A man of a secluded nature like me has a hard time writing things such as the following. So in all honesty, please hang in there with me as I try to expose my self to a light that few dare to stand in.
In March 2010, my cardiologist frantically told me that I was staring down the barrel of a gun filled with heart attacks, high blood pressure, an irregular heart beat, cholesterol in the 240 range and a 60 percent blocked carotid artery. The loss of a father to a major heart attack truly scared the shit out of me and left me with two options. Either get healthy or go under the knife. I was almost dead broke, in the process of losing my home, and wasn’t doing anything other than lying around feeling sorry for myself. I was so depressed and felt I was at my wits end.
After finding a job in December 2010 and digesting the news of my health concerns I finally walked back into Gold’s Gym. I will admit I was so extremely embarrassed to be back that I almost walked out before my first set. That was also the first day I had see or talked to Dusty in over a year. I was so violently stricken with nerves when approaching him because of what I become in such a short time. Our conversation was very brief, but hearing him speak the words “I’m glad to see you back” rung in my head for days. The idea that a man who works harder than anyone I have ever met being happy for me was almost too much to handle.
I gave up on myself for a year and I will never do that again. I have learned that you never ever give up on yourself no matter what life throws you. I started this journey on April 4th 2010 weighing 236 pounds. As of this morning I weigh a boyish 162 pounds and I am in the best shape of my life. I have had a complete check up with my cardiologist, and her professional opinion was that I have the heart of a twenty year old now and the changes I have made are more than remarkable.
