حول أن تصبح "رجلا عجوزا قذرا" - بقلم بول لاشانس
"في عام 2014 ، بدأت فكرة عما أردت القيام به عندما أكبر تتسرب واخترقت أخيرا ... أردت أن أكون "رجلا عجوزا قذرا". نعم ، أردت أن أكون أقبح وأقذر ورائحة كريهة "الرجل العجوز القذر"!
قد تكون خلفية صغيرة في النظام. في أبريل من عام 2006 ، عن عمر يناهز 65 عاما ، أصبت بحدث قلبي كبير أدى إلى تجاوز خماسي. بالنسبة لمعظم الناس ، سيكون ذلك كافيا لإنهاء نمط حياة نشط. ومع ذلك ، رفضت الاستسلام وكنت مصمما على أن أعيش حياتي بنشاط ولا أجلس على الأريكة والخضروات. بدأت في صالة ألعاب رياضية محلية (بمباركة كل من طبيبي الشخصي وطبيب القلب) وشاهدت وقلدت ما كان يفعله الشباب. كنت أبحث أيضا في الإنترنت عن طرق مختلفة لتحسين عندما صادفت شيئا يسمى "سباق سبارتان". شاهدت أشخاصا يتخطون عقبات مختلفة وينزلقون تحت الأسلاك الشائكة المغطاة بالكامل بالطين وقلت لنفسي ، "يمكنني فعل ذلك!"
On Saturday, May 3, 2014 I competed in my first Spartan / OCR event at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO. Now I had no allusions of coming out on top…I just wanted to cross the finish line…and if I did then I will have achieved my goal of becoming a “dirty old man”.
The race is not a race in the truest sense…although it is a timed adventure from the very beginning to the very end; it is what goes on from start to finish that test every bone and muscle in my body….but most of all test my mental capacity to endure. It is a 3 to 5-mile course of mud, ropes, walls, barbed wire crawl, and whatever other physical challenges the event organizers have in mind. The Spartan website states their goal is simple, get you off the couch, throw you in the mud and trails and the result will be the adrenaline rush of a lifetime.
My Spartan partner (and oldest son) decided that in 2015 we would try to complete a Spartan Trifecta: 1 Sprint (3-5 miles); 1 Super (8-10 miles); and one Beast (12+ miles) …all in one calendar year. Back to Ft Carson we went to complete the Super on Saturday and then the Sprint on Sunday. Not bad for this old man…but I still needed the Beast. In August we traveled to Breckenridge, CO to take on the mighty mountain. Starting point is just at 9500’ elevation and simply goes uphill from there (and hills are my nemesis!). After a grueling 8 hours on the mountain, a 220# tired and dirty old man finally emerged from the brush and crossed the finish line…I DID IT! Trifecta #1 was in the books.
في أواخر عام 2015 ، ظهرت معركتي الحقيقية الأولى مع سرطان الجلد ... لقد أصبت بورم كبير جدا في شفتي السفلية لذلك قرر طبيب الأمراض الجلدية إزالة الشفة. نعم ، كان الأمر بهذه البساطة ... مشرط حاد وبعض الجروح والشفة اختفت تماما. في اليوم التالي التقيت بجراح تجميل وخرجت من مكتبه بشفة جديدة تماما (تشكلت باستخدام أنسجة من داخل الفم). عجائب الطب الحديث!
2016 came and saw us completing three Trifecta’s. Along the way we went to Atlanta to complete a Sprint and Super with family members. I was a proud daddy when we crossed the finish line as three generations were there: one daughter, one son, one son-in-law, 2 grand-children, and myself.
The year 2017 was full of high hopes as my son and I decided to go for four Trifecta’s. With a little planning we mapped out our year and it included a trip to Hawaii to do three events in one weekend. Being the nice guys that we are, we even brought the wives with us and made a mini vacation. The State of Hawaii is beautiful and the venue was beyond belief…and it also proved more than I could handle. I grew up in a home where both my mom and dad chain smoked and the house was always full of smoke. That contributed to poor lungs and the island air was do dense once we got into the forest that I had trouble breathing so I took myself out of the race. There went my Trifecta weekend. By the way, we did get our four Trifecta’s in 2017.
