The Life and Times of a CF Kid

  I was asked to write a brief life story for the local CF Community Newletter.  Everyone that has read says it’s good.  They could be lying, but I thought I’d post it here for everyone.  If you like it, great.  If not, that doesn’t bother me…

 The Life and Times of a CF Kid

  Yes, I was a CF kid.  In fact, on my blog, I still go by CfKid, even though
I’m 37 with two kids.  I’m the baby of the 15 member Buschle clan from Fort
Thomas.  I’m Mark, and I’m the baby. 

  The UC Patient Advisory Council asked me to tell my life story, but this is
the condensed version.  I’ve had a great life so far, and it’s far from over in
my opinion.  I was raised in a large family, with a great set of parents. 
Growing up I had 9 brothers and 4 sisters.  Yes, that’s right, 13 kids, and I’m
lucky 13.  I only know 11 of them though.  My second oldest brother died a few
days after birth from a bowel obstruction. This was the early 50’s.   We now
recognize that it was really CF which caused the bowel obstruction.

  I remember having a good childhood.  We went on family vacations, we played
hard, and we did our best to take care of the kids with Sixty-Five Roaches. 
Yes, that’s what my sister Judy called it.  We were two of a kind, we both had
CF.  I’m the only one still around, but more on that later.

  There are several CF-related moments in my life that stand out in my mind.  I
remember the first time I coughed up blood.  I was on vacation in Jekyll Island,
GA, and I was about 12.  It’s wasn’t much, but it scared me to death.  I think
that was the day that I knew I needed to be compliant.  But, it didn’t really
set in for a couple more years. 

  I remember the day my sister Judy, who had CF, died.  I remember that day, and
will never forget it.  This year, 2008, is the twentieth anniversary of her
death.  My mother and grandmother have always told us that we Buschle’s are not
stubborn, we’re determined.  Well, Judy was determined not to die while her
favorite nurses were on shift.  She waited them out and died about 20 minutes
after they left.  (By the way, I have to note that Dr. Kellogg used to let Judy
have beer in Children’s inpatient unit.  That will make most anyone smile.  Ask
me about that story some day).

  The next moment was when I met my wife Kristen.  I was always reminded,
usually by myself that the average age for a CF’er born in 1971 was 16.  I had
beaten the odds and made it to the point of finding a soul mate.  We’ve been
married for over 12 years, and have two kids.

  The birth of my two kids is another pair of CF moments that shouldn’t have
happened. CF patients aren’t supposed to have kids.  Modern technology has
helped that, and I now have Michael (6) and Katie (3), who are a wonderful part
of my life.  And, as tough as it is, I would recommend having a family to any CF
patient.  Kids really do keep you young.

  More recently there have been endurance related accomplishments.  In 2002, I
earned my Black Belt in Aikido.  What a rush and a great confidence builder that
was!  In 2006, I started running and ran my first half marathon for the CFF.  I
did two half marathons in 2007, one for CF, the other for me.  This year, I ran
the full marathon in the Flying Pig.  I ran it with a very dear friend, stride
for stride.  We had a blast, and plan to top it next year. 

  I’ve outlived the average life span by over 21 years.  I’ve learned a lot in
these years.  I’ve learned that the chronically ill can do anything, and most
do.  We are a very strong bunch, especially in the CF world.  I’ve learned that
having a bunch of people you love makes your life better.  It’s not the
quantity, it’s the quality. 

  To the patients that are reading this, take care of yourselves.  Do your meds,
cough, exercise if you can, and push yourself.  You won’t stay healthy just
sitting around.  To the parents of CF Patients, do not over protect your kids. 
Let them experience life and let them learn.  Trust me, my parents tried to
overprotect Judy, and it didn’t work.  They learned with me, and trust me, I’ve
made my mistakes.

  Finally, take care of the ones you love. You never know how long you have, but
you know that you have today and it should be special.  Yes, I know, it sounds
like malarkey, but it’s not.  I really do believe it.  And, you should too!

