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Narcolepsy knocked this high school athlete down. Wrestling picked him back up. Narcolepsy knocked this high school athlete down. Wrestling picked him back up.
(1 day later)
During the worst nights, Nate Forschner’s nightmares invaded his reality.During the worst nights, Nate Forschner’s nightmares invaded his reality.
He spent his days in an intermittent sleeping state. When the moon rose, he was neither awake nor at rest. Inside the den of the rented house he shares with his father in Berwyn Heights, Forschner would hear a robber tapping on the window or see a hand outstretched to lift him out of a plush black chair.He spent his days in an intermittent sleeping state. When the moon rose, he was neither awake nor at rest. Inside the den of the rented house he shares with his father in Berwyn Heights, Forschner would hear a robber tapping on the window or see a hand outstretched to lift him out of a plush black chair.
“They’re killing me!” he would scream.“They’re killing me!” he would scream.
Night after night, Adam Forschner would bound out of bed to answer the call of his son’s hallucinations. Neither of them got much rest.Night after night, Adam Forschner would bound out of bed to answer the call of his son’s hallucinations. Neither of them got much rest.
It took Forschner, now a junior wrestler at Parkdale High in Riverdale, Md., almost eight months to receive a diagnosis and treatment. He was suffering from narcolepsy and cataplexy. But before a Johns Hopkins pulmonary specialist provided that diagnosis, Forschner had visited his primary care physician, a neurologist and a child psychologist. It took Forschner, now a junior wrestler at Parkdale , almost eight months to receive a diagnosis and treatment. He was suffering from narcolepsy and cataplexy. But before a Johns Hopkins pulmonary specialist provided that diagnosis, Forschner had visited his primary care physician, a neurologist and a child psychologist.
When Forschner laughed, he would fall to the ground. The emotional change caused his legs to fail, surrendering their muscle tone. If he was angry or excited, his body could seize and shake. If the episode was mild, his face might go slack. His tongue would roll out of his mouth, and his words would fall out in a limp, incomprehensible jumble. Sometimes his mind would wake up before his body. For a few terrifying seconds, he was paralyzed. When Forschner laughed, he would fall to the ground. The emotional change caused his legs to fail, surrendering their muscle tone. If he was angry or excited, his body could seize and shake. If the episode were mild, his face might go slack. His tongue would roll out of his mouth, and his words would fall out in a limp, incomprehensible jumble. Sometimes his mind would wake up before his body. For a few terrifying seconds, he was paralyzed.
At 13 years old, Forschner thought he was losing his mind.At 13 years old, Forschner thought he was losing his mind.
“I was just a ball of despair,” he said.“I was just a ball of despair,” he said.
Almost three years later, Forschner, 16, has used wrestling to manage his condition and reclaim his future, becoming a leader on the high school team coached by his father. Two weeks ago, he helped the Panthers win their fifth consecutive Prince George’s County championship. With second-place finishes at the county and region tournaments, he earned a spot in the Maryland state tournament, which begins Friday at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. Almost three years later, Forschner, 16, has used wrestling to manage his condition and reclaim his future, becoming a leader on the high school team coached by his father. Two weeks ago, he helped the Panthers win their fifth consecutive Prince George’s County championship. With second-place finishes at the county and region tournaments, he earned a spot in the Maryland state tournament, which begins Friday at Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro.
Through medicine, diet and exercise, Forschner has overcome his worst symptoms.Through medicine, diet and exercise, Forschner has overcome his worst symptoms.
According to the Narcolepsy Network, approximately one in 2,000 people in the United States are affected by the sleep disorder. Irregular patterns in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and significant disruptions of the normal sleep-wake cycle indicate narcolepsy.According to the Narcolepsy Network, approximately one in 2,000 people in the United States are affected by the sleep disorder. Irregular patterns in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and significant disruptions of the normal sleep-wake cycle indicate narcolepsy.
The condition made Forschner tired all the time. He can still drift into sleep in a blink. Cataplexy, a disorder marked by loss of muscle tone in response to emotional stimulus, brought on the most dramatic symptoms. The condition made Forschner tired all the time. He still can drift into sleep in a blink. Cataplexy, a disorder marked by loss of muscle tone in response to emotional stimulus, brought on the most dramatic symptoms.
