tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45216368186150135152024-03-13T06:21:02.732-07:00Trials of a big triathleteRace reports and advice for people new to triathlon. Especially bigger athletes!Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-24688916970761959922016-11-22T22:42:00.002-08:002016-11-22T22:42:29.144-08:00Mr. Hackett Goes to WashingtonNovember 22, 2016<br />
I know some of you may be visiting Colin's blog. He passed away on Sunday November 20, 2016 while I held his hand. He left behind many things, some of which are unpublished writing. I'm going to put them all out eventually. I'm not sure why he never hit publish on this one.... He'd been quite sick, so it's possible he forgot. This is his final actual blog post. I'm going to comb through his Surface (which he loathed - he always wished he'd gotten an ipad instead - just a tidbit of info in case you're trying to make a decisions about a Christmas gift this season) and put up some of his writings when I have the time. Considering there hasn't been a blog post in over a year, you're a patient bunch. The draft date for the incomplete piece below is March 19, 2016.<br />
All the best,<br />
Kim<br />
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Hello everybody! It's been a long long time. Mostly because there's really been little to report. However, after 25 rounds on FOLFIRI my liver tumors have begun to grow again. This isn't the best news, but it's not all terrible. There are no NEW areas of cancer, just the existing ones have grown. This means I'm on to a new type of chemo called FOLFOX. The basic differnce is that they both have a base called 5FU, it stands for something that I don't really know. The IRI is short for Irinotecan and the FOX is short for Oxaliplatin. They're just different types of chemo for colorectal cancer. What excites me is that almost everyone I've talked to had the best success on FOLFOX. I do have some concerns about the common side effects of FOLFOX; severe cold sensitivity and neuropathy of the hands and feet. If it gets too bad it could potentially spell the end of my refereeing and that worries me a great deal as refereeing hockey has been my best outlet and opportunity to feel normal.<br />
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That's my little health update, now on to the main show!<br />
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As you may recall I was selected last year to appear in the 2016 Colondar 2.0 with 11 other models aged 50 and under on diagnosis. Part of being a Colondar model is that you get to participate in the Fight CRC annual Call on Congress. This is a gathering of stakeholders desiring to make a difference in the lives of people with colorectal cancer. It is mostly made up of survivors but also caregivers, physicians and nurses, and other interested parties.<br />
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Obviously getting to Washington DC required me to take an airplane and this, of course, leads to another episode of Colin Complaining About People. My flight was at 7 so I needed to be up at 430am to get to the airport on time. The night before I refereed hockey in Daysland which is a couple of hours out of town so I didn't get into bed until 12:30. Kelland needed to be at hockey the next day and my mom was going to drive me to the airport so he and I both slept over at Grandma's house. We got on the road and quickly headed to Tim's for a much needed pick-me-up. I got to the airport in plenty of time and settled in to a nice seat and got ready to watch some videos I'd tagged on my phone. It was at this point that I realized for the 2ND STRAIGHT WEEK I'd left my headphones at home and had to once again buy headphones at the airport. IDIOT!<br />
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I boarded my first flight to Toronto and was stoked when they closed the main door and the seat beside was left open. I'm a broad-shouldered fella and so it's always nice to be able to lean a little into the adjacent seat on long flights. This only lasted a little while when I experienced one of the most bizarre things I've had happen on a flight. A gentleman in the seat across the aisle got up to use the restroom and so his wife (I assume) put her feet up on his seat, covered up and went to sleep. When he returned, rather than telling her to move her feet he moved my jacket off of the seat beside me and sat down. What the hell pal? It was funny the next time the flight attendant came down the aisle and gave me an inquisitive look and I just shrugged. This jabroni got up and went for a walk later and the flight attendant came to me and in her cute French accent said, "you are so lucky, you are the chosen one." Eventually his wife had rested enough and sat up and he returned to her side. Weird.<br />
