SgtTuff13’s Blog

What a great way to start the weekend. First we lose power for almost a whole day. Then my wife goes all crazy on me again, my gym is closed, and to top it all off, the hotel we had a reservation at was without power…..Hell they didn’t have power when we reserved the damn room in the first place, they said they were hoping that the power would be back on and then all would be good….WTF!!!! So anyways, we finally found a room and chilled ther for the night. The roads are shitty as hell, we got more winter storms rolling our way, and I have had enough…..

Not all is lost though, I am at work and the base has a great gym. So after my shift I am gonna put a hurtin on the weughts and let all my frustrations and anger pour out of me……Sorry for the bitching, just needed a quick release

With the holiday season full in swing and Christmas only about a week away, the time is now to look back and think of what all we have to be thankful for. We need to think of those that are less fortunate than ourselves, the ones that got lost along the ways and those that need our prayers. We need to remember all the families that are celebrating this year alone as their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters are serving overseas fighting for the very rights we hold so dear to heart. We need to remember our fallen heroes that gave their lives fighting for what they believe in so that we may sleep peacefully at night. We need to remember our hopes, desires and dreams. Finally, we need to remember the true meaning of Christmas…..

True Meaning of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace.
”What are you doing?” I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . .

”TEACH THE CHILDREN!” I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, “Teach the children!

Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten. “Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle.”Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man’s thoughts turning toward heaven.”
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. “Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise.”
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. “Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.”
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. “Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.”
He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. “Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.”
He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. “Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him.
Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, “Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son.” Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. “Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds’ crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother’s keeper.”
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. “Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior’s birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.”
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL, “Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.
Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, “Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD.”
 

Now I am not a very religious person, but I feel that this explains it better than my own thoughts or words could. I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year……Be safe, be strong, be loved and always "remember"

Well another week is officially in the book andIcan’t be more pleased. In the gym the weights are starting to move easier and at the same time they are goin up. I do still have some tenderness in the shoulder, but I ma adjusting fire and doin what is needed to remedy the situation. I am still takin it slow and easy, which is a hard thing for me to do. I have always went balls out, but this new concept of working out is new to me. From time to time I still find myself trying to push the envelope and I back off. Currently I am working out 5 days a week, while doing cardio and abs every other day. Still not a fan of distance running, but what can ya do….

Hopefully bu the beginning of the new year I’ll be better prepared to get a little bit more intense with things. I still cannot do any benching movements, at least not until the middle of next month, so hammer strength has become my partner. The workouts regardless feel good and I am starting to see subtle changes…..but as always I want more.

Other than that, Indiana weather sucks ass. Snow one day, freezing the next, then it’ll change to rain, and then its in the high 40’s……I swear one day I am outta here for good. But once again what can you do. My kids are still young and have as strong of ties here as I do, so we will grin and bear it…..for now ….lol

Home life and marriage is yet another fun filled and depressing story. The wife that I knew is not the one I am with today. We have been constantly fighting and at each others throats for quite some time now. Makes it really hard to focus on the gym and goals that I have set for myself. I at times wonder why in the Hell I ever got re-married. Why did I not just do the whole bachelor thing for awhile, just chill and focus on my kids and myself. I have never really truly been a bachelor or single man for that matter. I think the longest I went alone was a month two months tops…..Who knows, not me, and I am just ramblin…sorry to get off base.

Anyways, before I get all mental and what not I am pounchin out and egressing. As always I will keep you posted. Stay TUFFF……BTW, have a safe and happy holiday season…

Well last Monday marked my return to my home away from home, the gym. It was a great feeling walking through the front doors and having all my senses on full tilt, hearing the iron clanging, smelling the sweat and determinatin in the air, feeling the cold metal in my hands, seeing the fellow metal heads throwin down, and tasting the sweat from my lip….Its all good.

The week was without a doubt one of the hardest weeks in my life. I have not touched any real weight in a good few months and my muscles were not cooperating. I banged out my workouts and kept my word to my therapists, I kept it slow, easy and controlled. I felt really good after I left, that is until the next morning….wow I forgot what it felt like to be that sore, and to be honest I missed it.

This weel is gonna be no different, slow, easy and controlled. I have to be steady and determined to get back what I lost and to re-acclimate my body to the torture of the gym. It wont be an easy road to travel, but is it ever really????? Hell, if it were easy everyone would be doin it, right.

Well thats all i got for now as soon as I get ready to truly throw down I will post my routine and regular progress pics….wish me luck

As you know my brother was diagnosed with Hodgkins a little over a month ago. He had a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and was giving the results on Thursday, Biopsy came out clean and he is looking good. They listed him as Stage two; In this stage, the cancer is in two different lymph nodes, but is limited to a section of the body either above or below the diaphragm. He has it in his neck and in his chest. Lunges were damaged do to him being a smoker, but he dropped the habit and is starting to lead a cleaner life. Chemo was started on Thursday as well, with know side effects as of yet. He will have to do chemo once every two weeks for the next for months. Then after that he will have to go through some radiation treatments, duration is not yet known. So he is doing well and his spirits are high. I want to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support through this difficult time. You all are the greatest.

I have also had some good news come my way as well. I went to Indianapolis yesterday and saw my surgeon for another post op consult. We went over my progress and range of motion, at which point he released me. This means I can finally get back to the gym and start to rebuild myself. However, he did say that I am not allowed to do "ANY" benching movements for awhile. So this is what I ask of you all, how can you build a chest without the core exercise of benching. I need your advice on this matter so I can get the ball rolling. I still have two weeks left of therapy, although that is only once a week now. Not to keep bouncing around, but I have shaved my head to support my brother through the rest of his treatments. I am not a real touchy feely kinda guy, but this gets the point across. I will remain sporting the "Mr Clean" look until he has recovered and his cancer is in remission…..

