Great Friends

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I don’t like the term ‘best friend’.  No, I don’t hate puppies and babies and rainbows too, let me explain my stance on this one.  I think that ‘best friend’  doesn’t promote the friendly, inclusive atmosphere that I want to provide for my children.  Instead, I use the term ‘great friend’.  By communicating to my 3-year-old son that his cousin is a great friend of his, I hope he will see that he can have many great friends, without a ranking system.  I’m lucky to have many great friends in my life.

Here’s what friends, and great friends, do:

A friend is there to help out in a crisis.  A great friend brings red wine and chocolate and sits on my couch for a talk and a cry.

A friend is someone I can go for a run with.  A great friend goes for that run at 6am if that’s the only time that will work for us both.

A friend will ask me if I want a coffee.  A great friend will know that I never turn down a coffee.

A friend will look after my kids for an hour if I have an appointment.  A great friend will suggest babysitting so my husband and I can get in a datenight.

A friend will tell me they like my shirt.  A great friend will go shopping with me and help me choose a shirt.

A friend will stay in touch.  A great friend will pick up exactly where they left off, whether they’ve been in touch or not.

A friend will comment on my Facebook photos.  A great friend will know the stories behind those photos.

A friend will ask me how work has been going.  A great friend will be texting me during my downtime at work.

A friend will wish me a happy birthday.  A great friend will laugh about birthday stories of year’s gone by.

A friend will ask me how I’m doing.  A great friend will already know the answer.

These are my great friends. And this was the last time all six of us were together- July 15/06- eek!

I am a chiropractor.

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I am a chiropractor.  But my definition of what a chiropractor is might be different than yours.  Is that because of the broad range of chiropractors out there?  Is that because of the assumptions and misnomers surrounding chiropractic?  Is that because of the way that I practice chiropractic?  Maybe it’s all of the above…

My first involvement with the chiropractic profession began when I was 21.  Fresh off a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary, I still didn’t know what I wanted to ‘be when I grew up’.  A friend of mine was a chiropractor and needed someone to work at the front desk of his clinic and I needed a job while I figured out my next step in life.  Enter Fate, stage left.  My path in life was suddenly clear.  I would become a chiropractor.  I sent off my application immediately, and began my four years at CMCC (Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College) that Fall.

I am a chiropractor.  This is what I do:

I do treat pain related to the spine, pelvis, nervous system, and joints of the body.  I do not only treat back pain and neck pain.  I use rehabilitation exercises, Active Release, acupuncture, Graston, and adjustments.  I am a chiropractor who rolls around on the ground to demonstrate exercises.  I am a chiropractor who watches you run if it hurts when you run, and who watches you throw if it hurts when you throw.

I do believe that the adjustment is a powerful tool, but it’s one of many and it’s not always appropriate.  I do not only use adjustments when treating an injury.  I am a chiropractor who believes that less-invasive is better than more-invasive.  I am a chiropractor who pays attention to research.  I am a chiropractor who pays attention to my patients.  I am evidence-based.  I am holistic.

I do enjoy working with those who want to heal quickly and are willing to be an active participant in their care.  I do not only treat sports injuries and athletes.   I am a chiropractor who makes you work.  I am a chiropractor who doesn’t want to see you week after week for months.

I do believe that chiropractic can benefit children, and both my babies had their first chiropractic treatment when they were a few days old.  I do not only believe that chiropractic can benefit adults.  I am a chiropractor who thinks that we should get our bodies checked like we get our teeth checked.  I am a chiropractor who has been called a ‘body mechanic’.  I am a chiropractor who thinks anatomy is fascinating.

I do agree that many patients can benefit from wellness/maintenance care, but this is not the case for everyone.  I do not agree that ‘once you see a chiropractor once, you have to keep going’.  I am a chiropractor who thinks that you know your body better than I do.  I am a chiropractor who will find the source of the injury, not the symptom of the injury.  I am a chiropractor who will do my best to find a clear diagnosis and give you a careful explanation.  I am a doctor.

I do think that the chiropractic profession needs to do a better job of communicating to the public, so that patients can select a chiropractor that can best meet their needs.  I do not like that there is a great divide within our profession, leading to confusion surrounding what we can do.  I am a chiropractor who believes in a broad scope of practice.  I am a chiropractor who keeps taking courses to broaden my knowledge and abilities.  I am a chiropractor who thinks that chiropractic is not the answer for everything.

I am a chiropractor. 

Having Babies and Having Fitness Too!

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Getting set to return to work next week has got me thinking about balance.  How am I going to balance work with family time?  Or family time with household responsibilities?  Or household responsibilities with social commitments?  Or social commitments with sleep?  Or sleep with fitness?  The answer is I will.  I have to.

The obvious variable to cut out of the above equation to buy myself some more time is fitness.  But that’s not an option.  Because it is fitness that fuels me and allows me to be more productive in all other areas of my life- in work, family time, household responsibilities, social commitments, and sleep.

That’s where Crossfit Altitude, aka “My Gym”, comes into play.  I was talking with my friend Jen, who owns My Gym, and she asked me what contribution Crossfit has made to my life during my maternity leave.  Here’s my answer Jen:

  • It prepared my body to have a healthy baby.  I went into this pregnancy last year being fitter than I’d ever been and I maintained my fitness via modified Crossfit workouts throughout my entire pregnancy.  When my body said use lighter weights, I used lighter weights.  When my body said slow down, I slowed down.  When my body said drink water, I drank water.  And when my body said rest, I rested.
  • It supported me through labour and delivery.  I was strong on March 2nd when my daughter decided to make her appearance.  My labour lasted only three hours and was unmedicated; it was my fitness that assisted my body’s ability to cope.
  • It helped me recover from her birth.  I was back at My Gym four weeks after she was born, and I was feeling healthy, strong, and empowered.
  • It allowed me to set an example for my kids.  My kids are learning that their bodies need movement to be healthy.
  • It gave me a sense of community.  I saw my friends.  I laughed.  I smiled.  I had fun.

Fitness is non-negotiable.  Being fit makes me a better me.  And a better mom.  And a better wife.  And next week, a better chiropractor.

Pre-pregnancy fitness shoot.

Drew and I did a backyard workout on my due date; 52 belly-to-ground burpees at 40 weeks pregnant.