tag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:/blogs/random-thoughts?p=2Random Thoughts2018-11-14T13:56:06-08:00Steve Fujitafalsetag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/49207412017-11-06T08:55:00-08:002019-08-01T09:58:55-07:00Kaizen<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">It's been over five years since I injured my spinal cord due to injury. During this time, I've thought differently about my recovery. I can categorize these thoughts into three stages. The first phase was hoping for a spontaneous recovery. The second phase, I'll refer to as the "quantum leap" phase, because I experienced rapid improvement during a short time. Phase three is my current and longest phase, which I will call the "kaizen" phase. This also summarizes my entire recovery. <p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">When I first injured my spinal cord, I wished for a spontaneous recovery – hoping I would wake up one morning to find all my body parts working as they did before my injury. Even today, sometimes I will go to sleep and think, "Gee, wouldn't it be nice if I could walk and pee efficiently when I wake up in the morning." For the first month or two, this was my dominant thought regarding my recovery. <p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">About two months after my injury, I started to experience great leaps of improvement, especially with my legs. It seemed I made major improvements day-to-day, week-to-week. By three months, I was able to stand for a few seconds, and by six months, post-injury, I was walking short distances with only the aid of a quad cane, and at nine months, switched to a single legged cane. I stopped using a catheter, and bowel eliminations became less dependent on manual stimulation. I thought, "Boy, at this rate, I should be 100% pre-injury by my second anniversary."<p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">As expected, the more I improved, the slower the improvements came. 16 months into in my recovery, I'd reached a point where I was satisfied with the amount I had recovered. It was at this point that I lost my motivation. I started practicing a passive recovery; I waited for things to improve than doing things to cause improvement. I needed a concept to re-motivate me into action. I found that concept in the Japanese term, "kaizen."<p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Kaizen, loosely translated, is "improvement through small gradual changes," resulting in a major improvement. I tested myself to see how well I performed physical tasks and realized that during even the most recent of months, I had been improving – it was just so incremental that I hadn't noticed. I renewed my efforts to seek out motivational aids, such as songs, videos and readings; I renewed my dedication to physical exercises. <p></p>
</div><br><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">In hindsight, Kaizen applies to the entirety of my recovery. None of my improvements were spontaneous; it took days for me to breathe on my own, weeks for me to move my toes, and months for me to walk using only a cane. Kaizen also applies to the efforts I made to improve myself. I tried to breathe on my own everyday. I tried to move my toes everyday; I exercised each day and when I reached a threshold, I made the exercises a little bit harder. Each effort, each little motivational pep talk - all contributed a small amount to my recovery. However, the sum of all these little improvements are greater than the parts. This is Kaizen. <p></p>
</div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/48736872017-10-02T09:19:00-07:002017-10-02T11:15:19-07:00Infection gone, improvement in legsUpdate to my last post. My infection seems to be gone, and I am feeling much more normal. My legs are a lot stronger, but not quite pre-infection strength.<br><br>Both my thoughts about my legs appear to have come true - that is 1. that my leg strength would improve as I recovered from the infection, and 2. that my legs would not experience a spontaneous recovery.<br><br>That said, my legs have improved more rapidly than I thought. I probably no longer need a cane when I go out, but for now, that'll be a case by case basis.<br><br>When I first started experiencing this setback, I was angry and scared, I kept imagining life again using a wheelchair. The strange thing is, "scared" isn't the right word because the thought of using a wheelchair again didn't feel so traumatic - I guess because I had gone through it before - I think it was more losing the recovery progress I had made over the past 5 years.<br><br>So, hopefully, I will continue improving again, even if slowly.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/48660892017-09-26T12:34:00-07:002022-09-13T10:46:19-07:00Muscle SpasmsIt's appropriate I write this during sci awareness month. It started on July 23, when I developed a 103 fever, nausea, lack of appetite, extreme fatigue, and inability to pee. Turned out to be a urinary tract infection. My appetite never came back, my nausea never went away, and two weeks ago, I started experiencing extreme fatigue and dry heaves again. But this time, I also lost much strength in my legs, and lost much of the bladder control I had regained over the past 5 yea<span class="text_exposed_show">rs. As a result, my recovery from sci has regressed back to where I was in 2013. I can go outdoors, but need a cane and cannot walk far. Still, I am much better than 2 weeks ago, when I could barely stand long enough to take a shower, and I have lost 17 lbs, which can be seen as a silver lining. I've learned two things out of all this. One, losing bodily functions can happen in a minute, but regaining them may take months, or two, no matter how much I recover, I'm some minor medical incident away from losing all that I've recovered. As Tony Stark would say, I'm still at my lowest ebb, but I guess my body knows that I'm still at a point that I need extra rest and sleep. The human body is an amazing thing, it can break down for no good reason, and yet know whats best at the same time.</span><br><span class="text_exposed_show"><br></span><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="266" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzwbizjmowDWIMvFMu5XpxlZzAJq0etPqUkHKOPvaEfazQ-jNdFCvAIiM7x4ActVTKkEO5wzZ1AVMEK8pUqWQ" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><span class="text_exposed_show">Somewhere around this time, I think it was in-between the two attacks, I had a couple of episodes where my legs spasmed uncontrollably. I took a video of one of these occurrences. </span><br><br>It's been a while since I posted, so here is a link to my book on my own recovery https://goo.gl/oz7rEzSteve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/44176272016-10-13T09:48:00-07:002023-10-12T16:17:28-07:00Guest Posted for Invacare's SCI blog, Roll RevolutionOne of the necessary evils of being a writer is to engage in "shameless self-promotion." But, as someone who survived a spinal cord injury (SCI), and experienced a significant recovery, I've always been forward to sharing my story(ies). <br><br>Recently, Invacare, a leader in the medical equipment industry (especially pertinent for people with SCI) started a blog called Roll Revolution. It focuses on helping people deal with SCI.<br><br>And, they asked me to write a guest post for the blog. Needless to say, I was stoked. But I am more stoked that they decided to use the post I submitted.<br><br>Of course, this is a plug for the post I wrote, but I encourage people to check out the blog. It's still early, but the blog posts so far are really useful, and I think and hope it will mature int a great site.<br><br>Please check out my post called <a href="http://www.rollrev.com/learn/inspiration-as-a-byproduct" target="_blank">"Inspiration as a by product."</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/42715612016-07-09T11:00:00-07:002021-08-03T13:36:23-07:00Pennant Race Prediction - Dodgers Trade Puig?The Dodgers called up another outfielder from the minors. But the Dodgers have plenty of outfielders already, albeit, injured. But still, they have plenty of players who can fill in until those players (namely Joc Pederson) come back.<br><br>Although there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel with the starting rotation, which will help with the currently overworked bullpen, you can never have too much pitching.<br><br>With the trading deadline coming up and the pennant races heating up, teams are already starting to make their moves. Seems earlier this year, but maybe it seems like this every year.<br><br>The Dodgers do have a surplus in outfielders, and rumors that Yasiel Puig has been on the trading block are nothing new. But I think if this were to become a reality, now would be the time. Dodgers feel a need for another left handed hitter to fill the void left by Pederson (and Ethier). They also (along with about 30 other teams), feel a need for more pitching. With the current situation, I think Puig becomes the odd man out.<br><br>Sure, the Dodgers won't get the talent level in return. But the Dodgers have enough surplus outfield talent to give up more than they would receive in return in areas where they need help.<br><br>I was trying to figure out where Puig could be traded to, and it's difficult to say. I can't figure out a win win team for Puig trade. Although the Yankees also seem to be in the market for pitching rather than hitting, I think they might part with Eovaldi, who recently seems to have lost his spot in the starting rotation.<br><br>The Yankees have a quality outfield, but they are aging, and Puig will be not only an immediate help, but also in upcoming seasons in case one of the current outfielders decides to separate from the team. Puig has been struggling a bit over the last two years, but flashes of his potential keep popping up, and a new environment might do him good.<br><br>Similarly, a change of environment might also do Eovaldi good. It will be his second stint with the Dodgers, and with all the injuries, I'm pretty sure he will get plenty of opportunities to pitch.<br><br>Other than that, I really can't think of a team the Dodgers would target. The Cardinals? They have a great offense already, and I can't see them trading away any of their "youngsters."<br><br>So, I'm just putting this out there. No one has yet predicted where Puig will go, if he does get traded. I just thought I'd test my predictive abilities.<br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/42489292016-06-25T14:54:00-07:002016-06-25T14:55:15-07:00Mr. HeavyfeetAlthough I walk around pretty normally these days, it feels different. How different? Being a big fan of the "old" comedy troupe, Kids in the Hall, here is a clip of how my legs feel on a normal day.<br><br><br><a href="https://youtu.be/R9d2Y1We-d0" target="_blank">My Heavyfeet clip from Kids in the Hall</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/41196802016-04-04T10:15:00-07:002016-04-04T10:16:27-07:002016 Baseball standings - my predictions for the recordFor the record, here are my picks for the 2016 season.<br><br>AL<br>East - Toronto<br>Central - Kansas City<br>West -LA Angels<br><br>NL<br>East - NY Mets<br>Central - Chicago Cubs<br>West - Arizona<br><br>AL Champions - Angels<br>NL Champions - Cubs<br><br>World Series Champions - AngelsSteve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/41196452016-04-04T10:01:00-07:002016-04-04T10:04:39-07:00Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Better than You thinkI wanted to post this prediction before the first game of the regular season especially since I seem to be going against the grain.<br><br>For years, since I was a child in the Ryan/Tanana days, I have predicted the Angels to win the world series whether I had really believed it or not. But back in the days, even when the Angels hit below .240 as a team, I still believed, on day one of the regular season, that the Angels would be in first on October 1.<br><br>Even as a more rational adult, I probably still grade the Angels better than they would be, but this year, I really think the Angels will contend for the division title, and for the World Series championship.<br><br>I thought the experts would see it the same way this year, but apparently not. The consensus is that the AL West will be a two team race between Houston and Texas with no regard for the other three teams. I found one prognosticator predicting the Angels would finish in second, but by and large, the Angels are not even thought of as an afterthought for many baseball "experts." One writer predicted that the Angels will post the worst record in the American League, and another basically made fun of the lower half of the projected Angels lineup.<br><br>They say Mike Trout is really the true offensive weapon the Angels have, and that Richards cannot carry the starting rotation.<br><br>While Trout may be the most potent offensive player the Angels have, I really don't see much weakness in the Angels offensive. Conversely, I see them as a very balanced team. Last year, they were good at getting on base; they just weren't very good at scoring those runners. They very rarely sacrificed last year (If I had to guess, take out Aybar and the pitchers in inter-league games, the Angeles probably sacrificed less than five times the entire season). I believe this has been corrected this year.<br><br>Here is my take on the Angels offensively. <br><br>1. Escobar is will a great leadoff hitter. He will hit for average and get on base.<br>2. Calhoun can hit for power and average and can run. He can fit anywhere between 2 - 5 on any team's lineup and even hit leadoff on some teams, as he has done in the past with the Angels.<br>3. Trout - do I need to say more?<br>4. Pujols - Had foot surgery last November, and yes, getting older. I know he wants to, but he will probably play less first base this year and DH more. This will save his energy, and I think he will have the best offensive year he has had since joining the Angels.<br>5. Cron - had a great 2015 spring, and a good second half of the season. He had a good spring this season. I think this year, he will have a good full season this year. Also has power.<br>6. Simmons hasn't matured offensively as people expected when he first came up with the Braves, but he's had a good spring, and I think he will have a really good offensive year also.<br>7. Perez/Soto. Both of these guys are capable of hitting for power and average.<br>8. Nava/Gentry - When Nava is in the game, he will probably hit second, but both these guys are also very capable, offensively.<br>9. Giavotella - can bat first or second when needed. Hits for average, and has some pop in the bat.<br><br>So, there you have it, according to my thoughts. I think up and down the lineup, the Angels have good hitters. They have a nice combination of speed and power, and batters who might bat in the lower third of the lineup who could on any given day, bat at the top of the order.<br><br>Here is my take on Angels defensively.<br><br>1. Perez/Soto -No shame here. Soto is a veteran, but this is Perez' third year, and the first two were behind Chris Ianetta, but this year, people will get to know Perez and how appreciate how good of a player he is.<br>2. Cron - Admittedly, I'll still take a less mobile Pujols over the younger Cron, but Cron has improved a lot at first, and will continue to improve defensively the more he plays. And Pujols, though known for offense, knows how to play the position, and is one f the best defensive first basemen in the league.<br>3. Giavotella - worked a lot in the off season and they say his defense has improved a lot as a result. But even with lapses last year, he showed good range and play making talent.<br>4. Simmons - no questions on defense here, regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops, if not the best.<br>5. Escobar - strong arm and good range. Quality third baseman.<br>6 - 8. Outfield: Trout, Calhoun, Nava/Gentry - Best outfield in the majors.<br><br>And on pitching. I think they have a great starting rotation. Much better than what most experts give them credit for.<br><br>1. Richards - one of the best young arms in the game, watch him revert back to 2014 form.<br>2. Heaney - another great young arm. Watch him have a breakout year.<br>3. Santiago - would have lapses at inopportune times. He has sped up his game this year, and I think this will help him a lot. Watch him have a big year as well.<br>4. Weaver - so he has lost a lot of velocity over the past few years, but he is still great and changing speeds and still one of the great curveballs in the game. <br>5. Shoemaker - remember, he won 16 games his rookie season. Still has a great forkball/split finger. I think he needs another "outpitch." On many other teams, I'd have him as the third starter.<br><br>On top of this, Tyler Skaggs is still recovering from Tommy John surgery. He is also one of the great young arms the Angels have. And CJ Wilson, though inconsistent at time the last couple of seasons, is still a quality pitcher and one of my favorite players in the game.<br><br>Am I being a little bit overly positive? Maybe. But it is the first full day of the regular season. And more importantly, I really do believe the Angels are fielding a very good team this year, and will be in the running to win the World Series this year.<br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/40569572016-02-23T13:50:00-08:002022-03-09T09:36:04-08:00Rubio/Cruz ticket for GOP in 2016?This is copied and pasted from the blog I maintain on my author website. I normally blog from here and then export to other sites, but when I blog from my author site, it doesn't export to here, so...<br><br>Here is the blogpost:<br><br>Last weekend, I made several predictions about how the 2016 presidential campaign will play out. I was waaaay wrong about Jeb Bush, which was my out of the world prediction - that he would be the GOP nominee. But I do think he dropped out too soon. He should have waited until Super Tuesday because the field is still crowded enough and enough delegates are still up for grabs for him to make an impact while not hurting Rubio enough. Despite their "feud," Rubio, I believe would be his answer to the question, "If you couldn't be the nominee, who would you like to see as the nominee?"<br><br>Okay, one of my predictions is that Ted Cruz would the kingmaker at a brokered GOP convention. I think this is more realistic now, and I think what will happen is that the GOP insiders will play "campaign games" to see what combination will have the best chance of winning the election.<br><br>I think no matter who the GOP nominee is, he will win the rural vote. However, between Trump/Cruz/Rubio, I believe Rubio will be the best choice to challenge the Democrats in the urban areas. I think Trump refuses to budge, and Cruz, despite all his fights with the GOP establishment, backs down and asks his delegates to support Rubio on a subsequent ballot.<br><br>So, here is my edit to one of the predictions I made last week. <strong>Rubio will be the GOP nominee</strong><br><br>As a reward, Cruz is asked what he wants. I'm not sure if he would want this, but if he wanted to be the VP candidate, I'm pretty sure it would be his for the asking. <br><br>A Rubio/Cruz ticket would probably the most volatile since Kennedy/Johnson became running mates, but most of the time, the presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate are from two different constituencies (philosophically like Reagan/Bush, Geographically like again. Reagan/Bush, or vocationally like Clinton/Gore (Governor and Senator)) And in this case, it would bring marry two factions of the Republican party - and the only question would be how well they could bring in the libertarian faction of the party into the fold.<br><br>As I write this, Nevada is deciding on their choice for the Republican nominee and Rubio seems to be getting the bulk of endorsements from the establishment - it was as if the establishment was waiting for either Rubio or Bush to drop out, and now that Bush has suspended his campaign, it was like an invitation for them to endorse Rubio.<br><br>For the Democratic side, it seems what I predicted, that Sanders must decidedly defeat Clinton in several states, is getting more coverage. Clinton has the Democratic establishment backing her and she may win the Democratic nomination even if she enters the convention with less pledged delegates from the popular voting.<br><br>So, super Tuesday is next week. Lets see how far off I am.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/40562762016-02-23T13:38:51-08:002016-02-23T13:38:51-08:00A Rubio/Cruz ticket for GOP 2016?Last weekend, I made several predictions about how the 2016 presidential campaign will play out. I was waaaay wrong about Jeb Bush, which was my out of the world prediction - that he would be the GOP nominee. But I do think he dropped out too soon. He should have waited until Super Tuesday because the field is still crowded enough and enough delegates are still up for grabs for him to make an impact while not hurting Rubio enough. Despite their "feud," Rubio, I believe would be his answer to the question, "If you couldn't be the nominee, who would you like to see as the nominee?"<br><br>Okay, one of my predictions is that Ted Cruz would the kingmaker at a brokered GOP convention. I think this is more realistic now, and I think what will happen is that the GOP insiders will play "campaign games" to see what combination will have the best chance of winning the election. <br><br>I think no matter who the GOP nominee is, he will win the rural vote. However, between Trump/Cruz/Rubio, I believe Rubio will be the best choice to challenge the Democrats in the urban areas. I think Trump refuses to budge, and Cruz, despite all his fights with the GOP establishment, backs down and asks his delegates to support Rubio on a subsequent ballot. <br><br>So, here is my edit to one of the predictions I made last week. <strong>Rubio will be the GOP nominee</strong><br><br>As a reward, Cruz is asked what he wants. I'm not sure if he would want this, but if he wanted to be the VP candidate, I'm pretty sure it would be his for the asking. <br><br>A Rubio/Cruz ticket would probably the most volatile since Kennedy/Johnson became running mates, but most of the time, the presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate are from two different constituencies (philosophically like Reagan/Bush, Geographically like again. Reagan/Bush, or vocationally like Clinton/Gore (Governor and Senator)) And in this case, it would bring marry two factions of the Republican party - and the only question would be how well they could bring in the libertarian faction of the party into the fold.<br><br>As I write this, Nevada is deciding on their choice for the Republican nominee and Rubio seems to be getting the bulk of endorsements from the establishment - it was as if the establishment was waiting for either Rubio or Bush to drop out, and now that Bush has suspended his campaign, it was like an invitation for them to endorse Rubio. <br><br>For the Democratic side, it seems what I predicted, that Sanders must decidedly defeat Clinton in several states, is getting more coverage. Clinton has the Democratic establishment backing her and she may win the Democratic nomination even if she enters the convention with less pledged delegates from the popular voting.<br><br>So, super Tuesday is next week. Lets see how far off I am. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/40444742016-02-16T11:17:00-08:002016-02-16T11:26:32-08:00Thoughts on How the 2016 Presidential Elections Will Play OutI generally stay out of political discussions, and the following is not an endorsement of any candidate. One of the best exercises for writers is that of "What If," and over the last couple of days, I was doing this with this year's candidates. Nostradamus, I'm not, but I'd like to record some predictions.<br><br>If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but if I'm right, it'd be nice to have a record of my predictions before the fact. So, here goes. - I am writing this on February 16, 2016<br><br>1.<b> Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination.</b><br><br>The Clinton supporters probably said, "Duh," but the Sanders supporters probably said, "No way!" I think the most recent polls show the two candidates in a dead heat. When everything is all over and done with, Sanders might end up with more pledged delegates at the convention.<br><br>The following has been mentioned, but won't get much airtime until the convention because it wont't come into play unless the candidates are within about 10% of each other at that time. That is the role of superdelegates. Super-delegates in the Democratic party will make up about 15% of the delegates at the convention. These delegates are party leaders and officials, and are not bound to vote for the candidate who "won" the primary or caucus in the state from which he/she is from.<br><br>In a tight race, if one candidate has the support of a vast majority of these superdelegates, then that candidate, even losing the "popular" vote during the primary season, could win the Democratic party nomination. And, at this time, it seems Hillary Clinton will be getting a vast majority of these votes.<br><br>So, the primary and caucus voting will be tight, Sanders might even have more pledged delegates when the convention starts, but Hillary Clinton will win the nomination.<br><br>2. <b>The Republican Nominee Will be the result of a Brokered Convention, and Ted Cruz will be the King-Maker</b><br><br>Donald Trump may possibly win the plurality of primary and caucuses, and show up with the most delegates, but he needs 50%, and he will be far from it. I think he'll probably end up with about 30 - 35% of the pledged delegates. And I don't think any of the current candidates will be dropping out.<br><br>The Republican version of Super-delegates, the unpledged delegates make up less than 10% of the total, and I don't think they will be voting for Trump as long as Rubio and Bush are in the race.<br><br>So, let's say the following will be at the time of convention.<br>A. Trump 35%<br>B. Cruz 25%<br>C. Rubio 25%<br>D. Bush 10%<br>E. Others 5%<br><br>I think Carson will drop down to the "also rans," as the primary season progresses.<br><br>So, no one gets the nomination on the first ballot, and the dealing begins. I doubt Trump will get any of the Bush/Rubio supporters, so his defectors have to come from Cruz. But I don't think Cruz will drop out. Bush/Rubio would probably negotiate and one or the other would combine their delegates. That gives them 35%, plus about 10% of the non-pledged delegates. I think the Carson votes will go to Trump, and the Kasich votes go to Rubio/Bush.<br><br>This leaves Trump and Rubio/Bush with about 40% of the votes each, and Cruz with 25%, but lets say 20%, since the superdelegates will dilute his share. <br><br>So, by second ballot, it will be<br><br>A. Trump 40%<br>B. Rubio/Bush 40%<br>C. Cruz 20%<br><br>Cruz will be king maker and the candidate he supports will win the nomination. It will be the one who is feuding with him the least.<br><br>I don't know who it will be, but if I had to stick my my neck out, it would be Jeb Bush. I think currently Rubio might be the establishment favorite, but 1. Ted Cruz might say he would support Bush, but not Rubio for the candidacy; 2. the really big donors might favor Bush - and with these two reasons, Rubio might agree to defer to Bush for the nomination. If this happens, then Rubio will almost be assured to choose whether he wants to be the VP candidate, which he may or may not want.<br><br>3.<b> It Doesn't Really Matter if Trump Runs as an Independent.</b><br><br>After not getting the nomination, Trump may run as an independent. At first, it may seem that this will hurt the Republican candidate, but I think it's more complicated than that. Regardless of what Trump decides, a good number of Republicans who voted for Trump in the primaries will end up voting for the Republican candidate, so I don't think it hurts the Republicans in this respect.<br><br>As for the Republicans who vote for Trump as an Independent, I think he will be able to pull enough Democrats over to his side to even things out. However, I think what would happen is that in the more liberal states, the Republicans will vote for the nominee, and Democrats will not cross over to Trump. In the more conservative states, Trump pulls from the Republican candidate, but also gets cross over from the Democrats. I think it evens out.<br><br>If Trump doesn't run as an independent, a lot of his supporters would sit out the election.<br><br>4. If Trump Makes A Big Impact, Jeb Bush will be the Next President, but I highly doubt this will happen.<br><br>If Trump wins enough states to prevent either party from enough electoral votes, then the election goes to the House, in which case, the Republicans will win since they have the majority.<br><br>4. <b>Of Course, there is a way for Trump to get enough electoral votes to send the election to the House.</b><br><br>After the 2000 elections, several states, including California (a large state), made a change to who their electoral votes will go to. Instead of the candidate who wins the state, the electoral votes will go to the candidate who wins the popular vote nationally. At least in California, I believe this went into effect in 2008, and California voters voted for the same candidate who won the popular national vote. However,what would happen if Donald Trump gets the most popular votes nationally by finishing in second in many states? He could get a significant number of electoral votes by not even winning a state.<br><br>5. <b>If Bush and Clinton Get the Nominations, it will be a Proxy Vote between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush</b><br><br>Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton will run as individuals, but invariably it will turn into a popularity contest between the Bill Clinton and George W, Bush administrations. I think people have fonder memories of the Bill Clinton years and thus, Hillary Clinton will win.<br><br>So, that's my prediction for this election year. There are so many variables tat have not played out, yet, including Hillary Clinton's email issue, and Ted Cruz' citizenship issues, and other issues that may or may not pop up. But given the situation today, I think it will play out in a way that Hillary Clinton will be our next president.<br><br>When I first starting writing this piece, I was sure I'd conclude that Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic nominee, that Marco Rubio would be the Republican nominee, and Donald Trump wouldn't make a difference whether he ran as an independent or not. I'm pretty confident that Hillary will win the Democratic nominee, and the Republicans will have a brokered convention, but other than that, I think this is how it will play out, but I'm not too sure. <br><br>As they say in sports, "That's why you play the game. You never know how it will turn out."<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/38849442015-10-06T09:02:00-07:002017-02-04T21:26:31-08:00Toe Up to 10K wins Gold Medal in 2015 Readers' Favorite Book AwardsMy book on my journey of recovery from spinal cord injury, <a href="http://goo.gl/uG1XEc" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K</a>, has won a Gold Medal in the 2015 Readers' Favorite Book Awards.<br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9sEer_ZaObg/VhPwoPbhbZI/AAAAAAAAAR8/Htfiv-ibMeI/s1600/Toe_UP_readers%2Bfavorite_gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//2.bp.blogspot.com/-9sEer_ZaObg/VhPwoPbhbZI/AAAAAAAAAR8/Htfiv-ibMeI/s200/Toe_UP_readers%2Bfavorite_gold.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="130" /></a></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/38853862015-10-06T08:59:00-07:002017-02-04T21:27:33-08:00Toe Up to 10K wins Gold Medal in 2015 Readers' Favorite Book Awards My book, <u><a href="http://goo.gl/uG1XEc" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K</a></u>, won the Gold medal in the 2015 Readers' Favorite Book Awards in the category: Non-fiction - inspirational.<br><br>It's been a busy half year. I will try to start posting regularly again.<br> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaUwcS3hYwk/VhPvuawzq8I/AAAAAAAAARw/UgtRL2FBPfo/s1600/Toe_UP_readers%2Bfavorite_gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-jaUwcS3hYwk/VhPvuawzq8I/AAAAAAAAARw/UgtRL2FBPfo/s200/Toe_UP_readers%2Bfavorite_gold.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="130" /></a></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/36593782015-04-15T09:47:00-07:002015-04-15T10:06:16-07:00Motocross Star Pauly Plewa Spinal Cord Injured Set to Run 10KPauly Plewa was a motocross rider who injured his brain and spinal cord in an accident in March, 2012. His chances of regaining any sensation below the chest was given at 2%.<br><br>Now, 3 years later, he is set to run 10K May 10th in the Wings For Life World run, which takes place in several cities at the same time. If I remember correctly, it is a race that is organized by another motocross racer who also injured his spinal cord resulting from a racing accident.<br><br>Regular readers of this blog know that I set a goal of running a 10K myself, and it will also be three years for me in June, 2015. I cannot yet "run" any distance longer than the length of an intersection, but I think I can improve enough to do a 5K before the end of the year - who knows, maybe even a 10k.