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        <title><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[https://jesistracham.com/feed]]></link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham]]></title>
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        <description><![CDATA[My latest blog posts]]></description>
        <language>en-US</language>
        <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:28:59 +0000</pubDate>

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                <title><![CDATA[Marvins Mountain GNCC]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/marvins-mountain-gncc</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I left a day earlier than usual so I could make it to be apart of GNCC’s school program. We went to Bobtown Elementary...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I left a day earlier than usual so I could make it to be apart of GNCC’s school program. We went to Bobtown Elementary. It was a fun program to be apart of and the kids loved Roxanne., UTV racing resumed at this weekends GNCC. I’ve felt more prepared than ever. I had second place start and held that position well into the second lap. That’s when trouble hit. With Truett breathing down my neck I picked up the pace a bit. There was a tight section I felt my tires rub on the previous lap. This lap my rear would catch the tree, then smash the rock right after because it was bent ending my day, again. (I apologize for blaming Truett for hitting me, I initially thought it was him because there were two hits, but he later explained to me that I hardly made it through that section to begin with., Let me break down single seat racing for you. We race for 30 minutes, our typical track being about 1.5 miles, mostly being cut into the mini course. This was perfect for the first year model of the ACE, but now they are as wide as a RZR S and we need a little more space. Frustration doesn’t even begin to put my feelings to paper. I have finished 1 out of the 4 races I’ve competed in this year, because I’ve broke something every race due to the tightness of the course. After talking to my fellow competitors, I voiced my concerns to the Racer Productions staff so they can address it as needed. We will be back for more racing in two weeks.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>ea5d2f1c4608232e07d3aa3d998e5135</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:46:51 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Keffer Mazda, Huntersville, NC]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/keffer-mazda-huntersville-nc</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Project #InspirACEtion is proud to announce that Keffer Mazda & Select Pre-Owned out of Huntersville, North Carolina]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Project #InspirACEtion is proud to announce that Keffer Mazda & Select Pre-Owned out of Huntersville, North Carolina has joined the efforts of project #inspirACEtion again for the 2016 race season! I cannot say enough what it means to me to have such a huge local backing! I will be at a few of their events this year, including the grand opening of their brand new dealership! As I receive dates I will post them, in the meantime I encourage each and everyone of you to come out for a service or to check out their new and preowned selection, you won’t be disappointed!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>fc490ca45c00b1249bbe3554a4fdf6fb</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:45:54 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[2016 Motion Pro Swag]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/2016-motion-pro-swag</link>
                <description><![CDATA[So pumped for this season. It wouldn’t be possible without all the great sponsors behind me. Thank you so much guys!!!!]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[So pumped for this season. It wouldn’t be possible without all the great sponsors behind me. Thank you so much guys!!!!, Repost from @racer_tech using @RepostRegramApp – We love getting boxes like this from our friends at @motionpro. These guys makes some seriously nice tools and products for motorcycles you can also use on UTV’s. We’re proud to have them on board again for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/2016gncc">#2016GNCC</a> to assist us with setting up @stracham820’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/handcontrols">#handcontrols</a> with the finest control products! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/inspiracetion">#inspirACEtion</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/racertech">#racertech</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rtpro">#rtpro</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/motionpro">#motionpro</a> @polarisorv]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>3295c76acbf4caaed33c36b1b5fc2cb1</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:45:24 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Off Road Radio-Quad Show]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/off-road-radio-quad-show</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Tune into Quad Radio on Off Road Radio at roughly 3 PM est time on Wednesday February 17th!]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Tune into Quad Radio on <a href="http://www.offroadradio.co.uk/">Off Road Radio</a> at roughly 3 PM est time on Wednesday February 17th! Catch up with me as I touch on everything from the upcoming season to having the opportunity to represent North Carolina for the Ms. Wheelchair USA pageant., If you can’t tune in, be sure to check out my interview in the archive section on <a href="http://www.offroadradio.co.uk/quad-show/">The Quad Show</a> after the air date!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>735b90b4568125ed6c3f678819b6e058</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:44:56 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>In The News</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[First Attempt at WCMX]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/first-attempt-at-wcmx</link>
                <description><![CDATA[WCMX is often described as “skateboarding” with a wheelchair. To me it is freestyle mx for wheelchair users.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[WCMX is often described as “skateboarding” with a wheelchair. To me it is freestyle mx for wheelchair users. The sport is well known because of <a href="http://nitrocircus.com/">Nitro Circus</a> and <a href="http://www.aaronfotheringham.com/">Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham</a>., Ever since initial injury it has been something I have wanted to do. Thanks to Pixarbio this dream has become a reality. We designed a custom <a href="http://www.boxwheelchairs.com/">Box Wheelchair</a> that took two months to build. I busted it out of the package last night and took it out to rip today. Check out what transpired., <a href="https://youtu.be/d0VH_Twwk9U"> First Run at WCMX</a>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>a3f390d88e4c41f2747bfa2f1b5f87db</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:44:10 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Pool Therapy]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/pool-therapy</link>
                <description><![CDATA[On 02/16/16 we did pool therapy. We did not use leg braces.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[On 02/16/16 we did pool therapy. We did not use leg braces. Nikki did not assist me. We simply weighted my ankles and tried something new. I did laps across the pool and also did squats. Please click the links below to enjoy some hard work and dedication. Oh and the start of some legs that are actually working.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>14bfa6bb14875e45bba028a21ed38046</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:43:21 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>In The News</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Wheeling in the Woods]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/wheeling-in-the-woods</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Today I took it easy. I just did my normal wheeling in the woods with my husky.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Today I took it easy. I just did my normal wheeling in the woods with my husky. A friend of mine happened to get a little of it on video. Always getting a great work out and enjoyed the beautiful weather!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>7cbbc409ec990f19c78c75bd1e06f215</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:43:50 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Justified Cultures Releases Jesi Stracham’s Official Collection]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/justified-cultures-releases-jesi-strachams-official-collection</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Justified Cultures is a clothing company out of Arizona. For 2016 they not only are backing...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Justified Cultures is a clothing company out of Arizona. For 2016 they not only are backing me for GNCC Racing but also for project #inspirACEtion. Dundee Dempsey, the companies founder and owner, partnered with me to put my ideas to threads. The best part, for every t-shirt sold, a portion of the proceeds go back to spinal cord injury patients. So not only will you guys look good, you are also helping a great cause while doing it! I am so excited to have Justified Cultures on my team!, <a href="https://justifiedcultures.com/shop/index.php/ladies/jesi-stracham-collection.html">Shop Ladies</a>, <a href="https://justifiedcultures.com/shop/index.php/mens/jesi-stracham-mens-collection.html">Shop Mens</a>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>e2c420d928d4bf8ce0ff2ec19b371514</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:42:43 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Round 1 of GNCC Racing in Palatka, Florida]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/round-1-of-gncc-racing-in-palatka-florida</link>
                <description><![CDATA[The 2016 season is finally underway. For the first time in GNCC history the UTV’s and the single seaters...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[The 2016 season is finally underway. For the first time in GNCC history the UTV’s and the single seaters attended round one in Palatka, Florida. GNCC Racing added a class for the single seat Polaris ACE last year. I was very pleased to see this class growing so quickly with eleven entries at the Wild Boar GNCC!, I was pretty nervous going into the opening round; not having any seat time in my Racer Tech Polaris ACE 900. We changed the throttle on the hand controls removing the twist throttle and adding a Motion Pro thumb throttle to the custom steering wheel. Racer Tech really brought out the big guns to make my hand controlled Polaris ACE GNCC ready!, I started mid-pack. In the third turn I hit the on/off switch on the steering wheel. I hit it again to turn the car back on and immediately hit the start button. I spent the entire first lap in a panic, not having the ability turn the car at all without a struggle. On the second lap, I stopped in the pits to be told to turn the car on and off to reset the power steering. I didn’t realize it wasn’t working. I thought, with it being a bigger car and round one being in the Florida sand, that it was just that difficult to turn. After the simple fix I put my head down and charged forward. I went from sixth to fifth place. I hit some lappers in the woods accidently bumping a few of them in my aggressive effort to gain some positions., Even when I raced quads the first race of the season we always used to get a feel for the machine and new season. The uniqueness of a Florida race compared with the rest of the series is massive with opening race jitters and sandy track conditions. I can say with confidence my team and I are ready for UTV Round 2 at Big Buck. I am happy to roll away from the first round with a solid fifth place finish and some new knowledge on a possible easy fix for anything electric!, Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.atvriders.com/atvracing/gncc-racing-2016-01-polaris-ace.html">atvriders.com</a> for the full Polaris ACE Race Report!, I was also featured on the live show on Saturday from the afternoon UTV race on <a href="http://racertv.com/2016/03/05/gncc-live-wild-boar-pro-utv">Racer TV</a>. You’ll hear from me at about an hour into the show!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>32bb90e8976aab5298d5da10fe66f21d</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Round 4 of GNCC Racing in Union, South Carolina]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/round-4-of-gncc-racing-in-union-south-carolina</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Round 4 of the GNCC Racing Series take us to Union, South Carolina for the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Round 4 of the <a href="http://gnccracing.com/events">GNCC Racing Series</a> take us to Union, South Carolina for the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck. The landowner, Henry Turner, has hosted the GNCC Racing Series for 20 seasons now. The entire town of Union comes out to this particular race every year. To gain the support of your town is almost unheard of, but this community really comes together to support us coming out to enjoy a weekend of racing., This track has always been one of my favorites. The South Carolina clay terrain, dusty conditions, and fastness always make this race a difficult one to place well in. Usually about halfway through the race you see machines and riders start to fall off due to the conditions. Endurance and a well-maintained machine is key here., There were 10 entries on the line for the 9 a.m. start of the Single Seat ACE race. I am very pleased to see the consistency of racers coming out to join us in their Polaris Ace. Before we started my mechanic, Ben, asked me not to tear it up too bad while out there, I told him I’d do my best. With that we were all waiting for the ten-second call with our eyes all on Rickey Towery. I was about a mid-pack start as we disappeared into the woods. About half a mile into the course someone about 3 cars up hit a tree. I wasn’t ready for everyone to stop and slammed into the car in front of me. After than incident I was a bit flustered. There was a section on the track that when I was going around I was a bit hesitant on. There was an inside line that was a bit off camber for comfort and an outside line that was even but the turn was sharper than I expected and I hit the tree letting two cars get around me. When I get situated and going again I was more flustered than before. Getting in to the next straight away I got behind another car being sure to stay close due to dusty conditions, at one point the driver let off and I didn’t, so I slammed into them. We made it to the finish to complete lap number one. I made it two turns out of the finish and rolled my car. The last thought to go through my mind was, “Oh Crap!”, and I was on the side. Matt Watson helped to tip me back over, he said I was on the gas before the car even hit the ground. With a bit to eventful first lap I gathered myself and focused on finishing the race. I felt very calm and in tune with the machine. I came through with the white two-lap card out and I was in third. I could hardly believe it! When I came through the finish to get the white flag I slowed my pace and made it a priority to get through the last lap. The car started acting like it wanted to turn off on me, so I stayed steady on the gas to get a podium finish! Words cannot describe how great it felt to be up there with my teammate Sam Yokley! We hope to continue this momentum to the next round!, I have so many people beside me to thank for getting me on the box. First and foremost the Good Lord for watching over each of us as we go out and participate in a sport we love. Racer Productions for putting on a great series; giving us an awesome track to battle it out on. Factory Polaris Racing, Keffer Mazda of Charlotte, Justified Cultures, People Services, GBC Motorsports, PAC Racing Springs, Loud Performance Products, Motion Pro, Shoei Helmets, Beard Seats, SSI Decals, Trinity Racing, K & N Filters, Scott Motorsports, Rockwell Time, the fans, my family of course, and a special thanks to the guys on the Jacks team for feeding me and taking care of me the last two rounds! See you guys again in two weeks!, Follow my road to Texas as I take over Justified Cultures Snapchat (@livejustified) again this Wednesday, where I will be competeing in the <a href="http://www.riseadaptivesports.org/wp/">Rise Adaptive Sports</a> WCMX National Competition on Sunday along with singing the National Anthem!, <a href="http://racertv.com/2016/04/16/gncc-live-vp-racing-fuels-big-buck-pro-atv">Racer TV Big Buck ATV’s</a>, <a href="http://racertv.com/2016/04/16/gncc-live-vp-racing-fuels-pro-utv">Racer TV Big Buck UTV’s</a>, <a href="http://racertv.com/2016/04/17/gncc-live-vp-racing-fuels-pro-bike">Racer TV Big Buck Bikes</a>, Be sure to check out my interviews from last week!, <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Paralyzed-Woman-Back-Racing-Beauty-Pageants-Video-40896265">Pop Sugar Video</a>, <a href="http://www.today.com/health/jesi-stracham-wont-let-paralysis-stop-her-extreme-sports-beauty-t85116">Today.com Article</a>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>d2ddea18f00665ce8623e36bd4e3c7c5</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:41:29 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[CST Camp Coker Bullet and The Wiseco John Penton GNCC]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/cst-camp-coker-bullet-and-the-wiseco-john-penton-gncc</link>
