The 2008 NAF meetings in Las Vegas went well and many of us were very
busy throughout that long weekend.
I gave four sessions on Friday which were all well attended and - here's
the good part - we helped many people learn to walk better and their
smiles lit up the room. As is my routine, I ask for volunteers to
come to the front of the room where I lead them through some basic
techniques. These are folks of all ages, with varying degrees of
problems with walking secondary to their disorder, just like you.
As they walk towards the front of the room they bring with them some
enthusiasm and a willingness to try something new. They want to
find something that helps them today.
They want something to help them be more normal.
And that my friends is exactly what they received and
took with them. They demonstrated to themselves, and the others in
the room, how applying some simple techniques to their daily activities
can make a dramatic difference. Within a short time most of these
people were swaying much less as they stood facing the audience.
They began walking with a narrower gait and they were much more stable
with all of their movements. And what type of things did I have
them doing? Just the everyday task of walking more normally with
some the same information I share on this website and my CDs!
I demonstrate and explain, then they try it
themselves.
We work through the awkwardness, then they apply it. It's almost
that simple, but comes with a lot of work to master it.
And you can have the same benefit if you want
it bad enough.
Do you have the drive to help yourself regain
some of your lost movement skills.
I know I can help you. How much of a help I can be to you is of
course dependent on a few variables. For instance, how disabled
are you? The more disabled you are, the more you are depending on
walkers or wheel chairs, the more sedentary you are, and the weaker you
are, all means that you have more to work on to get what you want.
For those of you who are still ambulatory don't put it off any longer.
The longer you wait to start the process of
recovery,
the weaker you get, and that means you will become more clumsy,
and this all means that you will become more and more restricted in
everything you try to do.
It doesn't have to necessarily be that way.
Start your journey now! You don't have to just accept your
disorder. You can do something for yourself today. You can
move and function better and I can help you prove it to yourself.
If you want some proof ask some of the people I've helped for a
testimonial. Contact the National Ataxia Foundation for a
reference. Read some of their letters I've posted on this site.
But most of all, try some of what I'm giving you for yourself - give it
an honest try.
I've made some CDs with a great deal of
information for those of you who would like to hear this material and
better apply it. I know it's not perfect, a video would be better,
but the cost and time of doing that is beyond me at this time.
However, that is something I hope to do soon because you need to see
this stuff to better understand it. It would be wonderful to come
to the various support groups around the country, but the cost for that
gets in your and my way. Therefore, it is my hope that the sale of
the CDs will provide some of the revenue to allow me to travel to more
support groups and thus, help more people walk better and improve their
quality of life. I would appreciate your support while you are
doing something for yourself in return.
Remember, I have ataxia from SCA-14 and understand
your situation. I live it. And I also did something about it
to reverse some of the problems we encounter. Don't continue to be
controlled by the saying, "You'll just have to live with it!" Do
something for yourself and live in spite of it! I can help you.
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