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 Blais91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渄estroyed a lot of things.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淢y mother died when I was 10,91裸聊视频� Blais said. 91裸聊视频淪o losing my step mother, she was my mum longer than my mother was my mom.91裸聊视频�
Then in 2016 he got sick.
91裸聊视频淚t affected me with hatred,91裸聊视频� he said of the diagnosis, 91裸聊视频渁nd I really, really dislike that word and I really disliked how it affected me personally.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淲hat really is affecting me badly with this disease is my balance, I don91裸聊视频檛 really have pain,91裸聊视频� Blais explained. 91裸聊视频淏ut really she helped me get my legs on the bike. Without that I wouldn91裸聊视频檛 be able to get on again. And thank the universe that she was here to get me started on that.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淸Working out] doesn91裸聊视频檛 allow me to really freak out,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淟ike I used to scream 91裸聊视频業 hate this91裸聊视频� and now it91裸聊视频檚 like I can91裸聊视频檛 because I rode that bike. So coming here and doing that is what91裸聊视频檚 really fixing the mental aspects of this disease.91裸聊视频�
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. He91裸聊视频檚 also walking the hallways of Garden View, pushing his heavy power chair, and doing stairs.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e never felt better about myself in a very long time,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 need to remember that I91裸聊视频檓 doing something to get out of my murk. Can91裸聊视频檛 sit back there, I91裸聊视频檓 here now. I want to stay here and keep doing what I91裸聊视频檓 doing, because I know it91裸聊视频檚 helping me and my body is changing. I91裸聊视频檝e never seen definition in my chest and my arms before. I used to be 400 pounds at my heaviest.91裸聊视频�
Were it not for meeting Jacklin and taking the initiative to start working out, Blais believes he would still be 91裸聊视频渟tuck in that hatred,91裸聊视频� he felt when initially diagnosed. Now he sees that the disease does not define him, it91裸聊视频檚 just a part of him.
91裸聊视频淲orking out has really taught me how to love the disease and know that it91裸聊视频檚 an experience,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd that91裸聊视频檚 what I91裸聊视频檓 doing I91裸聊视频檓 having an experience with a really awful thing but I know it now I know this and I91裸聊视频檓 thankful for it.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎lthough it sucks,91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淚 know that we lose a lot of our abilities and talents and stuff, but if we work towards a better goal, it91裸聊视频檒l come. Don91裸聊视频檛 get stuck in the spiral that can bring you really down. Work out. Move your body, it helps.91裸聊视频�
He also is currently working on a book. He said that this new outlook he91裸聊视频檚 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 he91裸聊视频檇 lost all of that because of this disease, but now knows that it91裸聊视频檚 all still there.
91裸聊视频淲hen I first found out about it I thought my life was over, I was like this is it I91裸聊视频檓 done,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd my step mum just died so I was like, 91裸聊视频榳hy am I here?91裸聊视频� But now I know, I91裸聊视频檓 here for this experience and to teach people that life can be what you make it.91裸聊视频�
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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