1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,680 All right, welcome to the AdaptX podcast 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:02,720 where we have conversations 3 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,500 with people building accessible businesses, 4 00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:07,680 advocating for inclusion or excelling in adaptive sports. 5 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:09,280 Our intentions never just speak on behalf 6 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:10,280 of those with disabilities, 7 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,420 but to provide a platform to amplify their voice 8 00:00:12,420 --> 00:00:13,920 and share their stories. 9 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:15,680 Today I'm joined by Dennis Murphy. 10 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,640 Dennis has been training with us here at Unified 11 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:18,640 for a little over a year, 12 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,760 but I've known Dennis for about 15. 13 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,720 His nephew, Zach, maybe more so than anyone else, 14 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:25,880 influenced the career path that I chose. 15 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,600 He's the first athlete that I worked with at Special Olympics. 16 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,160 But today we're here to talk about Dennis's recovery 17 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,120 over the last two years, what he has learned 18 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,600 and what we hope others will take away from this episode. 19 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:36,760 So Dennis, thank you. 20 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:41,720 So maybe take us back before the stroke. 21 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,000 So your stroke was a little over two years ago, 22 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,760 but before that, what recreation, what sports, 23 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,000 what athletic pursuits did you find the most joy in? 24 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,400 I used to ride my bike. 25 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:52,960 He used to swim every single day. 26 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,240 He used to swim two months, a little over an hour. 27 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,400 And then he used to ride my bike at night, 28 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:00,400 early mornings. 29 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,240 So those activities have guided a lot of the things 30 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:05,880 that we've worked on in the gym, 31 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:07,960 as well as the goals that he wants to get back to. 32 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:11,240 But we try, I mean, we don't want to bury the lead. 33 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:12,800 So a little over two years ago, 34 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,280 do you want to tell us a bit about the stroke? 35 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:15,120 Sure, sure. 36 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,320 Two weeks before this, who's the next thing that happened? 37 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:23,720 And two weeks before we're leading up the stroke, 38 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,560 it was a wicked, bad headache, incredibly bad headache. 39 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,240 And I went to the doctor Thursday and he said, 40 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,000 just cut down a little bit on your, 41 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,320 and you know, I need to reboot this. 42 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,200 Ops, what do they call it? 43 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,640 They didn't go to the greenhouse. 44 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:48,080 Oh, like a sinus, clearly. 45 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,600 Yeah, yeah, yeah, they called something. 46 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:51,600 Oh, okay, I'm not sure. 47 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:52,920 Anyhow, so anyhow, 48 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,320 they told me to be careful and clean out my pups. 49 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,240 Do it every other day instead of every day. 50 00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,160 That's fine. 51 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,040 So that was Thursday morning, 52 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,160 and then Friday went for bike ride. 53 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:04,960 And Saturday night, I sat up, excuse me, 54 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:06,280 Saturday went for bike ride, 55 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,480 and Saturday night it was wicked, bad headache, 56 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:09,320 wicked, bad headache. 57 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,040 So my wife took me to the hospital 58 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,280 and they checked me out until two o'clock in the morning 59 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:14,800 and said, we can't find anything wrong. 60 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,520 You know, you're fine enough to go home. 61 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:18,680 And anyhow, I got home. 62 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,120 Next morning I woke up a little late, 63 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,080 woke up around nine o'clock, 64 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:22,920 because it's a short clock in the morning, 65 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:24,880 and went down the end of my drive-by, 66 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:26,360 which was two caroling songs, 67 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:27,480 came back up the front stairs, 68 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,200 and that's it, I just broke right then. 69 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,640 And what do you remember from that experience? 70 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:36,720 I remember a couple things. 71 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:38,280 I remember waking up and saying, 72 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:39,400 what is the wrong with me? 73 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:40,240 Well, first of all, 74 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:41,480 what are those people doing around me? 75 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:42,400 You know? 76 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,200 And, you know, I couldn't move my right side. 77 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:48,440 I couldn't say anything, 78 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,080 but on that, I don't remember too much other than that. 79 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,440 Do you know how long the period was between 80 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,760 when you had the stroke and when you woke up? 81 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,440 Well, I never really went to sleep. 82 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,040 I never really passed up right then. 83 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:07,040 I just kind of was in a daze, like stayed from there. 84 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,400 And I would say from there until the total end, 85 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:12,720 until the total operation happens, 86 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,520 all that, I'd say it's probably seven hours, 87 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,000 eight hours, something like that. 88 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,960 There's common symptoms of stroke. 89 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,400 Did you notice anything outside of that bad headache? 90 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:26,400 No, I remember this, I could not see my knee at all, period. 91 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:28,360 Yeah, about leading up to it, 92 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,760 there was no other symptoms that would have, 93 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,360 I guess especially if you had already gone 94 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,600 and got checked out, they would have identified those things. 95 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:38,800 So that really, I guess shows you 96 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,440 that can really happen out of the blue as well. 97 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:42,760 Yeah, out of the blue. 98 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,760 Mine happened because basically I had a cut 99 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,360 in my carotid somehow. 