Saturday, July 11, 2020

Happy Anniversary...

Today is the anniversary of my Total Hip Replacement (THR) surgical procedure done seven years ago. It was and continues to be a true blessing in my life and I am forever grateful to Dr. Michael Parks, M.D., and the New York Hospital for Special Surgery. Literally, I became a new man free of excruciating and debilitating pain on this day.

Prior to the surgery, I had lived with pain for the majority of my life. I experienced an injury to my knee when I was 14 years old which precipitated a series of physical compensations that eventually resulted in the deterioration of my hip joint 48 years later. The six months just before surgery were the most painful. I found myself unable to sit, stand or lie down for any length of time. I could no longer actively run to say, catch a bus. Walking was very painful and climbing stairs was worse; especially negotiating busy exits from the subways to street level. I avoided sexual intercourse because of the limited mobility during intercourse and the long painful recovery afterwards. The Qigong and other exercises I depended on over the years to give me some relief no longer did so.

Dr. Parks and his staff were all excellent in assuring me that the procedure and outcome would be smooth and effective in relieving my pain. I remember the trepidation I felt entering the cold surgical theatre as the team made final preparations to begin my procedure early that morning seven years ago. I was able to count backwards to 97 I think... 

I'm told that the procedure took about forty-five minutes. When I awakened, I was a bit disoriented initially, but the fog slowly lifted. I was transported by a kind nurse to my shared room and fell asleep. When I woke up again, I realized that there was something missing. I was no longer in the kind of pain I had become accustomed to most of my life. It was gone! Nothing!

Yes, I felt the discomfort of the surgical procedure itself which was masked by the various meds I had been given. However, I knew the difference and it was crystal clear that I was better. Not long after waking up, my nurse had me begin walking with a walker the length of the corridor and around. She had me sit up in a hip-high chair and not long afterwards stroll around the hospital floor again. 

The following day I was using a cane and walking up a set of mock stairs. On my third day, I was discharged and sent home with self-care instructions and an appointment for a home visiting nurse to provide physical therapy for several weeks. Luckily, my home nurse was a former martial artist and understood my recovery goals. She designed a prudent and assertive recovery program for me. I also did physical therapy for several weeks afterwards at a local physical therapy office. 

Seven months after my surgery, I was cleared to resume my normal physical activities with some minor, but important restrictions. A month later I began training with kettlebells doing swings and have never looked back.

Today, I am stronger and more flexible than I ever was in my youth. I was able to begin and successfully complete a 3-year intensive Training Program in Taijiquan and Qigong from 2016-2019. I am fit enough to continue training and exploring my physical boundaries. And, I am pain free! I truly believe that it is never too late and all things are possible with proper support and guidance.

Respectfully,
Doc
Urban Qi FIT

Tenacity | Diligence | Discipline | Courage | Resilience


The Journey Continues...

From 2016 through 2019, I shared my thoughts under the Blog name of Qi Portals. This was the period when I trained full-time as a martial arts student in the YMAA California Retreat Center's 3-Year Training Program in Taijiquan and Qigong. One purpose of Qi Portals was to document my training experiences to share with those who made it possible for me to participate in the YMAA program. Another goal was to share my exploration of the subtle energies of Qigong and Taijiquan I have had glimpses of since the early 1980s. Being in Northern California in the mountains away from the distractions of modern life, I thought I would have time to delve further into these, but I was mistaken. The demands of the training schedule as well as the community upkeep of the facilities left little time for anything else.

Today, June 30, 2020, marks one year since I graduated from the program and left the Retreat Center to return home. Until today, I had not written anything in Qi Portals since July 2, 2019. My first six months back home was time I needed to rest and heal from my physical injuries as well as from the mental-emotional fatigue of the program. Re-establishing my teaching rhythm with my students and negotiating a radically different personal training regimen has been challenging and immensely rewarding. Unfortunately, the absence of training partners with whom I could continue my progress has slowed down, but not deterred my momentum.

I certainly miss the daily discipline of partner drills that were unveiling the deeper layers of the inherent power and grace of Taijiquan. Whether it is the fundamental nature of such a broad art or the design of the training program itself, there was an imbalance between the Yin and Yang aspects of my training experience on the mountain. While it is clear that Qigong is the root of Taijiquan (Taijiquan is loosely translated as the Grand Ultimate fist of the Mind), the overwhelming emphasis on the mountain was on the Yang side--the body. This makes sense because being physically conditioned to actually regulate one's body to execute the movements (the form, the weapons, the partner drills, etc.) is paramount. However, practicing Embryonic Breathing Qigong once in the morning was insufficient time to cultivate a higher awareness and facility with Qi itself.

Five months ago, the world changed. The COVID-19 pandemic forced me to rethink and revamp how to continue my teaching and training. Now, all of my teaching is online these days and it has been an interesting shift for me and my students. Surprisingly, it's turned out better than I had anticipated. The emphasis of my classes is on the foundations and basics. So, we spend much more time understanding fundamentals and cultivating a clearer relationship with how we govern our bodies and movement.

I have decided to rename my Blog Yin Side Notes. My interest is still in uncovering the hidden foundation(s) for what creates the seemingly facile and effortless treats of power and strength I have personally seen and experienced that are intrinsic to this martial art of Taijiquan. As such, I will share my thoughts and experiences as I explore and journey. My three years on the mountain provided me with some insight, but were insufficient to speak with any degree of authority. One day I know I'll be able to share more clearly.

I hope you are able to join me along the way.

Respectfully,
Doc
Urban Qi FIT

Tenacity | Diligence | Discipline | Courage | Resilience