Maybe I Can with Debbie Weiss

Ep. 95: Defying Odds With Christine Rush - Part 2

• Debbie Weiss

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In this episode of the Maybe I Can podcast, I am joined again by my incredible friend Christine Rush, a true embodiment of resilience. After a gymnastics accident left her paralyzed, Chris defied all odds, teaching herself to walk again through sheer determination. Despite ongoing pain, she’s not only pursued her own goals but also taken on the role of caregiver to her mother, showing unwavering strength in the face of adversity.

Chris’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s not the obstacles we face but how we rise to meet them. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about courage, perseverance, and chasing your dreams, no matter what life throws your way.

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to Maybe I Can, exploring possibilities, one sprinkle at a time. If you've ever found yourself asking is this all there is to life, then you're in the right place. I'm Debbie author, speaker, entrepreneur and coach, and every Tuesday, I'm here to share a sprinkle of hope and inspiration. Together, we'll uncover the more More joy, more fulfillment, more prosperity, more fun. We'll share stories of transformation, actionable tips and that little nudge you need to take the next step. So let's embark on this journey of discovery and say maybe I can to a life filled with more, ready to find out. Let's get started. The Maybe I Can Show starts now. Well, hello there and welcome to the Maybe I Can Podcast. I'm your host, debbie Weiss, and I so appreciate you being here and listening. I know just how many thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions. Who knows how many podcasts there are out there, right, or books, or everything that you can listen to? So I really appreciate you landing on this show.

Speaker 1:

And before I bring my guest on today, I have an opportunity for you to be a part of my launch team. And no, I'm not going into space, I'm not an astronaut, nothing like that. It is my book launch team. Or do I say books plural, because November 11th I have two books coming out, even though they do go hand in hand. The first is the Sprinkle Effect, a Guide to Creating a More Colorful and Fulfilling Life, and the second is the Accompanying Workbook. You don't have to buy both together. It's very nice to have both if you ask me. That's why I created them.

Speaker 1:

But being part of the launch team here is what I would be asking. I would give you the digital copy of both a few weeks before they came out, so let's say, mid-october. You would get them and have a few weeks to read them on your own and prepare an honest review. I am not asking you to lie. I don't want that. Please write an honest review. And then, when the book actually launches, in order to leave a verified review, you have to actually buy the books. So I then ask you for 99 cents each to buy the books, post your review on Amazon and, if you so choose, share on social media about both the books. I'd give you all that information. So you just have to copy paste, click that kind of thing and then in return. And then in return, you would get your choice of two different prizes. I like to call them prizes instead of gifts.

Speaker 1:

So the first is your choice of a mug that have different sprinkles on them. I don't have it in front of me. I think there's like I don't know how many, three, let's say three to five different mugs. So this is if you're watching and now it probably looks back. Does it look backwards to you, chris? I don't know how many. Three, let's say three to five different mugs. So this is if you're watching, and now it probably looks back. Does it look backwards to you, chris? I don't know. Well, this is a sprinkle of courage. No, it's good, it's perfect. Okay, good, all right, this is a sprinkle of courage. A 15 ounce mug.

Speaker 1:

Or you can actually get the workbook in a printed workbook, because you know printing out however many. I think the workbook's 160 pages. Who wants to print out 160 pages? So I would send you that bound real book. So if you're interested, please in the show notes the information will be there to sign up, and if you don't see it there, then just shoot me an email at debbie, at debbie r weisscom, and I will send you the link. So thank you in advance. It's fun. You know you're going to read the books anyway, so you might as well get a little prize for doing it and only have to pay $2 for two books.

Speaker 1:

All right, now, without any further ado. You know what? You're my first repeat guest. So I am bringing back my friend, chris Rush, who was on the show two episodes ago, episode 93. So if you haven't listened to that, listen to that first, because you will hear her whole backstory that we're not going to repeat again here.