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I had a fairly lengthy layover in Toronto where once again, I know it's a shock, but the Air Canada baggage handlers in Pearson Airport misplaced my luggage. This is the second straight time at this airport that this has happened. It's really frustrating because the holding area in Pearson prior to clearing US Customs has absolutely nothing to do. There's no TVs, no snacks or drinks, just a restroom. After 45 minutes I made my way over to the baggage complaints area and asked them what was going on. Apparently the lady I asked didn't think I had waited nearly long enough and angrily asked me how long I'd waited. I told her 45 minutes and she sneered that that was reasonable and I should go sit down and wait. Fortunately the guy beside her took over and looked up my bag. He couldn't find it but told me to wait another half hour and come back if I still didn't have it. Half an hour passed and I came back to see him. He made a radio call and someone in the back manged to track it down and after another 20 minutes they managed to get me through customs. Luckily I had lots of time or I may well have missed my flight. Oh, and the angry lady, not an apology of any kind.<br />
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I got into DC and hopped in a cab getting me into my hotel at about 7pm. I met up with my roommate Kris whom I had hung out with in Tennessee and we caught up. We decided to head out quickly and grab something to eat. The hotel we stayed at was on the campus of a beautiful university, but as soon as you walk outside of the fence it got scary in a hurry. The neighborhood was a collection of run down homes and equally run down people. We found the first restaurant we could and got some food so we could head back to the hotel as quickly as possible. Subway seemed safe, and as it turned out, it was... for the staff. When I walked into the store I started laughing uncomfortably as I realized the entire sandwich bar was encased in bullet proof glass with a few holes to shout your order through. You then place your money in a lazy Susan and they spin your change and sandwich back to you. We got our meal and hustled back to our room and got some sleep for the big day ahead.<br />
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The first two days were training us for the big day on Wednesday which was a trip to Capitol Hill to lobby the representatives and Senators for better funding for colorectal cancer treatment, research and prevention. One thing you may or may not know about teachers is that we are TERRIBLE students. I detest sitting in a desk and being told stuff. It kills my soul. And now that I've got chronic pain this just adds to my joy. By the end of the day I was ready to get out of that room and get into DC and see some stuff. So, at around 4:00 when they said, "that's all for today" all that was left in my spot was a puff of smoke as I blasted out of there. I hooked up with my buddy Ed (another stage IV cancer survivor) and we jumped in a cab and headed for the National Mall. This is not a shopping district but rather a collection of monuments to different important people and events from American history. We had the cabbie drop us off at the Washington Monument and we walked from there.<br />
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The Americans do an absolutely amazing job of documenting and celebrating their history. I really wish that we, as Canadians, did the same. There are so many things that we should be proud of but we are too modest to celebrate them and tell everyone. We hit the WWII monument, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln monument and then made our way through town to see the White House. I was quite surprised at how small the White House seemed. It really looks a lot bigger on TV. At this point Big Ed was beside himself with hunger so we started looking for a restarant. I spotted an older gentleman that seemed to know what was up and asked where we should eat. He pointed us to a nice looking pub on the corner and told us that the Old Ebbitt Grill was a famous place with decent prices. We were sold.<br />
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Once inside the Ebbitt we were blown away. It felt like stepping back in time and when we got the menu we were right. It was from 1856 and was absolutely beautiful inside. All wooden and perfectly decorated. I wished I was able to order an Old Fashioned or some other fitting drink but sadly alcohol and narcotics are not buddies. I got a shrimp cocktail and corned beef with cabbage. Ed went with a steak and everything was perfect!<br />
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After our awesome meal we walked another couple of blocks to see Ford's Theatre, the theatre where Abraham Lincoln was shot. Across the street is the house where he was carried to be tended to and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. After that, back to the hotel.<br />
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<br />Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-37907336340795548002015-11-06T14:34:00.001-08:002019-11-02T16:57:26.815-07:00Kim's Year in Review<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX39006379">
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-56354520952964841352015-11-06T14:23:00.000-08:002015-11-06T14:29:18.649-08:00Cancerversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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It's hard to believe a year ago today I heard the words "you have cancer" for the first time. As I laid in that hospital bed recovering from abdominal surgery I had no idea what this would mean for me.<br />
