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Personal update: residencies + nerve injuries
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FREE ARCHIVED BLOG & PHOTOSET
I originally wrote this for Patreon on May 20th 2017. I no longer use Patreon and have replaced it with my website (here) but thought I would share some of my old blogs with you for FREE to show my appreciation for you visiting my website! <3
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Celebrating 1 year since I got wrist drop! Well, technically the official 1 year is May 22nd but… close enough. =] If you’ve been a member for a while you probably remember this time last year when I got wrist drop from too much time and pressure on my radial nerve during a shibari suspension. I didn’t have the use of my (dominant) right hand for about 3 months and wasn’t able to go to aerial silks class for 7-8 months. Watch the video in the archives to see how bad it was… it was pretty bad. I couldn’t lift my hand from my wrist or do a “thumbs up,” it was just constantly limp.
Honestly, I’m really thankful that it happened. It taught me a lot about myself & made me appreciate what I have. I learned that I really need physical activity in my life & that I can really lean on Antisocialdisposition. I already knew that he will do just about anything for me but for the first week or two he helped me do things that you really take for granted when you have two hands to do it with and suddenly you only have 1: wash my hair, get dressed, open jars, carry lots of things, etc. I became more ambidextrous because of this and I even became more confident in myself over time because I learned that I could still do pretty much everything for myself with just my left hand. I did definitely have several days after it happened that I freaked out about it because I wasn’t seeing ANY improvement and I was so scared that it would never get better. It did, very slowly, but it did start to get better. As soon as possible I started doing yoga at home (only simple stuff I knew wouldn’t aggravate the injury). I honestly think it would have taken much longer to heal if I wasn’t staying active, exercising it as much as possible, saying positive affirmations, and visualizing it getting and being better. I am SO SO thankful that it got better. I am also thankful that it happened. It was a challenge and a lesson. It happened for a reason: for me to learn to appreciate what I have and to learn how important being active is to me because I really didn’t know that before. It strengthened me and it strengthened my relationship with AD.
What is something “bad” that’s happened to you that you now realize was actually beneficial in the long run?
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To celebrate being able to do silks again, check out the 2 new silks videos I added! In one of them I somersault in the air to a single ankle hang, I mean how badass does that description sound?! It’s really fun. The other video is a crazy difficult core strengthening exercise: spinal roll down from straddle. You’re supposed to take as long as possible on the way down which is what makes it difficult and REALLY works your core.
All members have access to this complete 59 image self portrait photoset by clicking here and the aerial silks videos by clicking here.
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Thankful
Three years ago on May 22nd 2016, I had the experience of my first real shibari suspension, which in itself was really special and magickal. It put me in a headspace I had never been in, and it was a powerful way to connect with a new friend I made while at an artists retreat. The rigger who tied me was very practiced and knowledgeable and we discussed limits and safety beforehand, and even with those precautions the shibari suspension resulted in me sustaining a major injury to the radial nerve on my right arm. That nerve damage caused me to have wrist drop for 3 months. That means I had no use of my (dominant) right hand for THREE MONTHS. I was inexperienced and wasn’t cautious enough or listening to my body enough to realize I was damaging my radial nerve. I know better now, I know how to check myself periodically to make sure everything in my body is still good, and I know how to better communicate with the person tying me. Honestly, I would definitely do a shibari suspension again, even after being injured during my first experience, but I will probably never do a TK again, which was the tie my arms were in that caused the injury after being in it for too long. The nerves in my arms and wrists are just too fragile to be in that kind of tie.
I’m bringing this up because its coming up on the 3 year anniversary of this happening, and also because I just found a BUNCH more photos (200+) from that day that I’ve uploaded to an archived folder, which you can view by clicking here if you’re a photo member.
If you’re a video member, click here to watch the video I made showing how my wrist/hand was impacted by wrist drop.
I’m so thankful that I regained the use of my right hand, that it only impacted my life for a short amount of time (3 months was a long time when it was happening but in the grand scheme of things is really not that long), and that I gained a new perspective and knowledge because of it.
Be thankful for what you have because it’s not guaranteed forever.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!