Bouncing Back: My First Gym Day After Five Days Stuck Inside

Five. Freaking. Days. That’s how long I was stuck inside, knocked down by this relentless cold I caught from my son. Normally, a little congestion wouldn’t be a big deal, but thanks to my immunosuppressive meds for MS, even the smallest illness drags on forever. My body felt like jelly. I was weak. I couldn’t even go downstairs. I spent most of my time rolling around in my wheelchair at home, sneezing like crazy, and feeling completely restless.

And let’s not even get started on the weather. First, ice covered everything. Then another storm rolled in, dumping even more snow. So yeah, my usual routine? Completely thrown off. No gym, no fresh air, just me, my blanket, and way too much time in my own head.

But today? Today was different.

I finally got back to the gym. And let me tell you, that first workout after being sidelined? It hits different. I drove there with my hand controls, parked, and grabbed my crutch. The second I walked through those doors, I knew I made the right decision.

And to top it off, the guy at the front desk? Absolute gem of a human. Not only did he help me get my coat on after my workout, but he even walked me to my car. How lucky am I? It’s the little things that remind you there’s kindness in the world, and after feeling stuck for days, that small act of support meant everything.

As for the workout itself? I needed it. I started with 40 minutes of cardio to shake off the stiffness, then hit five different exercises—legs, lower back, and shoulders. My rotator cuff injury has been creeping back because I haven’t been as consistent with my PT exercises, so today, I made sure to work on it. No way am I letting another injury set me back.

Walking into that gym today reminded me of something important: Setbacks don’t last forever. It’s easy to feel like you’re losing progress when life throws obstacles your way. But the truth? You haven’t. You just have to get back up, even if it takes longer than you’d like.

Now, do I want to go back tomorrow? Absolutely. But will I? Probably not—because the snowstorm means I’m stuck inside again. I’ll have to bunker down and figure out another way to move. Maybe some stretching, maybe resistance bands—something to keep my body in motion.

So, let me ask you—how do you get back into your routine after life throws you off track? Do you ease in, or do you go all in? Let’s talk about it!