client stories

Lying About Life, Health and Death

Lying is dark, dangerous, and dirty. It is one of the most harmful actions a human can do. Few things can break down relationships, friendships, and families faster than the act of lying. It is not a physical act like abuse, but it can hurt just as much and it is much more acceptable in our culture compared to physical abuse.

If you were to get a serious medical diagnosis and then decide not to tell your family about it, is that lying? I want to make the case that it is. I also want to change your mind if you disagree.

Lying can take two major forms. Lies can be active or passive. Verbal deceptions can be lies of omissions or commission. Withholding a diagnosis like cancer, alzheimer’s, or parkenson’s disease is most certainly a passive lie or a lie of omission. Very quickly it will turn into many active lies, especially when you spin other deceptions about why you are not feeling well or perhaps when you say you are going out with friends while you are actually at the hospital receiving chemotherapy.

“My father was diagnosed with liver cancer. He did not tell anyone in the family. The grandchildren, my spouse, and I wanted to schedule a trip to visit him and mom. For some reason none of the dates worked because he said he had other things scheduled like small fishing trips. We now know he was getting treatment for his cancer. He died suddenly and we never got to be with him or see him alive again.”

~From: A real story someone has lived through

The number one argument people make for hiding a medical diagnosis is that they don’t want their family members to worry about them. The number two reason is that the person with the serious diagnosis does not want to be treated differently. Both reasons, I would propose, are superficial reasons that lead to separation instead of closeness, denial of feelings, and of course lying instead of truth.

Not wanting family members to worry is a common thought and often leads to tragic outcomes. Death and illness are part of life. People in the United States are some of the most shielded humans from this reality in all of history. Part of human existence should be gaining closeness and deeper love as one travels through hard times and suffering with others. The bright side of suffering and illness is gaining closeness with others. Keeping a grave diagnosis a secret snuffs out this aspect of human existence completely. Love has no chance to grow. This chance for love to grow is for all people involved. Loss and worrying (i.e. thinking about and hopefully taking action due to the time limited nature of human life and health) can change people for the better.

“My mother kept all her medical problems private. She never shared or wanted to talk about her diagnoses. Now she is gone. She was trying to protect me but what I really wanted was to support her, spend more time with her, and visit her more. I feel deceived…all the signs were their but she kept quite. I didn’t have those last chapters with my mother.”

~From: Another real story someone has lived though.

Lying to yourself is also a bad thing to do. Self-deception can be dangerous and lead to many bad situations. Denying one’s health circumstances can easily lead to driving a vehicle too late into a diagnosis (car accidents), failure to manage your disease (limb loss though diabetes/ falls, etc), and never preparing for death (having the false view that tomorrow is guaranteed). Are you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to die? Is your legal will updated and clear or are you going to burden and traumatize your family once you are gone with legal battles? Please make your legal will clear and clean so your family can grieve well instead of worrying about your “stuff”.

Consider this: people are going to grieve you. People generally want to help, love more, and desire closer relationships. Your decision to lie may have an underestimated negative effect on the lives of many people. Telling the truth and facing reality for what it truly is-—is one of the most interesting and wonderful acts a human being can do.

Death will come for us all. So will sickness. We can accept and grieve these facts together when the time is right.

Jason Cornish, ACE Personal Trainer, Medical Fitness Specialist, Health Coach. He practices his craft in Auburn, AL.

Good-Bye for Now: Dr. John Hand R.I.P.

On October 15th, early in the morning John Hand’s story on Earth came to an end. This is a tribute to a life well lived despite many health challenges. We can all learn from story’s like this.

John trying his best to master rope slams. This was about the only exercise that eventually got him tired!

I first met John at Health Plus Fitness Center. At the time he was working with several other trainers in order to keep and gain some level of fitness. I knew him primarily because I coached his spouse Roberta in my Real Age Reduction class. After Health Plus closed, I eventually became his trainer.

John was a very tough person. He was able to endure about anything I put him through training-wise. I am not sure he believed me, but he had a much greater work capacity than some of my teenage clients (he truly did)! His hard work paid off. Not only did he maintain his level of fitness, he actually improved! He got stronger, was more able to get up and down from chairs, and increased his ability to move on his walker.

John with Roberta and Mary.

What did John do with his fitness gains? He was able to live a good life. With the help of his wife Roberta, he was able to live a pretty normal life even with a body stricken by multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions. Beach trips, park visits, restaurants outings, and plenty of live sporting events were all common activities he and Roberta enjoyed.

I will never forget John and Roberta’s drive to stay engaged in life and not let bitterness and despair win. Rest in peace now John Hand. Your pain is over and the fight is done. I hope God has given you a pair of wings to fly and move in health and freedom like never before.

