There is a din of chatter and laughter as I look out into a sea of faces every Tuesday and Thursday morning.   My students like to gather in the pool early because they look forward to catching up with all their friends. 

Eventually, I turn on the microphone and welcome everyone to water walking. We begin with a big stretch up and a deep breath.  A hush falls over the pool.  I see hope in their eyes and sense a feeling of anticipation as I announce and demo the first walk of the day.  The class is large, but they all respect one another’s “space”.  Each person has a very personal reason for being there.

Claudette “Clo” Sarsfield had an operation for lumbar spinal stenosis about a year ago. The procedure was quite successful.  Her recuperation after surgery required a great deal of walking to strengthen her back and help alleviate the pain as she healed.

Unfortunately, Clo’s rehab was put on hold when she found herself overwhelmed with helping out a family member and was unable to find time to do the required exercises.  Sadly, this happens to many people. They disappear from class through no fault of their own.
 
Eventually, Clo rejoined our class, but by then she was in continuous pain and had severe balance problems. The good news is that her renewed participation in the water classes have helped so much that she only uses a pain patch a few times a month instead of daily. Clo’s balance has improved greatly and she is starting to “walk like a cheerleader” with confidence and ease.
 
During the course of the past seven years, Clo’s severe foot problems and painful nerve damage from the spinal stenosis had caused her to become somewhat of a hermit.  Not any more!  The water walking classes are changing her life.  She is becoming more active and has even taken up golf again.  

She feels that her aquatic classes have given her the gift of a much happier quality of life.  The water is magic!