Fitsurvivor How to Thrive After a Life Threatening Illness. Lisa Nicolette

      

      Fitsurvivor How to Thrive After a Life Threatening Illness

      by

      Lisa Nicolette

      Copyright 2013 Lisa Nicolette,

      All rights reserved.

      Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com

       http://www.eBookIt.com

      ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-2040-0

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

      The goal of this book is to motivate, inspire, and encourage anyone that has survived cancer or any life threatening illness.

      BIO: LISA NICOLETTE

      Here is some background information.

      My goal is to motivate anyone who has survived an illness, injury, or any difficult challenge by demonstrating what I have done using my own challenges.

      UNUSUAL FACTS: I tried out for the American Gladiators, advised to train for the Olympics in Archery as a child competitor, earned a fist degree black belt in Shorin-Ryu during college, applied to the FBI, US Air Marshals, and almost made it into the Secret Service for special agent position.

      BACKGROUND INFORMATION: I have always been very active and naturally athletic. I tended to have more upper body strength as a female and adapted well to sports requiring this ability. When I was only eleven years old I was competitive in Archery and the coach advised my family to send me to Canada for more advanced training so I could try out for the Olympics. I became interested in weight training and bodybuilding and started training while in High School. During college I earned my first degree black belt in Shorin-Ryu karate and focused more on calisthenics and fitness. I entered the Criminal Justice profession with the goal of gaining entrance into the FBI, Secret Service, or US Air Marshalls and specializing in psychological profiling. My college research was on serial killers and causal factors. Unable to get into Federal Law Enforcement I used the same tenacity and work ethic and entered corporate America in outside business to business sales with the goal of getting into Pharmaceutical sales or Medical Device. After landing a “dream job,” in advertising sales, I had been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer within days of accepting this opportunity. From the time I was first diagnosed with cancer, I went nuts in the gym and trained harder than ever! I’m a breast cancer survivor and NPC level athlete in the figure division of bodybuilding. I started competing after radiation treatment and did many fitness challenges before and after treatment. The name fitsurvivor started out as a nick name at the gym! Some guys saw me doing pull-ups, tricep dips and females don’t usually do this kind of exercise. When I told them I was a breast cancer patient, they couldn’t believe it. I like the name and it was a good fit for what I do; a fit survivor!

      STATEMENT: Never settle for a life of quiet mediocrity and never listen to those that tell you to take less than what you are worth!

      Check out chapter 7. I have listed resources for cancer patients and valuable websites that many don’t even realize exists. I also have links to my magazine articles, interviews, and blog.

      This eBook was inspired by God and all I did was write it!

      PREFACE AND AKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

      I want to thank God for my miraculous recovery and healing from breast cancer, treatment and giving me my strength back.

      I also want to thank the Allegheny General Hospital Breast Cancer Center and all of my doctors and healthcare providers for their outstanding healthcare! I believe this is one of the best cancer treatment centers in the country!

      I want to thank my mother who took care of me during cancer surgery and treatment and also the many friends and new friends I’ve made along the way on this challenging journey. I also want to thank my grandmother who has always supported my fitness goals along the way!

      My mother and I want to extend a special thanks to my hometown church PCC for their outstanding support during this critical period. This is one of the best churches around and I can’t thank you all enough!

      I want to thank Mark Barrick who created the logo and eBook cover after I did a rough draft.

      I want to thank ITT Tech for their work on converting this eBook into a format for electronic online devices.

      Disclaimer

      This eBook is not a guide to exercise nor do I give any fitness advice in the eBook. Always check with your doctor or healthcare professional before you attempt an exercise program and follow their advice.

      The proud grandmother who always supported my fitness goals and even paid for my gym memberships when I couldn’t afford to!

      CHAPTER 1 LIFE IS GOOD AND THEN…

      Life has many different turns to consider and highways to travel on. One thing we can’t do is reverse time or travel. I, however; don’t believe in being dictated by circumstances either and excepting less or a life without goals and purpose.

      During the year 2006 life started out pretty good. I had finally taken a much deserved vacation and went on a cruise. I had several job offers, moved to another city for a new career venture and life was good! I had joined a large international company and started working as a sales professional in a growing area. I made new friends, joined a team of bodybuilders with the goal of fulfilling my lifelong desire of stepping onstage and competing. I had started to interview in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device sales, was offered a career opportunity in Iraq, and was busy getting into competition shape! Life was good!

      This was a first launch by Royal Caribbean’s “Freedom of the Seas,” cruise ship which at the time was the largest ship in the world!

      I was enjoying swimming, snorkeling, and jet skiing in a beautiful tropical paradise.

      Jet skiing in the beautiful Seven Mile Beach area in the Cayman Islands. Just as I was arriving back at the beach a thunderstorm was brewing above. Little did I realize that I would be faced with real life storms within eighteen months. I would be diagnosed with stage one breast cancer by early 2008.

      Nothing like finishing the day off with a beautiful sunset to remind one that life can be good regardless of what happens.

      Celebrating my birthday at an upscale restaurant with my mother before I moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to begin a new career and start a new life. Little did I know that two years later I’d be celebrating my birthday with many others for a totally different cause!