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 BlaisB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渄estroyed a lot of things.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淢y mother died when I was 10,B次元官网网址� Blais said. B次元官网网址淪o losing my step mother, she was my mum longer than my mother was my mom.B次元官网网址�
Then in 2016 he got sick.
B次元官网网址淚t affected me with hatred,B次元官网网址� he said of the diagnosis, B次元官网网址渁nd I really, really dislike that word and I really disliked how it affected me personally.B次元官网网址�
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.
B次元官网网址淲hat really is affecting me badly with this disease is my balance, I donB次元官网网址檛 really have pain,B次元官网网址� Blais explained. B次元官网网址淏ut really she helped me get my legs on the bike. Without that I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be able to get on again. And thank the universe that she was here to get me started on that.B次元官网网址�
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.
B次元官网网址淸Working out] doesnB次元官网网址檛 allow me to really freak out,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淟ike I used to scream B次元官网网址業 hate thisB次元官网网址� and now itB次元官网网址檚 like I canB次元官网网址檛 because I rode that bike. So coming here and doing that is whatB次元官网网址檚 really fixing the mental aspects of this disease.B次元官网网址�
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. HeB次元官网网址檚 also walking the hallways of Garden View, pushing his heavy power chair, and doing stairs.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never felt better about myself in a very long time,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 need to remember that IB次元官网网址檓 doing something to get out of my murk. CanB次元官网网址檛 sit back there, IB次元官网网址檓 here now. I want to stay here and keep doing what IB次元官网网址檓 doing, because I know itB次元官网网址檚 helping me and my body is changing. IB次元官网网址檝e never seen definition in my chest and my arms before. I used to be 400 pounds at my heaviest.B次元官网网址�
Were it not for meeting Jacklin and taking the initiative to start working out, Blais believes he would still be B次元官网网址渟tuck in that hatred,B次元官网网址� he felt when initially diagnosed. Now he sees that the disease does not define him, itB次元官网网址檚 just a part of him.
B次元官网网址淲orking out has really taught me how to love the disease and know that itB次元官网网址檚 an experience,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd thatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檓 doing IB次元官网网址檓 having an experience with a really awful thing but I know it now I know this and IB次元官网网址檓 thankful for it.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎lthough it sucks,B次元官网网址� 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.
B次元官网网址淚 know that we lose a lot of our abilities and talents and stuff, but if we work towards a better goal, itB次元官网网址檒l come. DonB次元官网网址檛 get stuck in the spiral that can bring you really down. Work out. Move your body, it helps.B次元官网网址�
He also is currently working on a book. He said that this new outlook heB次元官网网址檚 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 heB次元官网网址檇 lost all of that because of this disease, but now knows that itB次元官网网址檚 all still there.
B次元官网网址淲hen I first found out about it I thought my life was over, I was like this is it IB次元官网网址檓 done,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd my step mum just died so I was like, B次元官网网址榳hy am I here?B次元官网网址� But now I know, IB次元官网网址檓 here for this experience and to teach people that life can be what you make it.B次元官网网址�
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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