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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2015)
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 Local & Entertainment A 13.1-mile journey where Mike was standing, and I turned around to walk that direction. Suddenly, a wave hit the base of the rock bluff, and though I could not see it, I could tell by the sound it was Wellness Watch a large wave. Spray shot By Tonya Dias into the air and started I’d like to take a few to rain down on me. moments to tell you about I ducked my head a journey; one that started preparing for the saltwater ten years ago on the Or- to soak me like it had Josh. egon coast, and reached Instead, I was hit from a milestone on March 21, behind by a wall of water, 2015 in Moab, Utah. which I can only liken to That blustery March day being hit by a truck. This in 2005 started out like any wave picked me up and other: We had breakfast as thrashed me around like I a family (my three sons, was in a washing machine. my then-husband, and I) When the wave sub- and set on about our day. sided, I was seated facing What was different a rock wall, my back still was we were in Coos Bay to the ocean. I quickly on our way back from a looked for Zach and Lo- junior casting competi- gan, and after seeing they tion that two of our sons were alright, shouted for had participated in the day them to get up to where before. Our plan was to Josh was safely standing. see Shore Acres State Park, I quickly took stock of drive to Roseburg and see myself, and when I looked the animal safari and then down, it was obvious I had continue the drive home to broken my femur. Nothing Baker City. hurt at this point because, We arrived at Shore luckily, my leg was float- Acres mid-morning to blue ing in a small pool of skies, wind and fantastic water. Mike came down waves. I had never seen to where I was sitting and waves like this before; they scooped me up to carry me were churning the ocean to safety since there was at the base of the rocks a strong potential for another milky white, hitting the wave to hit there. Being rocks and creating amaz- picked up hurt. A lot. I said ing spray. It was truly a bad words. A lot of bad gorgeous sight, and one words. that we thought deserved a Some really nice closer look. bystanders gave the boys There were no barriers blankets and calmed them between the “viewpoint” while we waited for the and the rock bluffs, no ambulance. The first warning signs—nothing responders splinted the leg to indicate what we were (Hurt. A lot!), loaded me doing was potentially up and took me to Coos dangerous. Knowing what Bay Hospital. I know now, it was incred- X-rays revealed my ibly dangerous, and fool- femur was snapped in half ish, to be out on the rock in one spot, broken in an- bluffs. other and my knee cap was Josh, my middle son, completely obliterated. was the first to go down to The orthopedic surgeon, the rocks, standing about Dr. Davis, came in and told 40 feet above the ocean me I’d probably lose 30% shore. The waves began to of my range of motion, but build, and before long Josh would be fine without a found himself soaked by a knee cap and that I would wave that hit the rocks and have a rod in my femur to sent spray shooting into help it heal. the air. I had surgery, stayed five Zach, my oldest, Logan, days in the hospital, was the youngest, and I were released and came home the next to venture to the to begin my recovery. My rocks. We spent time leg was immobilized for watching the waves build nine weeks, and then I off shore, hit the base of started physical therapy at the rocks we were standing (then) St. Elizabeth Hospi- on, and just enjoying the tal. When I began therapy sounds and beautiful sights and realized how much of the ocean. 30% was, I knew that just My then-husband, Mike, wouldn’t work, and my was on another bluff about therapists (Jody & Diana) 20 feet above us, also agreed we could do better. taking in the gorgeous Twice each week I scenery. Josh was already would attend physical wet, so he was intelligently therapy and work toward watching from a distance, full range of motion. My having had enough of the therapists never stopped cold ocean. pushing me, encouraging After several minutes of me and working with me to watching the ocean, I de- get better each visit. After cided to make my way to two manipulations to break the scar tissue in my knee, and six months of therapy, I had regained nearly all my range of motion and was discharged to continue working on my own. The only thing I was told I