100 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,640 The thing was due to an injury, I think I either 101 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,560 hit something on my bike or did something else 102 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,200 where I could write, I call it a paper cut, 103 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,600 but it's not a paper cut, I was a paper cut up here, 104 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,120 and that's caused a stroke to happen. 105 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,440 So they figured that happens about 10 days to two weeks 106 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,040 before the actual stroke happens. 107 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,440 Okay, can you articulate what that's like 108 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,680 when you wake up and you're consciously aware 109 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,120 of what's going on, but you're unable to speak? 110 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,040 Yeah, it's very frustrating. 111 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:17,880 It is frustrating. 112 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,280 That's just ahead, but I can say the first times here 113 00:04:20,280 --> 00:04:22,040 as you're in the gym, people I know, 114 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:23,520 I just, uh-huh. 115 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:24,920 Yeah, yeah, I remember that. 116 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:26,920 And I remember just thinking like, 117 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,800 oh, he must be overwhelmed by all these people 118 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,800 who know who you are, but you don't necessarily, 119 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,560 I mean, you probably wouldn't even know who all of them are. 120 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,440 Even without the stroke, these are people 121 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:38,760 that you've probably seen only a handful of times. 122 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,760 So I remember trying to squel that a little bit 123 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,120 just so it wasn't overwhelming, 124 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,480 but I know you like being able to say hi 125 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:48,920 and talk to the people in the gym, 126 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:50,240 so it's not too much of a pressure. 127 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,240 They can say anything, you know, it's not. 128 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,840 How long did it take the language to come back to? 129 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,880 I would say six months, maybe, the most. 130 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,040 Maybe say a few words, I don't know if I forget, 131 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:02,720 but when I was in the hospital, 132 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,920 the doctor came around and all our attendings with her 133 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,280 and had said, how can I say a word? 134 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:14,760 I couldn't and said, something happened right there. 135 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:19,760 I think, ah, I couldn't say, well, so I just couldn't say 136 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,600 because that's something that I know how to do. 137 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,120 You know, it didn't matter. 138 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:27,760 So that was kind of technically the first thing 139 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,120 you were able to say? 140 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,480 That's interesting, yeah, okay. 141 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,760 And then you get right into speech and language. 142 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,960 What was that inpatient, or your S-balding? 143 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,240 What was the inpatient process like? 144 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:42,080 Okay. 145 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,560 You know, every day we'd go around this, 146 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,480 I call it a boardroom table, but we all sit in a circle 147 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,480 and the lead personally is called occupational therapist, 148 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,440 Chaucerba, Chaucerba like a beach ball, 149 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,720 not a beach ball, but like a golf ball. 150 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:03,560 And you have to catch it, 151 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,800 you have to say what your name was, what happened to you. 152 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:07,680 Honestly, I cannot say my name is Dennis Murphy. 153 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,240 I tried, I tried, I tried, I could not say it. 154 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:11,440 So. 155 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,600 Yeah, well, it's not a matter of trying. 156 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,040 It's not like you can just like try harder. 157 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,200 It's the disconnect. 158 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,640 So what do you think was most effective 159 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,560 in helping you get your language back? 160 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,000 Just repetition? 161 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,000 Yeah, I would say happen more when I get home. 162 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:34,000 My wife had this awesome, awesome game called go fish, 163 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,760 where you go fish tight with letters. 164 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:38,800 You should call it a G for example and say, 165 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,880 is this a R? 166 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,920 I'd say, you know, so that's how she got me 167 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:44,880 to work as letters. 168 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:46,920 So yeah. 169 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:51,920 Was it frustrating that that is kind of an elementary task 170 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:56,080 and like how, how much more frustrating does it make it? 171 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:57,480 It makes it very frustrating. 172 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:58,800 Yeah. 173 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,520 Because you, I don't know if everyone else in the hospital, 174 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,760 like I said before, you know, they asked me what my name was 175 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,000 and I asked everyone what their name was. 176 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,840 I couldn't say my name. 177 00:07:07,840 --> 00:07:08,680 Yeah. 178 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,200 That made it very frustrating. 179 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:11,040 Yeah. 180 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,160 So now you're about two years post stroke. 181 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,440 The language is mostly back. 182 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,480 You have trouble with like what aspects of speaking? 183 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,880 Sometimes you get confused 184 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:27,920 but sometimes you can't see the words from Toronto State. 185 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,000 That caused me some frustration, but you know, whatever. 186 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:31,840 Yeah. 187 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,840 So kind of like all that words on the tip of my tongue, 188 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,520 I just can't like retrieve it. 189 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,080 So some language retrieval. 190 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,640 But comprehension wise, like receptive language, 191 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:41,960 still pretty strong. 192 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:42,800 Yeah. 193 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:44,120 Yeah. 194 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,320 Writing wise. 195 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:47,160 I can write. 196 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,320 See my right side of my body is fully affected. 