                <description><![CDATA[After coming from a third place podium at the VP Racing Fuels big buck, I went to the inaugural CST Camp Coker Bullet GNCC with high anticipation]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[CST Camp Coker, April 30, After coming from a third place podium at the VP Racing Fuels big buck, I went to the inaugural CST Camp Coker Bullet GNCC with high anticipation. Ten Polaris Ace’s lined up waiting for Ricky Towery to give us the green flag to go <a href="http://gnccracing.com/">GNCC Racing</a>. This season I have been grateful to take my <a href="http://www.polaris.com/en-us/atv-ranger-rzr/racing">Factory Polaris Ace</a> through the finish line each round this year. <a href="http://racertech.com/">Racer Tech</a> keeps my machine in tip-top shape so I can run the wheels off her. I started in fifth place and maintained this position to the finish., The Wiseco John Penton, May 28, After a week of battling illness, I made the drive to Ohio knowing I wasn’t at 100%. I really wanted to stay home in bed, but the doctor had called in medicine and I was off to <a href="http://sundaycreekraceway.com">Sunday Creek</a> to race my <a href="http://racertech.com/">Racer Tech</a> <a href="http://www.polaris.com/en-us/atv-ranger-rzr/racing">Polaris Ace</a>.  The <a href="http://gnccracing.com/event/john-penton">John Penton</a> has always been one of my favorite tracks on the GNCC circuit. I have been begging the guys at Racer Tech to give me more go juice so the top guys in the Single Seat class would stop pulling away from me from the beginning. <a href="http://bikemanperformance.com">Bikeman Performance</a> came through with a Bulldog Programmer and clutch kit, creating an expert formula to get my Polaris Ace going., On the starting line we had eleven entries in the Single Seat Class. Its great to see this class catching on so quickly, last year we had eight entries. The green flag dropped and we were off. I ran onto the front fender and wheel of defending champion <a href="http://www.racer-results.net/results/gncc/2016/racer.asp?n=20106">Sam Yokley</a> in the first turn. I let up on the throttle putting me into the woods in the fifth place position. The John Penton is unique because of the motocross track. This allows spectators to see some racing action and the racers to make passes. We changed positions a lot throughout the race. The entire field swapped back and forth. I passed Sam Yokley at one point, him getting me back on the same lap. I used the motocross track to my advantage, taking risks by trying different lines. Before the table top I was coming in hot, hitting the rollers causing my back end to swap out. I slammed my head on the cage causing me to see stars. I shook it off and charged on. Trailing behind <a href="http://www.racer-results.net/results/gncc/2016/racer.asp?n=22998">Robert Boynton</a> on lap 6, I went wide in the doubles making the pass on him for the third place position. I was then riding behind Sam again, working our way through this fun course the track crew put together. <a href="http://www.racer-results.net/results/gncc/2016/racer.asp?n=23167">Torey Rush</a> was pulling away from the pack, holding a thirty-three second lead over the number one of Sam Yokely with two laps to go. Rush blew a belt in his Polaris Ace giving Yokley, who ran into trouble when he decided to cartwheel his Ace, the lead. This put me in the second place position, lighting a fire in me. With the white flag out and Yokley in my sights I charged forward. I caught him as we went into the woods. As we came out of the woods, having the motocross track between us and the finish we battled. I knew I had a short amount of time to make my move. We had every spectator on the edge of their seats. With a turn, a double, and another turn to the finish I tried to make my pass. I couldn’t get it done. We took the checkered with .828 of a second between us. It was great to be back on the box next to my Polaris Racer Tech teammate of Yokley., That leads us UTV Racers to summer break until we come back in October for the <a href="http://gnccracing.com/event/powerline-park">Polaris Ace Powerline Park</a>.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>ad61ab143223efbc24c7d2583be69251</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:22:19 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[3000 miles in 3 weeks]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/3000-miles-in-3-weeks</link>
                <description><![CDATA[This trip started in Charlotte at Warped Tour before I headed North.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[This trip started in Charlotte at Warped Tour before I headed North. Warped Tour was incredible. I saw some of my favorite bands, even getting a braclet that allowed me back staged to every stage., The next day I finished loading up and headed to Sunday Creek for the rescheduled John Penton GNCC. When i pulled in on Friday evening the conditions were wet. Rider registration hadn’t opened nor did it show signs of opening. I went to the team trailer, where the rest of the team was packing up to head to the hotel, so i didn’t even get out of my car. After heading back to the hotel, I prepped a set of roll off’s for the muddy conditions. It was ironic that the weather was as crappy as it was, being that the race was rescheduled due to weather. Saturday morning I kept to myself on the Polaris Ranger the Ashton family hauls to each race to help get me around the pits, (Team UXC is a family, I couldn’t ask to be apart of a better team). I was stuck in my head. I hadn’t raced muddy conditions in years or since I’ve been paralyzed. I had the pre-race jitters that I would get before an ATV Race. On the starting line I knew I had to get out front to get my goggles to last through the conditions, so I made a pass for the lead in turn two. I felt freakishly calm. My training is paying off. As I weave through the trees, I see the motocross track. I blow a turn right before it, going through the banner. Crap I think, thats a penalty. So I stopped for a second to let the second place guy around me, but he blew the turn getting a bit hung up, so I continued on. Right before the motocross track there is a dip, well I would hit it the right way to cause immediate noticeable damage. My steering had to be turned to the right for my Polaris Ace to go straight. I fought this for the next lap, even taking out the scoring tent when going through, (sorry about that guys), until my arms couldn’t overpower the steering any longer. I headed back to the pits where Michael Swift and Kevin Trantham were gearing up for their 10 am race. They couldn’t physically see the damage, besides where the one wheel was off, but I couldn’t fight the steering for another lap. To say I was bummed was an understatement. I had not lead a race in my single seat racing career yet. After further inspection the following week, Michael said I had bent the frame. I will be more prepared in late September when GNCC single seat racing continues., From Sunday Creek Raceway I headed north to Canton to visit my hometown. I stayed with my Aunt four days before heading east to Scranton, Pennsylvania to stay with my Stracham side of the family. It wasn’t until after my injury I became close with this side. I stayed four days. One day I volunteered at the church during their children summer camp. My cousin Cassie and I attempted to hike the Nay Aug Park on a moderate abled bodied hiking trail. I ended up on the ground trying to see the waterfall, and also went up the steps on my hands with her holding my legs wheelbarrow style. I took part in the cousins pool party, seeing family I hadn’t seen in years., I left them to head North to New York where I visited my good friend Nikki. I was there two days before getting back in the car and heading further north., During my 6 hour drive to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, I had a friend tell me i should start recording my trips, so I broke out my camera and hit record. (The Wheel With Me Series will be released later this year.), I pulled into Cape Cod camp ground, checked in, then set up my tent. Adventure starts where your comfort zone ends. Camping on the cape, four days, by myself. This was a bit out of my comfort zone as I’m still not 100% at getting myself off the ground creating one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I pumped up my twin air mattress and placing my tempurpedic topper to prevent sores if it deflated on top. Strategically, I placed my tent next to the picnic table so I could use that to get in my chair in the morning, along with anchor my tent to it. I have a Kelty Grand Mesa II brand tent. I recommend this because the flap for the door zips perfect around your chair to protect it from weather. One morning I woke up to cath, and heard an animal out side of my tent. This animal sounded like it was growling. I had food from the night before inside with me. I thought maybe that’s why. I stayed as still as possible hoping the animal would leave, but the growling continued. After about 10 minutes of my heart racing thinking an animal was about to attack, someone a couple sites over gasped for a breathe. It was just human snores. What a relief for me., After setting up camp, I headed to Cape Cod Curling Club for ice practice. The next four days I would be competing in the Cape Cod Curling International Summer Bonspiel, along with Matt, Matt, and David. It had been a while since I’ve have ice time, so it took a while for me to warm up. By the end of the 4 days I had it together, but we fell short of making the finals., I packed up shop the following morning, feeling refreshed, I headed south to North Carolina. Ahhh home, where the husky is. Until my next adventure….]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>d09bf41544a3365a46c9077ebb5e35c3</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:28:04 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Asheville Spartan]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/asheville-spartan</link>
                <description><![CDATA[This race was unlike any other. More Heart Than Scars was going to attempt the Asheville ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[This race was unlike any other. More Heart Than Scars was going to attempt the Asheville Spartan Super with an all woman team. Being a strong advocate for woman rising past the “limitations” society has set for us, I couldn’t be more excited., The woman would lead with the men behind in the event we got in a pinch. I’ll tell you what, I’m pretty thankful for that. Not because the woman were incapable, the Asheville, North Carolina mountain terrain was brutal to say the least., Within the first couple of miles I had to completely lose my shit to get some organization. Because we were such a large group, the communication didn’t exists. After my brief meltdown and a bit of regrouping we were back on track. About halfway through Zack and Laura had to leave for previous plans with special Spartans, so Laura took over as lead horse and we would continue on. For roughly 3/4ths of the race we used all woman, but the continues lifting and pulling wore on the team. Towards the end we would cross paths with a group of Sheep Dog’s. They helped us through the last few obstacles, while the ladies threw out trash talk of course. Patrick put be back in the chair after the last obstacle., We finished the race after about 10 and half hours. It was brutal to say the least. I realized I wasn’t in as great of shape as I thought and I have a lot of work to do. I hope to make it to Chicago for the Toughest Mudder on August 26, which is 8 hours throughout the night. Fingers crossed I can find the funds and pull a team together. I cannot thank <a href="https://m.facebook.com/MoreHeartThanScars/">More Heart Than Scars</a> enough for making OCR races possible. Be sure to give them a like ok Facebook!, Until the next adventure…., Support my cause through here ➡ .]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>fbd7939d674997cdb4692d34de8633c4</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:24:11 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[EST Fest]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/est-fest</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I don’t even know where to start to when it comes to this incredible experience. A weekend of camping, music, positive vibes, and NO CELL SERVICE]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I don’t even know where to start to when it comes to this incredible experience. A weekend of camping, music, positive vibes, and NO CELL SERVICE. Come back to 1970 something with me., Leading up to fEST…, Remember that solo camping trip I took a few weeks ago? That was my dry run for this festival, showing I could handle tent camping post spinal cord injury. I bought my ticket with the intention of winging it if my close wheel friend, Taylor, couldn’t make it. Double checking my gear, I got in my car to head north for Ohio. I stopped by my Aunts house for a quick visit before meeting up with Tay, Lex, and Jacob., Day one…., We arrived at the camp ground around 11 am Friday Morning. The sky looked grey, releasing a light mist like that of the grocery store veggie section. Conditions were not promising. We drug everything from the cars to the camp sites and began setting up. We finished around noon and began our festival activities. Friday evening we went to the main stage where we stayed from Mod Sun to Gucci Mane. We headed back to camp and I feel asleep around 1., Day two…., I woke up at 10, setting out to get it together and find Lex, I hadn’t seen her since the day before. She had been sleeping in her car so I met her there and we dressed for the pool., http://jesistracham.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/f5575529-8865-4b56-9ddb-8182d57c963c.mov, Ohio Dreams Sports Complex had a little of everything, from a giant slide into the pool to a small skate park. I enjoyed watching all of the brave souls that flew through the air down the enormous slide, along with the guy on the BMX track. After changing back into dry clothes, I headed to the skatepark. The park was smaller and had a nice flow to it. There were about 100 people gathered around for the fallen fest goers memorial, little did they know my wheels hadn’t seen a park in over a year. The guys pushed me to the top and I flew down. The roar from the crowd had my adrenaline through the roof!, I headed back to my car to change from my pee pants, get ready for the night, and wake Lex up, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS WAS COMING ON SOON!!!!!!! I had missed them in Raleigh the previous year and they are one of the main performances I wanted to see. After getting everything gathered, including Lex, we headed off to the stage. There was a platform on top of the hill that I sat next to on day one, well today, there was a man in a wheelchair on it! I hadn’t pushed so hard out of excitement the entire weekend. For the ENTIRE night show I had the best seat in the house! Not to mention MGK put on about a two hour show, playing a song from every album! Hands down that was one of the best concerts I had seen to date! He finished his set with a fireworks show, then we migrated back to the car to change my pee pants again. Lex was exhausted, so I headed down to find Tay. I ran into Tyler, one of the guys who helped me at the skatepark, and he said he was headed to the dome, so I rolled with. The dome looked like less sturdy version of the domes you climb on at playgrounds, but I was determined to get in the mix. I wheeled through one of the triangles and pushed my way to the front. The entire gang was on a stage in front of us, in front of me was security guards, and two girls, to my right was a metal barricade. With the way the crowd was pushing me I was nervous about busting my face on the barricade so I pushed further forward., http://jesistracham.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/filtered-8079a555-0454-4e4e-a338-8ae6c098de3c-1.mov, This is where the night takes an interesting turn., The crowd kept pushing me forward, into these two girls legs. The security guard kept yelling at me that I couldn’t go anywhere because the girls consistently complained to him. I told him it was the crowd. WELL, the bigger girl kept pushing her heels into my wheelchair, which was irritating so I put on the wheel locks, THEN, the little girl GRABS the front bar on my wheelchair….next thing I knew I had her by her left butt cheek, and was tossing her into the barricade. She got back in her place, staring me down, I looked back, mouthing, “I’m not the one.” Anyone that knows me, knows I’m a laid back hippy, I don’t like violence. Even after the crowd behind me told the security guard what these girls were doing, he continued to watch them bully me. The bigger girl took her skirt off to be standing in her panties, showing her classy side. Now I had her ass in my face as she is pushing on my chair with her ankles, so I started PURPOSELY slamming my chair into their ankles. After the dome was shut down due to time, the security guard looked at the girls, exclaiming, “Thank you for not fighting.” Someone should have got a photo of the look of disbelief on my face. As I rolled out of the dome I shook it off, and headed back to my tent. I fell asleep in my tent somewhere around 4am., The next morning I woke up to some serious stomach cramps. The accessible porta-potty was on the other side of the camp ground so I hadn’t been going the way I needed to. I new I had to go and before I knew it I had a nice big pile of poop in my tent with me.  This so rarely happens to me that I cleaned up, laughed it off, and moved on with packing and loading up. Oh the joys of paralysis. After saying my goodbyes to Lex, Tay, and Jacob, I made the hour drive to my aunts to drop some things off, then headed back to the sweet Carolinas., I cannot wait for next years fEST! It was an incredible experience through and through!, Until next adventure……….]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>28dd2c7955ce926456240b2ff0100bde</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:22:28 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Coast to Coast]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/coast-to-coast</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I slammed the trunk closed, running down my mental checklist. “Yup,” I think to myself, “I’ve lost my mind.”]