News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Rick McNerney works out under the supervision of Jason Kremer at Cascade Fitness. Photo by Jim Cornelius
Rick McNerney is putting up a real fight against an inexorable and debilitating disease. And he has the help of some friends in Sisters.
McNerney was diagnosed a year ago with Huntington's Disease, a hereditary nervous system disorder that causes convulsive motion, muscle tightening and loss of balance and coordination.
There is no cure and the disease is ultimately fatal.
But McNerney is fighting hard to stay as fit and healthy as he can for as long as he can. He walks for two hours every day, even though walking is difficult. And, starting three weeks ago, he's been training regularly at Casacade Fitness under the supervision of Jason Kremer.
"I'm feeling better, more self-confident," McNerney said.
Part of his motivation to start weight training was a noticeble loss of strength.
"I noticed that my upper body strength was pretty much non-existent," he said.
Weight training is recommended to help delay the effects of the disease and help manage its effects. The disease has already made severe inroads.
"Before a year ago, I didn't have any shaking or grinding my teeth or anything," McNerney said.
Now those symptoms are constant. McNerney is supposed to consume 10,000 calories a day just to keep up with the furious metabolizing effect of his body's constant motion.
McNerney approached Cascade Fitness and trainer Jason Kremer on his doctor's recommendation. He was pleased at the reception he got.
"Unlike most people I talk to, (Kremer) took the time and went on the internet and learned about (Huntington's)," McNerney said.
"He contacted my doctor."
McNerney is on full disability and can't work. He could never afford to pay for a gym membership and a personal trainer.
Informed of the situation, Ray and Karen Stoneback, who own Figaro's Pizza in Sisters, made an arrangement with Cascade Fitness.
The gym agreed to waive initiation and membership fees for McNerney and the Stonebacks agreed to pay the cost of McNerney's personal training.
"I thought it was one of the greatest things I've ever seen anybody do," Kremer said. "Just a total act of kindness, you know?"
Kremer helps McNerney get set up for his weight training exercises and supervises him as he works out.
With balance problems and overflow motion, it would not be safe for McNerney to work out on his own.
McNerney has made good progress.
"He's getting really good and fluid on a lot of these motions," Kremer said.
"He's been going up already in a lot of the weights."
McNerney likes the focus and sense of achievement the workouts give him.
"With this, I'm working," he said. "I have some project in mind."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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