When I broke my back I wanted to prove the doctors wrong
<p><em><strong>Maureen Prince, 79, was born in the UK and moved to Melbourne in 1966 with four young children. She is most grateful for her family.</strong></em></p>
<p><img width="209" height="279" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/26421/maureen-prince_209x279.jpg" alt="Maureen Prince (1)" style="float: left;"/>I know that they say that life has its ups and downs but recently I have wondered if the downs are outweighing the ups!</p>
<p>Earlier this year, in my 79th year, I decided that I would endeavour to get fitter. As my son and daughter-in-law (who live close by) have become expert cyclists, I realised how fit they have become over the years, but most of all how they enjoy the experience and the accompanying fitness it gives them.</p>
<p>I used to ride a bike many years earlier and thought that if I could still have sufficient balance and confidence, then I would endeavour to try and ride a bike. So, after practicing on a friend's bike I decided to go and buy my own and off I'd go.</p>
<p>After only managing to ride about one kilometre each time at the beginning, I finally managed to get up to 10kms per ride. I was starting to feel fit and was thoroughly enjoy my time out in the fresh air and the sunshine.</p>
<p>Then the inevitable happened... I was actually trying to get off my bike to press a pedestrian crossing button, when I overbalanced and landed on my back and suffered an L3 burst fracture in my back.</p>
<p>After seven weeks of wearing a brace my fracture fused together and despite the fact that I no longer need to wear the brace, I am still in constant pain. My doctors have said that this will continue for a very long time and I should do physiotherapy regularly and do my best to try and get back to, as they put it, a degree of agility but, at my age, I should not expect too much.</p>
<p>Well, if there is one thing that annoys me more than anything else in the world, it is when the medical profession tells me, “It can't be done”. I had overcome breast cancer in 2005 and the way I see it, this is only a “break” and, despite my age, I'm sure I can get back to where I was – unless it kills me of course!</p>
<p>So the first thing I did was purchase an exercise bike as I knew I wouldn't have the strength to get back on my road bike for a while. Now, only three weeks later, I can walk 2kms, ride my exercise bike for around a total of 15 minutes per day, and I am only in pain if I sit down too long.</p>
<p>I know it's going to take a while before I can ride my road bike again, but I have a target of the February 4, 2017, as it will be my 80th birthday. I'm sure I'll make it.</p>
<p><em><strong>If you have a story to share please get in touch at <a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au">melody@oversixty.com.au</a></strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
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<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/body/2016/07/how-to-reduce-your-cancer-risk/"><em>How to reduce your cancer risk</em></a></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/health/body/2016/07/stay-motivated-to-exercise-during-winter/"><em>5 ways to stay motivated to exercise during winter</em></a></strong></span></p>