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I slammed the trunk closed, running down my mental checklist. “Yup,” I think to myself, “I’ve lost my mind.” It was a brisk October morning that would send me off to the Pisgah National forest. I would be “glamping” it up at <a href="https://thebikefarm.com/">The Bike Farm</a> thanks to <a href="http://peaceofadventure.org/">Peace of Adventure</a>. Three days I would push my body past its limits. Hand-cycling through the mountains kicked my butt, (it didn’t help I had a Tougher and Tough Mudder the Saturday and Sunday before)., On Thusday I took off from the mountains of North Carolina. The destination was Ironman Raceway for the last round of GNCC Racing. The entire ace field missed the 10 second call. You would have thought our single seat Polaris ACE’s were bumper cars as we approached turn number two. I lost my door on lap number one removing the protection that keeps my body parts in the car. I had to adjust my leg a few times as it kept trying to escape. The emotion I felt FINALLY seeing the finish of a race, tears escaped. I had a “mini-quad 2008” kind-off season; finishing two out of six races., Sunday came and I had my mind set on Colorado. “I’m taking a week long vacation from my own life,” I jokingly told my friends. The week that would follow would be unimaginable. My wheel-friend Kevin kindly gave me a place to stay for the week. Throughout the week I would meet phenomenal people, gaining new wheel and non wheel friends. During my vacation I made lifetime’s worth of memories including viewing Buffalo Bill’s grave, visiting Red Rocks Amphitheater, and rock climbing out doors for the first time., The week came to an end and I hit the road again. My drive to Vegas was around twelve hours, lucky for me one of the wheel-friends I made had another wheel-friend that lived in Grand Junction. Andy and Sara gave me a place to stay to break up my drive to Vegas. I am beyond grateful to be apart of the close wheelchair community., Being a wheelchair athlete with an abled bodied competitor’s mindset is a difficult and humbling experience. I wanted to complete my 50 mile goal to raise as much money for the <a href="https://www.wheelwithmefoundation.org/">Wheel With Me Foundation</a> as possible. Combining that with a 24-hour obstacle race course creates an intense array of emotions, especially among a team., We started out with a great pace. Finishing the first first lap quickly we stopped in the pit. Before leaving the pit my team captain, Sarah, urge we put a shortie wetsuit on me. Me being inpatient with how long the pits felt I said we would be fine and we continued on. The sun went down and I began to shiver. One mile separated me and my <a href="https://www.xterrawetsuits.com/">XTERRA wetsuit</a>. Throughout that mile I heard complaints of cold from various teammates. My goal of fifty miles slowly deteriorating in addition to my morale., Arriving in the pit, I was quickly layered, restoring my warmth. A key piece of my gear were the prototype Neptune pants Sarah made. They have waterproof pouches for hand warmers, to help keep my legs warm, making up for the poor circulation. The rest of the team started gearing up in their wetsuits, and we were on our way again., The night brings a different element to the race. With nothing more than a small headlamp lighting the way, you become blind to large rocks or holes in the path. Without the warmth of the sun, raising your body’s temperature after water obstacles becomes almost impossible. You are putting your not only your physical strength, but your mental strength to the ultimate test., Lap number 3 came to an end and we were in the pit again. Looking around, the team began to look worn. I wrapped myself in my <a href="https://dryrobe.com/">dryrobe</a> waiting to continue. As time passed pin pricks of cold began kissing my shoulders working their way down my spine. I started moving, working to get the shivers away, but the kisses were persistent. Sarah and Amie pleaded we stay in the pit over night in fearing I would hypothermic. Fifty miles was completely out of the question. Sarah promised me we would get 25, and I was carried into the tent, wrapped in blankets, attempting to shiver my way back to warmth., The last lap was rough for the team. All of the obstacles were open for business. A chill came over me. I balled my <a href="https://www.rocktape.com/">Rock Tape</a> gloved hands deeper in my <a href="https://www.bleggmit.com.au/">Blegg Mitts</a>, punching at the air in front of me to get my blood circulating. The athleticism it takes not only for yourself but for an wheelchair athlete to get through the course is almost impossible, but we managed to assemble a team of lunatics that go after impossible., Because I’m healing I take the penalty for any obstacle we cannot confidently belay on. We continued on to the penalty while the team completed the Cliff, where you jumped off the ledge into a body of water. This was the last obstacle before the finish where Eric and Sarah would make “walking” across the finish possible for me. We finished with twenty miles and the first paraplegic athlete to Holy Grail in the Tough Mudder series. Tyson from team Go Hard reached his goal of 25 miles. I was honored to headband him upon his finish., I’m excited for an east coast Worlds Toughest Mudder next year, so excited, I’ve already bought my registration. I cannot thank everyone who made this possible., A special thanks Sue and the entire Merrell team along with everyone who cheered us on along the way. Words cannot describe what Worlds Toughest Mudder taught me both physically and mentally. From my team, Sarah, E, Cliff, Jeff, Amie, Jenn thank you for supporting me through the good, bad, and ugly and pushing your bodies beyond they’re breaking point. To the folks in the pit, Dirk, Francis, Grace, Sam, and the Volunteers in the orphan tent, Rhonda, thank you for your time and efforts in making this worlds an amazing experience., See you guys in the mud., -Jesi, I started a YouTube series. Please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE!! Click the link!!!, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZxC6pEzGVhOot9twl4NcFt0-IiMk3No2">Wheel With Me Series</a>, Podcast interview with <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/livingadaptive/Jesi_Stracham_-_12-4-17_3.07_PM.mp3">Living Adaptive</a>.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>35f4a8d465e6e1edc05f3d8ab658c551</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:18:07 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Patient Number One]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/patient-number-one</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I am the second patient in the INVIVO Therapeutics clinical trial. They placed a neruscaffold in my spinal cord.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I am the second patient in the <a href="http://www.invivotherapeutics.com/">INVIVO Therapeutics</a> clinical trial. They placed a neruscaffold in my spinal cord. I had a short-lived romance with patient one ( <a href="https://www.today.com/health/woman-finds-fairy-tale-love-returns-racing-after-paralysis-procedure-t24186">click here for video</a>). Below is the story of why I am thankful he ended the romance., I will forever be grateful to have had Jordan in my first 6 months of my spinal cord injury. He gave me a lot of tools to gain independence quickly; an act I am beyond thankful for. I will also never be able thank him enough for ending our relationship. Yes, you read that right; I AM THANKFUL HE LEFT ME., My entire life I have felt that I needed love from other’s to complete my happiness, when in reality I needed love from myself. Self-love is a difficult concept to grasp in a world filled with narcissism, self-pity, and entitlement. I truly didn’t grasp it until about 6 months ago, with a lot left to learn., In a day where perfection is thrown in your face consistently via the Internet, you create a feedback loop from hell within yourself. It will consist of statements like, “if I had ‘this’,” “if I was more like ‘that’,” I would be…..you know what I’m talking about. We compare ourselves to others based on their appearance and material possessions., When Jordan ended our relationship we were working on our recovery together. He motivated me, supported me, loved me etc., to an extent, but in reality he was holding me back. We focused on nothing but recovery. His often complaints of financial woes and family drama without action to change them would frustrate me. He once threw my tight family support in my face, but I stayed anyways. Something we all have done once or twice. Some of us stay in shit relationships in fear we will never find anything better. Or we make up excuses for the person. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO DEVAULE YOU FOR ANOTHER PERSON, With the end of that relationship went my cares about walking again. I decided to start living my life to the fullest. What did I do? Dove head first into every adaptive sport I could try, sharing my adventures via the social media. There was a shift. I started loving my life, then eventually myself. My paralysis was a beautiful journey I would learn to embrace., But it wasn’t until I let go of all of my cares that my self-love train would steam full-speed ahead. The minute I let go of what others thought of me, a world of opportunity opened to me. I accepted that I wasn’t the prettiest, most athletic, or special in anyway. I’m simply Jesi. I’m unapologetically honest, bossy, and I go for what I want. Not everyone will like me, AND THATS OKAY.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>d1fe173d08e959397adf34b1d77e88d7</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:14:38 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[9 Habits Abled-Bodied’s Need to Kick]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/9-habits-abled-bodieds-need-to-kick</link>
                <description><![CDATA[“I’m just a wheel girl in a walking world,” is one of my go-to lines when people ask me what life as a wheelchair user is like.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[“I’m just a wheel girl in a walking world,” is one of my go-to lines when people ask me what life as a wheelchair user is like. In reality, the community isn’t really set up for a wheelchair user. What is considered “wheelchair accessible” typically isn’t, so when an able-bodied (AB) person makes your life more difficult for their own convenience you can start to get frustrated leading you to lose your patience. Here are a few habits that abled bodies can kick to show some consideration for wheel folks., 1. Speak to me, DIRECTLY, not the AB with me., I went to the post office. I had a friend with me. I put my package on the counter, informing the clerk I needed to overnight the package. He started asking my friend for the details about the package. She told him, “speak to her, it’s her package.” I’ve heard story after story of this happening in restaurants, department stores, grocery stores, etc. Also, don’t speak louder to me because I am a wheelchair user. I have a spinal cord injury; I’m not deaf., 2. Get off your phone when you’re walking in public., Being 4’3” in a mall or airport in 2018 is hazardous. The amount of people consumed by their phone while walking in public is alarming. It’s even more alarming when they look at me like I’m the inconsiderate one when they land in my lap. No, I will not move out of my path for your convenience., 3. Stop piling on the elevator, A packed elevator is not an invitation to continue to pack on. Do what I cannot and take the stairs. Most of you could use the exercise anyway., 4. Piling your stuff on our lap., We are not a table to throw your things on. Also, do not ask to put your stuff on my chair or in my backpack; I am not your personal pack mule., 5. Stop Parking on the slashed lines of the parking space., Most people with a disabled parking placard don’t even know what the white slashed lines are for. PSA IT’S A LOADING AND UNLOADING ZONE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS. Please park correctly if you’re going to use the space., 6. Pulling your children away., They won’t offend us and the wheelchair isn’t contagious. Children are curious creatures, let them be. It gives them a chance to learn about wheelchair users and it lets them see we are not different., 7. Moving me for your convenience., If you want to get by me please say excuse me. DO NOT THINK IT IS OKAY TO MOVE MY CHAIR. Countless times, rather than saying excuse me someone has grabbed my chair to move me out of their way. How would you feel if someone picked you, placing you where they wanted?, 8. Stop using the accessible stall to take a crap., Your sh*t isn’t going to stink less from the larger stall. I have a neurogenic bladder, meaning I don’t have the luxury of “holding it in”. Be considerate, use the smaller stall before the accessible one., 9. Rushing out of your way to help me., If you see me rolling towards a business and you are halfway to your car, DO NOT rush back to the door to hold it for me. Also, if you’re opening a door do not stand inside of it to hold it as I can’t get through. If I tell you I’ve got it kindly dismiss yourself., <a href="http://www.youtube.com/jesistracham">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.instgram.com/jesistracham">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jesistracham">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jesistracham">Twitter</a>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>f033ab37c30201f73f142449d037028d</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:11:51 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[UTI Care and Prevention]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/uti-care-and-prevention</link>
                <description><![CDATA[A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of any part of the urinary system – kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of any part of the urinary system – kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra. Most females have experienced the pain of a UTI at least once in their lifetime. The consistent pressure of needing to use the bathroom, the smell of your urine, the burning pain when you urinate…add a spinal cord injury to the mix and you will be having another accident before you change from the first one., Prevention, -cleansing genitals/urinating after sexual intercourse, -diet and exercise, -drink water, -take a d-mannose supplement or shot of apple cider vinegar daily, -(if you’re an intermittent catheter user) try Lofric Catheter, Treating a UTI, Take the following twice daily for 5 days. (If symptoms do not begin to clear in 3 contact your physician.), -Doterra Essential Oils (2 drops), oregano, frankincense, lemon, -a capful of apple cider vinegar, -d-mannose supplement, -drink a lot of water, Why Natural Remedies, A year and a half into my injury I became resistant to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (commonly prescribed for UTI’s). As soon as I finished one round my symptoms would return. I had to find a way to end the cycle. Through trial and error, I lowered the frequency of my UTI’s. Healthy diet and exercise helped to boost my immune system…and made me start drinking more water! But it wasn’t until I became a catheter sales rep that I would learn what would end them altogether. Lofric claims to be the only catheter on the market clinically proven to reduce catheter associated UTI’s by over 40%. I choose them not only for this reason, but because they are the only brand to develop catheters specifically designed to prevent UTIs. I also recommend DoTerra essential oils because they are the only brand I know of that is safe for ingestion., Please leave your comments of how this works for you or anything you use to treat your UTI’s!, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVvbSRDbNvo">UTI YouTube Video</a>, <a href="http://www.doterra.com/wheelwithme">Click here</a> to learn more about DoTerra essential oils., <a href="http://www.wellspect.com/bladder/about-cic/order-lofric-sample">Click here</a> to learn more about Lofric Catheters., **The views and opinions in this post have NOT been reviewed by the FDA or a medical professional.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>43ec517d68b6edd3015b3edc9a11367b</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:08:19 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Navigating NYC as a Wheelchair User]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/navigating-nyc-as-a-wheelchair-user</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I have traveled all over the United States. This country has surprised me in the best ways and in some of the worst.