<br><br>In any event, this is truly an inspirational story reported by cbcnews.com last week.<br><br><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/motocross-star-pauly-plewa-to-run-for-1st-time-since-spinal-cord-injury-1.3021940" target="_blank">Pauly Plewa, SCI motocross rider set to run 10K</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/36571232015-04-14T09:34:00-07:002015-04-14T09:43:16-07:00Q Fever - Another Scary Mystery illnessIn 2012, I came down with viral meningitis. Viral meningitis isn't supposed to be as bad as meningitis caused by other agents, but I ended up in ICU with kidney and lungs shutting down, and causing me to fall into a semi-conscious state. When I regained full consciousness (among other things), I found that I could not talk, breathe independently, nor move my legs.<br><br>I suffered damage to the spinal cord at the T4 level, and was told I may not walk again. Fortunately, that prediction did not come true, but I still have issues related to walking, and other issues which go with spinal cord injury.<br><br>Doctors were never able to positively determine the cause of the spinal cord damage, but I'm sure it is at least indirectly related to the virus that caused the meningitis.<br><br>There are many agents out there, and sometimes it takes years to figure out what caused the illness.<br><br>Here is story, about a basketball coach who was diagnosed with Q Fever, something that can be transmitted just by breathing the air around a birthing cow. How scary is that?<br><br>This story is from FoxNews.com<br><br><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/04/12/mysterious-infection-from-livestock-robs-basketball-coach-ability-to-walk-talk/?intcmp=latestnews&intcmp=latestnews" target="_blank">Basketball Coach's Mysterious Illness is Q Fever</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/36550582015-04-13T09:13:00-07:002015-04-13T09:14:10-07:00Sweet Gesture by San Diego Padres Baseball TeamNot a Padres fan per se, but love the city of San Diego, love Petco Park, think Bud Black is a great manager, and I think they have a great team this year.<br><br>But what is better than reading about what I think about San Diego and its baseball team? What the team has done for a player they drafted 22 years ago. A pitcher by the name of Matt LaChappa.<br><br>19 years ago, LaChappa, at the age of 20, and a pitcher at the A level, suffered a heart attack. He uses a wheelchair, and now, age 39, has signed a minor league contract with the Padres for the 20th straight season. The contract gives him access to health insurance.<br><br>Click on the link for the story on CBSsports.com.<br><br><a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25142002/padres-sign-wheelchair-bound-pitcher-for-20th-straight-sea?ftag=YHR6f8d662" target="_blank">Matt LaChappa, pitcher</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/35367492015-02-17T07:24:00-08:002015-02-17T07:25:32-08:00Jan Zari, the LA Marathon and the City of Hope"Because sometimes it's nice to do things for other people." wrote Jan when he announced that he would be participating in the 2015 Los Angeles Marathon, as a relay runner and raising money for the City of Hope.<br><br>Disclosure: I know Jan personally, for we had worked together for a few years (I have since exited the workforce), and maintain contact through social media platforms. I didn't tell Jan of this blogpost beforehand, so, "surprise." Hope you like the write-up, and if you don't, too bad. I found your story to be inspirational and worth sharing.<br><br>On Jan's fundraising page, he tells his story of how much he detested running while in junior high school and high school, and what triggered his decision to take up running. Hint: it was health concerns.<br><br>Inspirational point #1. He made a change to his life. Changes are really difficult to do. Many people want to change, say they will change, but never get around to making those changes. Jan has made those changes and with gusto. Since taking up running, he wrote that he has lost over 50 pounds and his health has improved dramatically.<br><br>Inspirational point #2. Building on the changes with gusto theme, in the two short years he has been entering races formally he has entered 34 races, distances ranging from 5K to 26.2 miles (a full marathon). All the more impressive because of how much he hated running as a kid.<br><br>Inspirational point #3. Because it's nice to do things for other people. Jan wrote that he feels that running has given him a second chance at life. The City of Hope, he writes, through their research and treatment, provides a second chance for many people with serious and life-threatening diseases. I know people who have had relatives treated at the City of Hope and know it to be a wonderful organization. This is a very good example of helping others by helping oneself.<br><br>Even if Jan wasn't raising money for the City of Hope while participating in this year's Los Angeles Marathon, his story is still worth sharing. I've written this before and will many times in the future, sharing success stories has a positive impact because it serves as inspiration and motivation for people who want to make a change in his/her life.<br><br>So, in summary, Jan Zari: a good guy with a good heart (literally and figuratively) running for a good cause. <br><br>Visit Jan's <a href="http://nationalevents.cityofhope.org/site/TR?px=2055505&fr_id=2360&pg=personal" target="_blank">fundraising page </a>. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/35254762015-02-12T09:27:00-08:002017-02-04T10:53:11-08:00My name is pronounced close enoughHere is a video of Toe Up to 10 announcing it as a nominee for a Global Ebook award.<br><br>The second syllable in my last name is pronounced the same as the "jii" in Mount Fujii. However, this is the way most people tend to pronounce my last name. I used to correct people all the time, but over the last ten years or so, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.<br><br>But it's still a good video. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/q7cocfCrY30/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q7cocfCrY30?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/35166582015-02-09T08:58:00-08:002015-02-09T09:00:18-08:00The Cancer Olympics or A Patient's Best AdvocateThe first book I read this year (which was the last book I was reading at the end of last year), was titled <a href="http://www.thecancerolympics.com/" target="_blank">The Cancer Olympics</a>, by Robin McGee. The author had cancer, but because of inadequate medical care, she was not diagnosed until it reached the late stages. To add "insult to injury," her home province of Nova Scotia did not offer the best care chemotherapy for the type of cancer she had. In the book, McGee chronicles her battles not only with her illness, but her early medical providers, and her provincial government. How did it turn out? Well, it is someone writing a memoir, so you can guess how it turned out - though not in the way you will think when you start the book. I'll just say she gets three gold medals, but you'll have to read the book to find out how.<br><br>I mention McGee and her book not because it is uplifting and inspirational, which it is, but because of one of the themes of her book. That is: A patient must be his/her best advocate because - to be a little snarky - for some people in healthcare, it is just a job. To a patient, it is his/her life, and ultimately, it is up to the patient to ensure that he/she is getting the best care possible.<br><br>It is shameful to hear when patients don't get proper medical care. I was very lucky in his case. Of course, I had some issues, but whoever I went to for help, whether it was a hospital staff member, or even my insurance company, I was met with co-operation and a true willingness to work with me to solve the issue.<br><br>Now, after almost three years of participating in online forums, talking to strangers on the street, etc, I've come to realize that, to put it nicely, many times, proper medical care slips through the crack.<br><br>A way to see things is like a project. The project is your health. Doctors, technicians, insurers (whether private or govt) are part of your team. And you are the project leader. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/35028462015-02-03T07:14:00-08:002017-02-04T10:20:10-08:00Toe Up to 10K - A Global ebook nominee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_IO14zDk8Q/VNDk8507aRI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/ShIyNLbEncA/s1600/Toe_UP_cover_with_Glabal_ebook_award_sticker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_IO14zDk8Q/VNDk8507aRI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/ShIyNLbEncA/s1600/Toe_UP_cover_with_Glabal_ebook_award_sticker.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="227" /></a></div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also available in a physical format. <a href="http://goo.gl/uG1XEc" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K on Amazon</a>
</div><div><br></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34994972015-02-02T08:05:00-08:002015-02-02T08:38:30-08:00Alternate dimensions and alternate universesRecently, I came across an article on a theory which stated that there are alternate universes and they all interact which each other, and that because some actions were different at some point, things turned out differently.<br><br>I think the article stated that such theories have been around since the 1950's.<br><br>I first came across this in the comic book world. - DC comics having re-did all their Golden Age heroes into the Silver Age, decided to have them enter each other's universe. In the DC Universe, this became known as Earth-1 and Earth-2. Although stories almost always revolved around the interaction between Earth-1 and Earth-2, there was Earth-3, Earth-4, and so on, and actually an infinite number of Earths, out of which came a mini-series, "Crisis on Infinite Earths."<br><br>In some of these worlds, the same person would be the same hero - Clark Kent was Superman for both Earths, but Jay Garrick is the Flash in Earth-1, while Barry Allen is Flash in Earth-2. Everything was a little bit different.<br><br>Although I don't (didn't) watch these show, I think Dr. Who and the 90's tv show Sliders, also are plays on the alternate universe theory.<br><br>I can't remember where I read this, and I think the subject was dimensions, but I have come to apply it as the way I understand universes and dimensions: Within a dimension, there are an infinite number of universes. Visually, a dimension is like a hotel. Each room in a hotel is a separate universe. The rooms don't interact with other, but sometimes they do - maybe the door might be open between connecting rooms; maybe the guests in one room visit guests in another room. So, they are separate, but there is a chance that a visitor from one universe may enter another universe - like Earth-1 and Earth-2.<br><br>If each hotel room is a separate universe within a dimension, then each dimension is a separate hotel. And separate hotels would have different rules. It would be a little bit harder for interactions to take place - after all, guests in one hotel would rarely walk into another hotel (except in Las Vegas, and other gambling jurisdictions - but that would be the casino, restaurants, etc - not the hotel part). But sometimes one party might decide to stay in different hotels, thus visit each other. This is kind of the way I see the supernatural - and actually, the show, Twilight Zone played on this thought. On that show, it was the dimension of imagination and shadows.<br><br>But what if ghosts, angels and demons were entities from another dimension that found their way into our dimension, and within a certain space in our dimension, use the rules of their own dimension. I think I read this in the same place, but the author's point was that someone from a 2-D world could never comprehend a 3-D world, just like we couldn't comprehend a 4-D world. I'll just add to this and offer, what if we entered a 2-D world and were able to use the rules of the 3-D world. We might be seen as demons or Angels in their dimension. <br><br>As I wrote this, I was trying to figure out what book my ideas came from (how accurately or well I understood those concepts in that book are another story). But I found the book, it is titled, <i>Warped Passages</i>, by Lisa Randall, who is a renowned physicist.<br><br>Interesting stuff, especially for writers.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34912482015-01-28T07:32:00-08:002017-02-04T09:58:49-08:00Stretching a Thought, But is There a Ghostly orb in this photo?I decided to scan an old photo of myself for a ThrowBack Thursday posting. However, my scanner would scan in black and white, and something on the photo caught my eye.<br><br>I had always noticed in in the original color photo, but it is distinctive on the scanned black and white.<br><br>The photo is from 1989 taken with a film camera. <br><br>There is a white streak next to me, and if you follow that streak, both ways, it starts at the ceiling, and the ends with a white dot at the top right corner of the window. I had always thought that dot was a street light, or the moon, but now that I look at the photo, I think the dot is indoors. I can't tell whether the blinds are up or down -the flash from the camera is reflected, which I take as an indication that the blinds were still up. These aren't the metal blinds, but they were wood blinds, so I don't think they would reflect as well.<br><br>I had always thought the streak next to me was a scratch. But would a scratch have such a distinctive route? Then I thought it was the camera moving. But if that were so, there should be other streaks. For instance, the light indicator on the smoke detector above the door. That is a green light, and if the camera moved, there should be a streak there also. There are other white dots in the photo, but i think those are just scratches off the original photo.<br><br>I used to watch those ghost hunting shows, and they would talk about orbs a lot. Orbs look like dust particles, but instead of randomly floating around, they would have a "route." And it seems that this streak has a route.<br><br>I'm not a professional photographer, so I don't know what other explanations there would be other than a scratch on the lens or the camera moving.<br><br>But it is fun to speculate that my friend who took my picture many years back also caught a ghostly streak coming out of my ceiling and going into my bedroom.<br><br>With that, I present a Throwback Thursday photo one day early.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IP9GERQCB7s/VMj_CfFLXTI/AAAAAAAAAQk/cr3q-3p-kqk/s1600/me_1989_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-IP9GERQCB7s/VMj_CfFLXTI/AAAAAAAAAQk/cr3q-3p-kqk/s1600/me_1989_1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="443" width="640" /></a></div><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34888512015-01-27T08:03:00-08:002015-01-27T08:03:38-08:00paraparesis will always remind me of my connection to SCI issuesAlthough I have recovered from a spinal cord injury I sustained in 2012, and to a point that those who have not met me, nor had seen me last before I had sustained the injury wouldn't guess that my spinal cord had been compromised, I still have issues - even in my legs. I still experience spasms and cannot run fast.<br><br>But the spasms are less frequent and intense than two years ago, and at least I can run.<br><br>Generally, sports are thought about for able bodied people. But there are adaptive sports like wheelchair basketball. But how about for people like me? Those who are in between able bodied and plegic. I can shoot baskets, but I can't play basketball. I can hit a baseball, but I can't play baseball. <br><br>I wondered if there was a word for people who are in this boat; I knew there had to be one. And there is, "paraparesis" which means weakness of the muscles. <br><br>Although I am no longer paraplegic, I am paraparetic. I can move my muscles. And in absolute strength, that has probably returned as well, but there is something missing in regards to the strength that keeps me from being fully able bodied.<br><br>I am extremely grateful that I have recovered this much, but the paraparesis is a constant reminder of my SCI - once an SCI patient, always an SCI patient. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34865672015-01-26T08:12:00-08:002021-08-03T13:37:39-07:00Back to Tony RobbinsOver the weekend I decided to put in a cassette tape of one of Anthony Robbins programs which 1/2 the session consists of his topic and half consists of an interview he conducts with a self-help type of person. I'm only two tapes in and he has spoken with Ken Blanchard of One Minute Manager and Charles Givens, the late personal finance guru. OK, so Givens has a less than desirable reputation to some people, but I never really understood the Florida fraud case in which he was sued for, and ultimately settled.<br><br>Just to go of tangent a little, from what I understand, he was sued for fraud because he advocated dropping whole life insurance in favor of term life insurance - and the deceased had cancelled his whole life insurance and he died before enrolling in term life insurance. And this is fraud? <br><br>It's just advice. Whether it is Ken Blanchard talking about corporate management, Charles givens talking about money management, or Tony Robbins talking about being positive - it's all just advice. It's up to the recipient to process that advice and act or not act on it, and the manner to which to act.<br><br>Anyway, back to the Tony Robbins talks. When I was a teen-ager, I read Jose Silva's <i>The Silva Mind Control Method, </i>Norman Vincent Peale's <i>The Power of Positive Thinking</i>, and a bunch of other self-help books. I jumped on the Anthony Robbins bandwagon in the early 1990's. <br><br>As I got further and further into my career, I continued to think positively and all, but I stopped reading and listening to these motivational speakers on a regular basis, and when i did, I would just do so on a shallow level.<br><br>In 2012, I came down with meningitis, which almost killed me, and left me a paraplegic for a few months. I'm still recovering, and over the last 2 years, I've periodically re-read self help books such as Napoleon Hill's <i>Think and Grow Rich</i>, and others, but with the same shallowness I had before my injury.<br><br>But last weekend, I put in the Tony Robbins tape, and something clicked. As much as I try to maintain a positive outlook, I realized that being positive often needs tweaking, and listening to these tapes motivates me to tweak out the negatives that do build up and focus on the positives.<br><br>Sometimes they are referenced as coaches. But they aren't, really. You have to follow a coaches' order or get benched. These are just advisors, or consultants. You listen to them, and its up to you to take their advice, but their value is that they either bring a perspective that you hadn't thought of before, or they remind you of a perspective you once had on a subject and move you towards re-considering that perspective.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34702132015-01-16T07:59:00-08:002015-01-16T08:00:58-08:00A Boy Who Said He Went to Heaven Made it Up - I'm Mad, but not at the Boy or his FamilyWhen I first read the story below, I thought it was about he boy whose story was made into a movie last year. Apparently, there were three books in circulation about boys who "visited heaven."<br><br>This book is titled, <i>The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven</i>. It is about a boy, Alex Malarkey, at the time, age 6, who said he went to heaven after a terrible car accident. His father wrote a book, which eventually became a best-seller.<br><br>The boy, now 16, has retracted his story, saying that he made it up to get attention. <br><br>I'm writing off the cuff, now, and I feel anger, but not at the boy, nor his parents. I can understand a six year old making this up to get attention. I can understand a father wanting to write this down and sharing what his son had said. I read that in the book, the father wrote that he found some of the stuff his son was saying was hard to believe - so there was no intention of deceit on the part of the father - he was just writing down what his son had said. <br><br>So, who am I mad at? Or why am I mad? The family made no money. The book is a New York Times Best-seller, and none of the profits trickled down to the family? It is hard to believe. What kind of arrangement did the father make? Was it a one-time fee for all rights? That's really the only way I can think of that would lead to this situation.<br><br>Bit even if his father signed away the rights to this book, the boy is severely paralyzed. It's pretty obvious that the medical bills - and bills related to healthcare are not only medical - but there are all sorts of incidentals that are not covered by insurance. So, even though the publisher(s) may not be legally obligated to help the family, it riles me that it seems that those who profited from the book did not extend any helping hand after the book became a best seller. <br><br>From what I also understand, despite the title of the book, very little of it is the actual description of heaven. Much of it is the struggles and coping when a child is stricken with a serious injury.<br><br>If I were the parents, I would write another book with their son. Leave out the actual descriptions of heaven, but include their spirituality, and talk about how they have coped with this situation for the last ten years - I'm sure a lot of people would still be inspired from their story, and would be interested in reading about it.<br><br>Anyway, here is the story from Daily Mail.com: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2913259/Man-wrote-best-selling-book-saw-heaven-near-death-experience-six-year-old-admits-thing-up.html" target="_blank">"I Did Not Go to Heaven."</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34681902015-01-15T08:24:00-08:002015-01-15T08:37:09-08:00Martin Pistorius - Ghost BoyThis is an incredible story, and one I wish to never experience. Locked eye syndrome is awlful. It is mostly associated with people who are in the later stages of ALS, but can really happen to anybody.<br><br>When he was 12 years old, Martin Pistorius suffered a mysterious ailment - to this day, it is unknown, but doctors believe it was some form of meningitis. Anyway, he suffered from locked in syndrome, which the person is aware, but cannot move anything other than his/her eyes.<br><br>The first two years, he had failed every awareness test possible, and then when he started getting his awareness back, they stopped testing him, and for 10 years, he lived aware, but no one around him knew he was aware. Until a new caretaker noticed something and urged to have him retested. <br><br>He has written a book about this experience. It is an international bestseller. Below is a link to his story, and a trailer to his book.<br><br><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/martin-pistorius-ghost-boy-trapped-in-his-head-2015-1" target="_blank">Ghost Boy article and book trailer</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34659912015-01-14T09:27:00-08:002018-11-14T13:56:06-08:00Colton Beasley - Musician Colton Beasley was a college student and musician who contracted viral meningitis. I often refer to viral meningitis as the step-child of meningitis because I think the dangers from this are overlooked more so than from other types of meningitis.<br><br>It is also closer to my heart because I, too, was diagnosed with viral meningitis. And although I was not in a coma, I fell into a semi-conscious state, and doctors wouldn't have been surprised if I came out of it brain damaged.<br><br>Beasley made it out of his coma and resuming his music career. Below is a link to an article that appeared about him and his band.<br><br><a href="http://www.free-times.com/blogs/interview-osara-010915" target="_blank">Interview with Osara </a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34640432015-01-13T07:04:00-08:002015-01-13T07:17:12-08:00Curing the Cause, not Masking the SymptomI can't help think but think about this, but sometimes I think it was my allergy medication that was indirectly responsible for the meningitis that led to my spinal cord injury.<br><br>About a month before I got sick, I had switched allergy medications. The medication worked in clearing up my nasal passages. Howver, as with most OTC medication, I believe the primary purpose of medications is to resolve the symptoms, and not the underlying cause.<br><br>The sinus issues I had were severe. If I hadn't taken allergy medication, my nose would be, at the same time, congested and runny. And I'd often go through a box of tissues every two days. Heck, even with allergy medications, i would still go through a box a week.<br><br>I think the medication did reduce the mucous buildup inside my nose, which gave me relief, but did not 1. kill off the agents that was causing the allergic reaction, and/or prevented mucous production so when a virus did invade my nasal passages, could not put up a defense and the virus was able to make its way to the spinal cord.<br><br>This is why I believe it is important to treat the cause, rather than the symptoms. And the best thing is, they aren't mutually exclusive. You can treat the symptoms while trying to treat the cause.<br><br>We usually do this when we catch colds. There is no cure for the common cold, but we will take medication to treat the symptoms while the cold virus runs its course. <br><br>However, during all those months of taking allergy medications that worked for me (I spent years trying all sorts of allergy medications, and finally there were two that worked), I should have also continued my research in curing the cause, rather than masking the symptoms. Doctors are trained to rid us of our symptoms, so when I went to my ENT and told him that the allergy medication was working and I could breathe normally, of course, that was taken as good news and that was it until my next follow-up.<br><br>But I can't but think that the allergy medication somehow reduced my bodies ability to fend off invaders, and that is how I ended up with meningitis.<br><br>Of course, I will continue to take medications that resolve the symptoms when I catch a cold, but I will still continue with my "cold killer" diets and such when I get sick. They might not help with the symptoms, and they might not always reduce the duration of the cold (and in my case in 2012, did not prevent it from morphing into meningitis), but it is an effort to tackle the cause, and not just the symptoms.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34623222015-01-12T08:37:00-08:002015-01-12T08:38:16-08:00Tumeric Milk - My magic bullet for sinus issuesFor years, I have battled a nasty chronic sinus condition. Surgery was not an option since it was caused by allergies. Finally, about three years ago, I found relief in Allegra, but the effectiveness eventually wore off. Then I found Zyrtec to work pretty well, but it was two months agfter that when I came down with meningitis. For a year after that, my sinus problem was pretty manageable.<br><br>However, in November, 2013,my sinus condition came back worse than ever. I thought since it had been a couple of years since I had taken Allegra, it would help, but it brought very little relief. All Spring I had suffered, but in April, 2014, I started taking a supplement called serrapeptase, which is an enzyme thought to reduce inflammation, and also dissolve scar tissue.<br><br>This enzyme worked just as well as the allergy medication, enough so that I was able to stop taking allergy medication, but it really didn't solve my issue with the sinus.<br><br>I started taking serrapeptase on and off around September 2014, and in November 2014, again, the sinus issue got really bad, but not as bad as it did in 2013. I started taking serrapeptase regularly again, but wanted better relief. (As an aside, coincidentally or not, the pain and stiffness around my kneecap has gotten much better since I started taking the serrapeptase, which is a reason I continue to take it).<br><br>So, in late December, I learned about tumeric milk - which is adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder to milk and drinking it warm/hot. <br><br>For me, this has done the trick. Although my sinus issue hasn't completely gone away, it is 500x better than before. I haven't felt this clear in years. I still haven't regained my sense of smell, but I am hoping that will return also.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34590102015-01-09T06:23:00-08:002015-01-09T06:24:40-08:00Created an Author Page on FacebookI tried to do this years ago, but author wasn't one of the choices. And although "author" pages have been an option for a couple of years now, I just got around creating one.<br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/stevenfujitaauthor?ref=hl" target="_blank">Steven Fujita page on Facebook</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34575392015-01-08T09:53:00-08:002015-01-08T09:57:13-08:00My 2015 Writing ProjectsAfter devoting a lot of time to recovering from my spinal cord injury for the last 2 1/2 years, I am hoping to get back into fiction writing.<br><br>So, I am hoping this is the year I publish both the prequel and sequel to my first book, Sword of the Undead. My plan is to publish a three-in-one book, call it <i>Samurai Vampire: The Trilogy</i>. It will be 3 novella length stories. Book 1 will result in the first meeting between Yagyu Jubei and Lord Kageura. Book 2 will be Sword of the Undead, and Book 3 will be the modern day meeting between the 2 samurai.<br><br>My second fiction book I am hoping to write, but probably won't be finished this year, is a fictional account of my recovery from spinal cord injury. In my non-fiction book, <i>Toe Up to 10K, </i>I leave a lot of emotions out, and that book is really more of a "this is what happens when your spinal cord gets injured, and this is what I did to help my body overcome as much as it could." The book is a personal perspective, but I didn't devote any real time to inter-personal relationships.<br><br>A third book that I would like to complete this year, but may or may not be published is a sequel to <i>Toe Up to 10K. </i> I think this is the year that my body will be strong enough to run a 10K. Since I am injured at the T4 level, I am prone to an uncommon, but serious and potentially fatal condition when the body is physically overstressed, called AD (can't remember what it stands for). I need to be aware of that. That said, the sequel will cover my improvements since Fall, 2014 to present, and my journey and entry into a 5K or 10K race,<br><br>So, Happy New Year and Happy reading in 2015, everybody!Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34575382015-01-08T09:38:00-08:002015-01-08T09:57:08-08:00Will this be the year I run a 10K?It was early 2013, about 7 months after I had injured my spinal cord, that I decided to run a race as a symbol of my recovery. Ultimately, I decided the length would be 10K. However, at that time, I couldn't walk six blocks efficiently. <br><br>Around the summer of 2013, I felt strong enough to "jog" on the sand at the beach, but it was mostly form, and was probably no faster than my walking speed.<br><br>Finally, around Spring, 2014, I felt strong enough to sprint a little distance, but by the end of the year, I could never really sprint a longer distance than crossing the length of a short intersection. <br><br>Another improvement i made during the summer of 2014 was that my jogging speed improved, but my endurance was still lacking. I couldn't jog in one session, for more than 10 blocks.<br><br>So, now it is 2015. Last week, I felt another "leap of improvement" in my legs. I think I can get my legs strong enough to maintain somewhat of a pace to complete a 10K race, and also work up the endurance for the same. <br><br>So, let's hope this is the year I can complete a 10K race.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34196142014-12-19T12:26:00-08:002014-12-19T12:29:51-08:00Sony in a No Win SituationThe other day, Sony Pictures America decided to pull the movie, The Interview, completely. No theatrical release, no dvd release, etc. etc. <br><br><br>Sony is getting a lot of flack for this decision. "Cowardice" is a word I have come across a lot when reading people's reaction. <br><br><br>As a result of this "incident," Sony gets a lot of bad press, loses money, and the corporation gets called a coward.<br><br><br>But when Sony made the decision, this was probably the lesser of two evils. <br><br><br>What if Sony decided to go ahead and release the film anyway?<br><br><br>And one or more "terrorist-like" attacks took place and some fatalities took place. Then what?<br><br><br>Not only would Sony not hear the end of it, they would be burdened with so many lawsuits that it would not only cripple Sony Pictures, but perhaps the parent company.<br><br><br>I could hear it now, "Everybody knew about the threats and they went ahead anyway."<br><br><br>Sony was damned because it didn't, but would have been really damned if they did and something happened. <br><br><br>What really puzzles me is that the emotions seem to be displaced here. People seem to be more outraged at Sony for being hacked, than at North Korea for doing the hacking.