Stichting Mama met MS
  • Home
    • About Tanja – Mama with MS
  • Blog posts
    • HSCT Journey
    • Tanja’s Story
    • Tysabri medication
    • Kids Talk
  • Calendar – HSCT Schedule
  • Start a crowdfunding
    • Fundraising Events
  • Info – MS in general
    • Information about MS
    • Overview MS Medications
  • INFO & Contact
    • Contact
    • Guestbook
    • DONATE
  • English
    • Nederlands
  • Shop

Stichting Mama met MS

  • Home
    • About Tanja – Mama with MS
  • Blog posts
    • HSCT Journey
    • Tanja’s Story
    • Tysabri medication
    • Kids Talk
  • Calendar – HSCT Schedule
  • Start a crowdfunding
    • Fundraising Events
  • Info – MS in general
    • Information about MS
    • Overview MS Medications
  • INFO & Contact
    • Contact
    • Guestbook
    • DONATE
  • English
    • Nederlands
  • Shop
0
General posts

To the test: can I ski again?

door Elisa 8 February 2017
geschreven door Elisa 8 February 2017 1346 views
To the test: can I ski again?

So, infusion day is over, but I’m getting a bit nervous right now. For this month I have a plan, something for which I am trying to find the courage the past year or so. As a former ski instructor, after 3 years of MS I would love to try skiing again but unfortunately the timing to make this happen is quite difficult. Every month I get my medicine but it only gives me about 2 weeks the opportunity to do ‘something fun’. Sometimes there was a day when I could conclude in the evening, “today was actually good, today I could have tried”, but then the moment had passed. Also, months went by when there was no good day at all. Overall, skiing was still “out of my league.”

 

Background

Why it is so important to me to try skiing again? Well because in my ‘previous life’, before MS, skiing was more like my second nature. As of 2001 I was a full-time ski instructor for several years and afterwards still on a weekly basis for fun. I was teaching both in the Alps as indoor during winter and summer. 3 Years ago I was still on the slopes and a month later I got my first MS attack out of the blue. 6 Months later I walked indoors with a walker from the living room to the kitchen and another 6 months later I was using my electric wheelchair in the house. In short, within a year from ski lift to stair lift. Could the contrast be even bigger?

 

But now…

Almost 3 years went by and given the physical condition the past years, I’m actually doing pretty well now. Okay I need heavy MS meds but at the moment the disease activity is under control. I do have residual damage in my brains which will not recover, but I must not complain. The wheelchair is in the closet for a year now, I got my drivers license back and I can walk short distances again. With rehabilitation and a lot of (ballet) exercises at home I practiced the moves, control and coordination of my legs and feet again.

The desire to teach skiing to my own kids is still there. I taught so many children, but not my own. If it hurts? Yes, very. But skiing together with my kids is an illusion that I should try to let go. First, let’s start with the big question; am I able to ski again? My feet are feeling quite disturbed as they have permanent damage, they always tingle and it feels like my shoes are filled with sand and I feel tight rubber bands across my feet and knees. Just as my lower legs, but there I also have neuralgia sometimes and touching the skin can be painful. My right thigh has a bundle of muscles which doesn’t properly works and which has to be compensated while walking by the other muscles. Skiing is physically a different movement. And am I able to ‘hang in my ski boots’ when my shins are so painful to touch? But on the other hand, my feet are fixed in the solid ski boots, just like the walking brace I wear and I don’t have to make a walking motion. Sooo… let’s just better find out! Thumbs up, skiing could therefore be going pretty good, maybe even better than walking 🙂

Anyway, in the past I practiced the techniques until I was fed up with it and the arts of sport is to make something difficult look easy peasy. I know that how I look on the outside doesn’t correspond with how I feel and experience everything. People see me ‘just’ walking. Well, let’s continue with ‘that trick’ and make skiing look very easy 😉 Even though it hurts, even though my body doesn’t do what my mind wants it to. Even though just the touch of the shoes hurts, I just picture myself wearing very comfortable boots. And when and if the time comes that my legs can no longer carry me? No idea, we’ll just find out and see 🙂 “No Guts, No Glory!”

 

I did it!

First-Ski-Again2-500With a former colleague, I agreed to go on the slope after hours together with a team, so that I don’t have to watch out for inexperienced skiers and just focus on myself. An MS girlfriend went with me to help me carry the stuff and so I don’t have to drive. It comes in handy that she can take some pictures while she’s with me 🙂 But boy, lots of preparations and nothing is for granted nowadays.

Before I get on the conveyor belt lift I remember to practice the ‘getting off’ before I actually get on the lift. I need to remember that the ‘new me’ cannot assume that my feet will step off the lift when I plan to. I decided to skip the plow turns (too forced position in my case) and carefully start off with stem turns. Calmly cross the slope in parallel position, make a turn with a plow and smoothly slide one ski back next to the other and crossing the slope again. Seriously… very exciting, but I did it!! My friend recorded me and afterwards we couldn’t help ourselves having a little moment of tears. I continued trying for about 20 minutes, used some high-low moves and I dared to use the drag-lift to the larger slope among the other skiers. Proud to say that I ended up doing parallel turns. No, unfortunately no short turns or carving. Those techniques are physically really not feasible yet or maybe never. But… I could give it a try for practice! My legs didn’t fail and I didn’t need to be in the wheelchair the rest of the day or week (which I was a little concerned about). Secretly, I’m a little proud of myself. Yay! 🙂

 

 

 

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
MSmultiple sclerosisskiskiingvictory
0 reageer
0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
vorig bericht
Superman
volgend bericht
Carnival didn’t go as planned, but the ski trip did!

