Thursday, June 7, 2012

Fuel to my Fire!!!

You just never know how you impact people. So you're thinking.....nobody cares, nobody is watching anyway, so why does it matter. Well I just found out that people do care, they are watching and what I do matters!!

I have a family member who has really struggled with life. I mean really!!!! He is in very poor health, close to being bed bound and is addicted to pain medication. At one point he was in the hospital and I was telling him....You know you can be and should be your own health advocate. You see, until then, all the answers were in what the doctors told him and in the pills they prescribed, which lead to dependency and addiction! Never did he try to get better on his own or try to do anything for himself. He always relied on what he was told, even when he knew, some of the stuff they wanted him to do,  was not good for him.

I had the awesome opportunity of seeing this relative this weekend. I have to tell you, that I was not really looking forward to it. Most of the time when I see this person or talk to them on the phone, he's drugged out of his mind. Usually our conversations are about nothing and I get to listen to the whole thing with his slurring words and ramblings. Saturday, I saw a new man!! He's totally off of his pain meds. He was bright eyed and interested. He had packed on a few pounds and looked really good. He was happy and engaging. Wow who is this man?

I had told him that I was now looking at the real person and not some drugged up person. I had my relative back. He said something back that was amazing. He said, "I don't know where this came from, but  just one day, I decided that I needed to be my own health advocate. I decided to take my life back! "Well I know where he got that!!  Anyway, with his doctor's help he got off of the narcotics, found a pain management group, is eating better and exercising!!!

Wow!

Today, he called me and wanted to share with me his experience he had with his pain management class. He said he told them of what I was doing with my health. Told them that I've lost a lot of weight and that I'm now able to run 1/2 marathons. He told the group that my progress has so inspired him, that he now wanted to do more with his life. He said, that for 3 days now, he's been able to do more than he ever thought he could do. Said he was feeling great!!! He's inspired and now is even considering walking a 5k with ME!

Honestly Friends, I had totally written this man off. He was dead man walking as far as I was concerned. Before he took control of his health, he was totally lost, unable to move, in terrible pain and truly drug crazed!!!!

Oh my goodness. Now he wants to live and wants to do 5k's. Never dreamed he would be in this place!! Never!!! EVER!!!

It's amazing!!


A miracle!!!

This has sooooo lit a fire in me!!

Now I know the impact I had on myself, now others. There is no way, I would ever go back to how I was before. This fuels me to keep pushing and reaching for my next goals. I'm on fire!!

How about you?

Keep focused!!!


7 comments:

  1. I definitely think we influence those around us! The fact that I lead by example has made other people more aware of their own habits without me being the food police (namely my brother and boyfriend!)

    So happy to hear about your family member!

    Health and happiness :)

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  2. That's so amazing!! What a great return you got on investing in YOURSELF - it's like double the money!

    I am very inspired by you as well. Keep going! :)

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  3. WOW! What a great story. And to know you had a part in it must feel fabulous. Good for you.
    Lori

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  4. Applause!!! I feel like crying! This is Amazing. And one more thing was that you shared that with him which you could have not bothered to do! But you did. You gave him hope. Amazing!!!!!!!!

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  5. Wow, Joy! What an inspiration you were to this man and to me! Keep that fire lit!

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  6. Wonderful.

    A truly inspiring story.

    Blessings

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  7. I love this story. It is one more proof to me that ANYTHING we do, good or bad, sends ripples - we may never know whom they will affect but they always will. That is one of the more reasons for me to try and live my life consciously. You are definitely doing that.

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