As many of you know, I have been studying the martial arts since I was about 8 years old. I have been to many different schools and seen many different styles of teaching and learning. As I have progressed, I have tried to couple what I know from who I am in Christ with the good teachings and lessons I have learned from each school I've been to and trained in. The initial reason I started in martial arts was because of doctor recommended therapy for a disease I have in my legs called Hereditary Spastic Paralysis. As a refresher for those who are new to the blog, essentially what is wrong is that while my brain communicates fine with the majority of my body, the neuro-receptors in my legs do not receive the signal from my brain properly. This causes spastic hypertension and shakiness and causes my feet to turn out in a 45 degree angle. As I have progressed in my condition (because what I have, though similar to cerebral palsy, is actually regenerative) I have gone from needed a wheelchair to get around to using a walker and then later a cane. To this day I still use the cane. That is about to change.
I feel that through all of the lessons I have picked up from the various schools, personal struggles that I have and am in the process of overcoming coupled with what Christ has done in my life, I have obtained a God-given resolve to continue to improve. I have refused to let what some would call a disability stop me from training, working and going about my daily life in any way. While there will always be some limitations, I have made great strides (no pun intended) towards full-blown healing and recovery. Today as I write this blog to you, I am beginning a new stage in my progression. Increasingly as the days go, I will attempt to use my cane less and walk unassisted more. This will be my greatest challenge yet! Over the years, my mind has learned to become dependent on something physical to support me as I walk. Something has always been there for as long as I could remember for me to lean on or go to when I felt like I was going to fall. Additionally, from age 8 until now, I have used a cane and my various canes throughout the years have become extensions of my arm and a part of my personality. In this next stage of my development, I will be eliminating something that has been a part of me for over a decade. Not to mention that by taking this next step (again no pun intended) I will essentially be reteaching myself how to walk. This will be no small feat, but I believe that with God's strength anything is possible. Trust in God friends, and He can move the mountains.
I think it's great that you are so determined and have progressed so much. I'll bet a lot of people would have gotten discouraged and would still be in a wheelchair if they were in your position.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Lian, and I even know people like that. I refuse to be them as much as I care for them. Their lack of determination spurs me on even more.
DeleteKeep it up Charlie! I like the fact that you are taking it slow and not rush. I am sure one day you will even be able to sprint. At this rate, I am 100% sure it will happen. I see it happening already. I wish people could see the benefits of the Martial Arts like you do. The world would be so much healthier if they did not undervalue it so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kang! I am trying and still have much to learn!
DeleteI'm sure you already know that I'm confident you can and will achieve this through martial arts. I have never been in your shoes, but I've been right there with my wife. Man... the day I helped her stand up out of her wheelchair after she hadn't been able to do so for almost two years. And surprisingly, it doesn't take much to go from there to a walker, and fairly soon the cane. To go without any support is difficult. Adrienne fell one time while we were in Oxford, England. She fell right off a curb into the road and it was bad. But I guess you've got to be willing to fall on occasion, to get where you're going. With Adrienne, it's her immune system actually attacking her. With you, it's not so much an attack as it is the neural transmission's just not going at the speed it needs to. It's not like the receptors aren't functioning at all, right? There's some kind of delay. It's a matter of reaction time, at a cellular level. You can speed up that reaction, I'm sure of it
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly it Ryan! And yea I'm confident that I will make this progress, with the strength that God gives me and the continuos training someday I will be able to run :)
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