Hard Work Earned Me Atrophy

No, I don’t mean a trophy, I seriously have earned myself atrophy from what I believe to be hard work.

Atrophy Comic Joke

While hard work most certainly can literally earn many people a trophy, pushing too hard or using bad form can result in atrophy. In my case, I’m assuming the latter with improper form from heavy lifting when working out is the main culprit.

That’s right, bench press and overhead press is way more technical than most people are aware. It’s not simply a matter of lifting the bar up and down, but maintaining complete control throughout the entire movement by focusing on the position of every part of your body. There are entire books written on how to perform the major compound lifts, so I won’t get into here, but check out Starting Strength to really learn they biomechanics of the basic barbell lifts.

This book contains the fundamentals of any real strength training program and really all you need to learn out to properly lift to strong and avoid injury. Hmmm, something I should’ve read before trying to lift a heavy (to me) barbell over my head and above my chest.

Last September, I first wrote about my ailing shoulder and how I assumed it was a rotator cuff tear. I still shoveled dirt and helped out with Going Mom’s backyard landscaping project, but it hurt.

After being stubborn and still working out by following the Squat Every Day program, I mentioned that I finally went to a chiropractor for my shoulder. After examining me, he diagnosed my injury as a strained rotator cuff. Who was I to question him? The shoulder area hurt, and rotator cuff injuries are pretty common.

Word of advice….get a second opinion. I went through several sessions with the bone-cracking chiro and never felt better. A good chiropractor will be able to identify issues and come up with a treatment plan that can really help you! At the end of 2015, I quit going and just went back to dealing with it. The pain was not so bad, but my strength and mobility was still severely lacking.

At the beginning of March, I went to the same doctor who saw me while we were trying to conceive for a wellness exam. Without mentioning my shoulder, he immediately noticed an abnormality on my right shoulder blade area. I could tell something wasn’t right when his first words were “Oh my!”

His sound of shock and awe was not that of a glorious sight, but rather something hideous. I never considered anything on my back to be out of whack, and Going Mom never mentioned anything to me. Trust me, she’d let me know too! Within a matter of minutes, my doctor diagnosed what he saw as atrophy in my right infraspinatus muscle. I never heard of the muscle before that visit, so here’s a diagram to help anyone not familiar.

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The red indicates the left and right infraspinatus muscles.

Here’s how it looks on me. Notice the concavity on my right?

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And flexed just to show how I’m “flexing” nothing on my right side in one area because there is no infraspinatus muscle to flex!

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So we know it’s atrophy, but he wanted to know why and what from. I told him all about my ego getting the best of me when lifting, but that didn’t seem to interest him much. Instead, I was sent to have a CT Scan of chest, an EMG (Electromyography) basically all over my body, an MRI of my right shoulder, and an MRI of my brachial plexus.

I was given good reasons for all of these, but since each one was a separate visit, I became extremely tired of the process.  What’s more, after my doc sent me to see a neurosurgeon who simply stated she was not sure why I went to her and not an orthopedic surgeon, I turned livid. Even after asking to see all of the tests/scans I had gone through, they quickly said there was nothing they could do there unless I got another scan. No thanks.

Just another helpful visual reference
Just another helpful visual reference

The neurosurgeon was my most recent visit as of writing this post. The EMG has confirmed my atrophied muscle was due to a damaged/entrapped suprascapular nerve, part of the brachial plexus I had an MRI on, but no one has found exactly what caused that. C’mon, do they just not think that my heavy lifting reason is good enough?

They keep searching for a tumor or some other lesion inside when really, I’m just ready for surgery to fix the nerve or do whatever is done for this type of injury. At one point, my referring doctor simply stated I’d just have to live with it. Seriously, that’s it? A little nerve entrapment can’t be fixed nowadays? I’m calling BS. Not because I’m some know-it-all medical official, but because I’m a dad, and I plan on playing airplane and holding my sweet girl high in the sky whenever I damn well please…..or if she asks. 🙂

Daddy Lifting Avery with Caterpillar Backhoe

Yeah, like that. She’s the only trophy I want or care about. Well, Going Mom too, but as far as kid trophies go.

