09/30/2026
My first freestanding balance in many, many months. You can hear my surprise. And I just learned I still know how to walk on my hands. 😂
Long story short: after my knee scope, I quickly developed severe back pain and sciatica on top of continuing knee instability.
Three lumbar steroid injections, ER visits, orthopedic appointments, more drugs/alcohol than I care to share, lots of hypnosis/meditation, bodywork, chiropractic care, and plenty of lying on the floor feeling like my life was over—I eventually got better.
But not before a three-hour drive to Charlotte turned into five hours because I had to stop at three different Planet Fitnesses to lie on a mat with my legs propped up until my back and knees settled enough to keep driving.
I was desperate for a quick fix, despite knowing from 20+ years working in pain management that it rarely works that way.
When an orthopedic surgeon essentially told me, “There really isn’t anything I would do for you,” I finally had to accept that nobody was coming to fix me.
The missing pieces turned out to be proper knee rehab, challenging my assumptions about pain versus stress, and getting back to movement through Rolfing, softwave/shockwave therapy, careful chiropractic care, somatic psychotherapy, and the support of some really good people.
And the environment around me changed, too. Being part of the community at Oja has encouraged me even further in this direction.
Last year was probably the toughest and most painful of my life.
Fortunately, I really feel like that wave has passed.
I’m back to feeling more playful than protective.
And that’s a pretty damn good place to be.
Huge shout-out to my circle of care: Julian Lanyon, Made 2 Move | Physical Therapy for Athletes & Active Adults, Chiropractor in Mount Pleasant, SC | Hip, Low Back Pain, & TMJ, Jeremiah Jimerson. I know it’s not cheap to have this much support, but if you’re going to play hard… you gotta pay.
For me, it’s been money very well spent.
Because being able to move through life with more freedom, curiosity, and playfulness makes life a whole lot richer.