Another July 4th PR

  I haven’t posted in a while, so I thought I should post some sort of update.  I ran the local Firecracker 5000, which I run every year.  The weather was perfect, low 60’s and rain.  I loved it, and my time showed that.  I ran a 27:07 (Yeah, I know, that’s slow), which is 23 seconds faster than my previous 5k PR.  I’m happy with that for a couple of reasons.  First, I had missed an entire week of training the week before.  I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach and had no time to run.  Also, I was able to keep my pace fairly steady and ran a negative split.  I ran a 9:11, 8:54, and 8:28, with a final .1 in 33.65.  I’ll take that. 

  On the marathon front, I’ve reserved two rooms in Boston for the 2009 Marathon.  We are going to stay at the Seaport, which is owned by Fidelity.  I work at Fidelity, so I know it well, and can get the Fidelity rate.  The problem is that the Fidelity rate is $300/night.  Oh well, that’s just how things work.  Maybe I can get them to donate that amount to the CFF.  I’ll have to look into that.  I should know more about getting into Boston via the CFF next week.  I am going to see my Pulmonologist on Wednesday, hopefully she’ll have some news for me. 

  On the weight front, I gained 6+ lbs on vacation.  Not bad, but I could have eaten much better.  I’ve already lost over 2 of those pounds in a week.  I should be able to drop another 2 this week.  My friend Victoria has started on the Atkins diet again.  First, I couldn’t do it.  Second, I wouldn’t do it.  Once you start eating carbs again, you just gain the weight back.  I’m sure someone will find this and tell my I’m wrong.  Go ahead and do it, but I know two people who have had that happen.  And, btw, it’s not about dieting, it’s about changing eating habits for a lifetime.  And, that’s what I’m doing.  It’s amazing how much food I was eating before.  Portion control is huge, in my humble opinion. 

  Ok, that’s it for today. I have to go get my daughter up for daycare, so I can get go to work.

Sister Mary Elephant

What I did on my Summer Vacation

  On the first day of my Summer Vacation, I woke up, then I went for a nine hour drive.  Then, I hung out on the beach.  Yes, I just got back from Myrtle Beach with my wife and Kids.  We spent a lot of time at the pool and on the beach.  We also ate alot of junk, I’m scared of the scale tomorrow.  I had dropped about 3.5 lbs before I left.  I’m sure I’ve gained that back, hopefully not more. 

  What I didn’t do on vacation was run.  I wanted to, I really did.  But, it was too hot and humid and the kids had us running all the time.  On top of that, I had no access to my vest, so my beathing isn’t too great right now.  It’s not bad, I’m just junkie, for lack of a better term.  I’m supposed to run a 5k on Friday, and I’ll be able to do that… but it won’t be a PR.

  I also determined, again, that I’m fat.  Yes, I know that the camera adds 10 pounds, but it doesn’t matter.  The pictures of me are of a fat guy.  And, with all the crap I ate this week, I’m back on the healthy eating wagon.  I feel horrible because I basically ate nothing that was good for me all week. 

  Ok, anyway, the vacation.  We spent a lot of time swimming.  My son, Michael, is so very close to being a fish, it’s amazing. He’s basically figured out how to swim underwater, but he keeps holding his nose.  And, if I could get him to let go of his nose, he’d be able to swim freestyle beautifully.  Maybe I can get Amye to teach him how to really swim.  My daughter was a challenge.  She was up at 5 AM or so most of the days, even though she went to bed late.

  On Tuesday we went to Charleston, SC to see the USS Yorktown museum.  Wow, that was neat.  It’s really full of history and amazing that something that big can float.  The ladies went to downtown Charleston and took a carriage ride, etc.  We all had fun.

  Friday was the best day, we went to the Ripley’s aquarium, then to lunch at Uno’s, to the pool and then jumping waves at High Tide.  A great last day.

