{"id":886,"date":"2026-04-18T07:33:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T05:33:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/18\/falling-hard-rising-stronger\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T07:39:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T05:39:49","slug":"falling-hard-rising-stronger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/18\/falling-hard-rising-stronger\/","title":{"rendered":"Falling Hard, Rising Stronger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Last Sunday reminded me just how quickly things can change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


I headed out for a 15km trail run with my GSP, chasing the usual sense of freedom that comes with the open trail. About 7km in, the ground had other plans. Loose rocks beneath my feet sent me slipping, and before I knew it, I was down\u2014hard. I bounced on my butt a few times, legs scraped and bleeding, pain setting in almost instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


But I\u2019m stubborn. I don\u2019t quit easily. So I got up and kept going, finishing the run\u2014slower than usual, but determined as ever.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few hours later, my body started telling a different story. Nausea crept in. A pounding headache followed. My hand began to shake more than usual. A year ago, I was diagnosed with a Functional Tremor, and I\u2019ve learned to live with it\u2014but this felt different. By the next day, I was completely drained\u2014fatigued, foggy, unable to think clearly or even drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It felt like my body had hit a wall I couldn\u2019t push through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


After a visit to my GP and a Voltaren injection that barely touched the surface, I knew something wasn\u2019t right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My neurologist confirmed it: a mild concussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


This past week forced me to stop. To rest. To listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


And today, I took my first step back\u2014a slow, light session at the gym. Nothing intense, just movement. But it felt incredible. Because for me, exercise isn\u2019t just physical\u2014it\u2019s mental, emotional. It\u2019s part of how I stay grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


A little insight for those who may not know: A Functional Tremor is a type of neurological condition where the body experiences involuntary shaking, but not due to structural damage in the brain. It falls under Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), meaning the nervous system isn\u2019t functioning correctly, even though scans often appear normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tremor can come and go, and is often influenced by stress, fatigue, or physical strain. It\u2019s very real, sometimes unpredictable, and can be incredibly frustrating\u2014but it is manageable with the right support and awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


This experience was a reminder I didn\u2019t ask for, but probably needed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Listen to your body.
Rest when it asks.
You only get one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last Sunday reminded me just how quickly things can change. I headed out for a 15km trail run with my GSP, chasing the usual sense of freedom that comes with the open trail. About 7km in, the ground had other plans. Loose rocks beneath my feet sent me slipping, and before I knew it, I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[43,6,25,47],"tags":[165],"class_list":["post-886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-week-at-the-gym","category-body-transformation","category-fitness","category-keeping-rhythm","tag-listentoyourbody-recoveryjourney-functionaltremor-mentalhealthmatters-keepgoing"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":897,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/27\/my-body-pauses-my-spirit-doesnt\/","url_meta":{"origin":886,"position":0},"title":"My Body Pauses, My Spirit Doesn\u2019t","author":"Rey De Bruyn-Walters","date":"27 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I woke up with my legs paralysed again. That familiar fear crept in\u2014but so did something stronger: determination. As the feeling slowly returned, I stretched, breathed through it, and made a decision\u2026 I was going to run.Connor, my usual partner in crime, is recovering after surgery, and my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "My life with FND"","block_context":{"text":"My life with FND","link":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/category\/my-life-with-fnd\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_20260426_161105_284.webp?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_20260426_161105_284.webp?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_20260426_161105_284.webp?fit=675%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":953,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/07\/the-trail-runner-from-shadows-to-summits\/","url_meta":{"origin":886,"position":1},"title":"The Trail Runner: From Shadows to Summits – Part I","author":"admin","date":"7 July 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Part I \u2013 Into the Wilderness The trail was not where I expected to find myself. For years I had lived in the shadow of a broken marriage, carrying disappointment like stones in my chest. 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At 29 degrees, the air shimmered, heavy with promise and challenge. My German Shorthaired Pointer wagged his tail, eyes bright, already scanning for the rivers he knew would be waiting.\u00a0 We set off at a steady\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Trail"","block_context":{"text":"Trail","link":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/category\/trails\/trail-running\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/debruyn-walters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dji_export_photo_20260208180309554.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":732,"url":"https:\/\/debruyn-walters.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/08\/running-through-seasons-a-familys-journey-of-trails-triumphs-and-togetherness\/","url_meta":{"origin":886,"position":5},"title":"Running Through Seasons: A Family\u2019s Journey of Trails, Triumphs, and Togetherness","author":"Rey De Bruyn-Walters","date":"8 March 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Red Barn greeted us this morning with a tapestry of green, its trails softened by the recent rains and lined with wildflowers that seemed to cheer us on. 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