It91裸聊视频檚 been nearly a year since Christa Akins was struck by an SUV while cycling down Cawston Avenue91裸聊视频檚 multi-use pathway.

91裸聊视频淚 was on my way home and a green SUV turned out of the alley and hit me,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淣ow I91裸聊视频檓 paralyzed and in a wheelchair91裸聊视频� in five weeks it will be a year since I91裸聊视频檝e walked.91裸聊视频�

Akins was always active. She was featured in a cycling magazine and had completed the Ride to Conquer Cancer in Seattle before the July 5, 2017 incident that left her without use of her legs and she91裸聊视频檚 determined to walk again, spinal injury or not.

To build the strength needed to reach that goal, she said, Kelowna General Hospital91裸聊视频檚 therapeutic pool has been indispensable.

91裸聊视频淭he pool deck comes up and I91裸聊视频檓 able to transfer from my wheelchair to a chair91裸聊视频� then the pool floor goes down to a level and I can challenge myself to walk,91裸聊视频� she said, adding that the temperature is 35 C, warm enough to stop her muscles from seizing.

If the water level is chest height, she can walk. If it drops an inch below her chest, 91裸聊视频済ravity sets in91裸聊视频� and she buckles, as she would on land.

91裸聊视频淚t really gives me hope. It keeps my brain engaged and my muscles working,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 can do things in the water that I can not do out of the water.91裸聊视频�

That hope, however, may be taken away.

Kelowna General Hospital is limiting use of the therapeutic pool91裸聊视频攚hich has already been closed for months91裸聊视频攖o those who are in line for or recently recovering from joint replacement surgeries of varying kinds.

91裸聊视频淭heir excuse is that the community took up so much pool space that there91裸聊视频檚 no longer space for inpatients to use the pool,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚n the 11 months I91裸聊视频檝e used it I91裸聊视频檝e not once waited. It was not once overfilled. Another woman who has used it for 30 years was not once turned away for too much use.91裸聊视频�

That said, an acquaintance of Akin91裸聊视频檚 pays for a membership at the Y to use the pool for therapeutic purposes and she91裸聊视频檚 been turned away due to capacity issues a number of times.

91裸聊视频淚 need medical support, I don91裸聊视频檛 need to play in the water,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a pool therapist at the pool that help with floats and exercises 91裸聊视频� you don91裸聊视频檛 have that in a public pool.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 not just patients who are paralyzed who are feeling the loss.

91裸聊视频淭here are people who have ALS 91裸聊视频� There is one lady who was walking with a cane and since the pool closed, she91裸聊视频檚 back in a wheelchair,91裸聊视频� said Akins.

91裸聊视频淎nother guy has said he was down to 10 pain pills a day with pool use, and since it91裸聊视频檚 been closed he91裸聊视频檚 back up to 1991裸聊视频� the medication is a bandaid and the pool is a solution.91裸聊视频�

Lova Hope Witiak wrote the Capital News this week and said since she91裸聊视频檚 lost access to the pool she91裸聊视频檚 suffered greatly.

91裸聊视频淚 have had two hip replacements, sustained two fractures, as well as two arthritic knees and spine. This exercise facility has given me better enjoyment of old age at 77 years old,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 cannot walk without my walker. Can anyone convince the Kelowna General Hospital rehab pool to reconsider cutting services to seniors with limited mobility so we can enjoy our golden years with less pain?91裸聊视频�

Akins said it should be a no brainer.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a community funded pool paid by our health dollars that all working people pay into,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t should be used by people who feel better using it.91裸聊视频�

On Saturday Akins started a petition and it91裸聊视频檚 already garnered 100 signatures. In a week, she91裸聊视频檚 going to bring them to meetings she91裸聊视频檚 set up with the mayor, MLAs and onward.

91裸聊视频淭his is not right,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭here are a lot of people who are suffering that have no way of getting into another pool without handrails or parallel bars. It needs to change.91裸聊视频�

To learn more about her petition, contact Akins at positivedifference@shaw.ca.

Interior Health has yet to respond to questions.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

kmichaels@kelownacapnews.com
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