Detox

My mother signed herself into detox today. She relapsed a few weeks ago. She ended up back on Vicodins. It wasn't long until she ran out. When her connection failed her, she decided to try pain management. The idea was that the doctors would prescribe something to help with the withdrawal.

The doctors told her that if she didn't agree to in patient care she would be blacklisted. This was not much of an option. So this morning she went into the hospital. I didn't go with her. It was easier that way. During the course of the day I have spoken to her a number of times. Each time she sounded worse. It kills me that she has to go through this on her own.

There isn't much I can do. I can't even visit her.

Well all that aside today is Friday. Which meant it is time for the Awesome Fat Guy of the Week. Check after the jump.

That is Louis Cyr. If you can't tell by the picture he was a Strong Man. To be exact he was one of the Strongest Men to ever live. He was born in St. Cyprien de Naierville in Quebec, Canada under the name Cyprien-Noe on October 11, 1863. He spent his formative years working in lumber camps and his family's farm. He was so strong he impressed the other Lumberjacks and Farm hand. People who are actually known for their strength. His mother, seeing his strength, decided that he should let his hair grow like Samson. Apparently she curled it regularly.

In 1878 Cyr moved to Lowell, Massachusetts. It was at this time he changed his name to Louis. Once again his incredible strength brought him fame. A year after moving to Massachusetts he entered his first strong man competition in Boston. He was 18 at the time. His first amazing feat of strength was to lift an entire living horse. The horse was placed on a platform which had two iron bars on it. Which I assume was to make this impossible task easier. I think it was just to increase the weight. Because lifting a 3/4 of a ton horse is just to easy.

That was the beginning of his career. A career made up of Cyr doing things that only super heroes should be able to. The above picture was taken before Cry resisted the pull of two draft horses. He bettered this when he did the same feat but with four horses. These horses where being driven hard by their trainers. And yet they could not move Cyr.

In March, 1886 Cyr entered a strong man competition in Quebec City. David Michaud ( at that time the reigning Canadian Strongman) was also in the competition. Not only did Cyr win he won convincingly, and gained the title of the Strongest Man in the Country. In the competition Cyr lifted a 218 pound barbell with one hand besting Michaud by 60 pounds. He also lifted 2,371 pound on his back, besting Michaud by 300 pounds.

During his career Cyr would perform many other amazing feats of strength. Including lifting 500 pounds with just one finger. Pushing a freight car up an incline. And possible his greatest feat which occurred in 1895, he lifted 4,337 pounds on his back. The weight was made up of 18 men on a platform. I guess he was tired of lifting horses.

In the Strongest Man in History, Ben Welder said that Cyr's records remain "uncontested and incontestable." Cyr died in 1912 or Bright's disease.

The man has a statue. That is how awesome he is. The man has a statue. They don't just give those out. I wish I had a statue. Preferably of me.

As always you can find more about the man from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Cyr.