Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

My plan today is to ride my bike and to take a long walk later. I've almost completely recovered from my throat problems but my voice is still weak and high. I also still have coughing bouts. But so much better. I'll be happy when I'm 100% again and up my training again. Still taking it somewhat easy so as not to bring on a relapse.

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Woke up with a massive headache this morning but after I was up for awhile, I feel great. Sometimes a headache is not a sign that something is wrong but that your body is releasing a lot of toxic substances and this is how you feel as it's getting ready to release it. That can be a good thing. I choose to think I'm just getting rid lots of crap I have stored in my body over the past 60-65 years and I'm going to be the better for releasing it.. Let's hope! With all the antibiotics I have had to take, the last this morning, I have to focus on building up my probiotics over the coming week. A healthy gut is necessary for over all health! Tomorrow I meet up with three of my old teammates who are competing in a powerlifting meet on Sunday. Road trip! Really looking forward to it. Just hope I continue to feel well over the weekend! This type of fun with my friends always motivates me to keep going!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

You're one of the few on here that I actually read almost all of your journal entries. You are inspiring. PS I am going to look up wrong sauce and see if they have anything online I can listen to on sound cloud or youtube.

Well, the past couple days has been a real roller coaster ride. Ups and downs. I thought I had turned the corner with all my recent health problem but I took a turn for the worst late Friday. I woke up Saturday feeling very ill. I had to cancel a private consulting client I see on a regular basis and also my road trip with my three buddies/teammates for this weekend. I was really looking forward to see them lift and to have all the fun we always have together. This was a very big disappointment. I took it real easy all day Saturday and felt a lot better on Sunday. Well enough that I felt I could risk going with my wife to watch her son, my stepson, graduate with his Masters in Education. His name is Brad and is a very remarkable young man who we are are all so very proud of. Listening to all the student speakers and the faulty speak, plus the main speaker was very uplifting. All the hope and promise that they have is so inspirational. It did make me feel so much better at least emotionally! And that is at least half the battle in conquering any illness!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Been coughing up a storm all day long. I have good days then bad. But always never with out some coughing. My voice is still very weak and high. I'm trying not to speak at all to reduce any stress on my voice box. Thank God I can sleep fairly well at night. I wear a CPAP due to my sleep disorder. The forced air in my throat helps keep it open so I don't cough very much during the night. All of this is really having a very negative effect on making any progress losing weight, etc. I gained 9 pounds in the past 10 days, mostly water weight I believe. I go and see an oral dental surgeon on the 26th. I will have an upper molar and an impacted wisdom tooth removed hopefully a few days after that intake appointment. Then go back to my regular dentist for follow up work to have my sliver/mercery fillings replaced with a more natural fillings. I have to wonder if my teeth that have to be removed are driving my throat problems? I don't know but I'm hoping something works!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

I'm so tired of posting negative entries about my poor health problems. I am usually a very up beat type of person and it pains me to have so many negative problems. I keep hoping I am turning the corner on my problems and then my next post is bad news again. Not right. Anyways I continue to cough a lot, my voice remains weak and high pitched, and it is difficult to breath at times. The good news is that I continue to hold to my vegan and whole food diet. I will not let my problems deter me from that positive path. I see my original Cancer Doctor on Tuesday. I'm sure she will order a new PSA test. I will find out if it continues to rise or hopefully will be going back down. I'm afraid with all the recent health problems that it has had a negative effect on my immune system which only will let my cancer to progress. We will see. I also see the oral surgeon on the 26th and I hope that will be a positive step towards getting better over all. I want to post positive entries once again that reflect good heath.

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Well yesterdays visit to my Oncologist was a very interesting experience. I have mixed feelings about what happened. Rita, my wife went with me and her reactions were very much like mine. The Doctor reviewed all the recent tests and results I have had over the past few months, asked me a few questions about how I was feeling. Out side of my current throat problems, very well. No pain in my bones, or when I urinate, etc. She asked me about my refusal to do chemotherapy. She gave me the standard lecture about how I would get a "positive response" from chemotherapy. What they mean is that the cancer tumors will reduce in size for at least 3-4 months. What they don't tell you is that while the chemo (poison) will be killing the cancer cells, it also kills good cells including wiping out your immune system. What they don't tell you is that the chemo will not kill all the cancer cells. 30-40% will survive the process and with your immune system compromised, the caner they say is "knocked down" then comes roaring back with a real rapid growth with out your body's ability to fight it! Beside all the side effects of the chemotherapy (loss of hair, extreme weakness, chemo head i.e you are unable to think clearly, lots of aches and pains, sickness to your stomach, and with out your immune system you are open to any and all infections that may come your way, etc). The Doctor was very polite as she told me I should do the chemo and that I should reconsider my decision. I've heard all the current Oncology propaganda before and I just politely declined again. That when to my surprise she told me that then she wouldn't be able to treat me and she was closing my case, but I could recontact her if I changed my mind. My wife and I looked at each other in shock. So if I wasn't going to accept the only type of treatment she knows or offers, I'm on my own. While I expected her try and convince me to do her standard type of treatment, I didn't expect she would not at least want to follow my progress and test me occasionally to see if my cancer was stabilizing, maybe going away, or advancing. Rita and I walked out very angry at her. In a way, I'm glad it happened. It just reinforced my opinion that the current "standard of care" by most Oncologists is just following the pharmaceutical model of poisoning the body as their only way to treat the cancer patient. And of course that is a huge profit making business for all concerned! The pharmaceutical companies can't make money off food and natural supplements so they attack that method and anyone who advocates it. Alternative treatments Doctors have to be very careful as they are in constant danger of losing their medical license if they don't follow the pharmaceutical "standard of care". I hate being a cynic but my experience over the past 18 months has left me no other way of thinking about the current cancer treatment in our country. But I will follow my own path and try to do the best I can to fight my cancer with the most healthy and natural methods I may discover! For my family and friends sake and love, I pray I will be successful!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

I totally agree with your assessment of the medical industry. I have been very frustrated with the care, or rather lack there of, with several family members and now myself. Sending prayers your way!