<br><br><br>All boiled down, Sony is the victim of a crime. An international one at that. It's kind of like blaming a robbery victim for walking down a desolate street at night. Sure, the victim could have taken more precautions, but does a victim's vulnerability make a criminal act against him/her acceptable? No, it does not.<br><br><br>Then, there is the question of who? Depending on who is behind this, should determine how we, as a nation should respond.<br><br><br>If it were one or a group of individuals, then this is a matter for law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice. <br><br><br>However, what if it was State sponsored? Then, it is not a crime against an individual or entity of the United States, but an act of war against the nation of the United States. Just because it wasn't an attack on a military installation like Pearl Harbor, or Fort Sumter, doesn't make it less so. <br><br><br>I've gone a little off-topic here. Disappointed as I am in Sony for bowing to the hacker's demands, I would hate to have to think how I would have reacted had Sony decided to release the film and lives were lost as a result. <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34069962014-12-16T09:44:00-08:002014-12-16T17:16:34-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New YearI'm going to probably take the rest of the year off on blogging, but I'll still be tweeting. My tweets aren't subject specific all the time, so it's a little more "well-rounded." <br><br>If interested, follow me on twitter. My handle is wordsmithsteve.<br><br>Happy Holidays everybody and a Happy New Year.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34049902014-12-16T09:35:00-08:002014-12-16T09:37:25-08:00Article that summarizes Spinal Cord Injury levels and classificationsSpinal cord injury is a complicated subject. They can be complete or incomplete, occur at different levels of the spinal cord, and classifications can change as recovery takes place.<br><br>I found a great article in the sci-info-pages website.<br><br><a href="http://www.sci-info-pages.com/levels.html" target="_blank">Spinal Cord Injury Levels and Classifications</a> is a great summary on this issue.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/34003902014-12-15T07:30:00-08:002014-12-15T08:07:16-08:00Another short interview with me about my bookThis is a little old, but here is a short interview I did about the book with a book blog.<br><br><a href="http://bentoverbookwords.com/2014/11/19/interview-with-steven-fujita-author-of-toe-up-to-10k/" target="_blank">Bent Over Words</a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33912412014-12-12T06:00:00-08:002014-12-12T07:01:09-08:00Bowel Bladder and Sexual Function podcast transcript from Transverse Myelitis AssociationFinally, here is a transcript from a podcast from the Transverse Myelitis Association on bladder, bowel and sexual function in SCI patients.<br><br>I am a member of TMA (online, though. I've never physically attended any of their events, though one day in the future, I'd like to).<br><br><a href="https://myelitis.org/education/podcasts/managing-bladder-bowel-sexual-function-non-traumatic-spinal-cord-injury/" target="_blank">TMA podcast transcript</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33869602014-12-11T06:51:00-08:002014-12-11T06:54:15-08:00Proper way to poopContinuing with the digestion theme, I found a post yesterday that dealt with the proper way to evacuate.<br><br>One of the issues spinal cord injury patients deal with is that of evacuation. Many of us need to use suppositories and stool softeners to enable us to do this function. Others need to digital stimulation and do abdominal massages and rocking. And there are those who need to do both.<br><br>But some of us can get away from limiting the amount of the above strategies. I have not taken any suppositories or stool softeners since being discharged from the hospital. I rock back and forth sometimes, and digital stim even less and do abdominal massages even less.<br><br>I write about increased fiber consumption a lot. To a lesser extent, I write about exercise and moving around. <br><br>Well, even before my SCI, I used to wonder why sitting in the handicap stall in public restrooms would be more difficult for me. And now, many times, I will lift my legs up high while sitting, and it will sort of resemble a crouch. After reading the post below, now I know why.<br><br> <a href="http://fitlife.tv/what-is-the-proper-way-to-poop/" target="_blank">Proper way to poop</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33823792014-12-10T07:17:00-08:002014-12-10T08:13:23-08:00How @DelTaco and Chinese Take Out Helped Me Recover from Spinal Cord Injury pt 2.Part 1 covered how the bean burrito from Del Taco helped me with my bowel recovery.<br><br>This part will cover how a local Chinese Take Out restaurant, Wa Wa helped me recover.<br><br>Even before I suffered my spinal cord injury, I was a regular customer at Wa Wa. Hands down, it makes my top 5 Chinese food to eat in Long Beach, CA - not just price factored in, but also quality of the food. I'd stop in after work, or on my way home from the library, or the matinee on weekends. I think their made to order items are better than many sit down places. But enough of how much I like the food here - for that, you can read my reviews on Yelp.<br><br>Anyway, once the hospital approved me to eat regular food, I asked one of my friends to bring me their Wor Won Ton Soup. And if it wasn't my favorite soup at that time, it is now. After a month of being fed intravenously, or pureed foods, that soup hit the spot.<br><br>At this time, my bowels weren't working at all, so having this soup served two purposes: 1. It was like having my neighborhood brought to me at my hospital room, and I felt connected to my neighborhood. That was important because I'd end up spending 52 days in the hospital. 2. It tasted really good.<br><br>Their Wor Won Ton is full of vegetables, and I know it is fresh because once, before I got sick, I was passing by the place early in the morning and I saw them getting their vegetables delivered. And vegetables are among the most nutritious foods to consume, and contains a lot of fiber. So, needless to say, in addition to how much I like the taste of this soup, this soup helped with my nutritional and digestive needs.<br><br>But Wa Wa helped me most was my walking recovery. When I first moved back into my own place, I made it a goal to be able to walk there. It is located about 10 blocks from where I live. At first, I could only walk about half that distance, but I worked and worked until one day, I was able to pop in there. Of course, as a reward to myself I had lunch there. Fast forward two years later, and now, not only do I walk in there as if I hadn't suffered an injury to my spinal cord, but can also order to-go take out and carry the meal home.<br><br>During this entire ordeal, they have been really supportive throughout my recovery, which I appreciate a lot, so they've been a part of my recovery on several levels.<br><br>Here is the link to <a href="http://toeupto10k.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-deltaco-and-chinese-take-out-helped.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a><br><br>Check out <a href="http://goo.gl/uG1XEc" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K on Amazon.</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33777732014-12-09T07:06:00-08:002014-12-09T07:21:13-08:00How @DelTaco and Chinese Take Out Helped Me Recover from Spinal Cord injury - Pt 1When people talk about healthy eating, they usually don't mean fast food. However, the fast food chain, Del Taco, and a local Chinese take out place called Wa Wa Restaurant both played a role in my recovery from spinal cord injury.<br><br>When the spinal cord is damaged, it is not just the legs and arms that are affected. Several body functions also break down, such as temperature regulation, memory, and bowel and bladder functions (and many more areas).<br><br>First Del Taco - the 1/2 pound bean and cheese burrito from Del Taco helped me with my bowel recovery.<br><br>After being discharged from the hospital, I returned once a week to the hospital for physical and occupational therapy. On the way home, we would order a Fiesta Pack at a local Del taco. A Fiesta Pack consists of 6 regular beef tacos and 6 1/2 pound bean and cheese burritos<br><br>To backtrack a bit, in the first five months of my recovery from spinal cord injury, I had to do a bowel program called digital stimulation - this entailed someone other than me (until I regained enough mobility to do this myself), to pull out stool manually. Sometimes, if all the stool hadn't been removed, I'd have an accident some hours later, but I wouldn't know until the stool was already coming out.<br><br>The first time I ate the bean burrito (and a taco), within the hour, I had a feeling of having to go to the bathroom. What came out was a normal shaped stool, and came out naturally, on its own, without straining or without manual assistance. <br><br>The following week and the week after, the same thing, although not always within the hour, sometimes later that evening, or the next day. Usually, there was enough leftovers for me to have a second serving, so many times, I'd end up having two or three natural evacuations (in the morning, I'd still have to be checked to see if any stool was left to come out). But, having a natural evacuation in the morning was extra special because I wouldn't have to go through digital stimulation.<br><br>I'm sure it was the fiber content from the beans that was the catalyst. It made me realize the importance of adding fiber to my diet. Under the bowel program, the stool was being removed manually, but the burritos help me achieve a natural evacuation, and I think it made my muscles stronger since they had to push out the stool, and also re-trained my nerve-muscle communication to let me know when stool was ready to come out.<br><br>This may seem like TMI, but spinal cord injury affects several areas of the body, and all need to be addressed. I'm convinced that having these natural evacuations before I fully regained this function helped me recover faster. The bean burrito from Del Taco was the start of this realization between fiber and bowel recovery, and for that, Del taco has a soft spot in my heart (and I also really like the taste of their bean burritos (ask for green chili)).<br><div><br></div><div>Pt 2 will cover how Wa Wa Restaurant helped me recover in areas other than digestion.</div><div><br></div><div>Check Out <a href="http://goo.gl/uG1XEc" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K on Amazon</a>
</div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33734252014-12-08T07:39:00-08:002014-12-08T07:40:39-08:00My SCI Not in VainA while ago, I wrote out some thoughts stating that I feel my spinal cord injury has not been in vain. I ended up expanding on that thought, and the result ended up being a guest post on some blogs. The piece below has been modified a bit from the one that has been posted previously.<br><br><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A Tragedy Not in Vain<p></p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In June 2012, I was afflicted with meningitis. As a result, my spinal cord was damaged. The most visible consequence was my legs inability to move, thus, my inability to walk. The literature I read implied that movement would be regained between 2 – 12 weeks of the affliction, usually 4 – 6 weeks. I hadn’t moved my legs in 7 weeks. The literature also indicated that the longer it took for any initial movement to return, the less significant the recovery would be.<p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Admittedly, I’ve had a remarkable recovery. I walk at almost the speed I did before the injury, and unless you observed me closely, you probably couldn’t tell that I was ever paralyzed. The adjustments I now make to other areas that were affected are minor. But I would not want to relive the experiences of the last two years.<p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beginning with my time in the ICU, I lapsed into semi-consciousness, I couldn’t breathe independently, I couldn’t swallow, speak, move my legs, nor wiggle my toes. I had no control over my bladder or bowels. There was a chance I would be significantly brain damaged, and also the chance that I would not walk again. Actually, there was a chance that none of the functions I lost would return.<p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One by one, those functions did return – maybe not to the level of efficiency before the spinal cord injury, but well enough, if not almost completely. <p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wrote a book about my recovery, Toe Up to 10K: A Journey of Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury. Initially, I wanted to write a book because I found very little information about the recovery process from spinal cord injury. However, as I recovered more and more, I also wanted to document my recovery to give people an idea of what recovering from a spinal cord injury is like.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many times the prognosis for recovery will be bleak. But no one can predict what the outcome will be for any given individual. This is why even if one is told he/she will not walk again, it is important, especially in the beginning, to try – and to not give up easily. <p></p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br></span></div><br><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I won’t be stoic and say that my spinal cord injury was not a tragedy. It was. But it also gives me the opportunity to share my story, and if I could inspire one person into not giving up, then my injury has been in vain. <p></p></span></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33643482014-12-05T07:35:00-08:002014-12-05T07:37:38-08:00Video of meIt's rare to get me on video with audio, but here I am responding to a man on the street question posed by the Los Angeles Times.<br><br><a href="http://youtu.be/wJnUojZSh2k" target="_blank">Los Angeles in 3 words</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33599192014-12-04T07:27:00-08:002014-12-04T09:46:21-08:00Recovery vs. ImprovementI participate in spinal cord injury forums - and I think forums are a fantastic resource for any subject - you get to share your experiences and ideas with others, so people wouldn't have to reach goals/face obstacles themselves.<br><br>Recently, one form user reminded us that there is a difference between recovery and improvement. To summarize, recovery is a result, and improvement is a process. We may never recover 100%, but we are always improving.<br><br>This is so correct when thinking about spinal cord injury recovery. Each day, time heals a little bit more of our nerves (if it is a type of injury that is condusive to healing). And each time we exercise, we improve our strength. Even if we don't see improvement on a daily basis, we will see it if we view it in a longer time frame. <br><br>There will be only one time when we are recovered - that is when we have recovered 100%. But 100% of the time, we are improving.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33282862014-11-25T08:00:00-08:002014-11-25T13:46:35-08:00Thanksgiving and GratitudeThanksgiving, in the United States, we are taught, commemorates a harsh winter in the New England colony, when the colonists food ran out and the Native American tribes shared theirs, saving the colony from starvation.<br><br>Today, it is a day we reflect on everything we should be thankful for. <br><br>I believe being thankful and grateful is beneficial to one's health. Given the spinal cord injury i suffered two years ago, I am grateful and thankful to have recovered as much as I have. I am also grateful and thankful for all the support I have received.<br><br>Happy Thanksgiving. I will be taking a few days off from blogging until after this holiday, so this will probably the last post until early December.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33224142014-11-24T07:06:00-08:002014-11-24T07:34:08-08:00Be Happy Be HealthyWe have all heard of stories of studies which link happiness to health.<br><br>Here is another one. <a href="http://www.msn.com/en-ph/health/medical/a-bad-marriage-could-quite-literally-break-your-heart-new-research-suggests/ar-BBfctVZ" target="_blank">A Bad marriage Can Break Your Heart</a><br><br>According to this study, women who are unhappy in marriages have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than those who are happily married. In this study, the risk for men did not increase. However, I believe their have been other studies that show happy marriages benefit the health of both partners.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33139222014-11-21T08:38:00-08:002014-11-21T08:39:11-08:00Slow Improvements in Recovery Could be an IllusionWhen people are diagnosed with an injury to the spinal cord, often they are told, "within such and such a time..." And much of the references one finds on the internet will say, "such and such a time..."<br><br>Many people, including health professionals assume that after two years, your level of recovery is pretty much set. While this may be somewhat true, it is sort of misleading.<br><br>For people who have recovered a lot, there is less amount to be recovered, so it seems we are recovering less. But the field is shortened, so relatively, we are probably seeing the same amount of recovery, whether two months or two years. Using football as an example, if the opposing goal line represents full recovery, and spinal cord injury occurs at your own goal line, you have 100 yards of recovery. You gain 90 yards. Relatively, you've recovered 90%. Now you are at the opposing team's 10 yard line. You gain 9 yards. If you are at the beginning of recovery, 9 yards would represent a 9% recovery. But since your playing field is now 10 yards long, that 9 yards represent a 90% recovery from your current position.<br><br>So, in absolute terms, it might not seem you are recovering as fast as before, but relatively speaking, you are probably recovering just as fast as before - it just doesn't seem like it because you've shortened the playing field.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33095272014-11-20T09:09:00-08:002014-11-20T09:11:50-08:00Is Thinking Positive Enough?I was reading a critique about Tony Robbins, in which the reviewer stated that one of the flaws of all the self-help gurus out there is they promote an idea that positive thinking will overcome obstacles.<br><br>Those who know me know that I am a proponent of positive thinking, and have been a reader, viewer and listener of Tony Robbins for many years. Whether it is Tony Robbins, or other motivational speakers, this part of the message almost always seems to get misunderstood.<br><br>Regardless of how this statement is presented, positive thinking alone does not get you what you want. And most motivational speakers make this clear. <br><br>But this is an important aspect of self-help. Why? Because it is motivational. It is sort of like the ignition to get started on the road to success. Success is achieved not by thinking, but by action. However, if you think about a positive outcome, you will more likely act upon your thoughts, and those actions will be more diligent because you will care more about the result.<br><br>So, today's post is a shout out to all those motivational speakers out there who motivate us and get us to do things for ourselves instead of just daydreaming.<br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/33049292014-11-19T08:12:00-08:002014-11-19T08:17:45-08:00Customer Reviews on Amazon UKI meant to do this post a couple of weeks ago, but had trouble posting due to the computer I was using at that time.<br><br>This morning, I woke up to find I had a second customer review on Amazon UK. <br><br>As a author, I really really appreciate customer reviews (especially if they approve of the book). <br><br>That said, a shout out to ML. H and Golden J. Thank you very much for your kind reviews. <br><br>Read the reviews at <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B00NB3M2E0/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1416412926" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32992992014-11-18T07:35:00-08:002014-11-18T07:38:01-08:00Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry Host Reception for Veteran's CareThis news is about two weeks old, but Prince William and Prince Harry hosted a reception to pay tribute to those who participate in the care and rehabilitation of Bristish veterans of recent conflicts.<br><br> I damaged my spinal cord just by a freak coincidence of basically catching a cold and having that virus hit the spinal cord. Service members of all nations risk their lives in carrying out the duties thier nation's governments asks of them. As opposed to me, they placed their bodies in a situation which sustaining a spinal cord injury is very much a possibility.<br><br>This blogpost is a Shout Out to the Royal Hignesses and to Queen Elizabeth, who made a suprise appearance. <br><br>Here is the link to the story from the Royal's website. <a href="http://www.princehenryofwales.org/news-and-diary/the-duke-of-cambridge-and-prince-harry-host-reception-buckingham-palace-people-taking" target="_blank">Armed Services Rehabilitation</a><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32948922014-11-17T06:59:00-08:002014-11-17T07:01:46-08:00Running, the perfect participation sportI really hadn't heard of the Paralympics until August 2012, right after I was discharged from the hospital and Oscar Pistorius was in the headlines. Of course, Pistorius was in the headlines before that during the Olympics Games, but I wasn't paying attention tot he Olympics while in the hospital.<br><br>The Paralympics parallels the Olympic Games and is for those who have sustained disabilities. Although, not called the Paralympics at that time, it was started for a group of British WWII veterans who had suffered spinal cord injuries. <br><br>I started thinking about this because and also about sports for people in the position I am, really no longer disabled, but not really fully-abled either.<br><br>There are many sports that are for both wheel-chair participants and fully abled-bodied persons. Basketball comes to mind. There is wheel-chair basketball, and regular able bodied basketball.<br>I really wouldn't be able to participate in either. I am no longer a paraplegic, so I wouldn't qualify for that type of league, and given my "recovered, but not at pre-injury level" I really couldn't participate in a neighborhood pick-up game. The best I could do is to play a stationary version of H-O-R-S-E.<br><br>Tennis would present me with the same issues. I can't play wheelchair tennis, but there is no way I could compete with fully able bodied players. <br><br>That's where running comes in. Races are open to all levels of ability: those in wheelchairs, albeit these racers use tricked out wheelchairs for racing, the fully able bodied, and those who are like me, fully recovered, but not fully able bodied. And I wouldn't be competing directly with others, it would be with myself - competition with others would only be in finish placement, but it's not a matter of going against one another and having one winner and one loser.<br><br>Originally I had wanted to run a 10K as a way of objectively proving to myself that I have come back from my injury, but it really is the perfect sport because people of all levels can participate at the same event at the same time. Because of this, more so than most other sports, it is a sport of inclusion.<br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32823292014-11-14T08:33:00-08:002014-11-14T08:34:41-08:00Featured on Transverse Myelitis Association BlogI submitted a guest blog post to the Transverse Myelitis Blog and they published it yesterday. Hooray! I am very grateful they allowed me to share my story.<br><br>Here is the link: <a href="https://myelitis.org/resources/tma-blog/in-their-own-words/toe-10k-journey-recovery-spinal-cord-injury/" target="_blank"> My story</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32711962014-11-07T07:00:00-08:002014-11-07T07:39:48-08:00KaizenI have written about this before, and just did a guest blogpost about it, but Kaizen is a really good term. <br><br>Kaizen is a Japanese term that loosely means "continuous improvement over time." In practice it means that small changes over time leads to big improvement. <br><br>For me, it was the realization that my recovery wasn't spontaneous. It was a gradual process, even in the beginning, when the improvements seemed to be great. Also, it was a process that was augmented by hard physical work. It's not that I woke one day was able to breathe strong enoughto be taken off the respirator - well, yes, but each day I worked on my lungs and then the lungs were tested each day to see if I was well enough to breathe independently.<br><br>The same for walking and standing. First my toes moved, then my legs, then I slowly gained strength, enough for me to stand with assistance, then to walk a few steps with assistance, then graduated to a walker, then to crutches, then to a cane.<br><br>Doctors and other healthcare professionals sometimes put benchmarks on improvements, but I think as long as you work to improve incrementally, you will experience big changes as a result of all the small improvements.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32699082014-11-06T12:30:00-08:002014-11-06T13:05:46-08:00Stay GoldThis is a condensed version of a guest blogpost I wrote. <br><br>In the novel, <i>The Outsiders</i>, by S.E. Hinton, the character Johnny tells Ponyboy to "Stay Gold."<br><br>It is based on Robert Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay."<br><br>There are several interpretations of the way the novel uses the line, as well as the meaning of the poem.<br><br>I have been using this term a lot lately, since the last time I saw the movie a few months ago. I've felt like re-reading the book for the past couple of months.<br><br>When I tell a person to stay gold. I mean it a little differently than the novel or the poem. To me, Stay gold means to stay strong; stay positive. Gold medals are awarded to champions. To stay gold means to stay a champion.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32562372014-10-29T06:04:00-07:002014-10-29T09:46:19-07:00My Spinal Cord Injury has Not in Been in VainI may or may not be able to post the rest of this week, and into middle of next week. <br><br>I've been asked to write some guest blogposts, and I'll probably link those posts into this blog when the time comes. This is because when I write guest blogposts, I try to be a little bit more detailed. And my posts here are more of a chit-chat - so they are similar, but a little different. <br><br>That said, my topic for today is My Spinal Cord Injury Has Not Been in Vain. It was a tragic event and I wouldn't want to go through what I have been through to recover. However, there is a silver lining. That is I recovered nearly completely, and I get to share my story (with anybody who will listen to me talk or read my book). My spinal cord injury has not been in vain because I believe someone who faces an obstacle will read my story and be inspired. And if it turns out that I have helped at least one person out by sharing my story, then the injury has not been in vain.<br><br>This is also a reason why I encourage other people who have faced obstacles to share their stories.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32541052014-10-28T08:41:00-07:002014-10-28T08:42:24-07:00Lazy BowelI learned a new term this week. It is called lazy bowel.<br><br>I have noticed that ever since I injured my spinal cord, my digestive system has been kind of slow. If I didn't augment the process by eating as much fiberous foods as i do now, I might go days at a time, or would need to use suppositories or laxatives regularly.<br><br>I still don't go everyday, but I do manage at least 5 days a week, and many weeks, I will have a bowel movement all seven days of the week - although I will sometimes practice DS, but this practice, too is uncommon for me nowadays.<br><br>This seems to be a common problem with people who have sustained spinal cord injury. A change in diet to include more fiber has benefited me greatly. But, remember to drink more water when consuming more fiber.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32521192014-10-27T07:00:00-07:002014-10-27T07:04:04-07:00Inspirational Story: Zachary PickettIt's been so long I've numbered an inspirational story that I will officially stop numbering them.<br><br>Here is a story I read during a summer,but had forgotten about until now.<br><br>For some reason, I was remembering an episode of Get Smart - the KAOS agent was in a wheelchair, so CONTROL was on the lookout for a man in a wheelchair.<br><br>When Max sees this, he says to the man, "I thought you couldn't walk."<br><br>The KAOS agent replied, "I can't, but I can run."<br><br>Just because one cannot walk doesn't mean participation in sports is eliminated from one's life. We see wheelchair basketball and para-olympics. However, in almost all these cases, adaptations are made for the participant. There are very few stories in which someone who lost the ability to walk compete athletically with those who have the ability to walk - without any adaptive gears.<br><br>Zachary Pickett is a young man who was a water polo player at his high school. He injured his spinal cord in a diving accident.<br><br>He's inspirational in at least two fronts - 1. He walked at his graduation. 2. He continued to play water polo after his injury. <br><br>This specific article appeared on the website Purpose 2 Play, but many media outlets covered his story.<br><br><a href="http://www.purpose2play.com/endure/paralyzed-teen-paraplegic-water-polo-player-walks-across-stage-graduation/" target="_blank">Zachary Pickett's story</a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32483862014-10-24T06:14:00-07:002014-10-24T06:16:00-07:00Music good for well-beingI have written about using music as an inspiration. Here is an article that was one of the headlines on the MSN homepage. It is 10 ways music is good for your well-being.<div><br></div><div>For me, during the course of my recovery, I have used different songs as anthems to get me through certain stages of the recovery. "You Raise Me Up," by Josh Groban when I was in the Cardiac Care Unit, and "Carry On," by Fun. when I was walking again "well enough," but improvements had slowed down, but I knew I had the capability to improve/recover even more. </div><div><br></div><div>Here is the article: <a href="http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/10-ways-music-can-boost-your-well-being/ss-BBaGcxo#image=11" target="_blank">10 Ways Music is Good for well-being</a>
