Fundraising Kick-off!

(This is reposted from the official fundraising blog, Get Kyle Back on His Feet!)

I'm totally new to this so bear with me.

I'm one of those statistics you hear about on the news made real.  I had health insurance just last year and I will have health insurance again in September but as of now I am uninsured.  Lo and behold, I get a debilitating injury on the one gap year that I am uninsured.


What Did You Do?  

Completely Ruptured Achilles Tendon (Right).

Long story short – plyometrics; specifically, from doing high-rep box jumps while participating in WOD 12.3 of the CrossFit Games Open Qualifiers (2012).

Now just mentioning those 2 syllables either brings confusion or causes an inadvertent gut reaction to defend the exercise regimen.  I completely understand both sides since I've been doing it for around 3-4 months (known about it for 6 months or more) but still remember the days when I was skeptical of exercise/training as a competitive sport.

I'm not here to criticize or defend the protocol.  I just want to want to be back on my two feet again!

4 Days After Acute Injury

The Issue:

It's been nearly 3 weeks since my acute injury and I haven't taken care of it yet.  Why?  I was told initially that it was a sprain.  After seeing an orthopedic surgeon 2 days ago and describing classic textbook symptoms of feeling a sharp pain in the back of my heel/calf during the injury and then having a positive test for the Thompson test, the doc said—without a doubt and without an MRI—that it is indeed a completely ruptured achilles tendon that requires immediate surgery.

So I don't have time to apply for Indigent Health Services at Collin County Health Dept. (though I'm still going to give it a shot on Monday), which takes a minimum of 2 weeks.  I don't know if I would qualify for that in any case as there are many, who are probably much worse off than me waiting in line.


Why Do You Deserve My Hard-Earned Money?!

I'm only 26 and I can't foresee a life ahead of me without sport or intense activity.  Try and think back to a time you've been down and out and wanted some support.  If I don't get the surgery, I'm told a re-rupture of the achilles is a constant and apparent threat.

I believe Karma is real.  What comes around goes around.
When I'm a head honcho, calling the shots I won't forget ya, brotha/sista!


The Breakdown (Give me the Dadgum Numbers!  How Do I Know You Won't Pocket This Yourself?!):

The surgeon is taking a measly $667.60. The anesthesiologist is pocketing approximately $300. The lion's share of the total amount comes down to the hospital fees (originally $9300 with a 30% discount) $6,550. So around $7,500 total. I will know an exact amount on Monday when the receptionist tells me the anesthesiologist fees.

On the off chance that this fundraising event is wildly successful and it went over the cost of the surgery, then I will gladly pay each of you back in CASH, in person! I will even upload a photo of the surgery receipt on this website when it's all said and done. I'm all for transparency and frankness.

The orthopedic surgeon will be John T. Wey, M.D. from L & W Orthopaedic Associates and he had a fellowship trained in foot and ankle surgery, which is why I would like to have the surgery done at this place (Methodist Richardson Medical Center).

I have yet to schedule the surgery as my father would like me to explore more affordable options but I would like to get this done hopefully as soon as next week.  I will post an update with more details as I get them.


Why Don't You Get Help From Official Charities or Companies?  I'm Poor, Yo!

I've tried.  I reached out to some Catholic Charities and are waiting for their response.  I think a measly achilles tendon surgery isn't even a blip on their radar. They want the sad childhood leukemia child with the shiny, bald head.  All I can do is hobble around and look pathetic (or in my book, totally badass pimp limp).  No one would even bat an eye.

Oh yeah and a good friend of mine told me it would be great if I could get CrossFit HQ to match the amount that is raised from this fundraising effort, especially since there have been a large number of injuries related to Open WODs both last year and this year involving high-rep box jumps and I believe I could raise awareness in the risks of these injuries. (If you are interested in this, you can read a (controversial) article by Beast Modal Domains here.  I won't delve into that here.  Beware, it's a hilarious article but it's got some language.)

I would hope that CrossFit HQ would want to make a strong effort to show they want to prevent future injuries in the sport and to shed the negative media attention surrounding the controversy over its safety.

I am planning on writing a letter seeking assistance from HQ but if anyone has any connections with HQ that would be of great help.


OK STFU Already!  How Can I Help?!

See that "DONATE" button at the top right?  0_0  ---------------------->

*Click* on that and you can donate any amount you want to a PayPal account.  No one will know how much you donated, so don't be shy.  No one will judge.  Any amount is a worthy contribution.  St. Peter at the pearly gates will cross out that little menial sin you committed last week for your generosity.

