Walking at the Race in the Park for Breast Cancer (Updated 6/21/07)

The day before Mothers Day, 5-12-07, the Race in the Park was held in New Britain. I over-trained to participate in the race (running laps at the track, entirely on my own) and I re-injured my left knee, so I had to compromise my goal of completing the 5K run and settling for the 1M walk, which I am very happy with. My friend, Al, has played such an active role in my running rehabilitation. I hope that this is not too shallow, but I owe him a big THANK-YOU. Also, Al struck my emotions when he made the presentation of his “week 600” plaque. I remember, so well, helping him to celebrate the 500th. In fact, I recently found photos commemorating that occasion, also with Al.!!! I cherish and value him as a friend who always sacrifices his own conditioning to be a part of mine.
In the previous week, I successfully ran a lap at the MHS running track with my friend, Al, who has been my buddy since our college days. We completed a lap, holding his arm to give me stability, in just 3 minutes, 55 seconds, after completing a lap just prior, completely solo, in just 4: 24. I was actually running, not merely walking fast, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. It was especially significant to complete this milestone in the presence of Al, who has been my camping buddy since our UConn days and who credits me with introducing him to many competitive individual sports. In fact, one year ago, when Lynn heard about my serious accident, she called Al to inform him about my condition and he dissolved his sorrows while completing a run at Hammonasett State

You see, it was also significant to accomplish this milestone with Al, because we have shared a dream to commemorate our first, in 199x, road race together at the 5K Race for The Cure, in New Britain.

Another valuable thing happened Saturday. We (Lynn and I) met up with the race director, Beth Shluger, who knows me well, and she invited me to volunteer at the Glastonbury (Shamrock) Duathlon on Sunday, 5-20-07. This type of activity (giving back to the sport) has been a goal of mine. Last year, 2006, I volunteered at the Hartford Marathon, also directed by Beth, and I value the opportunities she provides me. I hope to see you out there!! Buona Fortuna!!

Quote of the week

Updated 3/26/08
"You must give up the life you had planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you." ......... Joseph Campbell

Updated 6/29/07
“I run because I’ve never been much of a car guy. I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary.
“I run to honor my sister and unite my family. I run because it keeps me humble. I run for the finish line and to savor the trip along the way. I run to help those who can’t. I run because walking takes too long and I’d like to get a few things done this lifetime.
“I run because long after my footprints fade away, maybe I will have inspired a few to reject the easy path, hit the trails, put one foot in front of the other, and come to the same conclusion I did: I run because it always takes me where I want to go.”

......... excerpted from the Ultra Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes.

Filming of a Documentary

My son’s friend, Silas, visited with us from Monday, April 23, until Monday, April 30 to record a documentary film, about my injury, and, mostly, about the progress of my recovery. My hope is that the documentary serves the purpose of answering "what it’s like for me and my family to live with a Traumatic Brain Injury", to raise awareness of the severity of TBI, and to the under-diagnosis of potentially-serious injuries.
Silas is a graduate of the University of Vermont, attended a year of film school at the Maine Photographic Workshop, has worked professionally at MTV, and has recorded many non-profit film documentaries. His website can be viewed at www.smoothfeather.com. He will make several copies of the documentary on DVD and it will be more widely available on his website. We are planning to host a premier of the documentary, when it is released, and to donate all proceeds to a deserving charity.
Silas has also created a BLOG, http://smoothfeather.blogspot.com/ where he has placed a preview of the documentary he is producing about my recovery. Check it out, at your leisure!!
Please note the pointers to Silas’ web sites at the end of my BLOG under the section named, “Silas's film making website info”.

Participating in Yoga Class

We (Lynn and I) survived two Yoga classes at the town recreation department and I did well. My balance is a bit of a challenge and the routines certainly bring one’s flexibility to new heights.

