Your League Tennis Podcast
Tennis talk, for people that love to PLAY tennis.
Your League Tennis Podcast
From Coma to Comeback: Tommy's Extraordinary Tennis and Faith Testimony
Chiropractor & USTA rated tennis player Tom Lee has a passion for tennis and life. His past health issues he faced would lead to such an incredible journey. Join us as Tom takes us through his high school varsity career and his experiences playing in USTA tennis leagues. We also focus a lot of time on his chiropractic practice and how stretching, strength training, and conditioning play a critical role in athletic performance. Listen to him explore common sports injuries and treatment options.
Tom's near-death experience and spiritual awakening are truly inspiring. After being placed in an induced coma for 10 days, he shares his vivid dreams and the powerful vision of being in God's presence that has deeply impacted his faith. We dive into how this experience has altered his perspective on life and how he continues to find strength in his beliefs.
Our heartfelt conversation delves into the intersection of tennis, spirituality, and personal growth. We learn more about Tom's spiritual healing journey and his devotion to Christianity, family, and work. As we wrap up, we exchange a few light-hearted stories about ping pong, and I couldn't resist asking Tom for a free tennis lesson and some advice on how to improve my own tennis game. Don't miss this engaging episode full of inspiration, resilience, and the power of faith.
You are listening to Your League Tennis Podcast with your host, anthony Radonia. Anthony is an avid weekend warrior tennis player, just like you. Every week, he'll be interviewing new and exciting guests that will not only differ in experience and skill level, but also in age and physical ability. Your League Tennis Podcast is about making you a better tennis player, whether you're a beginner or have been playing for years, in your 20s or in your 60s. Now here is your host, anthony Radonia.
Speaker 2:All right, Tommy. Hello, hello. Wow, we got some good applause there. We did. Crowd is really excited to see you today.
Speaker 4:Very nice.
Speaker 2:So what's up, Tommy? How are you?
Speaker 4:I'm doing good. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm doing good. I appreciate this. You've seen the podcast, tommy. We're just going to keep it simple. Talk about tennis, talk about life. You just came from church, i think, right, yep, cool. So we'll talk about that too, because obviously one of the photos that I put in the tease on Instagram is one that you gave me permission to put on, which is some of the health issues you had in the past, and I want to talk about that because that's obviously part of your story, but it's also like, so interesting. And then I'm very interested to hear your life afterwards, and I know that thing was one of the big moments in your life that sort of drew you more into Christianity I guess I want to say more into, because you were already a Christian prior to that. But I'm interested in that. I want to talk about that. But let's start out with some tennis first. We know each other through tennis. Yes, we do. Okay, So you're just the ratings. You're a 4.5 USTA rated player. Yes.
Speaker 2:And I always forget this Do you know your UTR?
Speaker 4:I do not.
Speaker 2:You don't okay, Because I know you had a doubles UTR rating. I don't remember if you had a singles one. Do you know?
Speaker 4:I don't think I have a singles one, just because I don't play enough singles.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because you haven't played tournaments. You're usually playing just league and you'll play in the 4.5 league with me or the 5.0. Yeah, so I think you're right. I think you need some tournament play to get a UTR rating.
Speaker 4:Actually, i don't know That. I don't know either.
Speaker 2:But you know what? Even in league you only play doubles. That's right, so you haven't played singles, so that's probably the reason. Let's just start with this then. When did you start playing tennis in life?
Speaker 4:I started kind of late, i want to say probably towards the end of my eighth grade year. Okay. And one summer. It was at eighth grade to ninth grade summer where I received some lessons and I pretty much spent almost 12 to 13 hours a day on the court.
Speaker 2:Why did you start lessons at that time? Did parents make you?
Speaker 4:So the parents didn't make me do anything. I come from, i guess my parents were blue collar workers. We never had a lot of money, and so it's kind of embarrassing, but at the same time I attribute everything that I have by the grace of God. So I even learned tennis watching people get lessons, believe it or not? Yeah, i grew up in Huntington Beach but I would go to the nearby community centers and even the nearby community colleges. And this one coach he saw me practicing shadow swings and everything like that, and his name was Mario and he taught at Golden West College And he sort of took me under his wing, had me pick up some balls here and there, and he would allow me to take part in some classes. And then my parents found out that I really enjoyed tennis and then they started paying nominal fee for not private lessons but group lessons.
Speaker 2:And where was this?
Speaker 4:Golden West College.
Speaker 2:Golden West College, and so you were there just because sort of after school you needed something to do, or I'm trying to still figure that out. Why were you there?
Speaker 4:No, I heard through the grapevine, I guess some friends that there was this one coach that was teaching tennis over there, and so I would ride my bike from Huntington Beach all the way out there and just be, there to learn. It was either that, or go to the nearby tennis courts and hit by myself against the wall or hit in the garage. We never had a separated garage so it was like a communal garage. So when all the cars were out I would be hitting up against the wall.
Speaker 2:And why did you even start doing that at 12? Any sports prior to that? and was your dad playing at all?
Speaker 4:So, yeah, my father picked up tennis, so I just sort of intrigued by it. But I was playing oh my gosh, baseball, football, you name it soccer. I was a goalie too.
Speaker 2:I don't believe that one.
Speaker 4:Believe it or not.
Speaker 2:You must have spurted, real young, and then stopped somewhere along the way.
Speaker 4:You're right. But yeah, i played baseball. I was shortstop, believe it or not really good hands, quick on my feet. But then my dad picked up a racket and he sort of started swinging in front of me and I'm like, what is that all about? So I would follow him to his tennis meetings and whatnot and I would just sit there intrigued and just watching and then but never really picked up a racket and started playing per, say, until, yeah, after eighth grade.
