Finding Flow After the Fall: My Journey Through Pulmonary Embolism
When bilateral pulmonary embolism struck in October 2024, it wasn't just my lungs that were compromised—it was my entire sense of self. For those of us navigating midlife reinvention, sometimes our greatest transformation arrives not by choice but by necessity.
When "Healthy" Doesn't Protect You
The cruelest irony of serious illness striking an active woman isn't just the physical recovery—it's weathering the judgment from others who believe our healthy habits should have somehow "protected" us. Healing silently while managing perimenopause, family responsibilities, and career demands created a perfect storm of isolation, depression, and anxiety.
Creating Sacred Spaces for Authentic Healing
I've discovered that rebuilding after pulmonary embolism requires selective vulnerability. YouTube became my safe haven—a place to share my journey without judgment—while I explored modified fitness approaches that honor my recovering body.
The Jump Rope Lesson
Recovery, like jumping rope, demands rhythm, patience, and self-compassion. Some days, the rope tangles and trips you; other days, you find perfect flow. Though the clots dissolve, lung damage remains, humbling me during workouts and teaching me that healing isn't linear.
领英推荐
While you might see me spinning, walking on treadmills, or at Orange Theory, know that these workouts "humble me and remind me, Sis, you are still healing." I've learned to celebrate the strength it takes to slow down—perhaps the hardest lesson for driven women who equate worth with productivity.
Protecting My Spirit
This journey has transformed not just how I move my body but how I guard my story. Social media judgment taught me to share selectively where people "are more attentive and willing to learn, as opposed to judge."
Looking for support? Join our Jump Rope & Thrive: Reinventing Fitness After 40 Facebook group, where women over 40 are discovering the joy and benefits of jump rope fitness. Whether managing joint health, juggling family life, or seeking stress relief through movement, we provide personalized challenges, expert modifications, and real solutions for busy lifestyles.
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