Hi Everyone, Let me Introduce Myself

[jrosto]

Hi;

 

My name is John and I've been lurking around NerdFitness for a couple of months now.  It took so long to join up and become a member because I took Rule #2 to heart.  Joining is a commitment and I didn't want to make it lightly.

 

A little about me -  In May of 2014 I started the Primal Blueprint 21 Day Total Body Transformation, I needed to do something to lose weight and hopefully improve my health.  I had a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and was overweight.  Actually I was obese.  IPF is a progressive lung disease.  Basically my lungs were reacting to some past damage and had gone into overdrive creating scar tissue.  There is no cure for IPF and the only real treatment is a lung transplant.  The Transplant Team wouldn't consider me for the procedure until my BMI was 28 or lower.  I was in pretty bad shape and most likely would not have made it another year without the transplant.  My lung capacity was less than 50% or normal and my lungs ability to transfer oxygen to my blood was also less than 50% or normal.  Basically with each breath I took I was only getting 25% of the oxygen that I should have been.  I had to use supplemental oxygen at all times and 8 liters per minute with any exertion.  

 

By October I lost enough weight to be considered for a transplant and was listed in November.  On December 31st I received the call from the Team and headed on into the hospital.  I received a bilateral lung transplant early Jan 1st.  My transplant team recently completed their 500th lung transplant and my recovery set a record for the team.  I was out of the hospital and back home in 9 days.  That was pretty awesome.  I credit my fast recovery to the Lord, the skill of my team, and the work in put in pre-transplant trying to keep some core strength and eat nutrient dense foods.

 

I'm now at a great weight after losing 90 pounds and have been maintaining for 12 weeks.  Now it is time for me to get fit.  I am still weak.  I have been building up my endurance and I can walk for at least an hour and a half.  I've only recently been released to start body weight exercises (except for pull ups) and am doing the NF Beginner Body Weight Workout.   One of my main fitness goals right now is to do a pull up to my transplant scar, that is going to be pretty awesome.

 

If you would like to read more about my weight loss success, I posted that story over a MDA here.

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know folks here and joining in on this next 6 week challenge.