A Minor Setback — Not a Roadblock!
February 1, 2010
“I was asked recently that if now that I lost the weight, I thought I was going to live longer. For a moment I pondered the question then answered, I honestly don’t know, however I do know one thing, I am living better.”
The above paragraph was how I ended a column in the August 30, 2009 edition of the Dispatch. Those same words were quoted back to me when I appeared on WVIA’s “Call the Doctor” on January 12, 2010.
Three days later I was slapped in the face with the realization of those thoughts.
During a scheduled follow up with my cardiologist all appeared well. Good EKG, blood pressure, heart sounds and pulse rate. The doctor told me he would see me in a year. I advised my cardiologist of my plans to compete in the Leigh Valley Half Marathon in April, The Boyertown YMCA Strongman contest in May and the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon in the summer. I asked if it would be reasonable, considering my previous morbid obesity, to have a stress test. He agreed, so we set up an appointment for January. The stress test went fine. Compared to my previous test in March of 2008 I was on the treadmill nearly four times longer to get my heart rate up, I didn’t have any chest pains, my blood pressure didn’t rise to above the normal range, recovered quickly and the EKG looked good throughout. I finished up and was told I would receive a call in a day or two. I left the doctor’s office and went for a run. The next two mornings I arose at my usual time, ran 2 miles hit the weights and then ran another mile — I was full into training for my upcoming events, increasing my run distance and I hadn’t lifted such heavy weights since I was in my twenties. I went through my workouts at a fast pace, barely resting between each heavy set and finished up with sweat drenched workout attire. I arrived at my office on Friday morning in great spirits. Linda, my office manger, commented on my good mood. I told her the extra bulk I mistakenly and needlessly added for the strongman contest was coming off and I was getting stronger with each workout — nothing was going to ruin my day.
The proverbial famous last words. About an hour later my cardiologist called.
I answered the phone expecting good results. My jovial spirit was quickly gone. The voice on the other end told me there was an abnormality on my stress test, he didn’t understand it because everything else looked good. However, on the exercise portion there was a problem. I asked him my options and he told me that the best way to be sure was a cardiac catheterization. I said I would call him back. Those that saw me after the call tell me that my face was ashen. I could understand because I was quite shaken up.
“How could this be?” I asked myself. I just ran 3 miles and moved over one ton of weights. I had been having regular testing. My blood work showed improved cholesterol readings, a stress test, a coronary CT scan and an echo cardiogram were all good. I even had a test to look for calcium deposits in my coronary arteries which revealed the best reading of zero. After consulting with my medical doctor cousins I opted to have the procedure.
The test was scheduled for the following Thursday and I was not to exercise until we knew what was going on. My heart sunk and I went from being shaken to being down right scared. The health care provider in me knew that if it were very serious I would be going directly to the hospital, the human being in me suddenly felt like there was now a time bomb in my chest.
Pre-procedure testing revealed another baffling piece to the puzzle — my cholesterol levels had improved even more. According to the test results my risk factor ratio was 2.86; below 3.4 decreases your risk factor by one half. Anxiety filled days and nights passed until the morning of the procedure.
My skilled physician did his thing and told me that all looked good.
Relief!
Now I have to wait to heal from the procedure before I get back to exercise. I am chomping at the bit because, you see, I had been guilty of two of the seven deadly sins, gluttony and sloth. Now I am guilty of one; greed.
The greed to maintain my fitness, to spread the word and help as many of those who lost their way as I did.
Exercise is the fountain of youth and weight loss is a side effect of fitness. I want to help as many people as I can get fit.
2010 let the fun begin!
January 8, 2010
Keep training and remember: being fit isn’t simply about living longer, it is about living better!
2010
January 5, 2010
Hi Everyone,
Now that I have registered and paid the fees for the Leigh Valley half marathon and Boyerstown YMCA strongman, 2 of the 3, (possible 4) events I am competing in this year, I will be documenting my training, eating and generally how I am feeling by updating my blog at least once a week starting this week.
The Wilkes Barre Triathalon is the other I will enter and possibly the Steamtown Marathon.
Someday perhaps I will change my philosophy in life: Jump and look for the net later… Nah I have way too much fun this way.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I think I need my head examined. I am 45 years old and in March of 2008 I weighed 340 ponderous pounds, but it is time to show all the so called experts that you can in fact not only lose weight on a low carb lifestyle, but be athletic and active.