Speaker 2:And then. So you started going to Golden West College just more or less to hang around, be around tennis. And then you said this guy, mario, sort of saw you as a kid who, what like, was interested and saw you had potential, or just a kid who would love tennis, or what was it.
Speaker 4:A kid that had potential, according to what he was saying. Oh okay, yeah, i didn't have the most beautiful strokes back then, but I could get every ball over. Yeah. I could run down every ball, so I I Call myself the giant killer, because that's what I was known for.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and high school I mean, i made you know varsity and I was beating up on these guys. I would have formal lessons and everything like that, and yeah yeah, it was pretty fun.
Speaker 2:Well, you still do that to this day.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I guess somewhat.
Speaker 2:We're gonna come back to that, so before we Obviously, i want to, i want to. well, let's let me ask you about your family first. Sure, you're married and you have kids, yes, so what are? what's your wife doing? What's your kids doing right now?
Speaker 4:So my wife is a dental hygienist. She loves her job somewhat. My children my oldest he's a he's in nursing school and he's really enjoying that. He's actually wow, doing well.
Speaker 2:So I'm going to San Marcos, or is that? was that before?
Speaker 4:so he was going to San Marcos, and then he switched over and got accepted to a nursing program.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 4:What is that, west Coast?
Speaker 2:West Coast, and where is that located?
Speaker 4:Um, there's a campus in Ontario, i believe.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that's right right off the freeway. I think right, okay, And then your daughter is she's going to San Marcos.
Speaker 4:She's a bio major, she wants to be CLS, so it is a Lab scientist That works at the hospital. They pretty much identify, you know, like blood samples, what Bacteria, viruses, tumors and this and that. So yeah, they get paid well, believe it or not interesting I never, even heard of that.
Speaker 2:And then You're currently well I guess I don't want to say currently, because you've been doing for a while, but you're a chiropractor right now. How long you've been doing that?
Speaker 4:I've been doing that for about almost 21 years.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah and you own your own practice now.
Speaker 4:I do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you started out working with some people and then eventually took over a practice and Doing that full-time now. That's correct a lot of hours, Yeah it's.
Speaker 4:It's a good, good gig. Yeah, it's fine.
Speaker 2:And you love it. I do. What would you anything you would rather be doing? I don't even know what that would be, but is there anything at all like? I mean, you know, like sometimes I think like it'd be cool to be a dentist, make some money easy hours.
Speaker 4:That's the one thing I don't want to be as a dentist, don't want to be working inside, inside of a confined space, you know, especially the mouth.
Speaker 2:Yeah, your wife probably tells you some bad, crazy stories about what they see.
Speaker 4:At the, some of those stories are discussed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh my gosh. Well, let's stay on before we go into some tennis. I mean, one of the main reasons why I wanted you here was I Come to you for all my health concerns, like meaning, like all my joint issues, my back issues, everything and And I don't say this to be rude to chiropractors, but you're a chiropractor, but I think I sometimes feel you're so much more, hmm, and I don't again, i'm not saying that to be mean towards Kyros, it's just my experience with Kyros prior to you Wasn't very good. It was sort of like in and out crack, this crack, that I never really understood the point. Sometimes it was helpful, sometimes, i'll be honest with you It felt like it hurt me worse and I left just with a bad taste in my mouth.
Speaker 2:And after I started going to you, i really realized that there's people out there you know sort of in every profession that are very passionate about what they do. So it's easy for me to see that you're very passionate about what you do because you sit there and you really explain stuff to me. You know you really you know the anatomy, which is, to me, very surprised. I've never had one Kyro in my life talked to me about anatomy ever. To be honest with you, and You know so tell me a little about where that passion came from. Or is that just you like? would you be passionate about anything You're doing, or is it specifically that?
Speaker 4:well, i guess I always had an affinity to, you know, towards medicine and helping people and whatnot. But I got trained pretty well for 12 years under orthopedic surgeon and It's interesting. I do look at patients in a different viewpoint. I believe I sort of mix and marry the medical provider, you know, the MD Its perspective, especially in orthopedic surgeons. I am viewpoint when I am examining a patient and And I love to you know, use differential diagnosis.
Speaker 4:You know, on a daily basis and it just sort of Interesting to me. You know, if I can't, if I don't understand what I'm seeing, hearing, and Then I'm gonna do everything that I can to try and figure it out, you know, and I'll be honest with the patient, if I don't know, i don't know, but then I just don't leave them there. I sort of try to figure it out and I think That has driven me to my passion, which is caring for people. Ultimately, yeah, i mean I love working with athletes. I have a long history and Helping injured workers and people who get injured in automobile accidents and whatnot. So yeah, i just get a joy out of helping people, i think.
Speaker 2:And yeah, and you're always training. I mean it actually surprises me, because you're always going to trainings, you're always reading, and So that's actually it's sort of inspiring, because it helps me Like realize too in my own profession like I got to keep up with my things. But seeing you do that is actually pretty inspiring, because you're I When we talk and we talk a lot through text and phone, but you're always training, you're always learning, so it's really inspiring.
Speaker 2:Let's do this because, like I said, i come to you for help on my health issues. I Can never pronounce this, but we're gonna do sort of a roar Chalk test. Do you know that ink blot test? Is it roar chalk, right? right, so how do you pronounce it? That's a good question. Okay, we don't, we both don't know.
Speaker 4:Yeah, i can't pronounce it either, but I know exactly what you mean okay.
Speaker 2:So it's that psychology test of it's a ink blot and then the patient sort of spits out what they think it is Right. My version of this is the Cairo roar chalk test, And I'm gonna say a word and then it's gonna be your job to tell me how it's gonna relate to tennis, How you're gonna anything you want. Okay.