probably would never be able to do was long distance running, which was fine, I didn’t run anyway! I regained full use of my leg and went on to complete several sprint- distance triathlons, several 5k races, began road and mountain biking and hiked all over the hills. I was able to do whatever I wanted to without having to worry about my leg—it worked just fine. I guess in the back of my mind, I always wondered what was next. In January we decided for spring break this year we would take a family va- cation to Moab, Utah, and do some hiking and biking. While looking at things to do there, we discovered there was a half-marathon the day we were planning to arrive. My partner, Jake, said we should do the half. I said, “We should?” We began training and then with about five weeks before the event, Jake strained his calf and was unable to continue training. Registration complete and paid for (non-refundable), I carried on, logging miles and getting stronger, though still never really considering myself a run- ner. We drove to Moab, and on March 21, 2015, I completed my first half marathon! My knee felt good the whole race and it was a very emotional, very fulfilling experience. I want to say thank you to Mike, who did a great job of taking care of me af- ter the accident, a wonder- ful physical therapy staff at the hospital here in Baker City, the fantastic first re- sponders that day in Coos Bay, the great skills of the surgeon, and the amazing hospital staff in Coos Bay, as well. You should know, what- ever your goals are, you can do it! You may not be the fastest, or strongest, but let go of the competi- tion and just be thankful for the opportunity. There are many who cannot run, walk, cycle, swim or even get out of bed. If you can, you owe it to yourself and those that can’t to get out there and try! Tonya Dias is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and the founder of Intuitive Nutrition. She received her training at the Institute For Integrative Nutrition in New York and her certification from the Ameri- can Association of Drugless Practitioners. She teaches wellness workshops, as well as individual and group health coaching sessions. You may reach Tonya at intuitive. nutrition@hotmail.com. — Random Acts of Kindness — Each week The Baker County Press will in- clude a list—all anony- mous, of course—of the good deeds and random acts of kind- ness people from around the area have witnessed. To include something you’ve seen or experienced, email News@TheBakerCoun- tyPress.com with “Ran- dom Acts of Kindness” in the subject line. We’ll be sure to include your story. • It was very kind of Jim Howerton to send out the call to help a young man in Baker City who wanted to start his own lawnmow- ing business. A local business (Carl Dedrick and Baker Cab Company) bought young Ernesto a new lawnmower and weed eater to get this budding entrepreneur started. Awesome. THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 11 Bebe’s word search This week’s crossword puzzle Across 1- Mont Blanc, par ex- emple; 5- Roast host; 10- In a tizzy; 14- Heating fuel; 15- Severe; 16- Tidal ____; 17- Need a scratch; 18- Home run king Hank; 19- Tabula ___; 20- Moving about; 22- Teacher; 24- Cajole; 27- Half of zwei; 28- Scoundrel; 32- Posters; 36- Yang’s counterpart; 37- Rocky debris; 39- Paroxysmal pain; 40- A good one gets you there in a hurry; 42- City in Tuscany; 44- “Peter Pan” pooch; 45- Kosher; 47- Crucifix; 49- Kind of school; 50- Jagged; 51- Learned persons; 53- Emilia’s husband; 56- Jekyll’s alter ego; 57- Oppose; 61- Very, to Verdi; 65- Sacramento’s ___ Arena; 66- Hit back, perhaps; 69- Harmony; 70- Get wind of; 71- Search blindly; 72- Feminine suffix; 73- Average guy?; 74- Sontag composition; 75- Peruse; Down 1- Capital city of West- ern Samoa; 2- Permits; 3- Covenant; 4- Morals; 5- Conductor ___-Pekka Salonen; 6- 1959 Kingston Trio hit; 7- Part of a bird’s beak; 8- Eat into; 9- The blahs; 10- Scraped spot or area; 11- Capricorn’s animal; 12- About; 13- Equipment; 21- Turns; 23- “Power Lunch” network; 25- Pendulum paths; 26- Adapted to a dry environment; 28- Recurring series; 29- Exxon Valdez, e.g.; 30- Architect Jones; 31- Ogles; 33- South American ruminant; 34- Cruise ship; 35- Lots; 38- Son of Cain; 41- Pea-shaped; 43- Sickly; 46- Rip; 48- Scotch go-with; 52- Children of a ___ God; 54- Pig out; 55- Lulus; 57- “All the Way” lyricist Sammy; 58- Sandwich cookie; 59- Tenn. neighbor; 60- New Mexico art colony; 62- Auld Lang ___; 63- Author Quindlen; 64- Chilled; 67- Tax pro; 68- Mystery writer Jose- phine;