Happy New Year and a great 2010.
Joe
Below are the 2 events that I have registered for.
http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/upcoming/upcoming_item.asp?UpcomingID=459
http://www.lehighvalleyhalfmarathon.com/index.html
The following begins registering in Feb.
Happy Thanksgiving
November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Today is a day to give thanks.
Enjoy your day. Eat well.
“Handicapped is a mental state!”
November 15, 2009
Last night I was at a bodybuilding event/fundraiser for the incredible young woman I first saw last year around this time. Here is the much requested follow up:
“Handicapped is a mental state!”
by: Joe Leonardi
Last December, I wrote a column describing a very inspirational moment. I saw a young person who was missing her left arm and leg ferociously training with the look and intensity of many champion athletes I have met over the years. At the time I didn’t know her story. I didn’t even know her name.
Since that column appeared, I have had many people tell me about the incredible Stephanie Jallen. During a meeting with Senator Ray Musto and his wife, Frances, I was encouraged to have a face to face with Stephanie. I made a phone call to the Senator’s Pittston office and within hours I received a return phone call from Stephanie’s proud and supportive mother Deborah Jallen.
In the course of my life, I have had the chance to train with champion bodybuilders and strength athletes, I have broken bread with multi-millionaires, talked politics with national and state elected politicos and I even had the chance to campaign with the great Lynn Swann. The people I have met are all impressive in their own right, however compared to Stephanie Jallen, well, there is no comparison — Stephanie is in a league all her own.
This impressive person will make you forget that she has just embarked on her teenage years. She answers questions and discusses her life with the poise and confidence of someone who has spent eternity in the limelight.
I asked Stephanie how I should refer to her in this column.
Should I say she is handicapped?
A special needs person?
I wasn’t sure what term to use.
She told me I should refer to her as normal and that is when she uttered the title of this column.
Prior to skiing, Stephanie had been involved in basketball and soccer. Then a little over four years ago, she received a letter inviting her to a PA Center for Adapted Sports Clinic. There she discovered skiing. Instructors wanted Stephanie to ski in the seated position, but the nine year old Miss Jallen would not hear of it. She insisted and obviously got her way — she would ski standing up.
A chance meeting with personal trainer Ernie Baul occurred at a fundraiser that would impact her future training. Stephanie’s congenital condition caused her left side to be underdeveloped, leaving her arm very short, tapering down to one digit. Her left leg had to be amputated when she was an infant. Ernie focuses her training on underused muscles and works especially hard on keeping her hip, leg, knee and ankle strong and stable.
Stephanie told me that Ernie’s training program has translated into a dramatic improvement in her performance.
In the last year, the fiercely competitive athlete entered her first international competition — the Huntsman Cup in Utah.
How did she do?
How does three gold medals and a bronze sound?
Stephanie is a talented skier who is on track for the 2014 Paralympics to be held in Russia. Her ability has led her to be competing above her age level.
She is not limited by her lack of a full left arm, nor by her lack of a left leg.
She can, however, be limited by funding.
It is not an inexpensive endeavor Stephanie has undertaken. Unlike the professionals, USOC and corporate sponsors that dominate the Olympic games, the Paralympics have no such financial backing in place. Several fundraisers have been held, but money can become a limiting factor.
In today’s sports environment, we glorify steroid bloated baseball bashers, but sometimes true sports heroes are here at home.
Stephanie is getting help with her training thanks to the generous spirits of the before mentioned Ernie Ball, who trains her at no charge. Larry Danko has shown his heart fills his massive chest by allowing Stephanie pro bono use of his first class facility. We are the valley with a heart and it is my hope that we adopt Stephanie’s journey as our own.
The news continues to give us many people to be ashamed of — Stephanie Jallen is someone of whom we can be very proud!
I do not think of Stephanie as a handicapped athlete.
I don’t think of her as a special needs person.
When she wins the gold at the Paralympics, I won’t think of her as a Paralympic Medalist.
She is — Stephanie Jallen, Athlete; Stephanie Jallen, Champion.
Dr. Joe Leonardi
Interesting!
October 18, 2009
This morning I only had a chance to skim this interesting article. Later this week I will read it in more detail and then, of course, write a commentary.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33336289/ns/politics-washington_post/
