davidpwahr

Fitness Quest: Update February 23, 2015

February 23, 2015December 20, 2019davidpwahr

Not much to report but I felt that I should post something since I have made a commitment to myself to post regularly. The past week has been pretty good health and fitness-wise. Even with a trip to Las Vegas (sorry, can’t talk about it because as we all know, what happens in Vegas…) I stayed fairly well focused on my goals and only over indulged one night and even made use of the hotel’s sparse but adequate gym. Adequate if all you need to do is cardio that is. And it was good to get away from the record breaking cold which has its grip on the upper midwest and northeast U.S. even if only for a couple days.

To start this week I felt good enough to move from the weight lifting machines over to the free weight room for most of my workout. I don’t really belong with the “big boys” anymore (if I ever did) but I like free weights better in general as I feel that more of the “stabilizing” muscles are brought into play. I even did good old fashioned squats for the first time in a long time and my knees held up well! Of course, I only had about 100 pounds on my shoulders – but it’s a start.

Medicine-wise things seem to be on hold. I have pretty much everything I need to start Humira – my sharps disposal kit, my talking training “pen,” and my nurse lined up to come give me my lessons on how to inject myself. Now all I need is the Humira. I’m going to have to call the pharmacy to see what’s taking so long – no doubt some sort of insurance issue. We’ll see. Good thing I’m still feeling well for the most part with only a little “grumbling” from my stomach here and there.

Now if I could just get warm…

Onward and upward!

Crohn’s: Pills, Pills, Pills – Which Ones To Take?

February 14, 2015December 17, 2019davidpwahr

Well, my health journey continues with mixed results. I had my appointment with my gastro doctor to talk about my latest tests, discuss treatment, and to take some more blood for additional testing. We agreed that the best way to avoid future surgery was to start some new drugs one of which is Humira, which seems to be the latest “wonder” drug, and the other being Imuran (aka Azathioprine). I can’t start the Humira until my test for Tuberculosis comes back but he thought I could start the Imuran right away.

For those who don’t know, Imuran is an immunosuppressive medicine used to treat a variety of immune diseases to reduce the activity of the specific disease which in my case is Crohn’s. There are side effects, of course, but the biggest concern is that by it’s very nature it reduces the white blood cells in your system. Well, I leave the doctor’s, go to the pharmacy and pick up my prescription and take my first pill. Then it was off for an afternoon of filming “Necroland” (I’ll eventually be listed as a cast member on ImDB!).

As I was heading home from filming the doctor calls (don’t worry, I wasn’t driving) and he tells me that I should stop taking the Imuran. He had some of the lab tests back already and apparently that on top of my vitamin D and calcium deficiency my white blood count is already very low – as if I was already taking the drug. He’s not sure what to make of this and it may be a testing error but for the time being, and to keep me from getting sick with something else, we need to be safe and keep me off the drug. We may also have to hold off on the Humira but won’t know more until the rest of the tests come back in.

The good news is that I’m feeling pretty healthy for the time being (occasional queasiness and bowel issues but nothing major since last December) and I don’t have any other symptoms for some of the horrible diseases which a low white cell count might indicate (Google, a friend and a foe at the same time). So, we’ll keep on taking test and see what develops.

Oh, and I’m anemic – due to the Crohn’s – and really need to take my iron every day which I hate. If anyone has found a brand that doesn’t upset their gastric inner workings please let me know!

On the fitness front, things could be going better but I’m staying within my calorie goals and this morning my weight is back down (last week I was up four pounds). Strength could be better but I was able to increase weights in several lifts and am feeling confident enough to move back into the free weight room with the “big boys.”

This is the last week of my fitness challenge with a couple of friends. I’m not sure how they are doing but I have high hopes that I’ll win based on my weight loss alone. I haven’t seen much improvement in my various measurements though my pants are clearly looser my sleeves aren’t getting tighter. I’ll of course let you all know how that turns out.

Onward and forward!

Fitness and Crohn’s or No Crohn’s Update

February 7, 2015March 19, 2020davidpwahr

Well, after another week of staying within my calorie goals, increased cardio, exceeding my daily steps, and the weight room what’s my reward? I’ve gained 4 pounds…

However, my waist is slightly smaller (half inch), I’ve lost some size on my chest, which I presume is fat loss, and my arms are a tad bigger plus my bodyfat is down 3% and though not at an all time low I’m almost there. Hurrah!

In the gym my lifts are increasing and I’m feeling stronger each week – not quite back to my old form but making progress. Feeling pretty good the day after my workouts as well and actually felt pumped after my last workout this week (how I’ve missed that feeling).

By the way, since I started to not trust my usual scale I’ve moved to what I’m calling “Dave’s Three Scale Method” (trademarked!). This consists of weighing myself on my usual Tanita electronic scale, and older model Tanita scale and a “regular” bathroom scale ($7.99 at major discount retailers).

