Chris Orchard

Second Degree
Martial Arts America

My Tae Kwon Do Journey

I am now 47 and my Tae Kwon Do birthday is July 17, 2007; but my journey actually started a year earlier.

I had just started at the Principal Financial group on May 1, 2006, after I was laid off from Pioneer. DuPont had acquired Pioneer, and reorganized the local IT staff.  Most of us lost our jobs immediately; the rest realized it was just a matter of time. DuPont had an operations center in India that would be taking over our job functions. I miss working there, and the friends who had to go their separate ways.

The Principal Financial Group takes the health of its employees seriously, offering many different health options. One is an annual physical. It’s not mandatory, but offers a significant discount for health insurance for the participants. Well, the results were not pretty, the nurse checked my triglycerides level twice, because the first couldn’t possibly be correct. After confirming the results, I was advised to see a doctor.

The news only got worse, not only did I have type two diabetes, but had high blood pressure, and high cholesterol as well. I was diagnosed as hypertensive with a blood pressure 159 / 90, my cholesterol was 294, and triglycerides were 293. I was warned that if I didn’t get them under control, I wouldn’t live to see my 50th birthday. Dr. Eckstadt prescribed a several medications, and an exercise program.

Dutifully, I started using the fitness center in Principal. The trainer gave a brief assessment of my abilities, and developed a program. Three days a week, I was to make a circuit of the various weight machines and the treadmill. I started out strong, but after several months, there was little to challenge or motivate me, and I grew bored. I often found reasons not to go at all.

My next physical was not much different than the first, there was only minimal improvement, most likely due to the medication. I confessed that I hadn’t been working out as much, and complained that it was boring.  Dr. Eckstadt suggested martial arts, he is a practitioner of Aikido, and believed the aerobic workout and discipline would be good for me.

I started looking into the various martial arts options in Des Moines, and accidently stumbled on the Tae Kwon Do branch in the Principal. I stopped by during one of the classes. Master Roth saw me lurking just outside the door during class, and at break, invited me in. I was concerned that I was too out of shape, and too old for something like Tae Kwon Do, but Master Roth countered my concerns by explaining that he taught a traditional class with light contact only. He suggested I try a couple classes, and then make a decision. I talked to my leader, and worked out a schedule.

I approached my first class with some apprehension. Martial artists in the movies and TV were usually very physically fit, nothing like me. At my heaviest, I weighed 260 pounds, and tripped over my own feet at every occasion.

I was very surprised that not only was I just accepted by the other students, but actually welcomed. The other students were of mixed levels of fitness, one black belt; Mr. Page, was even heavier than I was. I was taken aside the first two days, and shown what was expected of me. I learned that I should bow respectfully when entering and leaving the DoJang, and when addressing an instructor or senior. I also learned counting to 10 in Korean, the tenets of Tae Kwon Do, and the basic movements.

Master Roth started slow, explaining that he didn’t expect me to be able to do everything, but he expected me to try my best. He had a big class in those early days, not only were there Principal employees, but also employees from other companies.

Master Roth frequently worked me until my arms and legs felt like lead, but he usually would say, only four more, then we’ll take a break, and I was able to find the strength to do those four more.

I began to notice subtle changes in my life, climbing stairs no longer left me as winded, and I found my self no longer holding the hand rails. The part that annoys me to this day is that I haven’t lost as much weight as I would have liked, but it was nice to have to punch a new hole in my belt.

On May 21, 2008, I broke my arm.  I was sparring with an upper brown belt by the name of Danica. She was an attractive and talented 17 year old, whose mother is a director at Principal. She surprised me when I first met her, she didn’t act like a 17 year old. I honestly believed she was in her mid 20’s.
I really don’t recall exactly what happened, but my right arm was trapped between my chest and her foot. I both heard and felt the snap. I was surprised by the lack of pain, it hurt, but I was expecting rolling on the ground, mortal agony. 
I drove myself to the emergency room, and the doctor there called it a “night stick” fracture. He had seen a number of these apparently, because he said it needed to be renamed to the “Tae Kwon Do” fracture.  It was serious, and he couldn’t do anything with it. He bandaged me up, and sent me home with some great pain killers. I was referred to Dr. Neff at Mercy West Lakes, a specialist.  The next day, Dr. Neff explained that it would require surgery to put the bones back together, and I would have a metal plate and screws in my arm. It was still another day before they could get me into surgery.

The day of the surgery was a strange blur, I was rushed from room to room, I was told to stand over there, sit over here, given pills, shots, and the nurse inserted an IV into the back of my other hand, before finally rushing me into the operating room. My last thought was that the anesthetic smelled like vanilla. It was like someone flipped a switch, and turned me off, because the transition was instantaneous for me. I awoke in the recovery room, with a nurse calling my name.  I rested for a while, my clothes were brought to me, and I was taken home.  The new pain killers were awesome, some sort of opiate. The Dr. warned me that they were very addictive, I would only get two days worth, and there would be no refills. Wow, they were awesome. I can understand drug users’ feelings, because I didn’t feel any pain, and was happy and couldn’t care that my arm was broken. I spent the next day either asleep or in euphoria. After that, regular Tylenol did the trick if it began to bother me, which was rare. I was fortunate I was able to call on a friend to help me out with mowing the lawn. I found that I could handle just about any other house work except for the lawn mower. I just could not start it with my left arm. I rather enjoyed the week off, the brace was the only discomfort I had. Unfortunately, reality intruded, and I had to go back to work. The brace made work difficult, I had to hold my elbow up at an unusual angle because it hurt to rest my wrist on the mouse pad as I normally did.

