10/08/2021
This past weekend I did not do any major hikes, but was able to share this piece of heaven, I now call home, with a good friend of mine and her family, from Grande Prairie. I have experienced first hand the powers of being in Mother Nature, the sense of inner strength you get when you accomplish something that you didnât think was possible and absolute pride in yourself when you make a decision to face fear and limiting beliefs and crush them like a bug! The only thing better than doing it first hand, is witnessing someone experiencing it themselves!
With the permission of Candice Emily Anne Tomchuk, I get to tell you a bit of her story. In her own wordsâŚ..âIt's called Meniere's Disease. Hereditary. Go from fully healthy, active to profound bilateral deafness in 64 days. Plus Vestibular damage from the extreme vertigo attacks. Meniere's has no cure, 1 in 1000 Canadians have it..30-40years duration and I may never get my vestibular nerves to be fully repaired.(inner ear degenerative Disease)Meniere's
Most who have it are expected to lose their hearing but not as fast as I did! Like a 10-30years span..â
Iâve heard many excuses why people wonât go hiking. âIâm too fat, too old, I wonât be able to keep up, Iâm scared of bearsâ The list does go on, and all of them valid excuses in each of their own minds.
I showed up to pick up Candice and her family Sunday morning at 10:30 from Ridge RetreatsâŚa short term rental space I host. The shirt she wore told it all, âI am DEAF inatly not drunkâŚI have Meniereâs Diseaseâ Walking on solid ground can sometimes be an issue, but this little fire cracker wanted to go hiking, and if someone is wanting to break through that terror barrier and make their âimpossibleâ happen you better damn well believe that I want to be witness to it!!
We started off at BullMoose Marshes. Itâs a dreamy little âbird sanctuaryâ that has scenic views of the mountains, aromatic scents of mother natureâs purest gifts and a vibe that just fills your soul. Itâs about 1 km of a hike with some of it being on a solid boardwalk. There are many spots to stop and rest along the way to enjoy the landscape and breath it all in. This was an ideal location to get a sense of what Candice was able to handle. With a hiking pole and a hand in a few areas, she was able to navigate it like a pro!!
Next location to conquer was Quality Falls. Although it is deemed as an easy hike, I soon realized the potential hurdles that there may be. There are lots of exposed roots which make the ground extremely uneven, some slight inclines and declines that make sure footings very difficult and some narrow walk way access that donât allow for someone to be by your side to offer a stable hand of support. After this discussion with Candice and a plan in place, she decided she must get to see some waterfalls!
Iâve done Quality Falls so many times since Iâve moved to Tumbler Ridge, and I will say with 100% certainty that I will never appreciate it or experience a more heart filled emotional experience like I got to with Candice and her family that day!! She will tell you that I was her âangelâ that day for providing her that experience, but the tears that we experienced at the sights of the waterfall and the absolute joy at reaching the end of the trail head were second to none of anything Iâve experienced before! She is my new hero and what I want to daily aspire to be!
She proves to me that the excuses you create for yourself are just limiting you from doing and being what you are truly meant to experience. She told me âthis is the best day of my year so far and I canât wait to see what more I can accomplishâ I canât agree with you more CandiceâŚ.it was the best day of my year toođĽ°đĽ°
