I constantly talk about positive mind set, but I had a chance encounter with a gentleman at the weekend that illustrated exactly what I mean, and I had no bearing at all on what he decided to talk to me about.
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I was sitting in my car in a car park on a local walking track. I had just arrived. He saw my car and rapped on the window. I got out to talk to him, having no idea at all who he was.
He was a gentleman in his early 80’s, walking with the aid of one crutch on his left side. He apparently had tried to call me a few weeks ago, had searched on the website and wanted to book me for a massage. I remember it: he called while I was driving, I did not answer – he asked me to call back but I was not able to get hold of him. He did not want to talk to any of the other staff – only me.
I had forgotten about it to be honest, I assumed he had changed his mind about having a massage, but did remember wondering at the time whether he had an injury of a nature that meant he preferred to talk to me, because I was disabled.
It turns out the gentleman I was talking to had suffered a spinal stenosis (timeframe unspecified), which had rendered him paralysed. He spent some time in a specialised spinal unit and has since re-learned how to walk. He had just completed the whole estuary track loop (something I am not yet able to do myself!)
We talked for a while about how he had gotten into some arguments with the nurses while in hospital because he wanted to try things that they disagreed with and was using his own modified transfer methods because he didn’t want to use their stupid board! This all sounded rather familiar! I remembered instantly the hospital visit (before amputation) when I had been very ill and bedbound for over a week. I was no longer able to stand up on my own and had feinted multiple times when the physios came to try and mobilise me, so they left me alone! During that time, with my bed mate next door on look out, I taught myself to walk using the walker they had left, and when the physio next came she was gobsmacked when I got up and walked right across the room!
He went on to tell me they said he would never walk again (he says while standing before me having just been for a 5+km stroll!) but the one thing he still had was slightly worse balance on one side.
This is definitely a guy after my own heart!
He was standing there – proving that it was not just me saying it…. it really is MIND OVER MATTER.
If you BELIEVE something is possible, you are already half way there. If you believe that it isn’t, you may as well give up now.
He was told he wouldn’t walk… and he is walking. Not only that he still lives independently and tends to his own garden. At 80 years old, he is no spring chicken but he is busting those myths.
I was told I wouldn’t be able to ride a bike. I WILL…. and I will show those doubters! I was told February was far too early for a swim race. SO I entered not one but TWO in January as well.
See a theme here?
Melanie Magowan 