The "Trying To Live A Healthy Life: Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an article in the "Brain & Life Magazine" called Coaching about Parkinson's disease.  Story tells how 63 year old Paul Caldwell, who was a high school physical education teacher as well as a coach, managed to lift himself out of a depression after a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.  All his life he has been an active high school teacher and coach, teaching both biology and physical education.  But, in his early 50s he developed plantar fasciitis which caused both tremendous pain and inflammation of the fascial tissue that connects the heel to the toes.  His doctor recommended that he visit a neurologist because it looked as if Paul had Parkinson's disease.  Being that he had been a biology teacher, he knew enough about the disease to know it wasn't good news.  After a year of depression he saw a segment on 60 minutes that changed his life forever.  The segment presented a therapy program called Rock Steady Boxing that was developed especially for people with the disease he had.  The program motivated him to research how exercise can help  slow the progression of symptoms.  In 2017 he retired from teaching and coaching and started teaching fitness classes.  He is strong enough now to teach an hour-long, high intensity interval training class over Zoom three times a week.  He also participates in two Rock Steady Boxing classes with his friend Ted, lifts weights and walks with his wife Jenny.  Because of his medication regimen and daily commitment to exercise, his symptoms have decreased.  He says that not every day is perfect, but the coach and teacher in him keeps him going, even on bad days.  Today he is physically and mentally stronger and more devoted to staying in shape.  He is now trying to help others stay as active as possible such as he is now.  He also tries to read stories such as this and realize that he too can do the same if he can just overcome the pain he has in his back and feet.  "I haven't given up and by reading articles such as the one about Paul, I'm convinced I too can conquer my physical problems."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.