Mental Recovery From Spinal Surgery

Hi,

My name is Joe and I love being physically active: hiking, rucking, working out with my F3 brothers in the gloom and most especially, riding my mountain bike through the phenomenal trails that this country holds for us. This is a hobby that I have participated in for nearly nine years now, and have dedicated countless hours inspiring others, especially a lot of my former students, to be active and to get outdoors. Sadly, I recently underwent invasive surgery on my spine, leaving me with medical bills, a hold on work/income for myself, and a stagnant body and mind. The surgery was a bit unexpected - literally a little over a months notice - and has left me unable to do many of the normal day to day activities that I was able to do not too long ago. As of right now, the best physical activity for me is a simple walk around the neighborhood, which I'm grateful that I'm able to do, but it leaves me achy and sore afterwards, causing me to rest for long periods of time. Fortunately, I'm very blessed to have people in my life that genuinely care for me and they try their very best to keep me thinking positive on these matters. The mental stress from this situation is almost as taxing as the physical strain.

I'm grateful that the surgery went well and that there were no complications but it will require several months of recovery and even more time to regain the physical strength and endurance that I will lose during my time off. This means that I will not be able to work as a cabinet refinisher, leaving me without an income to contribute. This may not seem like a lot, but it's difficult to go from be active and able to work to you struggle to get up out of a chair and you're not allowed to lift over ten pounds, bend over or twist in any direction, which you don't realize how often you do until you're told not to (LOL!). Though I may not be able to do any of the activities that I enjoy, I am still able to engage my brain in reading and learning new things, and that's just what this fundraiser is for.

I have dreamt for years about building a custom mountain bike from the ground up, and not only learning how to assemble it, but also how to maintain it on my own. To me, this would be a useful skill and resource that I would be able apply in several situations and could even lead to possible job opportunities for myself in the future. It will give me the mental and physical outlet that I am in desperate need of right now. So, this fundraiser is not just aiding me with financial support for my medical bills, which are numerous, but it also brings with it mental support, something positive to work towards, and a potential for future endeavors for me. With your help, I will be able to engage my mind and body, not focusing on the financial stresses, and have an additional skill to use in the future that I will channel into opportunities to inspire others to get outdoors and to be active. Mountain biking brings a certain level of joy and peace to me, and this is something I'd love to share with those that are willing to participate in it...and it's an absolute blast! I appreciate you and anything you're willing to contribute to my fundraiser...God Bless!