Speaker 1:

But she is quite an inspiration and that's why I asked her to come back, because we kind of got halfway through, like her, her major, I would say, struggle of being paralyzed and told that there was a possibility she would never walk again to, you know, walking months later, because she defies all odds. And that's why I asked her to come back, because we kind of got to the part where she overcame her I don't want to overcame her struggles but got her legs back, even though she couldn't go to college when she anticipated. She went a year later, wound up meeting her wonderful husband and starting a life together, and she and I met when our actually our oldest, was in first grade and her middle child, my youngest, were preschoolers and if you well, you can't really tell from the screen anyway, but I'm, or at least I was, almost 5'7". Now I'm almost 5'6", but at the time I was 5'7". How tall are you? 4'10 or 11? Hey now, but at the time I was five seven.

Speaker 2:

How old, how tall are you? Four, 10 or 11? Hey, now come on, I was. I was five foot. I'll go with you. I'll go with you on that. I was five foot when we met, okay, all right. So, all right, I'm in the fourth now, so let's say, seven inches difference.

Speaker 1:

There you go. I say how many pounds difference? Because a lot, and I can't think. We look like complete opposites and honestly, if you looked at us you would think like I was the big, strong one, because physically I was big and she would be the timid one. But it's just the opposite, because she blew me away with her, just her whole personality.

Speaker 2:

Be nice.

Speaker 1:

No, I'm not thinking of being nice Just like wow. What impressed me the most was that I don't want to say and you're going to speak to this that you didn't care what other people thought of you. But for me, I would say that I've always been a people pleaser. I've grown up being judged or being uncomfortable and feeling unworthy because I felt judged my whole life. So I didn't want to do anything to upset the apple cart to make people not like me to draw attention to myself when you not that you were purposely trying to upset anybody, but you never let that stop you. Never let that stop you. You always stuck to your convictions. Yeah, so let's just talk a little bit. I mean, you know how you dealt with your kids and school and the other parents and the administrators and you know coaches and all the people.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I think if we're picking up from you know, my almost, like I feel like you were getting me to that like that, that new beginning right, like I was a certain person before and kind of had to figure out how to still be that person, but in a new way. And when I got to college I realized that physicality and the strengths that I had physically, which I thought were the reasons that gave me my strength, and I always assumed, because I was successful in all these physical ways, that that's just kind of what defined me. And you know, then I got hurt and all those things went away. So I had to really figure out how I was going to figure out how to be an academic or a professional, or hopefully a wife, you know, and hopefully a mother one day. I had no idea if that those things were possible, but I think I'd mentioned in the last podcast about the ones, you know, my baby steps, that I would kind of set small goals for myself and if I reflect back on that, I really tried not to let myself get ahead of myself and I just was get to college. You know, I wasn't at college, I missed a whole year get to college and I just remember being in a state of mind of I am I going to be able to walk the campus, am I going to be able to get from my dorm to my classrooms in time, or from one class to another, like all these unknowns, and I just had to keep going backwards and saying come this far, I'll figure it out. I've come this far, I'll figure it out, and I just feel like with every step of it, that's the thing I told myself. With college, with forging relationships in college, in this body, this is what people see now. The first thing they see now when they meet me is that I have a significant limp and that's people's first impressions. If I'm standing, still or sitting down, you know, probably, deb, similar to when you met me, you know it's, it's, there is an energy. I do have this crazy little spunk and you know definitely a personality to myself that some can take and some can leave, but definitely I can understand where people would see that, whether I'm sitting or standing. But you know, once I start moving and I'm up and I'm traveling with people, you know it's, it's a quick, it's a quick, look like Whoa. So it's always there with me. So I think for me, I decided to. I can tell I still do it today.

Speaker 2:

I I'm teaching now and after many, many, many years of not since 2001,. This year is my first year back in the classroom as a teacher assistant and I'm in a building and in a school with people who don't know me at all at all, and so this is their first time seeing me and I am seeing these children look at me and tilt their head and other teachers. And just yesterday one of the professionals who worked there was walking next to me and looked at me and said are you limping? And it's those moments where I'm reminded every time I look and I have to decide. Still after, since I was 18, 30, some years I don't even know how many years it's been later I still have to, in that moment, tell myself you're good. I have to say it to myself. I said it to myself two or three times yesterday, so I'm still. I'm as, as you know, maybe easy as I make it look. Or, um, I have tell myself you're good, you're good, chris, you're good Does it bother you.

