Pool exercises are good for nearly everyone no matter what their ills might be and even especially if you are very healthy!
I was a certified Aquacise instructor when I taught for the Arthritis Foundation! I taught at two indoor facilities, physical therapy of Fawcett Hospital at the Promenades, and an adult living place, South Port Square; both in Port Charlotte Florida.
For a while at both, so five days a week! I was a volunteer, so no money changed hands.
But it was also good for me too.
At the time I did know I had spondylosis, fibromyalgia, spinal stenosis, DDD, degenerative disc disease, so I taught after I had been put in a class when I was unable to walk for six months and they had me in PT, physical therapy, OT, occupational therapy, and NMT, nuclear massage therapy. They had the pool right there at the facility and first, the therapist put me in the water and taught me individually, and then recommended I take the Arthritis Foundation one after I was released from PT. The woman teaching the class at the time was in her eighties and enthusiastic and made the class fun. She had brought music and so we did the hokey pokey and some other fun dances, and so everyone had a good time! I was the kid in the class, although in my late forties at that time...
My enthusiasm and exuberance in class must have shone through since fairly soon I was asked if I was interested in becoming a certified teacher. I immediately said yes and went to the course and became certified, which had to be renewed periodically. I loved teaching, it was so much fun! And my students were about my parents' ages if they were still here/there but they were gone for years... by then, so I had all these surrogate parents up for the job!
I had taken dance for 12 years as a child and had also my life-saving certificate from camp, and CPR from when I worked for the Lacey Township Police Department years ago in NJ, so the combo for Aquacise was right up my ability alley.
I taught only for four years due to a few of the side effects that at the time I did not realize was the beginning of Multiple sclerosis, and I also had had hand surgery that had put me out of commission for four months.
That initial Aquacise class led me to become co-president of the Arthritis Support Group, and then a fund raiser, mostly fashion show luncheons, again my background in modeling and fashion from school, but also even one golf tournament that I had no clue about but we still raised significant monies, and then a board member, and by the year 2000 I won the volunteer of the year award, which still hangs proudly in our home with a few other ones of mine, but many of Hubby from when he was an NJ fire chief to Florida deputy commendations!
But I am sure you have many too!
I was with the Arthritis Foundation for ten years, but the MS got the better of me, so I quit in 2008!
And so we must go, for now ...
I am called Aussie because my Mom asked a sixteen-year-old girl, who had been looking at me, in the crate at the adoption site, that day, what she thought I should be named. And without hesitation, the teenager had said, Aussie! She was just looking, by the way,... so Mom did not steal me from her.
We never did find out the girl's name, and Mom liked the name Aussie too. We have since found out that it is a very common name, but it is still just right for me! My parents think that I am uncommon though,... some might say even unique! I do like that.
I am an Australian Shepherd. Here is an interesting factoid about me, I was supposed to be a miniature Australian Shepherd, but... as you might know, I AM NOT! Although I am now three years old, so I am the baby, though I tip the scales at around seventy pounds, HA! I must admit, a very big one!
I was three months old when Mommy and Daddy adopted me. I had been taken out of a hoarder's home in the Carolinas with my litter. Below is my new PIC that had been taken on the birthday that I share with my Dad, but Dad is much, much older than me!!! I was the first to be adopted, February 16, 2018, his brother's birthday.
Please don't forget me, I am Chance, pictured above, a Bichon Frise! I am six years old, so they think, and the eldest, and I like getting up early with Mom and Aussie. Bella sleeps in with Dad, till after seven most days, even later! I enjoy a good tug-of-war on the ropes that Dad had twisted for Aussie and me, and sometimes even Bella plays too! I was the last to be adopted, on January 23, 2020.
I was wandering the neighborhood for days and then saw Aussie and Bella in their living-room window, so I hung out there... The Animal Welfare League checked me out and kept me for sixteen days until I was allowed to be adopted. Good evening?
The animal control lady was called and came out to see if I had a chip I.D. with her machine, and Dad told her that he wanted to name me Chance. His reason being, that if no one claimed me, I want to give him a second chance! So that is how I got the name Chance!
Easy as Aussie, Bella, Chance, now you got it!
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👍😷🏊👍
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