My Journey with MS by Garth McLean

It was a hot day in May 1996 when I found myself struggling to walk. Over the course of the previous month, I had been slowly losing feeling throughout my limbs and torso. With the heat, the tingling and numbness I had been experiencing spread to envelop my face and skull…I had lost feeling in my body from head to toe. It wasn’t just a pinched nerve as first suspected. Something was very wrong. After various medical texts, I was admitted to UCLA Medical Center where I was clinically diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis. Lesions had been detected in my cervical spine, thoracic spine and on my brain.

As I have always been a physically active person and not one to accept the role of victim, I asked my then doctor’s recommendation for my physical protocol. He suggested swimming and yoga, as long as I don’t overheat the body.

The initial protocol of intravenous steroids helped to get my symptoms into remission but along with the other medications prescribed for MS management, they do not offer a cure. With a pocketful of meds, I was released from the hospital and decided to explore some yoga – Iyengar Yoga to be specific – as the Iyengar system employs props to help the practitioner gain access to the poses in order to glean their potential benefits. So I made some necessary dietary and lifestyle changes, started yoga and chose to forego the medications.

The daily practice of Iyengar Yoga has had a profound effect on my course of the condition. However, my journey has not been without setbacks, as anyone’s might be who deals with relapsing-remitting MS, whether or not they are on the medications. The symptoms I have experienced over the years include: loss of feeling throughout my body, numbness and a banding sensation in the torso and limbs, difficulty walking, compromised gait, loss of motor skills to the point where I could not use a pen or use a fork to feed myself, optic neuritis (loss of vision in my right eye and compromised vision in my left); bowel and urinary incontinence; the L’Hermitte’s symptom (a symptom where electrical charges are felt throughout the body when moving the head in a forward fashion); fatigue and depression.

When I had two severe exacerbations within months of one another in 2001 – loss of eyesight in January 2001 (which returned within a couple of months) and loss of feeling from the navel down in June 2001, fear and doubt crept in and I started with the weekly protocol of interferon beta 1-A. As no medications offer a cure for the MS, I found the ongoing side effects of my weekly injections to be more challenging than the condition! While I am not advocating that people with MS ignore the benefits of the pharmaceutical approach in managing their course of MS, I personally opted for the side effects of a daily practice of Iyengar Yoga over the meds. In January 2004, I chose to once again forego the medication.

My agreement with my neurologist is to have an annual MRI to monitor the lesions on my brain. The MRI reports over the last five have been promising, showing a reduction in size of the brain lesions as well as consistently showing no change in activity – which is really good news. I have been able to successfully overcome the symptoms listed above and remain symptom free, with the exception of fatigue and the residual loss of feeling in my right leg and foot which results in strength and balance challenges on my right side. I see my doctor (Dr. Hart Cohen, Director of Multiple Sclerosis Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles) semi-annually to continually monitor my course of the condition.

With these results, I am hopeful and my outlook for the future is positive. Undaunted, I carry on with “courage and caution” as encouraged by Yoga master, BKS Iyengar.

The Art of Aging

Ojai, California

Let us introduce ourselves. We are Alice and Richard Matzkin, and are both artists in our late sixties. Richard sculpts, Alice paints. Like so many others, we grew afraid as we entered middle age and began experiencing wrinkles, grey hair, and expanding waistlines. Instead of a psychiatrist couch, we used paint and clay to work through our fear and negative attitudes about aging. For fifteen years, I painted and interviewed older women, some famous, some without clothes. During the same period of time, Richard sculpted older men and elderly couples, also without clothes.

Through our art work and the writing of our art and inspirational book “The Art of Aging: Celebrating the Authentic Aging Self“, we have come to see our aging in a positive light. Our years have given us a wider perspective, deeper understanding of the meaning of our lives, and a true appreciation of the preciousness of now. We can honestly say that our present age is among the very best in our lives. We invite you to watch our oomphtv profile to learn more about who we are and the work that we share.

I’ve Always Been an Avid Bicycle Enthusiast

I’ve always been and avid bicycle enthusiast. Years ago I’d ride my “ten speed” to work and play. When mountain bikes became popular I rode a “Stump Jumper” everywhere.  I even made it from my home in Sherman Oaks to La Jolla a few times.  These biking adventures have always been an important part of my physical conditioning and riding for me is just plain fun. 

One day, I stopped at a Pasadena Cycle Shop and it was there I first laid eyes on a recumbent bicycle.  See http://www.bentrideronline.com for more than you’ll ever need to know about recumbent bikes.  I rode a demo around the block a few times and I was hooked!!  Over the last ten years or so I’ve accumulated two recumbent bikes see  http://www.rans.com and a trike. http://www.wizwheelz.com I have a few quite expensive regular bikes hanging on hooks in my garage.  I can’t imagine doing any serious touring on them.  My recumbents are my bicycling loves.  Why? Fun! No strain on butt or wrists, mile after mile. It’s like riding along on a very comfortable lawn chair.  I can ride 60 to 80 miles one day and be ready to do the same the next day. 

As I run into bikers who are part of the colorful “spandex” crowd, I’m often asked about my recumbent.  My answer to them is that you have to experience recumbancy. “Put 50 miles or so on one and I dare you to go back to your regular bike.”

I Have Always Loved Music

My name is Les, and I’m thrilled to be an oomph! profile. I’ve always been involved in music.  As a kid, I picked up the saxophone and along with my buddy Paul, (who played guitar) we formed a “garage” band.  Over the years that effort blossomed into a part time career in music that encompassed 40 years or so.  My band “The Entertainers” played clubs and private parties all over Southern California to the delight of audiences everywhere.

By day, I was a financial consultant with two major Wall Street Firms, and by nights and weekends, I was a band leader, singer, guitar player, and sax player.   Sometime around 1980 I overheard a radio ad about a barbershop chorus having auditions for new members.  Intrigued, I showed up for the audition. Almost 30 years later, I’m still involved in the barbershop “hobby.” My 130 man chorus, The Masters of Harmony, (www.mastersofharmony.org) has had the distinction of winning the Barbershop Harmony Society’s competition gold medal seven times in a row. 

For me, involvement in the chorus is like being on a Gold Medal Olympic Champion Singing Team.  We can rightfully brag that we are the best in the world at what we do.  It’s not often that a 65 year old somewhat crippled up old dude can be “the best in the world” but I am just that, along with 130 or so of my best buddies.  Our Masters of Harmony chorus consists of men from all age groups and walks of life who drive from as far as San Diego and Santa Barbara to attend our rehearsals in Santa Fe Springs.  Every Wednesday evening we get together and  work very hard at “musical excellence.” I’m also in a fine “senior” quartet, www.cacrossroads.com .  We’re 2007 Far Western District Senior champs and we enjoy performing  and competing as well.  

My barbershop singing hobby has been one of the highlights of my life, and certainly, it gives me a lot of “oomph!” I recommend the “sport” for anyone who likes to sing.  Lock yourself into a chord with three other singers and you’ll be hooked in no time.  For more information on barbershop singing and for opportunities in your area see www.spebsqsa.org for the guys and www.sweetadelineintl.org for the girls.

Les Weiser