Calgary

Member Since July 2006

My Story
What has Curves NOT done for me!

In the mid 1990s I would often see on TV, adds about Curves. I thought to myself that I should join but the simple truth was I did not have the energy to do it. My doctor tried to encourage me to join but after awhile she realized that indeed I was not able.

At the age of 63 I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia. I started treatment of gamma globulin intravenously, every three weeks for four hours. Three years later things had not improved, they discovered that I not only had CLL but I was also in stage four with Large Cell Lymphoma.

I was told that I could just have chemotherapy and there would be a 10% chance that it wouldnt return or I could have a stem cell transplant after six months of chemo if I went into remission. I chose the later as it seemed my greatest chance to become cancer free. I had many tests done and had to have more chemo to kill all my cells. There would only be a 3 to 97 percent chance that my body could withstand all I was putting it through. This would be as close to death that I would come without actually dying.

It turned out that all systems were a go for me and after the stem cells were gathered I did my final chemo for four days. On March 1, 2005 I received my new stem cells. The stem cells that had taken 3 days to gather were replaced into to my veins in twenty two minutes. Now I waited to see if they took hold. March 5, 2005 I lost consciousness and I dont remember much until the first part of April. During this time they removed 16 inches of my small bowel because the chemo attacked it. Due to this I had three major surgeries in three months. When I recovered from the surgeries I had to learn to walk again because I had been immobile too long. I lost 45 lbs and my muscles were very weak. After four and half months I left the hospital with a walker. Ten days after I got home from the hospital, I fell and broke my right hip and had to have hip replacement surgery. I got home the end of June and had to learn to walk again.

One year later after my cancer checkup I asked the Doctors if I could join Curves. I was given the green light, and in July 2006 I joined. At this time, I was not even able to make it from the street to the sidewalk in front of Curves without help. The Curves staff encouraged me and were very patient with me. I ended up with a condition called chemo brain and I couldnt remember what to do on some of the machines and they were always there to help me.

Time has passed and as of June, 2009 I have had over 300 workouts and I have been able to walk in the Canadian Cancer Society, Relay for Life for the third year in a row with the great team from Sunridge Curves Calgary.

I am so very grateful to the staff at Curves for all they have done in helping me with my rehabilitation and regaining my strength and stamina. I hope to never forget what the human body can endure.

I thank God for the blessing he has provided by giving me the chance to rebuild my life and give back to all the people fighting cancer by participating in the relay and raising funds to support this very important cause. Perhaps one day we can finally beat the odds or at least help to even them out.

Norma McNair, Calgary, Sunridge Curves member