First let me share the good news. Rounds one and two were so successful that my Doctor gave the green light to administer today’s treatment as a “rapid infusion”. To give you some perspective, it took us close to 5 hours tocomplete round one a couple of weeks ago. Last week’s session finished in 4 hours. And today we emptied that damn Rituxan bag into my blood stream in 1.5 hours.
YES …. One and one half hours. 90 minutes.
We scared the living crap out of that cancer. I think we thrashed it with a fire hose. And I actually think I heard it whimper while I was running up the hill on State Road.
And now the bad new – there isn’t any.
It was a flawless day with MG right there with me. And when I was done she and I walked over to the local track where she continued to walk and I ran in true post-treatment, celebratory ritual style. After which I ran the rest of the way home. (This was about a four mile total trek.) So three treatments are down and three are left to go.
But I need to take a minute and level set with the world. Don’t get me wrong, I am flattered by everyone’s wonderful comments but there are a few things that I am and a few things that I am not.
I am not amazing and I possess no super human powers nor do I wear any super hero garb. I am not the strongest person that you know. In fact I am very much like most people that you know. I don’t live this disease openly to the world and talk about running home from treatment to boast about anything or suggest to be better than anyone. I speak openly about all of it to let others know that they can have a chronic disease yet still live above it in such a way that it doesn’t own or control what they do or who they are.
You can do what I do. Maybe you aren’t a runner. But if you remain active with whatever your hobbies or passions are, trust me; it will help you rise above anything you might be going through.
I’ll take credit for being passionate. I’ll take credit for taking control of my health. I’ll take credit for being a fitness junkie. And I’ll take credit for being a little crazy at times. But I’m just a dude trying to stay one step ahead… and lead by example.
If you are able to relate in some small way or take away a lesson from anything that I say or do, then THAT is wonderful and I applaud and celebrate that with you.
Take control and live above…not just with it.
3 Comments
Although you feel that your are not a hero; there are many people that look up to you. Myself included.
Some thought I was crazy when I returned to the classroom soon after my cancer surgeries. It was a challenge but I was determined that the disease would not define me nor limit my life, I smiled on reading “if you are able to relate…” because it is comforting just to know another warrior out there understands. Thanks, Steve! Thoughts and prayers are with you.
OK so I do have one slight post treatment issue to report. The pretreatment steroid decadron kept me up all night the evening of treatment. That coupled with hot and cold flashes and a low grade fever had me laying low on Tuesday.
But I am back and as good as new today. Feel GREAT.