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I have traveled all over the United States. This country has surprised me in the best ways and in some of the worst. I recently made my second trip to <a href="https://youtu.be/qNrK9wbaETc">New York City</a>, but it was the first time I was able to get out and explore. While the Big Apple is an exhilarating place to visit, its lack of accessibility was surprising., Sidewalks, The NYC sidewalk can be dirty, uneven, and rough. Be sure to pay close attention to where your front castors are headed. Obstacles such as holes, ledges, cobble stone and debris are anything but scarce. There are small inclines scattered throughout the city as well, making it the perfect place for an assistive power device, such as a Smart Drive. If you cannot pop down and up curbs you may find yourself in a sticky situation due to the lack of curb cut-outs. The places that had cut-outs typically were accompanied by a large puddle of garbage water, a product of NYC’s dense population of over 8 million. I strongly recommend wearing a set of gloves if you plan on pushing through the city., With construction all over the city this was common., Garbage water is found at almost every curb cut., Subway, Taking the cities Access-A-Ride (accessible cab service) could be time consuming due to traffic;  the subway system is a great way to make the most of your time in New York (when you can find an accessible station near your destination). Give yourself plenty of time when choosing the subway, lack of signage stating what access elevator takes you where can lead to boarding the wrong train. Also there is a small gap between the platform and train when boarding, (I wheelied over this.) Again as with everywhere in NYC the subway is exceptionally dirty, so mentally prepare for your hands and forearms to be black. Accessible stations are listed on the MTA subway map, and you can check elevator status at this website: http://web.mta.info/mta/eles.html., The newer cars have the stops listed on a digital screen., There is a wheelchair symbol next to the accessible stops on that line., (I did not take other public transit while in the city. If you have a disability you can get a reduced fare card by completing this application http://web.mta.info/nyct/fare/rfapply.htm), Here you can see the small lip to enter the train., Businesses, New York City was founded in 1624; it has been around a while. The [lack of] wheelchair accessibility displays this. Most businesses had stairs to access them. When Googling businesses they do not tell you whether or not they are accessible. You could make a trip across town only to find you cannot get up the flight of stairs. Others “tried” to make their business wheel friendly by installing a steep cement ramp where the stairs were. Twice there were instances were I chose outdoor seating because I didn’t want to squeeze through tight tables inside of the restaurant. After lunch I went to use the restroom only to find the doorway was too narrow for my wheelchair to get through. I was shocked to see the shortfall of accessibility in such an advanced city., All this outdoor dining made me thankful for nice weather., Attractions, I do not recommend driving to New York. Finding parking is difficult and pricey. I would recommend flying in, catching public transit to your lodging, and wheeling/walking everywhere., While in New York I went to <a href="https://beatthebomb.com">Beat The Bomb</a> with a group of friends. It was a cool experience and the facility was beyond accommodating when it came to accessibility!, As you can see we did NOT beat the bomb., On a rainy day I went to the <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. The museum was MASIVE. Between fighting crowds and the size of this building it could take an full day to see the museum in its entirety., FREE activities to enjoy in the city:, -Time Square (especially at night), -Central Park, -Staten Island Ferry, -Grand Central Station, -9/11 Memorial, -Museum of Art (fridays 4pm-8pm), -Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, -Kayak the Hudson River, -LOVE statue, Ride the Staton Island Ferry., See the Statue of Liberty., Catch a view of One World Trade., Soak up the sun in Central Park., Check out the Love statue with someone you love.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>9778d5d219c5080b9a6a17bef029331c</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:04:53 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[10 Things Wheelchair Users Don't Want to Hear]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/10-things-wheelchair-users-dont-want-to-hear</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Before you approach a wheelchair user think about how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of what is coming out of your mouth]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Before you approach a wheelchair user think about how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of what is coming out of your mouth. Here are 10 of the most common things I've heard since being a wheelchair user., 1. ”Oh it must suck being in a wheelchair. I couldn’t do it.”, Do you think I am in a wheelchair by choice? Take that negativity somewhere else. There is a positive in every negative. If I looked at wheel life with your attitude I would be miserable. With that said it must suck not having a seat everywhere you go., 2. ”You’re too pretty to be in a chair.”, Disability doesn’t discriminate. At any moment in time disability can affect you changing your life forever. Just because you're smart, funny, pretty, etc does not mean you can avoid an accident caused by someone else., 3. “What do you need the wheelchair for? You don’t look paralyzed your legs are thick.”, Uh, Thanks? But really I use <a href="http://axiobionics.com/wearable-therapy-technology/">Wearable Therapy by Axiobionics</a>. It's electric stimulation shorts I sleep in to keep muscle mass on my legs. So yes my legs are not atrophied too bad., 4. "It’s so nice to see you in public! You're such an inspiration!”, This is nothing but discouraging. Are we supposed to be a recluse because we use a wheelchair? Am I inspiring for continuing life after an obstacle? Tell me I'm inspiring for all of the cool stuff I do (see ADAPT); not for pumping my gas!, 5.  ”Do you have a license to drive that thing?”, Or when you say, “You’re going to get a speeding ticket.” Also, if there are two wheelchair users together DO NOT ASK THEM IF THEY’RE RACING. How would you feel if you and your friend are walking together, minding your own business when someone yells, "ARE YOU GUYS RACING?!" It's unnecessary and a bit obnoxious., 6.  "Are you going to walk again? How much longer until you’re healed? Can you feel your legs?", No two spinal cord injuries are the same, so no two wheelchair users are going to be the same. It gets old hearing about your old neighbor's cousin up the road who worked really hard and now they walk. It’s actually discouraging. Just like many others I am completely content with my wheel life regardless of recovery., 7. "Can you still have sex?”, Have you ever heard the old saying “curiosity killed the cat”? Imagine if I asked you about your sex life. It wasn’t until I started using dating apps like Tinder and Bumble that this question came into my inbox. My reply, “The doctors sewed it up and called it a lost cause. I can’t feel it anyways., But yes, I can still have sex and still have children. I just choose not to, with you., 8.  “What happened to your legs?", Looks down. “They look fine to me?”, It was my spinal cord that was damaged not my legs., 9. "You’re so lucky you always have a seat!", Lady Luck is on my side. Have you seen the parking? Or noticed my low need for new shoes?, 10.  “Have you tried to move your legs? You’re not trying hard enough to recover. Get up and walk already.”, Of course I’ve tried to move my legs. You telling me, “Get up and walk already,” is not speeding up the process. I may be recovering, but it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time for nerves to reconnect. The only thing you’re doing is reminding us of the progress we aren’t making.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>fe9fc289c3ff0af142b6d3bead98a923</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Why I wear Pull-Ups...]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/why-i-wear-pull-ups</link>
                <description><![CDATA[When Depends became too baggy after my weight loss causing leaks and the pads would slide to the side...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[When Depends became too baggy after my weight loss causing leaks and the pads would slide to the side, I switched to GoodNites brand children’s diapers. Immediately, my confidence was boosted with the cute designs and panty like fit. Even though I have my bladder well managed, I still wear them daily. With my active lifestyle I like the piece of mind that if I have an accident my wheelchair cushion and clothes will still be dry. I simply rip the diaper off, clean my downstairs “area” with a baby wipe, put a new diaper on and wheel on my way., Often times SCI survivors suggest Botox Injections and pharmaceuticals to help with my incontinence. I used both up until April 2017 when they quit working. I searched high and low for natural alternatives after realizing how well my body felt after getting off of the pharmaceuticals. The uncomfortable constipation and dry mouth ceased within days!, Early summer 2018 I had a bladder study done. The nurse who perform the study shamed me for refusing to take the prescribed medicines. She put me in tears saying due to the amount of spasms my bladder has shrunk significantly.  She continued on with a shame train because I refused pharmaceuticals after explaining they didn’t work and made me feel funny. She placed fear deep within my soul threatening that I would need a permanent catheter in my stomach with a bag or bladder augmentation (surgery where they take a piece of your bowel to make you bladder bigger) before I knew it., After calming myself down, reading the materials she gave me I realized I caused these issues. When I was first injured I didn’t take cathing seriously. I would let my bladder fill and fill sometimes filling and entire cath bag (1200mL), extremely distending my bladder. The urologist was not available that day and I was leaving to my hometown for the summer. I had an appointment in August but after waiting an hour I was informed it would be another hour and half before the urologist could see me. He was booked out until November. Worried about my future bladder health, his scheduler reassured me if there were serious issue he would have seen me sooner. I didn’t appreciate the way the nurse had made me feel., Since then, I have had the opportunity to speak with my urologist, he suggested a low side-effect pharmaceutical ( <a href="https://www.myrbetriq.com/">Myrbetriq</a>) and in-office Botox injections. My bladder has shrunk significantly due to the amount of spasms causing me to leak rather than letting it fill. Cutting out sugar, drinking plenty of water and switching to the Lofric catheter ( <a href="http://www.wellspect.com/bladder/about-cic/order-lofric-sample">get your sample here</a>) significantly reduced my risk of UTI. (Which I found a natural cure to <a href="http://jesistracham.com/uti-care-and-prevention/">here</a>.), If you take anything from this blog post, please please please take your bladder health seriously. Cath according to the schedule your urologist suggests, take the medicine that works for you, and live your best life!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>68d30a9594728bc39aa24be94b319d21</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:52:39 +0000</pubDate>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[ADAPT]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/adapt</link>
                <description><![CDATA[On January 18th, 2015 my life changed in a way I never expected. It was a beautiful 60 degrees in Charlotte, North Carolina...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="https://youtu.be/GRCQQ0A5W8c">ADAPT</a>, On January 18th, 2015 my life changed in a way I never expected. It was a beautiful 60 degrees in Charlotte, North Carolina, a perfect day to go on a motorcycle ride. I jumped on the back of the R1 like I had so many times before. We left the traffic light, gaining speed quickly when I saw the SUV going for the u-turn. I began hitting the driver of the bike screaming, but he didn’t stop - I closed my eyes and tucked into the driver’s back, closing my eyes. The last thing i heard was metal crunching before everything went black. The first week in the hospital was a blur. I briefly remember the many visitors I had including a dream of my deceased grandmother telling me it wasn’t my time. What I do remember is my parents saying they enrolled me in a clinical trial, and that it was my only hope at a recovery. At first I didn’t take the situation seriously because of the trial. Even though I was the second person in the world to receive this neuro-spinal scaffold, I was sure I would only be paralyzed a few months. After I became healthy enough, I was sent to inpatient rehabilitation where I learned the skills to live as a new paraplegic. After 3 long months I was finally going home, not realizing the obstacles that lie ahead., I returned home and reality set in. I wasn’t making the “benchmarks” in the trial that patient one was. I was paralyzed, losing all hope of a full life. I was angry. I was frustrated. I started living life to the fullest for the wrong reasons. I was selfish, competing in adaptive athletics to try to be better than the top competitors. I thought I was invincible putting myself in dangerous situations with no regard for my safety., Then things changed. Shortly after my two year mark and a follow up with the trial where I was told I had no improvement, I fell on a hotel room and couldn’t get myself up. I posted a <a href="https://youtu.be/nDfe6jKay0w">meltdown video</a> on youtube that gained over 40,000 views. I quickly realized I had platform to inspire people to live the life they want and my negative attitude wasn’t doing anything except bringing me down. I went home from that trip with a new attitude. I started working out and changed my diet. I started regaining sensation and small movements. I then had the opportunity to visit a healer who restored hope in recovery after I regained movement., I worked on my physical recovery for a year before I began addressing the mental recovery. I never thought I would walk again before regaining movement and I was okay with this. I then had to make the decision to work. I put in work daily both physically and mentally. Some days it feels like I’m moving backwards. One day I feel everything and my legs will be strong, others I’m where I was when first injured. This is beyond taxing. Without regular meditation and self care I break down. Countless times I have had mental breakdowns on the floor similar to the one I had on the hotel room floor, though less frequent these days., Despite the hardship, I would never take back this injury. The journey it has taken me on has been nothing less than incredible. The people I’ve met, the amount of strength my faith has gained, and my perspective are irreplaceable. Not to mention the opportunities this injury has brought! I never thought I would get to compete in Tough Mudder competitions. It’s absolutely humbling to rely on others with my safety through the course. That brings me to ADAPT. I hope when you watch it I hope you are inspired to Live Life to the Fullest like I do everyday., Be sure to check out <a href="https://www.iabmfg.com"> I Am Becoming's</a> 5 inch line! They are shorts that are unintentionally adapted for wheelchair users, plus all of their high waisted leggings tuck in that pesky para belly! Check it out!]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>3ef815416f775098fe977004015c6193</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:50:16 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>In The News</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Seasonal Affective Disorder]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/seasonal-affective-disorder</link>
                <description><![CDATA[As the weather begins to cool, the leaves begin to fall, and the days become shorter with the time change, my mood typically goes with it.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[As the weather begins to cool, the leaves begin to fall, and the days become shorter with the time change, my mood typically goes with it. Around the beginning of November I notice a cloud that begins to follow me. By the end of November the funk is alive and well in full force make me an anxious, sad, ball of mess., Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a type of depression that relates to the change of season. They typically arise the same time each year; starting in late fall and ending in early spring or when the sun comes back out. Summertime SAD is common but less frequent., I have never been a fan of the holidays. My spinal cord injury just amplified my dislike for the season. Every year I am reminded of the tasks that are a little more difficult for me, so I don't partake at all. Putting up various decorations including the tree, lights, wreaths - I avoid these like the plague. My drive for life is extremely dulled and my awareness of my disability is magnified to the highest degree., Could it be the cold weather? The grey skies? Or is it my that my last walking memory was the Holidays?, My fondest memory is December 21st, 2014. My aunts and uncles piled in their vehicles to make the drive to North Carolina from Ohio for the Browns v. Panthers football game. My parents had rented a party bus as a Christmas gift to the family. It reminded me of when I was a kid living in ohio, the entire family would come to our house on Christmas Eve. It was always my favorite part of the holidays. None of us knew less than a month later our lives would change forever…, How to beat seasonal depression...can you beat it?, The most popular recommendation for seasonal depression is a light box. I personally enjoy the Sun Angel Tanning bed at Kimber Tanz. I put on headphones with sounds of the ocean and meditate my way to a warm beach. I notice this significantly improves my mood, but I try not to lay more than 3 times a week for my skin health. The limited daylight hours and chilly weather of the winter months make it difficult, but getting natural sunlight is the best remedy. Another suggestion is more light through a dawn simulator. It is like an alarm clock. Rather than using noise it simulates the sun rising., Schedules are critical to most people's sanity. Keeping a routine prevents SAD symptoms., Take a nighttime bath or use a diffuser with calming essential oils. I personally use lavender and chamomile. (For more about essential oils email me at jesi@jesistracham.com).  Aromatherapy is great for mood enhancing., The hardest SAD struggle I have is my drive to do anything. I have to force myself to get out of bed. I may complain the entire time but I do it anyways. Keep a packed schedule to staying proactive., Go to the gym, a solid sweat session always improves my mood, plus you are helping with the weight gain that commonly accompanies seasonal depression., Talk to your doctor about seasonal depression and your vitamin D levels. It may be beneficial for you to take a Vitamin D supplement or in extreme cases an antidepressant., Self-care is imperative to overcoming SAD symptoms. Keeping a journal helps. I personally try to write daily 7 things I am Proud of myself for, Forgive myself for, and Commit to myself. Meditation is also a solid self-care tool. Try everything and find out what works for you.  (For more about self care email me at jesi@jesistracham.com).]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>93db85ed909c13838ff95ccfa94cebd9</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:46:48 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Worlds Toughest Mudder]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/worlds-toughest-mudder</link>
