Journey of the Exercise Queen

Journey of the Exercise Queen

A cure for breast cancer the Pink Ribbon of Hope

For some it’s too late and their families need to cope

Beta study cancer research is all for the breast
Applied for the program it was best

Road to good health and supervised fitness

Will help all women avoid this terrible illness

Answered all the questions then had a blood test
Walked on the treadmill until I needed a rest
DAX and CT scan had my body assessed

Will they really let me begin

Once they find out what bad shape I’m in?

Who said layin on the couch was such a sin?

I got the call the day before my birthday, I felt I was blessed
Keep it easy, start slow is what they suggest

Heart Rate monitor, water bottle, diary, pink shirt and shoes

They said hard workouts get rid of the blues

Cold wet strap on my chest

I’m sure this is going to give me cardiac arrest!

They said it would be easy and lots of fun
They didn’t tell me I was going to have to run

What do you think does this all seem extreme

I guess I need to pay for eating that ice cream

They tell me exercise hard and it will make you lean

I’m a couch potato trying to be the exercise queen

Wake me up fast this must be a bad dream

Pink ribbon warriors, we’re Christine’s old gals

Focusing on this study instead of ourselves

Our trainers are there to maintain the reign

Checking to see if we are ok and don’t have any pain

Three days a week I head to West Side Fitness Centre

Walking slowly and thinking about reasons to enter

Meeting new friends as we pass coming in

30 or 60, how long has it bin?

You look like you lost weight your face is now thin

Jason, Tanya, Shannon, Margo, and Sue do their walk-about

I think they are checking to see who has passed out

They laugh and tell us that we’ve misunderstood

They’re really checking that we’re still doing good

We laugh and call them the slave drivers

But really they are encouraging us to be thrivers

Checking my numbers and staying in range

All I can say is I feel kind of strange

Everyone else is skinny and buff

Fat hanging over my shorts in a puff

I look like I must have ate to much stuff

Spare tire in front and love handles on side

No longer look like a skinny young bride

Thighs that rub and boobs that bounce

Every step moving toward goals by the ounce

My body has padding and plenty of giggle

Will exercise really get rid of this wiggle?

My husband has said I have a new man called “Jim”
That I meet after work and now neglect him

I’m working so hard but not getting slim

Give me some air it’s too hot in this gym

Help me please I can’t stand extreme heat

My face is so red it looks like an old beet

Exercise in here this is definitely no retreat
No air conditioner here so turn on a fan
Help isn’t here yet, quick find me an iceman

Give me some deodorant I think I need Ban

Rivers of sweat running fast down my back
I smell like a racehorse run hard at the track
Working so hard my legs are now shaking
Muscles are cramping and slowly aching

Ten more minutes I mumble “determination “

Stay focused, stay focused, Lord give me motivation

Monitor won’t work when I take a swim

Guess it is elliptical to help get me trim

My shoes are hurting and seem to tight
Is it possible to get them to fit just right?
Crash in my bed for a long sleep tonight

Dreaming of running and that they have finally won the fight

First the deadmill that seems all up hill

Next the swearmaster who am I trying to kill?

My breath is now coming in little short puffs

I keep telling myself this must be enough

I must be done soon because I’m running out of steam

Just keep on going, you’re almost there, you’re part of this team

Check the mirror quick when I get undressed

Have I changed yet and do I look like Mae West?

I am now strong, healthy and trying my best

I working so hard for the breast cancer quest

Huffin, puffin gettin ready for the 6 month test

I now know why they call the test stress

Because I’m on the verge of cardiac arrest

But they tell me keep pushing it’s all for the best

Once you are done you can have a rest

They crank up the treadmill incline until I think I am dying

Sweat pouring off me until it looks like I’m crying

Some of the familiar faces are now gone

Must be all done, could they have been here this long?

I’m still here yet and so think I’ve done wrong

But no, I need to work harder and get strong

Protecting my breasts for my full lifelong

Exercise fast while listening to song

The gym feels like home now I’m starting to belong

Six months has past in a flash

I can now even do a fast dash

Really this fitness has been a blast

I can thank Beta for this wonderful chance

To help medical science advance

The finish line is now here

I can’t believe that it is already a year

Though at first the journey seemed long

The end is now here and I am now strong

I will miss the friends and like to have stayed

Wishing somehow to continue the crusade

My sacrifice was small and one that I wouldn’t trade

Thank you Beta for the new body I’ve made!

Hoping that this intervention will help me survive

And keep my breasts healthy to past ninety five

Donna deMan

30 minute program