Someone knows how I feel

I was really surprised when the trainer who was helping me at the gym told me he knew how I felt.  So many people tell me they know how I feel to try to make me feel better, but they don’t really know.  But he really did know.  He told me what he felt after his accident and what he did to get where he is.

Wait, what?

I asked him what he meant, what accident? He told me about what happened when he jumped from a deck at the beach, the water was shallower that he thought, he hit his head and because of this he was paraplegic. He couldn’t move his arms or legs and had to take a lot of therapy to get to where he is today.

I had no idea, I mean, he’s a trainer at the gym. He has a lot of energy and I’ve seen him running around the gym.  I never thought he would have been in the same place I was.  He really does know how I feel, and wants to help.

Since then, when he sees me struggling to do an exercise, or doubting myself he tells me what he did or does.  When I don’t want to do something he tells me how it will help me and how it will get easier. He knows when I won’t be able to do an exercise and tells me how to do it in a different way.  Of course, he still pushes me, he knows when I’m just being lazy, and pushes me do the exercise correctly.

It’s great to get advice from someone who has been in a similar situation. All I have heard in the last few years is advice from people who don’t know what I’m feeling right now. They have heard or read about Traumatic Brain Injuries, but don’t know the feelings. Not that I’m not thankful for this, but once I see that there are people who went through the same thing and want to help, just makes me want to keep doing more to share my experience and help others.

p.s. The end of July feels like the end of summer, even if it’s a Friday.  Bye bye summer, see you next year.  Summer 2015, you were a great one