I have “fired” my doctor and took it upon myself with the help from another doctor friend to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. As of this post being published, the appointment is in 2 days, and hopefully I won’t be sent to have a plethora of other scans, x-rays, MRI’s and enemas (okay, probably not enemas) performed just to further confirm I have a damaged nerve causing my muscle to atrophy and it just needs to be fixed!

This really shows why it’s so important to have a doctor that you can trust and that you believe in. You never know what might happen to your body, from exercise injuries like this to conditions that require your doctor’s help with an Immediate Threat Medical. Make sure your doctor is on your side.

For now, that’s where I stand in the shoulder department. I’m still performing the fundamental barbell lifts, but can only do so much with my lack of a major muscle. Guess I keep hoping the nerve will just magically repair itself and I’ll start getting stronger again. So far, no luck.

But, we have had luck in other areas. Our little two and half year girl is in full potty training mode and doing pretty good. She’s already making “snakes” in the potty multiple times a day. Needless to say, we’re proud parents.

Have you ever dealt with or know someone who has dealt with atrophy?

Ever “fire” your doctor for something?

6 Fun Ways to Get Healthy as a Family

Today’s post is from a guest who shares the same passion with anyone who wants to get healthy and stay healthy for life. I’m one of those people, and I’m happy to have Jennifer McGregor share her well-written post on getting healthy as a family.

Whether a family or just one person, Jennifer offers solid advice for all. Enjoy the read and hopefully we’ll see another article from her on here again. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing!


If you’ve tried to start practicing healthier habits in the past, you may have realized that it’s hard to eat clean when your kids refuse to consume anything other than pizza and chicken nuggets (or ice cream and chocolate, of course), and it’s challenging to get regular exercise when you’re barely home for five minutes in between rushing to meetings, practices, and play dates. Good news: Getting healthy is much easier when done as a family. Here’s how to get healthy as a family and have fun while you’re doing it.

Create a Family Scoreboard or Goals Chart

Kids love games, but gamifying your health journey can be just as fun for adults. With a bright, colorful family scoreboard and a points system for rewarding various activities (such as choosing a healthy snack over chips or cookies) and reaching goals, your family’s new
healthy lifestyle can become a fun competition. If your children have specific health goals, such as brushing their teeth three times each day or reducing TV time, these goal-oriented printables can make any healthy change fun.Jennifer McGregor_Get Healthy as Family_Stock Photo

Plan Fun Fitness Games to Keep Your Family Active

Getting more physically active doesn’t have to mean regimented, choreographed exercise routines. Swimming is a great option for all children, but it is especially great if your child has ADHD. Regardless of the season, there are great options for diving in. Plan a surprise trip to the indoor pool at your local recreation center in the fall or winter, or book a night at a local hotel to take advantage of the indoor pool for the evening. Plan an outing to a local river or lake for some swimming fun in the summer. Exercise isn’t always a miserable sweat session.

The idea of a daily family trip to the gym might not be appealing, but how about a game of balloon volleyball in the living room? You can also use fun fitness games to get your kids – and your spouse – off the couch. Plan these activities ahead and your whole family will have something to look forward to.

Get Everyone Involved in Meal Planning

One reason kids tend to resist healthy diet changes is because they feel as though the choice is being forced upon them. Take your kids to the store or the farmer’s market and let them choose some of their own fruits and vegetables. Then, let them participate in preparing meals. Make it a contest to see who can come up with the best (or worst) recipe. They might think of some scary combinations, but they’re more likely to try new things when they have a sense of ownership. Plus, you’ll get to spend quality time in the kitchen – mess or no mess, it’s sure to be a fun time.

Adopt a Dog

Did you know that dogs have been proven to reduce stress, heighten mood, and even improve cardiovascular health? A fun-loving canine can be the perfect motivation to get your family on their feet! The best part is, you can exercise her together and it won’t even feel like work. A spirited game of fetch, an evening walk around the block, or even a family hike are all great workouts that everyone can look forward to. Plus, your kids are a lot more likely to stay active with a constant play companion at their disposal!

