“It is not how we live in the light that enlightens us, it is how we live in the dark.”- Rune Lazuli
PROFILE
How the CrossFit Community is Helping Carolyn Bajic Build Back After Her Legs Gave Out
In July 2023, after several years as a CrossFit athlete and coach, Carolyn Bajic took her L-2. She left the weekend energized and ready to put her new knowledge to work.
Less than two months later, she would be in intense pain, unable to walk, and wondering when she would ever be able to pick up a barbell again.
It all started when she was 23 years old and diagnosed with Lupus. One night, Bajic noticed her fingers and feet incredibly swollen and in pain. Her doctor told her she had Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Bajic took her health into her own hands, cleaned up her diet, went vegan, and started working out. Her health initially improved, but soon the inflammation returned. Blood work was done, and the final verdict was that she had Lupus.
Lupus occurs when the immune system, which usually helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues. This attack causes inflammation and, in some cases, permanent tissue damage, which can be widespread.
Weeks after Bajic completed her L-2, she started getting tired and worn down. She knew it was a symptom of her Lupus, so she tried to rest and shake it off. She headed to Madison shortly after to watch the CrossFit Games, and after she returned, it escalated quickly.
Bajic: “The day after I got home, I called off work because I was so tired. Then I started feeling like I couldn’t hold food down. A migraine started soon after, and that got worse every day. A few days later, I had a fever and chills and started vomiting. Horrible back pain started too, and it kept getting worse and worse.”
A member of Bajic’s family drove her to the emergency room, and as Bajic went to get out of the car, her legs gave out from under her.
As she was helped into the ER and a wheelchair, she realized how fast things had turned.
“I felt a tingling painful sensation, like needles in my legs. Then I started noticing that something was wrong with my feet. My feet were out of the wheelchair–I had my slip-ons on, and my foot just dangled. I tried to put my foot back on the chair but noticed I couldn’t move it anymore. This happened in a matter of 45 minutes.”
The pain was so acute that Bajic wasn’t scared–she didn’t have time to think–but as soon as the two shots of morphine kicked in, so did the fear.
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🤓 📈 Guest Programmer: Starting last night, the 2015 Fittest Man on Earth, Ben Smith, will be programming the CrossFit.com WOD. Smith is also the owner and head programmer at CrossFit Krypton in Chesapeake, VA.
📺 📺 Le Boiz TV: James Newbury and Khan Porter have launched Le Boiz TV on YouTube as the official channel of Le Boiz Swim.
Underdogs Athletics is now offering a Hybrid Weightlifting Program. The program is tailored to combine strength and finesse to help athletes redefine and develop their skills.
Have a Speed Read you think we might like? Hit us up.
COMPETITION
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Opinion: Can Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr Win Rogue Five Months Postpartum, and Does Asking this Question Send a Dangerous Message to Other Women?
When it comes to what women should and shouldn’t do for fitness during pregnancy and postpartum, it seems everyone has an opinion.
This was especially evident last month when we published an article about the upcoming Rogue Invitational match-up between the reigning Fittest Woman on Earth Laura Horvath and the six-time champion who gave birth to a baby girl in May, Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr.
The article was met with criticism that we would even bring Toomey-Orr into the conversation so soon after having a baby—the argument being it promotes a delusional idea that women can expect to get back to 100 percent so quickly after putting their body through pregnancy and childbirth—some even suggesting it’s a dangerous message.
23 Questions with Justin Cotler, Underdogs Athletics Co-Founder and Head Coach
As we head into the end of 2023, it’s a good time to reflect on the season behind us as well as look to what’s coming ahead. But amidst the heavy pondering that comes with the close of the year, it’s also time to approach some more light hearted subjects.
Since coaching the first American woman back to the CrossFit Games podium in five years during the 2020 season, Cotler has gone on to open the Underdogs Athletics training camp, which is home to Games athletes like Ricky Garard and Alex Gazan. This week, we sat down with Cotler to learn more about his 2023 beyond CrossFit.
Bidding is OPEN on select items for Chalktober: an auction with products donated from your favorite brands with all proceeds going to Compete for a Cure, a 501(c) non-profit thatfunds breast cancer survivors’ and thrivers’ wellness within local communities, and provides education for coaches, trainers and athletes. Show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness month, and win some great prizes!
If you would like to donate directly to Compete for a Cure, text “mcu” to +1-325-603-3395!
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