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The past year has been an amazing roller coaster ride with some amazing experiences mixed in with some awful lows but one thing has never changed. I will not give up easy. </div>
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Kim and I are still forever grateful to everyone that came and supported us at the event put on by Brett and Amie Babkirk. What an amazing evening. The money raised was so critical to Kim and I getting our life together as she went back to school and I faced my future with uncertainty. But possibly more important was the show of support we received from friends and family. We have never felt more loved. I received messages from coworkers and former students from every year I've taught. </div>
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One of the first things I did was a symbolic gesture that I wouldn't be held prisoner by this awful disease. I booked a trip to San Francisco and scheduled an Alcatraz swim crossing. I had completed this swim as part of a triathlon in 2010 and wanted to show myself I could still do it.</div>
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Another thing I did which I thought was important was to get a tattoo that said "Ánimo." For those that haven't heard or read my Ánimo story it's got its own link on the top of my webpage and I would encourage you to read it. It's pretty funny if I must say so myself. But the key is that Ánimo just means keep going.</div>
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Travel was a huge theme this year. I was in a bit of a panic mode as I was completely unsure of how my cancer might progress and I wanted to make sure I kept moving. I vowed early on that I would be a positive force in the face of cancer. I didn't want to let it take me down. I wanted to prove to people that you can continue to live a meaningful life despite a stage IV diagnosis.</div>
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In case you're unaware stage IV means that it will never be gone. I will never be declared cured. This is a lot to deal with emotionally. My future is a minefield of potential setbacks and anxiety as I wait for my latest test results. </div>
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I decided I would create the #Cancercanthackett tour to try and publicize my efforts. This was a combination of racing and distributing information about early screening and prevention. This effort lead me to some really amazing people. </div>
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I began to solicit sponsors for my tour and some amazing companies were eager to jump on board. The best part of this was that it was all companies whose products I was using before do I didn't feel guilty promoting their products. Coloplast, KPMG, Sugoi, Hoka One One, Aquasphere, and recently Quintana Roo have sponsored me and I couldn't be more pleased. </div>
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One of the best experiences that came from this was the opportunity to speak at the Coloplast national sales meeting in Toronto. I got to give the patients a voice about what life is like with an ostomy. As a bonus I had never been to Toronto so I used it as an opportunity to do some cool things I'd always wanted to do. See a Blue Jays game at home and go up the CN Tower. I didn't realize they had created a new thrill ride type adventure where you hang off the side of the tower. As it worked out I was there for the home opener and after a bit of a hassle getting in I got to see my Jays live for the first time. </div>
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It hasn't always been great being off work. If you talk to a teacher more often than not they will tell you within a short period of time what they do for a living. This is because being a teacher isn't just a job, it's a part of you. It's been hard being out of the classroom but there has been a few awesome benefits. I've been able to travel on seat sales which almost never happens for teachers because our holidays are in high season. </div>
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The best getaway was to Maui, Hawaii. A Westjet sale popped up on Facebook and I couldn't believe it. $89 one way! I jumped on it and actually booked it without telling Kim. Kim had always wanted to go to Hawaii and this was the perfect opportunity. We got away and it was absolutely magical. </div>
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I have been asked a few times to speak and tell my story and the most moving time was the opening ceremonies for the Alberta Ride to Conquer Cancer. This two day cycling event was an amazing chance to talk to survivors and be surrounded by positivity while proving to myself and others that I could still handle endurance events. </div>
