A Split Second Cost Me 6 Weeks In Bed

Sometimes we have a plan in mind, but life has a different path for us to follow.  This truth was vividly illustrated through my recent experience.

I have a party trick I have done for years: the splits. This tendency stems from a childhood memory: I was six, and my then ballet teacher politely suggested I do Scottish dancing instead of ballet (I was not even dainty as a child).

So, at 46, I still do the splits … perhaps hoping that things have changed!

At this year’s company Christmas party, themed ‘Broadway’, two colleagues and I chose Mama Miaand performed Abba’s Dancing Queen. Naturally, as a dancing queen par excellence, I did the splits and as I went down I realised something was badly amiss. Nevertheless, my Ego drove me to tell nobody and try to walk, but I passed out numerous times from the pain.

Later diagnosis and an MRI revealed that I had not just pulled my hamstring, but had torn all three parts of the hamstring clean off the bone – a very rare thing even for top athletes. My motto has always been to do things properly, but this was extreme … an operation was the only option.

Oh, how things changed for my family. Instead of a cruise in Hawaii, I underwent surgery on December (my daughter Gabi’s 9th birthday). Recovery involves many weeks of physio, but first six weeks of lying – no sitting! This is torture for an energy bunny like me. I am only two weeks into recovery, and there are a few things I know for sure:

• From never having enough time, I now have an abundance of it. 2015 needs to bring me more balance in this area, so my goal will not be to get so busy that I get as frantic as I felt in 2014.
• Family and loved ones have been amazing. I must say, if roles were reversed and my husband had caused our lives to change so much, I am not sure I would be as sweet as he has been. The care and love of people get us through challenges, so for 2015 these important people need to be the focus of my attention. Thank you to all our clients who have sent daily messages, called and sent gifts – I have felt so loved.
• To help me recover emotionally, I started a gratitude diary. This keeps me more positive and grateful. I definitely notice things that I took for granted before and want to keep this up even when I am no longer lying on my back. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity – Melody Beattie.
• Finally, the theme of this newsletter is Health. This is a reminder that our health is precious. In previous articles, I have referred to our bodies as vehicles that need to get us around. Well, I know my proper recovery now is vital if I want my body to keep up with all the things I want to do on my bucket list.

I encourage you to take the Balance test if you have not done so recently.  It will be a useful exercise to help you set goals for 2015 in line with what you value.

May we all have a healthy 2015 with bodies that take us into a new year … and may your year be filled with positive lessons and time with those you love.