Papa Smurf and the Nipple

You will have to read the whole post to understand the title.

YHC has been out of action lately with several trips out of town and the M working more night shifts at the hospital lately. These last 2 weeks will be my last as the site Q of #thecommons before Strokes takes over for “THE SUMMER OF RUN!”  Can’t wait to see how this awesome guy is going to lead and the continued growth of our Region. My family will be moving to Benson and building a home where I will also start working with a new company and working part time with Kinetic Physical Therapy still.  My hope is to start an F3 workout in the Smithfield/Benson/Dunn area with what I have learned from my ENC Crossbones brothers.

I have to admit this week has been an emotional rollercoaster.  F3ENC has lost our first Nathan, Nelson Cooper, “Papa Smurf” a leader in F3, his community, through his career, and most importantly his family.  When I first heard of his diagnosis my first instinct was to find research on how PT could assist with the progression of his disease.  The results….not much. (Which I hope to change in the future).  Still I could feel God push me outside my comfort zone.  I decided to go ahead and talk to each Papa and Mary and let them know if they wanted to try therapy I would be willing to help them, show them stretches, how to use and modify his equipment, proper positioning, transfers, wheelchair modifications, and maintaining mobility throughout his progression and that I would be there throughout his entire process. Usually insurance, hospice, will not cover for services as ALS is a degenerative disease.  For degenerative diseases PT’s are usually allowed to teach for a period and then have the family take over.

Over time I’ve told Mary and Papa several times, but my time with them was more beneficial for my personal growth and my family.  The lessons I’ve learned and the example that they set won’t be forgot. At first I wanted to keep him walking and independent with his walker as long as possible, it was our own personal F3 workout and beat down, and man did he push hard.  Once that passed it was to make sure he was safe, maintain his posture and ability to stand.  His favorite was when we would stand together and I would push on his back mobilize/massage his spine and hips to stretch him up tall again after being constrained to the chair. We had previously discussed when I came I was going to just stretch the snot out of everything, use release techniques, mobilizations, roll out sore/stiff areas, turn him, move him, whatever he needed.  With ALS you lose the ability to make or control movements and if it stays in one position it will get tight which causes a downward spiral of disability.  I’ve come to hate the disease, hate to see it gradually take away independence and function.  One thing I know is the bravery and courage that the Cooper family had throughout this progression. The positive spirit that Papa emitted to all those he was near was amazing.  ALS wasn’t beating Papa he was using ALS to spread love, wisdom, passion and most importantly hope in his Lord in Savior Jesus Christ.  He had 2 choices when he found out the diagnosis, he decided to reach out, inspire, fight, and use his journey to be a positive light.   He made that decision not just because he was a good guy, not for himself, not for the awards or recognition but to bring glory to Jesus.  Evident in his funeral today, he didn’t want today to be about sadness but a celebration of his life and his heavenly body and the fact that he is now bumping elbows with Jesus.  He always asked about F3, new sites, new people/nicknames, sports, current events, but he would ask about how I and my family where doing. Even when he used the breathing equipment you could hear the air backflow when he would laugh…he stayed plugged in to those around him.  He wanted to go to events even if it took several days to recover.  He fought hard daily. I was able to bring 6 PT students over to his house during the last year, he wouldn’t quit on the one male student I had….he came smelled Krispy Kreme and stated, “That smells good, real real good!”.  The student was soon named Steel Magnolias.

Papa and I have been able to develop a friendship over the last year which I will take with me for the rest of my life.  It will affect my career vs. time with family.  It will affect how I raise my kids, my involvement in my community and my church. It will affect how I love my wife, how I encourage and lead my family.  A few memories that stick out with their relationship would be when how they continued to pick on each other, she would tease him about his picky taste and how each of their lack of chair driving skills. We were able to rag him during this year’s UNC/State Basketball “competitions”.

They needed to learn how to use the Hoyer Lift to get him from the bed/chair/shower without him being able to stand. After several reviews, I put Mary on the spot, “Okay, your turn”.  All you need to know is that Papa gripped a little harder and his eyes got a little bigger but she did it and she eventually got really good. Every attempt at something new, he would raise his eyebrows in approval.  Statements of “Good, Good”, “That was great”, “You did it!” would always be his first reaction.  When it was easy for me to toss him from his bed to his chair, he was proud of his wife who learned how to lift, move, position a full grown man.  To learn all the in/outs of his equipment/perform all his feedings, suction, breathing treatments and self care.  He was amazed and grateful for her patience, love and support daily.  It was eventually difficult to determine what Papa needed.  Mary had a routine which usually solved the problem, unless he just wanted his head scratched.

Papa made me more evident of several things as cheesy as they sound.  To not take a day for granted, YOLO, be an example to those around you but most of all to be aware of your purpose. You have a greater calling.  God didn’t create us to work our life away, to save for retirement while neglecting time with Him or our family and friends.  He made us to live passionately in everything that we do and to use our unique abilities to share His love and to be leaders, to be a #HIM.  We will miss you Papa but I feel we will always have you around pushing us to be better.

All that said we still had #TheCommons today, I was able to go for a run Thursday night to get a chance to talk to Papa.  It was a special time ranging from shear grief to full joy.  #runtherapy is sometimes the best therapy.  Eventually I could continue to hear him say “Now find the joy, celebrate my life, go live a passionate life”.  Gazelle would call at the perfect time and we were able to enjoy memories of Papa together.

Here’s #TheCommons

Warm up to make sure the stragglers all make it (Rambo MIA even with the HC the night before).  Fred Stinko rocked the ranger panties so at least I could see his legs since Bono was fartsacking.  Since this will be my last 2 weeks as the site Q, I wanted to do a best hits workout the last 2 weeks.

Jogging high knees, butt kickers, solider walk (25 yards each OYO).

PAX run to the Parking Deck, Run up to top or use the steps and back down OYO with plank hold or return to the six and meet at the bottom. 5 rounds with 20 reps of each exercise OYO; Plank Jacks, Squats, Lunges, Moutain Climbers.  Getting BRR ready (Blue Ridge Relay)!

Indian run to 3rd street and the courthouse (Was that left or right?), Find a spot on the wall with faster runners with increased distance to steps. 5 rounds of 10 box jumps and run to stairs and back. Work was OYO with option to perform step ups instead of box jumps. Plank O-rama with Abu leading until the six is in, rocking low plank was a new torture.

Scout run to the new connector which I have decided will now be the ENC Nipple (BRR reference to one of the Mountain Goat toughest legs, straight up and straight down).  Rambo had the privilege last year to handle the BRR “Nipple”, lets say he took his time.  Caressed it with care he would say, gentle, soft man.

5 Burpees at bottom of first side, run to other side and perform 5 more Burpees (stop at the top of the Nipple for slower runners), Return for the six.  Running low on time we continued to scout run back to Reade Street to view Death Valley to get a preview for the next week. Great to see the PAX all work together and to see everybody finish.  PAX finished with a Jailbreak to the flag for the last .25 mile.  May have been the last straw for Slim Jim’s right nipple as blood began to show through the sweat on his shirt.  No merlot today but blood will do.

Total distance 5 miles with hills/drills.  Impressive guys, #CoopStrong

BOM: Prayer for the Cooper Family, for Papa Smurf and his legacy.

Announcements: Convergence Monday at StrongHold 5:30, if 20 guys come to the last site Q by YHC I will be jumping into the Tar River.  Offered during the 0 degree weather this winter and we got a record 12 or 13. Seriously doubt 20 guys can hang with a full 1 hour workout, but we will see.  On the serious side you will be able to walk/bike and we will be staying within a close range of the Commons.

See you in the Gloom.