                <description><![CDATA[World's Toughest Mudder 24 hours is a 5 mile obstacle course that tests your mental and physical strength. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA["World’s Toughest Mudder is the most extreme, insane, imposing, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping 24-hour obstacle course challenge on the planet.” -Tough Mudder, World's Toughest Mudder 24 hours is a 5 mile obstacle course that tests your mental and physical strength. This was my second World’s Toughest Mudder. Last year, I had a goal of 50 miles with no idea of what I was getting myself into; this year I was prepared (and a little more grounded) with a goal of 25 miles. , With temperatures predicted in the low 30’s my chances at 25 miles looked more and more unlikely. After Sarah and I had a chance to talk, our goal was to simply have fun and finish. Little did we know, this year would be more challenging and exhausting in ways we could never imagine., Race morning came. I woke up around 6:00 am, no alarm clock needed. I put shorts on so it would be easy to place my Foley (catheter) when I got to the venue. On the drive to the venue Sarah called saying all of our gear had been moved. She was on the hunt to find it, and eventually did, that’s why she’s in charge.  I waited on Sarah to get to my car with the Foley., Foley placed and layered up in neoprene, I was ready to head to the pit where things were a bit chaotic upon my arrival., That noon start time came upon us quicker than expected., The first mile of the race was pretty rough. There was one team member who acted like he wanted to run everything, and had bad energy, I knew it was going to be a long day. About halfway through the course my left front wheel started acting wonky. It had loosened up so we tightened it and continued. I kept my eye on it as we went on., The obstacles open on a rolling start basis. You have one hour out of the 24 with no obstacles. In our first lap the only open obstacle we hit was mud mile (a series of mud mounds and water filled pits). About a mile from the finish the left front wheel started acting wonky again when it fell off completely. I held the wheel while the guys fastened a rope around the side it was missing from and we slowly finished our last mile. We got into the pit and the team quickly got geared up for the night., Hypothermia wasn’t an “if” it was a “when” for us (myself and the team alike since they move so slow compared to runners) and that changed the way we approached things. Our pit crew was incredible. They were quick to help my team put on wetsuits and get the wheelchair patched up. We left without headlamps out for another lap. We didnt take into consideration that by this time most of the obstacles would be open, slowing down our lap times. Sarah was the only person to bring a headlamp. Almost 2 hours we navigated in the dark before making it to Mudder Horn - a 30-35 foot climbing net. By this time I couldn’t feel my fingertips. I was in pain and tears were flowing. With the help of my team I was able to conquer it to move on to the pit., As soon as we stopped moving, the chill set in. Like flies we dropped from hypothermia, one by one. Within an hour my team had me stripped out of my wet clothes and wrapped in emergency blankets to bring my temperature back up. By midnight I was warmed back up ready to roll. Sarah promised me we’d go back out for our final lap in the morning. 6 am came and what was left of my team got me dressed. We went back on course with nothing but the goal to finish. Our team had been cut in half. We started with eight and finished with four. My team was physically drained after fighting the cold all night. We didn’t attempt any obstacles. Getting the chair through the course is an obstacle in itself and with our lack of manpower we didn’t want to risk my safety on the obstacles., When we crossed the finish line the sense of accomplishment and growth I felt was indescribable. Last year I fought tooth and nail to get dressed and finish the race. This year I was begging my team to finish the race with me. I pushed my body past physical and mental limitations in the hardest obstacle course race in the world. If I can get my ticket covered I will be back in 2019 for more cold, mud, and self growth.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>c7e1249ffc03eb9ded908c236bd1996d</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:37:08 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Racing</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Memorable Moments of 2018]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/memorable-moments-of-2018</link>
                <description><![CDATA[What an incredible year I’ve had! I want to recap my most memorable moments from 2018! I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did looking back.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[What an incredible year I’ve had! I want to recap my most memorable moments from 2018! I hope you enjoy reading as much as I did looking back. , |Partnering with IAB MFG (I Am Becoming), <a href="http://www.iabmfg.com">IAB</a> is more than a fitness clothing brand. The founder Tom supports personal growth and want you to look good while doing it. They share stories of strong women in the fitness community while marketing a quality attractive clothing line!, Check out this mini documentary they did about me -- <a href="https://youtu.be/GRCQQ0A5W8c">ADAPT</a>, |Worlds Toughest Mudder , After getting hypothermic in the night and losing half my team I was able to rise to the challenge of 24 hours Worlds Toughest Mudder. Pushing my body past its limits and overcoming mental challenges I wasn’t able to last year was a rewarding recognition of my growth. , |Experiences with old friends/gaining new friends , Early in the year I gained a few new friends after reaching out to them on social media, growing closer. I've also traveled spending time with many close friends all over the US. The experiences were irreplaceable!, |Making Developmental Team USA In Wheelchair Curling , I went through an entire trials process this year to ultimately be selected for the developmental program within Team USA in wheelchair curling. Words cannot describe how proud I felt to receive a jacket with the American flag and my last name on it. I’m excited to continue to grown my curling skills, continuing my path to Team USA. , |Breaking my hardware/Back Surgery, This was a humbling experience. I was in the best shape of my life during my summer in Ohio when my back started making a clicking noise. After a visit to the urgent care we found I had broke a rod on my back. I scheduled an emergency visit with my Neurosurgeon in Charlotte. After a CT Scan we found not only was a rod broke but two screws in the lower part of my hardware. The plan was simple back surgery. Two small incisions. One to fix the rod, one to remove the screws. What I wasn’t prepared for was the humbling experience recovery would be the months after. I didn’t realize how taxing surgery was on your body. , |Sailing In Washington , I had a gentleman by the name of Bob reach out to me on Facebook letting me know he had an organization on Lake Washington in Seattle called <a href="https://footloosedisabledsailing.org/">Footloose Sailing</a>. With a motto of leaving disability at the dock, you quickly forget you use a wheelchair outside of that boat. Knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to share his passion of sailing Bob is always game to get out on the water. , Thanks to Bob I found my big adventure of 2019 - NORDIC SKIING MOUNT RAINER with another adaptive athlete and a small team!, |Breaking out of my Comfort Zone , This year I finally broke out of my comfort zone. Between reaching out to strangers while conversation or being completely transparent about my struggles, I finally stopped caring what people thought of me. This year, I grew more than I could have ever imagined. Growth is critical in life. Everything around us is evolving, so we must evolve with life. Excited to see the work I put in 2018 begin to flourish in 2019.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>2a38a4a9316c49e5a833517c45d31070</guid>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:33:51 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Moving Mountains]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/moving-mountains</link>
                <description><![CDATA[This summer, I was entranced by Mt. Rainier while sailing on Lake Washington. After doing some research...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[01/11/2019, This summer, I was entranced by Mt. Rainier while sailing on Lake Washington. After doing some research, it appeared that very few adaptive athletes have reached its summit. I am announcing my intent to attempt that climb during summer of 2019., I am aware that this would be no small feat. Already, the odds are stacked against me in the form of physical limitations and medical concerns. However, I have no doubt that with careful planning and support from my sponsors, I can successfully complete what is regarded as a significant accomplishment for even an abled-bodied hiker., In the same breath, I do not intend to trivialize this climb by commercializing it. Nor do I intend to degenerate this experience into a competitive endeavor. In the same vein as thousands before me, I view it as a sacred and precious achievement. I view it as an incredible privilege to use this as an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. My wish is only to inspire disabled and abled-bodied alike to not set limitations on what they can achieve., Over the next six months, I will be tirelessly securing support, training my body, and preparing my mind to endure the rigor of what I am confident will be a physically grueling and emotionally trying experience., Please share this message. If you can personally help, I encourage you to reach out. Let’s make this happen together. Wheel with me.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>7647966b7343c29048673252e490f736</guid>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:10:27 +0000</pubDate>
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                <title><![CDATA[10 Tips For Flying With A Manual Wheelchair]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/10-tips-for-flying-with-a-manual-wheelchair</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Flying is a pain without a disability, so after my injury I was pretty nervous about flying.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Flying is a pain without a disability, so after my injury I was pretty nervous about flying. Most airlines would charge an arm and a leg in baggage fees along with an attitude when you request extra assistance due to your disability. With my added medical supplies my bags would often be overweight and the option to just use a carry on was taken away. Here are a couple of tips and tricks I have when it’s related to flying. , 1. Make a list when you pack. I don’t know about you but my mind runs a hundred miles a minute. If I didn’t make a list with the essentials I would surely forget the most important items., 2. TSA Pre-check. If you want to avoid the full body patdown (unless your hands test positivite), I HIGHLY recommend spending $80 for 5 years of TSA precheck. They swab your hands and cushion then inspect/patdown your chair. It takes your TSA experience from 20 or 30 minutes to 10., 3. Your bag ALWAYS contains medical/assistive devices. I remember being so frustrated that I’d have to pay for luggage when the only reason I was checking luggage was due to my medical supplies. A close friend informed me airlines often make an exception for medical supplies and assistive devices. I always pack my Axiobionics Wearable therapy, loose catheters, diapers, and gloves on top of my luggage. Be sure not to lie about your supplies because often times they will check. , 4. Fly Southwest. The Southwest Staff is typically more friendly and willing to accommodate its passengers with disabilities and with a smile! My chair is narrow enough that with their open seating policy I can board the plane straight from my chair rather than transferring to an isle chair. They also are very accommodating with helping me use the restroom. They have the lowest rate for damaging my wheelchair with one time out of the twenty something flights I have taken compared to the other airlines. On the rare occasion I have had an issue the customer service team was quick to take care of it. , 5. Keep enough supplies on you for an overnight stay. With unpredictable weather and unforeseen events flights may get cancelled and luggage can get misplaced. The last thing you want is to be stranded somewhere without your medical supplies. For me it’s catheters. I always make sure to have enough for a day in my pack. , 6. Remove any removable pieces of your wheelchair before they take it. A lot of people are inconsiderate that your chair acts as your legs. They often treat it like luggage, tossing it (literally) under the plane. The last thing you want is to lose your cushion, side guards, backrest, or pack under the plane. Rather be safe than sorry so I remove everything. , 7. Meal prep and bring an empty bottle. Airports are EXPENSIVE. The food is typically packed with salt and grease. Rather than worrying about finding something to eat I always pack snacks, and a meal (depending on how long my day is.) With water fountains scattered throughout the airport, bringing your own water bottle saves money. , 8. Be patient with the employees. Especially if your flight is delayed or cancelled. The employees have no control over flight status. They are the messengers. Don’t shoot the messenger., 9. Give yourself enough time during a layover. As a wheelchair user you are first to board the plane and the last one off. You want to be sure to give yourself enough time to get from one gate to another., 10. Car Rentals. You can request a vehicle with hand controls. You’ll want to call to specify that you need a right or left hand control when booking the car, 48 and 24 hours before. Sometimes the rental company will STILL fail you. Before leaving the facility always say there is damage anywhere your wheelchair could cause damage so you’re not liable.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>8613985ec49eb8f757ae6439e879bb2a</guid>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:09:31 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Mourning My Losses]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/mourning-my-losses</link>
                <description><![CDATA[My spinal cord injury is one of the greatest things that could have happened to me. It has given me perspective of what’s important...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[My spinal cord injury is one of the greatest things that could have happened to me. It has given me perspective of what’s important, put incredible people in my life, taught me to love myself, and made my faith stronger than ever. The opportunities outweigh the list of things I can’t do but I just would like to take a moment to mourn my losses., Wake up, Get ready, leave the house (in 15 minutes)., This adjustment has been the hardest for me. It wasn’t until 3 years into my injury I even acknowledged it takes me longer to get ready (which was the main reason I was always late). When I’m at home it takes me about 30 minutes to get out the door, when I’m traveling it may take close to an hour, (as long as all goes well.) Some days are easy, some days I put my shoe on and off 5 times because my toes keep rolling in the shoe., 2. My Ability to Use the Bathroom, I took for granted the days I didn’t have to worry about peeing myself or using catheters. Sometimes I have the sensation to pee, sometimes I don’t get it until I pee myself. I have a 2-3 hour window between catheterizations. I used to struggle with UTI’s, getting an infection in my intenstines (c-diff) twice and becoming immune to an antibiotic in my first year of injury! I then switch to Lofric catheters and don’t even worry about UTI’s anymore., The weirdest part of my spinal cord injury has to be how I number 2. On the days my sphincter (your butt hole muscle) doesn’t want to work, I put a glove on and have to digitally stimulate my poop out. You read that right, I finger blast my fart box to poop. The bowel/bladder stuff wasn’t bad when I couldn’t feel it. Now I feel the pinch every time I catheterize myself and the finger entering my rectum. This is probably the weirdest and hardest thing for me to accept about this life. , 3. My Mobile Freedom, I miss the days I could pack a backpack of clothes for the week not worrying about all of my medical supplies. Or when I could carry every grocery bag in one trip. Spend a day hiking. Jump into any body of water. Not worry about where I’ll use the bathroom while camping. One of my biggest struggles is asking for help. There’s this beautiful waterfall I used to go to in a park called South Mountain in North Carolina. I often dream of visiting it again but the stairs leading to it quickly remind me of my limitations., 4. How Easy it Was To Train at the Gym, I really took my health and fitness for granted before I was injured. Binge drinking and taking things I shouldn’t have, I partied hard. It wasn’t until the year before my injury I really started taking fitness seriously. It wasn’t 2 years into my injury I took my mental and physical heath seriously. I changed my diet in what I eat and what I view. I don’t watch the news scroll or Facebook because filtering what you take in mentally is just as important as what you eat. I’m the healthiest physically and mentally I’ve ever been. Some days while training I still can’t shake the haunting memory how easy it was to train at the gym pre-injury. , 5. When I Chose to Be a Jerk, This is another struggle for me. Because my spinal cord injury is visible my brain injury is often forgotten about...until I lose it on a friend or say something off the wall. It’s exhausting filtering every thought that comes to mind. Everyday I work to be a better version of me, but some days this seems to hold me back. , 6. Life without Logistics, The days of simply visiting a friend’s house or checking out that historic restaurant are gone. I wish I didn’t have to worry about finding a bathroom while camping. Or a pad under my air mattress so I don’t get a sore. Or my Axiobionics wearable therapy to maintain my muscle mass. I feel like I cannot go anywhere without all of my “necessary stuff”. When I visit friend houses I’m often plagued with worry. “I wonder how many stairs they have.” “I hope I can get into the bathroom.” True friends often don’t see your disability, forgetting the logistics that come with it, not taking your mobility limitations into consideration. In the same sense they will also do everything they can to help you overcome it. , So life looks a little different with a spinal cord injury. There are still a ton of opportunities it brings to you. You get a different perspective of life and get to see not only your physical but mental strength to adapt and overcome obstacles. It’s okay to think about your limitations, but don’t stay in life-long mourning of them, for you will miss out on a life full of opportunity. For my abled-bodied friends it’s important to remember this may happen to you at any time. Disability doesn’t discriminate. Don’t get so caught up in life’s woes you forget all of the things you have to be grateful for., I may have a lot of “losses”, but I have a lot more wins. This injury has brought opportunities I would have never thought were possible! I’ve tried out for the NATIONAL CURLING TEAM! 