Wow moment-swam a marathon

         I never believed I could do this. I felt like I had accepted my life as almost 100% bedridden. Well this surgery saved my life literally and figuratively but it also gave me a life.  Yesterday I swam in a water aerobic exercise  4 hr marathon  and I made it. It was for St Jude's children's hospital. I am so happy.              I got back in the water a year ago last week. I hadn't been in water since I was a child and 9 weeks post-op I started swimming and I love it. It has been great for my knees and other health issues and still allows me to exercise. The hardest part was getting over myself and getting in a bathing suit but now well I am just thrilled.Now I am still working on land to do more but I have gotten my independance back and hope to be able to work someday.            Thanks for listening and sharing in my joy. I am off to the pool for my slimnastics class in the water today, tomorrow is aquajog. You can do so much in the water. I also take AI Chi which is Tai Chi in the water and I take water Yoga, and I  just swim. There is something for everyone even if you don't go over your head. I started swimming in the arthritis class in the warm water therapy pool and now I swim in classes and on my own in both pools.           Anyone looking for a way to exercise that 's health is stopping them should talk to your Dr and look into the water. It is amazing and I have never heard a Dr who doesn't love water exercise.          Have a great day everyone. I just love life. It gets better and better and still over a year out it feels like everyday is a gift and a miracle plus every day there is still a WOW moment.. Life is a gift , treasure it. I sure do. Love Laurie

Laurie I am in total awe of you with the pool!!!   I am just not a 'water' person.  I love the idea of water and enjoy cooling off in a pool, but I'm just not confident enough in my swimming ability to really commit to a water program.   I need to look at the Big Vanilla schedule and see if there isn't some stuff that I might try to get into it. Hugs, Mo

Laurie congratulations I am so happy for you. I too accomplished a 3 mile walk last weekend. The Walk from Obesity that was in Baltimore on the 21st Didnt think I would ever do it but I did. Do you have the website to your pool? We were thinking of doing classes again and wanted to check that one out because I remember you saying it was warm water and the Riva one was always cold Take Care Kelly Hope to see you at the meeting Thursday night

OMG, that's wonderful!!!!!!!!!  Can't wait to get in the pool myself.  I'm only 3 weeks out and they want me to wait another week.

Hi Laurie!  Wow I am so proud of you and in total awe. Thank you so much for the inspiration.   I have been thinking a lot about you these past few days.  It was so nice to see this post. Thank you for sharing! Love,

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments. I started swimming 9 weeks post-op.It was just a year ago last week.The pool has great activities for everyone even non swimmers. You never have to go over your head. They do all kinds of things in both pools-the  lap pool and the warm therapy pool. I swim in both. The marathon was at Big Vanilla but I have never swam there before yesterday.  Congratulations Kelly. I wanted to do the walk but I couldn't find a ride to Baltimore. I don't drive in Baltimore.  The website is : www.spyswimming.org Spy Aquatics 623 B & A Boulevard Severna Park,Md.21146 410-315-7779 Ex.104  Let me know if anyone decides to swim here maybe we can meet up. I swim 6 days a week at spy. Have a great day everyone. Love Laurie

Unbelievable accomplishment Laurie! Great job! TraciL

Laurie, congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment. I'm sure it feels great to not only help such a worthwhile charity, but to have the personal victory to complete the marathon. Definitely a double bonus day. Water exercise, in particular water aerobics, has helped me in my last several weight loss attempts. I love the water, and even without a class, use the exercises previously taught to me whenever I swim.

Thanks so much you all. You are so right about the water. I use everything I have learned from the physical therapy I had in the water to the exercise classes and practice on my own if time doesn't allow me to take a class that day. Allthough I pretty much schedule life around the pool right now, while I can.  The water is so amazing. I feel like I have no health problems in the water-on land I still have a lot of work to do but the water gets me stronger and stronger.I never thought ,never dreamed I could get this far with my other health issues. I just love life today. I hope one day to be able to go back to work and then it will be harder to get to the pool but I will find a way and I will have a lot  of things I can do on my own when that happens. I can't believe all the things they do in the water. I have taken physical therapy, arthritis exercise classes, water walking, water aerobics, aquajog,slimnastics, yoga, Ai Chi (Tai Chi) in the water, swim on my own.There is something for everyone at every level even swim teams ,masters swimming , swimming laps whatever.I haven't taken everything, I can't find the time. That is so great to say when a year and 2 months ago I laid in bed except for Drs and that was so hard and so painful to do.Life is good. I am so blessed.     Water is so good for everyone a 1/2 hr of walking in the water is like 2 hrs on land and it is a lot easier an more fun in my opinion. I never could have made this surgery so successful  without the water. I still have a ways to go but I am down 204 lbs  Every day is a gift, treasure it! Have a fabulous day. I will! Love Laurie