Uncomfortably Inspirational

It happened again at the new yoga class yesterday. I am always taken aback. I think, "What's the other option?"

I arrived early to meet Melissa, a yoga teacher who I had been told was excellent. I mentioned I was at a new studio due to the lit fireplace on Saturdays at the other studio. I mentioned that it was impossible to practice yoga in the smoke and heat due to my lack of lungs.

All the yoga teachers in town work at both studios.

She looked at me. There was a pause then, "I heard about you from Courtney." Courtney had been my teacher at the other studio for all three of the classes I had attended. I smiled and said, "Oh! I hope she didn't tell you I was crazy," trying to make a joke. "No," she said, "she told me you were inspirational."

That always makes me a bit uncomfortable. I don't think I am inspirational, I think I made a decision to take control of what I COULD control with my illness to try to live a longer life. I took control of my food and exercise. I ate well, immediately giving up soft drinks, sugar, glutens, nightshade vegetables and tried to eat as cleanly as possible. I worked out in rehab five days a week for years. Those are the things I could do for myself. What I didn't know, and the doctors didn't know, was with this combination extended my life. I pushed the need for lung transplants many years into the future. The doctors tell me that they have never had a patient work out so hard for so many years with such great results. They are recommending my diet and exercise program to other newly diagnosed patients as they can only do so much with drug therapy.

I was a person who worked too hard, did not eat well, enjoyed fast food, bread was my friend, loved Diet Coke and had never been to a gym. If I can change immediately upon a bad diagnosis, anyone can.

But inspirational? I was just trying to save my life. What was the other option? Crawl into bed and wait to die? Sorry, just not in my DNA.

So, the class? It was a beginning yoga class and only for an hour instead of the other classes I have taken, which were ninety-minutes. It was a workout but much more in line with what I had expected compared to the wild ride the last two Wednesdays. Those classes included head and neck stands, for heaven's sake! I have a feeling I will become a regular on Saturdays, in a nice clean studio, with a good teacher, trying to extend my life a bit longer and maybe a bit inspirational!