Recovery Road

Here is a quick little update.

Things are going good and working my ass off.  Last sunday I went to A-Basin with Devon O'neal and got an up date on ESPN.  The article turned out short and sweet.  Check it out!

A-Basin 5/15/11 

Went to an NRA dinner with my dad Saturday night.  Good times and saw a bunch of old friends.  But the best part of the night was dad picking up a new Kimber Gold Match 2 out of one of the raffles.  A very nice pistol.  So were going to go fire it off soon.

The duplex is dried in and siding is going on, masons are laying stone, roof is dried in, plumbing is roughed in and electric should be done by Thursday.  I took this photo last week...

 Ill have more photos of it later.

Enjoy the week!

Recovery Road

   Thanks for being patient with me.  Today is day +221 since transplant...
Since the doc's gave me the ok to start working, ive been busy in the field and office working on building a spec duplex building out by the Breck golf course.  Doing the book keeping and payroll ends up taking up a bunch of time too.  So I've been slacking on getting in here and writing.  Throw in a little computer failure and blog writing gets put on the back burner...

   Yesterday I had a scheduled PET scan.  It was a long day and my anxiety levels were a bit on the high side.  Ill tell you it doesn't get any easer!  I guess that is why I have been working a lot. Helps keep my head focused.  But this one was tense.  This was the first scan with out being in the middle of treatment.  All the doctors say that the chances of reoccurrence are greatest with in two years after transplant.  So when it come time for the PET scan to come around I get strait up scared!  I had a bout a two hour wait between my scan and oncologist appointment.  Didn't want to smoke weed for anxiety as I wanted to take the news completely sober.   Fortunately the scans showed no signs of the Lymphoma!  I had quite an emotional release when I got to my car!

   So for the first time since I can remember, I wish the ski season wasn't over.  I know I can go to the Basin, but, tough seeing it closed so early.  I remember it staying open till some time in May.  I guess with all the snow...  I was having a lot of fun this season.  I need to ask the forest service about a special use permit after the season ends.  Could have had two extra weeks of powder!  Don't get me wrong, i'm ready for summer.  Ready to play golf and be in shorts.  Living up on Boreas Pass with easily five feet of snow in the yard...

  
   Ok, A politics rant.  Don't Run... So we got UBL!  Ill tell you what, I would have pulled the trigger myself if I had the chance!  Im also glad that out president made the decision by not releasing the photos.  It shows that Americans are a better people and that we have class!  Unlike the middle east bastards that drag our troops and reporters through the sand and dirt after decapitating them.  It also shows that the USA is the best country in the world!
   For the record, I don't agree with pretty much any of our represented politicians!  Demarcate or Republican!  None of them care about the little guy and the little business.  I just saw my tax rate increase for my business, and frankly I don't have the money to pay.  Let alone the certainty of work!  Add retarded fuel prices and you got your self the perfect recipe for bankruptcy.  Im not going there yet, but I looked at a monthly snap shot of my finances and 38% is going to fuel.  Fucking great!  Heres a link from The Heritage Foundation on our current budget levels.  In other words, i'm tired of politicians making big decisions that affect my life with out my opinion!  They are making everyday life more complicated!  I thought my vote means something?

   If you want a good book to read, Freakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt.  A good read and makes you think!  I especially like the chapter Why drug dealers still live with there parents!  It got me a bit more interested in economics and how it all works together.

  

Recovery Road

Its been a little over a month since my entry.  What can I say other than I feel great!  The counts from my last draw keep showing improvement.  Since diagnosis, I have lost 30 pounds, have about twenty days riding and work has been steady enough to take care of business!  The doctors are very pleased with my recovery and family life is pretty badass!  Throw in my birthday the beginning of March and I cant begin to explain how fortunate I feel right now!  But im humbled by the memory of not knowing what was wrong with me two novembers ago.  I have a PET scan set up the end of April.  Which will be 7 months since transplant.  Time sure does fly.  Day + 179.  It feels good to be alive!      

