Chems aint gonna do me in! (mental & physical renaissance of JustBoo2u)

[justboo2u]

awwrite! on the 1st page!

For a background, please visit:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=115828501
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I have spent the last month-and-a-half feeling sorry for myself and allowing my natural tendencies toward sloth-hood to commandeer my life.

Reveille, reveille! All hands heave out and trice up! The smoking lamp is lit in all authorized spaces!

About the same time as the above, my shift changed from grave (2130-0530) to swing (1330-2130).
One could say I'm still adjusting to the new hours, but the truth is that I LIKE sleeping in... and that's about the time that I dont need the AC in the summer!

Yes. I'm a lazy f***.
As of today, that changes.

Before, I was able to hit the gym right after work and then crash for 'the nite'... now, I have the privilege of waking, doing the gym and preparing to take on the day!

While I have never abandoned my 'menu' a.k.a. 'diet', I have allowed myself to do major damage in the 'oh, it will be okay to have one of these' department... My (most) serious weakness is these mango-cream cheese 'pastellitos' (sp) they have at AM/PM... Damn good, and so healthy for you!

This will stop. NAO!

This next few weeks will tell on me. Either I will suck-it-up and finish what I spent the last 1.25 years to attain, or not.

I have not done the stats for May, but they will be added to the thread monthly as I go along...

You are welcome along for the ride...
"I got me a car... it seats about twenty. So hurry up and bring your protein-shake money" (apologies to B-52s )

[justboo2u]

this week... I have been putting most of the time/energy into pulling the pool back from the brink of 'black lagoon' syndrome, and it involves a bunch of crawling down to/up from the 'pool pit' (pump room)....

Yes. still lazy.

This TH they will be inserting the thing they call a 'porta-cath' to make the chemo 'easier' (for them, I suspect) and less painful for me... as well as preventing me from looking like a drug addict!

The AM (Monday) will be ARM DAY!!!!
Since I dont know exactly how much gym time I'll be able to handle with the cath in... or during chemo, I'm going to assume my efforts will be mostly cardio and/or leg work.

I may be the only person in the gym built 'upside down'

[Kate1]

Hi Boo! The Porta-cath does make it easier for you. That way they don't have to "stick" you so many times. My Dad had one & it was much nicer.

Glad to see you've posted. Hang in there & keep the faith. You'll be OK!

Hugs!

[justboo2u]

They put it in yesterday. Another couple of weeks of 'take-it-easy'... Joy!

They did say that it should NOT prevent me from my gym routine, so once the skin heals up enuf I can kickstart things.... come hell or high water!

Will likely start with (mostly) cardio only tho... last thing I need it so have this thing do an 'alien birth sequence' while benching!

On a related note, the pool is almost ready for enjoying, and I am FAR BEYOND ready!

[justboo2u]

for some gym time!

Tho I plan to spend the rest of the week (till TH) 'goofing off', I am ready for the gym!

One advantage will be returning to the overnite shift... I will be able to go straight to the gym rather than havta wake up and THEN go... much easier this way!


Already feeling like a soggy marshmallow!

With hair.

[justboo2u]

on the first...

June 1 began an epic moment--got back to the gym and DID SOMETHING!!!


God, it felt good, too!

THEN fixed the pool filter, yanked out a small tree, danced a jig, and stayed up late!

Okay, so #3 didnt happen.

The first chest-day back was kinda lite... cut back on sets this time around. So the first week/cycle is going 2b the same... After that, LOOK OUT!

... and HERE WE GO!!



HOO-RAH!

[Jill74]

Originally Posted by justboo2u

for some gym time!

Tho I plan to spend the rest of the week (till TH) 'goofing off', I am ready for the gym!

One advantage will be returning to the overnite shift... I will be able to go straight to the gym rather than havta wake up and THEN go... much easier this way!


Already feeling like a soggy marshmallow!

With hair.

i am also doing this same thing

[justboo2u]

1) Place heavy weights on squat machine,
2) Release stop,
3) Lower body to check for coins on floor,
4) Return to starting position cause there is no money in it...


Felt good to be in the gym again yesterday... had taken a day between chest and legs for some more 'pool' work, and went right after work (in AM... 0600!)

