Unbreakable
At first glance, Michelle Rapp looks just like you and I. She talks just like you and I, she has a job just like you and I, she goes about her day just like you and I. However, when you take a closer look, you can tell that there’s something different about her.
If there’s something wrong with us, we can go to the doctor or a specialist, have tests done and get some kind of an explanation as to why we are feeling the way we do. That diagnosis (whether it be good or bad) of our symptoms usually gives us some kind of peace of mind. Michelle can’t get that explanation. She was born with a neurological disorder and though she has been through extensive testing, still has no diagnosis.
Michelle says, “The most sense I can make of it is that my Mom had a stressful pregnancy and delivery. That stress may have hindered my development in utero.”
Believe it or not, Michelle is happy that she doesn’t have a diagnosis. There are no labels holding her back. Regardless of the symptoms she has and how bad they may be, she chooses to carry on with her life.
Michelle’s equilibrium has always been a presenting issue. She has no good memories of gym class that she can recall and she never really ran correctly (which made her self-conscious).
From time to time Michelle falls and even on occasion gets hurt, but she always gets back up and continues on. You see, Michelle is legally blind. This can be misinterpreted or confusing to people. She does have vision, she can see you and I, but it’s just not that great. She started losing her sight in her early twenties when her optic nerve began to deteriorate. In hind sight it affected her more academically than anyone really ever knew. It got to a point where it was bad enough to create a lot of inconveniences in her life. Unfortunately, the day came where she was no longer able to drive. Losing her independence wasn’t an easy pill to swallow.
Over ten years ago, Michelle decided to attend massage school. Looking back on everything she feels that it put her on a path that brought her many blessings, including maintaining her health and well-being.
In her thirties Michelle decided to have extensive tests done to see if she could find a diagnosis. More importantly, she wanted to know if there would be a genetic link for her future children. Michelle wanted a child with all of her heart and soul. With still no diagnosis, there was some good news. She was told that there was a less than one percent chance that her children would have the same symptoms.
At age thirty seven, Michelle met and married her forever love Dan Rapp. Michelle says, “Thank God.” Dan is a practicing registered nurse in the emergency department at Oneida Health Care and has been the rainbow at the end of her storm. When her symptoms have been at their worst, he’s always been there. For years it had been her mother (who was her rock and the center of her world) who was there by her side to always help. Unfortunately, she passed away on December 18, 2012.
Losing her mother, trying to conceive and working overnights for fifteen years doing direct care for a house with dually diagnosed disabled people was just too much for Michelle to handle. After many nights of going without the sleep her body needed, she knew something had to change. So, Michelle drastically cut her hours at work and began to focus on herself.
Well, she found health and happiness beyond what she could have ever imagined! She met Natalia Daughton from Bare Bones Health & Wellness. She helped her and educated her starting on a cellular level. Michelle started a nutrition, supplement, and detox regiment. She worked on her emotional health and began to re-build her energy and strength.
Finally after eighteen months, she was ready for the gym! Michelle and Dan joined Champions Fitness Center in Cicero on May 21, 2016 and decided to work with a trainer once a week for a year.
Not only is Michelle improving at each training session, but she is able to do things that she wasn’t sure she would be able to do. She has a new found confidence and strength beyond what she ever could have imagined. Is she really surprised? Not really, because she’s always been a fighter.
Check out the picture of her standing on her dock! She was afraid to walk out on her new dock for the longest time because she had a fear of falling. Here she is STANDING OUT ON IT ALL BY HERSELF.
In Conclusion:
Michelle says that her husband Dan has been a vital component of her health and well-being. He is without a doubt her hero and her Champion. He has reassured her when she has most needed it and always reminds her to stay focused on what is most important.
What advice does Michelle have for you? Michelle says, “If you see someone who seems “a little different” you shouldn’t be too quick to assume you know what’s going on with them. If you’re someone who might be facing a disability or other adversity try not to be too discouraged or afraid. Sure, it’s not easy, but you never know what new roads this experience might take you down. Try to face the adversity with your head held high and eyes wide open.”
She hopes her story will inspire someone. If it can make a difference in just one person’s life then it was worth sharing. She says that this is no tragedy, this is her being triumphant! She is grateful for every blessing and bump in the road.
“There is no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a person as more.” Robert M. Hensel
I have been a personal trainer for over seventeen years and I absolutely love what I do. I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals. Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association.
Music & Events Calendar
