04/03/2026
From Stage Prep to a Hospital Bed and My Chinese New Year I Never Expected
Mid January, I officially started my conditioning prep for this year’s Classic Physique competition.
After 1 year 6 months of building my physique, everything was aligned for May.
Then life had other plans.
4 days before Chinese New Year, I was admitted to the hospital with dengue.
Platelets dropping. Liver enzymes spiked to 330.
During hospitalization, persistent bloating led to another discovery gallstones.
Instead of celebrating Chinese New Year with my family, I was celebrating it in a hospital bed.
Within weeks:
– 10kg lost
– Muscle breakdown
– Prep paused
– Plans disrupted
After waiting for my platelets to stabilize, I was discharged briefly… only to be admitted again for gallstone surgery.
At first, I felt demotivated.
Frustrated.
Lost.
1 year 6 months of effort felt like it vanished overnight.
But what can we do, right?
Sometimes setbacks are not punishment but redirection.
This forced break allowed me to slow down.
To spend real time with my family.
To step away from the bodybuilder lifestyle for a moment.
And honestly… it felt good.
This is not the end.
It’s just part of the journey.
Health first. Family always.
I will recover.
I will rebuild.
And I will come back even stronger.
The stage isn’t going anywhere.