</div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32465532014-10-23T06:18:00-07:002014-10-23T08:26:35-07:00New Facebook PageI started a Facebook Page that shares the same name as this blog and my book.<br><br>I wanted a page for my book, but also wanted to share SCI stories on Facebook. <br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toe-Up-to-10K/1525167831060397?ref=hl" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K page on Facebook</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32460422014-10-22T19:13:00-07:002014-10-22T20:46:21-07:00Self-PublishingI was asked in a writer's message board/forum today about self-publishing and my condensed answer was so long that the reply probably would have taken up more space than the entire webpage, so I'm posting my answer here. Even so, what I have written is just the tip of the iceberg.<br><br>So bottom line, how much more expensive is it to self-publish than try to sell to a traditional publisher - probably $1000 - $4000 depending on how much of the you do yourself. Because all the money you spend on promotion would be spent by you anyway unless the publisher thought it had a best-seller on its hands. Then, you would save on publicity costs, and your only expense is the creation of the book, which would still cost $1000 to $2000 or more, again depending on how you you spend on proofreading and editing before sending the manuscript to publishing houses..<br><br><br><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 16.069873809814453px;">Self-publishing is evolving constantly and the environment is certainly different than it was 4 years ago. And practices might change even a month from the time I write this. </span></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">All three of my books were done differently - and a lot had to do with technology at the time, and what kind of reach I wanted with the book.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I won't write about how my thinking (and the industry itself) has evolved because it would take a long time to explain, but here is the decision making process I made for the most recent book, Toe Up to 10K. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1. I wanted the book to be in eBook and physical format. However, the packagers that offer both physical and eBook distribution don't offer the best royalties for eBooks, or, in some cases, the physical book. So, at this point, I decided to utilize one company for the eBook and one company for the physical book. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2. For the eBook, I then had to decide whether I would convert and upload myslef, or hire a eBook publisher to do it.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> A. The three major eBook devices (Kindle, Nook, and Kobo) all allow authors to upload for free. Getting sales recorded and faster payments are two benefits of uploading to sites yourself. However, that's three separate conversions and uploads you would have to do, and you would have to create an account with each as well. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> B. I used BookBaby to do the conversions for me and distrubute it to the ebook retailers. They have several packages. I used the premium for $299 because you get 100% royalties from the ebbok retailer as if you uploaded them yourself. If you use a cheaper package, I think they keep 15% of your royalty share. The downside is that i have to wait months before the retailers report sales back to BookBaby (I believe it is the same with Smashwords below).</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> C. There is a company called Smashwords that is similar, but you have to convert your document to Smashwords compatible and then they would upload it to the various ebook retailers. They wil distribute for free, but they keep 15% of your royalty share. If you can't convert to Smashwords compatible, then you need to hire someone and I don't know how much that would cost.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3. If I just wanted an eBook, it would have ended with me using BookBaby for the distribution, and I would be done, but I wanted a physical book, too. So, I went and compared the self-publishers, and decided CreateSpace was the best match for me. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> A. They are affiliated with Amazon, so if a book sells on Amazon, you get an immediate recording of the sale (rather than 2 - 6 months); their royalty rates are good, and they have a do it yourself conversion tool. I tried, but could not format it properly for them because it contained tables and outlines, and they too, considered it a complex layout. This cost me about $700, but if the book were just text, like a novel, it would have cost much less. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> B. They have a create your cover for free option. Unfortunately, the cover you make using their cover creater will be too small a file for using it elsewhere. I created my cover with CreateSpace, but had to re-create it - I think I used MS-Word - for the eBook version. But I was able to re-create one close enough that it's hard to tell the difference. You can probably also go to Fiverr.com and hire someone to design a cover for you for $5 bucks.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> C. I think their osts for author's copies were lower than the other companies I compared them with.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">So, the actual distribution of the book is quite reasonable, and your royalties will be much larger than a traditional publisher. The real money pit is in the writing and the promotion of the book. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">For self-publishing, my costs were $299 for the eBook distribution, plus $19 for the eBook ISBN, and $700 for the physical book distribution (ISBN was free), for a total of $1018.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">However, the costs of publishing a book is mostly eaten in the creation and promotion of the book. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1. The copies of each draft I made at FedEx so I could proofread probably cost me over $100.</div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2. I probably spent about $1200 on proofreading and editing (cheaper to find someone on your own than to use the distributors editorial service). </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3. I did the covers myself so that was free, but the packagers will charge about $200 to make a cover - or you can find someone local or on the internet (Fiverr for $5 bucks) to design a cover for you. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4. Promotion is the big expense. For the vampire book, I probably spent over $5000 in Facebook ads, sponsoring websites, taking ads out in newspapers, traveling, book fairs. For the personal finance book, the publicity budget ws $0 because I got sick soon thereafter. And for "Toe Up," I've spent probably about $1200 so far,mostly due to a press release I sent out via PR Newsire and multiple online promotion campaigns via book promtion companies, such as PumpUpYour Books.com, Book Viral, and others. My original plan was to budget $1000 for this book, but I've past that already, but I think I'll keep it under $3000 - hopefully under $2000. </div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br></div><div data-redactor="1" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #141414; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14.462886810302734px; line-height: 16.069873809814453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.05pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The above information is condensed because I can go on and on and expand the discussion on each of the items above, but the above is some idea of what to consider when self-publishing. But would I continue to do it? Definitely. Creative control, higher royalty payments and really, most of the costs are expenses that would come out of my pocket with a traditional publisher anyway.<p></p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.05pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.05pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The one negative about self-publishing is that I really can’t time the release date accurately. It’s just whenever the book hits the retailer uploads them. But with good planning, this can be overcome as well.<p></p></span></div>
</div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32445702014-10-22T05:30:00-07:002014-10-22T06:02:23-07:00Tristan's Road to RecoveryI have written about Tristan before. He is the young man who injured his spinal cord as a result of a diving accident.<br><br>The expenses associated with spinal cord injury, as with any other major medical condition is staggering. Not only is there a lot of medical follow-ups, but the costs of rehab, the non-medical adaptive devices, etc. etc.<br><br>If you would like to help, a page has been set up at <a href="http://gofundme.com/">GoFundMe.com</a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32426832014-10-21T08:07:00-07:002014-10-21T08:27:04-07:00Finding Inspiration - A Guest blog post onthe Zen ReaderRecently, I did a series of posts about where i find inspiration.<br><br>I compiled a list and wrote a guest blogpost that appeared in the blog, the Zen Reader.<br><br><a href="http://thezenreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Zen Reader</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32406522014-10-20T05:00:00-07:002014-10-20T06:06:08-07:00Gratitude - on Zensanity BlogAs part of my publicity tour, I have been asked to guest blog.<br><br>The first two I did are based on topics I've covered here, but more organized.<br><br>Here is a guest blogpost on gratitude, which appeared on the blog, "Zensanity."<br><br><a href="http://zensanity.blogspot.com/2014/10/gratitude-by-steven-fujita-author-of.html" target="_blank">Gratitude - Zensanity blog</a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32371722014-10-17T07:19:00-07:002014-10-17T07:22:14-07:00My new favorite review for Toe Up to 10KThank you BookViral for this great review<br><br><br><a href="http://bookviral.com/toe-up-to-10k/4586942610" target="_blank">Book Viral Review for Toe Up to 10K</a><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32371712014-10-17T07:13:00-07:002014-10-17T07:22:10-07:00Irony of Spinal Cord Injury and Fitness #fitfam<br>Yesterday, I tweeted When recovering from spinal cord injury, every day is leg day, and core day, and arm day and ____ day. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fitfam?src=hash">#fitfam</a> whatever your day, be great<br><div><br></div><div>I follow, and have quite a few followers who are fitness oriented. Certain days are designated for certain types of workouts. These days are called, "Leg Day," "Chest Day," etc. And this is generally done to maintain the fitness of these areas. I'm also sure the exercises for these days are customized to the needs of that area - whether these areas only need maintenance, or some extra work. </div><div><br></div><div>For those of us who have regained some mobility and strength, it's important to do work on all areas each day, but go through weeks/months with the emphasis on a particular area. For many people, including me, that would be the legs - but depending on my situation, exercises were changed to emphasize different parts of the leg.</div><div><br></div><div>And I walk - I try to walk at least 10 blocks each day, sometimes two miles or more. I have noticed that when I don't go out for a walk for a couple of days, my muscles stiffen and I cannot walk as well as long. </div><div><br></div><div>Here's where my tweet comes in. As much as I can on a daily basis (and sometimes the muscles just need to rest, but something everyday - doesn't have to be excruciating every day) - not only do I work on my legs, but I also work on my core and arms. I work with a kettlebell and plank each day - in addition to my walks.</div><div><br></div><div>I was working with a kettlebell even while in a wheelchair, and at the hospital, my occupational therapist always had me on weight training exercises. This is because the stronger the upper body is, the less pressure it puts on the legs. Also, once I was walking quite competently, my balance was still suffering. This is when a physical therapist had me start planking to strengthen my core. I'm convinced that planking has helped me regain my balance tremendously, but being above the legs, I'm convinced that it has also helped me with my walking by placing even less pressure on the legs to do the work. </div><div><br></div><div>Spinal cord injury also wrecks havoc on bowel functions. I'm very fortunate that my bowel functions returned enough that I no longer need to be on a bowel maintenance program/routine. However, this is also due to a change in diet. I consume much more fiber now than before I got sick. So, I am eating healthier now than before I got sick. </div><div><br></div><div>I still have mobility issues - my legs are stiff; I still have occassional spinal cord related bowel issues; I still can't run "full speed" for more than the distance to cross a street.</div><div><br></div><div>What's the irony? I think I am more fit now than before I got sick. I wasn't out of shape before, but now, I eat better, and have more targeted workouts. And when I was in the hospital, I lost over 20 pounds. I've gained about 7 pounds back, but an increase in waist size has not accompanied the pounds back. So the weight gain is probably due to muscle gain. </div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32353842014-10-16T07:09:00-07:002014-10-16T07:10:03-07:00Ambitious #Book Club on FacebookHere is a Book Club that is a Facebook community page that I like and wish it success. It has been around for a while, I'm sorry I didn't come across this page sooner. <br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmbitiousBookClub?fref=nf" target="_blank">Ambitious Book Club</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32353742014-10-16T06:00:00-07:002014-10-16T06:44:08-07:00Finding Inspiration: VisualizationWhile in high school, I read the book, <i>The Silva Mind Control Method</i>, by Jose Silva. The book introduced me to the concept of visualization. Visualization helped me perform better on tests, and I used visualization alot until I graduated from college. Then I stopped, until I read Antyhony Robbins, book <i>Unlimited Power.</i> <br><div><br></div><div>I still read and listen to motivational speakers, but I generally do a half-hearted job of the using the techniques, now days, except when I was recovering from spinal cord injury. But even then, I concentrated on the walking part, and not on other issues. </div><div><br></div><div>When you set a goal, then visualize you acheiving the goal, it is like a premonition, and then your sub-conscious starts working to acheive it. When you see yourself acheiving your goal, it motivates and inspires you. Give it a try. </div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32334472014-10-15T06:30:00-07:002014-10-15T06:41:23-07:00Finding Inspiration: Motivational Speakers, esp. Tony RobbinsI've been listening to motivational speakers since high school<i>. </i>Before Tony Robbins came on the scene, I think they were called self-help authors/speakers.<br><br>I had read books by others, such as Dennis Waitley, but the book that put everything together was <i>Unlimited Power </i>by Antrhony Robbins. I had seen Robbins on tv, and liked what he was saying, but I couldn't afford to attend his seminars. One day, I picked up this book, and all the stuff that I had been reading the last few years all came together. I found out that one of the first authors re: self improvement was Jose Silva. Silva's book, <i>The Silva Mind Control Method</i>, happened to be the book that got me interested in the art of visualization.<br><br>Anyway, it doesn't matter who you listen to, and there are many, but motivational speakers, do just that - they motivate you. <br><br>When I was recovering, I started listeing to some old Anthony Robbins CDs. Granted, I didn't do the exercises - although I had done them years ago, and it wouldn't have hurt to do them again - but listening to these motivational talks inspired me, and I believed they helped me get better, faster.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32317102014-10-14T09:05:00-07:002014-10-14T09:07:58-07:00Virtual Book Tour BeginsI just started a virtual book tour for my book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery/dp/1500669008/ref=tmm_pap_title_0" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K</a>. A big shout out to <a href="http://pumpupyourbook.com/">Pumpupyourbook.com</a> and @LiteralExposure for arranging this. <br><br>Here is my tour page. The links within the page go to the websites most current, since this page was created before I actually appear on those sites. If you click on them after the date - type in Toe Up to 10K in the search field, and it should go the page that features me.<br><br><a href="http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2014/09/17/pump-up-your-book-presents-toe-up-to-10k-virtual-book-publicity-tour/" target="_blank">October Pump Up Your Book Virtual Tour Schedule for Toe Up to 10K</a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32316672014-10-14T08:42:00-07:002014-10-14T08:45:32-07:00October Book Tour Schedule for Toe Up to 10K<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Taking a break today from the Finding Inspiration set of blogposts. I started a virtual book tour for<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery/dp/1500669008/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1413299200&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Toe Up to 10K</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> last week, and will last until December 5, 2014. <p></p></span>
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">A big Shout Out to PumpUpYourBook.com for arranging this tour.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tour is not exclusive, I will still be doing interviews and stuff on my own, but this will be a big help. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So, I've got only a couple more topics on the Finding Inspiration set of blogposts,but today, I wanted to post my first stop. <p></p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It'll be a mixture of interviews, me guest blogging and blog mentions. The good thing about this is that it is virtual, and I get to do the work from home. <p></p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Here is my first "stop." </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br></span></div><br><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://reviewfromhere.com/2014/10/08/interview-with-steven-fujita-author-of-toe-up-to-10k/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Review From Here Interview</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><p></p></span>
</div><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32298952014-10-13T08:18:00-07:002014-10-13T08:51:52-07:00Finding Inspiration: HumorWhen I was released from the hospital, I spent four months rehabilitating at my parents' home. During this time, whenever possible, I watched episode after episode of comedies, such as <i>I Love Lucy, Mork and Mindy, the Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart,</i> and several short film of the Three Stooges.<br><br>I believe laughter is a great benefit to recovery. It improves your mood and attitude, both of which I believe are beneficial to health.<br><br>When I was in college, my roommate and I discussed who is funnier, The Three Stooges, or the Marx Brothers. During this debate, he mentioned Norman Cousins, a university professor who maintained that humor was a vehicle to defeat illness.<br><br>It's not too hard. After all, smiling takes up less effort than a frown.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32265492014-10-10T07:45:00-07:002014-10-10T07:50:04-07:0041D Man of Valor - Book ReviewGenerally, I focus stories on individuals who overcame or are overcoming spinal cord injuries, but thought I'd share a book review I wrote about a LAPD SWAT officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2008. His wife wrote a book after his death. My connection is that his wife's sister is a friend of mine from work.<br><br>Normally, I wouldn't have picked this book up, but for my connection with my friend. And boy am I glad I did because it was a really good read.<br><br>If you want to check out the book, here is the link to the Amazon page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/41-Man-Valor-Officer-Simmons/dp/1475937059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412916307&sr=8-1&keywords=41D+man+of+valor" target="_blank">41D Man of Valor</a><br><br>Here is my take on the book:<br><br><br><div class="MsoNormal">Disclosure: I know the author’s sister, but have never met the author, or had I ever met Randy Simmons. Disclosures are to inform the reader of the review of any chance of bias. And it’s a good practice because it’s hard to be unbiased when you are only two degrees of separation from the author.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><p></p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br></div><div class="MsoNormal">That said, it doesn’t matter how many degrees of separation are between me and the author, Lisa Simmons – whether zero or a hundred, the book is a WOW! It is categorized as a biography/autobiography/memoir. It is mostly a biography of Randy Simmons and a memoir of Lisa’s life she had with Randy. Lisa’s autobiographical narrative blends in with her memoirs. <p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br></div><div class="MsoNormal">Randy Simmons was a SWAT officer in the Los Angeles Police Department. On February 8, 2008, he became the first LAPD SWAT officer killed in the line of duty. <i>41D Man of Valor</i>, is his story.<p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The book starts off as a biography of Randy Simmons, from his childhood in New York, high school in California, college in Washington, and back to California, from his interest in football to religion, and his parents’ influence. Once he meets Lisa, the book shifts slightly to a memoir/biography, but the focus is clearly on Randy. But now, instead of his parents’ influence on him, it is Randy’s influence with the community he served, both on and off duty, and the family he loved. Simmons ends the book with the aftermath of Randy’s death, and her quest to live a “new normal.” Although Lisa and the children are the clear focus on this part of the book, Randy still has a big presence in their lives, and it is obvious, always will.<p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br></div><div class="MsoNormal">No doubt, Randy Simmons was an inspirational man. That in itself would make this book worth reading. What makes this book special is the love that permeates from the pages of the book to your fingers to your heart. Lisa Simmons does a great job in conveying this - not in any specific sentence, or paragraph, or any one incident – but in the totality of the writing.<p></p>
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, even though a biography an autobiography/memoir are mutually exclusive terms, in this case, it is an accurate categorization. However, there is one more word that adds to the description: Tribute. It’s a tribute to a man dedicated to his profession; it is a tribute to a man who gave his life to the community he served; it is a tribute to a man who inspired others. Most of all, it is a tribute to a loving husband, father, son and brother. Let’s make that a heart-warming tribute.<p></p>
</div><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32265482014-10-10T07:30:00-07:002014-10-10T07:49:43-07:007th Annual Randy Simmons 5K, Bike Ride, Crossfit Challenge - Los Angeles, Oct 11For those of you who live in the LA area.<br><br>I won't be able to make this event, but it is for a good cause.<br><br>Tomorrow, October 11, 2014, is the 7th Annual Randy Simmons 5K, Bike Ride, Crossfit Challenge.<br><br><a href="http://www.active.com/los-angeles-ca/running/distance-running-races/7th-annual-randy-simmons-5k-bike-ride-crossfit-challenge-2014" target="_blank">Click here for the event's webpage</a><br><br>I've copied and pasted the following from the event website:<br><br><br><br><br><header class="sectionheader" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 3px;"><h3 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaNova-Sbold, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: capitalize;">About This Activity</h3></header><br><div class="sectioncontent" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div class="row" style="margin-left: -20px; margin-right: -20px;"><div class="asset-summary span8" style="float: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px; margin-left: 20px; width: 620px;">
<div id="event-details-summary" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 10px;"></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">On October 11, 2014, The Los Angeles Police Department will be honoringh LAPD SWAT Officer Randy Simmons in their 7th Annual 5K Run, Crossfit Challengeand Bike Ride.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Officer Randy Simmons was the first LAPD SWAT Officer to be killed in the line of duty. He was an extraordinary Police Officer, a positive role model and a constant mentor for "at risk" youth. In honor of his humanitarian spirit, LAPD's Metro Division has this annual event to support The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation's mission is to help provide assistance to kids and their families in undeserved areas of Los Angeles. Come partner with us in this mission.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Thank you in advance for your support</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Lisa Simmons</div>
<h4 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #333333; font-family: ProximaNova-Sbold, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Event details and schedule</h4>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">5K Challenge Run begins at 8:00 am</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">25/50 Mile Bike Tour begins at 8:00 am</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Cross Fit Challenge begins at 9:00 am</div>
</div></div></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32247512014-10-09T06:34:00-07:002014-10-10T06:42:24-07:00Finding Inspiration: Gratitude and AttitudeIn 2013, once I had moved back into my own home, and was somewhat mobile, I was having lunch with a friend of mine, and he said, "If you didn't keep your frustrations in check, you would have found that no one would have been visiting you by the time you left the hospital,...or even asking about you after you left."<br><div><br></div><div>I would be lying if I said I never experience bitterness over this ordeal I went through, but for the most part, I feel gratitude. I am grateful that I recovered as well as I did, for the support I received, and for the opportunity to write about it. Perhaps my experiences will help someone else who find him/herself in a similar situation.</div><div><br></div><div>There is a tweeter I follow on Twitter. His name is Steven Webb, and he maintains blog, and is writing a book about his experiences living with spinal cord injury, called <i>Lots of Downs, But No Outs. </i>
</div><div><i><br></i></div><div>He talks about attitude a lot. And the way I interpret many of his posts and tweets is that life hands you a certain hand, but what you do with that hand is up to you. He has a really good saying about attitude, and now, as I write this post, I cannot find it, but I would like to share a blogpost he did about gratitude. It is titled, <a href="http://themovingroad.com/practising-gratitude/" target="_blank">Practising Gratitude,</a> and I love this post. </div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32229352014-10-08T07:54:00-07:002014-10-08T08:02:18-07:00Finding Inspiration: AffirmationsI love affirmations. Problem is, I don't do a good job of sticking to them anymore.<br><br>When I was a teen-ager and young adult, I used to recite affirmations a lot. Not that they'd always get me what I wanted, but they were usually useful when me achieving a certain test score. I think that is because I worked to complement the affirmation.<br><br>One affirmation I came across, recently, was a familiar one that I used to recite a lot. It seems to be a standard one among self help advocates: It goes like this: "Everyday, in every way, I am better and better." You just keep repeating it over and over, so it settles into your sub-conscious. <br><br>I think reciting affirmations is a very good way to inspire yourself.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32122422014-10-01T07:54:00-07:002014-10-01T07:56:22-07:00Finding Inspiration through kaizenThis is probably my last post for the next seven days. The topic for the day is Kaizen, and I embrace it more as each day passes.<br><br>Kaizen is a Japanese term which has no exact English translation, but loosely translated, it means continuous improvement over time. In practical terms, small steps forward lead to noticeable improvements.<br><br>It was the concept Toyota used to rise from being a non-threat to the U.S. auto companies to becoming the number 1 selling car company.<br><br>It is also the name of my friend's karate dojo.<br><br>So, I had been familiar with the term, but never really gave it a serious thought as to how it applied to my life.<br><br>But around a year ago, September 2013, I decided to try walking without a cane, for the most part, and to walk a long distance of around four or five miles. I succeeded. But from that point on, for several months, I didn't notice any improvements, until around springtime of 2014, when I seemed to have made sudden significant improvement in my abilities. What happened was that I decided to time myself on certain tasks, such as going to the supermarket. Although I didn't feel like I was walking faster since the last time i had timed myself, I was walking considerably faster.<br><br>This did not happen by itself. It was the result of small unnoticeable improvements I had been making the previous six months.<br><br>I tried a way to think of about this improvement, and realized is the term, "Kaizen." To know that every little improvement does its part to manifest into a big noticeable change did a lot to motivate and inspire me to work harder at my recovery.<br><br>I thought this term was so significant, that I named a chapter in my book, "Kaizen," to describe this period of my recovery.<br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32105952014-09-30T08:50:00-07:002014-09-30T08:52:13-07:00Finding Inspiration: FilmMovies are another source of inspiration for me, and the movie doesn't have to be an overcome all odds type to be inspirational, but it helps.<br><br>There were two that came into my mind a lot while I recovered.<br><br>Both of these movies are mentioned in my book, Toe Up to 10K<br><br>One was a little known James Cagney film titled, City For Conquest. It is based on a novel, but the movie focuses on the character played by James Cagney. In it, he plays a truck driver, but goes into professional boxing to "win" his girlfriend back from a career of ballroom dancing. In the title fight, he is blinded by his opponent who uses a dirty tactic. The character does not turn bitter. He accepts his situation for what it is,makes the best of it, and is always optimistic about his future. Cagney is known for playing "tough guys," whether being a "gangster" or a "smart aleck," but in a way, this was probably the toughest character he played.<br><br>Another wasn't exactly a movie, but a Japanese mini-series that lasted 12 episodes. This series was called Rookies, and it was based on a Japanese manga by Masanori Morita, about a group of delinquent kids, who are good in the inside, but really enjoy playing baseball. Their dream is to play in the All-Japan high school baseball championship. And just like these kids had a dream to play in the championship, I had a dream to walk again. Their teacher and coach, constantly encouraged them and motivated them, and I imagined that he was talking to me as well.<br><br>Although I didn't utilize the film Rudy, with Sean Astin, it is another one of my favorite inspirational films. There are lots of movies out there that are inspirational. Find a couple that reach you in the right spot and use that as a vehicle as part of your recovery.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32084722014-09-29T07:21:00-07:002014-09-29T07:23:52-07:00Get to Know Me a Little Bit more - Author InterviewIn this blog, I mainly write about things that deal with spinal cord injury, directly or indirectly, and you'd have to go over to my profile to get a summary of me.<br><br>I did an interview, on a bookblog, which was posted yesterday, about me and my book on spinal cord recovery.<br><br>I thought I'd share it on this blog. I think it's a nice combination of getting to know a little bit more about me outside of the spinal cord injury, while getting a little more insight about the book, Toe Up...<br><br>Here is the link to the interview site, called <a href="http://www.bethsbookreviews.com/2014/09/author-interview-steven-fujita-author.html" target="_blank">Beth's Book Reviews</a>.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32050212014-09-26T06:30:00-07:002014-09-26T07:03:58-07:00Finding Inspiration: MusicWhen I transferred from the ICU to the Cardiac Care Unit, it was when I started thinking about "how am I going to walk again?" One of the first things that popped into my mind was Josh Groban's rendition of "You Lift Me Up." I'm not religious, but this song keep replaying in my mind, and I sort of adopted this as my anthem in the early stages of my recovery. <br><br>Later on, when I was pretty mobile, a song called "Carry On," by the band, Fun, became my anthem, mostly because of one line in the song regarding legs, which I will not repeat due to copyright laws. Technically, the song is not about someone recovering from spinal cord injury, but I adapted it to fit my situation. <br><br>Songs are subjective and different people will get different things out of each. The above two examples are one's I used to help me recover from my spinal cord injury. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32032592014-09-25T07:07:00-07:002014-09-25T07:09:16-07:00Finding Inspiration: People on the internetSomething that inspired and motivated me was reading about other people who overcame obstacles.<br><br>The two main sources for me are the news stories and uploaded video sites, such as Youtube.<br><br>Offhand, I remember watching a clip from a Korean talent show about a young man (who I believe is now an opera singer) who was homeless from age 5 - 15. I remember a Mongolian boy who lost his mother when he was 8, and then his father a couple of years later. Then there was Susan Boyle. Nobody expected her to sing the way she did when she first appeared in front of Simon Cowell and the other judges.<br><br>And then there the stories that make the news media: like the college student who got a cut on a zipline and a flesh eating bacteria entered her body, and local news stories from around the country about people who were paralyzed as a result of West Nile, or a rare neurological condition and walked again, or damaged spinal cord due to an accident , was told they would not walk again, and walked again. Some of these stories are similar to mine, and I get inspired and motivated by reading about others who overcame obstacles similar to mine.<br><br>Then there are social media sites. When a tragedy occurs, people will start creating pages or blogs to keep people informed of progress. This blog is one. I wish I started this while in the early stages of recovery. When reading about other people working hard to overcome their obstacles, it inspires me to work hard with them to overcome mine, even if they are strangers, and even if I will never meet them in person during my lifetime.