Hello and sort of goodbye

**Juggernaut** · 06-09-2003, 02:56 PM

Well Bros I’ll be down and out for a while and it sucks big time. I took up this sport a little over two years ago to lose weight and got bit big time by the lifting bug. All was going well, lost fifty pounds, and brought my bench out of the basement to a PB along with a PB squat. That was until three months ago. What I thought was a torn/pulled muscle turned out to be deteriorating bones in my neck that were applying pressure on my spinal cord. I’m over thirty and the cause of the problem is due to genetics and had nothing to do with the weight I was lifting. My strength (upper body) went down so fast it was alarming to say the least, to go from a 315 work set on my bench to a paltry 135 for eight reps (and I mean I’d struggle for those eight) sure took the wind right out of my sails.

Just about the time this started happening I stumbled onto this great board and I was so glad to have found it. I was deep into a depression. I kept going to the gym but felt I was just spinning my wheels. My diet went down hill and my weight started going up and the goals I had set for myself started to fade away. I needed something to help me refocus on my goals and to help me get past this situation. So I signed up and started reading. I’d read on breaks at work, during lunch and anytime someone was not looking. If I knew I was not going to be near a computer for the day I’d print off threads to read. Slowly I was working up the courage to reply to some of questions and ideas other members would post. I was kind of scared to reply to any of the threads I’d read because I don’t offer advice when I don’t know what I’m talking about or have the experience to do so. Not to mention I didn’t want to make an ass of myself by making a newbie mistake. I was lucky enough to see new members make some of the mistakes I might have and learned from them before doing so myself. I’ve replied to a few now (just in areas I know something about or general topics) but still have great reservations doing so. I’m not an intelligent man so I like to keep my mouth shut for the most part.

With all that said I have gotten to know a lot of you based on all the responses you’ve all posted that I’ve read. And even though I’ve never made a formal introduction or posted more than one thread of my own I wanted to tell you all I’m going in for surgery this Friday (Yeah Friday the 13th, like I said I’m not that intelligent but I’m not suppositious either) and will be flat on my back for two weeks and probably will not be able to lift for a while longer after that. I won’t be able to post after Friday but I rearranged the furniture in my bedroom so I can read the computer screen while recouping. My daughter promised me she’ll help me log in each morning. I knew having kids would pay-off someday! So if you all would do me a really big favor and give me a bump now and then I would be forever in your debt.

Thank you all very, very much,

Jugg

**Expendable** · 06-09-2003, 02:59 PM

BEST WISHES TO A HAPPY RECOVERY!!

**Red Ketchup** · 06-09-2003, 03:02 PM

Hey bro BEST of luck with your surgery! We'll all be rooting for ya. I'm sure all will turn out fine, and you'll recover fully in no time flat.

I guess when one cannot work out, AR is the next best thing

At least it keeps ya in the loop.

Keep us posted on your progress bro!

Red

**jeffylyte** · 06-09-2003, 03:04 PM

good luck and i hope to see you back here soon. lord knows i dont want to miss seeing your avatar! it brings happiness to an old xmen junkie like me

**BigGreen** · 06-09-2003, 04:30 PM

best of luck...and while you're recuperating you can check out "About Schmidt".

**Farmer** · 06-09-2003, 04:59 PM

Take care bro! I wish you a speedy recovery..

God Bless

Peace

Farmer

**sin** · 06-09-2003, 06:10 PM

good luck, and we all wish you a fast and thurough recovery. could you tell us a bit more about the surgery, do you know any of the specifics? just curious. see ya soon.
-sin

**razor67** · 06-09-2003, 06:33 PM

best of luck bro..hope everything goes smooth.
peace

**sigrabbit** · 06-09-2003, 07:11 PM

Hey bro, I am sure you will make a miraculous recovery and be back to the iron soon.

**xxxl83** · 06-09-2003, 07:18 PM

Hey Juggernaut,

You've got my best wishes with you pal. I know what is like to go through what you're going through. Keep your head up.

Best of luck,

xxxl83

**monstercojones** · 06-09-2003, 07:39 PM

good luck bro. i dont really pray, but ill put in a good word for ya. let us know how it goes.

**TheMudMan** · 06-09-2003, 10:09 PM

Good luck bro and i hope your recovery is fast! When you can post again let us know how you're doing.

Take care -
MudMan

**The Butcher** · 06-09-2003, 11:47 PM

Good luck Bro. I wish you a fast and comfortable recovery.

I'd also like to say that while you said "you are not an intelligent man", I'd beg to differ. Often times it is far more intelligent to keep your mouth shut and listen than it is to open your mouth and stop listening. The most intelligent people are often those who are smart enough to absorb and reflect on information rather than just regurgitating what they have heard. So, kudos to you for that.

Once again, good luck with your surgery. Make sure and let us know how you are doing once you get back into condition to type.

