Uncommon Lives: Mary McManus

Friends and Uncommoners – today we have a special post, brought to us by a very Uncommon lady, Mary McManus.  She is a truly incredible individual who proves that belief in yourself and the power of authenticity can create miraculous results.  Here is Mary’s story, told in her own words.  Enjoy!

At the age of 5,  I contracted paralytic polio during one of the last polio epidemics in Westchester, New York. I had a vision of a Being come to me, and although I was paralyzed, I was invited to step into a well bucket and meet this Being. This Presence sustained me during the painful hours of physical therapy which would allow me to walk again. Because I was unable to compete in athletics, I became a straight A student. I wanted to become a doctor but I was part of a Medical Career Explorers Group and on the day we were supposed to visit the morgue, I realized this was not the profession for me.

I attended Boston University and majored in business, then transferred to Northeastern to become a cytotechnologist and finally landed in public relations at Boston University’s School of Communication. I planned to pursue a career in public relations but was redirected to Boston College’s Graduate School of Social Work. I worked in social work for 25 years. Writing, especially poetry would always be my passion and my joy.

A diagnosis of post polio syndrome in December, 2006 opened the door to rekindling my passion for writing poetry, and put me on the path of an uncommon life. I realized that I was burned out physically, mentally and spiritually and working in social worker no longer served my life’s purpose. One dark, cold winter’s day in February 2007, a poem entitled, “Running the Race” poured out of my soul. Before I realized what was happening, I was writing a poetry book and creating my own company, New World Greeting Cards, customized poetry for all occasions. I took a leap of faith and left my familiar role as a social worker to pursue my passion. Doors began to open for me at every turn. I had a publishing contract five days after leaving my job at the Department of Veterans Affairs and people were contacting me to create customized poetry. I was blessed to have the love and support of my husband and twins.

There is a saying that out of chaos, great dreams are born and my life had been turned upside down by the diagnosis of post polio syndrome. I was not sure if we were going to need to adapt our Cape house and if I was going to need a wheelchair. My family was used to me being the one who always did everything and there were role changes that we had to weather as a family. I did not know what my financial future held for me; the team at Spaulding Rehab’s International Rehab Center for Polio (where I was diagnosed with post polio syndrome) told me I could go on social security disability but that felt inherently wrong for me. I had only known social work as a career – would I be able to succeed as a poet and entrepreneur? Fears abounded (and still do at times) but I walked confidently with God in taking my life in a new direction.

What I never imagined would happen (although my poetry was predicting this) was that my body would heal completely and that I would be running the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital After Spaulding Rehab Hospital discharged me from outpatient care, I felt that my body was screaming to do more than the exercises Spaulding had prescribed for me. I bless them and am so grateful for their wisdom in helping me to take the first steps of my healing journey but I knew I needed more. I called on a friend who is a personal trainer and asked her if there were anything more we could do to ‘get me a little stronger’ – like being able to get off of a low toilet seat which I still struggled with. She started me on a strength training and cardio program. After the first session and for several sessions thereafter, I thought I must be out of my mind to do this – after all, I was a polio survivor who had been diagnosed with post polio syndrome – muscles ached and I was entering into totally unchartered territory for myself as well as what the medical profession recommends for post polio syndrome.

God was with me and when I wanted to quit, the flame of faith continued to burn (with Janine lovingly fanning these flames). In February 2008, when Janine asked me what my new goals were, without thinking and feeling a stirring deep in my soul I said, “I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital.” She said I needed to trade in my polio shoes for running shoes. Fast forward to today and we are up to 17.5 miles on our long training runs. Last weekend (Jan 24) this polio survivor ran from Brookline to Wellesley and back via Heartbreak Hill.

My now uncommon life is spent training for the Marathon, fund raising, doing book signings, being a guest on numerous radio talk shows, creating customized poetry for grateful clients, promoting my book and business and having a blast! I love the freedom of running and being an inspiration to so many, especially polio survivors who are dealing with post polio syndrome. I am so blessed that I can give back to Spaulding Rehab. I donate 20% of the proceeds of the sale of my book to Spaulding and I know we are going to exceed our goal of $9,000 for running the Marathon for Spaulding. Oh, and I said, ‘we’ referring to Team McManus. My daughter and husband decided to take up the cause when they heard I was going to run the Marathon. We laugh, cry, share frustrations, celebrate triumphs and have bonded as a family through this wonderful journey. My son is not running the Marathon but provides us with immeasurable help at home.  What could have torn our family apart (the diagnosis of post polio syndrome and my incapacitation for many months) became an opportunity for us to grow in love and to bear witness to God’s gift of healing. I am so grateful that I now control my life and co-create amazing happenings with the help of God. I am most proud of the courage, faith, determination and grace I have exhibited throughout this journey. I am most proud of being able to bless others with my poetry and the life I lead and to touch people’s hearts through living an uncommon life, and of course to be able to pay it forward to help others who experience a crisis of physical trauma in their lives and seek care at Spaulding Rehab Hospital.

Check out my websites at : www.newworldgreetings.com and www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus. You can view a You Tube chronicling my journey from crisis to transformation on the firstgiving website.

Thank you so much for sharing, Mary – I know I am inspired by your story!!

Tagged as: Mary McManus, uncommon lives