Last weekend, a group of friends and I found ourselves up on the Mountains of Binna Burra. It was a warm Sunny day with the threat of rain looming around us. we all stood in the reception area of the lodge, as we were being instructed on our Harness Equipment and all the Safety factors needed for our days activities of Absailing.
For the majority of us (the group was of 10), this was our first Absailing adventure. It was a real challenge as 6 of us were terrified of heights, so this was to be a special day.
We set off and achieved our first Absail of 10 meters. All good and everyone had made it with a smile.
As we were getting ready for our next Jump, our Guide asked me how we all knew each other, I said 'Oh we are all friends from my work'.
And it was then that it had hit me, that all of the people there are clients of mine and all of them had come in initially with serious Spinal Back pathologies.
There was Lennie who had nearly severed his Spinal Chord in a boating accident, he had Disc Herniations and Spondylothesis , and on the first day I met him he was in so much pain he could not even stand to talk to me. Lennie couldn’t even pick up his young 7month old baby he was in so much pain. He was told surgery was his only option.
He can now throw little Levi above his head, Surf and enjoy life. He and wife Kerry are now expecting their 2nd child.
Moritz, he is from Austria, a young guy who had previously been competitive in Snow Boarding, Surfing, Moritz had been plagued by back pain for years and had not been able to surf for 12months because of pain, he also found sitting to perform his work in IT was near impossible. Moritz , now sits for hours at work perfectly, and is back surfing , and as he says, He has never surfed so well in his life.
Matt, had long term history of Disc Protusion and dysfunction, he also is an avid Surfer, and also had not been able to surf for years, Matt was written off as a Disability level . He was so depressed with life and had lost all hope that he could ever be out of pain, much less surf again. His is not only climbing mountains again, but he is fully back into surfing better than ever.
Phil , is an electrician, he has suffered a spinal fracture and disc derangements. Phis had been off work on Work cover for a long time, trying all sorts of rehab , but could never get on top of it. Phil was very down and had lost a lot of confidence. He is an amazing person, in the way he has fought back, now he is not only absailing but Surfing again, and enjoying long periods of sitting to his favourite game of Poker..
Steve, is a Business Owner and Plumber, and a Glider Pilot. Steve had a long history of back problems, disc derangements, Sacroiliac dysfuction chronic, and was in a lot of pain daily. Steve has been pain free for a while now, he and his wife Yvonne jumped on that day. how wonderful to be able to do those things again with his family, he now enjoys Gliding, Surfing, again and Life.
Isabelle, is from Brisbane, Isabelle was only 18 when she came into see me with a severe spinal scoliosis, she was in a lot of pain and the only alternative to this she was told, was to have her whole spine fused with 2 steel rods. They would then stay in for the rest of her life.. She was not happy about this forecast.. Isabelle has been able to totally avoid Surgery, her spinal curves have improved dramatically, and she now does not suffer with pain.
Isabelle , by the way was the most courageous out of all the people there, even the big boys.
All of the above men are in their late 20’ or early 30’s, they are now living pain free fully functional , happy lives and back into sports and lifestyles they never thought would be possible. Each one of them has been on their own personal journey to learn about their body, mind, health, lifestyle. To believe and have confidence in themselves again.
It was such an amazing day to watch each of them as they laughed, encouraged, heckled each other, and then had so much fun, as they tied themselves to a little rope and jumped backwards off a mountain side.
During their Rehab to end stage rehab we have all grown close as family, and looking forward to our next adventure of Air Rope climbing.. Now that will be scary.
Thanks Jude for organizing such an amazing adventure..
Sincerely,
Jan Carton…
