Team Luke
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Luke Urtnowski. I live in Coronado, Ca and am 37 years old. I have been in a wheelchair/scooter since College. I’m currently training for a triathlon (CAF ) set in October of this year.
It’s going to be a huge undertaking as I'm going to need 2-3 people by my side for every phase of the race. All-in-all, I need to raise about $3,000 to get ready for it (Gold Team status)
I'm training like mad (Bikrum Yoga, Pilates, Swimming, Biking (on my recumbent bike), and using a walker are some of the activities I do to ready myself. Sort of a Team has been formed (Team Luke) as I took on this challenge.
Competing in such an event would be like a dream to me and such a fuss has been created, I really don’t have a choice but to give it my all and never relent.
It all started in High School…
I’ve always have been active in sports. I played; Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, Baseball, and Water Polo and seemed to excel in them. By the time I was in 10th grade, I began to struggle in each (particularly on things that required hand/eye coordination like catching a ball). So, in about 6 months I went from being pretty good to struggling at any sport. I could still run and swim so I decided it would be best to focus on what I could do, so I had to give up the sports I was having a difficult time in and concentrate on both swimming and running. I really didn’t like giving up on my coaches but I felt like my back was against a wall (it got embarrassing how bad I was and even began to dread going to practice).
My walking began to be affected and at times I would hear people muttering about me being drunk (I was even given breathalyzer test). I was embarrassed to walk in front of people and used to avoid walking in crowds and stairs without handrails. Anyway, I got a pretty messed up reputation at school.
At the age of 17 I finally had the chance to see a neurologist (had to wait 3 months to get an appointment). She didn’t have good news as she diagnosed me with Fredrick’s Ataxia and said I would be in a wheelchair in 6 months and the lifespan of people affected was till about 24. It was quite a shock to me cause I was swimming and running on a daily basis and really only had difficulty walking. Other than this difficulty, I thought I was in great shape.
So, a few more months went by as I Graduated High
School (CHS, 96) and in 3 years received my Associates from SDCCC (Community College) and was able to transfer to CSU, Chico. I was concerned with how much walking I would have to do as I learned the immense size of the campus. My parents and I decided the best thing for me to do was to get a mobility scooter. That was a dark day in my life as It seemed this development wouldn’t make College life any easier and it seemed like it was going to be a permanent amenity I would need throughout my life.
Two years later, after graduating from College (I was on a swim team up there). The doctors took another look at my diagnosis. It hadn’t progressed (I also had a genetic test which turned out to be negative for FA)
I had a brain MRI and was told my cerebellum was operating 60% (so that explained the Ataxia). But where did it come from was the real mystery.
My faith in doctors really began to waiver at this point as they couldn’t help me or even put a name on my condition. All they really did was pump me full of drugs and treat me like a lab rat.
Years later I got into the undiagnosed disease program at the NIH (National Institute of Health), so my Dad and I flew to Maryland in the hope they might give me some answers (After all, they were supposed to be the best in the Nation). So after about 4 days of tests, they came up with a goose egg and didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.
I got depressed thinking there was no help for me and I would have no way to live a normal life (wife, kids, dog, annoying mother-in-law, etc). I began to think I’d need assistance at all times and dreaded the time when I would have to become a burden. All-in-all, I began to worry about my future.
A few years ago, I found yoga (Coronado Hot Yoga) and really thought they were on to something. I think the main reason I enjoyed it and stuck with it for over a year now is I felt like I was taking my health into my own hands (and not hoping some egghead will “figure it out”) and not relying on some ”magic pill” to make me whole again. If I wanted it badly enough why wouldn’t I just do it myself? I felt like no one wanted it more than me anyway so It was best to take matters into my own hands and do what I can in order to heal myself.
I really felt empowered in my yoga practice and soon found other avenues I can take which compliment my path to well being and self realization. That’s Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Pilates. I’m sure there are many more, but for me those four are plenty. I also throw in time at the pool and on the bike & walker in for good measure.
At the end of the day, I like my routine and am looking forward to achieving my goal of competing in this triathlon and many others in the future….
