Oxygen pack doesn't stop persistent exerciser

Dennis Westwood, a former football player, marathoner, mountain climber and packer, hails exercise as the treatment that did more to keep him alive than any medicine or medical procedure.

With an oxygen bottle in tow, he exercises 28 hours a week. Each morning, he rides a recumbent bike for 45 minutes to an hour, then hikes four miles. Westwood, 66, recently bought a boat that allows him to enjoy even more of the outdoors in excursions on Hungry Horse Reservoir and Flathead Lake.

His appearance on trails around the Flathead Valley has inspired many people, like Elsa Putzier, who wrote an e-mail to the Inter Lake marveling Westwood's endurance.

"During the last couple of weeks or so I noticed a man walking along the Swan River trail pulling an oxygen tank," she said. "I stopped one day to just tell him how impressive I thought that was and then I was even more impressed."

According to Westwood, he meets a lot of nice people like Putzier who give him kudos for getting outdoors and keeping active in spite of numerous physical ailments and a chronic low oxygen condition.

"If I inspire one person to get off the couch, it will be worth it," he said.

Westwood said he's always followed an active lifestyle. After growing up in Trego, he played football in college at Montana State University-Northern and the University of Montana while earning a teaching degree.

He taught school for two years in Havre before joining the Navy. Westwood retired as a commander, then began packing for trail crews in Glacier National Park in the early 1980s.

"I enjoyed the mules," he said.

Westwood relished all the park had to offer, climbing three of the 10,000-foot mountains. He also ran in marathons until 15 years ago when he suffered a back injury falling off a ladder while cleaning his chimney at home.

His back problems precluded running, but Westwood didn't stop competing. He began race walking.

For undiagnosed reasons, Westwood's health continued to decline. He became so fatigued that he couldn't even walk very far.

He struggled to keep packing until he was 62 and qualified for Social Security. Westwood later discovered that his muscle weakness, aches and pains were a reaction to Lovastatin, a drug commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol.

After three years on the drug, he lost so much muscle that he began to put on weight. Westwood said a person has to have muscle to burn calories.

During a visit to the Veterans Administration clinic in Helena, doctors found he was suffering from low oxygen, which contributed to his chronic fatigue. Westwood called the situation a disaster for his active lifestyle.

A prescription for oxygen paid big dividends, helping him lose 35 pounds quickly. He also got off Lovastatin and made some physical gains.

About 11 years ago, he decided to join The Summit to work out. That's when he discovered the magic of the recumbent bike, a machine pedaled from a reclining position.

"As soon as I started exercising on the recumbent bike, I could walk again," he said. "It's one of the best of all the fitness machines for me."

Westwood has to rest several times walking in from the parking lot, but he said he can walk without stopping when he comes out. He said meeting like-minded people at the fitness center also helps keep him motivated to keep exercising through the pain.

Snowshoes keep him active in the winter months.

Westwood's routine this summer includes starting the day on the recumbent bike, then going to Bigfork to hike four miles on the Swan River Nature Trail. He said the first half mile is a struggle.

"After two miles, I'm almost out of pain," he said. "Everyone's really inspired because I walk with an oxygen bottle."

Westwood calls his new boat and motor a miracle. Even with his physical limitations, he backs his boat into a boat ramp at Hungry Horse Reservoir without a problem.

Westwood believes that the common prescription of exercising just a half an hour, three times a week is not enough. He recommends setting and striving for higher goals that bring motivating physical results.

Westwood would like to reach youngsters before they began to hate exercise because they're made to run laps as punishment.

"We make a big mistake in education not having the best P.E. teachers in grade school," he said. "The only avenue to a good quality life is exercise. I'm having a blast only because I exercise. I know if I stopped, I'd be dead."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com