Interesting times - indeed. 

I believe I have mentioned earlier that a documentary is being filmed on my recovery process.  I never thought that I would be the feature of a documentary, but I guess I never thought a lot of things would happen.  This fall, Rob Kelly (of Kelly Brothers Productions) had been looking to film a documentary on a few professional Ironman triathletes, but when he heard of my accident he changed the original focus and started filming my recovery almost immediately.  I was introduced to the idea when I was still in the hospital and I met Rob only about a week after I arrived back home in mid December 2010.  

What astonishes me about Rob is that he firmly decided to film my recovery when doctors were still putting a 'bleak' stance on my recovery prospects, particularly whether I would race again.  But he went with his gut.  He knew that there was more to what the doctors were saying. He told me outright way back in December that he if I could believe in my own recovery and return to professional racing, then he could believe that he was making the right choice to put it all on film.  There was never any pressure, just an honest communication between two people that believed with full conviction that the doctors were wrong. And best of all,  he was going to get it all on film. He didn't need to say anything more to get me on board.  Two words....smart dude:)

I had seen the trailer before, but when I saw it attached to the new website, it all become very....real.  I viewed the story (through the film) through an objective lens for the very first time.  It may seem strange, but I live it every single day so I am largely unaware of how "unbelievable" it may appear to the general public. As much as I recognize that my recovery is anything but normal, and for all intents and purposes I should be either dead OR  just starting to learn to move again.. yet neither is the case. 

It has not even been five months since the accident. I should not be swimming 30,000 m/week.  I should not be riding my bike out on the road like nothing ever hapened.  I should not be starting to run again, particularly with the exact same form that I always have had.  I should not have full range of motion.  But let me tell you a little something about "should not."  When you put that little fellow "should not" in the ring to go to battle with the BELIEF that "should not" doesn't even exist...poor little "should not" just doesn't stand a chance.  Never did. 

Upon viewing the documentary trailer I saw my x-rays again, my state in ICU, the literally demolished car, I was seeing it as though I was someone else.  I realized for the first time, how absolutely crazy my recovery is and continues to be.  It shouldn't be happening, quite literally, it should be "impossible."   But it's NOT impossible.  It's happening.  Why?  

I have said it a million times over throughout this process.  It was meant to happen, but I am also meant to return to the sport I love.  Had it not been meant to happen...I would have either died in the accident, had my leg amputated to get me out of the car (which nearly happened as well), or had issues with my recovery such as limited range of motion, etc (as Wade has continued to remind me, especially on the days when I couldn't muster the energy to do it myself.)  But with every hurdle jumped, with every obstacle surpassed, with every odd defied....it's just that much clearer to me.  The accident was for some reason part of my path, but the final destination to the path has remained unchanged.  

I have believed from the very beginning, from the moment I woke up from my induced coma in ICU.  As messed up as I was at the time, I knew that I would be back. And what's that worth?  I'll let you decide, because I already know the answer.  But it is critical to mention that I  haven't believed alone.  I have had a team of supporters (you all know who you are!) see me through the good, the bad, and the ugly. So many people are on this 'team' that it's pretty miraculous in and of itself. Those that don't believe, the "doubters" as I call them, I have simply eliminated from my personal space (as Silken Laumann suggested I do early on in this whole process.)  She would know.

And so it continues.  And it will continue until I have arrived at where I am going.  See you at the start line. 

 http://asecondchancefilm.ca/index.html