It's been nearly 7 years now since my spinal injury. It's truly hard to believe. I received a multilevel spinal fusion surgery in 2008. At the time, I was under the impression that I would never walk again. Since then, I've recovered the use of my legs, but I've still felt limited. As a fitness addict I've always wanted more in the gym. Since my accident, I've restricted myself to single leg exercises in order to reduce the spinal load. However, recently, It became clear that my inability to do squats and deadlifts was not due to my spinal fusion, but rather could be attributed to a lack of flexibility. For the last month, I've focused on improving my flexibility with the goal of accessing these key strength exercises. As of three days ago, I was able to do my first deep squat. When something is taken away from you, you want nothing more than to get it back. I finally have restored my body to the condition it was in before the accident. I told myself when I moved to New Orleans that big things would happen. Classes have been going well. I can already tell that I've learned a lot and feel significantly better prepared for med school. I'm a firm believer in taking care of mind and body. I could not be more satisfied with how things are going.
Even more exciting, I've begun spreading my love of fitness to the rest of the pharmacology class. My friends regularly come to me with questions about their workout routines. I probably tell them more than they want to hear. I've gotten a few of my closest friends to do my training program with me. Not only does the company make the whole experience more enjoyable, but it's rewarding to share such an important aspect of my life with them. Overall, I've loved my experience in New Orleans and I am pumped to see what's to come in the next few months.
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