downhill skiing
Entry posted by mcdube
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My stroke was in March/84. I was in the hospital until june/84. The following winter, I was back at work and still living with my parents. Some people at work were planning an evening ski trip and since I had been a skier pre stroke I wanted to try again. I told my parents this over dinner and they did not take it well. My parents are pessimists and could not fathom me going skiing with one side of me paralyzed. That evening, I went to the basement and took out my ski boots. I trid to put them on but with just one hand I couldn't manage it. My Dad came down to see what I was doing and I asked him to give me a hand. He refused and told me "if you can't put your boots on you can't ski. They had won the battle but not the war. I didn't go skiing with my friends at the office but that week I heard about " the handicapped skiing association" I called up and got all the information and an appointment for the following weekend for a fitting for specialized equipment for the physically impaired. Turned out the only specialized equipment I needed were short skis tied together at the front. So I was also given a schedule which I had to adhere to because 2 volunteers were asigned to me and I couldn't make them go there for nothing. I skied for 2 seasons until my ski suit didn't fit anymore. I had gained a lot of weight and couldn't afford another suit. When I had the kids for the weekend I would bring them with me. They skied too so while I was doing my thing, they were having fun skiing. They were so proud of their mother and it was a good life lesson for them "when you want to you can".
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