“People often have a very scary mental picture of what narcolepsy looks like. They think of sort of the cartoon version of Bugs Bunny falling face forward in the soup bowl,” said Jennifer Accardo, the Director of the Sleep Disorders Clinic and Laboratory at the Kenney Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins. “People often have a very scary mental picture of what narcolepsy looks like. They think of sort of the cartoon version of Bugs Bunny falling face forward in the soup bowl,” said Jennifer Accardo, the Director of the Sleep Disorders Clinic and Laboratory at the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins.
According to Accardo, most patients are hopeful when they receive a narcolepsy diagnosis. But the realization of assuming a lifelong condition with no cure can overshadow the temporary relief of identifying the problem.According to Accardo, most patients are hopeful when they receive a narcolepsy diagnosis. But the realization of assuming a lifelong condition with no cure can overshadow the temporary relief of identifying the problem.
“The people who have narcolepsy are often young, healthy people who have a lot to do in life,” she said. “The question is how you manage this chronic health condition over time and make your life work for you.”“The people who have narcolepsy are often young, healthy people who have a lot to do in life,” she said. “The question is how you manage this chronic health condition over time and make your life work for you.”
When a future of managing the disease is daunting, it’s easy to surrender to a sedentary lifestyle.When a future of managing the disease is daunting, it’s easy to surrender to a sedentary lifestyle.
During the summer leading into his freshman year of high school, that’s what Forschner did. He put on 70 pounds and added six inches to his waist size, expanding from a 32 to 38.During the summer leading into his freshman year of high school, that’s what Forschner did. He put on 70 pounds and added six inches to his waist size, expanding from a 32 to 38.
When Forschner wasn’t sleeping, he was eating. He loved Big Macs. He stuffed himself with Swiss Rolls. He routinely made three packs of Ramen Noodles in a single day. The anxiety of his condition was too much. He found solace in food. When Forschner wasn’t sleeping, he was eating. He loved Big Macs. He stuffed himself with Swiss Rolls. He routinely made three packs of Ramen Noodles in a day. The anxiety of his condition was too much. He found solace in food.
Unwilling to risk embarrassing himself by exposing his cataplexy, Forschner quit leaving the house for pick-up games of basketball. He was not cleared by doctors in time to join the football team, but by December of his freshman year, he began to stabilize his condition with medicine. Unwilling to risk embarrassing himself by exposing his cataplexy, Forschner quit leaving the house for pickup games of basketball. He was not cleared by doctors in time to join the football team, but by December of his freshman year, he began to stabilize his condition with medicine.
Forschner is not clinically depressed, but he takes antidepressants to manage the cataplexy. He does not have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but he takes stimulants to keep him awake.Forschner is not clinically depressed, but he takes antidepressants to manage the cataplexy. He does not have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but he takes stimulants to keep him awake.
Buoyed by the pharmaceuticals, Forschner got the go-ahead to join the Parkdale wrestling team in the winter of 2013. He had been wrestling since the age of 4, when Adam lied about his son’s age so he could compete at an open tournament in a division of 5- to 9-year olds, and he had been around the Panthers team since his father took over as head coach 11 years ago. Buoyed by the pharmaceuticals, Forschner got the go-ahead to join the Parkdale wrestling team in the winter of 2013. He had been wrestling since the age of 4, when Adam lied about his son’s age so he could compete at an open tournament in a division of 5 to 9 year olds, and he had been around the Panthers team since his father took over as coach 11 years ago.
Forschner wrestled at 220 pounds as a freshman, slogging his way to a 15-15 record. Forschner wrestled at 220 pounds as a freshman, slogging his way to a 15-15 record. He had turned a deaf ear when his father said he was getting too heavy, but Forschner ultimately listened to a scale. At a doctor’s appointment, he weighed in at 230 pounds.
He had turned a deaf ear when his father said he was getting too heavy, but Forschner ultimately listened to a scale. At a doctor’s appointment, he weighed in at 230 pounds. “I looked like, ‘No, I’m not 230. That scale is wrong,’ ” Forschner said. “The scale is not wrong. I look in the mirror when I get home, and it finally hit me that I got fat. I got so fat.”
“I looked like, ‘No I’m not 230. That scale is wrong,’ ” Forschner said. “The scale is not wrong. I look in the mirror when I get home and it finally hit me that I got fat. I got so fat.” In the offseason, Forschner began to make changes.