Strength Gains at ANY Age

The secret to staying young is KEEP CHALLENGING YOURSELF

The secret to staying young is KEEP CHALLENGING YOURSELF

People of any age can turn their health around and get stronger, become more capable, and turn back the biological clock. When the human body is challenged it will respond and get stronger. This is what the body was meant to do.

It has been so inspiring to coach and train people in their 7th, 8th, and even 9th decade of life. I love hearing stories from my clients about how they don’t have to give up going on trips, garden work, other hobbies, and above all stay independent/ strong/ happy!

During a large group training session this past week I had a moment of amazement at what one of my clients was doing (go Roberta!). It truly is amazing, especially considering her physical capabilities 3 years ago when I first met her. She has come a long way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3BexDZZtQk

Ready to get stronger at any age? Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before you being any exercise program. The content of this blog is for educational purposes only. You are responsible for the outcomes for the use, misuse, or lack of use of the information presented in this blog.

Post Surgical Back Pain to Mission Trip

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I first met this amazing lady named Sylvia 3+ years ago. When we first started working together, she was quickly losing her ability to walk because of back pain (post surgical back pain). She could barely walk to her mailbox and was getting used to the idea of using a walker and wheelchair.

A few months after she started training with me her pain greatly decreased and she got her ability to walk back. Sylvia was so happy to stand on her own two feet again! She turned into a long term client and continues to progress in her fitness despite some setbacks and challenges.

She is now fit enough to pursue one of her dreams. Sylvia went on an international mission trip.

I received this email when she was out of the country:

“We are back from building our first house! I want you to know I kept up with everyone! I’ll have pictures when everyone shares their photos. We carried all the tools hat we needed to build the house: two ladders, three drills, chain saw, skill saw, hammers, shovel, three post hole diggers, hammers, nails, etc. The tin and wood were already on site. The hill was a “road” with LOTS of deep ruts, very slippery, it had poured the night before, 200-300 yards long, VERY steep. The guys said it was probably longer that two football fields. I carried a hoe/pick about 6 foot long, which helped me from slipping. It must have weight 10-20 pounds. This was going down. I didn’t carry anything but my back pack climbing back up, It was harder to breathe coming back up, then I learned we were 7,000 ft about sea level! But I kept up with everyone pretty good. I recovered quickly anyway!
I would never had made it without your exercises! Thank you for that!
The first day it poured going to the mission house about 1:30 drive. And like normal, in a third world country, when it really storms the power goes out, so we could not shower, flush toilets, no WiFi, etc. But it came on about 2:30 in the morning. WiFi came on a little later. Supper is ready for us now, we have WiFi here at the mission house.

Hi to everyone!”

Fitness is freedom. It is hard to live one’s life purpose without strength, health, and energy!

Are you ready to pursue your goals? Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Tom Gets His Strength, Flexibility, and Balance Back

When I first met Tom, he was stuck in a routine that was not producing great results. Much of what he did was seated weight machines. He did get stronger, but he did not improve his flexibility and balance. In addition, the type of strength training he was doing did not transfer well to real life (functional strength).

I find that people that do have the motivation to go to gym on a regular basis often get stuck in a routine, which limits their progress. Breaking habits wins the day again when you want results!

Tom has been training in my Real Age Reduction large group for over a year. It has been a pleasure watching him and his wife gain much better fitness over time.

If you want to get your fitness back, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Karen's Back Mechanics Lesson

Back pain…it is an energy vampire. Having health and fitness requires a back that is conditioned to accept movement, load, and life. The large majority of adults will experience back pain sometime in their life. For some people their pain becomes chronic. It starts to greatly effect what they can do both inside and outside the gym.

Luckily, a great deal of time and research has been done on the biomechanics of back pain. I find that when clients learn the reason why their back hurts and what causes their pain everything changes. The thought of their pain mysteriously “coming and going” is replaced with an understanding of pain triggers and how to avoid them. In this video a client talks about modifications we made outside of the gym so she could get out of her back pain woes and start working out again. Building strength and fitness on top of a happy back has changed her life!

If you need help with your back and how to navigate fitness with back issues, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Connie Gets Strong

Please watch this video:

This is an amazing example of progressive strength improvements. When Connie first started sled pulls/ pushes she could only do 25 lbs plus the weight of the sled. Now she can push a sled that is over 150 pounds. This kind of training is changing her life for the better. She is able to do so much more at the gym, but more importantly she is able to do more difficult tasks at her home (she loves outdoor work). Connie is fit and ready for about anything.

Strength is part the equation for happiness. It is hard to have a happy life when your body is too deconditioned to do what you want.

