Lessons From The Gym

 I have recently been diagnosed with a degenerative nerve disease, Axonal Sensory Polyneuropathy. What that means is that my nerves have been destroyed or affected in several areas. This is a progressive disease, and there is no cure, just palliative care.

Does this scare me, in a way, the unknown is always scary, but I need to accept it, I pray each day for acceptance to be planted on my heart. But I have already begun to feel the pangs of this disease. I have numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, weakness in my hands and legs, and sharp jolts that go down my legs. I should be using a cane, but I refuse to give into it. No way! There will be time enough for that as things progress. Right now, I am fighting it every inch of the way. I gather my strength each day by my love for my family and friends, as well as, meditation, prayer, and immersing myself into His word. 

I tell you this because part of my fight involves joining a gym and hiring a trainer. At first, I was filled with anxiety and skepticism. Bri, my trainer was often met with the obligatory eye roll, and head shake. Through her patience I have a solid work out program. I am increasing weights and reps. I feel so free there, I feel happy. 

Now there are all kinds of people at my gym. There is a little old man that comes everyday with his walker in his hands, making his way to each piece of equipment. There are people that are thin, and others that are not. There are 80-year-olds, and there are 20-year-olds. And of course, there are those of us who fall somewhere in between. Watching all of them gives me inspiration to keep going, I realize there are so many in this great world who suffer, suffer more than me.

The other day I saw a man probably well into his 40's using a cane as he went through his routine. I don't know why, but something inside of me really wondered what his story was, and why was he using a cane? I finished my workout and went to reward myself by using the hydro massage table. (It is incredible). As I approached the spa, I saw the man with the cane walking out of his own hydro massage session. Like a tap on my shoulder, or a whisper falling into my ear, I was being told to talk to him. So I did. With a deep breath in, I asked him why he used a cane. Quickly followed by; did you have a hip or knee replacement? Nothing could have ever prepared me for his response. He told me it was nothing like that, he had a degenerative nerve disease. What? I was God smacked! The irony of all of this was I had just had an appointment with my neurologist prior to going to the gym. I went on, I asked what the name of it was. CIDP - demyelinating polyneuropathy. We stood there for quite a while exchanging the quips of our disease. We laughed and some of the symptoms it creates and spoke of our mutual fear of the unknown.  

Then, I did something I rarely do with strangers, I asked him if I could pray with him. To my surprise, he took my hand, and we prayed together, right there in the spa of Xsport Fitness Center. I didn't feel anxious or scared anymore. I had a peer who shared something with me that I still hadn't fully processed. 

The hand of God placed him there that day for me, and maybe I for him. Those sacred minutes we shared were so much an answer to a prayer I hadn't even spoken yet. I never got his name, but it doesn't matter. As he turned to walk away from me, I told him, he was an inspiration. It was simply divine guidance, filling my soul with hope.