My journey to health started in the spring of 2008. January 4th of that year, during the fierce storms, my next door neighbors tree fell into my home causing roof and electrical damage. During the next three months while the house was being repaired; we lived in a long term residence motel. On top of this disaster, my wife’s ankle broke. I was under tons of stress trying to take care of her, get the house fixed, and take care of the kids. I developed a partial bowel obstruction. Now what you don’t know is that at this time I weighed 300 lbs and I am a 100% service connected Disabled Veteran. I ended up in the Veterans hospital with a tube down my nose and several I.V.’s in my arms. It felt as if I were having a heart attack. Thanks to the doctors, the prayers being said for me and the medications instead of weeks of treatments my blockage cleared in 3 days. I knew at that point I needed to make a life change. So my journey through Fitness began.
I started at the local gym after my wife signed up through her work at the local school district. I can say that it was hell for me for the first 6 months. There were kids working out that could lift 3 times the weight I could after running a few miles on the treadmill. I didn’t let it discourage me. During this time I had also changed my diet and eating habits. I lost my first 30 lbs. At the gym, I met a few new friends while lifting weights. They had just started riding and suggested that I look at getting a bike too. One year later, after doing my research and loosing another 30 lbs, my wife used a little bit of her inheritance to purchase a new road bike for me. I was so proud. I had gotten an aluminum frame Cannondale CAAD 10 with 105 components, clip in shoes and wheels with enough spokes to hold my ample frame.
My first ride was the hardest activity that I had done in years. I had to get familiar with how to clip and unclip my new shoes with cleats. Then there was the ride itself. I thought I was going to die! Still I pushed through it and my friends from the gym were so patient with me and would stop to let me catch up. I persevered though and went out every time my friends would meet and ride. I started getting better in my riding, (how long I could ride and the speed that I could maintain etc), until I could keep up with my friends. From that pint on I was hooked and this crazy journey of fitness became an important part of my life and would one day be the very thing that kept me from giving up when I was so sick during my first Chemo treatments. So as you can see it has been a crazy, but fun five year journey. Next entry.....Upgrages
