Well it only took me 2 years and hundreds of days of fear to finally handle going into the pool. Face it, Before I was injured in the December 1986 car accident, I was a trim 180 pounds, 5 foot 11 inches of sleek Greek God type dude. 45 minutes after my car was rear ended by a U-haul truck, I started to hurt all over my body. For a year I was in therapy and was starting to get back on my feet, life was good. Then November 1987, on the same street, I was rear ended, again, by another vehicle. This time I spent 1/2 of the next year in various hospitals in traction and therapy.
My Doctor threw the file in the air and said, "well Miles, you are probably going to hurt for the rest of your life, you might as well get used to it." Right, like the guy strapped to a table, with his head under a slow stream of water drops gets used to Chinese Water torture. It gets worse every second. It's been more than 20 years and I may be used to constant pain, but that doesn't make it any easier to live.
Enough of the poor me stuff. A few months ago my Doctor, the wonderful Adrian Call, told me that my body was not going to get any better without exercise. "You are no longer 180 pounds, you are now 360 and growing. Diet alone will do nothing for you. The only choice you have is to exercise for 1 hour each day five days a week! Now, since you are so large, you cannot handle anything that impacts your body, your pain will not allow it. I suggest you go into a pool and move for one hour each day. Water is low impact, you can move freely without feeling the effects of gravity. Miles, it is your only choice. If you do nothing , you are going to die. Do you know why there are no studies about the long life of obese people? Because they die early, they die fast, and they die because their body cannot handle the weight."
I asked Dr. Call about my heart and risks, he said that my heart would handle the strain. Don't worry about checking your heart rate, just make sure you can still speak a normal sentence without difficulty. If you can do that, you are not at risk." So I go to the pool, move bqack and forth, do as much as I can, but make sure I am not so out of breath that talking is difficult. OK, sounds fine. Wait a minnit, I have to go into a swimming pool with nothing but a swim suit on. Og man, that is a problem. I AM FAT. REALLY, REALLY FAT.
I remember when I was a kid, when I saw porkers I said to myself, they should just stop eating and start exercising, it's their own fault. Now I am on the other end of the street, I am the porker, I tried to watch my diet, and I did as much physical activity as my pain allowed. I got fat slowly, until I reached 245 pounds. Then in less than a year my weight shot up to 360 pounds. It was like a nightmare, no matter what I did, I kept packing on the pounds. I craved sweets and energy foods, all day long. I was falling asleep every few minutes, had low energy, my pain was higher and my body was out of control.
I went to the Doctor, at the time I was living in Idaho Falls. Finally, we did a 8 hour blood sugar screening, which showed that I was developing Diabetes. The next time I saw the Doctor, he said "well, we know why you have gained weight so fast, you have a blood sugar problem. Take these pills twice a day, watch your sugars and be careful with your diet. You are developing Type II diabetes."
Wow, it was like a miracle, within a few weeks I was not falling asleep as much. My energy was higher, and my cravings way down. My weight was in check and I felt like I might actually be able to start losing weight. I started a physical therapy program, and a diet regimen. I started losing weight. I got down to 340. Then My wife & I went through divorce. My life got crazy. I had to move to Washington. My weight loss dropped to 330 lbs. Then, stalled.
I entered a terrible state of depression, another story. My life stopped. I struggled for a few years. My weight climbed back up to 360. My youngest son moved back to his mothers house. I'm all alone.
Dr. Call tells me to start swimming. I don't know if I can face the stares and giggles. I spend months in therapy with a wonderful counselor, also another story. A week ago, Dad & Ginny (My Dad and Step Mother, who are letting me live in a few rooms of their home) gave me some nutrition capsules. They looked like the other 500 products that I have tried over the last 21 years of pain and suffering. I take one packet in the morning and another packet in the afternoon. A few days later, life is not so scary (I'll tell you more about the scary feelings another time). In fact, I start imagining myself going to the local pool, signing up, and donning that fat man swim suit that could double for a 2-man pup-tent.
Fast forward to Thursday, December 13, 2007, 1:30pm. I finally get up the nerve. I grab my rolling backpack, stuff it with toiletries, towel, the fat man pup-tent, and a few other things. Head out the door, grumble to my Dad, "I'm going swimming" and head to the car before I can change my mind. On my way to the facility, I stop by the post office to drop off my NetFlix movies. My stomach grumbles. Oops, I forgot to eat today. I was so nervous this morning I never got around to facing the kitchen (I can only stand for 1 - 3 minutes at a time).