Speaker 1:

When people ask I mean do you just readily share what happened?

Speaker 2:

I assume, I don't share. I either hope they ask or I hope they look and then look past. That's always my hope. If they ask, I love to share and it's a quick. Oh no, I was injured at 18 and I have this limp to thank for it or left over from it. It's very quick. I don't need to go into it with people. I don't think, unless it's in a situation where it presents that I should.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

But I prefer people to ask.

Speaker 2:

But in this class that I'm in, not one kid has asked me yet, and the more days I come in, the less I see them looking, and so that is what I know from my life the longer I spend with people, the less they see it and the more they see me, and so from the lifetime experience of it that I've had with it, I've been grateful that I've been able to hold on to those things. So then, in the moments, like you said, does it bother you when people do look and stare and pass judgment and that does happen I immediately remind myself of how many times and how many more people I've walked past that didn't. So for me, it's just that mindset of reminding myself of the majority of good that I'm getting from people, as opposed to the one or two that, just for whatever reason, don't have it in them to recognize that their reaction or their behavior or their judgment is their issue, not mine. Yeah, and I guess, going back to what you said, it kind of has been with me even before my injury.

Speaker 1:

Well, exactly.

Speaker 2:

Exactly so let's fast forward to you have your kids.

Speaker 1:

You have three children. Fast forward to. You have your kids, you have three children. And you know you've just been, like I said, just a staunch supporter and very vocal and at times where other people would not be vocal, was that difficult? Is that just who you are? You know, what do you say to those of us like me who just were afraid to speak up? Or, you know, shake things up.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would say that there's just a part of me that always, just always, had that little voice inside that just didn't want to, not, would not be not heard, stifled. Since I was very, very young, I remember my grandmom, very staunch Irish Catholic woman, not the most pleasant, not the most loving woman, not the most pleasant, not the most loving, not the most lovable, just very strict and hard. And she was really tough on my mom, really really tough on my mom. And I just remember being very little and feeling bad for my mom and I might have been five or six at the oldest and standing in my grandma's house and her disrespecting and yelling at my mom for being late. And I just stood up to my grandma, I yelled at her and I said don't talk to my mom. I don't know who, I think I am, but I remember that moment very vividly.

Speaker 2:

And then there's moments throughout my life where I remember, just, you know, my brother. I remember being on the playground with my brother and he was quiet and he was not this typical you know football, you know rough and tumble guy. He was quiet, he was respectful, he was kind, he was well-liked, but he, just, you know, didn't conform to the typical stereotypical boy mode that others expected him to and I remember sticking up for him you know he didn't ask me for that, but I just stuck up for him because it was what I felt needed to be said. And throughout my life and you've been with me in my adult life where you've seen me do that and it's always in a place. It doesn't even have to be for my own children, it's been for other children I've coached, I've been on different platforms'm seeing and I feel like it's being hurting others or putting others at a disadvantage or not recognizing. I'm going to have to point it out.

Speaker 2:

I've done it with our high school during COVID, when I felt that our high school was sleeping on some things that potentially could be being done, even with the restrictions, and I didn't think it was right or fair for the kids. I felt like they were really putting their best feet forward during a really, really tough time and they didn't have life experiences and they didn't have, you know, the education and the background of all of it. And they were. They were really stepping up and I really felt our high school, as good as they were doing, could have been doing better and I went to a board meeting and I spoke. I've spoken probably in the course of my three years, three children's educational careers, maybe at five board meetings total. But those five board meetings it mattered to me and they mattered. So when it matters you're going to hear me. Those five, board meetings.

Speaker 1:

It mattered to me and they mattered. So when it matters, you're going to hear me, and it's not just at board meetings, and I'm sure you remember this, but I don't know. When Sam, my oldest, was 10, I made the decision to pull him out of school because he was talking about killing himself, and I don't remember how. I mean, I don't remember who I told or how you found out, but I remember you calling me and saying like we have to do something, we have to do something, we have to have. You know, the kids have to say give them a celebration. Do you remember that?

Speaker 1:

I do and I was like okay, okay, Of course I do.

Speaker 2:

That's my Sam.