<br><br>I think one of the greatest uses of the internet and social media is for people who don't know each other personally, to create a virtual community, and support each other.<br><br>I think surfing the internet has helped my recovery for it put me in contact with stories of other people who overcame or are overcoming obstacles of their own, whether it is similar to mine or not.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/32014482014-09-24T07:14:00-07:002014-09-24T07:53:43-07:00Who I want to target with my Message of Hard Work and DeterrminationI read another account, actually it was a comment made in another "Doctors said she wouldn't walk again, but did" story. The commentator commented that the story implied that that those who did not regain the ability to walk were lazy.<br><br>And that's not true. Sometimes I am conflicted about sharing my story because I know it is not possible for some people to regain their ability to walk no matter how much they try. On the other hand, I want to reach out to those who have been diagnosed with Spinal Cord Injury and encourage them to work hard to try and walk again because many times, doctors cannot with absolute certainty, predict who will walk again and who will not walk again.<br><br>The following are my comments I made to this story: <br><br>When I was first told I had an incomplete injury, I thought that automatically meant I would walk again. Ignorance was bliss in my case because at 7 weeks, I still couldn't wiggle my toes, and I also learned just because the injury is incomplete doesn't mean the person will walk again. Fast forward and I can now walk again. But it took a lot of hard work and determination, and I emphasize those points. I know, sometimes, the wrong message is received by those who have not personally dealt with SCI - that with enough hard work and determination, anybody with SCI can recover. And that's not true. Some people will not regain the ability to walk no matter how much they exercise. Who I want to target with my message are those who have recently been diagnosed with SCI and perhaps have been told they might not, or will not walk again. It is this group I want to encourage to try and be determined, and not give up because they might have an injury that might enable them to walk again - and exercise and determination may be the deciding factors on whether they will walk again or not.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31995672014-09-23T08:47:00-07:002017-02-04T01:28:29-08:00My first Amazon review for the new bookA few days ago, my book on recovery from spinal cord injury, Toe Up to 10K got a review posted.<br><br>For the time being, it's back to #1bestseller for books in the category: spinal cord.<br><br>Here is the link to the book's Amazon page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B00NB3M2E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411486803&sr=8-1&keywords=toe+up+to+10k" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K</a><br><br><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzvK0EAD_RM/VCGV9lHaLNI/AAAAAAAAAPc/srfp5zo2PXU/s1600/bestseller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-XzvK0EAD_RM/VCGV9lHaLNI/AAAAAAAAAPc/srfp5zo2PXU/s1600/bestseller.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="147" width="640" /></a><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31995662014-09-23T08:37:00-07:002014-09-23T08:49:19-07:00The Benefit of ExerciseWhen I was in a wheelchair, I exercised multiple times a day. For me, I am convinced it enabled me to walk again sooner, but there were other benefits as well.<br><br>1. Arm strength. Many people don't realize just how much strength it takes to wheel your wheelchair. As long as you don't have an injury that require you to use a motorized wheelchair, you will probably be using a manual wheelchair, and when you build up that arm strength, you will be able to tell the difference.<br><br>2. Exercise still burns calories. Because I was in a wheelchair and wasn't mobile, I think my exercises kept me from gaining any of my weight back.<br><br>3. Exercise helps internal body functions. Although no longer confined to a wheelchair, I think my daily exercise continue to help my bowel movements. Although it took five months for me to regain some voluntary control over my bowel movements, once I started getting this function back, exercise, along with a change in diet to include more fiber, has helped me keep regular.<br><br>4. Exercise is just good for you. Period.<br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31979122014-09-22T09:32:00-07:002014-09-22T10:18:26-07:00Recovering From Spinal Cord Injury - Rubbing it in?I spend a lot of time publicizing that I recovered from a spinal cord injury that left my legs paralyzed for seven weeks, and was told it would be about a year before I could stop using a wheelchair, if ever.<br><br>When I have the time to explain more thoroughly, I include the fact that I did have a remarkable recovery, and I am extremely grateful for the amount that I was able to recover - and I feel I am still recovering after two years.<br><br>Most of the times, however, I focus on the fact that I regained the ability to walk within six months, and how hard I worked at it. Additionally, I wrote a book about my recovery, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B00NB3M2E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411401981&sr=8-1&keywords=toe+up+to+10K" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K,</a> and when I publicize that, and obviously, I focus on the recovery.<br><br>The following story got my attention: <br><h1 class="item" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Lucida, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 10px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; widows: 2;"><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2014/08/28/4076206.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">A god or a quad: time to tell the whole truth about spinal cord injuries</span></a></h1> The thesis of the story is that many times, the news media make it that those who recover from spinal cord injury did so with a lot of effort, but the implication is that those who did not recover was due to a lack of effort.<br><br>This perspective crosses my mind a lot when I talk about myself. I talk of how hard I worked to regain my ability to walk. And I think sometimes it comes across as "If you work as hard as I did, then you will be able to walk again."<br><br>But I know that some injuries, even if incomplete, are not prone to recovery, and no matter how hard one tries, he/she may not ever be able to regain the ability to walk again.<br><br>By the same token, there are some people who will recover without a great deal of exercise.<br><br>But for most people, it takes a great deal of effort and hard work to be able to walk again. <br><br>Like most things, I tend to think about the prospect of spinal cord injury as a bell curve.<br><br>1. At the far left end, there are those who have injuries that will not recover no matter what. Go a little bit to the right, and you have people who might recover, but the technology to help hasn't been discovered, yet. Go little to the right more, and you have people who might recover with existing technology, but knowledge of that technology is not wide-spread. As the left side of the bell starts to form, it's the people who will walk again with exercise and physical therapy.<br><br>2. At the far right, there are those who have injuries, no matter how bad it seems, will recover with no effort of their own. The body just seems to heal itself. But as you go a little to the left, then some exercise is needed, and more and more exercise is needed the more to the left you go.<br><br>3. But most people fall within the bell: Exercise and technology (e.g., electrical stimulation, specialized exercise equipment, etc), might make the difference between being able to walk again, or not.<br><br>The message I try to convey with my own recovery is targeted to those who fall into the third category. <br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31944712014-09-19T07:47:00-07:002014-09-19T07:49:20-07:00Interviewed on a #book blogHere is an interview I "appeared" in on a book blog titled A Book and a Cup of Coffee. The title of the post is: <a href="http://abookandacupofcoffee.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/steve-fujita-shows-us-how-to-toe-up-to-10k/" target="_blank">Steve Fujita Shows Us How to Toe Up to 10K</a> Please read and enjoy knowing a little bit more about me.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31944702014-09-19T07:33:00-07:002014-09-19T07:49:18-07:00Finding Inspiration: Social MediaI guess my subconscious already knew this, but Social Media is a fantastic source of pulling inspiration. <br><br>Social media is not only a place to post updates on yourself, but it is a place where strangers connect to support and inspire each other. <br><br>There are three recent items that come to mind. All of which I have blogged about.<br><br>The first two are combined and deals with a tweet I read a couple of weeks ago. A tweeter I follow, @BruceVH, tweeted about a man in the UK, Steven Webb, @themovingroad. This triggered a series of events on my part, and made me come to the forefront, the realization that social media sites are not only for update posts on onself, but can be used to send messages of support, inspiration and motivation to strangers. <br><br><a href="http://toeupto10k.blogspot.com/2014/08/inspiration-from-helpful-strangers.html" target="_blank">Here is the original post</a><br><br>More recently, due to a Facebook post by an organization I follow, @LifeAfterSCI, I found a FB page about a young man in the UK who just recently, in July 2014, had suffered spinal cord injury. His family set up a Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tristangreenroadtorecovery" target="_blank">Tristan's Road to Recovery</a>, which I also blogged about. <a href="http://toeupto10k.blogspot.com/2014/08/tristans-road-to-recovery.html" target="_blank">Here is that post</a>. And what happens with these types of pages is you get people from all over the world sending support and positive vibes to you. I wish I had done this while I was in the early stages of recovery, for if it reaches people who find themselves in a similar situation after you do, you can inspire them by showing that obstacles can be overcome. <br><br>So, if you need to be inspired, social media is full of inspirational users.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31927792014-09-18T08:00:00-07:002014-09-18T09:00:50-07:00Finding Inspiration: Family and people around youFamily, friends, and people around you physically are a great source of inspiration. They are your support, and I found that when people are supporting you, you don't want to let them down. They are your fans.<br><br>As I wrote the last sentence, I realize we see a lot of that in sports. I 'll use baseball as an example. If the home team is down in the 9th inning, and the first batter gets on base, and the crowd starts making noise, the batter does not want to let the fans down, and also gets a base hit. And the momentum continues. <br><br>When I was in the hospital, my parents came to visit every day; and at least one friend or co-worker would visit me everyday. Seeing them everyday really helped cheer me up. You kind of feel bad that they have to come and visit you - but they would feel bad if they couldn't visit you. So, you want to try hard for them.<br><br>The hospital workers, especially if, like me, you were in the hospital an extended period of time, you get to know, and they will cheer you on, encourage you and support you. This is inspiring because, although ultimately you are trying to get better for yourself, you also don't want to let other people down.<br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31910502014-09-17T07:42:00-07:002014-09-17T07:45:11-07:00Finding InspirationRecovering from a spinal cord injury is not a cakewalk, especially if you are not 100% sure you will be able to walk again. Not to mention all the other adjustments you have to make to all the other body functions that have been affected by the damage.<br><br>There are many days when frustration set in. The key, I believe, is to not let these frustrations get in your way.<br><br> I pulled inspiration from many different sources: family and friends, hospital staff, entertainment, in the form of songs, movies, books, and stories of strangers who have overcome obstacles. <br><br>Over the next several days or weeks, maybe, the bulk of my posts for the rest of this month and into the next, I plan to write posts of how I used some of these sources to inspire me. One thing to consider is that some of the examples of inspiration fall into multiple categories of sources. For instance, I will write about Social Media, and about finding inspirational stories on the internet, but some examples can fit into both categories.<br><br>On of the greatest benefit of being inspired is motivation. It spurs you into action to better yourself<br><br><br><br> Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31892342014-09-16T08:18:00-07:002014-09-16T08:21:30-07:00Does Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury Automatically make You Brave?"Spinal Cord Injury" can be replaced with any sort of traumatic event or obstacle, but since this is a blog about spinal cord recovery....<br><br>When we hear about people who have suffered an injury to the spinal cord and have either recovered well, or adapted well to their situation, many times, we refer to them as inspirational or brave.<br><br>Recently, there was one TEDTalk, which argued that it was wrong to automatically classify people who live with disabilities as inspirational - because we are just living our own lives as anyone else would given the same circumstances. There is really nothing extraordinary in that.<br><br>I see the point, but I disagree. When people come up to me and tell me I am inspirational for going through what I went through (and still deal with some of the things I deal with), I am happy. Although I am not inspirational for the sake of others - I am only trying to live my life as easy as I can live it - if it benefits someone else, so be it, who am I to complain. During my own recovery, I took how other people tackled their obstacles, regardless of origin, and used them as inspiration. For instance, I saw a video clip of a young man who was abandoned and homeless in South Korea from age 5 - 15. Was he being homeless on purpose so he could be inspirational to others? I think not. But when he became a contestant on some national talent show, he was able to share his story, and really, by default, inspired people, including me.<br><br>I believe its both the same and not the same with bravery. Sometimes people say I am brave for going through what I went through.<br><br>In the sense that I dealt with the hand dealt to me without giving up, some could define that I was brave. And if others want to see me as brave, that's fine with me - especially if they can find inspiration and motivation from that. Just like I am not being inspirational for the sake of others, I am not being brave for the sake of others. I am just trying to make life easier on myself. Although I think determined is a better word than brave for not giving up.<br><br>But then again, when you are in the ICU, and mentally, you are determined to get better again, I think it is brave to face what is ahead of you instead of giving up.<br><br>But being brave is also different from being inspirational because to me, inspiration doesn't have to involve risk. I think being brave often does. I didn't risk anything by dealing with the spinal cord injury. I fought it the best I could, but I had to - I really didn't see a choice. I believe, many times, bravery is risking something you don't have to give up. It is a fireman saving someone from a burning fire. It is a lifeguard saving a swimmer in distress. It doesn't have to a professional - it could be a regular Joe saving someone, but they are risking their lives voluntarily to save someone else.<br><br>There is a Winnie the Pooh - Christopher Robbins cartoon which I posted earlier that implies we are stronger and braver than we think we are. I think that's true. <br><br>So, bottom line - I think those of us who have experienced spinal cord injury and have recovered or adapted are inspirational. It does take a lot of hard work to do both. While we do it for the sake of ourselves, and not for others, there is a residual effect it has on others, and that is inspiration.<br><br>Are we brave just because we suffered spinal cord damage and live with it? Yes and no. I think in the beginning we are brave. We can just give up, but we don't, and there is an element of braveness in that. However, once we adapt and live our "new normal" lives, while we can still be inspirational, I don't think we are brave anymore. <br><br><br><br> Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31786132014-09-09T09:05:00-07:002017-02-04T01:02:25-08:00Christopher Robin to Winnie the PoohMore doc appts this week, so I might not have time to post until Monday, but in the meanntime, I wanted to share the cartoon below.<br><br>Got this image from a Facebook post by Life After Spinal Cord Injury - They have a fantastic facebook page with lots of great info and inspiration for people with SCI.<br><br>I tried to provide a link to this particular posting, but he link went to the entire photo album, and then I couldn't find the post on their timeline. So, that said, here is the link to their FB page.<br><br> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LASCIonline" target="_blank">Life After Spinal Cord Injury</a><br><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HEWASWd-i6I/U_9dqFgYZvI/AAAAAAAAAN4/KpPApkNnv28/s1600/winnie%2Bthe%2Bpooh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//2.bp.blogspot.com/-HEWASWd-i6I/U_9dqFgYZvI/AAAAAAAAAN4/KpPApkNnv28/s1600/winnie%2Bthe%2Bpooh.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="196" width="320" /></a></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31770352014-09-08T09:56:00-07:002014-09-08T11:35:19-07:00Video from Children's Hospital Colorado - Parody Music VideoA friend of mine from college posted this video from Youtube. It is the staff and patients at Children's Hospital Colorado singing, "Let it Go," from the movie, <u>Frozen</u>. <br><br>I tried sharing this on Facebook, but for some reason, the "share" would not go through, but since I export most of my blogposts to Twitter and Facebook, I thought it would be appropriate to share the video here, especially since it deals with recovery.<br><br>You don't have to be a Broncos fan to be touched by this video. I found it very very heartwarming.<br><br><a href="http://youtu.be/WDOH9DMt62o" target="_blank">Children's Hospital Colorado Music Video - Parody of "Let it Go" </a><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31730592014-09-05T09:02:00-07:002017-02-04T00:55:59-08:00Toe Up to 10K: A Journey of Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury - eBook on Sale NowMy book chronicling my recovery from spinal cord injury is available on Amazon, now. And gradually will be available to more and more ebook retailers in the coming weeks.<br><br>Here is the trailer for the book. I used the online software at Stupeflix.com. A big Thank You to @Ellisshuman for introducing me to this site.<br><br><a href="http://youtu.be/J-gZG_1hV2c" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K</a><br><br><br>eBook available now on Amazon, and will make it into other eBook retailers one by one in the coming weeks. <br><br>Here is the link to the book's page on Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toe-Up-10K-Journey-Recovery-ebook/dp/B00NB3M2E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409932326&sr=8-1&keywords=Toe+Up+to+10K" target="_blank">Toe Up to 10K at Amazon</a><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-12l82P-14rc/VAneXi8SBBI/AAAAAAAAAOY/9tESvxnVhhw/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//1.bp.blogspot.com/-12l82P-14rc/VAneXi8SBBI/AAAAAAAAAOY/9tESvxnVhhw/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="212" /></a></div><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31710842014-09-04T07:16:00-07:002014-09-04T09:05:09-07:00Working on EnduranceAbout six weeks ago, I was able to jog about 2 miles - of course, I probably could have walked it faster, but at least I maintained form.<br><div><br></div><div>Late last week, I tried again, but this time, at a faster pace. A more normal pace, which I did achieve because I was able to pass up some people who were walking along the path. I was able to keep my balance better; there was only a couple of times when I felt awkward and readied myself for a potential fall (I didn't). However, I could only jog about 14 blocks, and I had to stop. </div><div><br></div><div>But, I feel happy because it wasn't lack of strength that stopped me, nor lack of jogging speed. It is endurance, and that is something I need to build up. Being able to sprint is another issue, but I feel that will one day be resolved as well. </div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31692812014-09-03T07:00:00-07:002014-09-03T07:14:46-07:00Health Seen As a Bell CurveA lot of times, I try and define my recovery. Sometimes I say I am 90% recovered, sometimes I say I have replaced my old body with a different model. <br><br>Here's another way I think about all this.<br><br>If people's health is looked at as a bell curve, with those on the left being severely unhealthy or disabled, and those on the right being extremely healthy or able-bodied, most of us fall inside the bell portion of the bell curve. <br><br>In this respect, my current physical wellness would put me well inside the bell portion. It's just that before I injured my spinal cord, I would have been on the right side of the bell, and now I am on the left, but I continue to recover, and move towards the right. <br><br>So, I can say I have recovered to a level of normality - but it is on the side of the bell curve which most of the occupants need to make some adjustments to deal with some of the issues we experience.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31625222014-08-29T07:30:00-07:002017-02-04T00:42:30-08:00Happy Labor DayHappy Labor Day. Wishing everybody in the States a wonderful "end of summer" weekend while celebrating America's workforce.<br><br>Reminder that the eBook version of Toe Up to 10K is scheduled to be released on September 5, 2014.<br><br>What will happen is, on Tuesday, I will authorize the distributor to release the ebook to eretailers, and it will take approximately 2 - 4 days to appear on Amazon, and then 1 - 4 weeks on other eBookstore sites. So, technically, the book can go on sale as early as September 4, or it might take up to September 8 for it to first appear.<br><br>To the best of my ability, I will try and set it up so that you can order a copy from the distributor through my website.<br><br>As Monday is a holiday, the next post will probably not be until September 2 or 3.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X1-l4B7woVs/VACONWPYgjI/AAAAAAAAAOI/M81g8jI1HvU/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-X1-l4B7woVs/VACONWPYgjI/AAAAAAAAAOI/M81g8jI1HvU/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="320" width="212" /></a></div> Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31606332014-08-28T08:16:00-07:002014-08-28T10:23:19-07:00Tristan's Road to Recovery A few days ago, I came across, via a Facebook posting from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LASCIonline" target="_blank">Life After Spinal Cord Injury</a> a FB page about a young man who had a diving accident and broke his neck in late July, 2014.<br><br>I do believe one of the greatest benefit of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter is to allow strangers to interact with each other in a positive way. By creating the page, the family has let us strangers into their lives so we can provide support.<br><br>I want to do my part in passing along the page. Please visit the page, and I encourage you to send your support and encouragement to this brave young man and his family and friends.<br><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tristangreenroadtorecovery?fref=hovercard" target="_blank">Tristan's Road to Recovery</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31581642014-08-27T06:49:00-07:002017-02-04T00:36:27-08:00Toe Up to 10K sale date 9 Days AwayThe ebook version of Toe Up to 10K is ready to be released, but I am waiting until after Labor day to release it. So, the date for release is September 5, maybe it will be out on some ebook retailers on September 4. Once the distributor releases it to the e-retailers, it is up to the e-retailers to post the book to their sites, and that can take 48-72 hours or more.<br><br>The physical version of the book, the proof is ready. There is an issue I need to get an answer to, and depending on the answer, it might also be out on September 5, or perhaps a couple of weeks later.<br><br>However, the good news is the production of the books is progressing and it looks like it will be on sale very soon.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9dvIMfs5XaE/U_IExwnKwUI/AAAAAAAAANE/WWvR9W8rVSE/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1%2B(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//4.bp.blogspot.com/-9dvIMfs5XaE/U_IExwnKwUI/AAAAAAAAANE/WWvR9W8rVSE/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1%2B(3).jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="316" width="320" /></a></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31560832014-08-26T07:02:00-07:002014-08-26T07:04:36-07:00Great Resource website: Spinalpedia<br><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;"><br></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;">Spinalpedia is a great resource website. I wish I had found it before I completed my book, Toe Up to 10K.</span></span><br><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;"><br></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;">I couldn't find any better way of describing the site, so below, i copied and pasted their blurb about what they are:</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;"><br></span><br><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #274e13;">SPINALpedia is a social mentoring network and video archive that allows the spinal cord injury community to motivate each other with the knowledge and triumphs gained from our individual experiences.</span></span><br><br><br>Here is the link:<br><a href="http://www.spinalpedia.com/" target="_blank">Spinalpedia</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31549202014-08-25T15:00:00-07:002014-08-25T15:04:16-07:00Evolution of Reasoning Behind Toe Up to 10KWhen I was in the hospital, I wanted to have a baseline to compare my recovery. I wanted to know wanted to know when my legs would start to move, when my bladder and bowels would recover, when I would be strong enough to stand, etc.<br><div><br></div><div>Except for that I would probably spend a year in a wheelchair and that I would be walking "well enough: in two years (and this was stated when it was thought I had Guillain-Barre syndrome). And no answer to when and how the bladder/bowel would recover.</div><div><br></div><div>Finding info on regaining the ability to walk wasn't so bad. There were some stories of people were able to walk again, but there were other stories of people who were still not able to so after some years, and some who took several years to regain enough strength to stand. However, just finding stories of walking recovery were difficult to find.</div><div><br></div><div>As far as bowel and bladder recovery, I found even less info.</div><div><br></div><div>So, initially, I wanted to share my chronology. I know everybody recovers at a different pace, and the amount of recovery differs among individuals, and the issues differ depending on where the injury(ies) took place, but if I contributed my story, there would be at least a record of how, how long, and how much I recovered from my issues. </div><div><br></div><div>But as I wrote the book, and as I experienced a rather rapid pace towards "normal enough," my theme seemed to change from providing my story to which others can compare to, to providing an inspirational and motivational piece for someone who finds him/herself in a similar situation - and reach out to those who have issues other than physical, and perhaps use the same strategies I did (finding inspiration, movitation and working towards goals) to overcome his/her obstacles - with the one advantage I did not have, which is the trial and error I went through to find the right mind-set and action-set.</div><div><br></div><div>So, what I think I ended up, with Toe Up to 10K, is a book, superficially chronicles the timeline and progress I made during my recovery, but is really about how I drew inspiration and motivated myself to recover as best as I could. I realize that I've had a remarkable recovery, and I know not all of it is due to own hard work - that my body responded to some intangibles, but I don't think I would have recovered as well as I have without the work I put into recovery - and ultimately, I just wanted to share my story, for I believe each story of a successful builds upon other people's stories and provides inspiration for those who found themselves in the same situation I found myself in two years ago. </div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31498602014-08-22T07:00:00-07:002014-08-22T07:26:47-07:00AffirmationsWhen I was in high school and college, and even into my thirties, I had periods which I recited affirmations on a daily basis. They wouldn't always be the same, but one I became reacquainted with recently is an old stand-by. I remember first coming across it in a self-hypnosis tape I listened to so much that the ribbon finally broke years ago. But this particular affirmation, whom I don't know is the original author, I've come across this same affirmation from different sources on the internet recently.<br><br>It goes like this: <b> "Everyday in every way, I am better and better." </b><br><br>Recently, I have started repeated this affirmation several times upon I waking up and before I go to sleep. Of course, sometimes I forget, but I try to remember each day. <br><br>I don't know how how long this will last, but for now, it makes me feel good, and motivates me. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31481272014-08-21T09:32:00-07:002017-02-04T00:23:04-08:00Inspiration from helpful strangers - Twitter Twitter is a strange place. About 99% of the people I follow or who follow me, I don't know personally, yet I read their tweets, RT, favorite, and sometimes reply to the tweets. Sometimes this is where I get breaking news, as someone will tweet about it before I hear about it on the news. But its main use for me is to find books to read, and to read interesting quotes (tweets), mainly the inspirational, motivational, and sometimes whimsical ones. <br><br>This blogpost is about one particular tweet that was relevant to me on several levels. So, here it goes as best as I can explain it. @BruceVH @themovingroad<br><br> I follow life coach and runner Bruce Van Horn on Twitter. I follow him because his tweets have an inspirational and motivational quality to them.<br><br>So, earlier this week, he tweeted about a paralyzed man in the UK who blogged about Van Horn's book on training for a marathon, and how the book inspired him, and how he applied the tips to his own situation.<br><br>I opened up the tweet and read the blog post. This man, Steven Webb, was a runner until he broke his neck. Through Twitter, he "found" Van Horn, and eventually read his book on marathon training, and though the book itself is on marathon training, it can be applied to one's own situation.<br><br>After exploring his blog, I found out that Webb is writing about his experiences with paralysis, one project seems to be a book in progress titled, The Moving Road. He has other writings available, including a blog he maintains.<br><br>Now how did this apply to me?<br><br>1. In 2012, directly or indirectly from meningitis, my spinal cord was damaged. Fortunately, my time in a wheelchair was limited to four months. So, here was an instant connection to Webb.<br><br>2. During my recovery process, a goal I have set for myself is to someday be well enough to run a 10K race. I'm at the point where I can walk as fast as I can before I got sick, can actually jog, but I really can't sprint. I can, but I can't - it's hard to explain. So, although I was already a Van Horn follower, the book Webb reviews, You Can Go the Distance, connects to me.<br><br>3. Webb writes that he applied some of the techniques to his own life, though the book is targeted at marathon training. One of the strategies I've used throughout my recovery has been to find inspiration from all sources, songs, movies, stories about others who have overcome obstacles, etc. It didn't matter whether the subject dealt with spinal cord injury or trying to reach the championship game in a high school baseball tournament - I've tried to apply these "lessons" to my own situation.