Getting the Word Out There

Last week we had some difficult news come our way. Our doctor raised a concern over the asymmetric manner in which my son's head is growing. He used a big word: craniosynostosis. I looked it up on WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/craniosynostosis-craniostenosis), and did not like what it had to say. What I really disliked was at how this big medical word attached itself to my son. This condition comes about when a baby's skull comes together too early. When the sutures seal too early it causes the baby's head to grow in a mis-shaped manner. The brain can find growing room in such a skull a premium. To be short, the condition results in a life of pain, developmental delay, and seizures.

We set up an appointment with a pediatric neurologist for next Friday. I hope that we will find some answers to questions that I did not have before this week. Ok- to be honest I hope that my doctor's concern, though well-founded, is wrong.

I just want to invite my friends and family out there to say some prayers for us as we prepare for Friday. We can use all of the faith, prayers, fasting, love, and support that our loving family and friends have to offer.

ANGER MANAGEMENT

I can’t really pinpoint when it all started. I have my theories, most of them stemming from semi-abandonment issues that I may have developed after my little brother, L, had his accident. I’m nearly certain that it all didn’t happen until after that event. I can’t even really narrow my memories down to the first time that I let it happen.

Oh yeah, you heard me correctly, I “let” it happen.

I have always had a temper, but I managed to hold it in for a long time. Not at home, mind you, I would go off at home. However, sitting in class I would not have let out the beast that simmered just below the surface of my public emotions. I do know that certain people became regular targets, and others would never be the subject of my violence. Really, if I could find Doug Moe, Jason Ernst, Shawn Moore, J.P. Guerra, Mike Christy or any of the other people that felt terrorized by my lack of anger management skills, I will do anything to show them how sorry I am for it.

You see, I hit people. I choked them. I genuinely wanted to hurt people. That is just not nice. These are not the acts of a confident person. That is not how my parents taught me to act. That is not how society bred me to comport myself.

Sadly, I will have to wait for the afterlife to apologize to Dan Moe…he has graduated already from this mortal sphere. I can, however, say that I am sorry for being an ignorant mess to my friends who knew me.

I’ll start here: Andrew, Anj, I am so sorry.

MAGIC HAND OF FATE

Most folks never know
What magic has done
They walk with their eyes closed to the stars.
Most people ignore,
When they walk out their door,
The influence of Jupiter or Mars.

But for the few chosen souls,
Aligned with the Earth’s poles,
Each day is an unfolding mystery.
They see facts very clear,
Just as a nose is not an ear,
How arcana has shaped our whole history.

How does a boy of small stature,
The son of a lowly thatcher,
Walk a path that leads to a throne?
With an enchanted sword,
A well-spoken word,
He claimed royal right as his own.

Behold the great and wondrous works of man
All guided by a hidden magic hand.

This one is for Justin Olsen

NO MORE A GUN VIRGIN

I have to make this confession. I have to do it now while I have the nerve to do it. It’s always hard to admit these things. I mean, I’m an American, I live in Colorado—it’s not like I haven’t seen this sort of thing on the streets, in my father’s bedroom closet behind his church suits, on television. I know that my friends have had experience in these things for much longer than I, yet I would just laugh along at their stories as if I knew the titillating thrill of which they spoke.

Well my days of pretending are over. I am now a man of experience—at one with the ways of the world. I know the secret passion that I had always longed for but was just too timid to take. I am no longer a gun virgin.

Oh, don’t think that I haven’t dabbled. I’ve experimented as a teenager—who hasn’t? But I never really went “all the way” when it came to firearms. I have looked down the barrel of my dad’s .22. I’ve seen them, touched them, and always wondered what it would be like to fire one. I played a mean Duck Hunt on the Nintendo NES. One time, when I was 15, I shot a black powdered rifle. I learned just recently that it had powder but no ball.

No ball--are you kidding me? I shot an impotent gun!

Last weekend, in the summer of my 41st year I went to Cherry Creek State Park where I ended my secret shame. I went with some friends to celebrate a 40th birthday and shot 12 gauge rifles at some poor, unsuspecting clay pigeons. In 25 shots I hit 13—not bad

Now I will take measures to ensure that I don’t miss out on the fun any longer. I am shopping for a shotgun of my own. I am researching guns, prices, and testimonials. I plan on renting a few before I buy. I am even looking into the law—so’s that I don’t go breaking it or nothing’ like that. (Sorry, my inner-redneck just woke up from a long slumber.) The law in Colorado is surprisingly more lax than the media reports.

Now I know what it is like to walk in the sun for the first time in my life. My step has a spring in it that I have never experienced. I’m going to take my wife shooting on Labor Day—she should share in this, up until now, forbidden passion with me. What a great day to be an American!

The Highland Wizard

He travels the hills by day
collecting roots and twigs and grass
he wanders across the valley
searching the wide morass.

He passes by no fungus
and covets every spice.
His skills at potion brewing
have earned a handsome price.

He seeks to help the widow
with the useless withered arm.
He packs a fragrant sachet
for a bridal good luck charm.

The mountain people seek him out--
they travel from miles away
to find the old White Wizard,
and no one refuses to pay.

