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Anyone else racing with cancer?
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Twelve months ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4, extensive, small cell lung cancer.

Recently the prognosis was updated (and suffice to say it's not pretty).

Some treatments (immunotherapy in particular) left me wiped out but after the last change of treatments back to a type of chemo I've felt less fatigue so thought f*ck it.

In the last month I've done two super sprints and a sprint distance.

No idea where I really going with this post except to say:

1) Don't ignore niggly health issues - I had a annoying dry cough more than anything. Very common for the season. An "on the ball doctor" caught it and probably gave me this 12 months.

2) Never stop doing what you love - https://tripinsurancestore.com/...hortness-of-life.pdf


Last edited by: gavdxb: Mar 13, 19 10:30
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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gavdxb wrote:
Twelve months ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4, extensive, small cell lung cancer.

Recently the prognosis was updated (and suffice to say it's not pretty).

Some treatments (immunotherapy in particular) left me wiped out but after the last change of treatments back to a type of chemo I've felt less fatigue so thought f*ck it.

In the last month I've done two super sprints and a sprint distance.

No idea where I really going with this post except to say:

1) Don't ignore niggly health issues - I had a annoying dry cough more than anything. Very common for the season. An "on the ball doctor" caught it and probably gave me this 12 months.

2) Never stop doing what you love - https://tripinsurancestore.com/...hortness-of-life.pdf

Wow. Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and apparent prognosis.

Congratulations on being able to do some racing. Dunno what I'd do, but I guess now is the time to do what you can.

It appears from past posts that you have family? Hug them lots.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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I did IM Whistler in 2015. Did an Xterra event 4 weeks later and had to walk. I felt exhausted. 4 months later they found a 4" tumour in my colon. I know what you mean about recognizing the small things. I was tired all the time but thought it was the training. I had stomach "aches" but thought it a nutritional intolerance.

Live each day to its fullest. Never stop moving.

Stay strong.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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Not much to say there... may God grant you clarity and joy.

I did IMFL in 2007 and got a colon cancer DX in 2009. Same thing, kept putting off going to a doctor for just weird BMs. Colon resection and chemo. I made it about 3 months before I was too fatigued to train and keep going to work so I stopped training. I came back and completed a fast Olympic and a half in 2010 but quickly realized I didn't want to spend all my free time training.

Perhaps this is too much, but I have always remembered a friend of mine who had a terminal diagnosis telling me his goal with his time left was to learn how to and show others how to "die well". He was successful. I don't know that I ever embraced that, but I sure think about it all the time.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [Justicebeaver] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you for the inspiration. Those who struggle against a challenge like cancer often lose the battle. Those who choose to live their lives fully despite the odds often surprise us. From my perspective as a physician, you are our best teachers.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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Love the t-shirt. Amazing attitude.

In the last 2 years, I've had 3 close friends/family that were diagnosed. All in their early to mid-30s. All better people than I.
Will be doing a bike ride to raise money for them once again this summer during my mid-season break.

Your drive inspires!!!
Last edited by: vijeet88: Mar 13, 19 19:38
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [barrybittman] [ In reply to ]
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barrybittman wrote:
Thank you for the inspiration. Those who struggle against a challenge like cancer often lose the battle. Those who choose to live their lives fully despite the odds often surprise us. From my perspective as a physician, you are our best teachers.[/quote]
I read a blog/article a while ago which sort of alluded to the undue pressure on cancer patients to "fight cancer". I know I struggled for a while to understand what it meant. My take away from this blog was that I had to live with the fact that I have cancer and to make that living as full as possible for my family and myself.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom_hampton wrote:
Dunno what I'd do, but I guess now is the time to do what you can.

One day, one week and one month at a time!

It appears from past posts that you have family? Hug them lots.[/quote]
Yes - the big lug next to me is my son, with wife and daughter a support crew.


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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [vijeet88] [ In reply to ]
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vijeet88 wrote:
Love the t-shirt. Amazing attitude.

In the last 2 years, I've had 3 close friends/family that were diagnosed. All in their early to mid-30s. All better people than I.
Will be doing a bike ride to raise money for them once again this summer during my mid-season break.

