Recovery from a devastating motorcycle wreck.

[em]My life-long friend, Regina, was in a devastating motorcycle accident in 2012. This is a portion of the letter she wrote to Bikram Choudhury and his wife. I wanted to share it as an encouragement for all. Bikram and his wife have met with Regina since this letter and were impressed and inspired by her. He even called her up to tell her story during one of his Los Angeles classes.[/em]

Dear Bikram and Rajashree,

I am Regina Carole Grande, a vital and passionate 41-year-old Leo woman with a Bikram Yoga practice that saved my life. The nourishing, full-spectrum benefits of this Yoga have caused me to fall madly in love with my true self and bounce back warp-speed from a grievous motorcycle accident.

Riding my beloved motorcycle to work at 7am on September 18th 2012,
 a car going 50 mph passing in a no-passing zone appeared head-on in my lane around a blind curve. I’m so grateful for my feline responsiveness and reflexes! I swerved my bike out of the way and into the desert.

I almost made it…

My left leg received the worst open femur fracture our chief EMT had seen in decades.
 
In 6 days I had 4 surgeries, 4 skin grafts, and two blood transfusions. My stomach shut down for a week. Weaning myself off of narcotic painkillers and completely surprising my doctors, I practiced every posture and breathing exercise possible before my release 15 days later.

Back home in the desert, my modified home practice took the edge off of some painful nights.

On December 12th, 2012, I returned to Bikram Yoga Tucson, practicing 6 days a week.

The exponential muscle and tissue regeneration I noticed after just 5 days back in the Hot Room? That’s Bikram Yoga.

This massive injury brought me deeper into my Bikram Yoga practice than ever.
Embracing this warrior body experiment became my full-time job. I believe
I am capable of a complete 110% recovery. My pain is nonexistent and I am working through scar tissue in my knee.

I am a wiry, small-framed woman; I sustained a massive trauma whose effects still shock me. In class I release everything in tears and sweat.

Bikram Yoga lulls my ego to sleep!

I have so much Love and Strength to share with this World.
I am so grateful for my Life.
I am so grateful for Bikram Yoga.

Thank you both for hearing my story!