Visit to Maryland for Easter

We went to visit Lynn’s sister’s family (Beth, Tom and 2 fine young adult children, Tommy and Annie), in Kensington, MD, for Easter from Friday, May 6 to Tuesday, May 10. We decided to fly down and back, instead of driving, as we have done many times before. We took advantage of my condition to utilize the benefits available to the disabled, such as use of a wheel chair in the airports and special rights for disabled visitors to the Smithsonian’s’. We had a great time. We visited both the air & space museum, near Dulles airport (not the more common one in the Smithsonian) and to one of the art exhibits. As part of our weekend, we partook in the religious service, at Beth’s church, Easter morning, we drove through nice neighborhoods to enjoy the famous Cherry blossoms, we played therapeutic games of Scrabble and of Ping-Pong and we attempted a run on the track around a nearby park.
When we were in a café during a lay-over in NJ, we met a nice gentleman, from Texas, who had overheard our conversation and was intrigued by the mention of my accident and had lived in Italy. He had, coincidently, served in the U.S. forces and had been stationed in Napoli. He was familiar with many of our old haunts and he went on to tell us that he has just 3 children, but now is the grandfather of some 14 grandchildren. At this point, the airline pilot we had met, Cameron, came back to our gate to provide to me his email address. I accepted it and I gave him the address of my BLOG, suggested that he check it out in the future, and said it was nice to meet him. When I had met Cameron, he had noticed the Triathlon Florida Ironman T-shirt that I was wearing, and he had struck up a conversation about competing in triathlon and had told me that he was in training to compete in the Lake Placid Ironman, in June of this year. I had told Cameron that I actually did not complete the Florida Ironman, but had a friend who had completed the event several times and had done Lake Placid several times. Thus, we agreed to share a common interest in Lake Placid. Cameron commented how remarkable my recovery was and commented that if I could possibly complete an Ironman in the future, that ABC might want to document my tale in one of their human-interest stories.

Veterans of Dance Class

We completed a continuing-education sponsored class in dance at the Bev Burton Dance Studio, and studied the Cha-Cha, the Waltz, the Foxtrot, and the Swing. It was a very big challenge of my mental capacity and of my balance ability. Completing this class has given me a new appreciation for the burden I am to my wife, Lynn. Sometimes I rely on her to support my balance troubles and to refresh the dance steps as we progressed. I hate to be such a burden to her, especially when I consider how simply I would have managed the same exercise in the past (prior to my accident).

Running a Maiden lap on The Track

Within the past week, I successfully ran a lap at the MHS running track with my friend, Al, who has been my buddy since our college days. We completed a lap, holding his arm to give me stability, in just 3 minutes, 55 seconds, after completing a lap prior, completely solo, in just 4: 24. I was actually running, not merely walking fast, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment. It was especially significant to complete this milestone in the presence of Al, who has been my camping buddy since our UConn days and who credits me with introducing him to many competitive individual sports. In fact, one year ago, when Lynn heard about my serious accident, she called Al to inform him about my condition and he dissolved his sorrows while completing a run at Hammonasett State

Our daughter, Kate, has quit smoking and has targeted the same race, The Race for The Cure 2007, to commence her formal running career. We hope to make The Race for The Cure 2007 a joint running event.

Swimming in Florida

We went to Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, March 24 and returned on Sunday, April 1. We stayed at a time-share condo of our friend(s)Susy (& John) Roberts, with the main focus being “to reacquaint myself with swimming”. It was certainly a success. The condo unit had a nice 25 meter pool, with lane lines, and we swam every day for early morning (freestyle) laps before the pool got crowded with kids. I brought my wetsuit to improve my flotation and to keep me warm (and my goggles and Lycra cap). I first did laps on Saturday, March 24, and only completed 1.5 laps, without a stop. On the second day, Sunday, March 25, I swam 11 laps. On Monday, March 26, the result was 20 laps. By Tuesday, March 27, my accomplishment was 30 laps, and by Saturday, April 1, I was up to 40 laps, or 1000 yards.

Graduation from Easter Seals

They graduated me from rehabilitation at Easter Seals, yesterday, 3/14/07, and I earned a gold star, only the third person they have commenced with such high honors. It was a very melancholy day. I should have been thrilled to move on to the next chapter of my rehab, but I will sorely miss the connection I have established with my friends on the staff at Easter Seals. They not only rehab one’s physical bruises but their emotional ones, as well.

The therapists Easter Seals have enriched my life, beyond words. The Easter Seals’ therapists are consistently very professional, always providing feedback that is so positive and uplifting yet, never, even marginally, discouraging. It will be very difficult to say “goodbye” to Jocelyn, my speech therapist, to Susan and Marie, my physical therapists, and to Chris, my occupational therapist. I will forever benefit from my experience at Easter Seals, the one positive aspect from a likewise very bad chapter in my life.

We had a celebration, 4/14/07, for my therapists and my personal coach, Paul Lapierre, and his wife, Sheila. "Lappie" often prefaced a new exercise he is introducing, joking “this aint no Easter Seals”, implying that what he is about to instruct me on is “very vigorous”. They (both, Lappie and my Easter Seals therapists) developed a mutual appreciation for each other’s trades. My son, Paul, prepared a fabulous meal and we shared a viewing of the video of "Joe's Progress" and some of the image shows Lynn has, documenting our life in Italia.

