. The first time I tried since the operation was about two weeks ago when I went to the running group. Gavin got me to jump off a step. I found it extremely hard because it put a lot of pressure on my joints as I land. I almost twisted my ankle at one stage and I just couldn't do it on the floor at all. I told Prema about this last week and she tried to get me to jump off the ground but I just couldn't so she get me some bouncing exercises to do as a preparation for the jump to start with. I practiced that a few times and then suddenly I discovered that I could jump from the floor. I was so excited about this so I showed it to Tim and Lillian. Lillian looked at it and said 'Mommy, you got to jump higher'. Tim was laughing because I think he was thinking the same thing.
I came to realise that running is a bit like going to the group fitness classes - It needs time and it takes practice. I think I have forgotten how far I've come because I've been going to these classes for a year now and I'm starting to take it for granted a bit. Since the VSU (voluntary student union)was introduced, the Melbourne uni gym changed it's membership structure because of the lack of funding. It used to have different categories of membership so people can pay less and just join the gym or just go to classes. Now they only have one type of membership so you pay a higher price but it's all inclusive.
Many people who wouldn't normally go to classes have started to turn up and there are new people in classes almost every week. I must say I have forgotten how bad I was when I first started until I looked at these people. I have been going to BodyStep, BodyPump, Tri Athletic (a type of aerobics class that has 3 components - hi low, step and sculpt), Fitball, Pilates and Cardio Box for a while now so I get quite comfortable going to these classes. Looking at the beginners make me realise that all these classes require different skills and people aren't just born with them. I know this sounds really bad but I find it quite amusing just to watch some guys who look so fit and strong but are totally uncoordinated when it comes to aerobics. The instructor would go to one direction and they would end up in the opposite direction. I'm sure I had a lot of troubles when I first started but I can't remember that far back now.
Something really funny happened the other day. I think I used to complain that there's this woman who used to race me upstairs at the gym to get the cross trainer that I liked. This hasn't happened for a while since they replaced all the cross trainers in the cardio area with the ones I don't like (they bought a whole lot of cardio equipment from True and I think they're crap machines). I tend to go to the downstairs area of the gym where they still have the LifeFitness cross trainers. I haven't seen this woman for a while until one day she turned up in the fitball class. The instructor would always ask if there's anyone there for the first time so she can keep an eye on them. I remember when I first started, I used to fall off the ball all the time but that hasn't happened for quite a while now unless I try something really adventurous. I find the fitball class quite easy. I usually go there straight after the boxing class and use it as a cooldown. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw that woman keeping falling off the ball. It also makes me realise that even normal people need to practice to get good at something.
Speaking of boxing and fitball, they are the classes I have stopped going regularly. I don't like going to the boxing class because the instructor would always ask us to pair up with focus pads in one part of the class. I found that many of the regulars started to ignore me and wouldn't even have eye contact with me because they don't want to pair up with me. Last week when I went to the class, I felt like a ghost because people would walk straight pass me and pretended that they didn't see me. It's very uncomfortable and demoralising. After what I've been through I feel I really don't need this shit from them. It's so hard to be a good Christian in this situation. Instead of forgiving them, I was hoping they get what they deserve. Maybe they should try hemiplegia sometimes. When I mentioned this to Tim, he said now you know what it feels like to go social dancing when you are a bit awkward and nobody wants to dance with you. He said we should have been more helpful in the past with those people when we used to go dancing. I told him I think the difference is I was never nasty to those bad dancers before, I would never ignore them I would be nice and friendly to them but if they ask me to dance I would just say no. I think the problem in the boxing class is that these people don't know how to say no and they just ignore me so they'll never have to say that. I didn't go today because I didn't want to face them but I should make an effort to go in future because if the class is good for my rehab, why should I give up when it's not even my fault.
I've made a lot of progress over the last two months. My walking is better and faster and my running is more symmetrical. Neil has been accompanying me to do my running practice on the running track since ANZAC Day and it has definitely helped. It's always helpful when there is another person there because I can't see myself when I run so he can give me some feedback. Also, it's nice to have someone there with me while I'm doing my running practice. I still feel intimidated by people around me sometimes.
