Yoga Helps Me Live In Realando

Unfortunately, I was the victim of a hit and run auto accident in 1980. Since that time, my right tibia-fibula has been bowed because the resulting fracture did not heal correctly. I also developed osteomyelitis, an infection in the bone, in that leg and had multiple surgeries over a span of four years ending with a successful surgery in 1984. 

By exercising regularly through the years, I manged to keep myself pretty healthy, but my habit of running on the roads didn't help my leg injury at all.  In 2008, I had to stop running due to severe arthritis in my right knee. Then, just normal, every day life caught up with my 50+ year old body, and I found myself on medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, and gout. 

Eventually, the pain in my knee became unbearable.  With the input of my surgeon and my family, I decided to have a total knee replacement which was performed in June of 2010. After physical therapy and what was seeming to be a slow recovery, I heard about Bikram Hot Yoga from my boss. After consulting my surgeon, I started hot yoga one steamy afternoon in August two months after the surgery.  I attribute hot yoga with helping me build muscle and strength in the new joint which resulted in having much more flexibility. Artificial, metal joints are never as flexible and strong as a natural joint, but mine is as good as it gets.  My surgeon was surprised at the range of mobility that my new artificial knee had!  

As I continued to practice regularly, my knee healed fully, and I was gradually able to quit taking all of my medications.  I had been on hypertension, cholesterol, and gout medication for over 12 years before starting yoga, and I have been off of everything for the last 4 years now. 

As I continued to practice hot yoga, I also realized many other health benefits.  I find that I don't get sick nor have I had to miss work because of illness for a long time. Yoga helps me relax, sleep better, and keeps my weight under control.  

I followed Rebecca Jordan-Turner to Revolution Hot Yoga (RHY).  My fellow yoga practitioners at RHY, the young and not so young, encourage and push me to go back, again and again.

I find each class to be a unique challenge. After every class, I am really hot and tired, but very, very happy to have made it through another one.  I definitely feel like I've accomplished something and start to feel rejuvenated by the time I get home after the 15 minute drive.

I tend to live in what I call "realando." To me, that means existing in the present moment, the right here and now. Yoga helps me handle the pains and troubles of realando everyday.

This is Sanjeev Deshmukh's yoga story.

Go to RHY website