FRI morning will be/is arm day!!! YEA!

Immediately followed by...

POOL WORK! BOOOOOe!

But it is almost ready for swimming... and only a month late!

Next entry will (likely) have current stats, but am holding around 99/100kg (220#) tho I can tell the gut is a bit better insulated than it was before 'all this SHYT' started.

For sure the BF has gone up a bit... but at least I'm not starting from 302# again!

[justboo2u]

Cancer apparently IS affecting my stamina...
Did an abbreviated arm day today, and it felt good... until I got to the cardio.
Wussed out with only 10 minutes!

Of course, when I got home I put 2.5 hrs into cleaning the pool... so hopefully it balances out a little.

As this thread is about 'rebirth'... the profile pic now reflects a time when I was 'cute'.
I forgot to get the stats.... WILL get them in this week!

[justboo2u]

Have been neglecting the journal recently, but not the workouts!

After 2 chest days and a leg day I'm ready for arms again.... and more pool work!

Arm day typically follows...

Alternating Tricep Pressdowns (a wide grip) with cable bicep-curls
** Reps of 12-15, 150 for tricep and 100-120 for curls.... 3-5 sets.

(some sort of ab work... crunches followed by trunk twists maybe. )

Bicep hammering-
** Superset standing EZ-bar curls (75 or 85#) and D-bell hammer curls (usually 40-45#)
** ** Reps of 10-12, 3-5 sets.

(some more ab work... 'reverse' crunches, sometimes followed by more trunk twists)

Tricep hammering-
** Usually OVHD French-press (machine, 100-120#) and one-arm rev-grip tri extensions
** ** Reps of as many as I can... min 60# on rev-grips...

My interpretation of the hamster-wheel...
** 30 min (minimum) of light-moderate elliptical... HR to 135-140.

Recently I have been wimping-out but the stamina is returning a bit and am close to returning to all full-session routines.

At least, until the chemo starts.... then we'll just have to see!

[justboo2u]

I neglect the documentation...
Lost a leg day to doctor-visit... just lousy timing.
The AM will be Chest Day 1... Chest/Delts

The typical routine is:

Cable Flyes - 5/6 sets, 125# mixed with a machine-lateral raise, 70# (up from 60!)

Bench crunches... usually followed by twists.

From there, a focus on lower chest (the weak area),
Low iso-lateral presses, usually 90#+/side, 4-5 sets with bent-over rear laterals (25-30#)

Bench leg raises/twists.
Progressively higher angles [mid-chest then upper] (and lower weight... )

... and of course, the ubiquitous elliptical...
Dont mind it much, as long as the air is circulating... I tend to overheat easily.

*** They have FINALLY decided that Monday (6-22) they are starting chemo. It looks like they intend to keep me in-patient for 3 days the 1st time... I suppose since it is so 'well-entrenched'... or something.

Now, I must get the menu back under control. Its amazing how easy it is to become accustomed to 'nibbling' after having kept such tight control for more than a year!

Almost forgot... the pool WILL be ready for the 'Solstice-christening party'... not much more than lounging around on a floatee and basking in the booth-generated tan I have been working on the last couple of weeks... (oops... forgot to mention that, too )

Hey! Its hard for a 'vampire' to get some sun these days (or any days!)

[justboo2u]

It is time to whip the kid!...

Have now been thru 2 sessions, and got TWO gym days in since...

Actually three, but that first time was too soon after chemo and the red blood cell count was WAYYYYYY low!

Have been doing pretty-well with the eating portion... but not well-enuf.

Upcoming is Monday, and a trip to the doc... will miss gym time,
but...

this week will begin regular gym-days again. I'm tired of being 'tired'.

and fat.

and 'soft'...
and....

[GuyJin]

Hang in there, bud--I's a'rootin' for ya!

[justboo2u]

Thanks for the input! Gotta get the abs back!

[justboo2u]

This week ends the 1/2-way point of the (planned) chemo, and completion of the 'checkup' tests... wont know how they went until the 8th.

From what I know, there is still some work to do, but nearly all the 'obvious' bumps/bulges are gone, and I still have not been 'sick' from the sessions...
The WBC shots have been reduced in amount as the count has been high each time the blood tests were done... and that is not likely to change...