(FYI:  PayPal deducts $0.30 + 2.8% for every transaction that is made for their service.)


Go To Hell!  Everyone Needs "Assistance" in This Economy!  Where's My Charity?

If you don't want to help and think I'm an ingrate, that's fine.  Just know that angels will cry and doves will fall from the sky in mourning.

J/k.  Jesus and I still love you. =)


Was There Something I Didn't Address?  Have More Questions?

Shoot them in the comments below or send an e-mail.

Interesting Debate on the Effectiveness of CF (Mike Caviston)

Read it here.

"Mental Toughness is taught to BUD/S students, and it has nothing to do with the random challenges approach. 

Other criticisms of Crossfit include:
• Illogical combinations of exercises (such as pre-fatiguing exercises before heavy dead lifts)
• Prescribing the same workouts (including the same weight) for everybody regardless of personal history of training or injury
• Arbitrary goals (such as using 50 or 100 reps for multiple exercises)
• Prescription of exercises that require specialized skills and baseline conditioning and are not appropriate for beginners under high-intensity conditions (Olympic lifts, kettle bells)
• Use of exercises of questionable safety if done rapidly or while fatigued (glute-ham sit-ups, muscle ups, Turkish get-ups)
• Exclusion of useful exercises (such as leg curls or biceps curls) as being “nonfunctional”
• Formats that reward poor technique, such as shortening the ROM to get more reps in less time (despite the lip service Crossfit gives to technique, it is rarely observed in practice)
• Too many formats that blend strength and endurance activities such that the effectiveness of both are diluted (better to perform strength and endurance activities independently most of the time)

Some of the key physiological adaptations necessary for BUD/S not adequately addressed by the Crossfit methodology include endurance, eccentric conditioning, and strengthening in multiple planes. Eccentric conditioning means properly emphasizing the negative (downward) portion of movements, which is necessary for developing resistance to injury as well as the ability to control heavy weights (such as logs and boats), and is not addressed by high-speed reps or by lifting weights up and then dropping them. Strength in multiple planes requires movements that utilize hip abduction, trunk rotation, and shoulder internal/external rotation."
____________________________________________


The best rebuttal was posted by "more bench," a few comments down.

 "I'm a SEAL. I've worked at the center, I've done CF, I like it, I don't think it is the holy grail but GPP is what you need. Your basis on your statements is spurious at best.

[...]

what I am getting at is that CF teaches elements of being "hard". Hard is really w/o definition but when you witness it, you know it. Do not confuse it w/ being stupid, careless, or haphazard."

The Warm-Up Is Critical

This following video is amazing for so many reasons but I was directed to it first due to an article pertaining to the importance of warming-up.  (I learned this the hard way ... which is usually the only way I do learn.)

(Read the article by Lift Big Eat Big, here.)

Go Get Ya Freak On!

Jerkin' it, having sex with a partner, or just skeetin' won't have an adverse effect on your strength gains.
 

Achilles Tendon Injury

Update:  4 Days After the Injury

Less swelling but the bruising's more vivid

3 Days After the Acute Injury:

Swollen like an elephant's foot.

I was afraid it was a ruptured or torn achilles tendon at first but after seeing a chiropractor, I was told it was only an achilles tendon sprain.  The swelling and inflammation has gotten worse but I think this is just a sign of healing.

For those wondering how I got this injury, it was mostly due to a lack of warming-up prior to intense plyometrics and also lack of support in my Vibrams Five Fingers as well as landing on the front half of my foot rather than my entire foot.  The downward pressure driving my heel down with nothing below to support it led to a strain on the achilles tendon.  This is what I think anyways.

Epic from "Beastmodal Domains" believes there is an inherent risk in doing plyometrics at such a high volume.  He points out that the inventor of this exercise said the maximum number of reps should be 4 sets of 10.  I had done 5 rounds before I was injured, which means I had already done 75 reps of box jumps at 24" in addition to 115 lbs push presses and toes-to-bars.  (I was doing the CrossFit Games Open 12.3 WOD when I got injured.)

The Beastmodal Domains article on the association between high-rep plyometrics and rupturing of the achilles tendon can be read here.


3/14/12 Update:

I am SOOO grateful that my injury was not so severe that I needed surgery!  Thank the sweet Lord! I will never be so careless with my body again.  You only get one...

Dr. Cures Herself of MS with A Paleo Diet

Diet Advice from the Hodgetwins

LOL @ "mushroom tip"