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The Citizen, 2019-06-20, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019. Sawchuk preaches finding time for wellness This is the third and final instalment of local accessibility advocate Julie Sawchuk’s chapter in Shine: Inspiring Stories of Choosing Success over Adversity. To find the first two instalments, read the June 6 and June 13 issues of The Citizen. –SL THIS IS NOT WHERE MY STORY ENDS I cannot count the number of people who have said, “I could not possibly have been as strong as you have”. My response is almost always the same: you don’t know what strength you have until you are in the midst of needing it. At some point, I will be able to go back and read through all my blog posts and be reminded of all the tough times and what I learned along the way. Even writing this chapter and going back to edit it has reminded me of what I have learned about myself, my abilities and how to get through the tough times of life. The following are some of the more straightforward things that I do -- and maybe you can too -- to get through. Because you will, and it will get better. WASH THE DISHES Years ago, I followed “The Flylady”. She helps women around the world get their homes organized. The one thing I remember most is to always leave the kitchen sink clean and shiny. Well, that is pretty hard to do if it’s full of, and surrounded by, dirty dishes! Living in a pretty tight little farmhouse kitchen is tough when you use a wheelchair. Many regular kitchen tasks I leave for others to do, like wiping the counters (I can’t reach all the way back) and loading the dishwasher (I can’t reach both sides without having to close it up). But I can wash the dishes. It’s not easy because water drips down my elbows and onto my lap. But that is what I do to feel in control; I know that I am making a difference for my family and it gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Being grateful that I can use my hands, I just enjoy the feeling of the warm soapy water and allow my brain time to process what’s been going on. If you are lucky enough to have a kitchen window to look out (or see out of) then you can watch nature or the world go by. Often it gives me time to solve little problems (like what’s for dinner); other times it’s just time to think about nothing at all. Thinking about nothing at all is hard. It takes practice. Sometimes it takes doing something like just looking at the soap bubbles attack the grease on the water, then bringing your mind back to those bubbles every time it wanders away… One thing for sure is that washing the dishes always makes life better. Fewer dirty dishes, more counter space and just room to breathe. The other thing about doing the dishes is for sure everyone will leave you alone, especially if you make it known that if they come into the kitchen to bug you, they will be handed a tea towel! JUST DO IT I have a piece of exercise equipment called FES -- Functional Electrical Stimulus. It’s an expensive piece of therapy machinery designed for people with loss of motor nerve function, like MS or a spinal cord injury. It uses electricity to “charge” the muscles to work. Electrodes attach to your legs (or arms) and power the muscles to move in a pattern, like riding a bike. It takes about 20 minutes to set up and each session is usually an hour. Then there is take-down time. All in all, it takes an hour and a half for one workout. I also have to factor in bladder timing, which cannot be put off, and I’m literally stuck. Being organized enough to get on my FES bike takes some doing, and many days it seems like a pretty tall task. I’ve come to the realization that if I don’t do it in the morning, then, generally speaking, it doesn’t happen. Sometimes I try to tell myself that I will do it later in the day, or will ride with the kids in the evening if we all watch a movie, but that rarely happens. Mornings are when I have more energy, both physical and mental. What really makes exercise happen is when I plan the night before that I am going to ride. I’ll get my yoga pants out, put them beside my bed and then they are there, ready to ride in the morning. When I do ride, not only do I get the physiological benefits of having done the exercise (reducing muscle atrophy, improving circulation) but also the psychological benefits. Endorphins are wonderful chemicals, and as far as I am concerned, the more the better. They last longer than coffee, they lift your spirits, make you smile and you sleep better. When I have a series of days that I don’t do any exercise, I notice. The best message I can give myself (and you) is to just make it happen. Find the time, the headspace and, if necessary, ask for help. I can let my family know what my plans are, they can hold me accountable, or, at least they will know where I am in the morning when they can’t seem to find me in bed. TRUST YOUR GUT When you have a chronic injury or illness, your body needs a certain amount of TLC. Listening, I mean really listening, to what your body is trying to tell you, is critical. The more you know your body pre- injury, the better you will be able to listen post-injury. Even though it’s been more than three years since the incident, I am still learning to read the signs, and what my body is actually trying to tell me. Lack of sensation below my chest makes things like fatigue, a UTI or some kind of skin issue hard for my brain to understand. In other words, I don’t know what is wrong. I have learned that I cry and feel desperately depressed when I have a UTI, my nerve pain ramps up with fatigue and I get chills when I have a skin issue (like sitting on a bobby pin). If you can learn what your body is trying to tell you (it’s a great idea to write things down so you can see a pattern), then you’ll know better when it is time to push yourself and when it’s not. This past summer I signed up for, and looked forward to, my first triathlon as a para-athlete. Leading up to the race I knew that my body was off and that I had not trained enough. I withdrew about a month before the race and, in the end, I figured out I had had yet another UTI. If I had pushed myself to do the race, I would have extended my recovery time both from the physical exertion and the infection. In fact, I’m not even sure I would have been able to finish. It turned out that Lake Huron was VERY cold that particular day and I may have done even more harm. CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK Making the decision to pull out of the race was a tough one. I talked to Theo about it. I knew I would finish; the distances were not long, and there would be tremendous personal satisfaction. But there were the possible complications like super cold water, trouble in the sand on the beach and a long recovery time. I was doing it for me, and no one would think any less of me if I didn’t Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the form and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and they didn't win, we encourage you to submit again. Emailed submissions can be sent to Shawn Loughlin at editor@northhuron.on.ca I nominate ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ as Citizen of the year for I feel she/he deserves this award because______________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Nomination Deadline July 31, 2019. Name and phone number of nominator info@northhuron.on.ca Fax: 519-523-9140 Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or Box 152 Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 ❑Blyth & area ❑Brussels & area There are so many people out there who do so much to improve their community. This is your opportunity to show your appreciation for all they do. 34th Annual Citizen of the Year Award Nominations Open Looking for local heroes Telling her story Local accessibility advocate Julie Sawchuk is seen here speaking at F.E. Madill Secondary School where she used to teach. She’s holding the bike helmet she was wearing when she was struck by a car while cycling. (File photo) Continued on page 9