197 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:51,760 So my right side of my body couldn't do anything there 198 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:53,520 for, because I'm right-handed or, you know, 199 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,080 I can't really write, but I can type, 200 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:57,880 I can do things like that. 201 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:59,520 My writing is okay. 202 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,280 It would say it's great, but you know, 203 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,560 it's enough to, people understand what I'm trying to say. 204 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:06,400 Yeah. 205 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,440 So you were, you've always been in the insurance world. 206 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:10,520 So that's occupation. 207 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,960 So what has it been like going back to work? 208 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,960 I guess what are the biggest challenges 209 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,040 and what things have you learned 210 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,400 that have helped you continue to work? 211 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:22,240 Yeah. 212 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,400 Fortunately, the people there know me, 213 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,200 didn't know that I do anything for them. 214 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,640 So therefore they give me a lot of extra credit or whatever. 215 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:37,640 I really, I see certain customers that know me, 216 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:39,520 but I'm not seeing anybody that doesn't know me 217 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,320 because I don't want to go out there 218 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,000 and I'm just gonna make a fool of myself, 219 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,120 because that's not true. 220 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,720 But maybe it will go, I don't know what I'm doing. 221 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:48,560 Yeah. 222 00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:49,400 So. 223 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,560 Yeah, I mean, there's definitely a stigma, 224 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:53,080 I guess, associated with that. 225 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,920 Right. 226 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,040 But yeah, I mean, I guess the more, 227 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:58,960 the more you're out there, 228 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:00,440 the more people will understand. 229 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,760 And you're still able to do your job 230 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,160 in the same way that in some ways. 231 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,720 Yeah, I would say, I'm not as good as they used to be, 232 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,080 but I can do it a little bit, I can do it okay. 233 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,600 During the inpatient stay at Spalding, 234 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,840 do you recall about how long you were there? 235 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:19,680 Four weeks. 236 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:20,520 Four weeks. 237 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,240 We can mess around four weeks at Spalding. 238 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:24,080 Okay. 239 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,240 And then when you got home, 240 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,560 what was the continuation of care like? 241 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:29,960 They had people come to my house, 242 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,040 they had occupational therapists, 243 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,480 the speech therapist and physical therapist 244 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:34,360 comes to my house. 245 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,360 Those guys are there until the middle of August. 246 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:37,200 Okay. 247 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,560 And you're getting therapy every day. 248 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:43,880 Do you know, can you speak much on like the importance 249 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,800 of recovery in the first few months? 250 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,720 Did they talk to you about like, 251 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,920 how important that was in terms of how much progress 252 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:52,400 you'll make overall? 253 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:53,240 Definitely. 254 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:54,600 So that was very important. 255 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,040 And excuse me, the strident with that, the better it be. 256 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:00,960 So in other words, come out of the games running. 257 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:01,800 Yeah. 258 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:02,640 Yeah. 259 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,840 And it's two years later, but you're still, 260 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,160 I mean, your therapy schedule is still pretty consistent 261 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:09,120 and thorough. 262 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:10,920 Do you want to take us through maybe 263 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,120 what like a week looks like? 264 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:12,960 Sure. 265 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:14,520 I get up Monday morning, 266 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:19,240 it's at, it's therapy, it's at nine o'clock. 267 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:20,640 From there, I go to the pool. 268 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,400 From there, it takes an hour to go to work. 269 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:24,880 I still don't have a speech in the afternoon, 270 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:26,960 in general, three o'clock. 271 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,480 Tuesdays, I come here, they go to the pool, 272 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:30,640 then I go to work. 273 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,080 Wednesdays, as physical therapy, 274 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,680 then I go to work, or I go to the pool as well, 275 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:36,800 then I go to work. 276 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,160 And Friday, Thursdays rather, 277 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,720 I come here and then I go to the pool, 278 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,560 and I work after that. 279 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:46,480 And then Friday, as a physical therapy, 280 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,520 in the late afternoon, because when you talk to your walk, 281 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:51,400 and if you guys have heard that before, 282 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,560 talk to your walk, you walk around the track. 283 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:57,720 So, they're on a pond, 284 00:10:57,720 --> 00:10:59,640 and you have a speech therapist with you. 285 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,480 Yeah, she'll ask various questions, 286 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,840 but you have to make sure you don't trip. 287 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,880 So, therefore, she is asking, 288 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,240 what do you see for movies, or what is this? 289 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,680 And into those, but you also can't trip, 290 00:11:11,680 --> 00:11:14,840 because you can't be focusing that much on your, 291 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:16,560 on your foot, on your feet, 292 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:19,920 that you're not really paying attention. 293 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:20,840 So, therapy every day, 294 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,840 and then every so often you meet with a group 295 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,280 at UMass, right, for more speech. 296 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:26,560 Yep, and with the group at UMass, 297 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:28,760 and you also meet with the people at Spalving. 298 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,000 So, those are once a month. 299 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:35,840 For people supporting a family member, a friend, 300 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,520 a post injury, or a post accident, or a post stroke, 301 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,040 what advice could you give? 302 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,960 So, maybe it's a loved one, a son or a daughter. 303 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:47,840 What, I guess, what advice could you give 304 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,280 to someone who's supporting someone in your situation? 