Marilyn's Story

As the residual anesthesia from my knee surgery wore off, I flashed back to my entrance into Paradise. My pedicurist had recommended the spa to me, as a more holistic alternative to aqua classes at the community pool.

I was thoroughly impressed from the moment I walked into Paradise. But, before I could start classes, I blew my knee out.

Cleared by my doctor to start exercising, I went back to Paradise. All was going well. I was loving the personal attention and was feeling better for it. Then, lightning struck, for a second time. My back began to complain.

I told Starr about my discomfort. She told me to consult my doctor. I didn’t want to admit it to myself; however, she was right. It was serious. I was going to have to go under the knife, again.

As I was being prepped for back surgery, it dawned on me that I was alone in a room full of people. Alone with my thoughts, that is.

Someone once said a surgeon can cut out everything but the cause. I wondered what I had done to necessitate an operation. I didn’t know.

But I did know what I would do to return to my strong confident self – get back to Paradise, ASAP.

Paradise was on my mind as the anesthetist sent me to la-la-land. The surgeon would do his thing, then it would be up to me. Up to me and Starr, actually. She’d told me to see my doc about my back pain, and she’d be waiting for me, with a smile,  back at the pool, when I was ready.

My first day back at the pool I was so excited to see Starr, leading an Ai Chi class in the Paradise therapy pool.  My spirits soared being where I could do something about my pain with my friends.

I had a feeling of helplessness when I went in for back surgery. Surgeons work on you, not with you. That’s not a fault, of course, it’s just reality.

The dynamic is different when you are rehabbing. After physical therapy was over I needed to keep going with my program.  Starr worked with me on that. I really feel that she is extremely knowledgable, and together we developed a routine that I could do on my own.

Starr eclipsed my feelings of helplessness with the self-confidence she instilled in me.  I am grateful for the help she’s given me.

The two most precious commodities in life are time and health. Thanks to medical sciences, humans are living much longer than before – more time!

But, if you’re not healthy, more time can be wasted time. If you’re constantly ill, in pain, you’re not enjoying the gift of more time. Luckily, more time and be good time, if you apply what has been discovered about the keys to good health into your everyday life.

That’s why I can be found at Paradise almost every day. I am becoming the me I wanna be - pain-free.

It didn’t take me long to understand that I am hooked on health, and as soon as I did, I upgraded my monthly membership to an annual. Best ROI you can imagine!