Strength.

A year and a half ago I was just settling back into my home in Oakville after a very sad Christmas. My husband lost his Grandmother and I had lost my beloved Uncle Mervin. I figured things couldn’t get any worse, and then the phone rang. It was my Dad telling me that my sister-in-law Buffy had been in a terrible sno...wmobile accident and that she had been ambulanced to Brandon. Her Dad was also injured, but not as seriously as her. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This can’t be. Buffy had become very involved in instructing Yoga and was one of the strongest (both physically and mentally) women I knew. I got in my car and drove to Brandon to wait with my brother and my Mom. When I arrived at the hospital Buf was already in for emergency surgery. We were told that she was within a "hair" of severing her spinal chord.

We waited for the news and luckily (and thankfully) the surgery was a success, but she was going to have a long road ahead of her recovering from her surgery. She was transferred back to her room and my Mom, brother and I waited for her to come out of her anaesthesia. When she awoke I remember looking at her and she looking at me and her first words were “you came”.....of course I did! It was hard to see her lying there in so much pain and looking so physically and mentally broken. However, she is a trooper. She remained in the hospital in Brandon for several days and then was transferred back to the Grandview Hospital where she remained for over a month. This was a very trying time for her as she was in rough shape physically and missed her boys and her “old life”.

However, she was not going to let this injury slow her down. She credits her previous yoga training with giving her the strength of mind and body to recover from this terrible injury. It took several months, and yes, several moments of tears before she recovered.

I was in Grandview for some family sessions a few weeks ago and she and my mom were on their way to one of Buf’s yoga classes. I went along to take some quick pictures before I headed back to Oakville. I have to admit I was amazed and inspired when I saw her instructing this class. Her strength, determination and belief in the teachings of yoga, along with very supportive and loving family got her to this point.

Here are a few of the pictures I took of her doing what she loves. There are a couple poses that she is unable to do because of the steel rods in her back.....but if you know Buf, I can bet she’ll figure out a way to do them.

If you are in the Parkland area, I strongly encourage you to become involved with her classes. This something that any age can do!

I realize this "description" is a bit long winded, but this is a story that I wanted to share and she gave me permission to do so.