Run a Household Chores Race

A healthy lifestyle isn’t just about exercising and eating right. Your environment plays a role in your health and well-being, too. If your living room is cluttered and your kitchen a mess, everyone is likely to be more stressed. Stressed family members lead to arguments, and it becomes a vicious cycle of endless bickering that ultimately helps no one.

Not to mention, a home that’s not clean is a home that is more likely to harbor germs, bacteria, and dust that can make your family sick. Do your family a favor and get everyone involved in keeping the house clean and tidy. Divvy up chores and offer a prize to the family member who finishes the race by getting their chores done first.

Conversation Starters and Feel-Good Jars Boost Emotional Health

It’s important to have dinner together as a family, but what makes that time so important is that it provides together-time for discussing your day and supporting each other. When a family member has a tough day at work, dinner time is often when the day’s hassles are discussed. Likewise, achievements at school or work are proudly boasted at the dinner table.

Make this special family time even more fun with conversation starters or feel-good jars – jars filled with slips of paper with vague statements that you must build a conversation around or a jar that each family member helps to fill by writing something positive about another family member each day. Use the time to invent silly stories or help a child or spouse cope with an especially difficult day. All of these discussions contribute to your family’s emotional health in a positive way.

Getting healthy can be a tough journey all alone. But getting healthy with your whole family can be tons of fun when you embrace the joys of family and togetherness and get everyone in your home on board with your journey to health. By making healthy habits fun and exciting, you’ll turn getting healthy into an enjoyable adventure.

Jennifer McGregor has wanted to be a doctor since she was little. Now, as a pre-med student, she’s well on her way to achieving that dream. She helped create PublicHealthLibrary.org with a friend as part of a class project. With it, she hopes to provide access to trustworthy health and medical resources. When Jennifer isn’t working on the site, you can usually find her hitting the books in the campus library or spending some downtime with her dog at the local park.

(Photo from Pixabay by Rudy Anderson)

What To Do At The Zoo When You’re Two

Hi! Avery, here, long time no “talk”. Mommy and Daddy brought me to what they call a zoo for the first time ever, and it was full of awesome animals! Now that I’m back and an experienced zoo-goer, I wanted to share a few things to do at the zoo when you’re two.

You’ve probably seen many of the zoo animals in books and in the form of cute toys, but seeing the real deal is a completely different experience. Take, for example, turtles. Daddy has been surrounding me with turtle things my entire life, but seeing big ones I could sit on was turtley awesome!

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I kept telling him to “Go”, but he just sat there. Weak……They may not be as exciting as a trip to the trampoline park, but sitting on a tortoise should be on every toddler’s pail list. Just make sure to never look at your mommy and/or daddy when as they shout “Look at the camera and smile!” for the thousandth time. And that’s just on the lackluster turtle.

His friends just stood off in the distance watching, guess they don’t like giving toddler rides. Or maybe they were arguing over who gets to be Michelangelo.

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Even turtle tantrums lack excitement. I could teach them a thing or two in that department.

Another thing you must do is pet a snake. Daddy wouldn’t shut-up about snakes, and after dragging us through all of the reptiles, he brought me to pet this snake that turned out to be pretty cool. I’d even do it again.

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Dad says we should get a pet snake, but Mom says no. Haven’t heard much after that…..

The zoo is filled with all kinds of birds throughout the area. The first ones I spotted were these crazy pink birds just standing in water. Some were even on one leg!

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If you can, get out of the stroller for a closer look at the birds who were all ready to flamingle. They were all squawking about something, probably the awesome curls in my hair.

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What you should NOT get out of the stroller for is a closer look at this guy…..a crocodile.

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They look much happier in the books and toys I have, but this guy was not up for playing. I was okay with keeping strapped in my stroller to look at the sleepy swamp dweller. Petting snakes is one thing, but I wouldn’t touch a crocodile with a 10 foot pool noodle.

