Two years ago, well aware that I had been living with a life limiting Pulmonary condition, I found myself in a place that I somehow never expected to be; in a hospital bed, on IV antibiotics, 30 lbs overweight, struggling to breath on 6-8 liters of Oxygen and probably one bad cold or flu virus away from my own funeral. It was a place I did not intend stay but I soon learned that the only way out of it would be a double lung transplant. Even so, my age, eating and drinking habits and inability to exercise all made the surgery extremely risky. I needed to change.

With my wife’s encouragement, I called the number she found on the web and spoke to the man who eventually turned out to be my deliverance, Rivak Hoffman.

His deep knowledge of exercise science, physiology and nutrition in addition to his reliability, positive attitude and commitment to helping his clients achieve their health related goals combined to make him, for me, an irreplaceable part of my health care support team. Six months after we met, I was 25 lbs lighter, immeasurably stronger and despite needing high levels of supplemental Oxygen to do it, I had achieved a level of conditioning that I had not believed possible. On Christmas Eve, 2015, we received the call from UCSD hospital that they had a pair of healthy lungs for me. I was ready.

Three months later, I’ve recovered from the surgery, regained my life and am in the early stages of training for the Philly Marathon in Nov, 2016. There are many people I can name to whom I owe a debt which I can never repay and who I will be thinking of as I cross that finish line. None, more so than my coach, my teacher, my friend, Rivak Hoffman.

Every Bit Fit
Latest posts by Every Bit Fit (see all)