On both the electronic scales my bodyfat is down (good). On the older electronic scale and the “regular” scale my weight is down as well – though the “regular” scale still shows me as 10 pounds lighter than my usual scale. I used the scale at my gym this week once as well – a supposedly more accurate “balance” scale. That one is broken as according to that I’m wasting away at an alarming rate and am well below 200 pounds close to my “skinny” high school weight (no way true).

In continued Crohn’s news, after 30 years of believing I had Crohn’s my belief has been confirmed. I have Crohn’s. My doctor has recommended that I now start taking Humira because though, according to him, my symptoms don’t really suggest it the colonoscopies show that my Crohn’s is not mild as I’ve thought. It’s actual more moderate to severe based on the damage already done. So, in an effort to continue and avoid surgery he thinks we need to get me into a full remission (or as close as possible). I’ll know more on this next week after I meet with him.

The adventure continues – onward!

Crohn’s or No Crohn’s: The Quest Continues

January 31, 2015December 20, 2019davidpwahr

Well, two days ago I underwent yet another colonoscopy to determine if I really have Crohn’s or not. This time it was a “double balloon” procedure. I’m not entirely sure how the device worked but the upshot is that the doctor and his team were able to go further up into the small intestine than before. The prep for this procedure was more difficult than before as it required two full days of the “clear liquid” diet. It’s been a long time since I’ve been as hungry as I was after the procedure!

The good news is that the procedure was successful and I got through it without any difficulty, at least so far as I can tell. I was completely unconscious for this one as the “twilight” drugs used previously aren’t sufficient as this procedure is more painful than a standard colonoscopy. The bad news, the fistula which my CT Scan indicated still was not found. So it is likely that I’ll now need an upper endoscopy to see if they can find the fistula.

Biopsies were taken again. It will take a couple weeks for the results to come in and before we know if Crohn’s is proven definitively or not. Once again, there is internal evidence of the damage that the Crohn’s (or whatever) has done but until the biopsy it is all “theory” I suppose.

Of greater concern is the fistula which cannot be found. From what I was told earlier I believe it is likely that I will need surgery to remove it, but if they can’t find it…well, no operation on something that can’t be confirmed.

Other good news is that for the past month I haven’t had any flare-ups (knock wood). Since the procedure I’ve felt a little “tender” but nothing debilitating.

So, for now I play the waiting game…

Onward!

PS – workouts have been going well and the extra weight is coming off slowly but surely!

Fitness Quest: January 25, 2015 Update

January 25, 2015December 20, 2019davidpwahr

It’s been awhile since I last posted, mostly because January is one of my busy times at work and between work, working out, and other activities for the past couple of weeks I just haven’t felt like blogging! Things are slowing down now and I can once again start to gather my thoughts and update on my progress or lack thereof.

The good news is that I’m making good use of my UP 24 (by Jawbone) band and changing several habits – mostly taking the long way around when walking and trying to add more steps instead of saving them. I need to be purposeful in keeping up with walking and moving on weekends, but during the week I’ve had very little trouble getting in at least 10,000 steps per day. I’m also back to the gym. The first couple workouts left me a bit sore, as expected, and I actually welcomed the tightness which followed – as well as the pump during the workouts. As I’m sure some of you are aware, it’s good to occasionally flex and feel like something is being flexed!

I’m doing very well with my diet, too. I use MyFitnessPal and have logged everything I’ve put in my mouth each day for about a month now. It has become habit and has helped me to make better choices. I have to say that I miss my Little Debbie though…and Krispy Kreme…and…well, you get the drift. However, there are better ways to use all those calories than one or two (or three) fatty treats each day. Oh, and this morning I was told by my Pastor that I looked thinner! I’ll choose to believe that he was talking about my waist and not my chest and shoulders.

Downside, I seem to have reached a fat loss plateau of some sort. My weight is edging down much slower than my exercise level and calorie intake should be creating. I’d like to think it’s because I’m putting muscle on as fast as the fat comes off, but that would be wrong (probably). Nothing to do but to stay consistent and keep upping the cardio.

Emotionally, I’m doing good except for the sadness and depression which followed the death of my cousin John this past week. He was three days older than me and born with Down Syndrome. Despite this he led a good life. He had a strong sense of humor and loved his family deeply. We had much in common including that we both enjoyed Star Trek and Scooby Doo. I will miss him greatly.

Upcoming for me this week a “double balloon colonoscopy” to further investigate my Crohn’s. This treatment will involve a two day prep and I’m on a clear liquid diet starting Tuesday and a full day of bowel “cleansing” on Wednesday. I’ll post more on this afterwards on Thursday (after I wake up that is).

Onward!

