Bold to Boulder! B. Haq Tessie woke up not fresh or well-rested and certainly not like her usual self. Her leg muscles, sore and tender as they hadn’t felt in a long time after the episode, could barely move, and painful cramps erupted in her legs if she tried. You can do it, Tessie’s willpower coaxed her to roll out of her warm and cozy bed. As soon as her feet touched the soft, shaggy rug that lay by the side of her bed, she lost her balance and fell back on the bed. Her legs were old logs, stiff and fatigued. It hurts like anything, but I am happy, she thought as she propped herself up on the edge of the bed. A wide smile dawned on her face as she quietly cried in pain. “Oh, Tessie, I am so proud of you,” said her mom, encouraging her as she walked into Tessie’s room upon hearing her muffled cries. Yesterday was Tessie’s first lesson at the Summit Bouldering Gym. She was beyond thrilled before and after the experience. Finally, she and her mom had together figured out, though after much contemplation, what Tessie could do in a safe environment. Up until six months ago, she was a healthy, robust 13-year-old, training for 400-meter sprints and hurdle race. She was a cheetah on the track and fast coming up as a star track and field athlete when everything suddenly changed, not only for Tessie but also for her family. On that fateful morning, the last thing Tessie remembered was that she felt dizzy as she walked to her class. When she came around, she was groggy, and her heart pounded in her head. She looked around to find paramedics around her, asking her, her name and other questions. Later that day, the doctors explained to her parents that Tessie had multiple seizures and that it could happen again. She was immediately put on anti-seizure medicine, and her training as a track and field athlete was put on hold. Tessie’s world fell apart within her mom’s tight embrace. Their tears mingled with each other’s, and from that point onward, Tessie’s life was a roller-coaster ride, and tight turns and steep slopes were part and parcel of it. Tessie, who loved the outdoors, was stuck indoors. As hard as she and her mother tried to figure out what she could do, there weren’t any options. “Mom, I don’t think it’s gonna work,” uttered Tessie in a soft, barely audible melancholy tone. “Hey, remember what I told you