305 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:55,280 I would say, be kind, and let them lead the way. 306 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,680 In other words, because so many people 307 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:01,440 who've been to my house and started yacking at me, 308 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:02,800 like they're very, very person-wood, 309 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:04,880 and I'm like, no, no, no, he can't understand you, 310 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,120 just slow it down, slow it down. 311 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,600 Then he started slow, and then she drew it up again, 312 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,160 and all of a sudden it, go right over my head. 313 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:17,160 So, I would say, let the person who suffered, 314 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,320 who suffered whatever it was, let them lead the way. 315 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,400 Yeah, and also maybe lead the way in terms of 316 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,080 deciding what's important to them 317 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:27,840 and what they wanna work on. 318 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,560 So, no one knows your goals better than you, 319 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:33,600 and no one knows your day-to-day life better than you. 320 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,480 So, I guess having P-T-O-T fitness, whatever it is, 321 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,960 tailored to those goals, 322 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:41,880 I think it's been pretty important, right? 323 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:43,960 So, I mean, that's work, we're working on right now, 324 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,280 is giving back swimming, which I can do every day now. 325 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:48,000 They're also giving back to right of my bike. 326 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,920 And I'm not quite there, but I'm getting there. 327 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:52,680 Yeah, you say you're not quite there. 328 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:55,400 So, I know it's frustrating, I mean, it must be frustrating 329 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,360 being a competitive athlete before the accident, 330 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,400 and then now trying to compare to what you were before. 331 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,760 So, have you had to kind of readjust, 332 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,480 I guess, your perspective, or what swimming is to you, 333 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:10,720 or what biking is to you? 334 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,880 No question, it's, you know, 335 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:21,560 it is very humbling to look at what we can do today, 336 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:23,600 versus what you can't do. 337 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:25,760 Yeah, yeah, but at the end of the day, 338 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,800 I guess there's a lot of benefits from those activities 339 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:30,840 that go beyond just the paces that you perform them at. 340 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:31,680 No question. 341 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:34,680 So, being able to keep them as part of a routine, 342 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:36,560 I guess would be really important. 343 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:38,560 One thing for me too is riding my bike through the woods, 344 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:42,480 not like mountain biking, just riding through the woods, 345 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:44,440 excuse me, riding through the woods, 346 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,520 because that makes me sense of calm. 347 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:47,360 Yeah. 348 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,280 Not the very, whatever. 349 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,440 Yeah, I mean, nature, yeah, I mean, nature, 350 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,080 nature definitely has a calming presence on everyone, 351 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,000 that's well supported. 352 00:13:59,000 --> 00:13:59,840 Yeah. 353 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,800 We're grateful for the support of our first show sponsor. 354 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,480 Resolution Fitness offers leading brand health club equipment 355 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,320 and accessories for residential and commercial use. 356 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,160 In addition to traditional exercise equipment, 357 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,040 they specialize in adaptive fitness products 358 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,040 and wheelchair accessible machines. 359 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,080 If you're interested in outfitting your fitness facility 360 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,960 or home gym to be more accessible, 361 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,320 visit www.resolutionfitness.ca 362 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,120 or the link in the show notes below. 363 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,280 Yeah, so I guess what could you maybe share with the audience 364 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:34,800 as to the importance of fitness 365 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,080 and the importance of recreation in your recovery process 366 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,440 and in your mental health? 367 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,680 So I can say this, first time we were down, 368 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,320 remember when children were down at the boardroom, 369 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,080 every day they'd go around and say, 370 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,880 what were the first words that came to your mind 371 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,160 as soon as you, soon to do, or recovery, 372 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:55,080 as soon as you could speak, 373 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,480 as soon as you could think by yourself. 374 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,600 Everybody said words like, I was scared, 375 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,560 exemplary as happened to me, why me, all those. 376 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,640 I said I'm determined, you know, 377 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,960 because I need to get out and do the things that I used to do, 378 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:11,920 those do require a lot of interpretation. 379 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,960 So, you know, that's why I think athletics 380 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,640 has been extremely important to me and, you know, 381 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,480 it's worked out. 382 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:22,600 Yeah, because everything you do now 383 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:23,960 takes that much more effort. 384 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,800 I mean, I see you coming into the gym in the winter, 385 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,240 getting your coat on, changing your shoes, et cetera. 386 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,720 And just, I guess, giving yourself the grace 387 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:38,080 to take a little longer and not be frustrated with yourself. 388 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,600 I can't even imagine how emotionally taxing it is 389 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:43,920 to take longer to do all this. 390 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,640 You know, hey, at least it's something. 391 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:46,480 Yeah. 392 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,520 I like it this way, at least in my, you know, 393 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,680 because when I was in the hospital, I couldn't do anything, 394 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:51,960 especially when I was at the master, 395 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:53,600 I couldn't do anything. 396 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:58,600 And I learned to do it all over again. 397 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,120 Yeah, had to learn to do it all over again. 398 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,480 And put it in a lot of work, though. 399 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,160 It's not like it just happened by accident. 