I'm back! :-)

"Let go of your attachment to what has already happened. And make room in your life to create the very best that can be."

Well, hello strangers! It's been nearly 8 months since my last entry and so much has happened. First let me apologize to all of my readers who have been following my journey since the beginning. My faithful supporters, you have not been forgotten.

 I have gotten several inquiries over the past 3 or 4 months of when I may start writing again. It's been on my to do list but life has been hectic and stressfull for the past 4 or 5 months. I am not sure where to start so I will keep with the basics for now: health, exercise, competition,work/career, family.

HEALTH

After spending all of October, November, December and January on prednisnone, I was finally completely weaned by the middle of February. In all, it was about 5 months of steroid therapy. I started my "forever" drug towards the end of my tapering and have been on it now without incident for about 4 months.

I was asked to make a choice between 4 different drugs. Two were what are classified as biologics and the other 2 were pills. Both routes of medications were a form of an immuno-suppressor. I spent a couple weeks researching like mad. I was leaning more heavily towards the biologics just because they seemed a more natural route to go. Ulitmately, cost won out and I went with a pill form that I take once a day and costs about $10 a month. The cheapest of the biologics was nearly $300 a month!

I have had no side effects and my body seems to be responding well to the new medication. I have been asked by my physcian (whom I adore) and friends/family if the drug "is working" but honestly they only way I could determine that would be to go off them. And that isn't happening. So for now, I say yes. :-)

I am scheduled for a follow up colonscopy in September. My Doc wants to check the good ole colon out and see how well it has healed and if they are any other diseased areas to be concerned with. I don't dread the procedure, really. It's a way to make myself eat clean and then get a clean out. Hee!

EXERCISE

I am physically back to fighting shape. I am no longer competition ready but I still feel strong and happy with my body. I am currently about 148 lbs. The lowest I got training was 133 lbs and 13% body fat which was bananas. It has taken me months to accept my body returning back to normal, however.

Training so hard for so long and being required to be so lean was one of the hardest challenges I've faced. Physically,mentally, emotionally. When you reach your goals (or are damn near close like I was) you see what you can do if you put your mind and body to it. You recognize that your hard work pays off and that IS attainable. The problem therein lies in trying to wrap your conscience around the reality that those numbers (lbs, BF%) are not maintable.

It's funny too, because when I was that lean and saw my body in the mirror, especially practicing my posing, I would think to myself that I was too skinny and that I was going to enjoy putting 10 lbs back on. And then when I did gain some weight back I was panaroid that I gained too much and that I wasn't as appealing. These kind of competitions definitely mind fuck you a bit.

I am over it now and am loving how strong my body is again. My curves are back. And I may not be as defined because my body fat is back up to (guestestimate) 21% but I am no ok with that.

I am still having some occasional issues with the tendonitis in my right shoulder (rotator cuff) that at times disrupts my ability to lift heavy, or lift at all for that matter. I am working on trying to really strengthen that joint and those accompanying muscles. And trying to be better at getting more frequent massage as well to keep it at bay.

I started spinning in February and it is safe to say I am totally addicted! I get a hell of a workout and never leave the studio short of drenched. My legs have gotten even more defined and my ass......well that has become amazing! ;-)

I was contemplating trying a 8-week surfing class (I know, in the desert?) but my summer schedule was just too tough to fit it into. I am going to see if they will be offering another 8 week course in the near future though. I have always wanted to learn and feel like now is the time to really switch it up and learn new things.

COMPETITION

The number one question I get asked is "When are you going to do another competition?" The answer: I don't know.

I have so much going on in my life right now that comitting to training at that level would be nearly impossible for me. I am hoping that a few things will get resolved soon so that I can start toying with the idea of doing a show in October and start training in August.

Not holding my breath. I know that the opportunity will always be there waiting for me.And I am definitely NOT giving up this goal/dream.

FAMILY

Let me start off by saying that my girls are good. They will be going back to school in a very short 3 weeks (woohoo!). Niyanna will be turning the big 1-0  two weeks from today and will be entering 5th grade in the new school year. Malaya(MJ), my wild child, will be starting 2nd grade. I cannot believe how grown my babies are getting! And with the attitudes to match.

This may come as a shock to some of you, and others of you already know, but I am currently going through a very difficult, and up to this point, private thing. I filed for divorce in February and our lives have been topsy turvy for months.

Before you say I'm sorry, just know that this was the right thing to happen. It was frankly, overdue. This fact doesn't make it any easier but knowing that this was the right decision gives me the strength to push through. On the days that clouds hang a little lower, a little greyer then usual, I find solace in the fact that I have made the right decision.

I have a wonderfully supportive network of family and most awesome friends that have helped me through some dark days. Without them, I would be lost. I honestly don't think I could have been so strong without them cheering me on, lifting me up and reminding me of how strong I really am.

I moved the girls and I out of our family home May 10th. We are currently living with my most awesome mom and will remain here until the divorce is final and I am back on my feet financially. The goal is to give myself 8-12 months to pick myself back up and become self sufficient once again. Realistically, I think it may be more like 12-18 months but am just grateful for a place for my girls and I to call home for the time being.

WORK/CAREER

I am coming up on 14 years as a massage therapist and love what I do just as much today as when I started. I am reaffirmed every week that I am doing in life one of the many things I was meant to do.

I have been interested in getting more involved in the fitness industry, specifically as a personal trainer for a couple years now. I have even toyed with the idea of going back to school for a nutritionist degree or certification as well. I've had even bigger dreams of designing and operating my own website as well that would supply my clients near and far with everything they need to stay fit and healthy.

I am happy to say that I am several steps closer to all of those goals. I attended a AFAA sponsored personal training workshop in May and I just recently received my test results. I passed both portions of the test and am now a certified personal trainer. *happy dance*

 Even better news is that I will also be starting an internship of sorts with my personal training mentor (Brad) in the very, very near future. All I need to do is email him my availability and we will get started. This is a sort of unusual route for someone to go who has just received their cert, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, in my opinion, to learn from one of the best. Afterall, I intend to be the best as well.

Basically what I will be doing is shadowing Brad during his training sessions with his clients. This will not only give me tons of information on program designing, experience with clients, do's/don'ts but also give me the confidence I need to get out there and gain new clients. I want to be able to say that I give my clients exactly what they need and what the expect. I want to be the best I can be. Good work breeds more work.

I am looking into applying for financial aid so that I can begin a holistic nutrition program through the massage school that I attended. It is a 200 hour program that I can either do on campus and in the classroom or online. I estimate I can probably get it done in 18 months, maybe 24. I am willing and eager to put in the work. With this certification I will be able to give my clients that much more as well as contribute to their weight loss or lifestyle changes in eating.

As for the ultimate goal of having my own website, well I have a friend in the programming field that has offered to help me with whatever he can to get that goal of mine achieved. *happy dance #2*


"If you're brave enough to say good bye, life will reward you with a new world."

So now I push forward to the future and all the good that will come with it. It is definitely going to be a challenge but I am ready to work for what I want. This path will ultimately bring me satisifaction in work and allow me to for the first time in over 10 years be self supportive financially. I have a long ardous road ahead of me, but with all the support and love I am receiving from my family and friends there is no way I will fail.

Besos!