Where to go from here?

Good morning leaders!

When you hit a milestone where do you go from there?  As I stated in Monday's post, I dropped another ten pounds.  That puts me at a total of 50lbs dropped since August.

At any other point in time when I've lost weight or attempting to get into shape, I would have celebrated this win.  Today I feel different.  I am happy to have shed those pounds but I don't really feel like I did much to do so.

The biggest change, I made, to make this positive impact was changing my mindset.   In the past, like most people, I dieted.  This time I never dieted.  This was all about a series of small individual changes I've made to my life that, lucky for me, have made me drop some weight. 

This whole health regimine that I am on has so little to do with my weight and so much more to do with how I feel.  Right now I feel good but that's not my goal.  My goal, I want to feel great.  I will settle for nothing less. 

Don't get me wrong...I'm very proud of myself and my team, but I have even higher aspirations.

As I step off my soapbox, what are your goals for your team?

Jacob Normandeau

Team Captain

The Team Jake

We are all successful for taking the steps towards our goals!  JN

Neurology Appointment - Successful Day!

Good Afternoon Team Captains!

Today I had my quarterly Neurology appointment.  Walking into the appointment I planned to speak to the doctor about the following list:

1. Exhaustion and dizziness at the gym.

2. Excessive Yawning after the gym.

3. Extending my new MS medication choice for another three months.

4. Putting me on LDN at the moment.

5. My repetitive bad steroid reaction.

6. The greatness of Ritalin helping me get through the day.

7. Lastly, when my yearly MRI will take place.

Actual Appointment Results

1.  As far as exhaustion and dizziness goes...he said exactly what I already knew, which is that; with MS raising your core body temperature can have an effect like exhaustion, dizziness, and instability.  He said I'm fine to continue doing what I'm doing but to know my limits as not to pass out again.

2. Excessive Yawning after the gym.  Once again likely from raising body temp but it is likely benign so not to worry about it.

3.  He was fine with me pushing out starting a new Disease Modifying Drug for another three month since I'm doing so well right now.

4. He is fine with putting me on LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) but wants me to look into pricing before making the commitment.  He said he has seen mixed results but if it's cheap enough he's fine with me starting that treatment.

5.  Steroid Reaction...well he agreed that I shouldn't be put on steroids again as I'm obviously very sensitive to it.  The doctor stated that he doesn't believe that I'm allergic to that class of drugs just highly sensitive to it.  He said fortunately there are other choices for any future exacerbation.

6.  He feels the same as I, that the Ritalin is having the desired effect on my cognitive function.  Lets get a cheer for limited fatigue.  

7.  As far as my yearly MRI...He said we will start scheduling that when we meet in April.

8.  One last item came up during our conversation.  I dropped another 10 pounds! 

Success!!! 

Overall, this Neurologist appointment went well.  I am happy and he is happy!  This all makes Team Jake very happy.

What good news have you had in your recent Doctors visits?  Lets celebrate all the wins in our lives!

Healthy Me: Soon to be - Part Two

Good evening team captains!

I hope that all of you are having a great time reaching for the stars trying to better yourselves!  I stated two days ago that I would complete part two of Healthy Me: Soon to be.  Here it is.  It's better late then never.

This post would not be complete without acknowledging that I was able to run a 5k yesterday and a follow-up 5k today.  It is my goal to do these 5-7 days per week until the 5k Road Race that I am running on April 5^th, 2014.  This single achievement is evidence of my aspiration to feel better, live better, and be better.  All it takes is incremental steps…

As I stated in my first post, I became most committed to making changes this past August.  After months of feeling terrible and living a stagnant life I knew I needed a change.  With my diagnosis of MS, now months behind me, I went into action trying to find physical and mental outlets.  My first task became organizing a team for a MS Society Walk in October.  This was very successful; nine of Team Jake teammates walked after having raised more than $1500.00.

Though this was an important step for me in my goals of feeling better it wasn’t where I ended.  I hiked more mountains and trails this past fall than I likely had my entire 29 prior years.

While improving my activity levels I also began watching my food consumption.  I followed a weight watchers diet for about three months.  This was boring to me as it was so regimented.  By November, 2013 I was off Weight Watchers but instead making smart food decisions.  I eliminated as many starch and flour based carbs as possible.  If I didn’t have to eat bread then I wasn’t going to.

As this progressed I became slightly more militant.  I started following the philosophy that if it comes in a bag or a box at the grocery store you probably don’t want it.  Obviously, this wasn’t easy.  I am still not 100% with this but I make every effort I can.