Speaker 1:

Okay, okay, of course I do, that's my Sam Yep.

Speaker 2:

Um, yeah, it's. Uh, I was just going to say I'm. When you say that like, all these little moments come to mind you know when? When um there was, I wanted there was something going on. I can't remember the details, but I wanted him to have a voice, I wanted him to have a role, a place. And I came up with the idea and they were like no, he can't. And I came up with the idea. I said, well, can he be the MC? Like, let's find there is a solution, we can find a place for him. And I said maybe we can make him thee. He's great on stage. He's got a beautiful speaking voice. He's not shy. And they wanted to. They knocked that down.

Speaker 1:

They didn't want to take the risk.

Speaker 2:

They didn't, but I, so I could. Yes, there are lots of people coming the talent show?

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, you know there were lots of them In sixth grade or something.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, again, doesn't have to be my kid, no, more often than not it probably wasn't even my kids that I was uh speaking up for, because and of course I would of course speak up for my kids if they needed it. And I have um, but just in general, like I just have this, like I don't know, it definitely comes from within it. Definitely I did it for my friend today with her cat. Is it silly. But I said to her her cat is injured and she's not sure what's wrong. She took it to the vet. They're like we're not sure what's wrong with it. They examined it, they charged her and she's telling me today he's still having issues, still having issues. And I said take a picture, send me. Whatever she sends me. Of course there is a visible injury on the bottom of that little kitten's paw. And I said to her this is unacceptable. You call them up right now. I said, or you get in the car and you drive there and you call them away and you say I'm bringing my cat in. You charged me $200. You told me you didn't know what was wrong. And I'm looking at my kitten's paw and there is a visible sore that you missed, like I just it's a kitten, you know, so I have. I'm definitely listen. If you're out there and you're listening and you need, you need someone in your corner or you need inspiration to get the gumption to go, take care of it. I'm definitely, I'm definitely your girl.

Speaker 2:

I mean, I did it with my mom.

Speaker 2:

I, if I could share quickly my mom was very, very ill neurological condition in a nursing home and the last five years of her life and I basically helped care for her every day.

Speaker 2:

And then COVID hit and they wouldn't let me in after I was there every day helping to care for her and it took me 17 or 18 days to finally allow them to get me in, to let me in and get her out. They weren't even going to let me take her out and I researched and did paperwork and reached out to lawyers and I did all these things. My brother helped me as well and I finally was able to let get her out of there at like 9 PM on the like 17 days later and I got her out when no one could get anybody out. No one was allowed to get anyone out, other people's families, they weren't letting them out. I got her out and it was a good thing because I would have probably been on the nightly news or little lady pulling a lady through a window, like I would have gotten her out. Oh, I know.

Speaker 1:

And you're like I know that's how you got her out, because they knew you would have gotten her out too. I think they were.

Speaker 2:

It's probably safer to let her out the front door because she's going to pull her through the window, but I got her out. And it's another example. I don't take no Talent show single ladies. I don't need to remind you, they said no to the song when the boys were in third grade doing the single lady song, and they told me no to the song. And I was on the phone with you before I walked out of the building saying we got to find a version of single ladies for our boys to do this song. I just don't know is not an answer. Solutions are answers and I can help come up with a lot of different solutions if you just give me a chance. So, and for my friends too, I'm not afraid to say to my friends this is what you need to do. I know you're not asking my advice, but here's what we're doing.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, I definitely Let me ask you so, in all those situations and I think as well either with friends because some parents could get annoyed by your level of Intensity how far you take it, and especially if they don't agree with what you're doing, had that too.

Speaker 2:

Yep, I have had that too sadly.

Speaker 1:

But you don't let that stop you. So are you not concerned with what other people think about you? Or does it just one? Just supersede the?

