Dancing to forget: the disabling pain of fibromyalgia is no match for this fitness dynamo - Success Stories

I had been dancing nearly all my life when, at age 22, I started to feel discomfort in my neck. Well, I thought, dance has finally taken its toll, but I wasn't about to put away my dance shoes. My first chiropractor's appointment started a whole chain of doctor visits and tests as my symptoms worsened. A chiropractor who treated the Denver Broncos football team was the one who first suggested my problem was musculoskeletal rather than spinal. It's now known as fibromyalgia--a chronic musculoskeletal disorder that causes widespread pain as well as tenderness at specific sites on the body.

I was line captain for the Denver Gold USFL team dancers at the time, but when my marriage started to fall apart, the stress exacerbated my pain. I couldn't sleep well, and I experienced headaches and jaw pain. I kept busy to keep my mind off the pain as well as my marital problems.

When we moved to Pleasanton, California, in 1985, I went to a neurologist and was tested for rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Epstein-Barr. When all the tests came out negative, the neurologist agreed the diagnosis was fibromyalgia, and I started medication and trigger-point injections. I was told there was no cure, only treatment to ease the pain.

I continued to dance, as well as teach and work full time as a loan officer. I often grew depressed, but still tried to live my life the way I wanted to. I kept pursuing my goals, taking acting classes and dancing professionally. Dance was always an escape for me. I danced with feeling to release the emotions building up inside me. I'd dance to forget about my pain.

Back on My Feet

When my marriage ultimately ended, I moved back into my mother's home in West Richland, Washington. Her patience and understanding helped me get back on my feet, find a job and start teaching dance again. By coincidence, I ran into my high-school sweetheart's best friend, Darns, who was also going through a breakup. I was 30 when I started weight training with him, and followed a three-days-on, one-day-off split.

I was 34 when I decided I needed a new challenge. I missed going to dance auditions, and wanted to do something with all my dance and pageant experience, so I entered a local fitness contest--and won! When the dance studio I was renting space from closed, I became a personal trainer at a nearby women's health club in Kennewick, Washington. Already a certified group fitness instructor, I earned my personal training certification and eventually became the club's fitness director.

Darns was competing in bench-press competitions at the time, so I decided to try my hand at one as well. I changed my training to include two chest workouts a week, one heavy and one light, focusing on the bench press. I set a state, national and world record for my age and weight category in Springfield, Oregon, in 1998! The following year I decided to familiarize myself with bodybuilding, and won a master's competition in Spokane. My training remained about the same, but I spent more time getting my muscles used to holding and controlling the mandatory poses to prevent fatigue and shakiness. I last competed in the 2001 Washington Ironman bodybuilding contest in Bellevue, taking first in the 35-and-over figure division, as well as second place overall.

Learning Tools

I'm still challenged with fibromyalgia, cervical degeneration and osteoarthritis in my hands, but for the most part I can manage it with a fitness regimen that includes resistance training, cardio workouts, proper nutrition/supplementation, Pilates, yoga, massage, physical therapy and chiropractic care. I'm now happily married to the man who introduced me to fitness, and am currently the sports activity director for World Gym in Kennewick. I still take some medications, but my goal is to go completely natural, using only alternative medicines.

I also speak publicly to motivate others with physical challenges to achieve their goals. At 40, I'm the happiest I've ever been. I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to my mother, who first introduced me to the world of lance, and stood by me through thick and thin.

Most of all, I'm grateful that I've had to battle fibromyalgia. It has taught me how to lead a healthier life, develop patience and inspire those who are afflicted. Even though we all deal with devastating times, they can be used as learning tools to tap into our inner strengths. The trophies in my "inspiration room" are constant reminders of how blessed I truly am.

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