The Truth About Mermaids

Gossipy little mermaids
Swim in their clicky pods
They speak in whispered voices
And give their judging nods.

So pretty from afar they are
But distances are concealing
When you swim in for a closer look
Barbed tongues they’ll be revealing

To your face they are your friends
But once you take your leave
They lean in close to giggle and jibe
About your bad hair-weave

They act like you’re an equal
And maybe share a tale of hate
But rest assured that once you’re gone
Your reputation is on their plate.

A Sprite at Tea Time

If you wish for the crazies to stay far away
never have tea with a sprite.
For they only will hear every third word you say
smirking to just give you spite.

"How are you this fine day? Have you had a good trip?"
you might say as you first meet.
"But you know that I bruise like a peach over ripe.
Do you have honey to eat?"

"Have you fallen my dear?" concern hangs on your voice.
"I see flowers are budding, it's spring."
"Yes I know that its spring-- never mind, take a seat."
"Takes? My dear no-- not such thing.

"It gives green to the world with a bright shiny smile.
That is the beauty in life."
Though she just came around, and the tea 's yet to pour,
she cuts your wits like a knife.

"And your mother, I trust, fares she well in these days?"
Maybe politeness will win.
"There's a plan, so I've heard, to raise up her rates.
My but three gold seems a sin.

"And for what, dare I ask, do you get for three gold?
Babies and children we are not!
But her fares she will raise, and of course we will pay--
My what a lovely honey pot."

And you see now, you do, why I gave my advice:
Tea time 's not time for sprites.
Though a lovely guest she would seem right at first
Always tea ends up in fights.

Researching Workout Programs for People Suffering with Multiple Sclerosis

Losing weight, as it turns out, follows a law of thermodynamics: eating fewer calories than burned results in weight loss. However, fitness involves desire followed up with determined action. Whereas for most people this may be merely an issue of self will, a person living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) will find that achieving fitness goals beyond just losing weight a difficult prospect at best. The Rocky Mountain MS Center relates MS as a progressive and unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. This disorder causes the immune system to attack the myelin sheath (the insulation that assists the nerve fibers in transmitting signals to and from the brain.). Over time these attacks can destroy nerves entirely, leaving behind lesions, or plaques, in the place of the functioning nerve.

“The damage from lesions disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses from the central nervous system to the rest of the body causing a variety of symptoms. Common symptoms include visual changes, muscle weakness, problems with balance, fatigue, numbness, and emotional and cognitive changes but there are many others. MS has periods when the disease is quite active known as exacerbations. During exacerbations symptoms can be more pronounced, but usually subside and sometimes go away after an exacerbation” (Rocky Mountain MS Center, 2010).

A person suffering from this type of malady must carefully regulate any activity that requires physical strength or endurance. Managing an exercise program to achieve fitness goals resembles a walk on a tightrope: building and maintaining new strength without sacrificing the already low reserves of energy such a person possesses. To achieve this intricate balance, one must maintain vigilance to select carefully a workout routine. Researching and comparing the workout programs outlined in Bill Phillips’ book Body for Life with low-impact aerobic workouts will help the MS sufferer to choose the best fitness options available. To complete this research, one may go to the public library and check out the book Body for Life as well as take advantage of the library's online database.

Body for Life and Aerobic Workout
Bill Phillips, in the Body for Life workout program outlined in the book by the same name, uses what he calls the High Point Technique. This is a rating system for the energy that a person exerts.

“On the low end – at level 1 – you’ve got the intensity of sitting on the couch and watching TV. Level 2 would be standing; level 3 might be walking; level 4 might be carrying a couple of bags of groceries in from the car; level 5 might be carrying those groceries of up stairs; and so on, up to level 10, which is an all out, 100 percent focused effort” (Phillips, pg. 60, 1999). To

maximize the effects of a 20-minute aerobics workout, Phillips (Phillips, pg. 66, 1999) has designed a system that will have the body burning fat for hours after leaving the gym. Two basic rules to follow: do the exercise while fasting, and do not eat for an hour after completing the circuit. The 20-Minute Aerobics Solution works by starting at intensity level five for two minutes. This acts as a warm up level only, and it is meant to be a self regulating level of activity--whatever the individual believes is his or her personal capability. Next the workout increases slightly up a notch to reach a level six effort for one minute. For next three consecutive minutes the plan calls for an increase in intensity one level for each minute, until the person exercising reaches an intensity level of nine. This is a minute of purely pushing the body as hard as stamina will allow but not quite at the point of all out physical exertion. Then the exerciser will retreat back down to a level six intensity “a relatively moderate effort” according to Phillips (Body for Life, pg. 66, 1999). Repeating that pattern three times, but at the peak of the final circuit the exerciser must reach for a level 10: maximum effort. End the workout with a minute back at level five. A person need not limit himself by what kind of workout or machine he uses, or to following a group’s level of intensity.