If you want to train smarter, get stronger, and put some energy back in your body, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Ken's Back Pain Story

Here is Ken’s story about how he has overcome much of his back pain through exercise and the science of biomechanics.

Ken has lived in the Auburn, AL area for many years. He first sought me out because he was desperate to not lose any more function and strength. Training with me was his first experience working with a personal trainer and medical fitness specialist.

It has been amazing to see the changes in his strength, pain level, and abilities over the past 2 years. In addition, he continues to see further improvements after every 2 months or so (improvements slow down when you are 80-90% better). Since shooting this video, his back pain and function has gotten even better.

If you need help with your back and how to navigate fitness with back issues, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Rehab Stories: Bone Marrow Stem Cells and PRP (Episode 2)

The following post is from my original blog that has been deleted for years. The following entry takes place after my first injection of my 2nd episode of cell therapy.


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Last Friday was episode 4 of my stem cell injections. It was full of blood, sweat, and needles. Who doesn’t like those?

This time around, I got a large concentration of bone marrow and fat stem cells (FYI-you get free liposuction with these procedures…..). My right knee was pumped full of these two different concoctions. This gave me an angry swollen knee full of potential which I am currently enjoying.

I feel much more educated about these injections than I did last year at this time. What brought me back for more injections was studying micro fracture surgery for the last several months. What really struck me as odd was how micro fracture (a bone marrow stimulation technique) is considered mainstream and is covered by insurance while autologous (i.e. from yourself) bone marrow injections are NOT considered mainstream and are not covered by insurance. While it is obvious that micro fracture surgery and inter-articular bone marrow injections are different procedures, the goal of both of procedures is to deliver bone marrow (with its growth factors and stem cells) to chondral lesions.

Both methods have a glaring similarity.  Bone marrow is brought to the site of injury with the hope and expectation that new cartilage will form. Currently, studies on micro fracture clearly demonstrate good short term benefit to patients. Studies on the use of bone marrow stem cell injections is mixed and highly variable. Here is a nice summary of some key studies of various stem cell injections by Blue Cross Blue Shield and why this company still lists such injections under experimental.

https://www.bluecrossma.com/common/en_US/medical_policies/254%20Orthopedic%20Applications%20of%20Stem%20Cell%20Therapy%20prn.pdf

In direct contrast, studies on micro fracture surgery are well done and well standardized. The results of micro fracture are repeatable. Most importantly, what patients do after micro fracture surgery is greatly emphasized in the literature. The post therapy protocol after micro fracture is critically important. After reading about micro fracture surgery outcomes for several months a few themes kept coming up. Many researchers noted again and again how the post surgical rehab is one of the biggest indicators of how successful a patient will do with micro fracture surgery. It was noted that many doctors, patients, and therapists get caught up in quick rehab protocols that doom a patient’s new cartilage because the blood clot and forming cartilage is exposed to too much load too soon. The bigger, faster, stronger/ no pain, no gain fallacy strikes again.

Last I checked, no studies on stem cell injections talk about what they tell their patients (or study participants) to do post injection. During my last 3 injections, I was simply told to rest for a few days, listen to my body, and to get back into activities slowly. (FYI, this last time, I was given more instructions on what to do after the injection…a mobility/ exercise page). I think it is safe to say that any micro fracture surgeon would think such advice would certainly set any micro fracture patient up for failure.  Again, I realize that micro fracture does not equal stem cell injections, but I think clinics that treat patients with injections of bone marrow, PRP, and fat should consider the well established rehabilitation protocols of micro fracture surgery. At a minimum, micro fracture patients are told to be on crutches for 6 weeks, but many of the researches advise more time (8-12 weeks!).

The primary reason for so much non/ partial weight bearing time is to allow new cartilage to form and to protect it. Whether a person gets micro fracture surgery or bone marrow injections, any cartilage that forms starts out as a blood clot. Should people be running around on a blood clot? I don’t think so, nor would many rehabilitation professionals. Therefore, I plan on using crutches for up to 12 weeks. It makes a lot of sense to follow the same protocol as micro fracture surgery.

With some luck, I will hopefully reap all the benefits of a micro fracture surgery (minus the nice cartilage bed the drilling provides) without any of the downsides.

After thinking about how I treated my newly forming cartilage during the past 3 injections, it makes sense that I got minimal results in regard to gains in function. If I had gotten micro fracture surgery and started walking a week after the procedure, I would have  gotten very poor results.

For those interested here is a great page on micro fracture rehab:

http://lowerextremityreview.com/article/rehabilitation-following-microfracture-surgery

Let’s see how this goes.