Speaker 4:So here we go stretching oh, one of the most important things for a tennis player, for any athlete for that matter, because stretching is a third variable in an equation that, ultimately, everyone wants. Everyone wants power. So, yes, strength training, you have conditioning and yes, strength stretching, you cannot leave that out.
Speaker 2:We have strength training Okay.
Speaker 4:Conditioning and stretching Okay that's correct and It's flexibility training. That's what I call it. Yeah, so if you can train all three at the same level and Intensity, then ultimately your power level will be maximized. And remember, your body's always changing too. I mean, there's seasons where you're gonna be feeling strong, some seasons You're gonna feel like you've plateaued. Some seasons You're gonna feel like I Don't feel that great, you know. But again you have to Revaluate and see what, where you're lacking.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, stretching is very important and you saying your three Pillars, what were they called? so three variables, three variables.
Speaker 4:Yeah, in the equation to power.
Speaker 2:Okay, oh, interesting, that's a good way to think of it. And when you say that, it reminds me of that hip injury I had because I felt like I was really doing the first two a lot That's correct Like I was doing not crazy weights I've never been into like lifting crazy weights, but I was. You know, i would grab dumbbells and do like You know, hamstrings, and then I would go running. I do sprints and running up hills and I was doing the first two Variables all the time and never doing stretching.
Speaker 4:That's correct.
Speaker 2:Then remember I called you sort of scared. Actually I was like I need you to come over, something happen. I can't move and I thought I tore something in my hip or who knows what, because I don't know anything. And you told me literally and I was very surprised to hear it was just tightness. It was yeah okay, so talked about that a little. how does the tightness of Whatever thing I was going through, how did that affect me?
Speaker 4:So you, you got to understand When you train muscles Um so, muscles, the end points are tendons and they anchor into the bone. And the thing is, if you train just strength and conditioning, without elasticity training, then what you're doing is you're strengthening or you're building the girth and bulk of that muscle, but then if you never stretch it out and you don't lengthen it, it's not a usable muscle. That's why you see guys in the gym and Gold's gym and they're huge, they're massive, but then you can't use that type of muscle to fight.
Speaker 2:Hmm, interesting.
Speaker 4:Okay, so I mean when you're fighting, and I did a lot of that too. But the thing is, you need quick, you know, flexible, usable muscle and tissue. So you gotta train that.
Speaker 2:I wanna stay on the Roar chalk test, but just because you said you were fighting, you did what Taekwondo? What do you remind me?
Speaker 4:I did Taekwondo, I did a Kimpo, I did some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when I was stationed in Korea.
Speaker 2:And I was just gonna say that reminded me in you were in the Air Force.
Speaker 4:I was in the Air Force.
Speaker 2:That's right, okay, so we'll try to find a way to bring that in, because I am interested more to hear about that. Let's keep going with the Roar, shock, chiro, test Heat and ice.
Speaker 4:For me, i always lean on ice, especially if it's acute. People sit there and say, yeah, i look on the internet and there's different phases of healing and this and that, but you can have an acute flare up of a chronic condition. So that means if it's painful, if it's swollen, always lean on ice. go to the ice Now once it's healed, and you wanna, you know, maybe warm up the area, bring blood flow to the area before your activity or something. then, yeah, you can use some heat, but then either Prior to the activity.
Speaker 2:That's correct, okay.
Speaker 4:Or even in certain phases of healing too. Let's say you're out of the acute pain phase but you just have dull, achy whatever-ness. Then you can use I use the five finger roll So you can go about three minutes of ice, three minutes of heat, three minutes of ice heat and end with ice. Reason being you're basically implementing a pumping system to bring the fluids in and to bring the fluids out, and it helps with healing when that happens.
Speaker 2:Now I know what the word acute means.
Speaker 4:I've been called acute anytime in my life, Acute, not acute Oh acute.
Speaker 2:What does acute mean? Explain why you're saying acute.
Speaker 4:Just simple terms new?
Speaker 2:Just yeah, okay, and then so I make it a habit to turn the heater on in my car anytime I drive. What do you think about that? Is that-?
Speaker 4:That's okay. Just beware of-.
Speaker 2:I mean, i'm sorry, the back heat. Right, you know what I'm saying? The seat heat.
Speaker 4:So the thing is, i mean that's short period of time, but for older people they like to lay on these heating pads and whatnot, and they'll fall asleep and whatnot. You don't wanna do that, Because if you dry out, it can dry out the tissue. So you can yeah, you can suffer even burns, believe it or not, if you lay on a heating pad too long.
Speaker 2:But how is? is it not beneficial Like if I'm hurting, I come home, let's say, from tennis Is it beneficial or is it hurtful if I just lay on a heating pad for an hour or two? Or should I lay on ice, or should I do nothing? Should I stretch? What should I be doing after?
Speaker 4:So after a workout or I'm assuming you're referring to the tennis workouts that?
Speaker 2:we do Yes.
Speaker 4:Or a match. Yeah, come back. Hydrate. Hydration is huge. Number two yes, you can soak in an ice tub if you'd like, you know, or you can do localized icing. Heating is okay, but again, i lean on the ice. After yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay. So before, heat is okay, like, let's say, i'm driving to a match, right, we're not some high-paid athlete where we get to go into a gym and do all this stuff, but driving to a match, it's okay to put some heat on my back with the chair. After stretch hydrate I'm assuming you mean water.
Speaker 4:Hydrate assuming water Mike Water.
Speaker 2:I'm like, and then ice after. Okay, all right, Oh my gosh, i didn't even think of this word. This is the Roar-Chak Chiro Test, and I didn't even talk about cracking cracking.
Speaker 4:Okay, so cracking what is cracking. So here's the thing.
Speaker 2:Is that the right way to say it? by the way, Do chiro's call it cracking?