No Short Cuts

January 3, 2015December 20, 2019davidpwahr

In one of the Facebook groups I participate in we’ve been discussing some different body weight exercises and different types of exercise equipment over the years and it occurs to me that we, as humans, are always looking for that “quick fix” to get healthy. We are always searching for the magic exercise or that one piece of equipment that will do the trick and finally let us reach our goals.

Don’t believe me? Just turn on the television early any given morning and you’ll find ads for “Total Gym” this, “Body Blast” that, “PX-99” or whatever number they are up to now. In the past i remember ab rollers, rockers, and slides. Thigh masters and belly busters, and more gimmicks and gadgets than I can remember!

And even for the more serious lifters there have been “gimmicks” and fads too. Remember the first Universal machine? Nautilus equipment (state of the art in the eighties)? What about Soloflex, Bowflex, and I don’t know what other flex? Bullworker? These were (and are) all variations of the same principle. Lift heavier weights (aka increase resistance) and you will get stronger. Whether it’s from lifting iron and lead or carbon rods and rubber bands resistance is the key.

Even with plain old body weight exercises we have fads: crossfit (which does include weights I believe), planking, aerobics, Zumba, dance aerobics, “yoba” (yoga and Zumba combined), etc.

Now, to be fair, I think that all these things probably did work to one degree or another. If the person who bought or tried them actually used them more than a few days. That’s the trick. It doesn’t matter so much what you do as long as you do it. The truth is that there is only one way to build a bigger (or smaller), better, and healthier you – you have to exercise more and eat less (or eat more if you’re bulking – but most of us don’t have a problem getting enough calories. Nutrients are another matter).

I’m actually a fan of a few of the items and workouts I’ve listed above (I enjoyed working out with Nautilus equipment and still use a variety of machines – especially when I don’t have a spotter). There’s nothing wrong in using something as long as you use it. But you need one other thing along with the device/gadget/gimmick/fad…patience.

And don’t get me started on supplements…

Onward!

PS – I’ve posted a few pictures of my favorite workout fads below. I haven’t used them all, but know people who have!

cap-barbell-biceps-arm-blaster-mab-101-1-500x270 — Arm or Bicep Blaster

Fitness Quest: Looking Into the New Year

January 2, 2015December 20, 2019davidpwahr

Well, back to work today and back to the normal routine. . At first I was worried I didn’t get done everything I wanted to get done during my holiday, but I did get to spend quality time with family, establish some new healthy habits (another 10,000+ steps today – a six day streak) and cleared my head about a few things. So I guess all in all not a bad holiday break.

Looking forward into the New Year I have quite a bit to keep working on. My diet needs to be cleaner, leaner and more “natural” and by that I mean I need to prepare more of my own food and eat out less. It’s just healthier in general and I think with Crohn’s the closer you can get to natural foods the better anyway. A friend sent me an article on one woman’s experience of going Vegan with Crohn’s and it worked well for her. I don’t see myself going that far, or even vegetarian, but I do see more leafy greens, veggies in general, and raw fruits in my diet.

I’ve started working more on cardio fitness for many reasons. One, I’d like to live well into old age. Two, it’s easier to finish 5Ks when you are not gasping for breath.

I’ll be hitting the weights again. I’m not getting any younger and my body seems to remind me of that each day in new and interesting ways. Plus, I kind of like the feeling of my sleeves being just a little snug…

Creatively, so much to finish. Ditto concerning my professional life as well. All in all, another typical year but this time with an atypical outcome!

Onward!

Should old acquaintance be forgot…A Year in Review

December 31, 2014December 20, 2019davidpwahr

It is customary, it seems, at this time of year to take some time to reflect on the previous year and to make plans for the next. And though it may seem cliche I do have to say what a difference a year makes.

2014 started out without much hope or promise. Yes, my family and I tried to celebrate as best we could that New Year’s Eve but the reality was we were going through the motions since the day before we had just buried Dad. Our lives, like anyone else who has suffered major loss, will never be the same. Then the weather seemed to go crazy on us and the snow just kept falling. I work at a college and for the first time since I had started there we had multiple snow days – there was not one week in January were we worked the full week in fact. Though we all like an occasional snow day, it was getting ridiculous and creating more stress knowing that nothing was getting done (and still being held responsible for this by our customers even though they too could not get out any more than we could).

Spring brought hope and some relief. It was my niece’s final season with the University of Michigan Softball Team. Though they played well and fought their way to another Big 10 championship the NCAA crown eluded them. Still a great season by any measure, but a little heartbreaking as well as we knew that we would never get to cheer Caitlin on to a Women’s World Series Championship (which, come to think of it, most families never do get to do for their players).

I lost a close election in my theatre group and for the first time in well over a decade I found myself not on the board (I was off the board for a year by choice during this time though). I was okay with this, because that’s how elections go, and I had plenty of other things to keep me busy (the Community Theatre Association of Michigan board of directors, Masons, Church) and frankly could use the free time. Still, it felt odd.

