A Wookies return.....
- Thread starter Frank
- Start date
1speeder
Well-Known Member
Happy new year! It truly is a privilege to say we got another year out of life.
Frank
Sasquatch
Well I’ve been a little quiet as of late but I’ve been busy.
First of all, at my last session 2 weeks ago they did a test on my blood to see what my CEA numbers (tumor markers) were and the results kind of floored me….they went up.😞 I was really hoping they would continue to drop as they had been but noooo. Good news is it was only a 22 point increase which no one at the lab is concerned about. So I’m back at it today.
One of my hero’s at the lab (Kris) is a cyclist, road biker, and I was telling her about the Big C ride and she was all into it. I will get my wife’s bike dialed in for Kris. It would mean so much if she came and rode with us.
I know I say this often, but I love the people who care for me at the lab. It takes a certain person who can deal with the pain and misery and not let it affect the way they treat you. Today, on of the office employees came by to visit me. Amanda helped me with financial stuff in the past and still seems to have my back now. One of my drugs costs $1,100.00 per session and she applied for assistance with the manufacturer and got it!! Zero cost to me!!!!
I super grateful to all those around me, the amount of love is overwhelming and I just don’t feel like i deserve it….but I’ll take it.
Now back to the roller coaster!
First of all, at my last session 2 weeks ago they did a test on my blood to see what my CEA numbers (tumor markers) were and the results kind of floored me….they went up.😞 I was really hoping they would continue to drop as they had been but noooo. Good news is it was only a 22 point increase which no one at the lab is concerned about. So I’m back at it today.
One of my hero’s at the lab (Kris) is a cyclist, road biker, and I was telling her about the Big C ride and she was all into it. I will get my wife’s bike dialed in for Kris. It would mean so much if she came and rode with us.
I know I say this often, but I love the people who care for me at the lab. It takes a certain person who can deal with the pain and misery and not let it affect the way they treat you. Today, on of the office employees came by to visit me. Amanda helped me with financial stuff in the past and still seems to have my back now. One of my drugs costs $1,100.00 per session and she applied for assistance with the manufacturer and got it!! Zero cost to me!!!!
I super grateful to all those around me, the amount of love is overwhelming and I just don’t feel like i deserve it….but I’ll take it.
Now back to the roller coaster!
1speeder
Well-Known Member
It sounds like you have a good crew over there taking care of you and they have your back. That's priceless. It takes a village. The nurses, doctors, radiologists, technicians, IT, insurance people, admin staff... you can't do it without them.
It sucks I can't make the ride. It sounds like it'll be a good time with good people.
Frank
Sasquatch
It won’t be the only one. We all need each other so I plan to do more.
1speeder
Well-Known Member
Cool. I was hoping it would be an ongoing thing. 🚴
Frank
Sasquatch
We will make it so
You’re not wrong often Frank, but you’re wrong right there, egregiously so 😉
Frank
Sasquatch
Todays ride was a tough one! Chemo does some nasty shit to you one of which is kill all rapidly growing cells…that includes muscle. So it’s sometimes a little disheartening when you do well one week and tank the next. But my journey is a slow grind and I was able to get a few miles in. Only 38 minutes but better than not being able to ride at all, it’s the little victories that I go for. I will try again tomorrow which is great compared to the previous session in which I felt like crap through Saturday. Hopefully tomorrow will be another victory.
I’m getting excited for the Big C ride next Saturday! The long range forecast looks pretty good, I hope it stays that way. I’m amazed at the folk who will be there so far, it’s truly humbling. I pray that it helps more people get through this shit as it seems to have touched everyone’s life. Knowing you are not alone makes such a huge fucking difference, I know I might be in a dark place, and probably not doing as well if I didn’t have an amazing group of friends who are ALWAYS there. So perhaps the theme for the ride should be “you’re not alone”, and I hope people can talk through their journey, or a friend or loved one’s journey. All I know is, there will be some amazing people there that day and I will be absorbing as much of the positivity that I can.
I received a text today from an old friend who cited my strength and positivity, and it’s not the first message I’ve gotten like that. But what you all don’t realize is that it’s all of your support and love that has made such a huge difference for me. Your being there gives me the strength and positivity that you all think I possess on my own, but it’s from all of you so THANK YOU!
I’m getting excited for the Big C ride next Saturday! The long range forecast looks pretty good, I hope it stays that way. I’m amazed at the folk who will be there so far, it’s truly humbling. I pray that it helps more people get through this shit as it seems to have touched everyone’s life. Knowing you are not alone makes such a huge fucking difference, I know I might be in a dark place, and probably not doing as well if I didn’t have an amazing group of friends who are ALWAYS there. So perhaps the theme for the ride should be “you’re not alone”, and I hope people can talk through their journey, or a friend or loved one’s journey. All I know is, there will be some amazing people there that day and I will be absorbing as much of the positivity that I can.