400 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:08,880 Kind of earned everything that you've gotten back 401 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,200 and continue to get back. 402 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:12,680 Some of the assistive tech that you use, 403 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,320 just want to cover some of those things, I guess. 404 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,760 So, I know when you do our 5K, you use your walking cane, 405 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,480 but don't use that too frequently, right? 406 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,600 Yeah, only on, maybe on even terrain or longer. 407 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:24,960 Exactly, so when I get to the saddle of my leg 408 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,480 and stairs go downhill, and I use it there, 409 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,320 and to keep it in the back of my car, you know, 410 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,240 or if I get out, it's a little rough, I use that. 411 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:35,760 And for people who might not be familiar with it, 412 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,840 maybe we'll just introduce the bio-nest, I guess. 413 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,480 So, I don't even have to show it necessarily, 414 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:43,880 but maybe for those that are just listening, 415 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,880 it's a little bit, looks like an armband 416 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,880 that's wrapped around, then this is calf, 417 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,520 and it syncs to your phone, 418 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,960 and on your phone, you adjust. 419 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:55,800 Exactly. 420 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:56,640 What type of activity you're doing. 421 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,520 Yes, there's running, there's lifting weights, 422 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,240 and there is just regular exercise of the leg, 423 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,800 and I use it for walking. 424 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:06,760 So basically what happens is my legs, 425 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,040 everybody's legs go with the, 426 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,880 with the palm of their foot down, 427 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:13,240 the bottom of their foot down, 428 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:14,880 mine goes to the side. 429 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,720 This causes the muscles down my, 430 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:20,040 the right part of my thigh, 431 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,320 the right part of my shin to react as it goes, 432 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,920 thighs forward, so it goes every day forward. 433 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:31,920 Yeah, so the bio-nest is working the ankle 434 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:36,080 in a way that it should be already performing, 435 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,880 but because of the stroke, 436 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,520 it doesn't function in the same way, 437 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:44,360 so, and it's a self-correcting piece, right? 438 00:17:44,360 --> 00:17:45,840 Like it learns your gait, 439 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:46,960 It does. 440 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,120 And then responds accordingly, so. 441 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:50,440 Yeah, it's definitely something about that though, 442 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,960 I'll never forget, as a pool one day, 443 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:53,800 just get my butt back, 444 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:54,840 that's maybe two months before, 445 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,440 after the pool one day, go in the water, I was like. 446 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,280 But it's still on? 447 00:17:58,280 --> 00:17:59,680 Yes, and that's fine. 448 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:01,360 Like you came to the gym and you're like, 449 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:03,360 the bio-nest is still wet. 450 00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:06,520 Yeah, so you have to take that off. 451 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,240 Do you need anything for swimming 452 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:10,920 or are you just able to do it? 453 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:12,560 Yeah, I mean, it's too bad 454 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,160 because it can't really run over to the water like you used to. 455 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:16,000 Yeah. 456 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:16,840 And after like, 457 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:17,680 like, 458 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:18,520 like, 459 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:19,340 like, 460 00:18:19,340 --> 00:18:20,180 like, 461 00:18:20,180 --> 00:18:21,020 like, 462 00:18:21,020 --> 00:18:21,840 like, 463 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:22,680 like, 464 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:23,520 like, 465 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:24,360 like, 466 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:26,520 it effects one side of the body. 467 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:27,440 So for you, 468 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:28,560 it's your right side, 469 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,520 everything from your arm to your leg and, 470 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,600 limited in your overhead mobility, 471 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,080 and then limited in your dexterity 472 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:38,140 with your hands and your feet, 473 00:18:38,140 --> 00:18:38,980 right. 474 00:18:38,980 --> 00:18:39,820 So, 475 00:18:39,820 --> 00:18:40,660 so for the gym, 476 00:18:40,660 --> 00:18:41,480 we've just, 477 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:42,300 I guess, 478 00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:43,860 picked exercises that match 479 00:18:43,860 --> 00:18:46,520 or those specific ranges you are able to get into. 480 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,980 And I typically use those activities 481 00:18:49,980 --> 00:18:52,680 of swimming and biking as a guide 482 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:54,440 for the exercises we choose. 483 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,400 So we kind of break down both of those activities 484 00:18:57,400 --> 00:18:58,640 into their component parts. 485 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,360 So for biking, it's not just your cardio, 486 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:03,200 it's your ability to swing your leg over the stem 487 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,160 of the bike and mount the bike, balance on the bike. 488 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,760 So there's a lot of course stability in that, 489 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,720 keeping the foot on the pedal even as a challenge. 490 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,480 And then with swimming, we try to work some overhead 491 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,960 mobility with like the skier and our presses and our poles, 492 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,320 just to give you the strength in those ranges 493 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,000 to hopefully carry over to your swimming. 494 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,200 It's funny too, because you talk about strength, 495 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,920 just like, you know, it's just like, it's a whatever, 496 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,560 like an orthopedic injury, but it's not. 497 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,960 Because the first time I went back to the, 498 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,880 the first time I went back to the doctor, excuse me, 499 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:41,240 I asked her a million questions, 500 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:42,360 they could barely speak, you know, 501 00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:43,760 everybody could speak a little bit. 502 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:45,560 And she kept saying, hang on, ask her, wait, 503 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,320 ask her, wait, ask her, wait, my wife said, awesome. 504 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:50,040 But I said, I want to hear from you. 505 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:51,920 She said, hold on, let me show you a picture 506 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,560 of what your brain looked like that day. 507 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,280 Honest to God, the left-sided brain was all 508 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,200 destroyed because of stroke. 