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I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true.

SeaSiren,
You have no idea what your response does for me. My late wife's, Linda, nickname was the Mermaid. She had been called that by her family since she was a very little girl. When Linda was an adult, she wrote mermaid stories for her extended family's children, collected mermaids, etc. I still have most of her collection except for a few pieces I have given away to several of Linda's mermaids -in-training. When Linda passed away I bought a large biodegradable clam urn to hold her ashes. Our two sons, her brother and his family (including the first mermaid-in-training her niece Erin now an adult and her little daughter who was the last mermaid-in-training), and my new wife Rita all made a road trip a few years ago to the end of Long Island. There we released the clam urn into Linda's beloved ocean on the same beach she used to swim at as a child. It was a very moving and uplifting experience for all of us who love and miss Linda so much. A few days ago I was praying to Linda which I am in the habit of doing, and I asked for her help in dealing with my health concerns. So yesterday I was "fired" by my Oncologist who couldn't or wouldn't help me. That afternoon Linda's brother Bruce called me to ask how I was doing. He is in total support of how I am trying to address my cancer. Anyways he called back to day with the name of his Doctor who practices alternative medicine. Bruce had talked to him and he is willing to communicate with me by phone or "skyping" (Sp?). So I called the Doctor and left a message. I'm waiting for his return call as I write this. Is it a fluke that Linda's brother calls me out of the blue after I pray for Linda's help? And the Doctor who can't/wouldn't help me is gone and a new alternative medicine Doctor becomes available? And then a "SeaSiren" writes on my blog she supports me and is praying for me? Wow! This is amazing stuff! I really don't know whats going on but I'm beginning to wonder if prayers are really answered?

Keep dreaming SeaSiren! And take wonderful care of your self! Thank you so much!
[img][/Users/lawrencemsmith/Desktop/DSC_0063.JPG/img]

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

IronSmith, good luck dealing with this new doctor! I hope you are able to find something that will make you feel better.

Yesterday was my 67th birthday. I went over to visit my Mom in the Alzheimer's unit. She had remembered it was my birthday which was a very pleasant surprise. One of the Nurses Aides went and bought my Mom a birthday card to give me. That just made my day. It was a great visit I took Mom a hot fudge sunday which she loves. She ate even last drop! My Father-in-law is making great progress physically recovering from his surgery. However he is very confused and sometimes doesn't know where or why he is in the nursing home rehab unit. If his mind doesn't clear, he may not be able to return to his independent living apartment. That would be very sad for him and of course all his loved ones.

Rita and I spent yesterday's evening with her youngest son and his family watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony. I was somewhat disappointed but its hard to follow the China Olympics Ceremony! I had a very good time with Rita's family. Or I should say our family! Today we will be going to my oldest son's home to have a family dinner with him and my youngest son and both of their families. Good times! I feel very fortunate to have so many people to love in my life and receive their love in return.

I'm feeling a little better today and I hope to begin to at least do some light exercises on Sunday. I really want to get back to a more regular routine once again. I have had so many barriers in my way the last few months. I can only keep trying and not give up. On Thursday I have a Skype session set with my new alternative medicine Doctor. What I have so far been able to learn about him fills me with so much hope! We will see!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Well, a very interesting week. I saw my GP Doc on Monday and my Ear, Nose, & Throat Doctor on Tuesday. My GP decided as all my throat cultures came back negative that I probably had acid reflex which was hard for me to believe. I never had any burping or any acid taste in my mouth but she thought it may be acid reflex anyways. So she prescribed some medicine for me to take to reduce the acid in my stomach. My ENT Doc put a probe down my throat to take a look and concurred with my GP. But here is the disturbing part, As my ENT Doc examined my neck, he found a large lump on the outside the left side of my neck. He thinks its another cancer tumor. He said he could take a biopsy to be sure but every biopsy also has the likely hood of releasing cancer cells out of the tumor. This of course set me back for a day or two but now I'm just fighting mad. I will not let this cancer defeat me. I will keep to my vegan diet, mostly raw. No processed food. I'll take my supplements and adjust them according to the advice of my new alternative medicine Doctor. I postponed my Skype conference to next Friday to be sure he receives all my medical records from several of my Doctors. And I will continue to lose weight. Today I weighted in at 280. I finely lost the water weight I seemed to gain over the past few weeks. My cough is not quite as bad as it has been but my voice is still affected. My energy is improving so I have been walking at least several blocks every day in the morning sun. Just taking one day at a time!

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Keep up the positive attitude and best of luck to you in your continuing struggle. It's great that you have so many loving family members around you.

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My strength log

Bone tired the past few days. No energy. Like walking through heavy water when I have to move around. My appetite is very bad too. I sleep like a rock last night. I had to put on heavy sweats because I was so cold. Not a good few days. Got to turn this around!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.