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18<br />
My Story Can Be Yours<br />
Too!<br />
By: Liz Palmer / NSG<br />
I<br />
’m a former high school<br />
and collegiate<br />
hurdler who found a lot of success at<br />
masters and senior levels of competition.<br />
Unfortunately, a serious knee injury in 2018<br />
opened my eyes to the need to redirect my athletic<br />
efforts.<br />
My knee could no longer take the high impact of sprinting and<br />
hurdling, and sadly, I had to leave them behind. Of course I pouted<br />
quite a bit at this news of “what I can’t do.”<br />
However, it was time for an attitude adjustment to look at things as<br />
“what I can do.”<br />
I tried swimming and honestly, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I had<br />
speed and power, but I panicked a bit at putting my face in the water<br />
and turning for a breath.<br />
More than once I inhaled a great gulp of not air, but water.<br />
Swimming is great for conditioning, but I could tell it would not fulfill<br />
my competitive desires.<br />
What next? Powerwalking!<br />
A good friend and member of the Nevada Senior Games Board of<br />
Directors encouraged me to try this new event. Sandi is a gold and<br />
bronze medalist in the powerwalking events at the National Senior<br />
Games competition in 2019, so her insight and coaching is invaluable.<br />
I have been working very hard for my powerwalking debut at the<br />
Nevada Senior Games track and field competition on October 9 at the<br />
UNLV track. I’m a newbie, but ready to do my best and have fun too.<br />
Want to cheer me on? Or even better, want to join me? Powerwalking<br />
and tons of other sports and events await you this Fall!<br />
Go to our website, nevadaseniorgames.com and check out how<br />
you can register in order to join other like-minded seniors in “Fitness<br />
For <strong>The</strong> Fun of It.” You’ll get in shape, make new friends, and quite<br />
honestly, have a blast!<br />
Liz Palmer is the Executive Director of the Nevada Senior Games.<br />
For more information on how you can participate, contact Liz at:<br />
702/242-1590 or by email: Nevadaseniorgames@outlook.com.<br />
SAVE $5<br />
Sign Up by<br />
<strong>July</strong> 31<br />
State<br />
Qualifier!<br />
Online Registration, Sports Calendar & More Info:<br />
NEVADASENIORGAMES.COM<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2021</strong><br />
Presented by<br />
20+ Competitive Sports<br />
for Active Adults Age 50+<br />
Go for Glory, a P.R. or Just for Fun!<br />
All abilities, experience welcome<br />
THIS SEPT. & OCT. in Las <strong>Vegas</strong> Area<br />
Surgery Should be My<br />
Last Option<br />
By: Liz Breier / This & That<br />
As occurs with so many of us, as we age, our<br />
joints wear out. <strong>The</strong> usual route seems to<br />
be cortisone injections, which work for some but<br />
not for me.<br />
As a result of my poor experience with cortisone, I sought another<br />
option. I learned about PRP (platelet rich plasma), and that several<br />
professional athletes had undergone that treatment with success.<br />
I figured if it was good enough for them I would give it a try. Especially<br />
when my orthopedist informed me the only other option was surgical.<br />
Lo and behold, while the shots were painful and expensive (insurance<br />
companies will not provide coverage), it was well worth it. Years later<br />
my tendonitis has not returned, and I am able to have full range of<br />
motion without pain - including my gym exercises.<br />
I have no scars, no rehabilitation time, painkillers, or anesthesia. All<br />
in all - a great experience.<br />
Now years later, my knees start giving me a problem. Painful,<br />
can’t bend, or exercise. Even sitting and standing from a low seat was<br />
difficult.<br />
This time, when I sought out the PRP, I was advised that my best<br />
route was to do it with stem cell. Little did I know that it would be my<br />
own fat cells (and who doesn’t have a few extra of those?) would do<br />
the trick.<br />
As of this writing, it’s been 2 weeks out from the procedure – which<br />
included both knees, shoulder and even my hand (since a prior surgery<br />
rendered me unable to perform fine motor skills). My shoulder and<br />
hand are greatly improved and while my knees still have a way to go, I<br />
can see the light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
I am so grateful to have not had to undergo major surgery and opted<br />
instead for this in-office procedure with basically no recuperation time<br />
and no knee scars.<br />
I don’t know how long the optimum results will last but as a senior,<br />
every 5 to 10 years is a good thing. I would do this again rather than<br />
succumb to surgery.<br />
Liz Breier is an ex-New Yorker who retired to Florida for 24 years<br />
before deciding that Nevada means home to her. You can contact<br />
Liz at: bluesky090372@gmail.com.
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