My Typical Week

At Easter Seals rehab center, my therapy is 2 to 3 hours. I have just been reduced to 1 time per week, but I was previously at 2 times per week. Each day consists of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, each lasting 1/2 hour. My last session was on March 14th. I see an ophthalmologist 1/2 hour each week. I perform a workout with my personal coach/trainer, Paul LaPierre, twice per week. Each workout lasts 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours. I try to get an extra workout in each week, usually with my son, Paul, or with my wife, Lynn, or with a friend or relative. Paul (Lappie) has written down my workout regimen on a white board, posted in my basement. His workouts begin with a warm-up of 15 - 20 minutes, split between a walk on my treadmill, and a spin on my 18 speed road bicycle that is mounted on my trainer. In addition, we perform a variety of strength (Weight training) and balance exercises. With my wife, Lynn, we also attend an aerobic swim workout, 3 times each week, for about 45 minutes of vigorous exercise. We also started a ballroom dance class. I’m working hard not to step on Lynn’s toes. Weather permitting; I try to either snowshoe or X-country ski in the nearby trails. I go to a massage therapist, who works on the muscular difficulties on my left arm and another therapist who specializes in cranial sacral massage treatments. I have attended private tutoring of computer skills, with a neighbor and friend of my Mom's, Judy Tassistro, a nurturing, retired teacher. I start a yoga class in April with my daughter, Kate. I look forward to Spring, when I can get outside more.

TBI special on ABC

Last night, 2/27/2007, there was a TV special on ABC, while it was very educational about the magnitude of TBI, it was a bit too clinical. I can, likewise, suggest an old movie, Regarding Henry, for it’s portrayal of the personal impact of brain injury. There is now, 8:00 Wednesday, an interview with Lee Woodruff, on ABC. Lee is the wife of Bob Woodruff, and she has written a book about his TBI, and recovery, called In an Instant. You can see replays on abcnews.com.

Silk City Striders Running Club

I have been a member of the SCS (Silk City Striders) running club for the past 20+ years. I've run races of all distances, from 1 Mile to full Marathons. I competed for the club, in individual races and in team events. It was nice to have fellow running comrades and a full suite of running teammates. In January, 2007, the club presented me with an award, the Honorary Comeback of the Year for 2006. The presentation was made at the SCS meeting on Friday, Feb. 23, 2007.

living with a TBI - V2

Living with a TBI
Here are some notes on what it’s like to be me.

-It seems that my past life returns to me in flashbacks
-There are defining moments when it seems that my intelligence returns
-I’m always cold
-I have a memory of about 10 seconds in length
-I have very little patience
-I behave as if one who experiences O.C.D. might
-I’m very irritable
-It feels as if I always have food stuck in my teeth
-I feel as though I’m experiencing life on the outside of a fishbowl, while, looking in
-I can't eat hard foods, such as crusty bread
-I can't eat "hot" food, both in temperature and spiciness
-I prefer to have food heated up in the microwave, not in the toaster
-It's quite easy for food to "go down the wrong pipe", making me cough

Snowshoeing Version II

On Feb 7-10, 2008 we (Lynn, myself, and my son Paul) made our second consecutive annual trip to Jay Peak, VT with Dr. Dan and Jen Veltri, their 5 kids (Kyle, Luke, Emily, Katie, and baby Grace) and Paul and Sheila LaPierre. Jay Peak had received quite a bit of snow just prior and it snowed non-stop Saturday and Sunday. Lynn and I (and Jen) did a load of snowshoeing in fresh powder. We shoed on Sunday (in new powder) then we drove home. It snowed crazily the entire drive home.

Dan is my tri- friend of many years. Paul LaPierre is a tri-friend from P&W and a workout buddy. We are also long-time fellow-bicyclysts. Paul is much more competitive than I can ever hope to be. Paul is also a serious mountain-climber and he's a valuable friend in camping situations.

We went to VT because Dr. Dan was to attend a conference (orthopedic surgery) both years. Dan performed left knee meniscus surgery some 10 years ago. He repeated the left knee meniscus surgery in June 2007 to repair some damage aggravated during my TBI-causing accident in 2006. He has provided many other orthopedic treatments on me. I’m very fortunate to have such a talented, generous, and sympathetic friend. In 2007 we borrowed snow shoe equipment from Dan and Jen, and then we bought our own from EMS.

In 2007, at Jay Peak, we shoed twice per day and I took a nap late in the day. In 2008, at Jay Peak, we shoed daily for a longer duration. In 2008 it snowed recently in CT. For the first time (Feb. 2008), I snowshoed alone on the MCC golf course.