We take our balance for granted. When we think of disabilities, we think of spinal cord injuries and fractures, but likely take it for granted that our relatively small feet will keep our bodies upright.
Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with an extremely large brain tumor. I’m forever thankful it was benign. I had two craniotomies and three other surgeries over the course of 11 months, to remove this tumor growing on the balance nerve in the brain. Not only did the surgeons need to remove the balance nerve on my left side, to ensure the tumor wouldn’t return, but I also suffered a post-op stroke in the balance center of the cerebellum. My feet felt like they were incredibly way to small to ever keep my body upright; I felt like someone learning to walk on stilts.
I started with a walker and also crawled around the house when I first came home from the hospital. The day I came home, I started my own rehab program, by holding on tightly and walking on a treadmill at 1 mph for 5 minutes. I gradually increased the demands on myself and added yoga and other workouts to my routine. I made steady progress, but it was excruciatingly slow.
Two years after my surgery, a friend told me about Kick, Punch and Crunch. I hade to try it, and even with modifying it throughout, I could not get through the workout. I kept at it. It is the best for overall fitness and it catapulted my balance rehab to new levels!! I then added Core Max to my routines, once I read how strengthening your inner band of abdominal muscle improves your balance. Eight years later, to see me walk and run and jump, you wouldn’t know there is anything wrong with me. I can do Kick, Punch and Crunch better than Cathe herself, I bet! (Right!!) Every third day when I do that routine, I think of how I have to thank Cathe for giving my former life back to me. Thank you, Cathe, from the bottom of my heart (and cerebellum)!!
