{"id":394018,"date":"2025-03-19T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=394018"},"modified":"2025-03-20T03:20:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T03:20:22","slug":"ms-patient-succeeds-at-wheelchair-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=394018","title":{"rendered":"MS patient succeeds at Wheelchair Games"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was in the best shape of my life when multiple sclerosis (MS) changed everything. At first it was just a strange tingling in my fingertips, a sudden pain down my spine. Then I started tripping, first on the treadmill, then outside. I thought the problem was faulty equipment, but soon I realized it was me. After years of uncertainty, MRIs and medical dismissals, I finally had an answer: MS.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Jennifer Steele<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

My military career came to an abrupt end. I enlisted in the Army as a Patriot missile operator maintainer following in my grandfathers\u2019 footsteps and had planned to serve for six years. But after three and a half years, the symptoms became overwhelming.<\/p>\n

The Army wouldn\u2019t accommodate my condition so I had no choice but to leave. It was a crushing blow. I had worked so hard for this career and in an instant, I was starting over.<\/p>\n

I received a letter from VA\u2019s Spinal Cord Clinic. As someone with a spinal cord illness, I was eligible for their services. It was a complete 180-degree turn and I\u2019ve never looked back.<\/p>\n

The team at the Dayton Spinal Cord Clinic<\/a> has been incredible. From doctors and nurses to therapists, they moved quickly and efficiently to get me the care I needed. They work tirelessly for every patient and I couldn\u2019t be more grateful.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe moment I was back on the field everything clicked.\u201d<\/h2>\n

It was my spinal cord nurse Marlene who encouraged me to get involved with the Wheelchair Games. As someone who had played sports my whole life, I didn\u2019t think it would be possible in a wheelchair. I made excuses, but Marlene kept pushing me. Eventually, she cornered me with an athlete who convinced me to give it a try. When I learned I could play softball again, I signed up.<\/p>\n

My first games in Cincinnati were life-changing. It had been 18 years since I last played, and I felt like a part of me had been reignited. I was unsure of how I would adapt but the moment I was back on the field everything clicked. I wasn\u2019t just playing a game, I was rediscovering a part of myself.<\/p>\n

Since then, I have competed in discus, javelin, shot put, bowling and slalom, pushing myself in ways I never thought possible. I learned that I was still an athlete, still capable, still strong.<\/p>\n

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games changed my perspective. It wasn\u2019t just about sports, it was about regaining my independence, finding a community and proving to myself that I was more than my diagnosis. I met other Veterans with MS, Veterans who understood my struggles and refused to let the disease define them. We shared stories, advice and support, and in that space, I felt seen in a way I hadn\u2019t in years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started focusing on what I could still do.\u201d<\/h2>\n

Competing in the games gave me confidence in life, not just sports. I no longer saw my wheelchair as a limitation. I saw it as a tool that allowed me to do more. Instead of focusing on what I had lost, I started focusing on what I could still do\u2014and I realized I could do a lot.<\/p>\n

I also learned that the games aren\u2019t just for full-time wheelchair users, a misconception that had kept me away for years. The games are open to anyone with a qualifying disability, whether they use a wheelchair all the time or just occasionally. I\u2019ve seen so many Veterans hesitate because they think they don\u2019t belong, but there\u2019s a place for everyone.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re hesitant to sign up, my advice is simple: just go. It doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re nervous or if you don\u2019t know what to expect. The games will challenge you, welcome you and show you that you\u2019re capable of more than you think. You\u2019ll find strength you didn\u2019t know you had, meet people who inspire you and leave knowing you are more than your diagnosis.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got to realize that with MS, it takes what it wants when it wants and we\u2019re just along for the ride. MS also opens doors to new opportunities. Use it while you got it. The National Veterans Wheelchair Games gave me back a part of myself that I thought was lost and for that I will always be grateful.<\/p>\n

You can register for the 2025 National Veterans Wheelchair Games<\/a>, co-presented by Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Department of Veterans Affairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was in the best shape of my life when multiple sclerosis (MS) changed everything. At first it was just a strange tingling in my fingertips, a sudden pain down my spine. Then I started tripping, first on the treadmill, then outside. I thought the problem was faulty equipment, but soon I realized it was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":394020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1499,1271],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-394018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-ms","category-visn-10"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=394018"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394018\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":394021,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394018\/revisions\/394021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/394020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=394018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=394018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=394018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}