The summer was okay, but nothing special until July when I attended a play writing workshop offered by CTAM and conducted by playwright Jim Henry . This was the creative spark that I needed to get writing again. I was enthused about my off stage work again and currently gave two plays which I’m working on with the goal of getting paid to have at least one play produced this year (a rather ambitious goal actually, but I’m going for it).

The summer was unusual in that I didn’t even get on a roller coaster – and I love roller coasters – until the fall this year. The good news however, was that my Crohn’s was pretty much inactive (yes, there was the occasional flare-up but nothing out of the ordinary).

Then in the late fall my world began to shift. Things weren’t going so well at work (declining enrollment at the college among other issues), but things were going well with my professional association, acting, playwriting, and other aspects of my life. I left the CTAM board (term limits you know) and even more time became available to me. Then I went to see a new doctor and he said, “I’m not sure you have Crohn’s.” You can read more about this in earlier blogs but the effect of suddenly not having the thing which, for better or for worse, had defined me for nearly thirty years was surprising. I felt liberated and then happy. For the better part of November when someone asked me how I was doing I would respond with “I’m unreasonably happy.” I can only attribute my good mood to the idea that I might not have Crohn’s. I was no longer a slave to a daily pill. Of course, I knew that there was still something wrong but I think I actually had hope that something could be done and I might get better.

Of course, there have been tests and now the doctor is 95% sure I have Crohn’s but we need yet another test to get a biopsy. And he seems to be hinting, strongly, that surgery is probably in my near future – if they can actually find the fistula and Crohn’s which the CT Scan indicates is there. But, again, I’m not upset by this. I’m actually still hopeful that something can be done.

So, I’m ending this year I think on a high note. My faith in God has been restored. I like blogging and finding a new community of fellow “Chronies” as well as a new audience. . My Facebook “Get Fit and Healthy” group seems to be thriving with new members who are embracing the idea that we are all more successful together and put up with some of my random posts which do not interest them (but of course, interest me). I’m committed to getting healthier than I’ve been for several years in terms of weight and muscle tone. Things are getting better at work, because I have very supportive bosses and staff, and I’m developing other avenues to explore which may allow me at some point to be less dependent on a “regular” job in the future or at the very least provide a few extra dollars (the threat of layoff is very real this coming year). And most importantly, in many ways I’m closer to my family, including cousins, than I’ve ever been even if we are separated by miles.

Loss is always painful and some losses we never recover from. But, even in loss there is something to be gained, even if it takes a while.

And I think that this is the lesson for me from 2014.

May you all have a Happy and Prosperous New Year – onward to 2015!

A Journey of 10,000 Steps

December 28, 2014December 20, 2019davidpwahr

So, I’ve started using an UP 24 (by Jawbone) which like Fitbit and other devices along with the appropriate telephone apps is a device to aid and push a person towards better fitness. In a very basic way though it’s a glorified pedometer that does some other nifty things too (it lets me know how often I wake up at night for example – usually once) and one of the first goals to achieve is taking 10,000 steps through the day.

My first day I did okay and took over 8,000 steps. So 10,000 should have been easy right? Wrong! I got to 8,000 only because we went to see “The Lights Before Christmas” at the Toledo Zoo (yes, yes, we saw the “Lights BEFORE Christmas” AFTER Christmas so sue me). The next day (Saturday) I only got in about 1,800 steps. Granted I was at home and not at work but clearly I needed to step up my game so to speak (“step up” get it?). So today I took a walk around town…and when I say around town I mean around the entire town. I followed a path that roughly estimated the city limits of the small town I live in (actually near) and after about an hour in the cold guess what? I only added about 4,000 more steps to my daily total. This left me without about 2,000 more steps to take.

So, on a whim I came up with a different idea. Instead of walking around town, what if I walked around my yard? I paced the perimeter of my yard off I discovered I could get in about 400 steps by doing this. Then I thought what if I also went around my house? Bingo – another 200 steps. What if I went around every bush and tree? Well, what do you know I could get almost 1,000 steps just by tracing a path in my yard. Then while walking around, counting to myself I had a thought. Gosh, this is almost like a labyrinth.

Now many of you may know that labyrinths, patterns drawn on the floor of a church, were a tool used by many early Christians, and presumably other religions, for meditation and prayer purposes. It’s also my understanding that many of these early Christians used the labyrinth to take the place of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There’s a nice article on labyrinths at the Washington National Cathedral’s website if you want to know a little more: http://www.cathedral.org/worship/labyrinth.shtml

So all in all, I’m pleased with my day. I got a little healthier by getting my steps in and stumbled on a way to clear my head and meditate and prayer in my own backyard. No the only question is what will the neighbors think when they see me wandering around and muttering to myself. I better get one of those blue tooth headsets so it looks like I’m on the phone.

Onward!