An Encounter While Walking My Dogs

This afternoon, I had an interesting encounter when I took my dogs for a walk on a path near my house. [This was after a morning workout involving dead lifts with 20 lb. dumbbells in each hand, squats holding a 15 lb. dumbbell with both hands, shoulder extensions with 10 lbs. in each hand, adduction and abduction at a peak of 110 lbs. and some tricep work on a cable machine set at 30, then 35 lbs.] I met up with a woman I know but only see a few times a year, one of those times usually being the dead of winter when we wave and that's about it. She asked me what I'm doing these days and I mentioned my body building pursuit. She was intrigued by this, then took the liberty to ask about my arm. She wondered if I have multiple sclerosis. I've heard this sort of misdiagnosis before and I don't take offense. Really, how's she supposed to know what's wrong? More importantly, I like having the opportunity to explain since it's not something I always raise on my own. Furthermore, it is highly unusual to have a stroke at age 10. "Was that the scariest thing that ever happened to you?" she wanted to know. Scary is not a word I usually attach to the incident, but it was that. It also was bizarre. Crazy. Baffling. Disorienting. At the time, of course, I didn't know that I was becoming paralyzed and would never fully recover. Anyway, she didn't judge me and, taking my interest in competing quite seriously, she asked about my training schedule. What I took away from the conversation was an appreciation for what appeared to be her confidence in me and belief that I can do this.