<br><br>4. Webb shares his experience through a blog, as do I, and also is writing a book. Van Horn also shares his knowledge and experience through writing. Before I got sick, I had two books out, and a third one, Toe Up to 10K, which will be out around September 5, is my book journaling my recovery process from spinal cord injury. So, there is a fellowship of authors here, but more important is the sharing of our experiences. When one finds him/herself in a situation, we want to learn what's next. Everybody is different, and by reading about a variety of experiences, one can find commonality with others even though the exact circumstances may not be the same. Writing about our own experiences may help others dealing with theirs.<br><br>So, one little tweet I read from a man I follow on Twitter, but never met on Wednesday morning affected me on several levels in a positive way.<br><br>Here is the book Webb blogged about, written by Van Horn<span id="goog_1174675886"></span><span id="goog_1174675887"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Distance-Marathon-Training-Guide/dp/1493791087/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408461542&sr=8-1&keywords=you+can+go+the+distance" target="_blank">Click here</a><br><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOUolejHpWw/U_S92ngUlrI/AAAAAAAAANY/mqVEbPZUUm8/s1600/51Aii6FKvwL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOUolejHpWw/U_S92ngUlrI/AAAAAAAAANY/mqVEbPZUUm8/s1600/51Aii6FKvwL.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="124" /></a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>And here is the link to Steven Webb's blog<br><a href="http://themovingroad.com/im-paralysed-why-read-a-book-about-marathon-running/" target="_blank">Steven Webb's blog</a><br><br><br>Finally, some shameless self promotion. My book, Toe Up to 10K will be out around September 5. Certainly in eBook format, and most likely, also available in physical format from some eBook retailers. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X6ZC8x_Xtk/U_TI5jjPdbI/AAAAAAAAANo/2V5ZXNIJ2Cs/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X6ZC8x_Xtk/U_TI5jjPdbI/AAAAAAAAANo/2V5ZXNIJ2Cs/s1600/front_only_tentative_edited-1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="132" /></a></div><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31461632014-08-20T07:30:00-07:002014-08-20T09:21:23-07:00Brain Tumor AssociationOne of my best friends and college roommate lost his wife to a brain tumor, and a friend at work lost his brother to the same. <br><br>The national Brain Tumor Association sponsors a lot of events throughout the year to raise money. Here is a link to the events this weekend, August 23 and 24, 2014. <br><br><a href="http://www.braintumor.org/join-the-fight/find-start-an-event/?state=&startDate=08%2F23%2F014&endDate=08%2F24%2F2014&dateType=start_date#map-anchor" target="_blank">August 23 -24 Events</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31442882014-08-19T09:51:00-07:002014-08-19T09:54:10-07:00Action Comics #1 up for auction on eBayWow!<br><br>A 9.0 graded Action Comics #1 is up for auction on eBay. It is the first appearance of Superman.<br><br>If I could afford to make a purchase like this...<br><br>Bidding is up to almost $2 million, now. <br><br>To bid, you have to be pre-approved.<br><br>The auction benefits the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which focuses on spinal cord injuries. When I was hospitalized, the social worker gave me a reference book published by this organization, which I still use. <br><br>The auction ends on August 24, 2014. If you want to see a photo of a mint condition copy of Action Comics #1, view the eBay page for the auction: <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Action-Comics-1-June-1938-Supermans-Debut-CGC-9-0-Perfect-White-Pages-/311050328393?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item486c0b5949" target="_blank">Action Comics #1 Auction on eBay </a><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31437792014-08-18T19:07:00-07:002014-08-18T22:46:08-07:00Almost Fell for an email scamRecently, I received an email from a stranger asking to buy my books.<br><br>I personally don't sell my books. Potential buyers would have to buy them retail from a retailer, or wholesale from a distributor.<br><br>I had composed a reply when I decided to do a search on the sender. Other people who received the same email sent by people of various names indicated this is an email used by confidence tricksters.<br><br>This isn't one of those you won the lottery, or a long lost relative has died and left you money. This actually seems like a legitimate inquiry to purchase something you are selling.<br><br>Was this a scam? I don't know, but I'm not about to find out.<br><br>Here is the body of the email that is now deleted from my in-box. <br><br>Lesson learned: Be aware of unsolicited emails from strangers. <br><br><span style="color: #e06666;">Dear Sales,</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span><span style="color: #e06666;">I write to inform you that we are interested in your books, and we</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;">would like to inquire about the following:</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span><span style="color: #e06666;">Do you ship to Fiji Island?</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;">Do you do Mail Order?</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;">Do you accept credit card as for Payment (My US Master and Visa card</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;">to be precise)? NOT PAYPAL</span><br><span style="color: #e06666;"><br></span><span style="color: #e06666;">Thanks,</span><br><div><br></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31421582014-08-18T06:00:00-07:002014-08-18T07:48:49-07:00Project Walk - Seems Like A Fantastic Rehab GymI just found out about a chain of rehab gyms called Project Walk.<br><br>As grateful as I am for the therapy I received - and all of my therapy was done at the hospital, even as an outpatient - when I browse their website and read about their philosophy, I get really excited that there is a place like this for #SCI recoverers to go.<br><br>Because of finances and insurance considerations, I probably would not have been able to go here, not to mention that they are not in my area. But it just seems like a wonderful option.<br><br>Not that coming here would be required. I think I had some of the best and efficient therapists one can ever hope for, and there are lots all around. If you are not happy with yours, look around.<br><br>I came across this place, started following them on twitter, and it seems like a really really good place.<br><br>Check out their website: <a href="http://projectwalk.com/" target="_blank">Project Walk</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31386962014-08-15T07:52:00-07:002014-08-15T08:25:51-07:00Backyard ParkourRelearning balance has been the most difficult task of learning how to walk again. But I've worked on it and worked on it, but I've gotten to the point where I can walk on top of a narrow brick planter. <br><div><br></div><div>What's next for me? Maybe American Ninja Warrior?</div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x1fdj6s1kFw/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/x1fdj6s1kFw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata">
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It's like I traded my body in for a used car of a different model than the one I had before.<br><br>I don't have the same body as before the injury, and I've had to get to know and read my body again.<br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31346952014-08-13T07:00:00-07:002014-08-13T07:20:38-07:00What I would have done differently during my recovery processAlthough most people would say that I recovered very well, and I would agree also that i have been fortunate to have recovered so well, I would still do stuff differently, looking back.<br><br>1. I would have done a better job of journaling my situation. It would have helped me write my book because memories would have been jarred easier. And although maybe at the time, I didn't want to remember the shape I was in, now I do wish I completely remember the state I was in.<br><br>2. I would have used the wheelchair more at night while at the hospital. I was exhausted at the end of each day while I was in the Rehab Unit, but in hindsight,I should have asked the nurse or nurses' assistants to take me out of the bed and into the wheelchair for maybe a half hour or more each night, just to be a bit more mobile. Fortunately, when I was discharged from the hospital, and recovering at my parents' house, I was continuously in and out of the wheelchair.<br><br>3. I adjusted my diet to adjust with my bowel issues. I have done well enough, but instead of all the expirementation I did, I should have just hired a nutritionist or dietition and worked out a customized diet for me. Not that I would have stuck with it 100% of the time, but I think I would at least 80% of the time. Maybe I will still do this, if I can afford it.<br><br>4. As much as I exercised before I started walking with a cane, and continue to exercise regularly, sometimes I become complacent in the type of exercise. As you get better, the exercises should get tougher, and sometimes, now that I am pretty much recovered, I wait too long before trying tougher things. I would have kept myself on a more stringent exercise schedule after I had recovered "well enough."<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31328692014-08-12T09:23:00-07:002014-08-12T09:37:31-07:00RIP Robin Williams - A Remembrance To be honest, when I was a kid growing up, I didn't think much of Robin Williams. I really didn't didn't like Mork from Ork when he stopped by Happy Days, or when he got his own show. <br><br><br>One night Tony Randall was a guest on the Tonight Show, and Johnny Carson asked Randall who he thought was and coming comedian. Randall answered, Robin Williams. I think the audience and Carson was a bit surprised by this, but Randall, held up his hand, and said something like, "You see him only on tv, where his energy is restrained." Randall when on to say something like Williams had a unique energy and incredible improv skills that made him special. I thought, at the time, "Yeah, right, he's just funny being goofy."<br><br><br>In the late 80's, he starred in Good Morning Vietnam, which is a drama, with funny moments. All my friends loved the movie, as did the Academy, but I thought it was just all right. <br><br><br>But three movies he made thereafter changed my opinion of Williams. Awakenings, Dead Poets Society and Mrs. Doubtfire. To generalize, two of these are dramas, and one is a comedy, but all three characters he played had such a wonderful sincere blend of seriousness, compassion, sincerity, and humor that I was enamored by his talent. In short, I became a fan of his work.<br><br><br>From that point forward, I watched his performances more closely, and really appreciated the depth he gave the characters he played, and the improvisational talents he brought into the movie, best displayed by a particular scene he had with Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting.<br><br><br>A couple of years ago, I was watching Mork and Mindy re-runs on tv, and knowing how "Wild and Crazy," (to borrow a description that would be used to describe Steve Martin) Williams could be on stage, I really appreciated Williams as Mork. Though it is a classic sitcom, and one where there is a moral at the end of each episode, Williams brought a complexity to Mork that you don't see in one viewing.<br><br><br>So, I will miss Robin Williams. He brought a lot of joy and smiles to many people. Including me. His characters had their share of sad and happy moments. Through the characters he played, he showed that life is complex, that it is 360 degrees.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31337182014-08-12T08:33:00-07:002014-08-12T16:01:34-07:00Journaling your Recovery, Pt 4I'm republishing this because I accidentally posted this early and when I re-posted, blogger seemed to place it at the original posting location.<br><br><br>I wish I had journaled my recovery from the time I was transferred to the Cardio Care Unit. <br><br>Even though my hands were shaky and weak, I could have written down a couple of sentences at a time throughout the day to record my thoughts.<br><br>I think journaling benefits us in several ways:<br><br>1. It records what actually happened at the time it happened (albeit through our own perceptions),<br><br>2. It helps us remember what happed. At times when i was giving myself excuses for not writing/recording. I remember thinking, "I don't want to rememebr what I am going through, now." But now that time has elapsed, I wish I did record the stuff and help me remember. I mean, I will always remember this ordeal, but truthfully, I won't remember all of it, or all the details, the bad and the good.<br><br>3. I think it is therapeutic. To write these things down, especially of how you are feeling at these moments is helpful to your mental health. It lets you get things off your chest on things you don't want to share with other people - or lay it on other people as much, such as frustration. <br><br>4. It really helps when you decide to write a book. You have stuff that reminds you of things, and also brings back details. And if you have photos, you can use those in your book. <br><br>Next: Your Experience Helps OthersSteve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31328682014-08-12T08:00:00-07:002014-08-12T09:34:41-07:00Why Writing About Your Experience Helps OthersWhen I first got sick and found out that my spinal cord was damaged, I was told I would walk again in about two years - not nornally, but well enough. Of course, that was during the assumption that I had Guiallen-Barre syndrome - which movement comes back within 6 weeks.<br><br>When I was transferred to the Rehabilitation Unit, another diagnosis was presented to me: that of Transverse myelitis. Initial movement in this afflicition takes place within 2 - 12 weeks. When I reached the tail end of week 7, I really started to worry whetehr I would walk again - especially after one doctor said it wasn't looking too good because I hadn't regained any movement inmy legs, yet.<br><br>Even though everybody recovers at a different rate, and the amount of recovery is different for everybody, I really wanted a basebile or a timetable, and no one would give me one, excpet that they though I would be walking "well enough" in a couple of years.<br><br>So, I used the computer room, and went on the internet to try and find some answers. Not only with the walking, but, when, if ever, would I regain control over my bladder and bowels. <br><br>Still, it was difficult to find any answers.<br><br>So, that's when I decided to write a book, so people who experience a similar situation to me would have some sort of reference point, even though their recovery might take on a completly different track.<br><br>But my book took on a different track. My editor, who is also my friend, has been involved even before this project started as he visited me at the hospital regularly. When I finished my book, he said, "When you started this book, you wanted to provide a reference point for others, but since you had a remarkable recovery, it has turned into more of an inspirational story than informational."<br><br>And as I read other people who have experienced not only spinal cord injury, but strokes, and other ailments that require adjustments, and stories of recovery, it's apparent that sharing our stories,whether it is overcoming physical obstacles, emotional obstacles, or financial obstacles, or any type of obstacle, is helpful to people who are experiencing a similar situation - I think it lets people know that they are not alone, that other people have experienced similar, maybe worse, and have overcome their obstacle.<br><br>I think anybody who faced an obstacle, and in my case, spinal cord injury, and recovered or adjusted, should share their story.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31272662014-08-08T10:33:56-07:002014-08-08T10:33:56-07:00Journaling Your Recovery Pt. 4For some reason, this post post didn't import over. I think because I accidentally posted it earlier and then unpublished it to save it for today<br><br>A third way to journal your recovery, video taping, is another vehicle I did not utilize. I did take a video with my cellphone when my legs first started to move, but I couldn't send it to my email address, and then when the phone broke, the cellphone store clerk couldn't transfer any of the data held within the phone - so whatever video I took with the cellphone is lost.<br style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(251, 94, 83);"><br style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; background-color: rgb(251, 94, 83);">A own a flipcam, but never thought about asking my parents to bring it to the hospital. I did take a couple of videos when I first was able to lift my legs from a lying position, but it is not as impressive as live. I might post these on Youtube someday. I also took a video of a muscle spasm, but the video didn't accurately reflect the intesity and I enede up deleted all the attempts I made to capture this.<br><br>So, except for the video of me lifting my legs from a lying position, there are no videos of me until I reach "well-enough" recovery.<br><br>In hindsight, I wish someone had videotaped me when I was learning how to transfer to a wheelchair, trasferring from a wheelchair to a mat, trying to roll over, transferring from wheelchair to carseat, trying to walk with a walker, learning how to navigate a wheelchair, taking my first baby steps without support, standing up for the first time and walking (inside a pool), me eating dinner while in a wheelchair, etc.<br><br>As far as the actual taping, I should have had the same action I wanted to record several different times from several different angles.<br><br>Of course, this would have helped with my recall and also remind me of what I went through at what stage, but also, I think I could have posted these onto Youtube as a chronology to provide at least one baseline for anybody who is going through what I went through.<br><br>Pt 4: Summary of why I think journaling is important.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31229162014-08-07T07:45:00-07:002014-08-07T07:55:36-07:00Recording Your Recovery Pt 3A third way to journal your recovery, video taping, is another vehicle I did not utilize. I did take a video with my cellphone when my legs first started to move, but I couldn't send it to my email address, and then when the phone broke, the cellphone store clerk couldn't transfer any of the data held within the phone - so whatever video I took with the cellphone is lost.<br><br>A own a flipcam, but never thought about asking my parents to bring it to the hospital. I did take a couple of videos when I first was able to lift my legs from a lying position, but it is not as impressive as live. I might post these on Youtube someday. I also took a video of a muscle spasm, but the video didn't accurately reflect the intesity and I enede up deleted all the attempts I made to capture this.<br><br>So, except for the video of me lifting my legs from a lying position, there are no videos of me until I reach "well-enough" recovery.<br><br>In hindsight, I wish someone had videotaped me when I was learning how to transfer to a wheelchair, trasferring from a wheelchair to a mat, trying to roll over, trasferring from wheelchair to carseat, trying to walk with a walker, learning how to navigate a wheelchair, taking my first baby steps without support, standing up for the first time and walking (inside a pool), me eating dinner while in a wheelchair, etc.<br><br>As far as the actual taping, I should have had the same action I wanted to record several different times from several different angles.<br><br>Of course, this would have helped with my recall and also remind me of what I went through at what stage, but also, I think I could have posted these onto Youtube as a chronology to provide at least one baseline for anybody who is going through what I went through.<br><br>Pt 4: Summary of why I think journaling is important.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31224402014-08-06T09:31:00-07:002014-08-06T10:03:36-07:00Journaling Your Recovery - Pt 2: PhotosIn addition to writing about my recovery as it happened, another thing I did not do is take photos.<br><br>This kind of disadvantaged me in another way because I chose to write a book about my recovery, yet I don't have any "before" shots.<br><br>There are no photos of me at the hospital, lying in bed, or going through therapy, no photos of me in a wheelchair, or using a walker, the trach tube inserted into my throat. No photos of friends who came to visit me at the hospital, and no photos of the hospital personnel who helped me so much.<br><br>Again, memories fade, and photos are a good reminder of what happened - and to remember faces.<br><br>Pt. 3 will cover video<br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31221602014-08-05T10:20:00-07:002014-08-05T10:24:42-07:00What Do You Think<a href="http://on.ted.com/i0NF1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stella Young on Not Being an Inspiration</a><br><div><br></div><div>What do you think?</div><div><br></div><div>I can see where she is coming from, but I tend to disagree regarding her thesis as a whole.</div><div><br></div><div>Here are the comments I made to the video when I viewed it:</div><div><br></div><div>
<div>While I agree with her that there are some residual consequences of "inspirational' images that objectify disabled people in the eyes of non-disabled people, these same images also help those who become disabled through some sort of trauma later in life. I suffered an injury at the T-4 level in 2012. Fortunately, I recovered - not fully, but to a point that strangers would not know (unless they observed me really closely) I suffered damage to my spinal cord.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Many people who suffer a spinal cord injury, be it via illness or physical trauma, find themselves a life turned upside down, and give up. They don't adapt, they don't make adjustments, and some who may have the capability of regaining some functions, such as walking, don't because they won't try. Throughout my entire recovery, which continues, I try and find motivation from all possible sources. Stories of people who have overcome greater obstacles that I faced with my spinal cord issues, whether the obstacle was physical, mental, or environmental inspire, motivate me to try and overcome my personal obstacles. And images similar to the ones she used helped me tremendously in my own recovery.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>If I can inspire and motivate others with my story, I am happy. If I motivate a person who recently suffered spinal cord injury, or if I motivate a non-disabled person who sees that another person faced bigger obstacles, and overcame them, I am happy. Truthfully, I'm not being inspirational for the sake of being inspirational to others - I am just trying to make my own life easier. But, if the price to pay for being "unintentionally" motivational is being objectified by non-disabled people, it is a price I gladly pay.</div>
</div><div><br></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31221612014-08-04T07:30:00-07:002014-08-05T10:24:42-07:00Recording or Journaling Your Experiences Pt 1One of the regrets I have regarding my recovery isn't physical at all. <br><br>I wish I had chronicled my recovery - by writing, photographic and video-taping. It is weird because a few years ago, a friend was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and he said he was going to write about it after he recovered. I encouraged him to keep a journal and he never did. He recovered, but is having a hard time writing his book.<br><br>I took notes throughout my recovery, which helped me remember some stuff, but I wish I had written things in detail. While hospitalized, I kept thinking I should write and keep a journal, but at the end of the day, I was so tired that I said, forget it. Besides my hands were so shaky that it was frustrating for me to try and make the effort to write more than a few words at a time. I remember understanding why my friend never kept notes. <br><br>That said, just yersterday, and during the writing of my book, Toe Up to 10K, I came across some scribby notes I had made, and it reminded me just how unstable my writing abilities were. There wasn't much force in the writing, and the writing was very shaky. Looking at these notes was good for me, since it reminded me of my ability at that time.<br><br>As time goes on, our memories of events change, and writing about them as these events occur help us remember, and also remember correctly.<br><br>Pt. 2 will cover photographs.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31213832014-08-03T08:12:00-07:002014-08-03T16:01:55-07:00Rachelle Friedman - Inspirational personRachelle Friedman had just graduated from college, gotten a job and about to be married. At her bachelorette party, her best friend playfully pushed her into the swimming pool, but Rachelle landed head first at the bottom.<br><br>I vaguely remember reading about this when it happened back in 2010, but just found an article on her published earlier this year. She has written a book about her experience.<br><br>Very inspirational story. <br><br><br>http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/rachelle-friedmanSteve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31186322014-08-01T08:54:00-07:002014-08-01T09:59:02-07:00I Would Be Lying if I Said I Don't Experience any BitternessSort of a continuation of yesterday's post.<br><br>I try and be positive; I do what I can to help me recover back to 100%. <br><br>But I can't be perfect in what I do, or how I feel. As grateful as I am for the amount I have recovered, I wish my body and health were back to were it was pre-illness. Except to say that I weigh about 15 pounds less, now, and my metabolism seems to have sped up a bit, as I sweat much more easily now than before. Other than that, I wish I was as healthy as before I got sick.<br><br>Thus, I do, at times, feel bitter about what happened to me two years ago, and how much time my recovery efforts has consumed, and that more work needs to be done. <br><br>If I don't feel any bitterness, I wouldn't be human. If I don't allow myself to experience the bitterness, then it has a chance to consume me and negate all the positive recovery I'm made up to this point. So, what to do? Occasionally, sometimes more than other times, I allow myself moments of bitterness. But the overall focus is on the gratitude I feel regarding my recovery and optimism about a total recovery for myself, and the motivation to reach a level of 100% recovery. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31163472014-07-31T09:45:00-07:002014-07-31T10:34:21-07:00Putting a dollar value to #Spinal Cord InjuryA friend and I used to play a game, "What would I do for a $1,000,000."<br><br>I was thinking about this, and if someone offered me $1,000,000 to relive the past two years, or never have experienced spinal cord injury, and just have gone one with my life as it was, which would I choose?<br><br>Of course, the outcome would have to be where I am now with the recovery, which has been pretty remarkable and (in my opinion) an almost complete recovery.<br><br>The answer is, $1,000,000 is not enough. How about $5,000,000? No. $10,000,000? To be honest, maybe. But that's only because of how much I have recovered. If I were still using a walker, or even dependent on a quad cane, the answer would be "No." Truthfully, no money is enough to want me to relive this ordeal.<br><br>In reality, I don't get compensated for being sick, in fact, I pay out - for extra medical bills, for health aids that insurance doesn't cover, time lost by going to doctors and labs more often than I used to, adjustments I make to live as normal a life as I can (and here I am fortunate because to see me from the outside, you'd think there was nothing physically wrong with me). Although I never carried really good comprehensive medical insurance, I carried one that met my needs, and thank goodness for that because at least I have been able to deal with the medical bills.<br><br>When I hear stories about people selling their kidneys for $20,000 because they need the money, I am saddened. If I really needed the money, how much would you have to pay me to go through the last two years? The sponsor would have to pay the medical bills also, and the money would have to be tax-free, but except that I'm sure the amount I would accept would be less than $1,000,000, it is not something I would want to have to think about.<br><br>Money can buy many things, including better access to healthcare, but it cannot buy your health. And although objectively, we can all say, "Health is more important than money," this is a statement I understand emotionally as well.<br><br>I still have to make the best of it. I still need to work hard to maitain what I have recovered and work hard to recover more. I have to motivate myself to keep trying harder. I need to be grateful for the amount of recovery I have experienced, and I need to be as positive as can be. The reality is that no one is going to give me money just because I got sick and sustained damage to my spinal cord. But these are all things I'm willing to do without any compensation.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31075942014-07-30T08:14:00-07:002014-07-30T09:19:12-07:0024 Hour urine collectionBack in May, I developed kidney stones, so my doctor ordered a 24 hour urine sample to find out what type of stones are forming, since I couldn't capture any when I was experiencing the stones passing.<br><br>It brought back memories of catheterizing, but without the pain and hassle. <br><br>Kidney stones can come from different sources, such as calcium. I'm pretty sure my stones are from calcium. To deal with my bowel issue, I eat a lot of fiber, now, and most of is through eating shredded wheat for breakfast - and with that, a lot of milk.<br><br>Also, around the time I developed the stones, I was taking 3x more vitamin D2 tablets than I normally do. This was because I was experiencing multiple boils in multiple parts of the body, and thought the vitamin D would help me heal faster. I don't think the stones came from excess vitamin D2, but I still don't plan on taking vitamin D2 after this current bottle runs out. I am walking better and am planning for even longer walks, so I will be out in the sun a little bit more than I have been, lately.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021632014-07-27T22:34:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:49-07:00Spiritual InterventionI lost a good friend last week. A lady I had worked with for almost twenty years. Her funeral was last Saturday.<br><br>Originally, I had not planned on going due to my issues with bowel and bladder control.<br><br>I almost never leave my home for more than a half hour unless my bowel is empty because if it is not, I am prone to accidents, both urinary and bowel. At this stage in my recovery, I don't mind too much peeing in my pants, but I really try to avoid pooping in my pants.<br><br>The funeral was scheduled to strat at 9 A.M., and though I usually have a bowel movement each day, it is around mid-morning. The thing is, even though I know stool is ready to come out, I can't force it, and have to wait until the body is ready to expel it. So, the consequence is that if I am not near a bathroom during this window of time, I am prone to leak, and sometimes have major accidents. Similarly, if the stool is ready to come out and I'm not less than two minutes away from a toilet, it would be even more of an embarrassment.<br><br>I would have to leave by 6 A.M. to make to the service on time. I told myself that I would have to wake up , have a bowel movement and get dressed by 5:45 A.M. for me to consider going.<br><br>As it turned out, I woke up at 4:30 A.M., had a bowel movement at 5:00 A.M., and was dressed by 5:30. But I still considered not going because even though I had a bowel movement, it wasn't complete, and I knew I'd have another one by noontime. <br><br>I sarcastically had my friend telling me, "Steve, I woke you up early, got you your bowel movement. Now, come over to say Good-bye to me."<br><br>But my friend would never say that. She would say, "Steve, I got you to wake up early, got you to have a bowel movement. I would like for you to come and say Good-bye, but if you don't feel up to it, that's okay. I understand."<br><br>I decided to go, and decided that I would worry about my bowel movements on my way home, if it came to that. As it turned out, two other friends who attended the funeral gave me a ride home.<br><br>I'd like to think my friend made it as easy it could be for me to attend. A form of spiritual intervention.<br><br>I'm glad I went. <br><br>She had a reassuring smile and hands down, was one of the kindest people I have ever known. I am going to miss my friend, RA.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021482014-07-27T21:56:00-07:002014-07-27T22:19:20-07:00Good Enough AdjustmentsOne of the things about Spinal Cord Injury (and many other conditions) is that adjustments need to be made when things stop working right. For me, bladder and bowel control is what causes me the most grief.