On the negative side...
I have been having so much trouble keeping a working vehicle (due to the 100mi r/t trips each week and 2x on chemo weeks) along with the general weakness (anemia) that hits the week after the sessions that I have been to the gym only sporadically (like, 3-4x!) since this circus started... and my gut shows it! Basically I have lost control of myself, and I can only hope that, once the transportation issues are cleared, that I can jumpstart my willpower and curb my natural tendencies to 'indulge' myself... which doesnt take much with my mostly-sedentary job!

But these issues can only be corrected by effort... and I admit, there aint been much effort there recently!
Getting ready to hear good news from the doc the 8th... and prep for a downturn on the old scale again too!

[justboo2u]

Just completed #5 of 6 PLANNED sessions... tho this was the worst yet, logistically, anyway. Frikin' hawspittle cant keep the drugs available it seems!

So, after #6 they will likely redo all the tests... for the 3rd time. Last check was good except for a 'residual' evidence in the marrow...

and I REALLY DO HATE that bonemarrow biopsy!

Well, not so much that, but it takes a FULL WEEK for the back to stop hurting!

... And Im offically 'fat' again! Managed to get back up to 109kg... tho the profile hasnt been changed for awhile... on purpose.

BUT

I am more-than-ready to do whatever it takes to be in the gym again, even if its only for a couple of reps and 5 mins of cardio! At this point, anything will be an improvement!

Besides...

I still have some tanning sessions to use up!

[justboo2u]

FINALLY got into the gym after work SA morning!!!

Did 9 sets each chest/back, min 10reps (15-12-10)...

Did some core work... not enuf tho.

... and managed to survive 10 mins on the ellpitical.

That was the worst-- low RBC means no oxygen... breathing hard doesnt help much either!


But it WILL improve as I intend to ensure that it does!

Then I got home and cleaned the pool.... well, mostly.

[justboo2u]

GAWD I HURT LIKE A DOG!!!

but what can I expect from having been gone nearly 4 months!

Today was leg day and did:

Extension/curls 3x15 ea...
Machine squats 3x15...

repeat of the core section as yesterday but a few more reps...

and 5 mins more on elliptical -- also a surprise!

Chest is KILLING ME tonite... but that's okay!
Tomorrow is arm day, and I hope to get a decent pump from it... of course, by then the ole legs will likely be demanding 'attention'!

[justboo2u]

This week has completed the last of the PLANNED chemo...

In the coming weeks will (likely) be more tests to see if everything is clear...
or not.

Have been trying to remain in the gym but...
Current plan is to focus more on cardio to get the endurance back... and work on keeping whatever muscle I still have under this 'chemo-fat'...

I just wish that was all it was...

PMA. Gotta find the PMA!

Simply put... this has been more of a mental strain than I have previously admitted...
Time to fix the head AND the rest!

[justboo2u]

'patiently' waiting for the 'testing phase'...

This week they redid all the tests.

I SWEAR I WILL NEVER ALLOW THEM TO DO another bone-marrow biopsy!
This time hurt SO BAD!!! Particularly considering the first 2 times were 'okay'...

But, it is done, they are done, and next week I'll hear for sure (I think ) that
I will/will not need more treatments.

I hope so... I have to get back into the gym before they forget that I belong there!

Really bad timing too... with the holiday (eating) situation coming up!

Once I can FOR SURE return to the gym I'll begin redoing my profile and making entries...
as well as turning this into an actual workout journal. What a concept!

[justboo2u]

Well, last week they finished the tests...

This week I went for the results...


... and they 'arent sure'...

The bone check said that everything is clear... which is a difficult area to take care of short of marrow transplants...

but the PET scan 'suggested activity' in the spleen (a hotbed of immune-system work)... meaning that it could be trying to come back there... or possibly be affected by something (like the recent cold I got?)
... supposedly 'they' are gonna look at the tests again... tho what good that will do Im not sure.

(the 1st and 3rd tests were done at the same place, but the 2nd one was 'outsourced'... and they are basing things on this fact.)

Next week I should hear back about what they intend to do... I suspect they will want to rerun the PET scan to see if it is same/worse...

Oh well... gotta luv the drugs!