Pushing Boundaries Fundraiser

This post is long overdue, but I wanted to make sure that I share with all of you, and anyone who might be searching for info on Pushing Boundaries, what an amazing organization it is.

I started at Pushing Boundaries about three months after my injury. At the time both Jared and I felt so helpless and hopeless. I was scared to go out in public places, afraid that I would fall out of my wheelchair or do something else completely embarrassing and draw attention to myself. Some days I just wanted to lay in bed all day. Thankfully I had Anthony, which meant that wasn't an option!

Walking into PB for the first time we were so filled with hope. There is life after an injury like this. People are exercising, driving, boating, going on trips, doing all the "normal" things that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to do again. And it was outside the confines of the physical therapy world, which meant that we were free to try anything. That also meant that it wasn't covered by insurance, and is pretty expensive therapy that people have to pay for out of pocket.

PB got me up standing again, doing cardio, driving, motivated. I felt like I took my life back into my own hands. The year that I spent at PB was time and money well spent. There is nothing I'm scared to do now, nothing I won't try. If I fall out of my wheelchair, I just climb back in. When my wheelchairs rolls away from the car (which happened again last week - you think I'd learn by now, right?) I just ask a stranger for help.

The exercise therapists at PB became my friends and in some ways my counselors. I could talk to my trainer about anything, and that first year when things were so hard, and everything was so new, I had someone to listen to me and give me advice. Someone to bounce ideas off of, someone who I felt truly shared in my pain as I tried and nothing happened, and in my joy as I succeeded.

On Thursday, April 28th, from 12-1, Pushing Boundaries will hold their annual "Success Beyond Paralysis" fund-raising luncheon in Redmond. If you're in the Seattle area and want to go, I'd love to have you join me. Are you interested in touring the facilities? I'll meet you there and show you around, because you've never seen a gym like this one.

If you're out of the area and just want to send checks, that's fine too....;) But more than anything, what PB needs is you to tell people about this great organization. I would have started immediately out of the hospital if I'd known about them then. They work with people who are in wheelchairs, or have traumatic brain injuries, or people who have MS. So spread the word! Let others know that we have a invaluable resource like this right here in our community.

If you are newly injured (or even injure long ago), I highly recommend that you go somewhere like this for rehab. Pushing Boundaries changed the life that I live today. They gave me back my confidence and my freedom, and for that I am ever so grateful.