تميز خريف عام 2017 مرة أخرى بعودة سرطان الجلد على الجانب الأيسر من شفتي / فكي السفلي. هذه المرة كان الأمر خطيرا. كان الورم قد لف نفسه حول عصب يمتد من الفك وصولا إلى قاعدة الجمجمة. على الرغم من أن علم الأمراض أظهر أن الورم قد تم استئصاله بالكامل ، إلا أن الفريق الطبي لم يخاطر بوجود خلية خاطئة تنتقل على طول تلك الأعصاب ، لذلك تم طلب بدء كل من العلاج الإشعاعي والعلاج الكيميائي في يناير 2018. ذهب الأسبوعان الأولان بسهولة ... لا توجد مشاكل.
قرب نهاية يناير وبداية فبراير انفجر كل الجحيم ... فقدت كل براعم التذوق ، ولم تستطع تناول الطعام أو الشراب بشكل طبيعي ، وبدأت في فقدان الوزن. توقفت العلاجات الفعلية في أواخر فبراير ولكن الآثار الجانبية تستمر حتى هذا التاريخ. حتى كتابة هذه السطور ، أسقطت ما يقرب من 35 رطلا و 6 بوصات حول الخصر. يتم استبدال خزانة ملابسي ببطء لتناسب جسدي الجديد.
My Spartan goals had evolved to where I was hoping to add one Trifecta per year until I completed 8 in one year…which coincidentally would be the year I turn 80. This radiation/chemo thing was putting a cramp in my plans for earning five Trifecta’s in 2018. After many discussions with my medical team, it was determined that I could start back on the trail in April (if I felt up to it physically). Challenge accepted! In April I traveled to Jacksonville, FL and completed a Super and Sprint; in May I was back at Ft Carson for another Super and Sprint; also, in May I was in Austin, TX for another set of Super/Sprint events but the Sprint was cancelled due to heavy lightning in the area. I know that I am not at 100% of what I can do but I also know that sitting around and whining is not what I want to do. I may be the slowest guy out there but I am giving 100% of what I have and with each step forward I am getting a little bit stronger.
حاليا أخذ عدة أسابيع إجازة من Spartan لاكتساب القوة والقدرة على التحمل للنصف الثاني من العام ... وهي خمسة أشهر مزدحمة خططت لها: من المقرر أن تبلغ 77 عاما ، و 2 سوبر ، و 3 سباقات سريعة ، و 5 وحوش ... سأحصل على 5X Trifecta هذا العام!
Along this journey I have been blessed with many supporting friends and family. I won’t specifically name any, except one, as I know that I would forget several and then I would feel bad. Let me group my support groups: Spartan participants – always encouraging and living up to the motto of “you never race alone”; Facebook friends who are so positive; gym goers for being there at 5AM and pushing me to be better; my oldest son for pushing me up the hills (literally); American Warrior Initiative for believing in me; Boost Oxygen for all they have done to keep me breathing; and most of all, my # 1 support – my wonderful wife, Davida, for encouraging me along every step of this ‘Dirty Old Man’ journey.
أراك على الدرب ..."
Boost Oxygen was recommended to Paul by an aviator pilot friend; we are very proud to have heard his story and to know that we support his intensely active and physical goals; even during this current and most epic battle. Everyone here at Boost Oxygen has had the opportunity to meet Paul and his wife Davida in-person – and they are both amazing and inspirational people. We are honored to know them. You can follow Paul on his journey and his adventures at his Facebook page: Paul Lachance.
Boost Oxygen is the #1 trusted worldwide brand of portable and convenient 95% pure oxygen. Trusted by professional teams and athletes, as well as everyday athletes, you can learn more about Boost (and the interesting people who integrate it into their healthy lifestyles) by following on social media: Instagram (@boostoxygen), Twitter (@BoostO2) and Facebook (@BoostOxygenUSA).
