Update on Jamison

[ramenth]

Hey, guys, I know there are a few here who like to know what's going on in his life.

He got an 86 on his diesel class midterm and is pretty much acing his shop work.

He did have a few health issues. The kid suffers from severe asthma and spent a lot of his younger years on steriods to help strengthen his lungs. One of the side effects was weight gaining.

That lead to elevated blood pressure a couple of weeks ago. Almost dangerously high. Doc has him on a low carb diet.

Which, I'm proud to say, he's embraced, making it easier on himself and his mom and dad. So far, so good!

Keep him in your prayers, guys. The mission is to lose a pound a week and keep going.

 

[bremereric]

I do the chicken and turkey during the week so I can have the hamburger on the weekend. I was a fatboy with high blood pressure do to too much fast food. It's hard but he can do it.

 

[8D5 Gran Fury]

I'm kissing 43 and really feel fortunate not to have the need to take medication for anything yet. I have to watch cholesterol, and I am listening to the doc and doing what he said will lower it (it's slightly elevated)- I'm about 5'9" and 162 lbs, not a 'big guy' at all.
Every year I am seeing more and more folks die due to not doing what the doc tells then they need to do to get healthy. Glad to hear Jamison is getting on it and that you, Eric, are smart about it. It's a saddening and angering condundrum which boils down to decisions folks make (or don't)

 

[ramenth]

Yeah, the tough part of this is Jamison is 16.

The nice thing is, though, he's made the commitment and is sticking to it. Not just to the diet itself, but learning to push away from the table, giving up on the seconds, staying away from the unnecessary sugars.

'Cause of his age, the doctor wants him to stay with the red meat, just in moderation. He still needs the extra protein a kid his age needs.

The local vo-tech is helping, too, with discipline in this area. He refuses to miss a day of school cause he doesn't want to miss the class. He's loving it there.

The kid is very hands on: show him once, let him have a shot at it, and watch him go to work.

He's also showing initiative. The class has a Cat powered Freightliner that was donated. Hasn't run in three or four years. Electrical issues and the wires are all colored the same. He took it upon himself to get a hold of Freightliner for a wiring schematic. They emailed him one. He taught himself how to read it. He's showing a lot of determination. He got the truck to roll over for the first time in years. He won't give up on the truck. His instructor said that's he spent more time on that truck in one week than most of his other classes combined in two or three year.

It's making the weight loss issue easier to deal with when he applies those same traits.

 

[8D5 Gran Fury]

Good to hear- I'm laughing because my older daughter has the same "Show me, I'll try it" attitude. She is tall, very pretty, but is all about learning how to do stuff. Olivia is applying to several charter schools (she is very,very bright) and the one she is all excited about has an 'ace card' for her- wood shop. Yup, she is all excited about wood working and getting to use tools. She might only be 11, but she certainly knows what she likes

 

[klb6469]

Its good to hear of young people getiing their hand dirty, so to speak of. I have four older nephews and only one is interested in working on cars. The other three dont have any interest in anything but the TV and video games.

 

[ramenth]

The mission is to lose a pound a week and keep going.

And he's blown that mission out of the water.

I was talking to Jamison's mom last night and found out that Jamison has embraced his diet to the point he's now dropped a pound a day. In the past months he's dropped over 30 pounds.

He had a Pizza Hut pizza box for lunch the other day and felt guilty that he ate it. Tells me he's embraced his diet fully if he's feeling guilty for taking a day off.