What I do suggest petting are the animals in the petting zoo. As the name implies, it’s like a mini zoo within the zoo where you get to pet animals. Mommy held me as I pet the wet nose of a calf which felt a lot like our fat cat’s nose, only much bigger.. I’m just glad he wasn’t in a bad moo-d.

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Next up was a baby goat who was far from lively. No need for help to pet him, I just reached through the fence and felt his slightly coarse white hair. Yeah, when you’re two, you can be a little more independent.

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The petting zoo was a neat experience, but unless they add more animals, disco lights, or both, I could probably just skip this section next time.

Going to the zoo means a lot of walking, and even though we had a stroller, I wanted to prove that I can walk just fine on my own. But I have daddy trained pretty well and made sure he pushed the stroller just in case I was ready to climb back in. Which I did, a lot, and something I suggest all my peers do too. Just keep our parents in check.

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Mommy has him trained too. When I decided to climb in, we both celebrated our daddy training success by raising our arms high in the sky and making him take our picture.

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This is something no to be contained only for zoo visits, do it anywhere all the time!

Another zoo transportation option is on your parent’s shoulders. I made frequent use of taking a ride on daddy’s shoulders to get a better view of animals and help pick bugs out of his hair.

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As it turned out, there were no gross bugs wandering around on his head. This made me very happy!

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The giant cats in the background looked pretty cool, but they must’ve been sleepy since they were all lion around.

Much like those sleepy cats, daddy’s shoulders get uncomfortable after a while, so I exercised my other option; Mommy! We enjoyed watching the elephants together, they were my Mom’s favorite zoo animal.

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Did you know elephants like to play too? We saw a baby elephant trying to get it’s mommy to play with a giant log.

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It made me think of all the fun I have playing with my Mommy, which put me in deep thought mode for a minute.

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So, when it comes to transportation at the zoo, make use of your mommy and daddy when/if possible. I will, however, suggest you try your hardest to choose only one at a time. It seems every time we are all together, they try to take family selfies, which I’m not too fond of…..ever.

Family Selfie at Zoo

At one point, we stumbled on this well camouflaged animal that looked like a miniature bearded horse with horns. He just stood there, keeping still and looking like he didn’t even know how it goat there.

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One of my favorite parts of the entire visit to the zoo was the giant bird area. There were hundreds of birds flying around the area, and you could feed them with a stick covered in seeds. Daddy held me on his shoulders as I held a stick that daddy got for me (I’ve got the training down!) and fed the birds.

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Some birds even landed on the stick I was holding!

Avery Holding Bird at Zoo

If nothing else, definitely do this when you’re at the zoo! It’s even worth having your parents try to take MORE selfies.

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After the bird excitement, I started turning on my crazy toddler mode (i.e. naptime) which had Mommy and Daddy rushing through the zoo to get back to our car. Back at the front, we got to see a gorilla with her baby.

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I wonder if the gorilla mommy would let her kid come to the trampoline park with me sometime. They sure do look like they’d have fun jumping!

My parents said I can choose one souvenir to remember my first trip to the Fort Worth Zoo, so we made a quick stop at the shop conveniently located on the way out. I had to stay in the stroller as mommy and daddy waved toys in my face. I wasn’t sure if I was picking the toy or they were, but one thing’s for sure, I did NOT want the spider dad showed me.

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My dad, I mean I, ended up choosing a lanky rubber snake despite Mommy’s attempts to get me to ask for a cute owl or bear hand puppet. In retrospect, I don’t know why I said I wanted the snake instead of a fuzzy animal puppet, but “Raps” (the name of my dad’s late pet milk snake) is proving pretty fun to play with.

No matter what you choose to do at the zoo when you’re two or ninety-two, just seeing all of the amazing animals will be the highlight of the trip. At the zoo, you get to see creatures found all over the world all in one big area. Pretty cool if you ask me. Grab your parents and find one near you. I can’t wait until I’m older and can appreciate all of the wild-life even more!