  Starting tomorrow it’s back to running and taking care of myself in an effort to lose 20 pounds.  Oh, and get ready to run two marathons next year.

  Today, we woke up at 3:30 AM and drove for 13 hours to get home (3 hours of stops in there, just FYI).  I’m so tired, I don’t think I can sleep.  Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from the trip.

Revealed

  Since I revealed my evil plan in my last post (Don’t tell me I didn’t.  It’s not my fault you can’t ready white text on a white background!), I guess I can discuss the details.  So, officially, the Evil Plan is to run both the Boston and Flying Pig marathons for the CF Foundation in 2009. 

  Ok, for those of you saying that a 4:30:52 runner has no shot at making Boston in the next year, you’re right.  I’m going to go the charity route.  There are a couple of good reasons.  First, I don’t know that I will ever be able to run a 3:10 marathon.  Sorry, the lungs just don’t have it in them, and I can’t train too hard in the summer.  Second, as a CF Patient, you learn that you can’t count on being healthy.  I should still be in good shape in a year, but after that I have no idea.  Running Boston has been a goal, and I will still try to qualify for it. 

  So, my CF doc is working on trying to get me two numbers for Boston 2009.  One for me and one for my good friend (and running partner) Amye.  She is confident that she can get the bibs so, I’ll continue from there.  We’re not sure if we’ll run the half or the full in the Pig.  I was set on the half, but Amye put the idea out there that she may run the full Pig.  I don’t know if my determined (I’m not stubborn, I’m determined) personality will let me pass on that goal. 

  We talked to Wayne about it, and he thought it was a great idea.  I was concerned that being a Boston qualifier, he may be a little taken back at the idea of running it for charity.  I’ve finally told Kelby and Mo, via my last post.  But, neither of them could find the white on white text prank.  Some people just don’t see that stuff.  Kelby is going to check with the Boston CFF to see what she can find out. 

  There are several things that I need to take care of before next year.  I need to get the hotel stuff taken care of immediately.  I’ll do that today.  I need to get faster over the summer.  I’ve started the Jack Daniel’s Red training plan.  It’s got two quality days per week, which I’ve been able to do.  The long runs are about 6-7 miles which is perfect for the summer heat.  Once the summer is over, I need to start right back into base building.  I’d like to hit 40+ miles per week before the marathon training starts in December.  I’d like to peak near 60 or so.  If I could get someone like Greg McMillan to donate coaching, that would be great.  I don’t think that’s going to happen though. 

  On the CF/Health side, I have a few things to address also.  I need to lose some weight.  166 is to heavy to be running all these miles.  I’ve already started working on that piece, and have lost 4 pounds.  I’ll probably need to go through the battery of tests, etc. before I run the goal marathons.  Again, just to make sure I’m not going to drop over.  Also, I may need to get my Morton’s Neuroma fixed via alcohol injections.  It’s been bothering me lately, and I don’t think it will hold up forever.  And, I’ll need to stock up on salt capsules!!!!

  So, that’s the basic plan.  I know, I’m nuts.  But, I needed another goal, and the torture of 2 marathons in three weeks sounded like a great form.

Team For Life 2008 Reunion

  I haven’t posted in quite a while, life has been in the way.  Since last night was TFL 2008 Reunion Party, I thought it was a great chance to post.  We had a good group show up for the party.  Wayne (aka Coach), his wife Anita, Trish and Scott, Kelby (our CFF coordinator), Vic, Mo, Dan, Andy, Erin, Amye, Juan, …  I know I didn’t get everyone, but oh well. 

  It was fun to see everyone, to hear and tell stories from the marathon, and just talk to them all.  I think that most of us agree that we go through some withdraw from the team in the weeks after the Pig.  I think that we have about 10 people interested in running the 2008 Dayton River Corridor Classic this year.  That will be fun. 