We got working on a duplex out by the Breckenridge Golf Course.  One of six.  We started the Excavation in January.  And last week, started framing the third floor.  If weather cooperates, two weeks from now the roof will be on.  Got some garage slabs to poor too.  Ground heaters are in there doing there thing and if the plumbers can get in there on Monday or Tuesday, I should have it prepped and ready to poor a week from tomorrow.  But most importantly, its out by the golf course!

Quick story,  Breckenridge has been having one of the top three years that I can remember.  95 was one too and 84 when I was eight.  I remember that one being waist deep for spring break.  But dont think I was six foot at the time either...  And 95 was the year that Jay Nelson, Shawn Ebbinghaus and I jumped the west wall cornice at A-Basin as far as we could go.  Two feet the day before and three feet over night.  My second Jump was over a skier traversing under the cornice.  Idiot!  Did quite a bit of hiking behind the house and Blue River this year.  A bit on the resort too.  Quality has been high!  I am pissed that they put a gate right on top of peak ten directly getting off of the Falcon.  Now everyone and there mother goes into Ballroom's!  Fortunately most go to the top!  Patrol should have asked us where to put it.  There is a perfect spot on the south side.  Over by Cimmeron starting shack.  Could have helped control the rift raff!  Oh well...

Have a good week Friends!

My Journey 2/13/11

...so after a while later...

Things have been relly good. The doctor gave me the ok to start working. I was getting on the hill for a little bit but started hiking behind the house with the holidays in Breck going crazy. A couple weeks ago, we got the biggest snow of the year and damn near the most snow in a decade. Epic to say the least. That kept me busy with the backhoe for about two weeks. Gettingnback to work has been great mentally. Not having any work for over a year and battling cancer can take it's tole on one's psyche. It's not a lot, but everything helps. I'm pretty stoked, it looks look I have a bit more work for the forseeable future. Throw the books of four companies on top of that and it's hard to keep up.

2/10/11-2/13/11
I've been judging the Aspen Open since they started it about five or six years ago. It's a fun event to come to. Aspen is a great host and really know how to do an event. Hell they have x-games to thank. But this year, attendance is way down for the snowboarders. Dew Tour and Rev tour are happening at the same time. Scheduling issues are unfortunately driving this event into the ground. There were eight competitors in pipe. Four men and four women. Unfortunate. Slope is a bit better with finals today. Should be about fifteen in finals. Aspen needs to get affiliated or somthing. I wish there were events like this when I was growing up. The good part of the low attendance was the first day , there was no qualifiers. Got the day off. So I went riding with some friends, Adam Longnecker, Angus Morrison and Ryan Lougee. We took three runs. Epic! Check it out.(Click Here) Thanks guys for showing me around. I've been waiting to ride Aspen like that!

As for tests and medical, I have another PET scan torwards the beginning of May. I'm expecting a good outcome for that. I can only base it on how I feel day to day. Today is day +139 since transplant and I feel great. I have to be carful though. I got that crud that was going around Breck and it floored me for about two weeks. Getting sick now is much worse than it use to be.

I don't go out really any more. Haven't drank since October of 09 and the girls keep my free time very busy. And we got a puppy. A Begal mix. There is just not enough time in the day! Hahahaha

My Journey 12/15/10

Anxiety! Every one encounters it! Everyone feels it. Some times it rears its ugly head during trivial times. Some times it hardly shows itself during the most trying struggles! Recently, anxiety didn't show its self until the day before my PET Scan. Its weird being the one inside the box, almost like the senses are dulled. I felt good going into this scan and have had a positive look feeling like im in remission. But that little voice in the back of your head that made it hard to be 100%. I think its natural to have some doubt. That little bit of doubt reminds me of the reality of living with cancer in remission. Each scan is going to be difficult and trying emotionally. But im confidant that we got this bastard! Right now the schedule for PET scans over the next two years is every four months.

The preverbal weight was lifted when I got a glimpse of my scan moments after we finished it. But had to wait for confirmation from my oncologist! Oddly enough I have a good idea what to look for on those scans. Im no expert, but I didn't see the hotspots!

