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| Sun and skinny skis: the perfect cure for the blues. |
Getting through the Holiday Season was a supreme challenge this year. On November 30th, while putting up Christmas lights, my daughter Erika fell off a ladder and broke her pelvis in three places. Celebrating the holidays took a back seat to just getting through each day. Factor in the pressures of daily caregiving, and dark snowy days, followed by the foggy inversion we get every winter, and depression was sure to follow.
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| No fog allowed on the Mt. Dell cross country track. |
Fortunately I discovered the cure. It's as easy as driving a few miles up into the mountains to get above the murky valley air and taking a few laps on cross country skis. The treatment included clean breathable air, lots of vitamin D and a rush of endorphins as I glided along the groomed trails at Mt. Dell. Skiing helped reduce mountains of troubles into molehills, while preparing me to cope with daily struggles and keep a smile on my face. It was also somewhat monumental because I discovered that I can still cross country ski in spite of my diminishing physical capabilities due to my aging spinal cord injury.
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| Adaptive sit skis make cross country skiing accessible to everyone. |
The skiing was thanks to
TRAILS (
Technology,
Recreation,
Access,
Independence,
Lifestyle, and
Sports ) a comprehensive outreach program of the Rehabilitation Center at University of Utah Health Care for individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. They provide a safe and supportive way for those of us living with a spinal cord injury to go outside and play year round.
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| Ellie ready to hit the race hill at 6:30 a.m. |
In addition I logged a daily trip to Snowbird to take granddaughter Ellie to ski race camp during the Christmas break. I basked in the magnificence of our Wasatch Mountains, while spending time with my 12 year old would be Olympian. Meanwhile, my daughter Erika seems to be well on the way to recovering without surgery, so life is definitely on the upswing.
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| The Snowbird race hill where Ellie runs gates. |
I'm always amazed at the accessibility of our awesome Wasatch Mountains. I can pick Ellie up at 6 a.m. and we're in the Snowbird parking lot by 6:20 if the road is clear. It's one big reason why I could never move to another city or state. I love the mountains and feel privileged to spend time in them. My goal is to do that as often as possible.
