INTRODUCTION Like many people I thought I could abuse my body by eating what I wanted, when I wanted and as much as I wanted. It is amazing how you can be so busy with life that you let life pass you by. At one point I woke up and realized I weighed in at 335 pounds, so I dieted and exercised my way to 225 pounds. A few years later I found myself back up to 365 pounds. I again started exercising semi-regularly, cut out sodas and started eating healthier, but not healthy. I dropped 80 pounds over the course of around a year. Then I had a stroke. Talk about a life-changing wake-up call. The stroke affected my right side – speech, chewing, bowels, loss of right arm and leg function, and many inner body functions. I felt like my life was nothing more than surviving day to day, sleeping and eating. Using the restroom, if I could make it in time, was like potty training all over again. I could only sit for a short time before needing to lie down and could not fix my own meals or even get a glass of water. Sleeping more than an hour at a time was a great blessing. As stubborn as I am, I tried to push myself. Some things leave you helpless. No matter how much you try it is out of your control. The simple fact is I had lost my strength, much of my movement and essentially my freedom and independence. Two years have gone by since the stroke occurred. I thank God for what I can do. come a long way, but have further to go to make a full recovery.
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When I was in the hospital I was informed that I was diabetic, had high cholesterol and high blood pressure (208/120). They immediately put me on medication and quickly told me what I should and shouldn’t eat. Interestingly, the meals they fed me didn’t match their advice. After 5 days at the hospital, losing more abilities than when I arrived, they finally released me over threats I would simply check myself out. My first visit with a doctor outside the hospital, while writing slip after slip of prescription drugs, the doctor asked how I felt having to take medications the rest of my life. Shocked, I asked what he meant. He basically replied that it was unlikely I would ever totally control my high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and that diabetes would be with me for the rest of my life. I told him that he better get ready to start reducing my prescription medications, because I wouldn’t be on them forever. I knew it was possible to overcome any adversity. Eating properly and exercising to the best of my limited ability, I began to show him that I was serious. I admit it was very slow going. Ten months later I had the opportunity to participate in a stroke study at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with the Physical Therapy masters students. With their help, I was eating well and walking 40 minutes twice a day. My bad cholesterol became a thing of the past, but the high blood pressure and diabetes still plagued me and my good cholesterol was too low. 3