In the offseason, Forschner began to make changes. He cut out fast food, obsessed over fitness and ran around his block for an hour at a time. He committed to the weight room and added more than 100 pounds to his bench press. As a sophomore he won an individual county championship at 220 pounds and qualified for the state tournament for the first time. He cut out fast food, obsessed over fitness and ran around his block for an hour at a time. He committed to the weight room and added more than 100 pounds to his bench press.
As a sophomore he won an individual county championship at 220 pounds and qualified for the state tournament for the first time.
After a hellacious year, optimism had returned to his life.After a hellacious year, optimism had returned to his life.
“A year ago he was like, ‘Hey Dad, if this is how it’s going to be for the rest of my life, I can deal with this,’ ” Adam Forschner said.“A year ago he was like, ‘Hey Dad, if this is how it’s going to be for the rest of my life, I can deal with this,’ ” Adam Forschner said.
His condition still requires constant monitoring, but Forschner has learned how to deal. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Forschner has a written plan informing teachers he is permitted to nap in class. To obtain a driver’s license, Forschner will have pass a wake test, remaining alert by himself in a room for 20 minutes. His condition still requires constant monitoring, but Forschner has learned how to deal.
At a recent wrestling practice at Parkdale, Forschner’s progress was evident in the squiggly stretch marks running up his hips. He’s a lean 195 pounds now. With eight percent body fat, he has visible abdominal muscles that cling to a sweat-soaked T-shirt. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Forschner has a written plan informing teachers he is permitted to nap in class. To obtain a driver’s license, Forschner will have to pass a wake test, remaining alert by himself in a room for 20 minutes.
There are no windows in Parkdale’s dank wrestling room, no cooling or heating system. It stinks like a giant armpit. At a recent wrestling practice at Parkdale, Forschner’s progress was evident in the squiggly stretch marks running up his hips. He’s a lean 195 pounds. With 8 percent body fat, he has visible abdominal muscles that cling to a sweat-soaked T-shirt.
There are no windows in Parkdale’s dank wrestling room, no cooling or heating system. The place stinks like a giant armpit.
The workout was brutal. Rest meant a slow jog. The Panthers sprinted up and down the foggy room. They counted off crunches, pushups and jumping jacks. One wrestler retreated to the bathroom, retching while his teammates pushed on.The workout was brutal. Rest meant a slow jog. The Panthers sprinted up and down the foggy room. They counted off crunches, pushups and jumping jacks. One wrestler retreated to the bathroom, retching while his teammates pushed on.
When it was time to drill, the real punishment began for Forschner. Assistant coaches Brad Martin and Tyrell Scott, both in their mid-20s, took their turns grappling with the him for three rounds. When it was time to drill, the real punishment began for Forschner.
Assistant coaches Brad Martin and Tyrell Scott, both in their mid-20s, took their turns grappling with him for three rounds.
“You got to move! You got to work!” Adam Forschner yelled, making eye contact with his son while he scrambled underneath Scott’s grip. This is what he spends all day thinking about.“You got to move! You got to work!” Adam Forschner yelled, making eye contact with his son while he scrambled underneath Scott’s grip. This is what he spends all day thinking about.
“It’s what I love doing. It’s motivation,” Nate said. “Wrestling is what I eat, breathe, sleep, think about, dream about, all of that. Wrestling is everything to me.”“It’s what I love doing. It’s motivation,” Nate said. “Wrestling is what I eat, breathe, sleep, think about, dream about, all of that. Wrestling is everything to me.”
One of Forschner’s father’s favorite drills accompanies the home stretch of most practices at Parkdale. Adam cuts the lights. The boys run circles through the darkness. The idea is, no one is judging them but themselves. One of the coach’s favorite drills accompanies the home stretch of most practices at Parkdale. Adam Forschner cuts the lights. The boys run circles through the darkness. The idea is no one is judging them but themselves.
“I’m not watching,” the coach said. “Don’t cheat yourself. Who wants it?”“I’m not watching,” the coach said. “Don’t cheat yourself. Who wants it?”
Forschner knows how to control his condition now. At the conclusion of the taxing workout, he lay on the mat, propped himself up on elbows and drifted off to sleep.Forschner knows how to control his condition now. At the conclusion of the taxing workout, he lay on the mat, propped himself up on elbows and drifted off to sleep.
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