  Wayne is officially coming back next year, which is great news.  Kelby will also be back, so we should have a great start right there.  I know that everyone at the party plans to be back next year.  We are also planning to recruit Randi Rico from Cincinnati’s Channel 5 to the team.  She did my interview and said that she would love to run a half some day.  So, Randi, if you’re reading this, be prepared for a call or email late this year.

  I did have a few conversations about the Evil Plan.  They all went well.  I did have a conversation with Wayne about it, and he agrees that it’s a great idea.  He was very supportive and said that he would tell me if he thinks I’m crazy.  He wants to make sure that there is more media attention on the fact that I’m running a marathon next year.   After last night, I should be able to reveal the evil plan very soon.

  It was great to see everyone last night, and I really had a great time.  It was great to see everyone and get updates on how they were.   I said soon, so here it is. Amye and I are going to run both Boston and the Pig for the CF Foundation next year. More on that later.

Back in the Swing

  My last post presented the good news, my knee is not a meniscus tear.  It’s only IT Band Friction Syndrome.  Basically, my IT Band is inflamed.  I’ve actually gotten back to running, without any pain in my knee.  I’m running 3-4 miles every other day, and making sure to stretch before and after.  I’m not fast, but I’m out there. 

  I really missed running for the three weeks while my knee healed.  I don’t know if I could have stayed sane with 6-12 more weeks, if I had needed surgery.  I would have had the surgery, and I would have rehabilitated my knee the right way, but it would have been difficult.

  My MRI revealed a cyst behind my right knee.  The doc said that it’s a Baker’s cyst, and if it doesn’t hurt, it’s not a problem.  So, hopefully, it will continue to hide there and be happy.  Other than that, there is a little arthritis, but again, nothing to write home about.

  I’m heading back to PT on Friday morning.  I don’t think I’ll be there too long, probably a few visits.  Enough to get the IT Band under control, and for me to understand what I need to do to prevent it. 

  This summer I plan to spend in an attempt to get faster in my running.  I think I’m going to work on the Jack Daniel’s Red Plan.  It’s basically a 16 week plan to improve overall running ability.  I’d like to get faster, and build my endurance at speed.  So, it’s going to be track sessions and tempo runs for me.  The plan shows two quality days a week.  The rest of the time will be MAF work again.  The, after the October Half Marathon, I’ll take a few weeks off and then get back to MAF Base Building.

  If things work out, I’ll be in great shape for my evil plan.  Oh, and did I mention, I’m working on losing weight.  I’m currently at a 2250 KCal per day plan.  That increases a little with exercise, but I’ll still be in good shape.  We’ll see how that goes, and adjust as needed.

On With the Evil Plan

  Well, I finally received my diagnosis from the Orthopedic Surgeon today.  No meniscus tear, just some IT Band Friction Syndrome.  So, some PT sound take care of it.  Now I can continue wih my plan for next year.

  I was very concerned, although I didn’t really show it.  I didn’t like to idea of going under the knife, even if it was to fix something.  I’ll start working on stretching and strengthening tonight.  I may actually to out for a short run this weekend.  It would be nice to get back out there.  Maybe I can get Mo and Ralph to go out with me.  More later.  I just wanted to get the good new out there.

Paying the Price

  Two weeks post Pig and I’ve only run twice.  The first was a decent 3 miler, nothing to exciting.  It didn’t feel perfect, but it wasn’t bad.  The second run on the other hand, was bad.  It was painful. 

  Three weeks before the Pig I ran a 20 miler in Ault Park.  Lots of hills and lots of wind.  At about mile 16 mile right knee started to hurt after a water stop.  It would loosen up after I ran for a while, but when I stopped it hurt again.

  Over the next three weeks, I still felt the pain a little, but it was gone by Pig day.  I ran the marathon, and it didn’t bother me at all.  Afterwards, it hurt again, but I didn’t think much of it.  It was gone five days after the marathon, and I went for my first Post-Pig run.  Then, like I said, my second run hurt.