Speaker 4:Well, nowadays you look on, what is it? TikTok and stuff like that. Everything's about cracking, you know. But here's the thing when you adjust someone, you're usually let's stick to the spine. When you're adjusting the spine, what you're doing is you're causing motion in the motion segments that are not moving. well, That's all you're doing. You're not taking bones out of place, placing them back into place. That noise, the cavitation that you're hearing, is coming from the smaller joints. They're called the facet joints. Each joint in your body is encapsulated in a synovial sack of some sort, And when you gap that joint, oh that synovial sack, that joint is vacuum sealed. So when you gap that joint or move that joint, then you're gonna get a cavitation, which is an equalization and pressure.
Speaker 2:And that's all you're hearing. So I'm hearing a pop of what. Then the vacuum?
Speaker 4:So basically it's like a suction cup on a tabletop. If you pop that suction cup off the table, you're a.
Speaker 2:So I am not being cracked.
Speaker 4:That's correct.
Speaker 2:Ah, interesting. Unless you wanna be cracked up to that This is already worth the money, because I thought I was being cracked.
Speaker 4:No, yeah.
Speaker 2:Actually I knew I wasn't. You told me one time Yes, sir, All right, what about TENS unit?
Speaker 4:So there is a place for that TENS transcutaneous. It's only this deep into the tissue.
Speaker 2:And the home ones, by the way, the ones you buy from CVS.
Speaker 4:Yeah, i mean they're okay again. They're all usually TENS, but I do prefer the electric stim that I use in my office. I have different mode settings. I have I usually utilize interferential, because it goes about an inch and a half deep And you can cross the wave patterns to go deeper. And then there's something called Russian stim, which the Russians came up with. Believe it or not, their Olympic team athletes all used it while so they would put it on their muscle that they were training and then do their lifting and their exercises, and they believe that things those muscles, tendons and ligaments got stronger because of that. And thus came Russian stim.
Speaker 2:And that reminds me of that remake of Enter the Dragon. There was this one part in the movie where the guy who was playing Bruce Lee was wearing this electric stim on his stomach And he claimed it was like doing 500 pushups. Is that true?
Speaker 4:So it's no, No, No. So you can. Let's say you have a stroke victim. Then you can utilize that type of muscle stim to get a basal line level of tonality. So beyond that you're not gonna get any more benefits.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as far as muscle building, Okay, so that's really the question I was having. So you're not gonna be able to build muscle by putting that on. press on and sit back and watch TV. Sure, eat some ice cream. He he, he.
Speaker 4:For $49.99. Yeah, i'll just get it.
Speaker 2:Oh, and then going back to the, so the CVS ones, they are beneficial to a certain extent.
Speaker 4:Yeah, i mean they can help deal with some pain and whatnot. It's official, absolutely Palliative measures. They come, they're useful for that.
Speaker 2:Then I don't even know if you have experience with this, and it's okay if you don't, but it just made me start thinking of the other junky items I buy from CVS, like salon paws, and is that stuff? That stuff seems like a waste.
Speaker 4:I mean you can't take away the topical effects Like you. recently when I tore my hamstring, i for the first time I tried some bio freeze that I was given. And I mean, yeah, it gave me some relief. I guess Superficially it sort of masked the pain, but then deep inside I still felt the pain.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah. Okay, what about MRI and X-rays? How important are those, i guess, with prior to diagnosing a patient, or do we need to even get those?
Speaker 4:So because I work for a orthopedic surgeon, i do like to have at least an X-ray before I adjust you If, given the history okay, let's say you're, if someone comes to me, they have no pain, they come in for maintenance care, whatnot yeah, i'll still do my orthopedic exams and everything. but then if I find something that's sort of you know a red flag issue, i'll minimally get an X-ray and then probe them with more questions about their history and whatnot. But then if I get that red flag again in my head, then I'll request an MRI. Hmm, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:How about this? is I think I'll call it outside the scope of chiropractic? Is that a word, chiropractic, chiropractic? But we talk about it all the time, so here's another roar shock. chiro test diet.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I'm not the greatest poster child for diet.
Speaker 2:But we talk about it.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, we do. Diet is huge, obviously Because I'm a diabetic. Now I have to practice a a certain dietary plan or follow a dietary plan, and It's beneficial to me, you know, as an individual. So Am I for a low carb? you know high fat diet? for myself I am. I do get my blood drawn every three to four months, so I'm monitoring my level. You know levels of triglyceride and cholesterol and everything like that.
Speaker 4:So I guess it's okay for me to do that. For others I would say unless you're doing that and you're getting your blood drawn, don't take, don't assume anything. Okay, at least go get a checkup, get your blood drawn. At least you know the blood panel and You know where you are, and then you can start that dietary plan. Yeah and Yeah, and monitor it does insurance cover that?
Speaker 2:or you go pay out of pocket, you know, or do you don't want to get into finances and insurance on HMO on YouTube.
Speaker 4:Yeah, man, okay, that's not talking about it.
Speaker 2:I don't want to get you arrested.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but you're my attorney, right.
Speaker 2:Okay, so let's stay on this topic a little more, but now let's relate it to what are some common tennis injuries that you see, and then, obviously, let's talk about the, the preventative way to keep people from getting those, and then what we can do to help them if they're already experiencing it. So it's some common tennis injuries. Sure.
Speaker 4:Recently I've had a couple patients come into my office with tennis elbow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean what you know I have to season players.
Speaker 4:You know we get it for one reason or another. You know, for the lower level people players I'd say it's bad technique, you know bad habits and whatnot. I mean higher levels. Obviously it could be string tension. It could be the racket itself, a club that weighs five pounds.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like your little. too much weight on my racket, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you do. The other common injuries would be like plantar fasciitis. You know people playing tennis and having foot pain, killy tendonitis, calf strains, hamstring, you know strains. Yeah, i mean even low back issues.
