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B3 Journey: A Scary Diagnosis Stopped this Runner in Her Tracks—Then She Found B3
For over 2 years I struggled with dizziness, headaches, never feeling like a clear head. With this I continued with my active lifestyle. With those “symptoms” and the fact that I was very in tune with myself physically and mentally, I knew something was off. I went to my doctor and had numerous tests.
Often referred to by friends as the Energizer Bunny, Terrie Sheik knew something was off when she began to experience dizziness, headaches, and a general “fuzzy head” feeling. Still, the lifelong runner, avid yogi, and devoted cheer coach continued to live her active lifestyle until, after two years of these symptoms, she finally went to the doctor for tests.
She was on a camping trip with her family when she received the urgent call asking her to come into the doctor’s office. She never could have expected the news: They’d found an unruptured aneurysm in her brain, and she needed surgery soon to have it removed. It was a serious diagnosis, but in true Terrie fashion, she faced it head-on.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘Let’s do this. I got it. Let’s go.’ I was in denial that it was as serious as it was—and I still kind of am.”
Never really one to slow down, Terrie stayed active up until her surgery, when she went in “scared but ready.” She came out successful on the other side, with 32 staples in her head, strict instructions to take it easy, and a long road to recovery. It was months of baby steps as she slowly started to walk again. Then she discovered B3 through her daughter Mattie, an instructor-in-training at the time. “My doctor was in full support of barre3 because it could be gradual,” she says. “I knew it would tie in the yoga and be the well-rounded exercise I needed to start my journey back.”
On the one-year anniversary of her surgery, Terrie took her first B3 class. And then she took another. And then another. Today, she’s still at it, on a steady path to healthy—and looking back on the eye-opening insights she picked up along the way. She shared her biggest learnings with us.
It takes a village. My procedure and recovery would never have been successful without family, friends, and the barre3 community. When the doctors finally said I could go walking, I went three times a day for about an hour each time, and people would come with me. Throughout the journey, my mantra was #oneteam because we all stuck together. My daughters and I have it tattooed on our ankles as a reminder of what I went through.
As a result, I’m a lot more compassionate toward people who are dealing with medical scenarios. My brother, students I work with, teachers—I understand, because I’ve walked through it. I have so much respect for my doctor and healthcare professionals. They’re amazing, and I won’t take for granted the hard work they do.
I really am trying to go easier on myself these days. For someone who ran every day, being told I couldn’t do any activity was crippling. Now I’m working to give myself the grace that I went through a major surgery. I’ve been called the “Energizer Bunny”—my batteries keep on going. But after this surgery, I’ve recognized that fatigue hits me more than it ever had. One of the biggest challenges is accepting the fact that I am so blessed to come out of this pretty unscathed.
It’s so important to get involved. Even if we only get one hour a day to ourselves, that can be the hour we get our workout in, get our mental state in check, or our spiritual cup full. Do barre3 because it encompasses all levels and you can modify wherever you need to. Instructors helped me modify during my recovery, and seeing people of all shapes and sizes find success was so empowering.
I still have hurdles I have to get through. I’m having surgery soon to remove the hardware in my head, and while I feel very healthy, I don’t know how long I’ll be out of exercising again. Luckily, I know I’ll have barre3 to help me physically when I’m recovering. I feel fortunate that I had (and will have) time to get myself in order. I’m a happy person. I love my life. If there’s one big thing I’ve learned, it’s that my glass is half full all the time—I’m always the cheerleader.
What’s your B3 journey? We’d love to hear. Tell us in the comments below, or email us at b3magazine@barre3.com.
For over 2 years I struggled with dizziness, headaches, never feeling like a clear head. With this I continued with my active lifestyle. With those “symptoms” and the fact that I was very in tune with myself physically and mentally, I knew something was off. I went to my doctor and had numerous tests.
Often referred to by friends as the Energizer Bunny, Terrie Sheik knew something was off when she began to experience dizziness, headaches, and a general “fuzzy head” feeling. Still, the lifelong runner, avid yogi, and devoted cheer coach continued to live her active lifestyle until, after two years of these symptoms, she finally went to the doctor for tests.
She was on a camping trip with her family when she received the urgent call asking her to come into the doctor’s office. She never could have expected the news: They’d found an unruptured aneurysm in her brain, and she needed surgery soon to have it removed. It was a serious diagnosis, but in true Terrie fashion, she faced it head-on.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘Let’s do this. I got it. Let’s go.’ I was in denial that it was as serious as it was—and I still kind of am.”
Never really one to slow down, Terrie stayed active up until her surgery, when she went in “scared but ready.” She came out successful on the other side, with 32 staples in her head, strict instructions to take it easy, and a long road to recovery. It was months of baby steps as she slowly started to walk again. Then she discovered B3 through her daughter Mattie, an instructor-in-training at the time. “My doctor was in full support of barre3 because it could be gradual,” she says. “I knew it would tie in the yoga and be the well-rounded exercise I needed to start my journey back.”
On the one-year anniversary of her surgery, Terrie took her first B3 class. And then she took another. And then another. Today, she’s still at it, on a steady path to healthy—and looking back on the eye-opening insights she picked up along the way. She shared her biggest learnings with us.
It takes a village. My procedure and recovery would never have been successful without family, friends, and the barre3 community. When the doctors finally said I could go walking, I went three times a day for about an hour each time, and people would come with me. Throughout the journey, my mantra was #oneteam because we all stuck together. My daughters and I have it tattooed on our ankles as a reminder of what I went through.
As a result, I’m a lot more compassionate toward people who are dealing with medical scenarios. My brother, students I work with, teachers—I understand, because I’ve walked through it. I have so much respect for my doctor and healthcare professionals. They’re amazing, and I won’t take for granted the hard work they do.
I really am trying to go easier on myself these days. For someone who ran every day, being told I couldn’t do any activity was crippling. Now I’m working to give myself the grace that I went through a major surgery. I’ve been called the “Energizer Bunny”—my batteries keep on going. But after this surgery, I’ve recognized that fatigue hits me more than it ever had. One of the biggest challenges is accepting the fact that I am so blessed to come out of this pretty unscathed.
It’s so important to get involved. Even if we only get one hour a day to ourselves, that can be the hour we get our workout in, get our mental state in check, or our spiritual cup full. Do barre3 because it encompasses all levels and you can modify wherever you need to. Instructors helped me modify during my recovery, and seeing people of all shapes and sizes find success was so empowering.
I still have hurdles I have to get through. I’m having surgery soon to remove the hardware in my head, and while I feel very healthy, I don’t know how long I’ll be out of exercising again. Luckily, I know I’ll have barre3 to help me physically when I’m recovering. I feel fortunate that I had (and will have) time to get myself in order. I’m a happy person. I love my life. If there’s one big thing I’ve learned, it’s that my glass is half full all the time—I’m always the cheerleader.
What’s your B3 journey? We’d love to hear. Tell us in the comments below, or email us at b3magazine@barre3.com.