🥌 I never thought of curling, never mind being involved in the National Developmental program. It brought me my love for helping others to use their obstacles to live the life they want. This injury taught me to love myself, and continue to grow into a better version of that person. Everyday it helps me strive to be my best version of me. It grew my faith stronger than I ever thought possible. And it has shown me just how limitless I can be. 💕 #wheelwithme]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>54229abfcfa5649e7003b83dd4755294</guid>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:08:17 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Excerpt From My Journal]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/excerpt-from-my-journal</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I’m so frustrated. I’m frustrated at my limitations. That I have to rely on mechanical devices that can fail me for my independence.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I’m so frustrated. I’m frustrated at my limitations. That I have to rely on mechanical devices that can fail me for my independence., A lifts that stop working., In moments like these it’s easy to get caught up in everything I haven’t figured out how to do yet or choose not to do. As much as I would like to act like I am able to do everything I still have limitations. This is often hard for me to admit. I’ll often avoid certain activities so I don’t have to deal with my limitations., It’s a weird place to be, having to rely on equipment for mobility. Some days your limitations add up. Things you never thought twice about take methodical planning. It’s hard to comprehend life this way. Maybe not comprehend but understand. Rarely do I think this deeply on my disability., Typically if something is out of my reach, I quickly find a solution without thinking about it. When I keep dropping stuff from my lap, I get frustrated. Not at my wheelchair but that the item just won’t stay. I don’t think about how much easier it would be if I could use my hands to carry something rather than using them as legs to move me forward., It’s mind blowing to me how cathing is so routine. I hardly think about how I pee just as before my injury even though there are so many steps. Small things like pulling my pants up are now mindless tasks that get me through the day., Everything that generated fear while laying in that hospital bed is now daily routine. Something I hardly think twice about. It’s amazing how quickly we adjust to new circumstances when we focus on gratitude rather than loss. Often times our obstacles are so overwhelming, we struggle to see how we can work through them, until we do. How often do we take a step back to reflect on the big picture? Reflect on how much growth we have achieved? How much we have developed personally? Daily reflection is an important exercise that should be a part of your daily routine.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>92cc227532d17e56e07902b254dfad10</guid>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:04:37 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Taking A Step Back From Competitive Curling]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/taking-a-step-back-from-competitive-curling</link>
                <description><![CDATA[In 2016 I was on a mission to try as many adaptive sports as possible. My goal was to show others the numerous activities available to them.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[In 2016 I was on a mission to try as many adaptive sports as possible. My goal was to show others the numerous activities available to them. Toward the end of 2016 I found wheelchair curling.  Wheelchair Curling is quite unique in it doesn’t have the sweepers traditional curling has. The sport is about technique and patience. The wheelchair curler sets up their stone, taps it in to position, aims, and throws it at the perfect weight to land where the skip, (the person calling the shots), asked it to land. I was consumed by the finesse! I have competed in 2 US pre-trial selection processes and 2 Team USA selection trials. I’ve participated in numerous camps across the country, having the opportunity to curl in different clubs. I’ve created life long friendships., Wheelchair curling has taught me a few lessons. The importance of unity and flow it takes to make a successful team. Mental management that I apply to every aspect of my life. Wheelchair curling gave me the skill of detailed documentation, which I use for my education and fitness routine. It taught me patience, to anticipate the unexpected, and how to let go. But most importantly wheelchair curling taught me the game isn’t over until it’s over., I recently have been experiencing shoulder pain; seeking medical attention for the pain. After 3 weeks off of the ice due to the shoulder pain, I have had time to think. I wasn’t applying myself to the national program as much as it takes to be a world caliber athlete. In the 3 years I have been with the program my priorities have shifted from athletics to my education and non-profit. I will still curl for fun but at this time it is not fair to my teammates nor myself to continue to participate in the national program. I am taking time off to allow my achy shoulder to heal and to focus on my main priorities., This was not an easy decision to make. Being a world caliber athlete is an experience that words cannot describe. To represent the USA in an International competition is the stuff dreams are made of. This is not goodbye forever but until later.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>98dce83da57b0395e163467c9dae521b</guid>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Aug 2023 02:04:56 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[Wheel With Me x iAccess x Purposity Partnership]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/wheel-with-me-x-iaccess-x-purposity-partnership</link>
                <description><![CDATA[iACCESS LIFE PARTNERS WITH WHEEL WITH ME, PURPOSITY TO BENEFIT SPINAL CORD INJURY SURVIVORS ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[<b>iACCESS LIFE PARTNERS WITH WHEEL WITH ME, PURPOSITY TO BENEFIT SPINAL CORD INJURY SURVIVORS</b>, Mission-Driven Partnership Provides Assistance For Accessibility, Independent Living For Spinal Cord Injury Survivors Through Purposity Platform, BUT WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT YOU!, How to Follow, Atlanta, GA - July 28, 2020 - On the heels of the Americans With Disabilities Act’s 30-year anniversary, iAccess Life and Wheel With Me Foundation (WWMF) have partnered with Purposity, an app connecting users with one-to-one needs in their community, to fulfill the essential needs of people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI). From providing equipment to other medical costs, people can sign up on Purposity to receive alerts and immediately help fulfill these requests directly to those who will benefit., “Wheel With Me and iAccess Life are dedicated to improving the lives of SCI patients by creating accessibility to the tools and skills needed to live an independent life as an SCI Survivor,” said Jesi Stracham, Founder, WWMF and SCI survivor., "Seeing how families struggled to pay for every day medical supply expenses really struck a nerve with me. How could something so vital be so expensive?! I wanted to find a solution to help those without adequate medical insurance cover the cost of these necessities. I am excited to team with Purposity and Wheel With Me Foundation to do just that," said Brandon Winfield, Founder and CEO, iAccess Life and SCI survivor. “With the ADA’s 30-year anniversary, we have much to celebrate but so much more to do to ensure true accessibility for all. The time is now to act.” , Through their partnership with Purposity, WWMF and iAccess Life aim to remove barriers to independent living that spinal cord injury survivors must overcome. Inadequate access to necessary medical equipment is a constant source of stress for many SCI survivors, preventing them from achieving a life of independence that they deserve. Now, people with SCI can post these needs on Purposity and have community members fulfill them directly., To begin meeting the needs of SCI survivors, iAccess and WWMF are seeking 600 followers on Purposity. Download the Purposity app from the App Store or Google Play and follow Wheel With Me under the Organizations Page. Followers then receive an alert with a link to a story of an individual in need and can choose to meet that need right on their device. The requested item is in the hands of the organization in just a few days. It takes one notification, under a minute, and a few clicks to make a difference for an SCI survivor., About iAccess Life:, Founded in 2018, iAccess Life empowers people with mobility issues to live life to the fullest with its award-winning mobile application. iAccess’s mission is to provide a platform that sets the bar for improved accessibility, and help build barrier-free communities that benefit everyone. iAccess enables those with marginalized access to have their voices be heard and to share their experiences with accessibility with others. iAccess has curated a community of loyal users that can rate, review and research the accessibility of locations they visit. Headquartered in Atlanta, iAccess Life is available to download for iOS and Android. For more information, visit www.iaccesslife.com, About Wheel With Me Foundation:, Jesi Stracham was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 2015. During her in-patient rehabilitation treatment she made her first “wheel friend,” Chris.  Upon discharge Jesi was sent to live life to the fullest while Chris was sent to a nursing home where he still resides. As Jesi got to know Chris’s situation in more detail, she realized the gap between inpatient rehabilitation and life after a spinal cord injury. In 2016 the Wheel With Me Foundation was born. Dedicated to serving the needs of the newly injured, Wheel With Me Foundation is determined to give individuals the skills, coaching, and support needed to get back to living life to the fullest. To help support the WWMF, visit  https://www.wheelwithmefoundation.org/ and donate today!, About Purposity:, Purposity is an Atlanta-based organization formed on the principle that individuals find purpose through generosity: Purposity. Their mission is to connect people in need with those that can help and work to accomplish this mission through an app, making it easy for neighbors to help neighbors. Users of Purposity experience transparency and a one-to-one relationship with philanthropy, based on knowing the story of the exact need their donation is meeting. Purposity’s platform also allows timely access to donors within a community for schools and other nonprofits. To learn more, visit www.purposity.com.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>f4b9ec30ad9f68f89b29639786cb62ef</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 19:06:15 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>In The News</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[My Biggest Hero is.......]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/my-biggest-hero-is</link>
                <description><![CDATA[In an interview, Matthew McConaughey said his biggest hero is him ten years from now. This resonates with me. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[In an interview, Matthew McConaughey said his biggest hero is him ten years from now. This resonates with me. When I think of a hero in my life, I automatically think of the person I am and the person I am continuously developing into. To me, a hero is someone who shows courageous strength, even when the future is uncertain. A person who values the impact they leave on the individuals they serve. A hero is a person who, regardless of their fears or the doubt in their success, shows up anyway. An individual that continuously exhibits mental grit is a hero. Heroes are all around us., Had you asked me this question 6 years ago, I’m sure my answer would NOT be the same. After the accident that left me a paraplegic, my once determined future became unclear in an instant. I struggled to change my lifestyle to accommodate my disability. I lost not only the use of my legs but my bowel and bladder control as well as the perceived “control” I had over my life. I had to relearn everything I previously knew about day to day functions. Various examples of everyday tasks I had to remaster were how to get my pants on, use a catheter to pee, how to poop, how to shower, get in and out of bed or a car, and how to use a wheelchair. Refusing to accept the reality of my life-changing injury, I overlooked my physical and mental health and wellness. , One of my biggest struggles as a wheelchair user was the amount I fell out of my wheelchair. Sometimes my legs would get caught wrong when transferring out of bed, sucking me to the floor. If I had a bladder infection, it would cause my legs to spasm straight out, flipping me over backward. Getting myself from the floor to my wheelchair was near impossible. While traveling, I fell on a hotel room floor. After struggling a few minutes, I recorded a rant (later posted to youtube), about the unseen struggles of my day to day life with a disability. The video had thousands of views within days. After realizing the number of people I could reach, I decided to make a lifestyle change. I added physical activity to my daily life. I began paying close attention not only to my physical diet but my mental diet, paying close attention to the content I consumed. In the moment of my lifestyle change, the long-term impact this would have on my entire existence wasn’t realized., Today I am in the best physical and mental shape of my life, finding self-gratification in the process of continued growth. I have let go of every judgment I had of others and myself. I have let others’ opinions realizing they do not determine my happiness (unless I allow them to). I have learned how to evaluate a situation rather than react right away. I have learned not to respond to negativity. When I reflect on who I was, at 22 years old, after a life-transforming injury to the woman I am today, I am inspired. I inspire myself with my drive and desire to help others. The passion I carry throughout my day to day life. My resilience in the face of adversity. And my commitment to being the best version of ME. Reflecting on the challenges I have faced and overcome, my heart, and who I am continuing to grow into, I am my biggest hero.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>812b4ba287f5ee0bc9d43bbf5bbe87fb</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 18 Aug 2023 21:57:21 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
                            </item>