SO I zip over to "The Shell Shack" a local burger joint that runs out of the back of a Shell gas station. Talk about a pun on the word greasy spoon, while you are waiting for burgers you get to see the service station change oil for $24.95 a pop. Hmmm, it's probably my burger grease going into that Toyota. Oops, I got distracted for a moment.
I wolf down the dead cow, and start the car. It drives it's self to the swimming pool place (I'm too scared to move). Island Athletic Club, looks daunting from the outside, I cannot even see where the pool is located from the front door. OK, I have 3 minutes before I feel like collapsing so I will have to make the enrollment fast. I walk to the front desk, "Hi, I want a one month swim pass" The Super Model staff member asks me if I have had a tour yet, "We have a wonderful..." Excuse me mam, I am in alot of pain. Can I please just pay and find out where the pool is please. She checks herself, being bumped out of the memorized script early. "Yes, sir, I just need your payment of $XXXX for a one month trial membership. Did you know this comes with a 30 minute ... blah blah blah." Thanks mam, I'll probably take advantage of that in a few weeks. I'm really hurting now, can I get a key, some towels, and point me to the pool.
She takes my credit card payment. Asks me for my car keys as security for the locker key. Points me to the mens room and says that the pool is out the back of the mens room. She reminds me to shower first before going into the pool. I thank her and head to the changing area. As I pass the skinny people working out, all seeming to stare at me and my immensity, I think "hope I can do that some day."
I finally reach the dressing room. I sit down, just in time. Take a few minutes to gather my self and get my pain in control. I then attempt to change into the swim suit. Grrr, it seemed to fit better the last time I tried it on. I have to slide my fat to the side to get the suit in place. Then my fat tummy obstructs me from tying the suit. I decide that I can handle that when I get in the weight bearing water. I take a nice shower, using the handicap space, it has a seat - thank goodness.
Then the moment of truth approaches, I am going to have to go into the pool - almost naked. I start heading to the pool entrance and start to chicken out. To my right is a steam room, I'm saved, I duck into the fog filled space. I sit and catch my breath and courage. Well, I'm only 10 feet away from the pool, I can do this. I stand up. go out of the steam room, take a right and start the walk of embarrassment. I notice that the drop mats on the floor hurt my feet. The diabetes has made my feet and skin really tender. The distraction takes my mind away from overblown fears.
As I enter the swimming area, the coolness blasts me, almost pushing me off balance. I look around and realize that I am going to have to get into the water. People are looking at me, fewer in the room than I had expected. No one laughs. I walk to the pool edge and jump in. My feet barely touch the bottom, my fat buoys me up, I lose my balance, I bob around uncontrolled, it takes me a few moments to get my bearings.
I trudge over to the lap lanes, which are virtually empty. And I start moving. I just jump up and down back and forth, doing laps, keeping my body moving. I have a routine that I do, I'll share more about that in a later entry. The clock ticks slowly. I lose myself in the water and actually start having fun. It is wonderful, It does not hurt to be standing, I can move without causing horrible pressure and pain, I can move. Wow, it is thrilling and encouraging. All of a sudden it's has been one hour and fifteen minutes. I realize that I am feeling a little tired, so it's time to go. As I move to the exit, I realize that I am going to have to climb out of the pool.
Getting out of the pool was a scary experience. I grabbed the handles, tried to pull myself up, but I did not fit between the buggers, I am too wide!. My legs give out and I fall back into the water. Now I am gripped with fear, how am I going to get out of this pool? O look around and notice some stairs. I am saved. I bob over to the stairs and start getting out of the water. As I leave the supporting waters, gravity starts to take it's toll. I can barely move. I trudge to the dressing room. I barely make it to the showers, collapsing onto the chair in the stall.
I spent 15 minutes in the showers. It was really difficult getting the suit off. I didn't want to tear it because I need it for many more embarrassing moments in the future. I finally gather the strength and make my way to the dressing area. another 15 minutes to dry off and get dressed. I make my way to the front desk, get my car keys and head to my car.
The drive home was interesting. I didn't feel like I had done very much in the pool but every muscle is tired. It is difficult to steer the car. I make my way home and when I get into the house my Dad looked at me and said "I was getting worried about you. I thought something had happened to you. You have been gone for such a long time I was going to call and see if your were alright." I told Dad that I was fine, a little tired but fine.
When I got back into my room, I slumped into the easy chair and hardly moved for the rest of the day. I was tired, but I felt like I had made a victory. It had taken me 2 years and hundreds of worried nights, but I had gotten back into the pool again. I will swim one hour a day 5 - 6 times a week, for the rest of my life.
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