STW May Member of the Month: Christen Branch

Mother's Day 2011

MOTHERHOOD. It’s not just a job or a role they play, it’s a calling. It is oftentimes the most daunting, challenging, frustrating, yet rewarding time of a woman’s life.  It is a job that is unpaid and more often than not, unappreciated. Motherhood will define her and mold her from girlhood into womanhood at warp speed. When a woman becomes a mother, the realization that their life is no longer their own can be trying. Lots of sacrifices are made as they live, breathe, and work hard for their children and their spouses. These unsung heroes can easily lose themselves to their families, giving up careers, hopes, dreams, even identity to be there for them all. It’s not something they’re forced to do; they hand it freely for the sake of helping their clan thrive and succeed as they guide them along the path of their own pursuits, goals, hopes and dreams.

Some women are lucky enough to have the support of spouses or family members help them not lose that part of themselves that gives them an identity they can balance between motherhood and what they want to do in life. But for many, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle of caretaking and care-giving that they lose a part of an identity that was once passionate about life, goals and accomplishments. Many are doing it alone, and quite well, stealing hours of sleep, or small opportune moments to sneak in pieces of time to do what they love to do. It’s not without hard work and huge amounts of effort—as I sit here writing this story, I’m battling to filter out the ear-piercing shrieks of children playing at a McDonald’s playscape, typing on my computer with one eye and keeping a watchful chameleon-like eye on my kid with the other.  It takes skill, one would call it an art form, even, but we manage. It’s an everyday struggle, a fight almost against fatigue, mostly, to keep that passion alive that prompts us to find that small spark or kindling flame in our spirit that encourages us to find time and pursue the things we love to do.

“My name is Christen. I was diagnosed with Diabetes in April 2008 and

Christen Branch Today

had been hospitalized numerous times as a result. I should be dead according to my doctors. I was taking insulin and pills to control my blood sugar levels. My energy level was practically non-existent, and I couldn’t even spend quality time with my children, because I was feeling tired and had no strength to do anything.

Shortly after Mother’s Day, 2011, my cousin and I talked about joining a gym to workout and lose weight. I can recall being overweight even in junior high, and after I had kids, I really didn’t have much time for myself. My cousin found STW Krav Maga, and told me how amazing it was and that I should come for the free class. I attended one class and was hooked! I knew that no matter what, I had to find time for that, so I became a member that day. Since then, many changes have taken place in my life. I’m a single mom, but now that my kids are a little older, I’m taking measures to work more on myself and they are both very supportive. They push me to get out of the house to go workout, and I make sure that I do and so glad I did.

By August 2011, my A1C was well enough for my doctor to take me off my insulin therapy. My eating habits have changed and my energy is amazing. I now take my children to the park and run with them. My daughter even tells me how happy she is that she can finally wrap her arms around me.