In 2016 Jimmy Blais, originally from Kimberley, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Two years ago he moved into the Garden View Village independent and assisted living facility after his symptoms made living on his own too difficult.
The 41-year-old was not in a good place mentally and described hating his condition. But after meeting Golden Life community manager Claire Jacklin, who helped him get into a workout routine, Blais has been able to get a whole new outlook on his life and the disease.
MS is a potentially disabling auto-immune disease of the central nervous system that can impact memory, balance and mobility and it can affect people in different ways and at different ages.
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Kimberley is Blais香蕉视频直播� home town. He lived in Vancouver for a few years, having moved there to seek treatment for drug addiction.
He was a trained actor and made a few films in Vancouver, but he came back home to Kimberley in 2013 when his stepmom passed away, which he said 香蕉视频直播渄estroyed a lot of things.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淢y mother died when I was 10,香蕉视频直播� Blais said. 香蕉视频直播淪o losing my step mother, she was my mum longer than my mother was my mom.香蕉视频直播�
Then in 2016 he got sick.
香蕉视频直播淚t affected me with hatred,香蕉视频直播� he said of the diagnosis, 香蕉视频直播渁nd I really, really dislike that word and I really disliked how it affected me personally.香蕉视频直播�
He met Jacklin while living at Garden View, and she provided him the help to get his legs on the exercise bike and gave him some much-needed encouragement to start working out.
香蕉视频直播淲hat really is affecting me badly with this disease is my balance, I don香蕉视频直播檛 really have pain,香蕉视频直播� Blais explained. 香蕉视频直播淏ut really she helped me get my legs on the bike. Without that I wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be able to get on again. And thank the universe that she was here to get me started on that.香蕉视频直播�
He said that working out has not only helped him feel immensely better physically, but also helped him out with his mental state as well.
香蕉视频直播淸Working out] doesn香蕉视频直播檛 allow me to really freak out,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淟ike I used to scream 香蕉视频直播業 hate this香蕉视频直播� and now it香蕉视频直播檚 like I can香蕉视频直播檛 because I rode that bike. So coming here and doing that is what香蕉视频直播檚 really fixing the mental aspects of this disease.香蕉视频直播�
He started out slowly, doing about 10 revolutions of the pedals on the exercise bike. As he regained command of his body, he increased his reps more and more and today can do 500 revolutions.
He works out early in the morning every day and is now working in strength training like push-ups and weight lifting. He香蕉视频直播檚 also walking the hallways of Garden View, pushing his heavy power chair, and doing stairs.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e never felt better about myself in a very long time,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 need to remember that I香蕉视频直播檓 doing something to get out of my murk. Can香蕉视频直播檛 sit back there, I香蕉视频直播檓 here now. I want to stay here and keep doing what I香蕉视频直播檓 doing, because I know it香蕉视频直播檚 helping me and my body is changing. I香蕉视频直播檝e never seen definition in my chest and my arms before. I used to be 400 pounds at my heaviest.香蕉视频直播�
Were it not for meeting Jacklin and taking the initiative to start working out, Blais believes he would still be 香蕉视频直播渟tuck in that hatred,香蕉视频直播� he felt when initially diagnosed. Now he sees that the disease does not define him, it香蕉视频直播檚 just a part of him.
香蕉视频直播淲orking out has really taught me how to love the disease and know that it香蕉视频直播檚 an experience,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd that香蕉视频直播檚 what I香蕉视频直播檓 doing I香蕉视频直播檓 having an experience with a really awful thing but I know it now I know this and I香蕉视频直播檓 thankful for it.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎lthough it sucks,香蕉视频直播� he added with a laugh.
Moving forward, Blais intends to keep working out every day and pushing himself more and more. He hopes to share his experience and inspire others who are battling MS and encourage them to not stop moving their body.
香蕉视频直播淚 know that we lose a lot of our abilities and talents and stuff, but if we work towards a better goal, it香蕉视频直播檒l come. Don香蕉视频直播檛 get stuck in the spiral that can bring you really down. Work out. Move your body, it helps.香蕉视频直播�
He also is currently working on a book. He said that this new outlook he香蕉视频直播檚 achieved has helped him see himself as more than what he thought he was before, whether that was an actor, singer or a writer. He thought he香蕉视频直播檇 lost all of that because of this disease, but now knows that it香蕉视频直播檚 all still there.
香蕉视频直播淲hen I first found out about it I thought my life was over, I was like this is it I香蕉视频直播檓 done,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd my step mum just died so I was like, 香蕉视频直播榳hy am I here?香蕉视频直播� But now I know, I香蕉视频直播檓 here for this experience and to teach people that life can be what you make it.香蕉视频直播�
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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