Speaker 2:So I don't know if you remember, but I got a shot in my elbow. What was that again? Was that a steroid or was it a believe? it was a steroid The first time didn't do much for me, and then I felt like I needed another one, and I went back and actually got another one. Then they suggested look This is probably the last one, i don't remember why. They said to sort of your limit, but the second one really fixed everything. And so are you a proponent of steroid shots or do you like? you know, what do you like?
Speaker 4:I mean steroid has a place and it helped me with my lungs and everything. It helped you with your elbow. The only issue with steroids and muscles and tendons is that if you do it too much it can weaken the fibers. So even though it can help with the inflammatory process, it weakens the muscle fibers.
Speaker 2:So that's what the steroid injection is doing It's helping reduce the inflammation.
Speaker 4:That's correct.
Speaker 2:Okay, but it's it will weaken it if you get. It'll weaken the fibers if you get too many. That's correct, interesting, and and so is to the magic number. Or is that just what doctors tell you like, do you know?
Speaker 4:Some doctors, can you know, they may even do three, up to three, i've even heard yeah. But that means the same spot, meaning that's okay, so I can do multiple shots in a different spot well again, you got to be careful in saying that, because if you do it too much, you can increase These sugar levels inside of you too. So, cortisol and you know all that other stuff. So you can cause metabolic issues in your system.
Speaker 2:Okay, so let's go back to the planter fasciitis, then, because that was an issue for me too, and I ended up buying those Special inserts or insoles, which really changed my life. No joke, because before that I was in constant pain, my feet always felt like they were cramping, i had to come home and put my foot like on an ice ball or a tennis ball or whatever I can do, and The insoles changed my life.
Speaker 4:I Agree, i wear them every single day Myself. That's one of the things that I do in my clinic. I don't push or I don't recommend anything that doesn't benefit me first. Hmm, here's the thing as we age, even at a young age, if you're not supporting the the arch Properly, you're gonna grow into Some issues. It can arise from your feet, affect your ankles, it can affect your knees, it can affect your hips to your low back, i mean. It can even go up all the way to your shoulders and neck. Yeah, i so. I think there's a place for orthotics, not just for some, but everyone actually, because everyone needs it. You know they need the support in their, in their arch as you get older. Can you walk around without arches? obviously you can. But again, athletes like yourself, when you're putting all that pressure on your feet and they keep on collapsing every time you pivot to run and move oh, meaning this, the center of your foot.
Speaker 4:So the so you hear people saying I have an a high arch, some people say I have a medium arch, some people say I have a low arch. And if you buy shoes, you'll look and it'll say high arch, yeah, medium arch, low arch. Again, they're making these shoes to to cater to the physical. You know physical needs that you may have and You're buying these shoes. But the thing is, if you continue to do that sport or continue to do your activity and your arches continue to fall and fall and fall, yeah, you're gonna end up with foot pain. Hmm, yeah.
Speaker 2:Interesting. How am I okay so insoles Prevent am I? is that right in souls, my or in?
Speaker 4:I would say the There orthotics orthotics.
Speaker 2:Orthotics help prevent planter fasciitis. What helps prevent tennis elbow?
Speaker 4:Again, good, good warm-up, constant stretching, good technique, and then the Tool that you're using. So, whether it be a golf club, you know they get golfers elbow. Yeah, i know golfers that have tennis elbow, you know. But again, it's it's the tool that you're using, you know, is that the same thing?
Speaker 2:We're just calling it two different things because it's different sports or the different parts of your elbow.
Speaker 4:They're different parts of the other they are so okay ladder up. A kind of lightest is on the lateral side, medial or the golfers elbow is on the medial side.
Speaker 2:Ah yeah, So golfers don't really get that outside injury much.
Speaker 4:They do actually believe it or not, but I think They just name it that way. Hmm. Whatever?
Speaker 2:reason except never felt inside pain, only outside so I remember getting that inside pain where.
Speaker 4:I was learning to serve and As you go over and you hear about people saying pronate, yeah, so I would take my racket and I would be pronating, but that would you know when it's a bad technique. Yeah. It puts a lot of pressure and load on that medial side. So I was developing that myself Interesting way early in my tennis career.
Speaker 2:I Wrote down. I was gonna make a joke about spaghetti elbows, but I can't think of how to include that here, cuz I was trying to elbow golf elbow, a tennis elbow. It didn't work. Yeah, let's talk about the, the pitchers you gave me, and I, to tell you the truth, i, i know I've talked to you about this. I Don't want to say at length, because I've only talked to you about this really Surface level, about what you went through with your health a few years ago, so I Don't even know how to ask it where to start, but tell me about what you went through, what happened, and Obviously, i want to talk about what happened after, which is your life and everything sure?
Speaker 4:so Yeah, 2017 was a 2017. June 12th was a hard day in my life. Apparently, i was taken into the hospital by my, my wife and my son, and by that time, five days had passed since I started getting sick and By the time they took me to the emergency room, i was in complete organ failure.
Speaker 2:So five days prior You already started feeling sick. That's correct.
Speaker 4:Okay, so I left her work early and everything, so by that I think it was like Friday, or it's vague right now, but it was five days, according to my wife, and So when they took me to the emergency room, i was in complete organ failure, didn't even know it. I don't even remember being taken to the emergency room. All I remember is Awakening in the ICU After being in an induced coma for 10 days.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you have no memory of going to the hospital. I don't and obviously no memory during the coma, and so 12 days of your life went by, and then you just woke up in a hospital.
Speaker 4:That's correct. Well, it's interesting. When they put you under using purple fall, they say that you can hear and you can respond. Okay according to my wife and the doctors, i was hearing and I was responding, apparently. But what I do remember is having these vivid Dreams you do Yeah.