The other great thing is I have been getting on the hill a bit. Trying to go up first thing in the morning for an hour. It feels good to make some turns and been doing a little exploring too. I have been feeling strong and working on my endurance. It seems to me that being on snow is the cleanest atmosphere to be in. Besides it sure feels good to be riding again especially since I didn't think I would be riding for a couple more months...

I have been keeping myself busy starting to get my life organized. Since I haven't been able to do anything since transplant, but i've been getting to know quickbooks. Pretty cool program. I think my taxes are going to be done before the end of the year! Thats a first!

As financially unstable as my life is right now, I'm probably the happiest I have ever been. Shreding in the morning, a little work in the afternoon. If I could keep it going like this for the next while.........

My Journey 11/14/10

This has been a good and sobering week. The tenth was one year since I was diagnosed. Since that point I figured I would put the tally together of the treatment and procedures that I've undergone.

12 rounds of ABVD chemotherapy (three hours each)
1 Bronchoscopy
1 Mediastinoscopy
2 rounds of ICE chemotherapy (three days each)
4 PET scans
Apheresis (stem-cell harvest)
1 round of BEAM chemotherapy (six days)
1 Autologous Stem-cell Transplant
Shit load of blood tests (CBC)

The last CBC on the 4th showed that my counts were all back with in normal range. The doctors are very happy with the results thus far, but I'll feel better when the results come back from my next PET scan on December fourteenth. I went throughout a lot of treatments in the last year. I guess it's only a little natural that I'm a bit nervous. Don't get me wrong, confidence is high that I got this beat. But there is a little lingering in the back of my head what if... I'm coming to the conclusion that I am a survivor learning to live in remission. I'm fortunate that my body was strong going into this battle. November eleventh was day +45 since transplant. It also represents a lift of my diet restrictions. I think sushi is in order!

November ninth marked the third anniversary on my first date with Erika. We celebrated by going to Burke and Reliys. Cheesy hua, well it was where our first date was at.

My Journey 10/26/10

I got sprung!  Not really, but the doctors gave me the ok to come home.  I spent five days at Brent's Place.  Its about five blocks from PSL.  Went in on monday and had my blood drawn for testing.  Went back in on Wednesday for more labs.  I got my results on back from the Monday labs and sure enough, my counts have come up so much that the doctors thought it would be a good idea that I come home and see how I cope.  So wednesday evening I came home.  I've been holding off on writing for a couple reason.  One, I wanted to see how I felt being at home in altitude.  And two, I need to be carful being around anyone being flu season and all.  So far so good.

Let me tell you how nice it is on sleeping in my own bed!  Aside from sleeping really well, being home has felt really good.  It took a little bit of getting use to not having to get up every four hours to have my vitals checked, blood draws done at midnight, peeing in a urinal, being attached to an IV pump 24 hours a day (I called it my pump buddy).  Last night I had one of the best night sleeps in a long time.  Without any drugs!  I cant explain or recommend just how important it is to get a good night sleep when you are recovering.  But I guess anything is better than sleeping in a hospital bed for a month.  The altitude definitely makes me want to take more naps but thats ok.  My body just went through hell.  Its going to take some time to recover.  I did a little test friday night to see just what kind of road im going to have in front of me.  I hauled up about eight five gallon water bottles up the stares and that pretty much did me in.  I have no strength, endurance, or stamina.  Ill be honest, it was a little disheartening.  But I have to keep reminding my self that I just went through a transplant.  Tomorrow will be day +28, 4 weeks ago.  Not a long time.  Its going to be a long road for sure.  I guess what im saying is that im trying to be as patient as I can.  Going off how im feeling at this moment, I feel pretty good.

Having a couple days to reflect on the hospital experience has been a bit overwhelming.  Its seems like it has gone by relativity quick.  Its been emotional.  Its been surreal.  I feel so fortunate for so many things at this moment that its hard to not be grateful for everything in my life.  It hasn't been easy up to this point, and I dont expect it to be easy from here on out...