October, YES the Fall is here leaves are falling and the nights are cool and this is a busy highly anticipated month for The Mobility Queen. This month is personally filled with celebrating birthdays of some of the important men in my life including Bill, Bob, Charlie, and Bob G. In addition to the highly anticipated preparation and training for the big event next month the SKYRISE Challenge in Chicago. There’s lots of details of how you can participate or contribute to this great event below, plus a new collection of products that perform by SLICK CHICKS which is now available at TARGET.
For 34 straight years, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab specializing in traumatic brain injury, stroke recovery and spinal cord injury has led the nation in state of the art therapies and research.
I have been fortunate to participate in seven trials with the Ability Lab, each study employed cutting edge technology and a research team that applied this technology to real world challenges that a stroke survivor like me faced in a daily basis.
It is my goal to support this exceptional organization in any and every way I possibly can.
Please support these efforts by registering and hiking up the tower, or by purchasing a Team Mobility Queen t-shirt, or giving a donation for my team Maria Odenkirk- Team Mobility Queen
Together we can improve the future of rehabilitation FOR ALL!
September, September, I love September! Fall is my favorite season in Chicago, and I’m excited to be back in the city to experience the changing leaves and cooler weather.
This month, I’ve been focusing on products that perform, as well as simple self-care practices that bring clarity and peace. Additionally, I’m opening up about the challenges I faced during the acute phase of my recovery. I hope you find it helpful and hopeful. Let’s embrace this season of change and growth together! Let’s go!
Pictured above: me after therapy in need of mini-spa minutes
The first month in the hospital, I was challenged with many things, including some vision issues. Looking back now, I think the vision issues contributed to my feelings around this initial phase. I would say that until I was in the rehabilitation hospital for about two weeks, I didn’t recall much at all and I’m fairly certain I was put on a lot of relaxing drugs to keep me calm.
Once I regained some awareness and my vision improved, I started to understand what happened. At that point—lying in bed and not really feeling my left side—I didn’t fully understand the condition of my body. It wasn’t until they tried to get me up and I started therapy that it hit me all at once. Between all the gear I had on—a gait belt, a brace on my hand and another on my leg plus a not so pretty patch over my eye—I was feeling low, immobile and weaker than I have ever felt before.
When my eyesight started to improve around week three, I looked around the room and could see all the equipment and things either attached to me or nearby to help me get up.
I started to get scared—yes, scared to my soul. It was feeling like I’ve never felt before. I’d always moved my body— was always going and doing up until now. It took no thought and little to no effort before. Now it took every ounce of my mental and physical energy to move. It was so difficult and emotional to process: What will happen to me? My life? So many questions and worries. These were some of my darkest days.
Once I got a good look around, I noticed in the bathroom ahead of me, there was a chair with all kinds of cords. It actually looked like an electric chair. One day when I was being wheeled into the shower, I asked, “Are you going to electrocute me?” We all had a good laugh—it was just a shower chair. Looked scary to me!
As I found myself staying longer and longer in the hospital, I started doing this little ritual after my long days of therapy. I didn’t remember it until recently, when I was working on my blog. My mood and contentment levels can be impacted by sights, sounds, and smells around me… and I was stuck in a hospital. Ugh!—need I say more?
After my hard therapy (early on in the acute phase), I would find myself plugging in a little diffuser. It had a light to it that I usually put on blue. I broke out some of my favorite hand lotion (Capri Blue Volcano from Anthropology) and put on some music through my iPhone or even scrolled through some great beach videos. The combination of these simple things really brought me some contentment and let me step away (in my mind) for at least for a few minutes from all the hard, clinical things happening around me, including my physical struggles.
Not everyone will see the value in doing this, and there might be something else that brings contentment and a little bit of an escape, but I wanted to share that these simple little things helped me more than I realized. Yes, try some mini-spa minutes out for yourself if you need some rest, refreshment, and contentment. (I highly recommend it, especially at the crucial acute phase.)
Before I even knew her story, just seeing this picture totally inspired me. I literally was in awe with this image alone. I thought 1- I’ve got to fine out who this person is and then I thought 2- falling back on my career I thought I could see this picture over a rack of leggings in a store that would certainly get my attention. Which sparked my further my hunt and desire to design the perfect pair of yoga pants that are not only perfection on the old bod but give back to the disabled community every time they sell with my heart logo and a meaningful philanthropic element every time you see it. Our collective hearts helping each other. Yes, lofty and big/enormous but I suppose long-term that it the goal. Let’s Go!
To say that this speech from Sharon Stone is Inspiring is an understatement to say the least. I stumbled upon this about 4 months ago and I was overwhelmed by her honesty, intelligence and all she has done in the meantime since Hollywood kicked her out. It seams unreal to me that this beautiful, intelligent, amazing actress would be dropped with all her talents when she suffered a stroke. To see her in this video made me respect and admire her even more than just being an exceptional actress. She tells her story so openly and asking us all to “use our voice” on top of the fact that diversity means a lot of different things, really resonated with me. She could not have articulated this any better from my perspective. As soon as I saw it, I sent it onto my brother Bob who has been helping with some of the content and web development for my new website, themobilityqueen.com.
She gave me a jump start and helped me to formulate in my mind what I can contribute and how I can utilize my voice to help others.
