Rick Fernandez describes himself as a "macho braddah" who would never have tried yoga and Pilates if not for the stroke he suffered about a year and a half ago.
Working in overdrive for decades was his normal mode, he explained. He served as a colonel in the Air Force until 2001 and now works as vice president of AECOM, an engineering and construction firm. Born on Kauai and raised on Molokai, Fernandez had left for military tours and returned to Hawaii six years ago.
"I spent 40 years working at a speed of 100 miles per hour," he said. "I could never rest my mind. I’d overworked myself, became overweight and enjoyed all that good Hawaii food.
| STROKE WARNING SIGNS
>> Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
>> Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
>> Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
>> Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
>> Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Source: American Stroke Association
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"I love stress and intensity. I can handle a dozen things at once," he said. "But between the stress and my health issues, it just hit me one day. I started losing control of the right side of my body."
Fortunately, a friend had sent him an email naming the warning signs of a stroke, so Fernandez was aware of what was occurring.
"It happened quickly and stopped. It was the first time in my life that I had lost control. I could walk and use my hands, but my body was out of balance. One side was definitely weaker."
After he was hospitalized for a few days, the scare caused him to realize that he was getting older and needed to slow down. He was glad to find his way to the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific. "They are miracle workers at the hospital since they have to find out what works for you," he said. "Four months later I was rocking and rolling."
Pilates and paddleboarding helped him with balance problems. "I was one of the first patients in (the hospital’s) paddleboard program. It really helped me to focus my mind. If you don’t focus, you fall off the board. Now I’ve taught my mind to turn off and relax.
"I had a stroke because something was wrong. I needed to change my lifestyle and diet and recover at the same time. I lost 25 pounds in three months."
His current regimen includes working out at the gym, practicing yoga and heading to the water for paddleboard sessions. "This will take me through the rest of my life," Fernandez said. "My speech is still not quite right, and my writing is not perfect but I’m 99 percent there."
Six months ago Fernandez made a trek up Koko Crater for the first time since his stroke. "That climb meant so much to me. It was a big deal."
Fernandez said that incorporating a healthy diet and exercise routine was much easier than slowing down his work schedule. "I’m really lucky and look at life differently now. I get the same amount of work done, but I have a different approach. Instead of doing 12 things, I may do four or five and prioritize and delegate. It could have been devastating for me. I make sure I’m having fun at both work and play.
"I’ve learned that it’s OK to work hard, but I need to take care of myself physically and have balance in my life. Since I’ve been able to relax my mind and body, I’m enjoying life a lot more."
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"Be Well" features inspiring stories of people dealing with challenges. Reach Nancy Arcayna at email narcayna@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4808.