**hellapimpin** · 06-10-2003, 12:16 AM

good luck dude

**Rickson** · 06-10-2003, 12:35 AM

Best of luck on your surgery. I am glad that you decided to post and let us know what was going on. We will be thinking of you and I am sure you will have a speedy recovery.

**HorseFace** · 06-10-2003, 02:14 AM

Gool luck bro,

Gool=Good lol

**mammoth** · 06-10-2003, 06:31 AM

Hope all goes well!

**Animal Cracker** · 06-10-2003, 08:04 AM

bump...speedy recovery...come back strong

***Cycleon*** · 06-10-2003, 08:04 AM

definitely get well and get back soon!

**Strut99GT** · 06-10-2003, 08:44 AM

Good luck bro, you'll be back at it soon.

**BIG R** · 06-10-2003, 09:12 AM

It isnt over until you decide quit! And I think that you'll come back after sugery doing what you love to do just fine. Chin up man and give it your best. Looks like you are all heart for writting what you did.......it takes an INTELLIGENT man to take the two steps back and put things into perspective like you did there so I think that you are not right about the intelligence part.

R

**Buddha_Red** · 06-10-2003, 09:40 AM

You will be back stronger than ever before you know it!

Stay strong brother, we are here for ya!

**Devourer** · 06-10-2003, 10:20 AM

good luck. get well. get back

**halifaxsteve** · 06-10-2003, 10:30 AM

good luck bro...see you again soon

**Got Gear?** · 06-10-2003, 10:41 AM

Good luck and best of wishes bro.

After the recovery, you'll be set back quite a bit. Look at this as a chance for a "fresh start". Not many get the chance to start over again.. I know I wish I could take back a few mistakes...

**PUMP UP** · 06-10-2003, 10:53 AM

Good luck bro, hope to hear from you again soon. I will say a prayer for a safe and speedy recovery.

Best of luck and remember “adversity causes some men to break and others to break records.” Be the man who breaks records!!

**Juggernaut** · 06-10-2003, 01:43 PM

Expendable, Red Ketchup, Jeffylyte, Big Green, Farmer, Wrstlr69sdnl, Sin, Razor67, Sigrabbit, TheMudMan, The Butcher, Hellapimpin, Rickson, xxx183, Monstercojones, Mammoth, Horseface, Bamaslamer, Cycleon, Big R, Budda_Red, Anadrol Devourer, Halifaxsteve, Got Gear and Pump up,

Many, Many, Many heartfelt and deeply appreciated thanks; I could never come up with the right words to express to you, each of you, how much your well wishes and concerns for a fellow ¡§AR brother¡¨ means to me. I¡¦ve never been the type to be overcome by my emotions but I am at this very moment and it is very difficult to type. In fact I¡¦ve had to stop and compose myself more then a few times. From the bottom, middle and top of my heart¡K¡K¡KThank you.

I know this sounds strange but I¡¦ve been on the board twice since posting this thread yet could not bring myself to view it until a moment ago. Odd, for being somewhat a big man I feel so small and very humbled.

Sin, bro I could not even begin to give you the medical term for it but I can tell you in my own words. The doctor will be going through my neck (front) and removing part of the bone in c4-c5-c6-c7 along with the disks between each bone. Once all has been removed he will place a wire mess cylinder in the space then a bone graft on top of that. After the graft a metal plate will be placed over the graft and screws will be driven into disks c3 and c7. Basically all of those bones will be fused together and my mobility will be greatly reduced. If that wasn¡¦t bad enough the operation does come with risks. Death is probable but highly unlikely. I am running a greater risk with partial paralysis but even more than that is they can¡¦t say if I¡¦ll regain full strength in regards to my arms until I am fully healed. He¡¦s assistant scared the hell out of me by telling me I would never be able to do heavy lifting again however when the doc talked to me (based on my strength conditioning and history of weight training) he felt I should be able to go back to a normal weight training mode once completely healed. Now if all goes well the last part and the one that has me so down it really upsets me is I will not be able to lift weights for 4-6 months. That is killing me right now. I haven¡¦t missed one day in the gym since starting two years ago. I think I am addicted to exercising. Well if you have a habit this has got to be one of the better ones right? ƒº

Sincerely,

Jugg

**Jack Rabbit Slim** · 06-10-2003, 03:55 PM

Good luck !! and get well soon.

**homeboy** · 06-10-2003, 10:27 PM

good luck and get well soon

**Nico** · 06-10-2003, 10:51 PM

Hey bro, best of luck with everything. But its not over until you decide its over. You will come back and come back stronger. just take your time and make it happen.

**Juggernaut** · 06-12-2003, 02:52 PM

Jack, Homeboy and Nico, thanks for the well wishes. Everyone keep strong and I'll catch back to you all in a couple of weeks, hopefully.

I've been trying to move the mouse around with a stick so I can click around on the board. Not to bad at it but I won't be able to type. ha

Take care Bro's

Jugg