{here we go}

Part of my plan for this blog was to document my workouts on my road back to "before" in the gym. I searched high and low on the internet trying to find good info and training guidelines for recovery after a mastectomy and reconstruction. In all of my research I came across ONE article about a fellow CrossFit athlete that was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 32. Her cancer was more advanced than mine. She had a mastectomy, lymph node removal and started chemo three weeks later. She had reconstruction done a year later. Before my first surgery I emailed her and she emailed me right back with very encouraging words and directed me to her blog, Living Strong: Staying CrossFit, Healthy and Cancer Free. She documented her workouts from the very beginning of her recovery. I have to say I failed in this regard. I had planned to do the same thing and fell short. That's okay. I am going to slowly post my workouts starting after my first surgery and then do a separate post with links to those series of blog posts. So if you are here looking for these workouts please be patient and look for a link to those workouts on the right side of my blog.

For now I am going to start with my first workout post-surgery #2. My second surgery was a little bit more involved than I had originally anticipated. I had a couple small hernias near my belly button and my ab muscles had separated with my first pregnancy so while I was under for the second stage of my reconstruction my surgeon fixed all that up for me. She repaired the hernias, sutured my ab muscles back together and she did liposuction on my abdomen to redistribute around my implants to soften up there appearance. Let me quickly say that this part of my reconstruction was the best thing that was done. I think this made me the most comfortable and pleased with my new body and that is a huge thing. With all the additional ab work I couldn't workout at all until six weeks post surgery. (Had it not been for the works on my abs I would have been back in the gym about a week post-surgery.) That was a BRUTAL wait! So, my workouts started then. Well, about "then". :) I snuck back to the gym three days before the six week mark. I couldn't stand it anymore.

At my six week appointment I was given the okay to workout avoiding specific chest and ab movements for another couple weeks. Per an email exchange with my surgeon she also said no heavy weight overhead and no movements that put a strong contraction on my pecs. Coach said we are going to start with just getting my body moving again. I won't go great guns until September. Just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October and "Grace". :)

During my workouts I wear a compression sleeve on my left arm where lymph nodes were removed during my mastecomy. Wearing the sleeve is a precautionary measure to help prevent lymphedema. Lymphedema can occur when the lymph system has been damaged or compromised. In the case of breast cancer, when some or all of the lymph nodes have been removed to test if the cancer has spread or to remove infected lymph nodes. I bought a sleeve locally at a medical equipment store. It is your basic "granny beige" color. It does the job, but is ugly so I did a little searching online and found something a bit more my style! :) Please, ladies, don't give into ordinary and boring!!

Read on for the workouts. If you aren't interested in the workouts, please go about your day. :)

June 17, 2011
First day back in the gym after surgery #2
5 weeks, 4 days post surgery

3rd CrossFit Regionals WOD
Deadlifts-10 lb bar
Box steps-18" box
21-15-9
Felt SO good to move not just watch!

June 18, 2011
20 box steps - 18"
200m run
30 squats
200m run
60 singles jumps + 10 double unders
200m run
5 knee pushups
200m run
For time: 8:28

June 20, 2011
Snatch- 10#
Jumping Chest-to-Bar pullups
21-15-9
For time: 10:20

June 21, 2011
In warm up:
Overhead Squats
5-5-5
15-20-30
WOD:
Back Squats
5-5-5-5-5
65-70-75-80-85
Then:
Dumbbell Push Press Ladder
10 reps each weight until you can't move on
5-10-15-20-25 (3 reps)

June 24, 2011
"The Filthy 50s"
scaled to 30 reps each
Box Jumps-18" box (did 40 reps)
Jumping Pullups
Dumbbell Swings 15#
Walking lunges
Knees Raises on the pullup bar
Push Press 20#
GHD Hip Extentions
Wall Ball Shots 6#
Plank Burpees
(Burpees not dropping all the way to the floor only to a plank position to avoid the pushup and direct work to my pecs)
Double Unders
For time: 15:36

June 25, 2011
Bent over row 1/2 body weight goal 65# (this was half my body weight!!)
12-12-12-12
Deadlift - body weight goal 115#
9-9-9-9
Dumbbell Press Both arms, then alternate 10#
6-6-6-6
Sled Pull 2x120' 145#
HSPUs - to 2 abmats
6-6-6-6
Great lift day!!!

June 27, 2011
"Fight Gone Bad"
3 rounds
1 minute each movement, rest one minute between rounds

Wall Ball Shots 6# 31-25-27
Deadlift High Pulls 45# 23-19-20
Box Jumps 12" 20-21-21
Push Press 30# 26-26-27
Row (for calories) 13-11-14
Total: 324

12 Day Vacation-Did a few workouts while on vacation. Mostly I read and got a tan. :)

June 30, 2011
Front Squat
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3
45-50-55-60-65-70-75-80
Then:
10 Dumbbell swings 15#
15 Push Press 25#
20 Good mornings
3 rounds

July 1, 2011
1-1 1/4 mile run

July 5, 2011
15 ring rows
20 plank burpees
30 dumbbell swings 15#
30 dumbbell push press 10#
60 Double Unders
70 squats
80 walking lunges

July 10, 2011
2 mile run - 18:31

Back home in the gym-Tan and ready to fully move forward!!!

July 11, 2011
Press 1-1-1-1-1
Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5
30-35-40-45-50

July 12, 2011
"Fran"
Thrusters 30#
Toes-2-Bar - I did T2B for the set of 21 and about 8 of the 15 and then finished up with pullups.
21-15-9
For time: 6:31

July 13, 2011
Today I started two a days MWF. I will do a metcon and a lift of some sort on these days.
WOD #1
"Helen"
400m run
21 dumbbell swings
12 ring rows
3 rounds for time: 13:14

WOD #2
Back squat
10-10-10-10-10
45-55-65-75-85