So there you have it, the sky is blue and water is wet, and all is good on our front. Thanks again to you all, this journey could not have been done withouth your support….

Just wanted to keep you all informed on the progress with my brother. As you know, over a month ago, my brother was diagnosed with Hodgkins. Hes has been goin through test after test and now we have some more information. He sent me a text last night that reads as follows: PET scan result….confined to neck and upper chest (greta early detection)….Bone marrow biopsy on Monday….Chemo (4-6 months) starts in November.

Talk about some real answers and relief. Although we have a long way to go, we know that he will kick its ass….Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers, my family as well as myself are exteremely grateful. Will keep you all posted as more becomes available….

Yestersday marked completion of my second week of therapy and I could not be any more pleased. When I started rehab I had very litte range and harldy any strength in my right arm. So after doin stretching and rubberband exercises I feel like I am getting closer to normal. Yesterday was test day, at least thats what my therapist called it. I really wasn’t expecting anything major, so I warmed up and went for it. First, My range of motion is awesome, almost completely normal.  Side lateral went from 105 degrees when I started to 160 degrees yesterday…HELL YEAH. Front lateral from 125 to 168. Second, my strength is almost equal to the strength of my left side…Let me tell ya this makes me one happy camper.

So like I said 4 more weeks of therapy and hopefully back to the real therapy, my gym. Will let you know more when I do…..Until then stay TUFF

As you know, I am well on my way to recovery after my shoulder surgery in August. Since then my life has had its fair share of ups and downs. Never being to hard or to critical I picked myself up and moved on. But just when things are looking up and things are going good life happens….

Sunday evening I recieved a phone call from my father to inform me that my baby brother (he’s 28), had an appointment to have an outpatirent surgery to remove a lympm node to help diagnose an ongoing issue. We were not alarmed at that point and were waitng to see what his diagnoses was. As I was sitting on my couch yesteday afternoon I got the call. My moms tone was the first clue that saomething was wrong. She told me that the surgery went well and that the doctor had done a biopsy of the removed node. This is were life stepped in. As a result of the test, it was detrermined that my brother has lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes.

I was speechless and in tears and could not rationalize what was going on around me. This is my brother, the youngest of four, and a great friend and person to all. How could this be happening to him, what the hell did he do to desrve this. Its not fair. I am mad and at odds with the high powers, although I know its not "his" fault. I just want this to be a bad dream and wake up to everything being normal.

Of course this is not the case and we have to deal with this as best as possible. My brother God bless him is taking this all in stride. His attitude is nothing short of amazing. He is in good spirits and is relieved that they know what it is. Hell he is taking this better than the rest of us and he is the one with the cancer. I truly admire his strength and courage. He is a true inspiration to me. I do not think I could deal with it as calmly and rationaly as he.

So here we are, waiting for the rest of the news and treatment. He goes back Monday for the complete panel results and then to the oncologist Thursday, were they will run more test and formulate a battle plan. Until then we are trying to keep our heads as well as our spirits up…..

Wow, six weeks since my surgery has finnaly arrived anf I can’t be more happy. I went back to my Ortho yesterday and was freed from my sling and I now can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This coming Monday will be the start of my physical therapy which will last 6 weeks. I am looking forward to seeing my range of motion and strength returning, which will help me return to the gym hopefully by November. This journey has been full up its ups and downs, mainly downs. Lack of sleep, pain, and the negativity recieved form my employer have at times made me wish that I never went through with it in the first place. But, luckily, thanks to my beautiful wife Tiffany and my strong upringing those thoughts were never taken at face value. I have for too long lived with this issue and decided enough was enough. Those that have or had a problem with my decision can respectfully kiss my ASS. My health and well-being out way all, plus had I not gotten the surgery my wife would have implanted her foot in my ass, so it was a win win situation.

So here we are, on the brink of therapy, eager with anticipation, and looking to what the future has in store. I want to thank those of you here on BodySpace for all of youe thoughts, prayers and wishes. They are very much appreciated. I also want to thank my Ortho surgeon, Sanford S. Kunkle, M.D and all of his staff at OrthoIndy for all of their care are expertiece. From the moment we walked in for my initial consultation to my post-op check up yesterday there friendly atmosphere and patient care were beyond my expectations. They are a cut above the rest, Top Notch in my book. So thank you all once again and I will be updating my progress as we go along for the rest of this ride.

As for now, I must get back to work. So take care, stay strong and have a great weekend.

Well here we go, I remembered to bring my camera to work and download some pics. They are not the greatest but you get the point. You can also see I am not the greatest looking, pain pills and the stuff from the surgery, I feel like a tweaker. So without further ado, my photos……

There you go, not the prettiest I’ve ever been but surely not the worst. This starts the new journey for me. After all is done and I am cleared, I will have no excuses to hide behind. I plan on breaking out and surpassing where I had been. This will take time and with the support of my family, friends and all you here, I will succeed.

I want to thank everyone for your prayers, thoughts and advice since this happened, it truly means alot to me. This is part of the reason why I am glad I signed up on bodyspace. So once again thank you for everything, you all are world class.

So For now thats it, I will keep you informed, be safe and have a great weekend…Steve