<br><br>Even if I say I have recovered 90% on these issues, the remaining 10% calls for adjustments to be made. I have a bowel movement almost everyday, now. And in that respect, I can say my bowel functions are back to normal. However, my daily evacuation doesn't take place at the same time each day. Generally, they do take place mid-morning. But the difference between now and before I suffered spinal cord damage, I could force an evacuation earlier than it would occur naturally. Now, even though I know stool is ready to be evacuated, I can't force it out.<br><br>The consequence is that I generally don't leave my home, except for maybe a max of a half hour, unless I have a bowel movement. And hopefully, it would have been a satisfactory bowel movement.<br><br>When I have a bowel movement, two things are assured. I usually leak a lot of urine when having the bowel movement, and an empty bowel usually means an empty bladder - thus I don't have urine accidents. Second, once I have a nice bowel movement, I don't have to worry about having an unexpectedd bowel movement.<br><br>But what about those times when I have a bowel movement, but I know some stool is left, but it just won't come out. On those days, I am also reluctant to leave the home. I know a few hours later I will have another bowel movement - but fortunately, I am pretty confident that the bowel movement can usually be delayed by not eating - but that's not a given.<br><br>So, what happened was that I lost a dear friend last week, and her funeral was on Saturday. The funeral was 9 A.M., and I'd have to leave my home at 6 A.M. Under normal conditions, I wouldn't leave the house that early because I'd most assuredly would have an bowel and/or bladder accident.<br><br>As it turned out, I woke up at 4:30 A.M., and had a bowel movement at around 5 A.M. But it wasn't a complete evacuation and I knew some stool was left and I'd have another movement around noon. I thought about not going to the funeral. However, I knew I could make it to the funeral, and I it was my way home that would be the problem. When I was healthy, I could just force an evacuation before I would leave the church, but now, I can't force evacuations - bowel movements occur when my body is ready, not my mind.<br>So, this was not an option.<br><br>Anyway, I decided to go to the funeral and would worry about the bowel movement on my way home. <br><br>And it worked out. I got a ride home from two friends, and even stopped for lunch once in the vacinity of my home. I did end up having a bowel movement, but it was about 15 miuntes after I returned home.<br><br>If I had to take a bus home, I would have gotten home around the same time, but without eating lunch. And I think lunch helped push down some of the left-over stool, so I most likely would have made it home without an accident.<br><br>The moral of this story? It's okay to be cautious and concerned, but don't let these things cause you to be irrationally fearful of doing things.<br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30642332014-07-08T13:03:00-07:002017-02-03T22:37:45-08:00Me, an American Ninja Warrior? Yeah, RightI had watched Ninja Warrior ever since it started getting aired in the United States about 7 or 8 years ago. Now, we have American Ninja Warrior due to its popularity in the U.S. In a nutshell, "Ninja Warrior" is a show where contestants battle a difficult obstacle course, divided into 4 stages, each successive stage more difficult than the previous.<br><br>I had never had any intention of being on it, and I still don't. However, the fitness style of the participants is called "parkour," and it is a type of exercise that uses what is available to strengthen mobility. Often we see participants running along the tops of walls, and jumping over the body of cars.<br><br>For me, one of the last issues I'm dealing with in regaining my ability to walk is balance. And recently, I worked at this by walking along the edge of a planter. I'm happy to report that I rarely fell off (even though it is only a few inches off the ground, so no harm anyway). And I walked back and forth many times.<br><br>Me, a ninja warrior? No. But happy to be able to walk along an edge.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--BVJrDRmvFc/U7xOQei3miI/AAAAAAAAAMw/lFDmA_oYWek/s1600/backyardparkour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//4.bp.blogspot.com/--BVJrDRmvFc/U7xOQei3miI/AAAAAAAAAMw/lFDmA_oYWek/s1600/backyardparkour.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30640552014-07-08T12:33:41-07:002014-07-08T12:39:59-07:00Re-doing the websiteI'm currently revamping this website and hopefully it will more accurately reflect my interests. The content tabs might change at times until i find the right combination or style, but generally, I plan for the site to cover my interests in supernatural fantasy (vampires, werewolves, etc), money management, and health subjects, particularly in relation to spinal cord injury.<br><br>The blog posts on the front page, I plan to just write about what's on mind regardless of subject; sort of my "Hey, What's Up." I also plan on pulling in feeds from my other blogs to this location, so if you notice that, it's not duplication, but more like intra-syndication. If you want to just read the posts on a particular subject, then just go the tab that links to that blog, and open up the specific plan. At least that is my plan. <br><br>Thank you for visiting my site. Thank you for being interested in me as a writer and a person. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465232014-06-28T20:31:46-07:002021-04-21T10:12:54-07:00Cover for new book Earlier this week, I finished the cover for my book on recovery from the spinal cord injury. I am hoping for the reelaase date of the book to be mid-July.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/9325/024040e902ae9d00e19ee796cbe674fefd7ddd70/original/front-only-tentative-edited-1.jpg?1404012694" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30238472014-06-18T08:59:36-07:002014-06-18T08:59:36-07:00Run on the BeachOver the past 6 weeks, I've been feeling stronger, so I have been trying to jog on the sand at the beach. Although I wasn't able to run as before the illness, I felt good, and feel I will improve even more. I was able to run about the equivalent of about six blocks.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465242014-04-21T20:11:00-07:002019-10-03T03:24:46-07:00SerrapeptaseI had been struggling with sinus problems the last 10 years before I had the spinal cord injury. The two months in the hopsital lessened my problems for over a year, but last winter, my sinus problems came back with a vengeance. I started getting congested in Novemeber, and by early December, I was sleeping with my mouth open, and sinus medications weren't helping.<br><br>Finally, by the end of February, the congestion got manageable, but I couldn't go two days without the sinus medication, or else the congestion would come back strong.<br><br>At the beginning of this month, I started taking a supplement called serrapeptase. It is used as a sinus remedy in Europe in Japan. But my research also revealed that it seems to help MS sufferers also.<br><br>Supposedly, it reduces inflammation, and also reduces scar tissues so the nerves can regrow properly. <br><br>What I write here only applies to me, but not only have I not taken any sinus medication since starting on serrapeptase, but I feel a lot lighter on my feet. I'm not 100% recoevered re walking, but I seem to have experienced another recovery spurt - something that has been few and far between since last September.<br><br>So, for the time being, I will continue to take this supplement. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/28594382014-04-10T05:59:42-07:002014-04-10T05:59:42-07:00UpdateIt's been a busy six months since my last update. I continue my journey to a full recovery from Spinal Cord injury. I walk a little bit faster and smoother, now. I can even "scurry" across the street, which means my balance has also improved. Previously, I could only run indoors or on a flat surface, not an uneven surface like the street or sidewalk. <br><br>My comprehensive writing is on hold, though I continue to work on Toe Up to 10K. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465252014-04-09T19:58:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Update It's been a busy 5 months since my last post. My walking had improved to the point where I can walk at an almost normal speed. <br><br>I still cannot run, but I can scurry a little across the street. Even though I had been able to run previously bareboot inside my home, or in the hallway of my complex, I could not run on an uneven surface. I still am afraid to all out run, but can "hurry" on the sidewalk, or crossing the street, now.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465262013-11-15T09:14:00-08:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00China's Got Talent 2011 12yr-old Mongolian boy singing Mother in the Dre...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lY7ChkI6c8A" width="459"></iframe><br><br>Another touching performance on a talent show. <br><br>Each morning, at least for now, I try and start off the day by watching an inspirational video. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465272013-11-14T08:38:00-08:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Malaki Paul "9 Year old" "Listen" Uncut [HD] "Britains got talent" BGT ...Adversity comes in many forms. Overcoming adversity takes courage. This nine year old boy on Britain's Got Talent overcomes his stage fright to to give a great performance.<br><div><br></div><div><a href="http://youtu.be/vh2Lr7tn1S0" target="_blank">Malaki Paul on Britain's Got Talent</a></div>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465282013-11-12T06:43:00-08:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Inspirational person #12: Brandon PelletierBrandon is a veteran who became injured during his tour and developed a chip on his shoulder. He became an angry young man until the person sitting next to hit said something that changed his perception.<br><br>Check out:<br><h1 class="post-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: MuseoSans700, Fallback, arial; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 7px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/my-health-story/a-veterans-tour-from-tragedy-to-triumph-brandons-story/?xid=aol_eh-news_1_20131111_&aolcat=HLT&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl29%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D404182" target="_blank">A Veteran’s Tour From Tragedy to Triumph: Brandon’s Story</a></span></h1>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021642013-11-11T08:40:00-08:002014-07-27T22:46:49-07:00Fun and DeterminationThe band, "Fun," is one of the hottest bands around, now. They are also one of the most refreshing sounds. <br><br>When I see sales of my writings sink to the lower depths, I see where this band started from and where they are, now. And it gives me hope that my writings will have a fraction of readership that they have achieved with the amount of listeners. It is really up to me to provide a great product and work hard to get it out there.<br><br>Here is proof that success is not instant and easy, but requires hard work and time.<br><br>Here they are performing at a local record shop in Long Beach, CA, in 2009. Singing <a href="http://youtu.be/tbH0LWSZP6Q" target="_blank">Take Your Time</a> at Fingerprints Record Store.<br><br>And this past June, 2013, singing <a href="http://youtu.be/Ms_gFonHrpo" target="_blank">Some Nights</a> at a music festival in Germany.<br><br>Well deserved!!!Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465292013-11-11T08:15:00-08:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Hit a Brick Wall in RecoveryLooking back over the past year, I have recovered tremendously. I believe I have recovered to the point of what the doctors termed, "normal enough," when they said, I will walk, not "normal," but "normal enough." <br><br>Since ditching the cane (although I usually carry it with me, folded in my backpack), I really haven't had any noticeable improvement. I still cannot run, I still walk slower than I did before this condition happened to me. My bladder control has not yet returned to an acceptable level. My bowel control is acceptable, but not ideal.<br><br>Intellectually, I knew that as I got better, the pace of the improvement would slow down, but it has slown down considerably. While I can accept it if I were top stop improving at this point, I would like to still get better. At this point, I still cannot do a 10K - oh, I can walk it in about 4 hours, but an actual timed setting, not yet.<br><br>For the past three weeks or so, I've been feeling frustrated - and inactive be cause I have not much to share, but this past weekend, I was viewing some videos on Youtube which inspired me and then I started thinking not about how much more I need to improve, but how much I have improved to this point.<br><br>My distance walking is back to normal. I was able to do a five mile walk back in September when I first stopped walking with a cane. So, here, no improvement is necessary. I am comletely recovered.<br><br>I still cannot run, and my "jogging" experience on the sand a few months ago remains the same. This is frustrating, and I can only hope that I am still improving so I can actually sprint again - and it's just too slow for me to notice on a weekly or monthly basis. I might up the intensity of exercises though - that might jump start a phase of imprvement.<br><br>Related to that - although I walk much faster than I did about 8 months ago, I still walk much slower than before I injured the spinal cord. But the same speed for about the last two months. On a good note, I feel a little lighter on my feet now than even a months ago.<br><br>Six months ago, whenever I went out for a walk, I'd have to use the restroom after a few blocks, or I'd have an accident, which occured regualrly. Now, these accidents are few and far between. My bladder muscles have gotten stronger, and hopefully will continue to do so. <br><br>11 months ago, I used to measure bed-wetting by the actual number of times I wet the bed while sleeping. But then I started wearing an additional layer of protective clothing. But I would still actually wet the bed about once every five days. Now, I don't wet the bed - so my criteria for staying dry became not whether the bed was wet, or whether the disposable urine guard I wear needed to be replaced. And this is still a routine I go through every morning - and nothing has changed over the past few months, but compared to 6 months ago, the timing of my leakage has gotten steady. When I do leak, it is generally between 3:30 AM and when I wake up for good. Also, for the past month or two, about once a week, now, I don't leak at all (I still wake up about 4 times a night, though).<br><br>My bowel movements have been acceptable for the past 11 months, but now is more acceptable than three months ago. The movements come more regularly, and I strain less when they do come.<br><br>So, I hit another period of frustation, but this time it was a little longer and more intense than the past times. But I think I've got my thinking back straight and will concentrate on continual improvement, rather than lack of the amount.<br><br>As I posted recently, but I guess I hadn't taken it to heart when iposted it: "Kaizen," or continuous gradual improvement, shall be my motto.<br><br><br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465302013-10-21T08:18:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Inspirational person #11: Meg Meg was involved in a car accident while vacationing in New Zealand 16 months ago. She was in a coma for two months. She suffered a brain injury and had to re-learn everything: walking, talking, eating, etc.<br><br>She had made remarkable progress over the past year. Here is a clip from AOL: <a href="http://on.aol.com/video/brain-injury-patients-recovery-like-a-miracle-517974649?hp=1&playlist=127173&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl17%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D392780" target="_blank">Brain Injury Patient's Recovery</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465312013-10-19T22:04:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Kaizen - Japanese term for continuous improvementI haven't improved much in the last thirty days. But I have to believe that I am still improving, and if, at the end of the year, I look back to today, i will have found that I have improved, but as far as day to day noticeability, I really haven't noticed any improvement day to day, or even week to week, or bi-weekly for the past month, or for the last month, for that matter. I try to extend my self more, but I have to believe, now, that i would have been able to do the things last month, that i try for the first time today.<br><br>With that, I have come to believe in the term, Kaizen, which is a Japanese term, loosley translated, means, small improvements over time. The car company Toyota, used that concept to improve the quality of their cars back in the 60's and 70's. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465322013-10-17T07:42:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00A mother with MSI subscribe to an e-newsletter titled, "Chicken Soup for the Soul," and came across an inspiring story about a mother of three (now grown) children who was diagnosed with MS when she was 25 years old.<br><br><a href="http://www.chickensoup.com/newsletter.asp?newsid=article-daily-131017&utm_source=CSS_Email&utm_medium=Bulletin&utm_term=20100409&utm_content=css-orig&utm_campaign=daily" target="_blank">Chicken Soup for the Soul</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465332013-10-15T07:06:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Missed a DeadlineTwo days ago was the date of the 2013 Long beach marathon, in Long Beach, CA. I really wanted to be able to do a 5K by this date. Not only am I not at the point where I can run (not that I'd have to run it, but I'd like to)<br><br>I can kind of jog on the sand for a little bit at a time, and kind of run across my living room, and the hallway of my complex, but still am not comfortable running across the street. The reason is that outdoor surfaces are too uneven. The sand is uneven too, but it doesn't hurt as much when you fall in the sand. I'm still not at that point, in the actual running.<br><br>I still leak in my sleep, and don't get a restful night's sleep - another problem for an event which starts early in the morning.<br><br>Although I evacuate almost daily now, and sometimes in the early morning, I don't always, and also not always the early morning, or even the morning. I usually don't go outside until after I evacuate because it can get to the point where i won't be able to control it, and I've also noticed that having an unemptied bowel also causes problems with my bladder control. <br><br>Although I have made adjustments to my routines that pretty much let me avoid accidents during my waking hours, I know that these adjustments will need to be continuously modified for me to continue to pursue living life as unobstructive as possible.<br><br>Of course, I keep hoping and working towards a complete recovery, and one by one stop using the adjusments I have made, thusfar - like using a cane regularly.<br><br>And since I missed this deadline, I will have to make a new deadline. There are November Turkey Trots, and then there is the New Year, then the Spring races, so there qwill be plenty of opportunities in the near and far future for me to accomplish my goal. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465342013-10-14T06:20:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Inspirational Person #10: Jazzmin PeluchetteJazzmin Peluchette is a teen-ager who is athletic and plays on her high school volleyball team.<br><br>In July, she had a sudden onset of pain, and landed in the hospital. She was blinded and paralzyed and could not breathe on her own. Eventually, she would be diagnosed with Neuromyelitis Optica Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the spinal cord and the optic nerves. <br><br>She has regained some movement and some sight, but is still a long ways away from full recovery. She has vowed to recover 100%. Her determination is inspirational.<br><br>Here is a link to the local news story: <a href="http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/specialreport/MI98901/without-warning/" target="_blank">click here</a> for the news story. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465352013-10-11T11:10:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Frustation Sets inIt's been a little over 16 months since I came out of the ICU unit, lower half paralyzed, and no control over bowel and bladder functions.<br><br>I can now walk sort of normal without a cane, and have some control over my bladder and bowels.<br><br>I make adjustments to prevent accidents, but I'd like to get to the point where I don't need to, or that the adjustments don't interfere with my scheduling at all. <br><br>I know I am continually getting better, but it has become a slow process. Although I don't wet myself in my sleep as much as I used to, the frequency is still too much - and although my bowel movements are much more regular than let's say, three months ago, I still have a tendency to let that control me whether I go outside or not, and for how long. I still don't schedule anything in advance that would keep me out for more than a couple of hours at a time. <br><br>I would like to run again - for more than a few steps, and at a sprinting speed. Not a slow jog speed. <br><br>Not to be ungrateful. I am grateful to have recovered as much as I have. I'm determined to recover fully. But sometimes, the process does get frustrating. <br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465362013-10-05T08:03:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Slow Digestion and bowel movements.Before I got sick, I had very regular, very smooth bowel movements. Although my bowel function has come back, and its relatively normal, there are differences - and I don't know whether they will return back to normal - as much as I hope they will.<br><br>The following may be uncomfortable (disgusting) to read, but, it is a topic I had lots of trouble trying to find out about when it wasn't working. The subject matter is one that causes sufferers from speaking out, but I would like to share my experiences with anyone who is trying to figure out when bowel functions might come back, or if they will come back.<br><br>Here goes: If the topic makes you squemish, then stop reading.<br><br>I am lucky in this area. My bowel movements have returned alomost to a point of normalcy for me, but I believe it would be considered normal for others.<br><br>In the beginning, someone else had to digitally stimulate me because I couldn't reach down and do it myself. This went on for about 5 months after the spinal cord injury. A theripist said I will get to the point where I can digitally stim myself, but I didn't have to reach that point. By the time my abdomen got flexible enough so I could reach down, my bowel movements came naturally. <br><br>However, the timing and "holding" it in became a problem. I would not evacuate every day, and when I did, it would be a rush, and the stools were elephant sized. I suppose I could have taken laxatives and suppositories, but I wanted for my body to evacaute without any aids, except for fiber. During this recovery process, I have taken in more fiber in the forms of oatmeal and beans. My fruit and vegetable consumption has also increased.<br><br>This went on for about 10 months, and now I evacuate about 5 - 6 days out of the week, and usually in the morning, like before I got sick. The difference now is that many times I do strain (more than I should), but I am careful not to strain too much, and will give up and go at a later time. I can hold it in better than before, but sometimes I do feel like the stool will come out on its own when I am not ready for it to. It's as if my muscles still haven't the strength to push out the stool efficiently. The size and of the stool has become rabbit-pellet like, and instead of one or two large pieces, about a dozen of these pellet sized stool comes out. And this is with the contiuation of my increased diet take.<br><br>I hope this function will return to my regular habit before I got sick, but in the meantime, I am at a point where I can live with this function as it works right now. <br><br>I feel I am lucky because my bowel movements are natural, and now that a year has passed, regularity seems to be coming back very slowly, but surely. <br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465372013-10-04T05:55:00-07:002020-09-09T23:05:57-07:00A New DreamDuring this whole episode of my life, my dreams concerning recovery keep evolving. During my time in the hospital, I would dream that my paralysis was not real, only to wake up and realize that it was real. Then, last December, I dreamed that I was walking without a limp - and at the time I had, one month previous, started walking with a quad cane - and was feeling frustrated that progress had slowed down. Now, in my dreams, I am either walking normally, or with a cane (my current situation is that I walk with a limp/gait without a cane).<br><br>Last night, I dreamed that a couple of friends from work came to my parents' house, and I walked out to the porch and sat down on a step. One said, "Wow, you have gotten much better." The other said, "To tell you the truth, I thought you'd never be able to do that again." which was to sit down using my own strength and not topple over.<br><br>I replied, "Sometimes, I didn't think I would recover as well as I have."<br><br>All three statements reflect how I must feel, on a subconscious level, regarding my recovery. I am suprised at myself that I have recovered so well, thusfar; at some points, I had my doubts on whether I would ever recover; and acknowledgement of the first two statements.<br><br>It will be interesting to see how my dreams change as my recovery progresses. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465382013-09-28T08:59:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:22-07:00Inspirational Person #9 - Lyle Anderson - Ironman World ChampionshipLyle Anderson was diagnosed with MS almost six years ago - and this year, he is compting in the World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii.<br><br>The ironman competition consists of:<br><br><ul>
<li>2.4 mile swim</li>
<li>112 mile bike race</li>
<li>26.2 marathon</li>
</ul>I found this story on AOL everyday health page. <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/multiple-sclerosis/lyle-anderson-ms-patient-compete-ironman.aspx?xid=aol_eh-ms_8_20130923_&aolcat=AJA&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D382858" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the story on him. If the link doesn't work the first time, refreshing the page will usually get the correct page to dispaly.<br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465392013-09-23T22:26:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Another Walking MilestoneYesterday, I was able to walk 5 miles round trip without a cane. The 2.5 miles going away from my home, I took a liesurely walk, and stopped many times. However, when I reached my desired destination, I looked at the time, and decided to walk back the 2.5 miles without resting. I was able to walk this distance in 1 hour 15 minutes. As a point of reference, when healthy, I was able to cover the same distance in 45 minutes. <br><br>With 18 blocks to go, I must have looked like I had a bit too much alcohol to drink, becuase my gets got kind of weak, and I started wobbling. With 8 blocks to go, my legs got really weak, and I thought about resting, or pulling out my cane, which I had in my backpack for an emergency - or risk a fall. <br><br>I decided to risk a fall - but luckily, my legs held out and I made it home without falling. <br><br>I am quite happy with my leg recovery - if only my bladder and bowel would recover just as much. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021652013-09-23T21:59:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:49-07:00I Know I am Recovering Nicely From Spinal Cord Injury Because...there are things that frustrate me more than the speed of my recovery.<br><br>like when my current books don't sell as I'd like for them,<br>or when I have a short story that hasn't sold even one digital copy,<br>or when I forget to bring my cell phone with me when I go out,<br>or when I forget to bring my re-usable shopping bag when I go grocery shopping,<br><br>I read somewhere that last Saturday was "gratitude day." I am grateful for my recovery, thusfar, and the people who have helped me during this time: family, friends, caregivers. And though not a religious person, grateful to God. <br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/16893542013-09-23T17:39:31-07:002013-09-23T17:39:31-07:00New Short Story on AmazonI published a short story on amazon using their Kindle Direct Platform and I really like it. But these stories would be exclusive to them, so I'll probably use this method only for short stories. I wrote it in first person, and its about a ninja named Kaze no Katsumi who is going home from work on the light rail train from Los Angeles to Long Beach when the zombies attack. It's sarcastic - but all-in-fun tongue and cheek. I think anybody who takes thebusor any other sort of mass transit will enjoy the story. <br>