I asked for a copy of the X-ray, and enjoyed showing everyone. It was perhaps a mistake telling my friends that a 17 year old girl broke my arm, I got a lot of ribbing from them over it. Danica felt bad, she sent me a hand made get well card, that to this day, almost three years later, is still displayed in my cubical. It was perhaps two months before the doctor allowed me to rejoin my Tae Kwon Do class, with the understanding that there would be no sparring. It was several months later before I was cleared to spar again. He warned me that any contact to the metal plate would be very painful. To this day I try to protect that area.

Unfortunately, things changed at the Principal. The Principal decided to limit the use of the exercise facilities to employees, and their families only.  This was done to limit liability for accidents, and tighten the building security. Because of its financial position, The Principal Financial Group was concerned that it might be a target of terrorism. The other students would have to find other locations to train. This was the beginning of the end for the Principal Branch. Class membership was cut by two thirds when the new policy came into effect. Master Roth also found his own responsibilities keeping him from class. Mr. McCuddin, and Mrs. Warner frequently lead class. Eventually, Master Roth, I believe because of a sky diving injury, handed the reigns over to Mrs. Warner.

Mrs. Warner and Mr. McCuddin ran class until December 2009, when she announced that the Principal branch was closing. By then, there were only 3-4 regular students, and the Principal wanted the room for other activities. The room that the Principal assigned wasn’t very big and we were close to offices where people would be working. She sent a very nice e-mail wishing us the best, and hoping that we would continue our Tae Kwon Do journeys at other branches.

I was torn, most of the other students would be going to the EMC branch, and I wanted to join them, but I live in Grimes, only 4 -5 blocks from the YMCA, so I decided the Grimes branch would be the most convenient. I had seen the Grimes branch before when they practiced in the church.
I happened upon them when I went to vote. I introduced myself to Mr. Aves in December 2009, and started taking classes in Grimes.

In August 2010, the pain I had been feeling in my right shoulder blossomed into agony. Mr. Aves had us doing Hindu pushups when I felt something go crunch in my shoulder. Dr Eckstadt prescribed a muscle relaxant, but it was only temporary relief. I tried some herbal supplements, various MSM, Glucosamine, and Condroitin combinations with only minor benefit. It was almost divine providence when Master Wells brought in Dr. Moss. He was the first chiropractor I had seen, and I had heard some pretty horrific stories. I wasn’t sure I wanted to try chiropractics, but pain is a great motivator. Dr. Moss is thin, quiet, yet surprisingly strong. It was perhaps my second appointment when he said “This is going to hurt”, and quickly rotated my arm backwards over my shoulder. It was over so quickly I hardly had time to squawk, but the effect was dramatically reduced pain. Now, four months later, I am happy to report that it’s almost pain free.

October 13, 2010, I was returning to work after just having seen Dr. Moss.
It was a beautiful fall day, I had the windows down, the radio playing and the sun roof open in my little red Nissan 200sx. It only takes a moment of inattention to change your life. I was traveling east on Keo after exiting from 235. I saw the truck, it was waiting to turn west on to Keo way from a side street near the convenience store.. What I didn’t see was the car that was on the other side of the truck, which turned immediately in front of me. I scarcely had time to stomp on the brakes before the loudest bang I had ever heard or felt. The air bag hit me in the face with stunning force, knocking my glasses off. By the time I had gotten out of my seatbelt, found my glasses and out of the car, the other driver had run off, leaving his girlfriend to face his consequences. It turns out that it wasn’t her car either, she had borrowed it.

One of the gentlemen at Owen Crist, across the street, brought his tow truck, and pronounced my little car as D.O.A. The frame had been twisted in the accident. Their car was only minimally damaged. I was very unhappy at the loss of my little car, and angry with myself for not noticing the danger. The insurance company totaled my car, and paid a pittance for it. The other vehicle was uninsured, and quickly went into collections. So far I have yet to see a penny.

  
I really enjoy Tae Kwon Do, I’m not sure why. I really am a lazy person. Master Wells works me until I’m soaked with sweat, and staggering with exhaustion, yet I look forward to going to class, it’s a complete mystery to me.

I feel blessed to have had Master Roth as an instructor during my early color belt days, he really spent much more time with me correcting stances, and encouraging me to do better, than he had to. Like so many others, I believe I would have grown discouraged, and quit without his encouragement. So many people would start classes, would stay through yellow or perhaps orange belt, and then I’d never see them again. Master Roth really made me believe I could become a Black Belt. I wish he could see me test, to know that I didn’t quit.

So I would like to dedicate my Tae Kwon Do journey to Master Roth, who showed me the path, helped me up when I fell, and encouraged me when I strayed.

Pilsung!



Update. 02/04/2014

My blood pressure is improved, averaging 140 / 90.
Triglycerides and cholesterol are also within the high normal range.
I no longer need to take any medication to control them.
My condition is under control through diet and exercise.
.. AND… I will turn 50 years old in less than three months.

Chris Orchard.
Black Belt, 2nd Dan.
Martial Arts America.
Grimes Branch.