I received a text today from an old friend who cited my strength and positivity, and it’s not the first message I’ve gotten like that. But what you all don’t realize is that it’s all of your support and love that has made such a huge difference for me. Your being there gives me the strength and positivity that you all think I possess on my own, but it’s from all of you so THANK YOU!
Frank
Sasquatch
Boy did I sleep good last night! Yesterday turned out to be way more than I expected. I am repeatedly amazed by the mtb community as a whole for their support of one another. What started with a suggestion from someone to do a ride, went to a plan to do a small ride, turned into the community rising up and showing up in numbers!! 55 people rode in one long line of smiling faces, some laughter, and even a few tears. My hope was that no one would feel like they were alone and perhaps there could be some healing. I spoke with someone who had lost his spouse 3 years prior, such a painful experience and still shows on his face, but he was happy to have been in attendance. Many more have shared their experiences with me as I have shared mine with you all. It helps!! I will definitely be holding more of these in the future. My old park rep for Allaire was on the ride with us and was stoked about it, he had recently lost a family member, and said that for the next ride he would open the group site so we could start from there!! The possibility of having another ride followed by a possible campfire would be amazing.
I also received so many messages of regret that they could not attend yesterdays ride or it would have been even bigger. So fucking amazing. I’m glad I chose to start it near Brisbane or parking would have made it a logistical nightmare, the Hospital rd lot was packed as it was.
Anyway, thank you to all that attended!!! It was heartwarming to see so many folk attend from far and wide Chemo brain prevents me from tagging all of you, just know that I love you all. Hopefully this amazing vibe I’m feeling will carry on through this upcoming chemo week and also bring me good news as we check my bloodwork for my tumor marker numbers again. Wednesdays email from Labcorp can’t come soon enough. But I will remain optimistic as I feel great and that’s all I can go by for now.
Peace be with you all.
I also received so many messages of regret that they could not attend yesterdays ride or it would have been even bigger. So fucking amazing. I’m glad I chose to start it near Brisbane or parking would have made it a logistical nightmare, the Hospital rd lot was packed as it was.
Anyway, thank you to all that attended!!! It was heartwarming to see so many folk attend from far and wide Chemo brain prevents me from tagging all of you, just know that I love you all. Hopefully this amazing vibe I’m feeling will carry on through this upcoming chemo week and also bring me good news as we check my bloodwork for my tumor marker numbers again. Wednesdays email from Labcorp can’t come soon enough. But I will remain optimistic as I feel great and that’s all I can go by for now.
Peace be with you all.
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Frank
Sasquatch
Well I guess the awesome vibe from the Big C ride carried me through another CEA report….tumor markers are trending down!!!!!!!! It is not a huge jump as they have been but I expect as I go on this might be the norm. 1818 last month to 1632 is a good decline, at least I think so. So now I can breathe a little and keep pushing forward. It’s hard and so damn emotional but throwing my shit feelings down on this blog helps, so thank you for bearing with me. Yesterday I was so damn nervous, especially when I saw the doc approach me in the Lab. He did start out by saying he wished he had known about the Big C ride as he would have attended….that’s pretty amazing. Imagine if he would have seen first hand, how many people rode for friends and relatives!!! So anyway as soon as he approached me Kris run right up behind him….she had my back in case there was bad news. I guess now you can understand why I was so excited when she wanted to attend. But luckily the doc said I look good, my blood is good and now I know this stuff is working. He also said that he thinks my riding has a lot to do with my good trends, so I have another excuse to ride my bike. I wonder if I can deduct my bikes as a health expense??? Lol
Well I’m happy that this was a good week on my roller coaster of life. Now to plan a little farther into my future!!!
Well I’m happy that this was a good week on my roller coaster of life. Now to plan a little farther into my future!!!
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
Great news Frank!!!
serviceguy
Well-Known Member
That is truly great. Never stop never stopping...
Dam, glad to head that buddy!
1speeder
Well-Known Member
This is so great to hear, Frank!
And yes, I can vouch for riding between treatments. Get that blood and oxygen flowing!
Frank
Sasquatch
So I’ve gotten a few rides in but now the cold is a bit much for me. Sadly I am spending too much time on the trainer thingy in the house. Although yesterday I spent some quality time at the firing range with @rottin' followed by a warm fire. I was able to kill some demons and made the world safe for humanity for a while.
I am planning to ride again on Sunday at Brisbane with @Juggernaut and perhaps a couple more. Monday I hope to get out again before I start yet another round of chemicals on Tuesday. But I’m almost happy to do so as I’m feeling pretty good….I can live with that!!
I am planning to ride again on Sunday at Brisbane with @Juggernaut and perhaps a couple more. Monday I hope to get out again before I start yet another round of chemicals on Tuesday. But I’m almost happy to do so as I’m feeling pretty good….I can live with that!!
Range day is always fun, but way better with you big guy!! Looking forward to the next one, might be another who can join us as well...and I might crash (read--invite myself to) this Brisbane thing on Sunday...what time is this shindig happening?