In 2015 I decided I needed to do something for myself. I was living mostly on Block Island and there really wasn’t a gym that suited my needs. I had a house in Riverside and I stumbled upon 212 Health and Performance quite by accident. It struck me that if I had a personal trainer, someone I was paying to train me, I would keep the appointments with that person. I had tried in the past to exercise on my own, but I always would allow another appointment to take that place if someone needed to see me. I have my own businesses so I would do that often. I met Sean and Kerry and knew immediately that I could work with them. I really liked the way they did things and really seemed to take an interest in what it was that you were looking to accomplish. I’m so very grateful that I did because little did I know how much I would come to rely on those appointments to keep my life from totally falling apart.
Shortly after joining the gym my significant other went through a major surgery but still wasn’t feeling good and no one could figure out what was going on. In July of that year it was finally discovered that when he had had a mastectomy and refused radiation it was the wrong decision. The breast cancer had already spread to his bones and by the time of diagnosis in July of 2015 the breast cancer was in every single bone in his body. He was diagnosed terminal, but treatable and we were hoping to have at least another two years together with his treatments. I nearly cancelled my membership, but I’m so glad that I came when I could because it gave me a HUGE release of stress and a focus on caring for myself as we went back and forth from the island to his treatments and surgeries. Those at 212 who knew what was going on in my life were so very supportive and their genuine concern touched me deeply. I knew I could count them in my corner. They checked in consistently to see how I was doing; if I was taking good care of myself; and if there was anything they could do to help.
That November my 25-year-old son was diagnosed with CML, a type of leukemia that typically hits someone 65-85 years old. It does not currently have a cure, but they are very close and his diagnosis is good. It was nearly more than I could handle, but once again, Sean and Kerry reached out to help me through this very challenging time. Today my son is nearly to the point of being on a maintenance program and living his life as normally as one can while battling cancer. He can work and even started his own business, Munch, LLC, as a personal chef nights and weekends around his security job that pays his health insurance. Life if challenging, but great. Justin, my significant other, passed away just 4 months after Ryan’s diagnosis and life without him has been my biggest adjustment yet. Again, the family I have at 212, whether they know what is going on in my life or not has been so absolutely amazing. They encourage me each week.
Then came my own health challenges. It seems that I was born with a straight neck with a backwards curve in a portion of it. I hadn’t really had many problems with it over my life but did see a chiropractor regularly. They helped to keep me mostly pain free, but after all the stress of 2015 and 2016 I suffered from constant headaches. It was time to do something and instead of giving up the one thing that had been holding me together, I asked Sean to speak with my doctor and create a workout that I could actually do that would help me heal. It was a BIG adjustment yet again, but I am happy to say that I am participating in my 2nd Jeans Challenge and I can even work out with weights. Sean, Kerry and Colin check in with me pretty regularly to make sure that I am still progressing with the work being done to put a proper curve in my neck. I am happy to report that at last x-ray I can even see the curve! Thank you 212 Family!!! <3 <3 <3