Life of Pow

I’ll protect you mom, I’m fierce and wild.
- Phoebe

catlife

Welp didn’t expect a walker at age 30 but that’s just the Pow way.
Making my own crazy wild lane in this thing called life!! 😂

Exactly a week ago, I was involved in a bad (okay, very bad) road bike accident. This was my first ever long ride on the road vs trails.
I was third in a line of four, going around 28ish mph. Friend in front, swerved to avoid a branch, lost control and went over the handle bar. My only logical choice was run her over and attempt to avoid hitting her.

For me, I heard a pop in my left hip/lower back as I “tucked and rolled”. I was taken by ambulance to the ER for, well, lots of scans and lots of clean up.
I sorta “walked” away with:
- 50% of my body covered in road rash.
- Right leg is completely de-gloved. (Muscle, Facia, fat, and skin has completely detached from bone).
- Concussion - been passing out if I stand up or sit up. Thankful the passing out has stopped.
- Hip (SI joint) and spine are injured but not broke. Have to heal more before I can look deeper into those.
- Right Shoulder is definitely worse than before but it was already injured so no biggy there.
- BIGGEST one: my LIFE!

I most likely would not be here if we were not wearing helmets.
(Side note, legit just got my helmet and it was its first ride… it did it’s job! Thank you )

Yes I am beaten up, still working on walking and it takes me 5 minutes just to get up or down…. But not having any major breaks or life threatening injuries is a testament to the long and tiresome training I have put my body through these past years.
has been an amazing foundation for my body to be able to withstand this kind of accident and allow me to most likely walk away even stronger than I was before. (In 6 months 🤞🏼🤣).

Its truly amazing how in a blink of eye, all the daily worries and cosmetic wants/troubles/frustrations go away.
Yes I’m in pain,
yes this is frustrating,
yes it is super hard to ask for help,
Yes it sucks to have my mom wash me with a rag
But, by Gods grace and beauty, I’m ALIVE!

Finish reading the remainder of the post in comment below…

Never been more thankful for a railing in my life!! 😂

A week ago today, I got struck randomly with vertigo. It’s been one of the toughest physical but mental battles of my life.

From fighting horrid nausea, to loosing all sense of balance, to the uncertainty of not knowing if my “normal” would ever return.


I have gone through the rollercoaster of thoughts but even though it sucks (so stinking bad), I am grateful!

I know I will overcome this cause that’s what Pow does. I’m equipped with so much strength from my awesome community (💕), to my loving family, and more than anything because God loves me.

He’s holds the power and it’s just my job to keep pushing through. Yes this past week has sucked but there are many blessings found in the muck.
I haven’t slept more that 5 hours in the past two years... this week tho, every day I got 7-8 hours. My body is able to heal faster and quicker with that added time.
I have been able to refocus on a healthier way of loving my body by embracing rest. and that it’s OKAY to take more than one day off.

I am thankful this happened cause God knows I love nothing more than a great come back story. 🙃 praying by Friday of this week, I won’t be the drunk walking girl anymore. 🙏🏼




Anyways, who is ready for sweater weather??? Okay, let’s me real, it’s sweater weather everyday for me. 🤣 but either way, I’m loving it!!!

I know it’s scary out there but, baby girl... I’ll never stop loving you!!

The past couple weeks, I have been barely able to see even a day out. My anxiety has overwhelmed me. BUT in those moments, I work hard to stop and talk. Talk to God and give it all to Him. All the crazy, confused, and unorganized thoughts that flood my mind.
• The cool thing is that there is no right or wrong way to do it.
• But the key is listen and ready to receive His answers.
• His answers rarely are what you pray for but exactly what you need.

Something that transcends with me that I’m constantly working on and hopefully can get you thinking as well:
“Prayer is you speaking to God. Mediation is God talking back to you.”

Taking my power back.

2020 has taken a lot from so many people. In ways no one could have ever thought.
For me (given my crazy past), I feel pretty numb to obstacles and challenges, well.... NOT this YEAR!

What has been taken this year:
- First baby (fur baby)
- Special relationships
- Last name

BUT, what I have gained:
- My Power!! 💥
- My Drive
- My self love 🤍
- Countless relationships
- Two kittens 🐱 🐱
- A New start
- New HOME! (Ahhh!!!) 🔑

I am officially moving back to Melanie Power. This action has come with the hardest, deepest, and most impactful emotions that I have ever felt and resulted in forever altering my future. I mean, talk about a 180 turn!!

In the past two months post being I have been running at 1,000 miles an hour, piecing through it all and trying to heal. Most of all, allowing myself to be weak and lean on others. And when I say weak... I mean like can’t see my feet in front of me when I try to take a step.

Even though each day brings a multitude of feelings and emotions, one thing has been constant is my community. I share this extremely vulnerable event in my life because I truly know I am not alone. That someone else may see this and know it’s okay to be overwhelmed and that there is nothing wrong by being open to allow others to pick you up. It’s truly a sign of strength to understand when it’s time to ask for help or to let your community pick you up and move you forward.

My community... from my parents, to my work colleagues, to my close friends and to my CrossFit community, they have truly lifted me and given me strength when I didn’t have any. So this my Thank You! 💕

Lots of changes still to come but I’m excited (and terrified) to announce that I bought a home! 🏡
It’s needing some work before I can move in that are currently stressing me out hardcore but I rest in knowing it’s 100% mine. I can’t wait to show y’all and furthermore to have all along for this next journey of healing.

Just keep swimming.

-Dory

“It’s not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it. “ c.s. Lewis

It’s totally okay if you can’t handle everything this week. You are allowed to not have it all figured out, to be overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do next.

Just remember, to give yourself grace. You are the reason someone believes in the goodness of people.

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” – Dean Karnazes

If only this photo accurately depicts my current status but I’m more in line with a “snails pace” crawl. Life recently pushed me down (hard) but even though the day to day actions seem impossible or nonexistent, everyday is a baby step to healing and more smiles.

Yesterday, I was chatting with a great friend about how I feel like an atomic bomb randomly dropped on the path/plans I spent many years crafting. That now I can’t see even my feet in the fog. Then he told me, “that’s okay that you can’t see it now but I can.”

It truly made me realize how blessed I am, to know that I am surrounded by great people who will be my eyes to see what I can’t and the wind to give me that little push. That I have people who are watching to not make things better Or fix things but to simply ensure I keep moving forward and know I am not alone.

It’s okay to not sprint, to not feel 100%, to not always be striving. Sometimes you have to sit back and say today I am the student. I will take this time to learn, to heal and to embrace even the smallest step forward.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson



It’s time I put myself first and love me for all of me... and it starts today.

Challenge accepted.

After being nominated, my first thought was how honored I feel. Second, came the struggle that I mentally can’t accept this right now. Third, came the power that this is more than for me but for the amazingly strong women that bear so much more than they can hold and do it so gracefully.

I have struggled with so much through the years of trying to love Pow (myself) first and foremost. I struggle at my flaws but know that my beauty is not in my looks but in my heart. The place where the greatest gift resides.

I maybe broken but I’m not flawed.
I maybe hurting but I’m not damaged.
I maybe lost but I’m not helpless.
I maybe scared but I’m not alone.
I maybe speechless but I’m not silenced.

To all the women in my life that give me a hand, an ear, or a hug helping to hold me up, this goes to you! That you never loose sight of your radiating strength and beauty. 💕

Grief never ends. But it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor lack of faith. It’s the price of love.
- unknown