Therapy that’s “A refreshment of strength and spirits after work”?

More Than a Speed Bump’s last post, “If it’s not fun, why do it?”, took a look at the King Challenge, a great fundraising cycling event benefitting Krempels Center. I introduced the event with the observation that people are much more likely to spend time on things they enjoy. If you thought my writing was a bit all over the place and shifting in direction, congratulations for your perceptiveness. What started as a look at Recreation Therapy became a post focused on the wonderful King Challenge and its’ tremendous fundraising over the years. What a worthwhile detour we took to the foliage covered roads of Stratham, NH; returning to my original intent, this post looks at the merging of enjoyment and making progress in recovery through Recreation Therapy.

My first introduction to Rec Therapy, at least that I can recall, was with Sandra at Spaulding Rehab’s old facility near the Boston Garden. Whether it was pure exhaustion from various daily PT and OT sessions, or just a bit of my laziness resurfacing, I recall being resistant to the idea of an additional therapy session added to my schedule. However, it wasn’t long before Sandra and I were discussing my hobbies and things that I enjoyed doing. With my left sided hemiplegia greatly limiting my physical activity, we spent most of our sessions talking and eventually playing Scrabble. While I didn’t realize it at the time, my conversation skills were getting better and Sandra was helping me with finding words by playing Scrabble. I recall speaking with Sandra a lot about my love for golf during our sessions at Spaulding and her mentioning ways I could possibly use adaptations to keep playing, but was still in shock/denial surrounding my injury and reluctant to try.

Northeast Passage’s (NEP) involvement in the King Challenge really makes it possible for the Doc King Adaptive Ride to happen. I can’t remember if it was at Krempels Center, where NEP frequently offers physical activity groups for members, that I was introduced to this wonderful non-profit; or when my brother played sled hockey while at UNH. Begun in 1990 as a private non-profit, after years of successful collaboration, NEP officially merged with UNH’s College of Health and Human Services. Whether from my engagement with the NEP run groups at KC, their adaptive golf program, or even a couple days of paddling activities both in the pool and at Pawtuckaway State Park; I’ve been amazed with how much joy they provide participants!

One of the beautiful things about Krempels Center that I see mirrored the in activities Northeast Passage offers is exactly this joy brought to those engaged. Sometimes when discussing life after brain injury, I tell people that while yes, surviving and rehabilitation is certainly difficult; to turn the page from survival to actually living is perhaps the hardest part! And while life isn’t purely a hedonistic journey for anyone, it is the periods of recreation (or “refreshment of strength and spirits after work”) and joy that allow us to “survive”.