Gentlemen: I accomplished a milestone today. I wanted to share what led up to it and my appreciation to all of my F3 brethren…..for so many things. The milestone is I posted at boot camps all six days this week. In my 6.5 years as a F3 member, I’ve never done that before. I tell you this not to beat my chest, but rather to reflect on why it was important to me.
This week a year ago I underwent rotator cuff surgery. Doctors had to repair a torn tendon in my right shoulder and a torn tendon in my bicep. The recovery plan was no running for three months, no lifting weights for six months and an expected full recovery in one year. PT began immediately and was fairly excruciating and humbling.
What got me through those dark days of taking walks and riding a stationary bike on my own as I rehabbed were a) my lovely, unconditional wife who took care of me and b) you all! My F3 brothers reaching out to me, asking me how I was doing, telling me they missed me, offering encouragement! The names are too many to list, but you know who you are and I cannot thank you enough. I still get brothers asking me how I am doing and if am I fully recovered. The impact it has on me just makes me stronger.
Instead of the recovery times referenced by my doctors post surgery, I was running in two months instead of three, I was lifting in four months instead of six and I felt fully covered within eight months instead of twelve. The PT and the workouts helped, but what really advanced my recovery was y’all! My F3 brothers! The checking-in, the encouragement, the friendship…..it was and continues to be incredibly impactful.
I turned 50 exactly five months after the surgery and perhaps unwisely played two hand touch football at Hydra that day when Lewinsky Q’d a fantastic workout! I felt like I was a twelve year old because I was with my friends laughing and talking trash. It was a phenomenal way to ring in a birthday I had been dreading and again, I owe it all to you.
So, I posted six times this week because a) I wanted to prove I could do so one year after surgery, but b) because I wanted to have this moment…..to thank you for your friendship, for the examples you set for me and for the reason I wake up at 5:00 most weekdays…..you all make me better and I am eternally grateful.
So, remember these things, please:
Thanks to Benny, Puddin’ Pop, Mailman, Slingshot, Tagalong and Sprockets…..the Q’s for all of the workouts I attended this week. You didn’t know what you were doing for me this week, but you were champs just the same!
Again, too many pax to thank in this post, but a particularly huge shout out to Gummy, Hops, Lazy Boy, Cottonmouth and Blades of Glory who were the consistent, unwavering men who reached out to me during those darkest days of post surgery recovery last year…..lifelong friendships have been formed with each of you…..lifelong!
OK, thanks for hearing me out. Hops was the only one who knew I had this mission this week and I didn’t tell him until after my 4th post. The rest of you didn’t know it, but each of you added to it immensely….stuff like that is what makes F3 great, right?
All my best and thank you men…..for everything!
Hopper
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