One major progress is that I just started to be able to jump on the weekend. The first time I tried since the operation was about two weeks ago when I went to the running group. Gavin got me to jump off a step. I found it extremely hard because it put a lot of pressure on my joints as I land. I almost twisted my ankle at one stage and I just couldn't do it on the floor at all. I told Prema about this last week and she tried to get me to jump off the ground but I just couldn't so she get me some bouncing exercises to do as a preparation for the jump to start with. I practiced that a few times and then suddenly I discovered that I could jump from the floor. I was so excited about this so I showed it to Tim and Lillian. Lillian looked at it and said 'Mommy, you got to jump higher'. Tim was laughing because I think he was thinking the same thing.
I came to realise that running is a bit like going to the group fitness classes - It needs time and it takes practice. I think I have forgotten how far I've come because I've been going to these classes for a year now and I'm starting to take it for granted a bit. Since the VSU (voluntary student union)was introduced, the Melbourne uni gym changed it's membership structure because of the lack of funding. It used to have different categories of membership so people can pay less and just join the gym or just go to classes. Now they only have one type of membership so you pay a higher price but it's all inclusive.
Many people who wouldn't normally go to classes have started to turn up and there are new people in classes almost every week. I must say I have forgotten how bad I was when I first started until I looked at these people. I have been going to BodyStep, BodyPump, Tri Athletic (a type of aerobics class that has 3 components - hi low, step and sculpt), Fitball, Pilates and Cardio Box for a while now so I get quite comfortable going to these classes. Looking at the beginners make me realise that all these classes require different skills and people aren't just born with them. I know this sounds really bad but I find it quite amusing just to watch some guys who look so fit and strong but are totally uncoordinated when it comes to aerobics. The instructor would go to one direction and they would end up in the opposite direction. I'm sure I had a lot of troubles when I first started but I can't remember that far back now.
Something really funny happened the other day. I think I used to complain that there's this woman who used to race me upstairs at the gym to get the cross trainer that I liked. This hasn't happened for a while since they replaced all the cross trainers in the cardio area with the ones I don't like (they bought a whole lot of cardio equipment from True and I think they're crap machines). I tend to go to the downstairs area of the gym where they still have the LifeFitness cross trainers. I haven't seen this woman for a while until one day she turned up in the fitball class. The instructor would always ask if there's anyone there for the first time so she can keep an eye on them. I remember when I first started, I used to fall off the ball all the time but that hasn't happened for quite a while now unless I try something really adventurous. I find the fitball class quite easy. I usually go there straight after the boxing class and use it as a cooldown. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw that woman keeping falling off the ball. It also makes me realise that even normal people need to practice to get good at something.
Speaking of boxing and fitball, they are the classes I have stopped going regularly. I don't like going to the boxing class because the instructor would always ask us to pair up with focus pads in one part of the class. I found that many of the regulars started to ignore me and wouldn't even have eye contact with me because they don't want to pair up with me. Last week when I went to the class, I felt like a ghost because people would walk straight pass me and pretended that they didn't see me. It's very uncomfortable and demoralising. After what I've been through I feel I really don't need this shit from them. It's so hard to be a good Christian in this situation. Instead of forgiving them, I was hoping they get what they deserve. Maybe they should try hemiplegia sometimes. When I mentioned this to Tim, he said now you know what it feels like to go social dancing when you are a bit awkward and nobody wants to dance with you. He said we should have been more helpful in the past with those people when we used to go dancing. I told him I think the difference is I was never nasty to those bad dancers before, I would never ignore them I would be nice and friendly to them but if they ask me to dance I would just say no. I think the problem in the boxing class is that these people don't know how to say no and they just ignore me so they'll never have to say that. I didn't go today because I didn't want to face them but I should make an effort to go in future because if the class is good for my rehab, why should I give up when it's not even my fault.
posted by Teresa Liu at 12:21 AM
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