I am unashamed to say that I am obsessed with the Olympic Games. The fact that I’m seeing the best of the best compete in some of the most challenging tests of skill, focus, and endurance makes me just downright giddy. I mean, I’m waking up early and going to bed late, just to make sure I don’t miss out on Katie Ledecky’s latest gold or on reveling in each of Simone Biles’ perfectly stuck landings. I tense up and shout and jump up and down…point is, I’m in love with the summer Olympics.
This summer however, there’s something a little different I bring to the viewing of these outstanding feats of athleticism. A new perspective that I didn’t have four years ago when I watched in anticipation the London games. The perspective of having lupus. Whoa, yeah, I said it. For those who know me, they know I don’t introduce myself with, “Hi, I’m Taylor, I have lupus.” It’s not something I flaunt or use as a definition for my being. It’s just simply something I live with. For those who don’t know what lupus is, it’s an autoimmune disease that causes severe inflammation in the joints and around the vital organs. And for me, for this particular point I’m making about the Olympics, it’s something that limited my sport involvement.
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I am fully aware that not doing sports is not the end of the world. I’m still living, aren’t I? But I’m living a completely different life than I have before. By the time I was 16, I had played every sport I could possibly try: soccer, tennis, basketball, track, fencing, swimming, cross country, and sailing. That all stopped my junior year of high school, when I became too sick to continue running on the cross country and track teams (“my” sports at the time). It was a huge adjustment and even when I was feeling better enough to do some exercise, I still couldn’t return to what I was doing before (my failed three weeks of college track and field confirmed that). It’s not all a sob story though, don't you worry! I’m lucky enough to be on the college rowing team and I do yoga and pilates everyday. Recently, I’ve even gotten back into swimming. Basically, all activities I can do that don’t put undue pressure on my joints…low-impact sports. Still, there are some days I’m not well enough to get out of bed, let alone get into a boat or down on a mat. I’ve become almost a slave to my body and that will not change for the rest of my life.
Whether or not you have a chronic illness, there’s truth for you here: your health is of number one importance. “Health is wealth.” Director-general of the World Health Organization, Dr. Brock Chisholm said, “without mental health there can be no true physical health.” And vice versa. The WHO also reports the three associations of physical and mental health to be, “1. Poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic physical conditions. 2. People with serious mental health conditions are at high risk of experiencing chronic physical conditions. [And] 3. People with chronic physical conditions are at risk of developing poor mental health.” It’s all connected and it’s something that if you don’t learn how to control, it will control you.
You don’t have to become an Olympian or someone who spends hours in the gym every day or even the crazy pre-teen I was (playing eight different sports) to take care of your health. But I want to urge you not to become complacent about it. Don’t take it for granted. When something seems off mentally or physically for an extended period of time, seek professional help. When you’re not feeling well, don’t push yourself too hard. It’s OK to take a break and get some rest. It’s more than just OK, it’s vital.
So as another summer Olympics is well on its way, I’m aware of how much the human body is capable of. I feel blessed to have one, broken as it is, that can still manage through the day…no matter how hard it is sometimes. I hope you understand the amazing gift that your body is, no matter its shape or size or athletic ability. I hope you count every healthy day as a blessing.