Speaker 4:They were yes, and the thing is it was. It was interesting. Interesting because in one of the visions that I had and I call it a vision, let me just describe it It was really weird. When you hear it this way, but I this is the only way I can tell it It's like in in my dream. I felt like I was in a hospital somewhere.
Speaker 2:Okay, believe it or not?
Speaker 4:No, and it was weird, but I felt like I was in Las Vegas because the last thing I did before I Was placed in this coma, i guess at home I was on the computer and I was making reservations for Luxor my buddy, the orthopedic surgeon, was gonna get married. Okay and I booked a room Apparently, and then I don't remember anything after, but anyways, in my dream I felt like I was in a hospital in Vegas.
Speaker 4:Okay and these crazy dreams I mean in In one moment I remember like I'm talking about my insurance for whatever reason, and then in the next moment I remember them ripping things out of my chest, going he doesn't have enough insurance, or something like that. And then in the next moment I remember being pushed down. They said he needs to go down below And I was being pushed down these ramps And-.
Speaker 2:Do we want to talk about what's below?
Speaker 4:Let me tell you Okay, yeah, it was-, no, no, no, no, it was crazy. In the stream. I looked around and I can smell just putrid, rotting flesh. I look around and I'm like am I in the morgue? Oh my gosh, Because it was dead bodies all over me, All around me Yeah yeah, yeah, but I was like what in the world, where am I?
Speaker 4:But anyways, the next thing that I do remember is I'm running from whatever was chasing me. It's kind of weird, but I'm running and I get to this open field and it's like a valley, i would imagine, because it was like an outline of mountains to one side and I can see the stars above and everything. And I'm just like, oh my gosh, whatever's coming is getting closer. I'm going to get eaten or killed or whatever. And then I remember it's weird that this thought came to my mind I look to the mountains. Where does my help come from? It comes from God, the maker of heaven and earth. And I looked up and I go, lord, i need your help.
Speaker 4:And all of a sudden the darkness faded away and then, all of a sudden, it was all light And the craziest thing I see this lion paw come over the mountain and then I see this lion head, the head of a lion, and the eyes are, oh my gosh. Even to this day I can't even describe the colors that I was seeing in the eyes, you know, and I knew I was in the presence of God, believe it or not. It was weird And all I said to God was Lord, am I coming home? I just, you know, in my mind I thought I was dead. You know, i was like I guess this is it.
Speaker 2:So you're a Christian? Were you a Christian prior to this incident?
Speaker 4:So, yes, I would say I was a Christian And I had faith. but was it practiced? Was it even where it is today? I would say probably not.
Speaker 2:Well, obviously not. I mean that experience has to draw you closer to something, and in your life it drew you closer to God, obviously.
Speaker 4:It did because you know, i asked him am I coming home? And basically God said no, i'm going to heal you. And I didn't know what that meant because I didn't know. you know, i was out in an open field, i was standing there and I'm like hmm, so these are sorry.
Speaker 2:I don't go ahead if I don't want to interrupt you.
Speaker 4:So, and then I woke up, that's when I found myself intubated. I didn't even know that at that moment, really. I just knew I had a tube in my mouth And I was super confused. I didn't know where I was. All I knew was these doctors were running into the room where I was and my wife came over and she's crying.
Speaker 2:She was there, oh yeah.
Speaker 4:And the doctors are like Dr Lee, can you hear me, can you see this? I you know. That's all I remember at that moment, And it was weird.
Speaker 2:And were you supposed to die during this time? Like what? like later on did they tell you look, we figured we're going to pull the plug at one point? Like what were they telling you later?
Speaker 4:So yeah. So here's what I had I had. Apparently I suffered from a viral infection and then it became a bacterial infection. I got bilobar pneumonia It was Klebsiella bacteria, basically bacterial pneumonia And then I got sepsis. I got DKA, diabetes, ketoacidosis, and then all my organs failed. So liver failed, kidneys failed, my legs according to my wife and my son, they were all like blue and like there was no circulation. Wow, and so the doctors, at one point early on, they were talking about cutting off my legs, oh my gosh.
Speaker 4:And they were like I'm going to be alive. But then at another point my pastor even was there to hear it My wife was told get ready to bury him?
Speaker 2:Oh wow, because he has 0% chance of living. Do you know how long?
Speaker 4:into the coma. This was told to your wife. Do you know? I couldn't even tell you, i never really asked. Yeah, and that was said to my wife and my pastor was even there to hear it. And yeah, it was confirmed later on, when I was talking to them as my liver came back And I kept on telling them you know what God said he's going to heal me, and they would all sort of laugh and humor me. You know, yeah, yeah, yeah, your liver may come back, your kidneys they're going to take about a year to start functioning again. But as soon as my liver came back, What does that mean?
Speaker 2:come back. I don't understand what that means. So the liver failed.
Speaker 4:So your liver pretty much metabolizes everything that you eat, i mean everything that you drink, and you introduce them to your body. So let's say it's a medication and metabolizes that If you drink alcohol and metabolizes alcohol. So it's like a filtering system, but that system you only have one liver. Without it you die. So if you've I mean there are liver transplants that you can receive, but again you have to be a candidate for it. But yeah.
Speaker 2:So coming back means it started working again. They didn't really see that as a possibility.
Speaker 4:That's correct. At that moment they said yeah, wow, yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:That's crazy. And then so how we joke with you when we play tennis and we say you make excuses now, but how much of this are you still experiencing? Like is it? I know you talk about your lungs still having issues, like what are you still experiencing from them?
Speaker 4:So lungs obviously scarred from the pneumonia and everything, my legs as much, the amount of stretching that I do and everything. If I sit for any period of time 15 to 20, 30 minutes it becomes stiff. I can barely like start. Once I start moving, it'll get you know what's the term elastic again, you know, and the pain sort of goes away. But that first couple of steps, oh my gosh, it's still painful And it's been seven, almost seven years now.