Your drive inspires!!!

It's crazy how many people lives are touched by cancer. Keep up the support - it will be appreciated.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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gavdxb wrote:
Twelve months ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4, extensive, small cell lung cancer.

Recently the prognosis was updated (and suffice to say it's not pretty).

Some treatments (immunotherapy in particular) left me wiped out but after the last change of treatments back to a type of chemo I've felt less fatigue so thought f*ck it.

In the last month I've done two super sprints and a sprint distance.

No idea where I really going with this post except to say:

1) Don't ignore niggly health issues - I had a annoying dry cough more than anything. Very common for the season. An "on the ball doctor" caught it and probably gave me this 12 months.

2) Never stop doing what you love - https://tripinsurancestore.com/...hortness-of-life.pdf

Great attitude!
Keep fighting for every second/minute/day you have with family/friends and I wish you happiness in your journey.
Know that those in the medical field will do their best to protect your from suffering.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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gavdxb...you have this new perspective on life that is so eye opening that it runs from sadness to enlightenment. I've been there from the son and spouse side of this kind of thing. What's your IRL name? No time for usernames ;)

Also, my dad had 'extensive' small cell in his lungs, evidence of mets, told to get his affairs in order...that was about 20 years ago and he's still bugging the shit out of us! So, hang on to this eye opening perspective, keep every day as the most important day, but don't give up. Keep grinding. Don't try to figure out why good days feel good and bad days feel bad thru treatment. Just survive. Don't lose hope, just love your crew and every experience you cross...something most of us just take for granted even though we say differently. It's not a Hollywood comeback story. It's real life...at least the short life we have on this giant pile of dirt rotating and hurtling through space at a crazy high rate of speed so take a big breath and laugh at those that you pass on the street that are oblivious to the reality of this blink of an eye.

Sending you all the mojo I can spare! Keep us updated on the good and the bad through the journey if you have time or energy. And, dude....don't feel like you gotta prove something to yourself by 'racing' tri's. (unless you really want to, of course) Just stay as strong as you can when you can. Will come in handy. This is your new race for a while. Put all of your race focus on that.




"Outwork your talent." Kevin McHale
Last edited by: morpheus: Mar 14, 19 4:58
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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My wife ran Edinburgh marathon in 2017 with stage 4 non small cell lung cancer. At the time she was on a targeted therapy (oral chemotherapy) so the side effects were manageable and she was able to train and finish the marathon.

I ran with her and she was amazing. Only afterwards did she admit to the mental struggle of being surrounded by other runners wearing cancer charity vests and T shirts, she said it was like being slapped in the face with a constant reminder of her condition.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do, we found that consulting with the Oncologist about taking part in events was usually positive and useful before committing to anything.
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [Dan The Man] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the inspiration today!
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Re: Anyone else racing with cancer? [gavdxb] [ In reply to ]
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Hello gavdxb and All,


Might be worthwhile to communicate with Mike Levine.

I rode with him a bit before his 2017 Kona race and I have known him for many years prior.

He will be able to fill you in better than me ..... but he had a Whipple operation for stage 4 pancreatic cancer .... about 3 months later he developed cough and was winded .... he lived in Carlsbad at the time and returned to UCLA (where he had the Whipple operation).

His doctor at UCLA delivered the bad news that cancer had spread to both lungs .... and there was nothing that they could do for him .... however his doctor told him that he knew a doctor at UCSD (San Diego) that was having good luck with clinical trials of a new procedure for lung cancer and he had scheduled Mike in to see him the next day.

The clincal trial procedure worked for Mike (although currently he has some reduced lung function due to scaring) and I rode with him after that procedure ... depending on when he had his regular 2 week 'chemo light' treatment he could still ride his bike. He was usually down ... 2 days after the chemo for a couple of days and then good for most of the 2 weeks until the next chemo.

Mike has recently moved to Seattle area ... he is on Facebook ... You can post a message to him or PM me.

https://www.facebook.com/michael.levine.104

Good luck!

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster
Last edited by: nealhe: Mar 14, 19 18:16
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