Page 44 - NGA NATURALmag 2018 FALL Issue

Fall 2018
TRANSFORMATION
BY NGA PRO CLASSIC PHYSIqUE BODYBUILDER MATT ESTOCK
In 1996 at at at at the the the age of 12 my my father died a a a a a a a a a a a a a sudden cardiac death which caused my life to shatter Hopelessly looking for a a a a way to to to numb the pain due to to to this loss I I began to to to use drugs and alcohol After a a a a a while I became very good at hid- ing my my drug and and alcohol use and and my my addiction worsened In January of 2007 I I developed numbness in in my feet and and and legs and and and also began having very bad headaches which caused me to to to go to to to the the ER When I arrived and and and checked
in in in the the doctors ordered a a a a a a a a a a a a a spinal tap The results showed
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a greater amount of protein than normal and this raised
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a red flag because it it indicated that I could possibly have
an an an autoimmune syndrome condition known as as Guillian Barre’ I was was paralyzed and and the numbness had progressed to my my my upper extremities and and was was taking over my my my body The paralysis reached my my my diaphragm which made me scared
to to go to to sleep at night My mother who was right beside me began praying and by by the the the the grace of God the the the the paralysis stopped before I needed a a a a a a a a a a ventilator However by by the the the the next morning the the left side of my my face was numb from Bell’s palsy and and and and I I had difficulty talking and and and and I I couldn’t blink my my eye eye and and and and needed eye eye drops for moisture and and and and a a a a a a a a a patch to protect them Diagnosed with Guillian Barre’ syndrome and com- pletely paralyzed the the the autoimmune response to to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a viral infection started to to to to attack the the the the myelin sheath of the the the the nerves This damage causes the the the the muscle to to to to atrophy At this point I was was moved to to to the the rehab unit and was was unable to to to lift a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a finger let alone rollover fin in bed I had been stripped of all capa- bilities to to to care care for myself and was scared
to to to death but my my my my my mother never left my my my my my side I I asked my my my my my mom to to to to bring my my my my my tattoo machine from the the the shop I I placed a a a a a a a a a number 2 pencil in in in in the the grip and began trying to to to retrain myself to to to draw As time progressed I would continue to relearn all the daily activities that many of us so easily take for granted I I left the the hospital after two months months in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wheel chair and con- tinued outpatient therapy After about six months months I was able to to to walk on on my own While still trying to to to regain muscle strength I went from 150lbs to to to 225lbs and was drinking a a a a a a 44 NGA NATURALmag