Speaker 2:

other. Yeah, I feel like for me that's a a really good. I think if I had to generalize it, obviously each situation is different and, um, you know, the value of a child and what's happening to a child or to a person for me will always override if a person likes me or not. I'm willing and I have lost friendships and relationships, but because I have prioritized what I feel is right for a child, human or situation over a friendship, I will always prioritize what I feel in my gut and my heart is right. But it does hurt me and it does bother me, like if I feel like people have judged me and judged me harshly and seen my energy and my investment and my intensity and it's been received negatively. You know that's never, ever, ever been my intent to want that to happen, but it has happened more times than I am proud to say. I mean I've had a lot of times that I've had reflections and wished I'd handled it different and wished I had. You know, shoulda, coulda, woulda, and over my years of life I've tried to improve and do things a little better and think a little more and handle things differently. But inevitably, you know, inevitably somebody's going to be everybody happy all the time. I just have to know inside the way I try to make peace with the decisions I make and the things I focus my energy on. That may not be everybody's cup of tea is when I lay down at night and when I close my eyes at night I really try to like recognize that my intent was never to hurt or never to disappoint or never to upset, even if that winds up being inevitably what happens.

Speaker 2:

Who get to know me and know me? I know they see me and recognize that I'm definitely built different and I come from a different upbringing than a lot of people, especially where we live now. Where I live now, it's definitely very, very different from how I grew up and where I grew up and that part of who I am and how I grew up it made me who I am and doesn't. I can't expect everybody to understand where I came from and to have the same perspective, and sometimes that's really hard. That's really, I think, for me the harder thing is regarded not the judgment so much, but not really understanding where my energy and intensity comes from. You know it comes from a place of. You know, a really rough beginning. A really rough beginning.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and look, I mean, you know, I was just actually listening to the audio book now like proofing it, to the audio book now like proofing it, and I was just listening to my own chapter on perspective and how we all have we could be looking, listening, reading, whatever the same thing, but none of us will ever see it the same way, because we all have different upbringings, different perspectives, different lenses that we put on, because no two peoples are alike. We know even our own siblings, right, that's right, that's exactly right. I mean. So it doesn't make a difference. Everybody's coming at it from a different angle and as far as shoulda, coulda, woulda, I don't think there's a person on the face of the earth who we don't all reflect and would handle something differently. I think the big thing to me and the big takeaway from me knowing you, is that you know what you do, what you feel is right in your heart. You're not going out to purposely try and upset anyone or hurt anyone else, but I think it's you're not going to let the fear of what other people are going to say think, do, talk about you stop you from doing what you feel is right. And I think that I mean. For me that's something that can be difficult. It depends, I think, on and we don't have time. But now that I'm talking, like you know, I'm thinking okay, when it does come to certain things that I feel super strongly about, you know, like Sam, like you know certain things, I was not going to let anyone stop me. But then there's those other things, like maybe I was upset about you know the play, right, you know, or whatever, right? That's a different intensity and those kinds of things I think would stop me from fear.

Speaker 1:

And I think that the reason that I specifically had you on the show was just your determination, your lack of I don't want to say lack of caring, just you are who you are, unapologetically, and you're not going to let anyone or anything stop you. Again, not because you're purposely trying to harm anyone or make them uncomfortable, that has nothing to do with it. But I just think you're brave. I just think you're brave in every sense of the word. From the time that you were a little girl. You were brave as a child, brave in the face of incredible adversity and as a parent and a woman. You just continue to be brave and I'm inspired by you. So thank you for being my friend and thank you for coming on the show and sharing a little bit of your inspiration.

Speaker 1:

And to everyone listening listen, you know, be like Chris, stick to your guns. Don't be so worried about everything, everything and everyone else. You know what's right and go out there and do it. Trust yourself, trust yourself, you trust yourself. That's it Well. Thank you again for listening.

Speaker 1:

Don't forget about the launch team and the show notes and I can't wait to see you again next week. Thanks for spending part of your day with me here on. Maybe I Can, exploring possibilities one sprinkle at a time. It's been great having you and I hope you're leaving with a spark to light up your journey to more. Remember, every big change starts with a single maybe. If you're ready to kickstart that change but not sure where to begin, I've got just the thing for you. Head over to download my free guide the One Critical Step to Kickstart Change and take that all-important first step. Let's make those maybes into reality, one sprinkle at a time. Catch you next Tuesday at 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific, with more stories, tips and that extra push you might need. I'm Debbie saying goodbye for now, but always remember maybe, just maybe you can.

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