509 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:06,200 And that was really kind of alarming to me, 510 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:08,680 because that's, you know, 511 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,720 those brain cells are not going back. 512 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:15,720 So that's, as alarming as that was the time, 513 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,680 it's been more so recently, 514 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,320 because now I'm like, okay, these cells aren't coming back. 515 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:23,960 Like my leg, for example, 516 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:25,960 goes this way because I'm a bio-nosed, 517 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,560 but I'm trying to get it to go that way normally. 518 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:30,600 But it will go that way. 519 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,880 It at least hasn't gone that way yet. 520 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:34,440 So I think that's gonna be forever. 521 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:35,840 Yeah. 522 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,640 That's one of the questions that's always been hard 523 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:39,160 that you've asked me is like, 524 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,560 when is the fuck gonna come back? 525 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,720 Or when am I gonna be able to do this or that? 526 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:45,840 And there's really no way of knowing. 527 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,920 I mean, all strokes present differently, 528 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,040 depending on where the location was in the brain, 529 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:53,720 and the severity of it. 530 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,040 And yeah, so it's tough to know, 531 00:20:56,040 --> 00:21:00,200 but I guess all we can do is work with what you currently have 532 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:01,720 and keep kind of pushing the boundaries 533 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,160 of what you can't do in a safe way. 534 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,360 Kind of keep you working towards those goals. 535 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:09,680 Yeah, I guess maybe in terms of goals, 536 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,040 what on the horizon are you hoping to maybe be able 537 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,080 to accomplish any long-term or short-term objectives? 538 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,040 What makes the right bike for us the country? 539 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,000 I've never done this before, but I didn't even, 540 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,440 I can't even ride my bike down a block or a cash. 541 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,840 I'm hoping one day, we'll do that, 542 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,440 especially as I get closer to 60, a couple of years, 543 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,160 hoping to be able to do that sometimes right now, 544 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:32,360 at some 65. 545 00:21:32,360 --> 00:21:33,920 You didn't really mention it before. 546 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,080 So goal to ride the bike across the US. 547 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:37,920 That's right. 548 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,640 Would you want to do it on an adaptive bike 549 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,000 or do you just want to do it on an upright bike? 550 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,320 Yeah, I'm thinking of an upright bike. 551 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:46,240 So yeah. 552 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,520 Do you have a resistance to doing it on something 553 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:49,560 that would be easier? 554 00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:54,080 I shouldn't say easier, not necessarily easier, 555 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:58,480 but if, say for example, balance is a limiting factor, 556 00:21:58,480 --> 00:21:59,680 it's not your leg strength, 557 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,120 it's not your cardiovascular health 558 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:04,480 using an adaptive recumbent bike. 559 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,560 Yeah, I mean, something like that, I guess would be okay, 560 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,760 but I remember riding my bike for 40 years, you know? 561 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,360 And I really look at it as two wheels and that's it. 562 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:18,360 So three wheels, so I have an adaptive bike at home 563 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,520 that has electronic assist. 564 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:24,680 I don't really use that. 565 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,720 I can use that anywhere I want to right now, 566 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,520 but it's, I don't know, I don't really enjoy it. 567 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:30,840 Yeah, I enjoy it as much. 568 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,600 Yeah, I mean, it's probably getting back to like, 569 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,000 you probably have some sort of resentment 570 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,840 towards the stroke taking away that activity 571 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,440 you really loved and you want to get back 572 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,320 to doing it as you were before. 573 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,600 But kind of like we talked about, I guess, 574 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:48,520 just reacclimating to a new normal or a new standard, 575 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:53,760 the recumbent bike isn't necessarily a lesser option. 576 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,160 It's just a different option, different position. 577 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,800 And then swimming, just want to get back to being able 578 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,720 to do that consistently faster, further. 579 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,320 In the same way that most people just want to be able 580 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,320 to run faster, run further, or swim faster, swim further. 581 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:14,040 So, for me, it's just more about both bike riding 582 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,960 and swimming are more about, 583 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:20,840 I don't say bring a tongue, it's not a hyper person, 584 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,600 but you know, bringing a sense of normalcy to my life. 585 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:24,440 Yeah. 586 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:25,640 That's how you go about both those activities. 587 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:30,640 Yeah, and you've commented on how the gym is kind of good 588 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,560 in that way as well, just like the community piece of it. 589 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:38,560 It's one thing we've talked about and written about, 590 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:40,800 I'm not a physical therapist, 591 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,520 don't pretend to do what an impatient place like Spalding 592 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:45,920 does, but I think maybe one thing that we might do 593 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,640 or have an advantage over a place like Spalding 594 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:53,680 is just the normalcy and the reacclimation 595 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:54,520 into the community. 596 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:56,600 Like you said before, all of our members say hi to you, 597 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:58,240 they're all eager to see you, 598 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:00,120 and they all knew you before your stroke, 599 00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:02,400 and they still are here after your stroke. 600 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:06,200 So, maybe without seeming like I'm just trying 601 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:07,480 to draw compliments out of you, 602 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,920 like what has the gym experience been like, I guess? 