Orefield, Pa.
I began running in 1987. I was in college and ran to control my weight. I had never been much of an athlete in high school. I grew to love feeling fit and strong as my miles increased. In 1998, I became inspired by my cousin Cindy, to finish the New York City Marathon in 4 hours and 11 minutes. I was 29 years old. Unfortunately, Cindy died in a tragic road bike accident a few years later. But over the next seven years, I continued to run for fitness, fun and stress relief.
In 2007, I was involved in a car crash that resulted in the loss of my right arm just below my elbow.
Doctors at Thomas Jefferson Hospital reattached my arm thanks to the wonders of modern medicine. But it’s a decision I would ultimately regret. The arm eventually failed and was subsequently removed.
But my problems didn’t end there. The amount of fluid that needed to be pumped into my body to regulate my blood pressure and to help with circulation to the reattached limb also damaged my peritoneal nerves in both of my legs resulting in bilateral foot drop. This meant I could not flex my feet and could not walk without the use of braces. My doctors said I would need to wear the braces the rest of my life. My biggest source of sadness and frustration was the thought of never running again.
Shortly after hearing this news, I decided to remove the braces and work with a physical therapist to strengthen the muscles that still worked and that performed the same general functions as the muscles that were no longer working. With a lot of perseverance and work I began walking, then jogging, then eventually running again. In the beginning, I would fall a lot. My knees have the scars to prove it.
As I ran, I would pray to my cousin Cindy asking her to send me her function and ability from heaven. I kept running and working with a personal trainer to continue developing my function. In 2010, I trained and finished the St. Luke’s Half Marathon! Tears streamed down my face as I crossed the finish line. It was an experience that is hard to describe.
While I do not have full function of my legs back and probably never will, I have adapted my body to be able to run again. Running is again a part of my life. I look forward to this year’s half as I feel stronger than ever!