You might have been wondering where I’ve been?
To cut a very long story short, I had a few medical issues last year, which started in June and finished up- well they haven’t finished really, although I’m far better off now.
Without going into too much detail, and not for a sympathy vote, I had a cancerous cyst on one of my kidneys.
The cyst has gone, along with the kidney, and that was actually not much of an issue.
I was thought to have a second cancer around my appendix, and so that has gone too. Thankfully no cancer, just a weird inflammation which wasn’t going to go well if it hung around.
Strangely, the thing that was really bad, was the abscess that appeared in my abdomen. About 15 cm in size, it was poisoning me from the inside and was less than pleasant.
All of those things happened between June and October and resulted in me going under the knife 3 times. Major stuff. Pretty tough, eh?
Actually, not really.
Yes, of course, it wasn’t pleasant to discover that the cyst, had it burst, would have resulted in me being dead within 12 months or so. Dodged it though. It’s gone.
The appendix thing, whilst not great, was only an inflammation, not cancer. Dodged it again.
The abscess, now that was a sore one. I lost 2 stone, I was in hospital for 16 days, anti-biotics 3 times a day for a month. Gave me a real kicking.
So, if not for a sympathy vote, why am I posting this?
Simple.
I was told several times by several Consultants that my level of fitness was something that worked SO much in my favour.
That they don’t normally see 61-year-olds like me. That my recovery would be SO much better because I was fit.
Now you need to bear in mind that I’m not Super-Fit.
I’m nowhere near like the guy in the Foto, above.
I’m not muscly, particularly big, can run ultra marathons (or even half ones, coz I hate running!).
No, the point is, even at my own level lifting weights (I’m not particularly strong), moving a kettlebell about now and again, taking (instructing) Indoor cycling classes, going out for walks (which was a great way to begin my rehab), and generally just moving, if it hadn’t been for all of that, there is NO DOUBT I would have suffered far more, and my rehab would have taken far longer.
So the message is it doesn’t matter at what stage of life you are at. Younger, middle-aged (I hate that term), or ‘older’, you need to move A LOT and lift weights regularly.
I don’t necessarily mean going to a gym, although there’s no doubt it’s a great placed to go, and it’s a place FOR ALL.
No, just move in a way that brings you joy. Lift heavy things up and put them back down. And repeat.
Getting and staying strong can bring you benefits you haven’t considered.
I’ve just become a Grandad. I want to be able to play with my beautiful Granddaughter when she grows and starts to explore the world.
I want her to see that her Papa (God, I love being that), has plenty of life left in him to laugh and play with her.
I want to be able to walk with her, run with her, cycle with her, swim with her and, if she insists, dance with her. I can’t do that if I’m not fit, strong and healthy.
So let me repeat the message.
Get strong. Stay strong.
Do activities that make your heart beat faster, because it’s a muscle and it needs to stay strong and healthy too.
Do it YOUR WAY.
Don’t think because you don’t go to a gym that you can’t be strong.
But if you can get to a gym, where there are lots of ways to get strong, then make the effort.
One day, you’ll be thankful that you did.
Have a great week.
