Whatever

There is no jest to this. I fully admit to using steroids in part to assist in athletic performance.

My tale of steroid use isn't seedy, underhanded, or all that dangerous. But I feel it is important to reveal my use during the early 80s. First, a little background on why I was using steroids in the first place.

I was always small as a child, and grew slowly. Slow enough that it caused my mother concern. My growth was tracked by the excellent endocronology department at the University of Iowa, where I rated in the 5% range. By the time I hit seventh grade, I weighed scant 63 pounds (during wrestling season) -- the lowest weight class being 70 pounds. One year later, I weighed only 68, less than 10% increase in weight. I had fallen off the growth chart, causing concern among my doctors. The growth plates in my limbs showed signs that, if nothing were done, my growth could be stunted, and I might wind up somewhere in the range of 5'3" to 5'6", and could experience bone pain. With the introduction of testoterone into my system, the hope was my body would "learn" how to produce the substance, and I would be able to get back on track, hopefully seeing normal adult height and weight.

Adding to my frustration, I was forced to wrestle the 75 pound weight class whenever there was a forfeit at 70 pounds because I was the best of the three under 70 kids on the squad. When forfeits occurred

at 75, I was back at 70. Wrestling 75, particularly late in the season when weight allowance of 4 pounds were given was tremendously frustrating -- I'd often be giving up 10 pounds to my opponent. My sole job was to not get pinned, not to win. The only fortunate thing about being small and underweight was that I never had to lose weight to make my class (in fact, I once showed up at the weigh-in with a shake in my hand).

Towards the end of 8th grade, and over the summer, I received one injection a month of steroids. These were painful shots, as I recall, because the suspension was sesame oil -- a very thick medium. The shots would take quite some time to be completed. While this was a normal medical procedure, taken under a qualified doctor's supervision. There was no method for me to abuse the steroids or extend/increase the treatment beyond the period indicated. Everything was legal, aboveboard, and in my best long-term interest.