  Well, it hasn’t been perfect, so I didn’t run on it.  I thought maybe it was IT Band syndrome, so I stretched and iced it.  On Friday night, we mulched the front and side yards.  Saturday morning it was really bothering me to climb stairs or squat.  On Saturday, we cleaned out the garage, and I really felt it while backing the wheelbarrow out of the garage. 

  I’ve done some research, and I think it’s a meniscus tear.  I can straighten my knee out fully, but at times, while turning around it’s catching.  In the morning, coming down the stairs, I think I hear some grinding.  The knee hurts on the joint line, hurts to twist, squat, and twist and squat.  I feel it climbing stairs, etc.  From what I’ve read, these are all symptoms of a lateral meniscus tear. 

  I’m going to schedule an appointment with a sports medicine guy tomorrow.  At this point, I’d like to know what it is and get it fixed.  If it is a tear, I’d like to get it surgically repaired so I can get back to running.  From what I’ve read, the recovery back to running can be from 4 -12 weeks.  Remember, I have an Evil Plan to implement over the next 12 months.

The Development of My Evil Plan

  My Evil plan is starting to come together.  Phase I is already underway, which is research on the possibilities.  Phase II is tentatively complete.  I didn’t expect Phase II to be complete before Phase I, but sometimes those things happen.

  Phase III will involve a conversation with my coach.  The only concern is that I don’t know if I have  the same coach for next year.  Wayne, the coach for the Cincinnati Team for Life, doesn’t decide until sometime after the summer if he’s going to come back.  He just turned 69, and ran a 3:55 in the Pig this year.  If I had to guess, I’d say he’s coming back.  I think at the visualization party he said that he couldn’t imagine training for a marathon alone again.  So, I think he’ll be back.  I really hope he’ll be back, the team just won’t be the same without him.

  My evil plan will take a lot of very hard work.  Probably harder than I’ve done to this point, and harder than I’ve ever done.  But, it’s the experience that I’m after, and part of that experience will be the training.  Of course, it could all fall apart quickly, if Phase I doesn’t work out.  Note: If you know the Evil Plan, which only four people know at this point, don’t give it away.  It’s a surprise. 

  My IT Band is still bothering me just a little.  I’ve been stretching it twice a day, and it’s feeling better at this point.  I haven’t run on it yet, but I will Friday or this weekend.  Looks like a need a few more weeks a MAF training to rehab the knee.

Tweaked

  I’m pretty sure I tweaked my IT Band on my right side during the marathon.  It’s not hurting when I walk, but it did hurt when I was cutting my grass on Saturday (lots of hills).  I did run on Friday night, first time since the Pig, and it felt a little weird.  But, I chalked that up to recovery, etc.  Then I went out to run this morning, and within a quarter of a mile, the outside of my right knee was bothering me.  It’s not killing me, so I’m hoping that stretching and Vitamin-I will take care of it.  Looks like I’m going to the Y for a few days so i don’t “waste away.”

  My right side has always been tighter than my left.  So, I guess with the marathon finished, I need to start doing some stretching to loosen up.  I can feel it when I stretch too.  Hamstrings, calves, IT Band (now), all feel tighter on my right. 

  As for training, I’m going to take another few days to just stretch and hopefully get the IT Band under control.  Then, I’ll do another week of just easy running, maybe 25 or 30 miles.  After that, it’s up in the air.  I thinking of maybe doing the Daniel’s Red or Blue plan, since I’m now out of MAF basebuilding.  So, all of the easy runs would be at or below MAF.  Then, one or two “quality” days a week.  I’d like to get faster this summer, so that my marathon next year is improved.  I like Daniel’s though process and his plans make it easy.  Just do what he says, at the specific VDOT and you should improve.

  As for my crazy plan for next year, I’m still working on it.  I hope to know more by early next week.  Of course, I don’t have too much time to focus on it.  I’m on-call at work, and we have a new alerting mechanism, which is really annoying.  It pages me for everything.