More multiple sclerosis NO balance issues
After a year of turmoil and strife, my Wii Fit and I are back in sync! In honor of this happy, healthy reunion, I thought I would re-post this blog from last year.
I hope you enjoy it friends….
My last blog discussed how I had failed the heel to toe test at my neurologist’s office and how that caused drunken memories and great concern. It concerned many of my readers too, which made me analyze this over and over. Then I decided to take some action!
Naturally klutzy my whole life, until the heel to toe test incident, I hadn’t given my balance much thought. I did fall this past summer but that was only because Fido, my pet portable ac unit, tripped me.
I fell again a couple of months later but that was only because I was packing up my home after needing to move and I was incredibly grouchy about it-the move and the packing.
But on a visit with family recently, I fell again. Not wanting to admit MS was the problem, I decided to make it a crime of assault instead. The sidewalk attacked me.
There is even a crime scene photo-
These goldfish didn’t survive the crime. They landed on the ground when my two year nephew dropped them and quickly reached for the doorbell. No, he wasn’t reaching for the doorbell to get me needed help. He just loves pushing the doorbell. And with me on the ground, there was no adult to stop him.
I did get my first black eye from the incident which I tried to take a picture of, my first selfie. But it didn’t come out; proving that I should not take selfies, ever. But you totally should have seen what the sidewalk looked like when I was done defending myself. The crack I gave it looked something like this-
But what if these falls have more to do with balance than assault charges or klutziness? Maybe, they are a combination of both.
Suddenly I realized I can do something about this! I don’t have to be content with being a Fido/sidewalk victim, at their mercy whenever they decide to be obnoxious. My Wii Fit has balance exercises I can do.
I went looking for the Wii Fit. It’s not that I have been neglecting it exactly. It’s just that I only moved a few days ago and the Wii Fit board got pushed aside during the move. I hadn’t unpacked it yet.
Ok, ok, the move was actually five months ago, but that is a few days in MS terms.
I pulled it out, took the batteries from the TV remotes and put them in the Wii Fit board, after removing the old ones and cleaning up battery acid in the compartment-guess it had been a long time since I used my Wii Fit, and then checked out the exercises.
I discovered a new balance exercise I hadn’t tried before- ski jumping! Aren’t female ski jumpers entering the Olympics for the first time this winter? I need a goal. I will practice and practice and then enter the Olympics!!!
No, I’m not crazy. I know I would never get good enough in time for this year’s team. But the next Winter Olympics, I’m in!
Ahhh, but the Wii Fit is a cruel and bitter trainer. It refused to cooperate. When I would do the ski jump game, it would tell me I failed. Over and over I would try, eager to improve and become Olympic ready. And over and over my TV would flash the word unbalanced at me.
Unbalanced, like a washing machine stuck in a wet useless cycle, unbalanced. This was almost more upsetting than the heel to toe test.
Luckily, I found other balance exercises that I did pretty well at.
Ski slalom for one. I aced the ski slalom game.
And tightrope walking. I was actually pretty good at that. And, the tightrope on the game is between two tall skyscrapers. Yet, I didn’t fall once!
Ok, new goal- Nik Wallenda watch out!
I am training to be famous tightrope walker!
For more on my on again/off again dysfunctional relationship with my Wii Fit.including the unethical way we met, check out my book, MS Madness! A “Giggle More, Cry Less” Story of Multiple Sclerosis
Get Fit Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Concrete Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Moving Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Olympics Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Bear Image courtesy of AKARAKINGDOMS at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tightrope Image courtesy of Vlado at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Loved it and hey don’t feel bad about not using the WII fit in awhile hell I bought an exercise machine and used it a few times then we had to move it to make room for the christmas tree and now well it seems to have become a coat rack :(.. But after the surgery I hope to start putting it to use.. As for the falling I don’t have MS and managed to fall 3 times on my indoor stairs and I was completely sober.
3 times??? That’s just crazy! Be careful! Too bad we can’t get exercise credit for falling. What type of equipment do you have? Thing is, I LOVE my Wii so I don’t have any excuse…
I have a more aggressive form of rrms and my balance is absolutely awful I have a wii witch my wife uses for exercising I was suppose to do yoga but I don’t so I will definitely give this a try!! I would absolutely love to be able to run around with my lil girls !! All in all I just wanna live like I used to be able to
Hi Nathan Thank you for checking out and commenting on my blog. I hope it gave you a giggle or two! MS is such a sadistic, vicious thief. I hope your little ones help you find some energy. Where do the young ‘uns get their energy reserves from anyway?? It’s just crazy. I hope you enjoy the Wii as much as I do and please note that you can keep a chair near the Wii fit Board to hold onto for extra support. Good luck friend!
Falling while you exercise seems like it is defeating the purpose, but one must forge on to keep moving.
Your advice to Nathan of using a chair for support is right on target. I surround myself with all kind of “grab points” to keep upright. I even have a bean-bag chair to use behind me for “crash landings.”
Whatever it takes I say!
Using a bean bag chair as a cushion? I love it! My problem with that is I’m not sure I could get myself up from a bean bag chair. And honestly, since they can be pretty comfortable, I’m not sure I would want to!!
yeah i fell 3 times coming down the stairs and the last time i tried to grab the railing i was still holding it when i landed on my backside and ended up tearing the tendons in the thumb…. Guess i am just getting clumsy
Ouch!!! Hope you are ok friend!