Thank you for any help you can give to the cause and the money will be well spent and fully utilized for the right reason.
It’s going to be a huge undertaking as I'm going to need 2-3 people by my side for every phase of the race. All-in-all, I need to raise about $3,000 to get ready for it (Gold Team status)
I'm training like mad (Bikrum Yoga, Pilates, Swimming, Biking (on my recumbent bike), and using a walker are some of the activities I do to ready myself. Sort of a Team has been formed (Team Luke) as I took on this challenge.
Competing in such an event would be like a dream to me and such a fuss has been created, I really don’t have a choice but to give it my all and never relent.
It all started in High School…
I’ve always have been active in sports. I played; Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, Baseball, and Water Polo and seemed to excel in them. By the time I was in 10th grade, I began to struggle in each (particularly on things that required hand/eye coordination like catching a ball). So, in about 6 months I went from being pretty good to struggling at any sport. I could still run and swim so I decided it would be best to focus on what I could do, so I had to give up the sports I was having a difficult time in and concentrate on both swimming and running. I really didn’t like giving up on my coaches but I felt like my back was against a wall (it got embarrassing how bad I was and even began to dread going to practice).
My walking began to be affected and at times I would hear people muttering about me being drunk (I was even given breathalyzer test). I was embarrassed to walk in front of people and used to avoid walking in crowds and stairs without handrails. Anyway, I got a pretty messed up reputation at school.
At the age of 17 I finally had the chance to see a neurologist (had to wait 3 months to get an appointment). She didn’t have good news as she diagnosed me with Fredrick’s Ataxia and said I would be in a wheelchair in 6 months and the lifespan of people affected was till about 24. It was quite a shock to me cause I was swimming and running on a daily basis and really only had difficulty walking. Other than this difficulty, I thought I was in great shape.
So, a few more months went by as I Graduated High
School (CHS, 96) and in 3 years received my Associates from SDCCC (Community College) and was able to transfer to CSU, Chico. I was concerned with how much walking I would have to do as I learned the immense size of the campus. My parents and I decided the best thing for me to do was to get a mobility scooter. That was a dark day in my life as It seemed this development wouldn’t make College life any easier and it seemed like it was going to be a permanent amenity I would need throughout my life.
Two years later, after graduating from College (I was on a swim team up there). The doctors took another look at my diagnosis. It hadn’t progressed (I also had a genetic test which turned out to be negative for FA)
I had a brain MRI and was told my cerebellum was operating 60% (so that explained the Ataxia). But where did it come from was the real mystery.
My faith in doctors really began to waiver at this point as they couldn’t help me or even put a name on my condition. All they really did was pump me full of drugs and treat me like a lab rat.
Years later I got into the undiagnosed disease program at the NIH (National Institute of Health), so my Dad and I flew to Maryland in the hope they might give me some answers (After all, they were supposed to be the best in the Nation). So after about 4 days of tests, they came up with a goose egg and didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.
I got depressed thinking there was no help for me and I would have no way to live a normal life (wife, kids, dog, annoying mother-in-law, etc). I began to think I’d need assistance at all times and dreaded the time when I would have to become a burden. All-in-all, I began to worry about my future.
A few years ago, I found yoga (Coronado Hot Yoga) and really thought they were on to something. I think the main reason I enjoyed it and stuck with it for over a year now is I felt like I was taking my health into my own hands (and not hoping some egghead will “figure it out”) and not relying on some ”magic pill” to make me whole again. If I wanted it badly enough why wouldn’t I just do it myself? I felt like no one wanted it more than me anyway so It was best to take matters into my own hands and do what I can in order to heal myself.
I really felt empowered in my yoga practice and soon found other avenues I can take which compliment my path to well being and self realization. That’s Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and Pilates. I’m sure there are many more, but for me those four are plenty. I also throw in time at the pool and on the bike & walker in for good measure.
At the end of the day, I like my routine and am looking forward to achieving my goal of competing in this triathlon and many others in the future….
Thank you for any help you can give to the cause and the money will be well spent and fully utilized for the right reason.
Organizer
Luke Urtnowski
Organizer
Coronado, CA