Goal Setting (Written January, 2018)

Many people asked how I got back into swimming after my concussion. For those that don’t know pre-concussion I was swimming 1 km daily before work. This stopped July 30,2016 when I went on vacation.  I was working as a child protection worker, putting in 50 hour weeks; working day’s, evenings and weekends.  

After I was diagnosed with the concussion in August of 2016 I wasn’t allowed to do any physical activity. As the weeks went on, I worked with my physiotherapist who encouraged me to go back into the pool. I swim here and there at Lakehead University but didn’t make much progress. I was really scared about swimming by myself and hurting myself again. I spent the next eight months swimming here and there but not putting much effort into it.

In February 2017 I was referred to the pain management clinic. The social worker met me and did an intake with me and encourage me to get back into the pool. We went over my barriers to this which was anxiety and fear of the water. He set me up with the recreational therapist who met me and encouraged me. During the month of July and August we met at Lakehead to do one on one aqua fit classes together. During the first week we met and sat in the parking lot and chatted. During the second week we met had a tour of the facility and left. During the third week we met outside on the pool deck with my feet in the water. The fourth week I stood in the pool getting used to the surroundings splashing a bit. It wasn’t until the fifth week that we actually started swimming. I thank her for her ability and patience as it got me used to the water and made me OK with the situation. This worked out fantastically as it was a way to get me back into the pool and work individually with my weaknesses and build my strength encourage again.

In September 2017 I want off work completely enjoyed the pain management program for their six week intensive Ness. A core piece of the six week program was fitness. During the first week of the program we learned how to set goals and make them achievable. We also learned the purpose of doing something but then having the resistance to stop to save energy as the reserve. If we are going to be able to do something we had to make sure that we are able to do it the next day as well. If we were tired the chances of us doing it the next day were slim. One of my goals was to be able to swim 1 KM by Christmas. I started out slowly. I went to the pool twice a week and swim five laps each time. I then went to the pool again and swim 10 laps every day. I then increase it to 15 and 20 and soon I was swimming consistently and having energy left over still. By the end of November I was at 40 laps again however I was throwing up and dizzy and nauseous after that to the fact that I was in emerge dehydrated. I was also having issues eating during that time as well. I was called back into the kinesiologist office after the occupational therapist heard what I was doing. We decided to take a break from swimming while I was at home with my parents resting relaxing. I would regain and re-doing swimming after the Christmas holidays. In January I started out slowly again however starting out at 20 as my memory of the muscles remembered swimming easily. I slowly increased it in by the end of January I was at 1.1 km. I continue doing it on a daily basis and it really keeps me in mind of my goals and where I’m headed. Swimming makes me clear my head and not think about the anxieties of the world. I focus directly on the strokes that I’m doing and the number of laps I’m on which takes away the mental attitude of life. It physically makes me stronger and more courageous as I conquer the world.