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Blessed
By Doug Hoezee
 Results from a chest x-ray told me I had a suspicious shadow in the area of my left lung. I was eventually told that I had a cancerous mass in my chest. No way would we have seen this coming. There was no family history and only a few years of smoking back in the 50's.
We then began an uncertain and frightening journey. We took many trips to Grand Rapids for scans, consults and a variety of tests. Six physicians were involved in the care and planning of the upcoming treatment. They continually commented about my excellent physical condition. No cholesterol problems, no weight concerns, and no medications. I give credit to God and also working out at Tamarac.
In preparation for my lung surgery, I had a brain scan which showed that I had a golf ball size tumor in my head. Our frightening journey continued and on June 12, 2009, my 51st wedding anniversary, the tumor was successfully removed. The physicians were pretty sure that the tumor caused a seizure that caused me to fall. Another similar incident took place coming home from Tamarac on my bike the day before my surgery, causing me to fall to the shoulder of the road.
After a brief recovery, I was able to resume my exercises at Tamarac. This was something I felt I had to do to maintain my fitness level knowing I was facing the lung surgery. My physician told me my good health would help me recover much faster. I am sure that God was prompting me to utilize the training facilities that Tamarac had to offer.
On July 1, 2009, I was admitted for lung surgery. During recuperation, I had to miss several weeks at Tamarac but was eventually able to return. I am now nearing the end of 30 trips to Grand Rapids for radiation treatments and I am experiencing minimal ill effects. I enjoy the social contacts at Tamarac and I am convinced that exercising is helping my body recover. At one point, Gretchen asked my wife if Tamarac should "freeze" my membership for the time I missed, but my wife Judy said that was not necessary.
I have been encouraged by Ruth, my Fitness Guide, to keep up the good work. We feel blessed with my recovery and thank God for making this journey bearable. We are privileged to have a fitness center like Tamarac available in the community to promote healthy lifestyles.
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