I Can't Believe it's been a YEAR!

I feel horrible that I haven't kept up with my blog since last September...it's like life got in the way or something.  I promised myself I was going to continue adding thoughts and stories throughout the year during our training sessions and our other trips, but I definately got behind.

Of course I can always use the excuses that I tore the biceps tendon in both arms last November and then there was the heart attack in late January followed closely by the quintuple bypass surgery in early February...and I am still working on my Master's, but "hell"! how could I have let that stuff get in the way of staying up to date on my blog.  I mean think of the thous...er... hundre...ummm...two or three people that actually read this stuff; they must be disappointed.  Or at least frustrated that they have nothing to read...nothing to bide their time while waiting on the grass to grow or their kids to graduate from something.

Well since I am writing here now, you realize I did survive the past year even with the few challenges I had to face.  But I am a better man and a better coach for it...I think?.  For the first time in my life I experienced a pretty major injury (not even while lifting, that's another story) and found myself face to face with the possibility of dying.  I have only had thoughts of dying a couple of times in my life that I can remember, but those were only passing brain waves that make you feel mortal...this one was more like a major kick in the "nads".  I had always known that someday I would have to face my most wonderful inheritance from the genetic make up of most males in my family, arterial desease.  I just didn't expect it would raise its ugly head so soon.  I mean after all I take care of myself, eat pretty well, work out, don't smoke....you know opposite of all of those men before me that died early.  I figured I wouldn't have any heart problems until I was way into my 60's.  NOT!!!  Surprise!!!....52 and I find myself with some guy and his hands are buried in my chest cavity while some other guy is pulling the veins out of my leg to use as some kind of plumbing experiment on my fuel pump.  And then to top it off the next day they make me get up and carry all of the crap hooked to me and walk back to my hospital room....figured I needed some cardio work or something!!

But I survived....not as strong yet as I used to be, but working on it.  Glad to be here for sure...oh and did I tell you about my kids, my lifters.  You see my heart surgery was done the day before I was supposed to host our State Powerlifting Championships.  I had already postponed the meet once when I tore my biceps tendons in November, I wasn't going to postpone it again.  I even tried to get the doc to let me out of the hospital long enough to put on the meet and then come back for the surgery...he wouldn't buy it.  Anyway, my high school powerlifting team went on and hosted the meet, put up with all of the adult lifters when they complained about missing lifts or wearing illegal gear, coached and helped each other through the day, all of them that expected to, qualified for the National Championships and then took the time to come by the hospital and bring me a big sign of encouragement that everyone at the meet had signed.  Love those kids!

That's why I love to coach!