By Abhishek Nambiar

Copyright sportskeeda

Ben Askren has spent the past months navigating recovery after a double lung transplant.His body is now fighting to regain basic strength and weight. At his lowest, Askren dropped to 138 pounds. Slowly, he has added around 25 pounds, but the process has been far from simple. For weeks, food tasted unpleasant, and mental barriers made eating a chore.Only recently has the prospect of meals felt manageable. Speaking in a recent conversation on The Ariel Helwani Show, Askren said:”I have obviously gained weight. The lowest weight I had was 138 [pounds], I’m probably 25 or so heavier than that now. Putting weight on has been difficult. At first, all the food tasted like sh*t. Then even after it stopped tasting like sh*t, I thought it was going to, so I didn’t want it. Just dealing with issues like that. Food is finally starting to look good and taste good, so it’s much easier to put on weight.”Check out Ben Askren’s comments below:Askren’s health scare began with what he initially dismissed as a back spasm. The condition escalated into severe necrotizing pneumonia that damaged his lungs and required a double transplant.He spent more than a month sedated in the hospital while doctors worked to stabilize his condition. The surgery was complex, requiring the removal of both lungs and careful monitoring afterwards.Even with the procedure behind him, recovery has demanded constant medical attention. Askren now manages nearly 40 medications daily, monitors his activity to avoid infection, and has to deal with reduced stamina.Ben Askren talks about his health strugglesBeyond weight struggles, Ben Askren is confronting the reality of life post-transplant. Physical activity remains limited, and even routine walking leaves him winded.Social interactions are curtailed to minimize infection risk. He has shifted focus to mental engagement, spending time reading, reconnecting with baseball, and watching his children enjoy sports. Speaking in the aforementioned conversation with Ariel Helwani, Askren said:”I got some issues where I can only think forward. Man, even in this whole time, it’s been 12 weeks since the surgery, so probably a little less than 12 weeks since I was conscious in that sense, but I haven’t dwelled on it at all. Some days, when I really feel like sh*t, I’m like, ‘Ah man, I wish I didn’t feel like this today. I wish I could do this or do that,’ and I have to realize I can’t do that today. I need to freaking rest because I feel terrible. Then they say if you push it too far, it will cause complications.”He added:”I haven’t looked backward all that much. It’s just like, ‘Okay, here’s where I am, and I’ve got to work from this point.’ And one of the things I always stress to my wrestlers is, and maybe I’ve done it so much I’ve brainwashed myself, is that anxiety and stress in people is generally caused by thinking about things they cannot control. So you focus on what you can control. … What happened in the past is not in my control. I can’t do anything about it. Do I wish it was different? Of course I do.”