My final dietary change came at the end of December.  Up until this point every document I read on the subject of Multiple Sclerosis pointed to diet change up to and including a Paleolithic diet.  The Paleo diet seemed too structured and without any glory for me.  While researching alternative ways to cut out bad things I found even more damning evidence against dairy and beef.  There I had my answer…With the overwhelming evidence that Dairy and Beef are bad for inflammation within the brain of MS patients I was done.  I gave up beef and dairy.  This was the single hardest change I’ve made.  This was also the single greatest change I have made.  I feel so much better already in just the month I’ve been without it.

Lastly, I made a vow of becoming even more active and physically fit.  For one month now I’ve been going to the gym three to four times per week.  I focus on cardio for 30-50 minutes each time and the rest weight training.  I have no idea if I’ve lost weight.  I refuse to jump on a scale.  In fact, my father and I, shot our scale over 100 times (I know…guns…but we are from Maine after all).

I don’t know precisely how much weight I’ve lost.  Honestly, I don’t care.  At the end of the day I feel so much better!  This is worth more than anything else.  As this blog progresses I will let you know in greater detail the things I do for myself and the things my teammates do for me.  Until then…Captains gear up…Its an all hands on deck game tonight.

Completed my first 5k!

Congratulations to me on completing my first 5k Run

My goal today was to complete part two of "Heathy Me: Soon to be".  Unfortunately, this didn't happen.  I'm going to pat myself on the back anyway...I completed my first 5k Run today, albeit at the gym rather then the street.  Regardless of the location, for the first time in my life, I ran a 5k.  This was part of my training to run an actual 5k Road Race on April 5th, 2014.  Whatever your goal in life, we all get there the same way...STEP BY STEP.  What did you achieve today?  Lets together celebrate our wins!

Healthy me: Soon to be - Part One

For about six years now I've experienced weird, and up until recently, unexplained health issues. I collapsed at the gym on Christmas Eve three years ago. At that time, I couldn't type, nor write a letter at work. (I could compose the letter, however, I could not get my hands to work, which meant I could not physically handwrite or type said letter.

On three separate occasions I was left unable to feel the right side of my face and hand.

The latest time, on April 26th, 2013, I woke up again unable to feel the right side of my face.  The next day the sensitivity in my right hand was affected. And on April 28th, my birthday, I woke unable to speak. It wasn't that I couldn't form the words...it was more like I had an overload of Novocaine that wouldn't get better.

At best, I was slurring my words.

At worst, I was damn near unable to form any discernible words.

One week after that I lost hearing in my right ear.  

Over the next few months I was unable to work...it's not possible to be in a retail leadership position without being able to communicate with your staff and customers.

Throughout that entire time I underwent test after test. A total of three MRIs, a CT scan, Evoked Potentials (visual, auditory, and sensory), and cognitive testing.

Officially, I was given a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

To most, this type of diagnosis, would lead to sadness and depression.

Most grieve after such bad news.

In ways, I celebrated it.

I didn't jump for joy, but I did realize it was a better diagnosis than any of the things mentioned to me over the years.  Up until that point, a heart defect, stroke, and brain tumor had been thrown around.

I celebrated because my diagnosis was none of those things.

The Discovery!

After processing my diagnosis in my mind for a few months, I had an "Aha!" moment.  I realized up until that point I had been abusing my body every chance I could...

I started smoking at 12 years old.

I had my first drink around the same time, followed by excessive drinking at 15.

That all pales in comparison, though, to the damage done to my body because of my dietary choices. 

At 18, I began making really great money. As most irresponsible 18 year olds do, I spent it all. Rather than buying lots of fun and distracting things, like cars and TVs, I bought food. High end, flavorful, and mostly terrible dietary choices followed me around until May of this year.  Once I was out on short term disability, I decided I needed to make better choices on what things I chose to spend my money on.  Living on 60% of my pay seemed ominous.  

It wasn't until August of 2013 I had my awakening moment.

I realized food was KILLING me.

I  weighed 375lbs....and I looked awful, to say nothing about how I felt.

I had my health and financial answer...STOP EATING BAD FOOD!

Done!

I finally had figured out an answer to my financial mess...and with hope, my health mess, as well.

Eat better and exercise!

The goal of the Team Jake blog is discuss the choices I have made to live a healthier life.  Also, if I am able to help anyone else on their journey I will be thrilled!

Be sure to check out part 2 of this post to see a more detailed account of the steps I'm taking to feel better, live better, and BE BETTER!