The story is called <a target="_new" href="http://The%20story%20is%20called%20%20Zombie%20Brawl,%20or%20Rants%20and%20Raves%20of%20a%20Mass%20Transit%20Commuter%20the%20Day%20the%20Zombies%20Attacked%20the%20Train.">Zombie Brawl, or Rants and Raves of a Mass Transit Commuter the Day the Zombies Attacked the Train</a>. It's only 23 pages, but it is also only 99 cents.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021662013-09-19T08:53:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:49-07:00Writing as TherapyFor those who don't know, for the past 15 months, I have been recovering from spinal cord injury brought about by an unknown agent - the doctors were never able to determine whether it was a virus, or of my body reacted with a severe auto-immne response - but my ability to walk, talk, and other bodily functions went kaput - and slowly, these finctions have returned. The talking came back within a week, but the others ares till awork in progress.<br><br>As happy as I am with the current state of my recovery, I still get frustated at the pace, and writing about it provides me with an outlet. I am working on a book journaling my recovery, but as a time out, I wrote a short story and created an alter ego for myself, who had transverse myelitis as a child, and still walks with a cane - but when needs be - he turnes into an agile ninja. It is a short story, and is currently available on Amazon Kindle. Please check out, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FAI38YM" target="_blank">Zombie Brawl, or Rants and Raves of a Mass Transit Commuter the Day the Zombies Attacjked the Train.</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465402013-09-19T08:39:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00I Have an Alter EgoAs well as my recovery has gone for me over the past 15 months, I do get frustrated that I am not 100%, or that I may never reach 100% - although I am confident that I will recover 98 - 99% eventually. <br><br>Until that happens though, with hard work and exercise, when I am not active, I need to visualise that I am recovered. One way is through my writing - the Toe Up to 10K book, which pretty much journals my recovery serves as a "that's were I was, this is where I am,"<br><br>The other way is through fiction writing, and I just finished a short story, available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, about a ninja named <em>Kaze no Katsumi, </em>who must save commuters going home from work from zombies who attack their train. <em>Kaze no Katsumi</em> contracted transverse myelitis as a child, and when not in ninja form, walks with a cane. As the story is in the horror/samurai genre, it is violent, but also humorous and sarcastic. Please check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FAI38YM" target="_blank">Zombie Brawl, or Rants and Raves of a Mass Transit Commuter the Day the Zombies Attacked the Train.</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465412013-09-14T19:49:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Inspirational person #8 - Rocky BleierRocky Bleier was a football player in the 1970s for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1968, after his rookie year, he served in the army in Vietnam. He was shot in the thigh, and then a grenade blew up near him. He was told he would never play football again.<br><br>But guess what? After being discharged, and walking in pain, for two years he worked hard , until he made the Steelers roster - and 1n 1976, he rushed for over 1,000.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465422013-09-13T19:55:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Practice Walking Without a CaneBoosted by the news i got at the doctor earlier this week, since yesterday i have been walking outdoors without a cane.<br><br>I can feel more muscles working and being taxed, for my lower abdomen tightened up the same way it did when I switched from the quad cane to a regular cane. Of course that meant I would start having more bladder accidents again when i walk, but that's okay - I know this will get better. <br><br>I think I have two more stages to go before the bladder gets back to near complete recovery. That is is I can run for a distance longer than my living room, and then it would just be my muscles closing up shop while I sleep.<br><br>Again, I think how much improved I am now compared to a year ago when I was in a wheelchair and voided via catheter, and evacuating via digital stimulation.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465432013-09-12T08:20:00-07:002021-09-20T09:14:30-07:00Strength Almost backI went to the doctor and after the examination, told me that my strength has almost returned to normal, with weakness just in the toes. <br><br>I still have a slight problem with balance, co-ordination, and continuing issue with my bladder, but all is getting better. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465442013-09-06T14:19:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Whenever I experience a symptomI've written about how I worry when I get a headache nowadays, but it is the same with any other symptom - nausea, trouble urinating, lack of appetite....<br><br>I can't remember the hundreds of other times I had experienced the same during my life, but remember the time it happened to me before I landed in the hopsital.<br><br>It is a feeling I cannot shake.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465452013-09-05T09:36:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00A difference a year makesFor the last 3 months, and for the next 3 months, on any day, I can look back and see the difference in my health. Actually, I could do the same for the next 12 months, but the greatest improvement would have taken place between June 2013, when I was first afflicted with spinal cord injury, and June 2013, when I became fairly comfortable walking with a cane.<br><br>Today is September 5, and a year ago, I could stand up for a few seconds in a pool, and today, I can walk a mile, slowly, but surely.<br><br>A year ago, I could not evacuate stoll on my own, today, my bowel movements are about 85% normal.<br><br>A year ago, I could not urinate naturally, and today, I have the opposite problem, but not nearly as bad. During waking hours, I'm in control about 80% of the time - I make adjustments to get it that high. It's at night, that I continue to have issues - but different issues than from a year ago. <br><br>I am writing a book on my recovery, and it will probably be a short book - and I hope to have it out by Halloween, of all days, but certainly by Thanksgiving.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465462013-09-03T18:49:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Animal InstinctI was at the store today when a lady brought in her dog. My legs were tired, so I rested and invited her to go first. She sat her dog down at the side of the room, and I took the second chair away from the dog. The dog looked like a lab/golden retriever mix - really beautiful and behaved. It had the most piercing brown eyes. <br><br>The dog kept staring at me, and finally, it got up and placed his neck on my thigh. I kept nudging his neck and patting him on the head. and scratching the back of his ear. <br><br>The lady saw the dog and apologized, but it was a-okay with me. I found the dog's company comforting. I told the lady that I thought her dog knew I was recovering from a medical illness.<br><br>She said that her sister raises therapy dogs, and although this dog isn't a therapy dog, he has gone into the hospital and visited patients and takes to people right away and has a gentle disposition. <br><br>This dog had never seen me before today, and I really felt the comapssion it had for me, a stranger recovering from spinal cord injury.<br><br>I don't have a pet, but this epce is a great example that animals can have a positive impact on one's recovery.<br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/30465472013-08-31T16:58:00-07:002014-06-28T20:35:23-07:00Inspirational Person #7: William Easton RiddellWilliam Easton Riddell was a boy who lived in Scotland over 130 years ago. In 1882, he was 16 years old and playing soccer, when he hurt his leg. His parents took him to see doctors, but the leg would not heal.<br><br>The parents were told William had cancer. They did not tell William that until towards the end.<br><br>William knew he was terminal, and he did not become bitter, and did his best to keep his loved one's from feeling sorrow regarding his eventual death.<br><br>What seems naive, now in the 21st century, and hear it often with warrior culture, such as the samurai, or Spartans is the concept of looking forward to death and dying well. But this concept is exemplified with William. His mother wrote an account of these last months of his life. I'm pretty sure I do not have the same strength as this young man did to face what he faced with the attitude he faced it with.<br><br>His story is chronicled in a book, published in 1886, titled, "A Bright Sunset: The Last Days of a Young Scottish Football Player." I found the book to be touching and a tear-jerker. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021672013-08-29T07:37:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Just too funnyJust adding to the number of people sharing a version of this television clip from Japan.<br><br><a href="http://youtu.be/QCgDzUtLkCA" target="_blank">Dinosaur in Office Hallway</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021682013-08-24T19:48:00-07:002017-02-03T23:29:34-08:000% discount? I think I'll pass up this offerI recently got an email offering a 0% disccount on a tour.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rP0wpq9waoA/UhlwSUycjUI/AAAAAAAAAKw/TqtbDS1acvY/s1600/ad_typo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="//1.bp.blogspot.com/-rP0wpq9waoA/UhlwSUycjUI/AAAAAAAAAKw/TqtbDS1acvY/s1600/ad_typo.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="81" width="320" /></a></div><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021692013-08-18T10:35:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Change the World - J-Pop songIt's really more of a love song, and the opening theme to the anime, Inuyasha, which is really aimed at the teen-aged girl audience, but it's got a lot of fighting and action to capture boys' attention as well. <br><br>Anyway, the song, sung by boy band (whose oldest members are now 40 years old), V-6, when they were in their teens and twenties inspires me - and I hope the book I am currently writing about my recovery from spinal cord injury, as well as the financial planning book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/10-Day-Towards-000-ebook/dp/B007X6PAE0/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376846872&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=%2410+a+Day+tpwards+%241%2C000%2C000" target="_blank">$10 a Day Towards $1,000,000</a> will inspire people to act positively one reader at a time. As long as I'm engaging in shameless self-promotion, check out my vampire novella, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sword-of-the-Undead-ebook/dp/B003N9C1JI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1376847011" target="_blank">Sword of the Undead</a><br><br><a href="http://youtu.be/oJQcsPjuKSY" target="_blank">Change the World</a>, with Japanese and English lyrics, by the band, V-6.<br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021702013-08-10T21:07:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Lucky and BlessedI've felt blessed since my eyes opened, and in my recovery blog. <a href="http://www.toeupto10k.blogspot.com/">http://www.toeupto10k.blogspot.com/</a>, each week, I write about an inspirational person. They are not hard to find. There are lots of inspirational people around in many different ways - its just that I focus on those who have recovered from spinal cord and brain injuries.<br><br>Sometimes I can't help but think about those who did not survive, and feel sad, and lucky at the same time. And the same goes for those who had to have limbs amputated for survival - and with those people, who have recovered, I get extra inspiration. <br><br>In a Christmas Carol, Ebenezer the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, provided the trigger for Scrooge to change his life. I'm not physically 100% yet, but meningitis and the resulting transverse mylenitis have caused me to make adjustments physically and socially, but it also provided me the trigger to start a new chapter - doing what I've always wanted to do for a living - that is to write - and hopefully, alos provide inspiration to people who also are recovering from spinal cord injury. <br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021712013-07-28T17:46:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00A New ChapterI was out of work for exactly one year due to complications from meningitis - in hindsight, I think it was a little too early to return to work full-time, albeit from home. It took time away from my exercises, which I believe has helped me tremendously in my recovery. <br><br>Last week was my last week working for an organization I worked at for 19 1/2 years, and over 17 years as an official employee. It's kind of scary, but I will keep occupied, with my recovery, and I have a whole pipeline of books and writing projects lined up to work on. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021722013-07-23T21:19:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Part 2: Giants fan in DodgerlandJT Snow last played in a major league game in 2006. He retired in 2008. He retired as a Giant. But the way he retired as a Giant was touching. He was doing commentary for Giants games when he decided to retire; he had last played for the Boston Red Sox. The Giants organization asked him to retire as a Giant and offered him a one day contract, which he would go out into the field for the pre-game, then be scratched before the game started. They had a ceremony, and Snow officially retired as a player as a Giant. I think it was really classy of the Giants to do that for Snow. I wish the Angels would have done that with Garrett Anderson.<br><br>The other incident is also really a kudos to the people of San Francisco. Growing up, I participated in the Los Angeles/San Francisco rivalry - I will still participate in that rivalry - but when the Brian Stow beating took place, I was ashamed - for the city of Los Angeles, and as a baseball fan, and if I bled Dodger Blue, as a Dodger fan - and I think alot of other people felt the same. But the fans in San Francisco didn't take it out on us - they knew individuals were responsible - and seemed to go out of their way to let us know that the assaulters were not a reflection of Los Angeles baseball fans.<br><br>Then, the first time the Dodgers went up to San Fran, I didn't know what to expect - but I thought the fans were great, and to see the two teams get together, and form a fellowship of sort before the game - it was great to see - maybe it wasn't New York/Boston after 9-11, or the Boston Marathon bombing, but still a pretty heartwarming scene.<br><br>Also in 2011 and in 2013, the year after the Giants won the world series, they conducted a raffle in which the winner recieved a World Series ring with his/her name engraved. I suppose the name engraving serves another purpose of discouraging sale of the ring, but that would be a special thing to win for a fan - and I think it is great of the Giants organizatin to hold such a raffle, and donate the proceeds to charity. I don't know if other teams do the same, but I don't remember the Lakers doing this when they were winning the NBA Finals a few years ago, and I fdon't remember the Angels doing this after they won the 2002 World Series. <br><br>So, there it is - how I became a Giants Fan even though I grew up and live in Dodgerland. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021732013-07-22T19:59:00-07:002020-11-16T02:10:39-08:00Why I'm a San Fransisco Giants Fan in DodgerlandIn my recovery blog, I posted that JT Snow is my favorite ball player of all-time<br><br>I grew up a huge California Angels fan - and when he was traded to the Angels from the Yankees and went on the local sports talk show circuit and said that he, too, grew up an Angels fan, and was at the game when they clinched their first division title - I said, "Hey, I listened to that game on the radio - still remember the final out when Rod Carew fielded a grounder and tossed it to the pitcher - okay I forgot the pitcher, but I think it was Frank Tanana." To boot, he was a great fielder, and a quality hitter. Although I never met him, or know him personally, I felt a bond - being an Angels fan in the 1970's was kind of like being a Cubs fan, but without the long history -and we are only a couple of years apart in age, so his comment about being at the Angels' game was more signifcant to me. <br><br>So when Snow was traded to the Giants, I really never forgave the Disney corporation. My loyaties to the Angels wavered and though I still root for the Angels, since Disney sold it, its still not as strong under theMoreno era as it was during the Autry era. I did root for the Angels during the 2002 World Series aganst Snow's Giants, for the record.<br><br>I might have really disliked the Dodgers growing up, but spending 5 years on the East Coast - heck, I had to defend Southern California from verbal abuse, and if it meant defending the Dodgers, so be it. In time, I became a fan of Tommy Lasorda, and eventually grew fond of them. <br><br>Next post: JT Snow's retirement and the Brian Stow incident - Giants organization's classy reactions.<br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021742013-07-11T21:46:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Favorite SuperheroBefore I experienced spinal cord injury via meningitis, if you asked me who my favorite superhero is, I'd have answered, Spider-Man, or Batman. In my high school days, it was Green Lantern, with Batman and Spider-Man alternating between second and third favorite.<br><br>A year ago today, I was in the hospital (and had been for five-six weeks), and still could not move from the waist down. I was told that it would be about two years before I would walk resembling normalcy, and probably would take about a year to gain enough strength to start using a walker. I couldn't accept that - I set timelines, and goals, and now, though I can't run, yet - I'm confident my legs are strong enough to finish a 5K walk. And the year in the wheelchair was shortened to about four months. <br><br>So, who would I say, now? It would be Professor Xavier. He's not just a superhero - but an inspiration - in that he has taught me how powerful a tool the mind is. The mind can create reality - meaning a lot of overcoming obstacles is due to your mindset. Not only that, he started a school for "gifted" children. I know there are a lot of rehab centers out there for people who are recovering from spinal cord injury, but if I had the money, I'd like to start a state of the art rehab and research center. <br><br>And the mind's importance for reaching goals? I think it was Henry Ford who said whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right. <br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021752013-07-08T21:27:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Sue GraftonI had always wanted to read Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries, but kept telling myself that I would when I came across with "A." Yesterday, I came across "A" through "D," and I just started on the first, and so far so good. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/10831382013-07-07T16:33:25-07:002013-07-07T16:33:25-07:00Two New Blogs: Thevampirekageura.blogspot.com and Toeupto10K.blogspot.comI started two new blogs tonight. One is "The Vampire Kageura," which is sort of my thought processes (as characters making entries) as I write the sequel to "Sword of the Undead," and "Toe Up to 10K," which chronicles my experience as I recover from the spinal cord injury caused by meningitis.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021762013-07-06T20:40:00-07:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00I'm backShortly after my last post, I contracted meningitis, and spent a couple months in the hospital. The disease left me temporarily paralyzed, and after a year, still on the road to recovery. The doctors predicated two years for me to walk relatively normal again, but I seem to have reached that point in half the time. I do have other issues, however, but I deal with.<br><br>My plans are to keep up with my current blogs, and start two new ones now. One will be a Literary blog, which would sort of be a companion/first draft of the sequal to my novella, Sword of the Undead, and will be titled, The Vampire Kageura, and another blog will focus on spinal cord injuries - information and stories of recovery.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/6775812013-05-05T03:13:20-07:002013-05-05T03:13:20-07:00Almost back after a long absenceSoon after my last post. I came down with meningitis - and as a result, and my nerves were damaged as a result. I spent several months in a wheelchair, and have been learning how to walk again for several months after that. It's been almost a year, now, and I am still recovering. I have been concentrating fully on my recovery, and have left my creative projects aside (except for in-head brainstorming) - but as I gain more strength and recover more, I hope to make use of all the pent up creativity and produce several works, both fiction and non-fiction. Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1611292012-04-25T16:28:19-07:002012-04-25T16:28:19-07:00$10 a Day Towards $1,000,000 on sale nowSo, far, i think Amazon is the only one that has the book live on sale, but should be on Nook and others within the next few days/weeks.<br><br>
Here is the link for the book on Amazon:<br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/10-Day-Towards-000-ebook/dp/B007X6PAE0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335414245&sr=8-1">www.amazon.com/10-Day-Towards-000-ebook/dp/B007X6PAE0/ref=sr_1_1</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/31021772012-02-14T22:27:00-08:002014-07-27T22:46:50-07:00Three Year Swim ClubI saw one of the preview performances, and this play was one of the most touching productions I have attended. It is based on a true story, about Soichi Sakamoto, an elementary school teacher in Hawaii, back in 1937, who decides to start a swim club for the plantation workers. Four of his pupils become world class swimmers - and it is these four swimmers that the play focuses on - along with the coach, and his wife, Mary. <br><br>These are "plantation" kids, who are told, basically, to just accept their fate as plantation workers, but Coach Sakamoto teaches them to dream and to aspire. With focus, dedication and effort, anything is possible. The play is inspirational, emotional, and touching. It moved me, tremendously. I probably reacted more strongly than others might because it home with me. Not that I have any Hawaiian roots, but I've grown up around enough people who have roots in Hawaii - and between the "pidgen lite" that is spoken in the play, and the historical context of the environment these kids and their coach lived - I was probably able to catch a lot of nuances that others who don't have this reference will miss. <br><br>Regardless, the storyline is great, the dialogue is crisp, the acting is suberb, and the direction is wonderful. The play runs until March 11. Catch it if you can.<br><br><a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/article/9369610/three-year-swim-club-review-10964000.html?cat=2" target="_blank">Click here</a> for a full review I posted on the Yahoo Contributor Network<br><br>For more information, visit their website: <a href="http://www.eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/swim.htm">http://www.eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/swim.htm</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1404032012-02-14T16:37:50-08:002012-02-14T16:37:50-08:00Started a new blogI started a new blog on blogger. It's a blog I that I'm hoping to use as a vehicle to share with others about what what's on my mind, but probably, primarily to promote events, businesses, books, and such that I really like. I only have one post so far, that is reccommending the play, Three Year Swim Club, currently being staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo District of Los Angeles. The play runs until March 11, 2012. <br><br>
Please check it out: <a target="_new" href="http://authorstevefujita.blogspot.com/">authorstevefujita.blogspot.com/</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1404012012-02-14T16:33:25-08:002012-02-14T16:33:25-08:00$10 a day $1,000,000$10 a Day to $1,000,000 is the name of the new book I have been working on, and should be published sometime in Spring, 2012. It is geared towards young people to encourage them to start saving for their retirement at an early age as possible. Also included are some money-saving tips that might be useful to all ages.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1096872011-08-19T01:51:22-07:002011-08-19T01:51:22-07:00Return Visit to the Book Club with John AustinA return visit to the Book Club with John Austin radio show aired August 16, 2011. We talk about Nisei Week in LA, the tsunami in Japan, and the book.<br><br><a target="_new" href="http://internetradiopros.com/bookclub/?p=episode&name=2011-08-09_zbookcub_for_081611_2nd_segment_fujita.mp3">http://internetradiopros.com/bookclub/?p=episode&name=2011-08-09_zbookcub_for_081611_2nd_segment_fujita.mp3</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1091452011-08-15T14:39:54-07:002011-08-15T14:39:54-07:00Nikkei to Nippon Tsumani Relief Effort PledgeWhen I first thought of this, I thought it was self serving, and it is because I'd like to increase sales of Sword of the Undead, and it's roughly 10% of my royalties, and I donated back in March, but the fact is, money is still needed for the relief effort, and people are still displaced, and it is a good cause. I will be displaced for a few days because my home will be fumigated to kill the termites - and I think that's an inconvenience. I can't imagine what it would be like to be displaced for months on end. And this isn't just for the earthquake bictims of Japan, but for refugees we see on tv in foreign countries. I give regularly to the American Red Cross, but also want to do something extra for the tsunami relief in Japan. I live in Long Beach, CA, a coastal community that is prone to earthquakes and possible tsunamis, and also live 50 miles from a nuclear reactor, so even though Southern California is well prepared, we all know that the Japanese are as well prepared or better than we are, so when that quake and tsunami hit, it was a real wake up call.<br><br>
I made the right decision, I know when I was watching a telecast of a Japanese amatuer singing contest called "Nodo jiman," and one of the contestants was a man displaced from his home since the quake. <br>
_______________________________________________________<br>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
Nikkei to Nippon Tsunami Relief Pledge<br><br>
Long Beach, CA, August 2011: On March 11, 2011, a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake followed by a devastating tsunami struck the Tōhoku region of Japan. Over 15,000 have been confirmed dead, and 5,000 are still missing. Approximately 500,000 people were displaced, many of whom continue to live in temporary living quarters.<br><br>
As relief efforts continue, more money will be needed to fund the relief effort. <br><br>
As author of the novella, Sword of the Undead, I pledge that for every 1000 new books (paperback and ebook formats) sold between August 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011, I will donate to the American Red Cross and earmark it for tsunami relief efforts in Japan (or should they not be accepting donations for that specific purpose, to be earmarked to the most needed disaster relief at that time), $100. If 100,000 new books are sold, I will double the amount to $20,000 ($100 x 100 x 2 = $20,000).<br><br><br>
About Sword of the Undead: In 1872, Jonathan Harker travels to Japan to inform Lord Hidetora Kageura that the castle he had commissioned to be built in Los Angeles, California was completed. Leaving Harker left for dead, Kageura moves to California. Harker’s friend Lucy dies from a mysterious ailment. Dr. Abraham Van Helsing determines Lucy died from a vampire’s bite. Harker returns to California, but now, Harker’s wife Mina, is the vampire’s target. Based on the novel, Dracula, Sword of the Undead re-tells the classic vampire tale, with a vampire lord from Japan, and introduces a new vampire slayer, legendary real life swordsman, Yagyu Jubei. <br><br>
About Steven Fujita: Steven Fujita is a regular contributor to the multi-media website, Associatedcontent.com, publishing articles on a variety of topics. He also provides DVD reviews on Amazon.com. With this novella, Sword of the Undead, Steve Fujita incorporated his interest in history, jidaideki (Japanese period drama), particularly episodic samurai drama, and the supernatural. Born in Los Angeles, Steve Fujita was raised in Torrance, and attended college in Washington, D.C. Mr. Fujita currently lives in Long Beach, California<br>
Website: http://www.stevenfujitaauthor.com, email: steve@stevenfujitaauthor.com <br><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1015632011-06-01T16:57:37-07:002011-06-01T16:57:37-07:00Kindle Edition of Sword of the Undead now $3.95The price of the Kindle version of Sword of the Undead has been lowered to $3.95<br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sword-of-the-Undead-ebook/dp/B003N9C1JI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306990542&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Sword-of-the-Undead-ebook/dp/B003N9C1JI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1306990542&sr=1-1</a>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/1013282011-05-30T11:59:31-07:002011-05-30T11:59:31-07:00Book Expo America (BEA) in New York City last weekI was at Book Expo America last week and had a great time - the attendees were great, my publisher was great, just everything. I was alotted 25 books to give away and they were gone within 15 minutes, even had a line at one point. The comments I received from the attendees were also great. I heard the word, "fascinating," a couple of times, and a couple of people said they saw that I was signing at 1:00 p.m., and made an effort to come back.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/949302011-03-11T16:47:12-08:002011-03-11T16:47:12-08:00Earthquake and tsunami in JapanThe photos and videos coming out of Japan are sad and terrifying. We in California keep talking about the big one, and today the local news reported that even the San Andreas fault isn't capable of generating an earthquake as powerful as the one that hit Japan on Thursday. And to add a tsunami from six miles out. California is over 5000 miles away and some boats in Northern California were damaged and about 5 people got swept away (one still missing as I write this).<br><br>
I will be making a donation for the relief efforts now, but will also donate 10% of my royalties for sales on Sword of the Undead (kindle and hard copies) made between March 1, 2011 and March 31, 2011.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/915342011-01-28T15:49:04-08:002011-01-28T15:49:04-08:00Touched By an AngelWhile waiting for the bus yesterday, a homeless man walked up to me, smiled, laughed, some gibberish came out of his mouth, and he patted me on the shoulder. I smiled back, laughed and nodded my head. He laughed some more, said some more gibberish and patted me on the shoulder again and walked off. At first I wanted to take a shower, but then I realized that he might be an Angel giving me some reassurance. When I thought that, I felt really positive, so maybe he was.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/906782011-01-06T14:55:00-08:002011-01-06T14:55:00-08:00Donation to the Brain Tumor FoundationMy close friend's wife recently passed away after a battle with a brain tumor. I asked him if there was any organization I could make a donation to, and he replied to the <a target="_new" href="http://www.braintumorfoundation.org/">Brain Tumor Foundation.</a> Therefore, one donation I make to that organization will consist of 10% of the royalties I receive from January 1, 2011 - February 28, 2011 sales of my book, <u>Sword of the Undead</u>.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/595702010-11-06T04:30:00-07:002017-02-01T11:55:40-08:00Secret Passages Bookstore in Long Beach, CASecret Passages is a new independent bookstore in the East Village Arts district of Long Beach, CA that specializes in horror/sci-fi/fantasy/anime. <br><br>
If you are looking for a huge mega-store with everything under the sun, you won't get it here. What you do get is a small, inde shop, the type that makes for great browsing. I came across some interesting titles in the used section that are probably out of print. The owners are friendly and knowledgeable about the genre they represent.<br><br>
Not only are they a retailer, but they are community minded and support literacy, and the owners love for this genre, and using that as a base to promote literacy is a great. I grew up reading comic books, and many times, I found words from the weekly vocabulary list from English class used in comics, and I'm sure reading comics helped develop in me, my love for reading and writing. <br><br>
If you are in the area, visit them at 406 East 3rd Street, Unit A, Long beach, CA.<br><br>
And now for the shameless self-promotion: I am a <a target="_new" href="http://www.secretpassagesbooks.com/?page_id=249">featured local author on their website</a>.<br><br>
And here is an image of the book in the window of their bookstore.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/9325/6f5a1dafa5afe93c77b6c96e1789e4488ca2000e/thumb/sword-of-undead-window.jpg?1381267225" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="125" width="94" /><br><br>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/640682010-11-02T02:20:00-07:002010-11-02T02:20:00-07:00Interview on the Book Club with John Austin <p>My appearance on the radio show, the Book Club with John Austin just aired. Here is a link to the podcast:<br><br>
</p>25:36Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/873772010-10-23T11:02:37-07:002010-10-23T11:02:37-07:00Lunch with Fellow WritersIn February of this year, I spoke to a writing class, and today, I was invited to their reunion. The attendees all shared their experiences since they last got together. It was great to hear other writers on their progress on their writing goals. I, too, was able to tell them that Sword of the Undead did get published and some of my experiences with marketing took.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/873762010-10-23T10:54:23-07:002010-10-23T10:54:23-07:00I will be Interviewed on Book Club with John AustinThe Book Club with John Austin is a radio show that broadcasts on WTAN-AM1340 in Tampa Florida, and KLRG-AM in Little Rock Arkansas. I will be interviewed on a show that will air on November 2, 2010 at 9:00 AM Eastern time. The show will also be streamed on the internet on <a href="http://www.tantalk1340.com">www.tantalk1340.com</a>. Two authors wil be interviewed, so I don't know if I will be the forst author or the second author.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/857672010-10-02T14:40:49-07:002010-10-02T14:40:49-07:00Started a playlist at blip.fmStarted a playlist at <a target="_new" href="http://blip.fm/jpops">Blip.fm</a>. Focusing on P-pop and enka.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/854802010-09-27T12:43:40-07:002010-09-27T12:43:40-07:002010 West Hollywood Book fair<p>It figures that this took place during one of the hottest days in Los Angeles' history. Obviously over 100 degrees, and I think that affected the turnout - that it wasn't as attending as many people as most of would have liked. Still lots of good panel and interesting people I met.</p>Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/777832010-05-31T09:46:48-07:002010-05-31T09:46:48-07:00I started a blogI started a blog titled, <a href="http://www.samuraiaction.blogspot.com/">Samurai action</a>. In it, I'll post about samurai related subjects such as famous samurais and clans, terms in samurai movies, themes of samurai movies, movie reviews. These posts will include samurai related subjects such as ninjas and other historical periods of Japan before and after samurai periods, such as the Heian period.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/574692009-12-26T16:02:15-08:002009-12-26T16:02:15-08:00Adam Frey Passed Away on December 26, 2009Adam Frey, the Cornell wrestler whose fight with cancer I had been following through his blog, passed away this afternoon. He was 23 years old. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family. He will continue to be an inspiration to all those he touched.Steve Fujitatag:stevenfujitaauthor.com,2005:Post/573282009-12-21T16:20:00-08:002009-12-21T16:20:00-08:00A Courageous Young ManAdam Frey is a wrestler at Cornell University. In Feb 2008, during a hospital visit for something unrelated, he learned he has cancer. Almost a year ago, I learned about his story and have been following his blog. He is an inspiration. The latest entry indicates he is not doing well. Let's send him out thoughts prayers and support. Here is a link to his website:<a href="http://%20http://adamfrey.us/"> http://adamfrey.us/</a>Steve Fujita