Three years ago

Last week was three years since my Stem-cell transplant.  I have been doing a bit of reflecting on what anniversary dates mean.  And for me, they represent moments in time where good and not so good things have happened.  September 27th is a date that is important to me because of the treatment that I had to undertake for Hodgkins.  Last year I got a tattoo to commemorate the two year mark and the likelihood of the lymphoma not coming back, statistically speaking.  I feel great, and thankful for my second chance.  This year has been different.  As I have no reason to be ungrateful, this sept 27th has brought a lot of different emotions.  A little bit of depression.  I have been remembering experiences that weren't so good during my treatment.  And I guess it reminds me that I don't want my friends and family to ever have to experience anything like it.  My friend Dave Tuck that passed away about a month and a half ago fought his hardest, but couldn't beat it.  Then there is Haley Wastel and Chris Mountyjoy that seem to be winning and kicking its ass.  I guess what I'm trying to say is i've been a bit confused with the realty of cancer.  I've been realizing with summer coming to a close and winter just around the corner, that time crepes by so quick.  Ive been working so much just to get back on my feet, I think i've lost track of whats important to me.  And its easy to get caught up in the day to day things that some times its hard to pull back and just enjoy the moment.  I am guilty!  Not sure why I let myself get so caught up with such mundane things.  But I do.  I am human.              

Time Flys into New Beginnings

  It occurred to me that I haven't posted anything since the first of the year.  Im a little disappointed in myself because there have been so many things that have gone on since treatment.  Today is day+1062 since transplant.  Theres not one day that goes by that I don't think about the experience and only until recently understood what that has meant in my life.  So I have a confession.  I've spent some time in therapy sorting out my head.  For the last year, I have started on a journey on gaining knowledge of myself and surroundings.  Learning.  Growing.  Changing.  I have broke down every aspect of my life to understand who I am, and what my basic needs and wants are.  Discovering my WHY!  My environment is and always has been a key in decisions and choices.  But I was too closed to see it before my diagnosis.  With that said, I've started making choices that are best for me and my family.  Ive made some tough choices in how I want to spend my time and who I want to spend it with.  My goals are simpler.  My need and want is to build financial freedom, my why is my Family!  My Passion is helping people not go through what I did and the treatment I endured with cancer.
  I lost my friend and partner Dave Tuck a few weeks ago to Pancreatic Cancer.  I watched him fight it to the end.  His pain is motivating!  His influence was boundless!  His personality bigger than life!  The memorial was a week ago today.  The amount of love for him was breathtaking.  But it's a staunch reminder that what Dave, Mike D and I have started With Strap In For Life is for something so much bigger than any of us.  I know Dave is with us in spirit but i wish he was here to experience it with us.  I miss my friend!
  So I've started rebuilding my financial situation from scratch.  Every bit of savings, retirement I had went to medical and living expenses.  I finished a book recently that changed everything I thought about money.  Its called Rich Dad Poor Dad.  I had heard about this book for years from my mom, saw it on book shelves, and its the #1 best selling finance book of all time.  Man I should have picked up this book when it came out!  It is by Robert Kiyosaki and I highly recommend this it.  I am using some of the principles in Rich Dad Poor Dad to take control of my financial future with the help of my family.  I Just started his next book called the Cash Flow Quadrant.  Its the next step in understanding money, how its made, and how you can have it work for you instead of you work for it.        

Stay tuned! Exciting things are happening!    










               

New Beginnings!

Todd, Mike and Dave at Dew Tour Breckenridge

Happy new year everyone!  Wanted to give you an update to what has been happening.  Its been a bit of a whirl wind but things are starting to take shape with the non profit.  For those of you that don't know, its called Strap In For Life.  David Tuck, Mike Daniel and myself have partnered up and have gotten this thing off the ground.  We incorporated January 9th with the CO Secretary of State as a non profit and in the process of putting together all the necessary information on submitting and acquiring 501c3 status!  Exciting and daunting at the same time.  Check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/strapinforlife . We did a soft launch at Dew Tour and had very good response.  Gave out some Hoodies, Tee's, Beanies and stickers.  Im going to be making an appearance at x-games and give out gear and also get some riding in. We are also going to the Snow Industries of America (SIA) trade show at the Colorado Convention Center January 31 - February 3rd.  Since we are starting from scratch we have put together a mini fundraiser for that expense and help Dave battle Pancreatic Cancer.  The goal is to get roughly $2000 together for the show,  doing a small mixer on Friday for Dave and for filing fees for the IRS to acquire our 501c3 status!  Were almost halfway there.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Go to http://www.whenyouwish.com/ProjectDetails/Home/1120 and donate a buck or two!



Thanks everyone!