Although the plan appears flawless, one may question how much of this intense workout someone with limited energy reserves can endure. This calls upon the individual to monitor how much is enough, and when it is too much. This is a personalized system, made to follow the individual’s abilities, which makes it perfect for a person suffering from MS. A person need not pigeon-hole himself by what kind of workout or machine he uses, or by following a group’s level of intensity. Placing this system in service a person can use gym equipment such as a stationary bike, rowing machine, or participate in aerobics that require no equipment such as shadow boxing, or tai chi—the effort will equal the same calorie burn when done correctly.

Body for Life and Anaerobic Workout
The Body for Life workout plan of weight training allows the exerciser to listen to his or her body and perform up to potential. Switching between upper and lower body, and targeting different muscles each workout should keep the muscles in a constant state of confusion. To maintain a workable level of energy throughout the week, a person with MS may feel the need to back off on the intensity of the workout by supplementing the weight training with different anaerobic exercise techniques. Using a band workout in the place of weights will not decrease the effect of the workout, but it will allow the muscles more time to recover strength--which is never an easy prospect for someone who faces chronic fatigue.

Body for Life Eating Plan
More than just a workout plan, the Body for Life plan also offers nutritional counsel to help build the body. Phillips offers an overview of the program found on page 98. The system requires three meals daily balanced with protein, carbohydrate, vegetable, and fruit. Furthermore, the plan calls for three high protein snacks positioned between each meal and one after dinner. The plan also prescribes topping meals after seven p.m. The one unique quality of the plan is the “free day.” That is, a day when one can eat or drink whatever he wishes without negatively affecting the regimen. Phillips endorses such a day as a break from the body: both from diet and exercise. By allowing the body to recuperate on all levels, a person can expect better performance throughout the other six days of the week. Furthermore, by allowing a day of sweets, pizza, soda, or whatever else a body’s taste buds may desire the natural craving tendencies that follow such plans have no place to dwell.

Low-Impact Aerobics Options
Low-impact does not have to mean low intensity. Using the database library that the University of Phoenix makes available to students and faculty, one will find ample articles and academic papers that provide information necessary to make an informed decision. In an article written for the Canadian Journal of Health and Fitness, Mike Broderick suggests that one can “add intensity by making the moves more deliberate. Use your legs to move your body up and down with each move, make your arm movements large and strong, and feel your heart rate go up” (Broderick, pg. 104, 2007).

The problem with the low-impact workout comes with the individual’s ability to sustain the activity. Most people with MS complain of fatigue, and also with balance issues. These issues rule out many popular workouts on the market bases on martial arts, dance, or anything that requires a high degree of perpendicular movement. One way to erase these barriers is to move the aerobics routine into the water. In the Canadian Journal of Health and Fitness, aerobics expert Tanya Rouble touts the benefits of a workout which she calls Aquafit. This workout consists of low-impact aerobics in a neck deep pool. “Neck deep water supports 90% of your body weight and relieves stress on knee and hip joints.” She goes on to say that the buoyancy of water decreases the risk of injury because of falling and provides natural resistance no matter what direction a person moves in the water (Rouble, pg. 84, 2008). A drawback with any such low-impact workout remains the amount of time that they take to complete. This goes beyond just a scheduling conflict, but creates the issue of maintaining a balance between keeping fit and keeping energized. Unlike fatigue that the average person will experience after any such workout, the energy well of a person with MS does not replenish quite so easily. So a person with MS concerns himself very much with possessing energy and keeping it.

Conclusion
In comparing the two options of working out, Bill Phillips’ program outlined in his book Body for Life and low-impact aerobic routines farmed from the university library, one can see that both offer value to a person with MS, and both also present disadvantages. Both of them can produce results when done consistently and correctly. The Body for Life plan empowers a person to take charge of the workout. The activity level portion of the plan allows a day of increased energy, or for one of decreased proportions. With the low-impact aerobic solution, one must first find the right instructor or class. One must have either facilities or access to a DVD for instruction. Finding the right fit in an instructor, one who understands the limits of one with multiple sclerosis, may prove a difficult task. Perhaps through a local MS Center, such as the Rocky Mountain MS Center, a person may find such a situation. DVD’s prove to display little sympathy for the abilities of the person exercising, and so it may spend more time on pause, and in the case than doing much good. Ultimately a person with MS must formulate his or her own plan, with the help of a knowledgeable doctor or physical therapist, to choose which is right for the individual. The hope remains that a person can gain more energy through exercise, even while battling a debilitating disease.

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References
Phillips, B., & D'Orso, M. (1999). Body for life. New York City, NY: HarperCollins.

Rocky Mountain MS Center. (2010). MS: The basics. Retrieved from http://www.mscenter.org/education/ms-the-basics

Broderick, M. (2007). Getting the most from low impact. Canadian Journal of Health and Fitness, (295), 104. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=113&sid=b2b612c3-9a42-4273-ba64-b35cf1d3d5ca%40sessionmgr115&vid=3

Rouble, T. (2008). Aquafit deep water workout. Canadian Journal of Health and Fitness, 305(), 84. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=113&sid=af8c363e-51f4-4166-a720-d0240cf47fac%40sessionmgr104&vid=3

Self-Portriat

This is a self-portrait of...well...myself. This is based on my results from the Briggs-Meyers Type Inventory. Now the career goals, interests, and the values all came from me.