You may also like

Samantha’s day

30 April 2019

Rollercoaster – almost 5 months post HSCT

2 April 2019

Walking improvements – Before and After HSCT (3+...

27 February 2019

Day minus 1: resting day(s)

22 October 2018

Collapsed lung and surgery and chemo day 4...

21 October 2018

Day -5 and -4: first 2 days of...

18 October 2018

Day minus 6: day of rest and changing...

17 October 2018

Day minus 7: stem cell harvesting!

16 October 2018

Day minus 8: Shaving party! Bye bye long...

15 October 2018

Day minus 8: neckline + fourth day of...

15 October 2018

Laat een reactie achter Cancel Reactie

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Over Mama met MS

Over Mama met MS

Hoi, ik ben Tanja en Yes! Het is gelukt!

Zoveel lieve mensen wilden mij helpen in mijn strijd tegen MS. Het streefbedrag is gehaald en in oktober 2018 ben ik naar Moskou afgereisd voor een stamceltransplantatie. Inmiddels ben ik thuis aan het herstellen en zal deze website over een poosje worden bijgewerkt.

 

Met liefs, Tanja

Recente Berichten

  • Samantha’s day

    30 April 2019
  • Rollercoaster – almost 5 months post HSCT

    2 April 2019
  • Walking improvements – Before and After HSCT (3+ months)

    27 February 2019
  • Day minus 1: resting day(s)

    22 October 2018

Categorieën

  • General information
  • General posts
    • HSCT Journey
    • Kids Talk
    • Products & Reviews
    • Tysabri medication

Verhalen ontvangen

Krijg een seintje wanneer een nieuwe blog bericht is geplaatst

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Google + Instagram Pinterest

Follow Me

Mama met MS op Facebook

MamaMetMS op Instagram

mamametms

 245    764


  • Hey grappig. Naast het ED ben ik ook in het Brabants Dagblad gespot. Hier is het artikel makkelijker te lezen dan vanaf de foto gisteren. Nieuwe mindset voor 2021: "Tout est possible" Link in reacties. #tshirt #toutestpossible #BD #brabantsdagblad #krant #HSCT #postHSCT #MSawareness #PTSS #strongerthanMS #sterkerdanMS #MSwarrior
  • Wie heeft het ED al gespot? In het kader "Tell the story of the mountain you have climbed. It could be a page in someone else
  • "Muscle memory. It
  • Vet irritant dit Het gaat best wel goed eigenlijk, maar dat trillende rechter bovenbeen kan best wel een belemmering zijn. Bijna dagelijks last van. Soms meer, dan weer minder. Het goede nieuws is dat we een lockdown hebben, dus ik hoef de deur toch niet uit. #omdenken #MSlife #MamaMetMS #MSwarrior #lifewithMS
  • Wat een topper! Sarah is goed op dreef met HSCT op de kaart zetten! ---- REPOST van @saarki ---- EN DAN STA JE IN DE PRIVÉ Van het een komt het ander. Je leert mensen kennen die je weer in contact brengen met andere mensen en voordat je het doorhebt staat je verhaal 2 pagina
  • #Repost @nationaalmsfonds • • • • • • KIJKTIP! In het nieuwe RTL4-programma Over Winnaars maken mensen met een fysieke beperking of ingrijpende ziekte het onmogelijke mogelijk. In de uitzending van vanavond is de 36-jarige Sarah Kingma te zien. Zij krijgt op haar 22ste MS. De eerste jaren heeft zij een milde vorm, maar sinds een paar jaar zit zij in een rolstoel. De extraverte Sarah droomt ervan te shinen op een podium. Jamai daagt haar uit en reist samen met Sarah naar Las Vegas, waar zij mag optreden in een show van Hans Klok. Nieuwsgierig? Over Winnaars is vanavond
  • Yay! It
  • Poeh, 2 jaar geleden alweer. Stamcellen oogsten in Moskou. Heavy shit was dat, maar ja. Wat moet, dat moet. Best choice ever. ___________________________ 16-10-2018: Day -7: Harvesting day! In alle vroegte was Dr. F. de machines al voor ons klaar aan het zetten. Na 4 dgn van stamcel stimulatie injecties is vandaag in alle vroegte het oogsten van de stamcellen begonnen: 2 miljoen per kg lichaamsgewicht dus voor mijn 58 kg moeten dat er 116 miljoen worden. Alle stamcellen die de afgelopen dagen uit mn botweefsel
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Email
  • Bloglovin
  • RSS

Stichting Mama met MS
Hazestraat 28
5555 AC Valkenswaard
KvK: 70893780
IBAN: NL68 INGB 00083 14 994 - BIC/SWIFT: INGBNL2A


© 2014-2021 Stichting Mama met MS - Copyright op alle content - Disclaimer.
Designed and developed by Berkx Media.
Hosted by Cloud86.


Naar boven
  • Nederlands
  • English
We gebruiken cookies om ervoor te zorgen dat onze website zo soepel mogelijk draait. Door verder te gaan op deze website, ga je akkoord met het gebruik hiervan.Ok