                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Should Sports Arenas Be Funded by the Public?]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/should-sports-arenas-be-funded-by-the-public</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Public funding of sports arenas is not a cut and dried, yes or no question. Numerous factors contribute to either answer to this question..]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[Public funding of sports arenas is not a cut and dried, yes or no question. Numerous factors contribute to either answer to this question. I conducted a poll of my Instagram followers, and some of their viewpoints were quite interesting. Some of their perspectives are quite interesting, leaving the answer to this cloudy question no clearer from different American citizens’ views. Some argued that new stadiums benefit local economies, while others stated our local law enforcement, public education, and public services’ need for more funding.  Unknown to me, according to Joel Potter’s research, 50% of new stadium construction is funded by the general public, totaling over $15 billion in taxpayers’ dollars in a twenty-two-year span.  (Potter) , There are benefits in the form of a ripple effect of sports arenas on the local economy. Surrounding hotels, shops, restaurants, etc., benefit immensely from the increased traffic through the city. The individual sports arena brings additional tax revenue to the city and state and a significant employment influx. An accurate depiction of this will be to track the economic impact the Raider’s move to Las Vegas had on the City that never sleeps. Tom Sadler says the keyword is “potential” economic impact. He argues that Las Vegas will be competing with Los Angeles and Phoenix for contracts due to the location. (Popke) Due to COVID-19, the team’s first-year revenue may not be an accurate representation of the new sports arena’s actual economic impact on the local economy. , Another positive of sports arenas moving into cities is the humanitarian work the players and local businesses provide in the community. We see this first hand in Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers. Greg Olsen regularly visits Levine Children’s Hospital. While Cam Newton played for the Panthers, he hosted “Christmas with Cam” at Levine’s Children's Hospital. (Atrium Health) Local businesses such as Nevada’s “Move 4 Less” donates to charity for every Raider win. (Move4less)The humanitarian benefits of a local sports team are irreplaceable. , It seems that the individuals who responded to my Instagram poll don’t realize that the government already provides support to the construction of sports arenas via stadium subsidies. Is this something that most of America doesn’t recognize? One of the biggest arguments and my initial opinion was, what about those who don’t watch sports? Due to facilities being called “sports arenas,” it implies that they are only used for sports when this is inaccurate. I have visited Spectrum Stadium (home of the Charlotte Hornets basketball team) for both a basketball game and a concert. I once volunteered my services at a free dental clinic for the local community at Atrium Health Stadium (home of the Carolina Panthers).  These facilities offer support for events other than sports, giving less validation to the “I am not a sports fan” argument.” ,  I have a personal issue with tax dollars going to sports stadium subsidies because that money could go back to public education or health and human services. Many schools in populated cities face overcrowded classrooms, inadequate facilities, and little access to technology. Covid is not assisting educators in making resource demands. (Jones) Funding is regularly cut from health and human services.  I had experienced the result of budget cuts when my lift in my home broke. Previously Independent Living for People With Disabilities would cover the maintenance of the equipment needed to live your life. Upon contacting my local office, they informed me the funding is no longer available to assist with the maintenance of the lift. When my wheelchair-lift goes out, I’m stuck in the basement, or I have to climb the stairs until I have the money to fix the issue. How many people are trapped in their homes due to no funding for their accessibility needs?, The economic impact of a new sports stadium is not always positive. There is an extensive argument of the inequality a new stadium may cause. (Potter) With rising property values and the cost of living, it forces lower-income individuals out. As the populations of cities increase, typically, so does the gentrification of neighborhoods. With gentrification, as we see poverty forced out of an area, you can expect inequality. According to Potter, “Large and growing  peer-review economic literature of the economic impact of stadium arenas, sports franchise, and sports mega-events has consistently found no substantial evidence of increased jobs, income, or tax revenue.” (Potter) One of the reasons for these findings is the average total cost of living in that area is still more significant than the average total revenue from the arena due to the overall increase in the cost of living. I do not believe the stadium to be the leading cause of this, but a factor in the larger picture of widespread gentrification in an area., As someone who is not a sports enthusiast but enjoys live sports and is an avid concert-goer, I am on the fence with this subject. Potter estimates that $15 billion in stadium subsidies paid by tax dollars contributing to the construction of these arenas has been distributed over 22 years. That breaks down to over 681 million dollars a year spent on sports arenas. When looking at the breakdown of the numbers, I am frustrated. The number of tax dollars contributed to stadium subsidies should create lower ticket prices or cut the amount of taxes contributed to the construction of sports arenas.  An excuse we often hear for lack of accessibility, education, or lack of general public goods is inadequate funding. We should make team owners, the players, and the team themselves responsible for constructing their arena, but due to the various uses of the venue, public funding makes sense. I would argue that the number of subsidies these facilities receive to build specific sports venues should be reduced significantly, especially in local economies where individuals in the lower-income bracket go deep into poverty due to gentrification., Sources, Atrium Health. (n.d.). Cam Newton Gives Levine Children's Patients a Christmas to Remember. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://atriumhealth.org/dailydose/2019/12/16/cam-newton-gives-levine-childrens-patients-a-christmas-to-remember, Jones, S. (2020, July 27). Did America Set Public Schools Up to Fail? Retrieved December 12, 2020, from https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/the-triple-crisis-facing-americas-public-schools.html, Popke, M. (2017, April 19). A Sure Bet: The Economic Impact of Oakland Raiders' Move to Vegas. Retrieved December 10, 2020, from https://www.sportsdestinations.com/destinations/nevada/sure-bet-economic-impact-oakland-raiders%E2%80%99-move-veg-12717, Potter, Joel M. ""Publicly Subsidized Sports Events and Stadiums: Have Economists done Justice to the Impact on Inequality?"" Managerial Finance, vol. 42, no. 9, 2016, pp. 879-884. ProQuest, http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/scholarly-journals/publicly-subsidized-sports-events-stadiums/docview/1823185880/se-2?accountid=10008, doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/10.1108/MF-03-2016-0075.]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>26657d5ff9020d2abefe558796b99584</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 19:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>The New Age Journal</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[The Price Of Life]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/the-price-of-life</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Estimating the price of a human life sounds insensitive, although necessary in certain circumstances such as agreeing on a personal injury settlement...]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA["Estimating the price" of a human life sounds insensitive, although necessary in certain circumstances such as agreeing on a personal injury settlement, a decision in a murder case, or when sex trafficking organizations raise awareness for their cause. Humans are unique beings with unique perceptions and beliefs. We value individual humans within our life different amounts. I remember when I was a child, I would play, would you rather. In reality, we were evaluating the opportunity cost of giving up one thing or another. What is the opportunity cost of human life? How do we calculate the economic value of life? , The right to life is one of the universal fundamental human rights. There are international, regional, and national legal protections for human life. (Belo) One of the most significant difficulties is different countries' respect and ensure human rights in various manners. The US system compensates for death concerning the individual's financial circumstances, creating extreme economic estimates of human life costs., Perspectives of how we value human life varies as moral beliefs of humans vary. Adam Smith says moral sentiments come from the bottom up rather than handed down. (Gulker) For example, my family's life has more value to me than to a stranger, so what we would value our life at is vastly different from how an outsider would appreciate our life. The Human-Life approach that health insurance companies use calculates the amount a family would need if they were to incur the insured family member's loss. Some of the factors considered include the insured individual's age, gender, planned retirement age, occupation, annual wage, employment benefits, and the personal and financial information of the spouse and dependent children. (Kagan) We have seen different views clash and divide us throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Anti-maskers state the mask doesn't protect them from the transmission of the virus, so they shouldn't be worn, while pro-maskers argue it reduces the risk of us spreading it, so masks are necessary. This example demonstrates how some individuals will not inconvenience themselves to preserve others. When evaluating the economic value of life, do personal beliefs intervene? Max Gulker believes basing care or monetary value of a person's life off of social class or status is counter-productive to our growth as a society., The dollar value of human life is modified with the changing political tides. The president's political affiliation wasn't as much of a factor in the cost of human life as much as the individual perspective. Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush both lowered the value while Al Gore and Barack Obama raised it. (NY Times) If regulations (cost of implementation) exceed the current amount of lives it will save, the law will not be implemented until life's value transcends the cost of implementation. The process of valuing human life leaves me with more questions than answers. How can we love human life less than the price of safety implementations that will preserve it? Would an equal system do more harm than good? Being at the lower socioeconomic level, I would want equal value, but what if I was on the other end of the spectrum?, Sources, Belo, Eran, and Tomislava Savcheva. ""Value of Human Life: Different Cultures, Different Values?"" Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, vol. 3, no. 3, 2011, pp. 143-146. ProQuest, http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/docview/922374977?accountid=10008.2, Frakt, A. (2020, May 11). Putting a Dollar Value on Life? Governments Already Do. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://nyti.ms/3cnXFJg, Gulker, Max. ""Reflections on the Economic Value of Life."" CE Think Tank Newswire, April 25, 2020. ProQuest, http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.cpcc.edu/docview/2394767695?accountid=10008, Kagan, J. (2020, August 28). Human-Life Approach. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/humanlifeapproach.asp]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>e2ef524fbf3d9fe611d5a8e90fefdc9c</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 19:01:31 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>The New Age Journal</category>
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                    <item>
                <title><![CDATA[Quieting Your Quit]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/quieting-your-quit</link>
                <description><![CDATA[I remember in fourth or fifth grade when we had track and field day, everybody got a ribbon for participating.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[I remember in fourth or fifth grade when we had track and field day, everybody got a ribbon for participating., Fast forward to when I was 22 and became a paraplegic. I believed because I went through this hardship because life didn't go in my way, I was entitled to goods from companies, I was entitled to the support of people on my journey, I was entitled to all of the things just because I was a wheelchair user just because I experience tragedy., I'm not sure if psychologically receiving that ribbon for participating is linked to me believing that I deserve things because of my hardship, because of my Wheelchair, but that's not the way the world works., It wasn't until I started building something, putting effort into both my external being and my internal being., So often we focus on the workouts to create fitness:, but fitness is developed with our nutrition., Not only the nutrition of our body but of our mind., I think one of our biggest mistakes is not paying attention to the dialogue happening within ourselves., The more you pay attention to that dialogue, the more you can control it, controlling the way you show up, and <b>quieting your quit.</b>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>ed3d2c21991e3bef5e069713af9fa6ca</guid>
                <pubDate>Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:19:27 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[10 Year SCI Reflection]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/10-year-sci-reflection</link>
                <description><![CDATA[10 Years ago today I rode as a passenger on a motorcycle for the last time. As we left the traffic light, the SUV coming from the opposite way wasn’t slowing down in the turning lane. The next thing I knew we headed straight for the back passenger door. We collid with the SUV. Everything goes black. The driver of the bike smashes through the back window breaking his leg. I fly over about 30 feet before my body crashed onto the pavement. I was rushed to the hospital I to code. code.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[<b>10 Years ago today</b> I rode as a passenger on a motorcycle for the last time. As we left the traffic light, the SUV coming from the opposite way wasn’t slowing down in the turning lane. The next thing I knew we headed straight for the back passenger door. We collid with the SUV. Everything goes black. The driver of the bike smashes through the back window breaking his leg. I fly over about 30 feet before my body crashed onto the pavement. I was rushed to the hospital where staff urgently began life saving matters as I code. “Clear!” my lifeless body is shocked back…they lose me again. “Clear!” I’m shocked back to life.<span> </span>, For a brief moment I cease to exist. It’s peaceful here. Nice, warm, bright. Grandma Boyce tells me, "Jesi May you cannot stay here, you must go back, you have things to do, and people to get back to, you must go now.” She sends me back to the real world. Freshly saved, a born again believer, after spending years being an atheist, THE DAY BEFORE MY ACCIDENT. I wake up, “Mom, Grandma Boyce said it’s not my time and I had to come back.” Then I’m out again.<span> </span>, “She saw my mom, she died.” My mom blatantly states to my dad. He thinks she’s crazy. (It wouldn’t be until a year later I find out how close to no longer being on this side I was.), When I initially found out I was paralyzed my initial thoughts were “Well Jesi, you really fucked up this time.”<span> </span>, I made a pact to myself, this will not be my life forever.<span> </span>, I would never choose my Spinal Cord Injury, but I would never undo my SCI. After the initial hurdles, it has given me a fuller perspective, life, and faith than I believe I could have found with out it. Each year has brought different trials, tribulations, and lessons. Most days I don’t even think about being paralyzed.<span> </span>, <b>YEAR ONE-<span> </span></b>, The year of denial. Focusing solely on “getting back” to the way it was, I spend thousands of dollars and countless hours on physical therapy to have ZERO return. My only mental focus was walking again while I ate junk food, binged Netflix, drank daily, and smoked an ounce a week. I did not take care of myself in a way that would even begin to support recovery. I struggled with Urinary infection after urinary infection. I made life harder than it already was with my piss pour attitude and effort.<span> </span>, <b>YEAR TWO-</b>, The year of anger. The money ran out, but there was still no recovery. Reality set in. I’m paralyzed. I became angry and resentful that “THIS WHEELCHAIR” and the struggles that came with it were apart of my day to day life. I took this anger out on everyone around me. I was rude to my family, burned friendships to the ground, and became very entitled. There was no healing to be had. I partied harder, partook in drugs, lived reckless with an “I’m invincible” mindset.<span> </span>, <b>YEAR THREE-</b>, The year of change. I became sick and tired of being sick and tired. What I had been doing the past two years was not making life any better. After falling on the floor numerous times and getting stuck, I knew I had to change my lifestyle to be conducive to getting stronger. I began consuming better nutrition both through food and the content I consumed mentally. Coupled with adaptive sports, I began getting deeply committed to Jesi. I started being “okay” living with a spinal cord injury even needed a second back surgery to repair the broken hardware in my back. Although I was working on myself, there were some old habits and tendencies I had to let go of to grow., <b>YEAR FOUR-</b>, The year of trial & error. I began trying different avenues for my future. Re-enrolling in college to finish my associates degree I started long before the accident coupled with traveling the country as a member of the Wheelchair Curling Paralympic Developmental Team I began to navigate what Jesi wanted in life., YEAR FIVE-, The year I gave it all to God. With my shoulder health deteriorating rapidly and my desire to finish my degree, I left the Developmental Team and focus solely on my studies along with rehabbing my shoulders. I spiral deep to the dark depths of the mind, finding myself wrestling with suicide. I no longer want to struggle with a failing body and defeated mind. I need my higher power to help me out of this, so I asked God to take my life for his will. With God I began seeing the light in life.<span> </span>, <b>YEAR SIX-</b>, The year I became fueled by a desire to have deeper purpose and meaning in life. My focus is helping people heal their deteriorating body from the inside out. I invest in a nutrition coaching certification. The goal is to help us heal from the inside out. I begin to find my way.<span> </span>, <b>YEAR SEVEN-</b>, The year I left my financial comfort zone. After my dad’s health scare, I was pushed into going back to work full-time as an orthodontic assistant. I began working my way off Social Security Disability, committing to the first step to financial independence. Going back to work full-time, quickly being advanced to a leadership position due to my commitment to going the extra mile, I gained a confidence I didn’t know was possible. This was my first time being around non-disabled people (besides my parents) for long periods of time. They called out often, where I never called out. It made me realize EVERYONE has debilitating issues. Mine is just visible. My disability was no longer an excuse for me not to be able to do more in life. I allowed it to be an excuse for too long.
