Hello! I’m Terrie. My family and friends call me Tee. I’m a 39 year old housewife living in the southern California desert. I was born with cerebral palsy which affects my left leg and right hand as well as my balance. Due to my bad balance, I use the aid of my husband’s arm or my walker.
My trouble with walking deteriorated in my late teen years when I went to college. I wasn’t as active as I was growing up and the lack of exercise lead to my balance getting worse. I first bought my walker when I was 20 or 21 and I felt so embarrassed that I hid it from the people closest to me for a long time.
Due to the lack of exercise and my weakening balance, I gained weight. From age 21 to 32, I gained about 40 pounds. It got to the point that even using my walker was uncomfortable and it felt like I was going to fall with every step I took. In my late 20s I got into the habit of rolling around our apartment in my computer chair. And when my chair didn’t fit? I’d resort to crawling on my knees.
In my 20s and 30s I was an on-again-off-again exerciser. I’d tell myself “no junk food and exercise every other day” and that I’d “start on Monday”. That worked for about a week or two at the most, and then I’d binge on junk food and stop working out. Something in my brain finally clicked in February of 2007. I told myself “OK, you’re going to do this”, and I got online and found resources to help me, and I DID it. I lost 35 pounds in eleven months and my balance has improved immensely.
I still have the struggle of maintaining my weight. I’ve gained some back and am in the process of losing ten pounds again, but I’ll get there. I still struggle with walking, but it is getting better. I still use my computer chair to get around, and that is the hardest thing for me to stop, due to my extreme fear of falling. I just have to keep moving.
Thus the title of this blog. If I stop moving, I’ll end up right back where I was, and for me that’s not an option. If I stop, I know that I’ll be in a wheel chair permanently in the years to come. If I keep moving, I keep my body functioning the way I want it to. That goes for everyone as well, disabled or not. If you keep your body moving, you’ll get around a lot easier. Through this blog, I hope I can bring some helpful information to you from time to time. I invite you to follow my journey as I work my way to getting healthier and work my way to overcoming fears and struggles that go along with having a disability. I probably will share my thoughts on health news or shows such as The Biggest Loser.
I'll also share other parts of my life, such as my writing practice and goals. But in the meantime, keep moving!
My trouble with walking deteriorated in my late teen years when I went to college. I wasn’t as active as I was growing up and the lack of exercise lead to my balance getting worse. I first bought my walker when I was 20 or 21 and I felt so embarrassed that I hid it from the people closest to me for a long time.
Due to the lack of exercise and my weakening balance, I gained weight. From age 21 to 32, I gained about 40 pounds. It got to the point that even using my walker was uncomfortable and it felt like I was going to fall with every step I took. In my late 20s I got into the habit of rolling around our apartment in my computer chair. And when my chair didn’t fit? I’d resort to crawling on my knees.
In my 20s and 30s I was an on-again-off-again exerciser. I’d tell myself “no junk food and exercise every other day” and that I’d “start on Monday”. That worked for about a week or two at the most, and then I’d binge on junk food and stop working out. Something in my brain finally clicked in February of 2007. I told myself “OK, you’re going to do this”, and I got online and found resources to help me, and I DID it. I lost 35 pounds in eleven months and my balance has improved immensely.
I still have the struggle of maintaining my weight. I’ve gained some back and am in the process of losing ten pounds again, but I’ll get there. I still struggle with walking, but it is getting better. I still use my computer chair to get around, and that is the hardest thing for me to stop, due to my extreme fear of falling. I just have to keep moving.
Thus the title of this blog. If I stop moving, I’ll end up right back where I was, and for me that’s not an option. If I stop, I know that I’ll be in a wheel chair permanently in the years to come. If I keep moving, I keep my body functioning the way I want it to. That goes for everyone as well, disabled or not. If you keep your body moving, you’ll get around a lot easier. Through this blog, I hope I can bring some helpful information to you from time to time. I invite you to follow my journey as I work my way to getting healthier and work my way to overcoming fears and struggles that go along with having a disability. I probably will share my thoughts on health news or shows such as The Biggest Loser.
I'll also share other parts of my life, such as my writing practice and goals. But in the meantime, keep moving!
Posts