Speaker 2:So this is probably never going to go away. You're going to be dealing with this likely.
Speaker 4:It may get better. I may have to deal with it. You know, like you said, the remainder of my life, but the thing is all I know. When God said I'm going to heal you, he didn't just mean my physical.
Speaker 1:It's interesting.
Speaker 4:It has a whole new meaning to me. It's because the faith that I have in God number one. It was confirmed to me through this experience that God is real.
Speaker 4:God loves us so much. You know, you hear the gospel all the time but you sort of yeah, it's not for me, but you got to understand that God is real. I mean, he loves us so much He sent his own son to die for us, you know, and he says whoever believes in Jesus, you'll be saved. If you call upon his name, you'll be saved. You know, it's such an amazing thing that has been revealed to me in a new, fresh way through this experience, and I'm humbled every single day as I see and I bear a mark here. I call it my God mark. It's a scar from getting dialysis and everything.
Speaker 4:And it's like a three-pointed scar And I'm reminded of God's mercy every day. because of that, because I know what I've been through what.
Speaker 4:God's taken me through. And here's the thing I still deal with my breathing issues, which you joke, you know we joke about, but and often you hear me say, yeah, my legs just aren't in it. It's the truth, i just don't have the strength that I used to. And you say, well, you look at the. You know I don't want to make my head too big, but you've mentioned, hey, look at the muscle mass in your, in your calves and your thigh.
Speaker 2:Oh, I say that You said that to me. I've never said that once. You're such a liar, not on camera. I've never commented on your calves, no, but no, i get you Like you have. You have strong legs, but there's still something missing. Yeah, obviously. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Okay. So you're talking. Let's just stay on this for a second because I am interested for a. It's rare to talk to a person that's been in a coma and you told us right now about insurance and dreams. God, the, the, the smell of putrid whatever it was and dead bodies. How real was that? Or is it when you came out? was it comparable to waking up from a dream or was it something more? I guess I'm trying to figure out.
Speaker 4:I. So it was sort of so. Everything was like a dream to me, obviously, because I knew that I was in a coma, that at that, after I came out of it. But when I was going through it, tony, it was real. I mean, it couldn't be more real. You know the smell, i mean, the just being bound to that bed, it was, it was all real, you know.
Speaker 2:And Well see, because that's that's actually my question. I know we're probably going totally off tennis topic, but I'm interested because in the dream you don't know you're dreaming. When you come out of the dream you realize it's a dream. My question for you is because you experienced something totally different being in a coma and then you're giving me a story. that's something totally different. I don't dream about this stuff, so I'm trying to figure out if, do you, do you compare it? Is it like unequal ground to a dream or is it something totally different? Obviously, your, how you reflect on it, it's changed your life. I don't mean that that it's not different, but how different it was the feeling of experiencing that.
Speaker 4:So I think I understand It was life changing. I mean, it was. It seems so real to me and it was real to me coming face to face with God. You know now that I know it's insane If you think about it. We all say yeah, there's a God who's distant and he doesn't care, and this and that, but to be in that situation, to be face to face and to be able to see what I saw and to hear what I heard, it was, it's life changing. It's like. So here's the thing Everyone says Christianity is a religion. I'm going to tell you it's not a religion. It's not something that I do to go to God. What it is is actually and this is why it's so different it's God who came to me. You know who found me in that place and he's the one that met me and he told me that he would heal me. So, as I mentioned before, it's more of a physical healing. I believe it's a spiritual healing. You know, it's like.
Speaker 2:More than a physical healing.
Speaker 4:That's correct And that's the thing It's like Christianity. Everyone says it. It's a relationship with God. Every Christian says it. Religion is something that we do to go to God. You know it's not a religion, because God is the one that found us first. He's the one that's given his son for us. Simply put, we're sinners, We've sinned, We broke God's laws. God had to do something. He didn't have to do it, but he did it. He sent his son to die on the cross to pay for that sin, so that we could be with him. You know it's So. All I can say is it's life changing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, i mean, it's interesting just to hear you talk about it, and this is a tennis podcast, right. But I think the whole point of why I even started this was I realized that everyone has a story, and so I think it's easy for me to get on and talk about what happened at the French Open. Right, that's easy. I can sit here and go. Jokovic is going to beat Root in the final. You know all this stuff.
Speaker 2:But I just found it so interesting that every person I talk to, if you actually sit down and speak to them, they have a very interesting story to tell. So, truthfully, even before I thought of this tennis podcast, i thought maybe I'll do a podcast of just talking to random people and like hearing what they have to say, because everyone will have something interesting, right. And so that's why I appreciate you telling me this, because I'm not, you know, i hope people aren't turned off by it, like, but I don't want this podcast to be political or even religious, to be honest. But it's you, it's you and it's your story, and it's just exciting to hear someone who's passionate about anything. I don't know how you feel, but I don't care if they're talking about plain pool or something. If they're passionate about it, it's inspiring, and so I see how passionate you are about Christianity, about your family and about your work, so I just I'm glad I got to talk to you about it. Let's talk about something a little funny. I beat you at ping pong pretty regularly.
Speaker 4:Whoa.
Speaker 2:Can we discuss that a little?
Speaker 4:Can we restate what you just?
Speaker 2:said On the record who has beaten who more. First of all, right here. Come on, tom, on the record. You just talked about being a Christian.
Speaker 4:Tony.
Speaker 2:Do you think we're close seriously?
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Take a guess How many? what? 10 to 10?
Speaker 4:I don't know how many games we played, but who's better?
Speaker 2:Who has the better ping pong?