603 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:11,760 It's been great. 604 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:16,760 It has been a forum 605 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,240 where as good as I can anywhere else, you know, 606 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,080 so in other words, when I'm here, 607 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:24,560 I feel like a normal person. 608 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:26,160 It's really important to me. 609 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:27,160 Yeah. 610 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,760 And I guess that just goes to show 611 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,360 it's something we've talked about on this, 612 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:36,360 how you don't need a specialized adaptive facility 613 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:38,080 to start supporting people. 614 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:38,920 That's right. 615 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,080 Post-injury or with disabilities, 616 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,360 just kind of need to create the environment 617 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:46,160 and provide the necessary support 618 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,280 to get them successful in the gym. 619 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,520 So, our facility just looks like any other gym. 620 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:52,920 It just might be kind of the approach 621 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:54,360 that we take is a little different. 622 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:55,200 Right. 623 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,240 But you have your program in the same way 624 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,040 that all the other guys and women training 625 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:03,880 have their programs, and myself, Joey, Angelina, 626 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,360 and Kyle, various coaches are coaching you 627 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:10,440 in the same way that we're coaching our other clients. 628 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:12,200 And I think that's always been a priority of ours 629 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,560 is just to treat everyone the same way, I guess. 630 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:15,720 Right. 631 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:16,560 So. 632 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,400 Which is good because... 633 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,240 You don't want to be treated differently on anyone. 634 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,560 You know, so yesterday, I had a couple of people 635 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:24,880 over my house, they said, 636 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,160 you need any help cooking dinner. 637 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,720 I said, no, because I can do that. 638 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,400 Because in other words, there's so many things 639 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:31,400 I can't do right now, 640 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,080 but things I can do, I want to do myself. 641 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:34,920 Not that they don't want to help, 642 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:39,240 but I've got to take credit for myself. 643 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:40,080 Yeah. 644 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:40,920 Whatever. 645 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:41,760 Yeah. 646 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,640 That kind of goes to, I guess, maybe disability etiquette. 647 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,840 Is there anything that people do that is most frustrating? 648 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,320 Well, we see as a wedding, a bunch of, 649 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:54,640 particularly the older people, 650 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:55,760 can't work, can't grab my arm. 651 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:56,760 Oh, are you okay? 652 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:57,600 Yeah. 653 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,280 You're like, just grab your arm back? 654 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:00,480 You're like, now I'm not okay 655 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:01,960 because you're grabbing my arm, yeah. 656 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:03,240 Exactly. 657 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:05,520 So, but, you know, I don't know, 658 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,200 I think if a person has a true disability, 659 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,160 you know, they'll reach out and they need help, 660 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,000 you know, the same way I am, you know, 661 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,080 every time I need help, I say, 662 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,160 can you go over and help me? 663 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:18,000 Yeah. 664 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,000 So it's not assuming, I guess it's not assuming 665 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,440 that you want help that's waiting for you to initiate it 666 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:23,720 or even just asking. 667 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:27,400 I mean, I find myself even in the gym, 668 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,400 like I could run over and grab you that med ball, 669 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,800 but do you really need me to grab it for you? 670 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:34,640 Like now? 671 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:35,640 Yeah. 672 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,640 And so like it's, it's always in the back of my mind, 673 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,760 like I want to be helping, I want to jump over, 674 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,280 but I don't want to do it in a way that's like patronizing. 675 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,080 Like I know what you can do and what you need help with, 676 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,440 and I'm going to intervene when you need help 677 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,200 and I'm going to leave you to be independent 678 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:52,440 when you don't need help. 679 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,000 So, yeah, I guess that's one thing. 680 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,840 I think disability etiquette and speaking to someone 681 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,200 with a disability is one thing 682 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,080 that a lot of people have trouble with. 683 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,600 I gotta tell you, I don't really, 684 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:04,760 it's not myself to say it. 685 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:05,600 Right, yeah. 686 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:07,880 So, I do think you can do, I can do. 687 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:08,720 Yeah. 688 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,640 And that was quick, that was fluent, 689 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,480 but I can do whatever you can do. 690 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:14,880 Do you find people talking to you differently now? 691 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:19,680 Sometimes people talk to you differently, 692 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,840 especially when, you know, right now I can't speak, right? 693 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,680 I can speak, but that was the one that could. 694 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:28,680 And people hear that like, oh, hey. 695 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:29,520 Yeah, yeah. 696 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,760 I just talked to me in a regular tone, yeah. 697 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:36,600 Yeah, that's like people default to either a higher inflection, 698 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:38,640 like they're speaking to a child, 699 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:42,000 or they default to like a really slow or even loud. 700 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,800 Sometimes I see some people that are like talking louder 701 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:46,640 to people like it's going to help them understand 702 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:48,040 if they like scream at them. 703 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,840 Yeah, so I guess the takeaway is just to treat you, 704 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:57,080 talk to you, interact with you like you were before, 705 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:01,160 but then also understand that maybe you need time 706 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:02,920 to recall words. 