18 Feb 2013- I want to reach out and touch the flame

Yup it is one of those days. Sean Connery was the inspiration. My OCD in full effect. De-Load week so things get a little intense for the week. Let me body rest up. I have had to up my Calories the past few days, i keep feeling run down 20 min into trg. it happens. At the end of the is week i will be re-energized and ready to SFW once again.

Red Band Pull-a-parts 30 , 25, 20
Floor Press
2 x 10 x Bar
1 x 5 x 95
1 x 5 x 120
1 x 5 x 140
1 x 10 x 160
Mach Row 
1 x 45 x 130
Face Pulls 5 x 20 x 55 lbs
Standing Abs 5 x 8 x 100 lbs

Fat man Row (w/ Orange Mini Band doubled up)
3 x 15 x 45 lbs
Rear Delt Laterals
3 x 25 x 10 lbs

TKE's 2 x 20
Red Band Pull downs 1 x 110 reps (non-stop)
Front Squat 2 x 5
**Squat 1 x 1 x Bar -Testing to see how things are.**

Floor Press was light and easy as it should be for the day. I really did not feel like doing Mach Rows today so i picked a weight and did all the reps at once and moved on. Decided to play with the Fat man rows and throw on the orange mini band just to change things up. Face Pulls and Standing Abs i did concurrently back to back with no rest until all 5 sets were completed. Just alot of movement and blood flow today.

**One thing i did give a run at with a spotter was my regular stance Squat with simply the bar. Full Set up, nice and tight, lock everything in, step out with the bar into position, Squat down to depth, staying back, and then UP! No issues, no problems, the technique was spot on (i will let someone else say it was perfect because i try to refrain from ever saying that). But it felt smooth and easy. Which is a huge piece of motivation. All i have to do now is build the weight on the bar. 2 more weeks and it starts.**

Ok i have another ramble to go on. I have had numerous people tell me how happy they are my recovery is going so well. Others are surprised how quickly i am coming back from surgery. It was not by accident, it was by design from day one as i alluded to yesterday.
Things like a 340 lbs Deadlift the week before surgery have a little to do with it. The stronger and more conditioned you can be going into surgery the better your recovery is most likely to be.
So twice today, and three times  in the past week i have had something similar happen. People bitching and moaning about their health care. Now the health care i have access to is top notch. The same health care that these people have access to. It is not perfect health care. I have never really seen such a thing. The one common denominator in all these scenarios i found the same. That single factor? Not challenging or engaging their health care professionals. Not being free and open with their health care professionals.
Essentially just blindly going into the facility and hoping for the best. Then when they got a piss poor result  they simply blamed the health care facility. Not really at a personal level but as a whole. I call bullshit on this. At every step of the game i have questioned, researched and not taken any answer i have gotten at direct face value. The result?
-Getting an uncommon surgery that saved my hamstrings. i chose it for reasons specific to me. This surgery and recovery will affect me until i die. i kept that a major consideration in all decisions.
-getting the best medical treatment possible. if you don't ask questions or probe you may not get. All humans forget if you make yourself a priority and a person to the medical professional they will remember you and get you what you need. Human nature.
-I am doing pool Rehab twice a week. I was able to lift weights right up until the day before surgery which boosted my confidence, kept my weight down, and prepared me for recovery.
I am not saying be an asshole until you get what you want. Challenge that schooling and knowledge these people have taken and learned.
At the end of the day i have had one mantra. This applies to how i deal with all my health care professionals as well as how i deal with my supervisors at work:

The Only person who has a personal vested interest in my recovery is me.

This is not to belittle the people who support me. The others who serve to inspire and motivate me. The people who teach, guide and lead me through my rehab. If anything it is showing them respect and honor for supporting me. I have to do the rehab. I have to do the work. I have to stay focused daily. No one else can do it for me.My boss will not be there in 5 or 10 yrs if i rush back cause long term complications.  I am the one who lives with this recovery for better or worse every minute, every day, every week, etc, for ever. It is me who will ultimately come out the other side of this ready to help those who helped me and those who need help and are willing to do the work themselves to recover also. Like i said yesterday there was a choice at the start of this whole thing. I made the choice to recover 100% and thrive because of it. That is my daily goal. 

Sorry for rambling yet again today. People who have access to top notch medical care and then piss around and bitch are fucking stupid. 

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)