Speaker 4:paddle You do, I do Yeah exactly, exactly, and that's you know.
Speaker 2:It's funny that that is obviously comparable to tennis too, because just recently my wife got a better racket. She was using the real I forget what she was using before, but I think a real cheapy from like Walmart or I don't even know what and she switched to a really nice technifier that the club got her And it's been helping her a lot.
Speaker 2:Right now in your tennis life, like what are you? I don't know what's your plan. Is it just continue just to have fun, meet people? Do you have any plans with tennis going forward?
Speaker 4:Well, you know, obviously I'd like to support you in your quest. You know, and I believe you can do it. If anyone can do it, i know you can do it. You have the strokes, you have the, you have the discipline, you have, you know technique. Oh my gosh, you have it all. So you have the youth still, really Yeah, 44. Dude 54.
Speaker 2:I forgot to ask you that. About that at the beginning.
Speaker 4:You're 54? Well, i'll be 54 in a couple couple days.
Speaker 2:A couple years.
Speaker 4:A couple days, about nine days, really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i swear. for some reason I thought you're 51. I'm not joking, no. Ah, wow, you're 53. What an old curmudgeon. So, man, 54. I think you really have to try to play a 55 coming up, because you'll be starting in December. I think you'll be allowed to play 55s and ups.
Speaker 4:That'll be a good tournament for you, i may do that, yeah, yeah, it'll be fun. It'll be fun, yeah, but yeah, going back to you, you can do it. I believe you can win an open.
Speaker 2:Well, that's like I did with Joe Jr when he was on. I was like, hey, this is a free tennis lesson for me. But diagnose me then, Why aren't I winning more often? if you say I'm, my strokes are so beautiful and I'm so youthful at 45, which I'm not, not youthful, I mean, I am 45. But why aren't I winning? And, by the way, we're taping this on Sunday and I got to watch I don't know if you know how much of you saw it because I know you're at church but I got to watch Joe Kovic's Rude Highlights and watching Rude was such a to me. It was sad because it did sort of remind me of myself, because not that I'm close to his level, That's not the point. But the point is he got a little timid when he didn't need to be timid. When he swung out he was on Joe Kovic's level And even at the beginning, right, I think he lost 7-6 first set And he should have actually won that set, in my opinion.
Speaker 2:watching it, I agree. And once things got a little tight he got timid, he didn't hit the same strokes And I started like looking at myself in the mirror, most like I think that's me, Like what he does. What he did today is what I do, I think, and matches.
Speaker 4:I agree, if anything for you I'm not the greatest critique or anything like that, but again, it's mental. I think I already touched upon that. You do add the strokes. You have the, you know you definitely have the tenacity, you have the ability, you know you have all that. However, i think where you lose it is in the mind. It's like, instead of pressing on that gas pedal, like you said, you sort of lift up and you are a little timid. And the thing is, i don't know, it could be your condition that day, it could be.
Speaker 2:You know what you've eaten, what you did need to, what But if you're saying you said gas pedal, Yeah, Because I really would fight back with you if you said when you said mental, I think it could have went a bunch of different ways And weak minded is one of the roads you could have went down. And I don't consider myself weak minded at all.
Speaker 4:No, you definitely not weak minded.
Speaker 2:So how is? how can I fix gas pedal? then, Like, that's just me. What am I doing?
Speaker 4:Like I think there's a fine balance between confidence and and just being timid you know just so you need to have a good amount of confidence, well balanced confidence, going into a match and keep that as much as you can.
Speaker 2:You're right, because I think the issue sometimes is I equate cockiness with confidence and they're not the same thing, No Yeah.
Speaker 4:Definitely not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i got to find that right amount of confidence out there, sort of having fun thinking I'm the better player, but without being cocky, because I always feel that's something I 100% don't want to be And I think it messes me up a little.
Speaker 4:And I think sometimes you you want to have a little too much fun than actually just get the job done too. Yeah. Because when you do get angry and I can pull your strings and I have, oh, you pull out some amazing shots, oh, that's interesting You step forward, you're hitting that ball out in front. I mean clean hits with confidence.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so I got to do the whole Jordan thing where I got to make up something that gets me upset prior to the match, maybe.
Speaker 4:I totally agree. Really, or something of that type of a mindset where, once you step out on that court, it's all business. I don't care who you're playing, it has to be all business.
Speaker 2:Okay, now, i agree, i appreciate that. Let me give you something. This is actually very hard for me to give you because I really like this card. So you know, i've been giving everyone a little present to say thank you, because everyone comes to my house and we'd sit here and it's, you know, time out of your family life. So you remind me of Jimmy Connors. So I have a cool card here that's rated and all this good stuff. It's not crazy expensive. I don't remember how much I bought it for Maybe 70, 80 bucks But it's a good card And I like it a lot because I love Jimmy Connors.
Speaker 2:But the reason he reminds me of you is he's sort of a hole on the court, sort of reminds me of you in a weird way. But he's also so amazing and passionate to watch and you just see how much he loves what he's doing. And going back to what you just told me a second ago, how you got to be confident and stuff, and I think if I played more like you, the mentality, or more like Jimmy Connors, then I would be a lot better. So, anyways, i'm joking with you by calling you an A hole, obviously, but obviously, but no, i just hope you enjoy that. Keep that, because that's just a reminder of you know who you are on the court. It's big Jimmy.
Speaker 4:Thank you.
Speaker 2:So all right, my friend. Well, let's just end it there then, because that was good. You know, i'm glad I think I hit everything I wanted to hit with you and I'm really happy we focused on, like, the health questions, because obviously I don't get to do that with everyone. But I appreciate you, tommy. And we got to play tomorrow and maybe play some pong very soon.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:All right, my friend, let me do a little outro music and we'll talk. Thanks, tommy.