<br /><br /><b>YEAR EIGHT-
<br /></b><br />The year that broke me down. I had so many incredible experiences up to this point, after a year and half of celibacy from the opposite sex, I’m ready to share my life with someone else. I opened myself up to another wheelchair user only to be crushed after a seven month fling. At the same time he ended it, I found out my hardware was broken and I would need a third back surgery to remove and replace the old hardware. Again, I quickly found myself fantasizing death. I prayed to God everyday not to let me die on the table, guiding my surgical team through the procedure. Recovery was also a dark period. I scheduled heavy work travel just three weeks after surgery to quiet my mind. I had this deep yearning to love another human deeply and feel that same love back. A partner to grow and elevate with, build a home with, have a baby with. I’m tired of doing it alone. But I also refuse to settle, so I put my head down. I have continue to work on myself, becoming the quality of partner I desire.
<br /><br /><b>YEAR NINE-
<br /><br /></b>The year that tested me in all areas. I took a job as traveling consultant for Wellspect, a bowel/bladder management company. This would get me out of the dental office and back into my element, speaking to rehabilitation facilities about life after a spinal cord injury or back on the run as I called it. Travel was my way to escape my reality. If I’m always on the go I can’t think about being alone. Around the same time I met A. From the moment he walked to my car I knew there was something different about him He solidified this after our 4 hour conversation that went by in a blink of an eye. Holy shit, I met the man I’m going to spend my life with, I just don’t know how. Things were complicated on both sides, and neither of us were where we needed to be to start this level of a relationship, so we focused on friendship. Never crossing a physical line more than hugging. We spoke about our feelings once or twice, but then left it at that. My friends and family thought I was nuts, but the more our friendship grew, the more solidified it was for me that he is my person. Around the same time I became co-owner of Freedom LKN. An elite wellness facility focused on the longevity and independence of the Lake Norman community. A local business where I get to serve people in real life and that supports my healing. Through using our modalities consistently, I regained sensation of temperature & deep pressure in my legs. Holy crap, I just crossed something off my vision board, <i>the goal of serving people in person and recovering from my SCI while I do it. </i>Halfway through the year I receive a cold DM from an employee of the USOPC asking if I would want to partner with Team USA to cover the Paralympics in Paris, all expenses paid. <i>Holy Shit! The opportunity to partner with Team USA and represent my country! </i>Another check off the vision board. By the end of the year I had massive growth in patience, emotional control, and expressing gratitude for those around me. And after eleven months of becoming best friends, that man I met at the beginning of the year, became my boyfriend and we moved in together. Moving out of my parents basement after almost twelve years, another check off the vision board.<span>  </span>This year taught me genuinely create our reality through our consistent habits, continuing to pour into ourselves physically & mentally, and through our connection to our higher power. <br /><br /><b>YEAR TEN-
<br /></b><br />The year I fully step into my power. My book comes out, I have a beautiful home with my dream man. I have a long list of supportive friends, everywhere I look there are opportunities, and I am finally in a place that I can FULLY focus on my coaching program. I started PT again with the best neurorecovery PT in the southeast, with my muscles firing in my legs, I have nothing but options. This is the year I stop talking about it and be about it, FULLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY. <br /><br /> My spinal cord injury has been the greatest blessing. It took me from an alcoholic, pill abusing, irresponsible young adult, to a limitless, powerful woman. I couldn’t change the situation so I made the best of it, turning life’s lemons in to the best damn lemonade you’ve ever had.<span> </span>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>ac627ab1ccbdb62ec96e702f07f6425b</guid>
                <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:21:14 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[When the Plate Is Too Full: Learning to Choose You]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/when-the-plate-is-too-full-learning-to-choose-you</link>
                <description><![CDATA[Life will pile your plate high with opportunities, responsibilities, and expectations—until you're drowning in the very things you once prayed for. In this raw reflection, Jesi Stracham breaks down what it really means to let go, set boundaries, and choose peace over chaos. This isn’t about quitting—it’s about committing to the life you’re meant to lead.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[When the Plate Is Too Full: Learning to Choose You, We live in a culture that celebrates "yes". Yes to opportunity. Yes to growth. Yes to responsibility. Yes to being the strong one. But there's a cost to constant agreement.<br /><br />Eventually, your time runs out.
Your peace gets noisy.
Your purpose gets cloudy.
And the person you’re meant to become gets buried under everyone else’s expectations., I’ve always asked God to give me options—to open doors, create abundance, and allow me to live out my purpose loud and proud. And He did.
He blessed me with options so full, my plate started to overflow., But here’s the thing no one tells you: You can’t eat everything on a plate that’s overflowing. You have to choose what you’re going to consume—what you’re going to nourish yourself with—and what you need to set down., And sometimes, what needs to go… is what you prayed for., The Quiet Chaos of Holding on Too Long, It’s easy to say you want peace. That you’re tired of the chaos.
But when it comes to making the decision to let go of what’s too much—that’s where the real work begins., Do I stay or do I leave?
Do I try to fix it or do I set it down?
Do I continue out of obligation—or do I honor my own capacity?, These aren’t black-and-white questions. They live in the messy gray area of being human—especially when you’re someone like me who knows what it feels like to lose it all and come back swinging. More than once.<br /><br />Sexual Addiction. Failed relationships. Bankruptcy. Paralysis. Bad jobs. Bad business decisions.  And life will continue to swing. , See, when you’re in a wheelchair, the world already sees you through a lens of “less.”
So subconsciously, I’ve always felt the need to prove I’m more., But there comes a point when being strong starts to look a lot like self-betrayal., Responsibility ≠ Sacrifice of Self, Owning businesses. Running programs. Writing a book. Managing health challenges. Showing up when your body says no. It’s a wild, unpredictable ride., But here’s what I’ve realized:, 🛑 Just because I can do it all doesn’t mean I should.
<br />🛑 Just because something once served me doesn’t mean it still does.
<br />🛑 Just because I said “yes” before doesn’t mean I have to say “yes” now., When I was younger in this journey, I thought life owed me ease because of my struggle. But I’ve learned—life doesn’t owe us anything.
And that’s okay. Because I don’t want easy. I want aligned., Peace Requires a Choice, The thing about peace is—it doesn’t find you.
You have to choose it.
Every. Damn. Day., It’s not passive. It’s not a soft whisper.
It’s a loud, firm boundary with yourself.
It’s knowing that you don’t have to attend every fire, fix every problem, or show up for everyone but yourself., You can’t become who you're meant to be if you're constantly consumed by what’s keeping you from her., And that’s what I’ve been wrestling with lately. Not just whether to let go—but whether I’m finally ready to fully choose me., This Isn’t Quitting. It’s Committing., So many of us think letting go is giving up.
But maybe it’s not., Maybe letting go is actually the highest form of commitment.
Commitment to your vision.
Commitment to your peace.
Commitment to your energy, your integrity, your becoming., There’s no shame in choosing yourself.
There’s only freedom on the other side of that decision., So the question isn’t “can you handle it all?”
The question is: Who are you becoming by continuing to try?, Because if it’s not making you better,
If it’s costing you your clarity,
If it’s exhausting your soul…, It might be time to set it down.
And finally choose YOU.<br /><br /><br />For a raw account of my past mistakes and the lessons i've learned through them, preorder my book, Power in the Roll here:, <span><a>Publisher (best way to support :) )</a></span>, <span><a href="https://a.co/d/j2Emi8q">Amazon</a></span>, <span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/power-in-the-roll-jesi-stracham/1147002318">Barnes & Noble</a></span>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>f899139df5e1059396431415e770c6dd</guid>
                <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:32:34 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>The New Age Journal</category>
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                <title><![CDATA[How I Lost 3 Inches in 3 Months]]></title>
                <link>https://jesistracham.com/blog/how-i-lost-3-inches-in-3-months</link>
                <description><![CDATA[When Jesi gained 20 pounds after moving in with her boyfriend, it wasn’t because she “let herself go” — it was because she stopped leading herself. In this post, she shares how she got her body and mindset back on track using the same foundational strategies she teaches her clients: intentional sleep, protein-first nutrition, hydration, inner work, and movement with purpose. If you're stuck in a cycle of chaos or yo-yo dieting, this is where you start.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[When I Moved In With My Boyfriend, I Gained 20 lbs — And Here’s What I Did About It, I didn’t give up on myself.
I stopped leading myself., No structure. No protein focus. No consistent sleep.
Just drifting day-to-day, reacting instead of creating.
And my body paid the price., So I did what I teach my clients when it comes to fat loss and keeping it off: I went back to Phase 1, the foundation phase. Because you can’t skip this part if you want to keep long-lasting results. <br /><br /><br />, 🛏️ Phase 1: Sleep, I set a bedtime: 10 p.m., and committed to waking at 5:30 a.m.
My body needed rest. My mind needed structure., Here’s why sleep is everything:, Sleep lowers cortisol, reduces inflammation, restores hormone balance, and helps your body properly metabolize food.
, In one study, when sleep was restricted, the fraction of weight lost as fat dropped by 55%. <span><span><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2951287/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" alt="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2951287/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><span><span><span>PubMed Central</span></span></span></a></span></span>
, Another study found that with less sleep, people lost more lean mass instead of fat, even when total weight loss was similar. <span><span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/41/5/zsy027/4846324?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" alt="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/41/5/zsy027/4846324?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><span><span><span>Oxford Academic</span></span></span></a></span></span>(<This is what i noticed, my muscle mass had a massive decrease, while I started looking more inflamed.) , Fat cells themselves lose insulin sensitivity when deprived of sleep, meaning your body struggles to manage blood sugar and store energy correctly. <span><span><a href="https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/news/2012/october/even-your-fat-cells-need-sleep-according-to-new-research?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" alt="https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/news/2012/october/even-your-fat-cells-need-sleep-according-to-new-research?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><span><span><span>UChicago Medicine</span></span></span></a></span></span>(During the day, I would experience these INSANE crashes; they stopped me in my tracks.) , Bottom line: If you expect to burn fat while feeling exhausted and overworked, the odds are stacked against you. (And I experience this first hand, wondering why I couldn't drop weight for over 6-months when I never had a problem with weigth loss before.) , 🥩 Protein First, Then Tracking, Before I jumped into macros, I re-anchored on prioritizing protein. The rest followed this habit., Here’s my approach:, Protein coffee in the morning(I <a href="https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1/?a_aid=wheelwithme">Level-1 from 1st Phorm</a>, it’s low-temp processed, which helps with digestion and absorption, while adding a nice flavor to your coffee, leading to a more stable release of energy and a more balanced effect on yoru system compared to drinking coffee alone.)
, High-protein breakfast (I use <a href="https://www.walmart.com/search?q=oikos+pro+">Oikos Pro Yogurts</a>, they have 23g of protein with ZERO sugar)
, Protein at lunch, snack, and dinner
, Why?
Muscle tissue is your metabolic engine. More muscle = more calorie burn at rest. Feed it, protect it, support it., After workouts, I used a post-workout shake (protein + fast-acting carbs) to tell my body: “Stop breaking down, start rebuilding.”, When carbs are ingested with protein after exercise, they help spike insulin, which supports amino acid uptake into muscles. <span><span><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/23/4081?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" alt="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/23/4081?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><span><span><span>MDPI</span><span>+1</span></span></span></a></span></span>
, Carbs post-workout also help blunt cortisol, counteracting the breakdown process triggered by stress. <span><span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29681197/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" alt="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29681197/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"><span><span><span>PubMed</span><span>+1</span></span></span></a></span></span>
, Why fast-acting? Because whole foods can take 2–3 hours to digest, during which your body might still be in breakdown mode. The post-workout window is short; the faster you feed, the faster recovery starts., 💧 Hydration, I went from barely 32 oz/day to 80–100 oz/day., Hydration helps:, Reduce cortisol
, Support digestion
, Lubricate joints
, Help your body feel safe enough to burn fat
, Drink like you mean it. Your body & metabolism will thank you., 📚 Mindset & Inner Work, Physical work is nothing without internal transformation., I reintroduced:, Visualization
, Reading nonfiction
, Future-based thinking
, Because if your mindset is messed up, nothing else sticks.
Research shows that stress, mental fatigue, and negative beliefs can sabotage diets, habits, and hormonal balance. (While I didn’t pull a single study here, this is well-supported in behavioral and psych literature.), 🏋️ Movement With Intention, I committed to 3–4 intentional workouts per week, not insane volume, but focused effort., Some days I lifted. Some days I rehabilitated (PT work, mobility, rolling).
I prioritized precision over chaos., Why? Because consistency, sustained over time, crushes sporadic “go hard, then quit” cycles., <br />If you're a wheelchair user and looking for a program to follow both <b><u>AT HOME</u></b> or <b><u>IN THE GYM</u> </b>download the Wheel With Me Adapt Fit App here. <br /><br /><br />, This Is Phase 1: The Foundation, You can’t jump to fat loss without building the system that supports it.
Phase 1 is about reclaiming structure, teaching your body what safety feels like, plugging holes so your results don’t leak., If you're ready to get tracking, strategy, full lifestyle overhaul, that’s where 1:1 work comes in., If you want to start Phase 1 right now (with me guiding you), hit me up:, 📩 Text 704‑736‑3222 with “COACH ME.”
I’ll help you figure out which phase you’re in and what support you need.<br /><br />But you can start right now without my help. , Your body is waiting. Let’s build the foundation.<br /><br />For group accountability, apply to the exclusive Freedom Fam community, 2 Zoom calls a week, a community chat, and a group to hold you accountable.<a href="https://link.arfunnel.io/widget/form/qADobrn1Yjo6QiGidAM6?notrack=true"> CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO OUR COMMUNITY.</a>]]></content:encoded>
                <author><![CDATA[Jesi Stracham <info@jesistracham.com>]]></author>
                <guid>38b3eff8baf56627478ec76a704e9b52</guid>
                <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:28:59 +0000</pubDate>
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                                                    <category>Wheel With Me</category>
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