Shen Zhiyan | USA
When parents spend active time with their children, it is a gift for the whole family. However, not everyone is blessed with this joy. Having suffered from arthritis for many years, she couldn’t walk normally with her weak knees, let alone carry her children. Shen Zhiyan had to rely on knee braces to lessen the pain. Fortunately, she found a way to deal with her knee problem, and improve her overall health and immunity. What did she do? Find out more from Shen Zhiyan’s story.
I started suffering arthritis when I was 3. I was so weak that I caught cold at all times throughout the year. Everything was smooth when I gave birth, but not after that. My knee issues became serious; my pregnancy probably added pressure to my knees; and my big tummy also made me heavier. So, after giving birth, my knees hurt badly. Tests revealed that the cartilage was badly worn, with some tiny pieces floating around.
I had double knee surgery within 6 months. The doctor said he had never seen anything like what I had. He said my situation only happened to people in their 50s or 60s. To lessen the pain, I was given a pair of knee supports to wear. They are big, and I seldom put on both at the same time; it would look really bad on me. The doctor also injected hyaluronic acid into my knees. It is a gel-like fluid that acts as a lubricant. That didn’t work at all.
Of my knees, the left knee’s condition was worse. So, my left leg was thinner than my right, because the muscles in my left leg had shrunk a bit. After the surgery, the doctor suggested me getting physiotherapy, but it didn’t help much. One day I looked out the window and saw a young mother. Under the blue sky, on the green grass, her kid was riding a scooter, and she was running with her kid. I got so jealous.
(Discovering Bodhi Meditation)
I found out about Bodhi Meditation in spring 2012. I joined the 8.5-day retreat. For the first few days, I had to hold on to the handrail while going upstairs slowly. On the fourth day of the retreat, I could walk up just fine. It was easy. At that time, it was unbelievable to me. You see, my knee problem had been ongoing for years. The size difference was obvious too. That leg was weak. A long period of physiotherapy didn’t help.
After meditating for a few days, I could walk up the stairs easily. I am more than grateful, you see. Unbelievable; if I hadn’t experienced it myself, it would be hard for me to believe it. After that, I was doing fine without my knee supports. Before this, I couldn’t even run with my son, let alone carry him. Carrying him used to be my husband’s job. I couldn’t even walk properly.
When I got better, I could take care of my daughter myself. I could carry her; I could chase after her while she was on her scooter. I can do these things now. This, for me, is good enough. When my son was little, I couldn’t do many things that are common for a healthy person, but they were very difficult for me. Now, I can do more than chasing my kids. I can ride a bike or even go hiking.
When I was small, I was really frail. Come to think of it, I haven’t caught a cold in the past few years. Flu and cough just don’t happen to me anymore. Through meditation, I regained my health. Health leads to happiness. I will keep practicing meditation. I hope more people can learn meditation.
※ The intent of the testimonial is to offer wellness information of a general nature. Individual results of practice may vary.