After her MS diagnosis strength competitions helped turn her life around

After she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Kari Thibeault went through a difficult time, but she says participating in strength competitions has changed her life for the better.

Thibeault, who lives in Warren, Ont., won first place in the women's adaptive competition at the World Strength Games in Orlando, Fla. last month.

She said there was a time after her diagnosis in 2002, when it was difficult for her to get out of bed some days. She was 29 at that time.

"I started out just doing physio because I was tired of lying in bed just waiting for life to stop," Thibeault said.

"I guess I just quit giving up and I just started to make something different of my life."

Thibeault said it was a friend who convinced her to get into strength training. 

She started with resistance band training and worked her way up to weights.

"And next thing I know, I was doing competitions," Thibeault said.

"It's just kind of crept up on me."

The competition in Florida was the first time she left Canada, and it gave her the opportunity to meet people in the sport from all over the world.

"The best part about it was meeting all the other people, the other athletes that competed with me," Thibeault said about the competition. 

Now she can't picture herself leaving the sport.

"I think I'm a little addicted to it now," she said.

Thibeault's goal is to deadlift 420 pounds next year.

"I'm at 405 now, so I'm gonna just go for it," she said.

In an email to CBC News, Thibeault's sister, Jennifer Ellis, said five years ago she was worried she would lose Thibeault to multiple sclerosis.

"I was pre-grieving her loss because she had given up on life. It was devastating to see her struggle," Ellis wrote.

But she said strength competitions turned her