707 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,560 I always try not to finish your sentences 708 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,240 if I don't need to, I try to let you find the words. 709 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,800 But I mean, it's something where it's different 710 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,000 for everyone, I guess. 711 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,040 It is, I gotta say for me, I like people who, 712 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,360 I shouldn't say like people, because I like everyone. 713 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:22,560 I only like people. 714 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,880 I like people who let me do what I, you know, 715 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:27,320 let me do as much as they can do. 716 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:28,160 Yeah. 717 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:29,360 You know, that's really important. 718 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:31,960 Let you struggle when you're kind of working through things 719 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:35,200 and not just intervene immediately. 720 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:40,760 What is one thing or one piece of advice 721 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:42,720 that you could give to someone, 722 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:45,240 maybe if they've just had a stroke 723 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:47,680 or they've just experienced disability in some way, 724 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:49,040 maybe it's a spinal cord injury 725 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:50,840 or even just a smaller setback. 726 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,040 You're two years into it, you know what it's been like, 727 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,160 you know, let's take and to get to where you are now. 728 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,240 Do you have any pieces of advice that you'd give 729 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,640 to someone who's maybe just going through this process? 730 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:04,440 Just do it every day. 731 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,080 Every day, I don't care what it is, 732 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,040 whatever it is, but every single day, 733 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,760 you have to get up and say words, say words. 734 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,360 You have to get up and exercise, exercise. 735 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:19,360 I look at myself right now, I'm like, 736 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:23,120 wow, I've got all that, I've caught most of the last two years, 737 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:27,720 but I started doing little things every single day, 738 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:29,600 you know, little things every single day. 739 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,760 So I tell everybody out there, 740 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:34,920 you have to bring it back, split forward. 741 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:37,960 Yeah, consistency compounds over time, 742 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:41,200 just being consistent with the PT and the OT 743 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,360 and the language. 744 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:48,560 Sometimes I guess progress is just not going backwards 745 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,600 sometimes too, maintaining your ability, 746 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:55,160 maintaining your functional ability, your fitness. 747 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,720 Sometimes people are so eager to see tangible progress 748 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,520 that they don't realize that sometimes 749 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:05,040 just maintaining where they're at or moving along slowly, 750 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,200 it still can be progress. 751 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,880 Right, but it's kind of weird 752 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:13,280 so I don't want to make myself sound old, 753 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:18,280 but also as I progress on my fitness, 754 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,480 I'm also getting a little older every day, 755 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:21,680 I'm almost 60 years old, 756 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,680 so therefore at some point my age is going to take over, 757 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:28,400 but hopefully that's soon. 758 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,400 Yeah, that's where you sometimes ask me 759 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:36,200 about your ability to swim or your ability to bike, 760 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,360 and I'm always like, well, not everyone who's in their late 50s 761 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,680 can do these things to begin with. 762 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,960 So I know you've regressed in some ways because of the stroke, 763 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:49,960 but you're still in some ways healthier than a lot of people your age. 764 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,960 You still have your job, you still have all your recreation activities, 765 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:55,960 you're still able to do things with your family, 766 00:30:55,960 --> 00:31:01,960 so yeah, I guess perspective can be tough when you're in it, 767 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:03,960 but trying to kind of zoom out and seeing everything 768 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:05,960 you're still able to do and accomplish. 769 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:07,960 That's exactly the point, sometimes you get so dead, 770 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:09,960 and you just take it down, 771 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,960 but sometimes you get so consumed with what I can't do, 772 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,960 that gets to me, but that I can say, look at how I can do, 773 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:19,960 all that makes me feel better. 774 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:20,960 Yeah, absolutely. 775 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,960 Well, Dennis, thank you. 776 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,960 I'm glad we finally were able to record, 777 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:27,960 and we've been talking about this for a while, 778 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:29,960 so I look forward to sharing it, 779 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,960 and we'll include some links in the show notes about stroke 780 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:35,960 so people can learn a little more about it, 781 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,960 as well as maybe some of the resources that you already use, 782 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,960 like Spalding, some of those organizations, 783 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:43,960 that have been really impactful in your recovery, 784 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,960 so we'll include some links to those in the show notes, 785 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,960 but we'll be releasing this in the next week or so, 786 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:51,960 and look forward to sharing it. 787 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,960 Thank you for listening to the Adaptex podcast. 788 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,960 Our effort to amplify the ideas of our guests 789 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:58,960 and create more inclusive and accessible industries 790 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,960 is futile unless these episodes reach a larger audience. 791 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:03,960 If you enjoyed our discussion today, 792 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:06,960 please leave us a rating or a review on whichever platform you use, 793 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:08,960 and if you would like to learn more about Adaptex, 794 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,960 the course that we teach to health and fitness professionals 795 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:12,960 and the projects that our organization is working on, 796 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,960 you can subscribe to our newsletter through our website, 797 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:17,960 www.adaptex.org. 798 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:40,960 Until next Monday.