Jan Tilden has never considered herself an athlete. In fact, she argues that anyone who knows her knows that she is “athletically challenged,” which is why initially she was surprised to receive the WellFit for Life Lifetime Achievement Award for 2007 for completing the ten week program while suffering from a chronic condition.

An English teacher at Mojave High School, Tilden has been living with the chronic condition fibromyalgia since 1994 when severe pain in her shoulders that spread to her back and hips left her almost incapacitated.

“I had to take a month of sick leave while they tried to figure out what was wrong,” she explained. “Finally after multiple tests, and a CAT scan, and an MRI, and my research on the Internet, the doctor identified my condition as fibromyalgia.” As Tilden explains, “fibromyalgia is a chronic condition in which muscle pain, sleeplessness, extreme fatigue, and depression are all linked–often brought about by severe stress.”

As the 2007 WellFit for Life program began, Tilden found herself suffering greatly from stress in her personal life–her husband, Michael, had recently been stationed hours away in Oklahoma and she was in the process of selling her house.

“My fibromyalgia was really trying to kick me in the derriere and my pain levels were rising tremendously,” she remembered. “An increase in exercise–anything that would keep me moving and stretching–would help calm down the pain and help me maintain my mobility.”

And after ten weeks and sixty–one miles logged for the WellFit for Life program, Tilden proved that maintaining a positive outlook is one of the most important steps toward achieving a goal.

“People with chronic conditions have a choice–to let the condition of pain control their lives… or not,” she said. “Most days I have pain, but I ignore it the majority of the time and try to keep a positive attitude. [...] There are some things I cannot do, [... but] if you are busy looking for all the good things in life, the bad stuff–including the pain–just doesn’t seem to get in the way so much.”

Tilden admits that her ten weeks on the program were not perfect, as she remembers days when she got up, went to school to teach, and came home to rest on the couch. But she was determined not to let those moments shadow the positive effects of activity and exercise on her condition.

“The more I hurt, the more I knew I needed to at least walk around some,” she said. “[...] Knowing I would only limit my own mobility if I didn’t stay active helped to keep me going.”

For others suffering from chronic conditions, other diseases or even difficult times in their lives, Tilden offers this advice: “I’m no expert. I just get on with my life. I am no poster child for fitness. [...] I have found over the years that two things make a difference. The first is to set goals–large and small. The small ones are making it through the next moment, or hour, or day, or week. The large ones are starting a hobby, spending time with friends, having some big project to focus on for the year. The second bit of advice is to look on the bright side.”

And it is apparent through the enthusiasm with which Tilden refers to teaching that she has experienced many bright moments throughout her twenty–seven year career in education.

“I would have to say that my $300 dollar moments–you know, the ones that you REALLY teach for–are the times when students arrive at that ‘A–ha’ moment, especially when they do it all as a group and you hear that ‘Ohh.’”

And after the questions, after delving into the text numerous times for answers, after turning her students back to the text with a smile to find more answers, “[t]hen comes that moment of enlightenment–that moment of ‘Ohh’ for which I must stop class and breathe in the delight of discovery. Ah yes–this is why I choose to teach!”

Misti R. Brock
Publications Specialist

<< Back to H.E.R.O.S.