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Another amazing experience this year was my selection as a Colondar model. This is a group of 12 people under 50 who have been diagnosed with colon cancer. But it wasn't just a bunch of cancer patients; every one of these people had a great story and was doing something to s<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">pread hope and awareness. Although we were only together a few short days we quickly became as tight as brothers and sisters .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I had a rough summer with my liver acting up. For some reason it kept developing "sludge" and blocking the main drain out of my liver. This lead to me becoming jaundiced which made me INCREDIBLY itchy, to the point that I couldn't sleep some nights. To open this up I was given 2 ERCPs. This is when a camera is sent down your throat and the doctor opens up your liver. I had 2 stents put in to keep it open and my awesome liver Doctor put me on a pill that has kept me clear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">My racing was not what I had hoped it would be this year. I attempted 3 Ironman races and didn't manage to complete one yet. This is a burr in my side and a huge disappointment. I feel a bit of a failure in my efforts as my entire goal was to show I could keep going despite my condition. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">However,
I got to meet some cool people through racing. Stewart and I became
buddies over Twitter and he was gracious enough to allow me to stay with
his family while in Muskoka. Here I met my little buddy Logan and I was
extremely honoured last week when he named me his hero for a school
project. This was incredibly rewarding and really made me smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I get a chance to break this streak on November 15th and really am eager to get this one in the books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">As an update, my two tumors in my liver have remained stable over this year and this is a very positive sign moving forward. At some point my oncologist expects it to start progressing and we will take it in stride but for now it's just more of the same. </span></div>
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-30928303167038580872015-10-11T18:28:00.000-07:002015-10-11T18:28:11.100-07:00Reluctantly Addicted to YouFor about the last 6 weeks I've been on a constant dose of Dilaudid or hydromorphone. My gall bladder is unusually large and was causing extreme abdominal pain, to the point that I would lay in the back yard at 2 in the morning because the cool grass felt a little better than laying on my couch. Fortunately, my liver doctor has prescribed a drug that is designed to bust up gall stones and I've stopped being able to feel my gall bladder with my hands because I think it's working.<br />
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It was actually funny because I googled my symptoms (I know better but I had nothing to do) and I diagnosed myself with an enlarged gall bladder. At one of my appointments I told my doctor about it and he looked at me sideways and felt around my abdomen. The good news was that it wasn't my liver but he couldn't feel anything else. I protested that I was sure it was my gall bladder but because it wasn't an area that was cancerous we were both fairly happy. I had a CT scan a couple of weeks afterwards and asked him about it there and he said, "actually, your gall bladder is the size of a sausage!" I replied, "I knew it!" We both chuckled but deep down I was relieved to know what I had been feeling wasn't something dangerous.<br />
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My concern now was that the drug was initially prescribed to me by an ER doctor when I came in for pain relief and my doctor just re-wrote a prescription to continue on it. They asked my symptoms and I explained that it was an egg shaped lump in my abdomen and pain; I also told them that Dilaudid seemed to be the only thing that worked for me. For whatever reason Morphine doesn't seem to touch my pain. Maybe I just have the wrong receptors for it. They obliged and dosed me with Dilaudid and wrote me a prescription for the drug and sent me on my way once my pain was under control. I was upset because I wanted to know where the pain was coming from. I showed them where I felt it and was hoping for an ultrasound or some kind of imaging that might indicate <i>why</i> I was in this pain but they just seemed to want to get me out of there and on my way.<br />
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My goal was not to drug seek, I wanted to stop hurting. Given the choice
I'd rather treat the source of the pain, not the pain itself. Regardless, this entire time I have been treated with Dilaudid. This
has left me feeling like absolute junk. I walk around in a haze, some
days unable to even find the motivation to get out of bed; and when I do
all I want to do is have a snack and get back into bed. I attempted 2
of my Ironman races on the drug but was unsuccessful and I think it
played at least a factor in my inability to finish those races. Days when I have to referee a hockey game I need at least a 3 hour nap mid day to get to the rink or I won't have the energy to even get dressed at the rink.<br />
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At one point in September I tried to get off the drug and went right back to it after suffering through the sweats, shakes and intense vomiting. I was no longer taking the drug to avoid pain, I was taking it to not go through withdrawal. I was addicted to a narcotic. What the hell had happened? How did it happen so fast? What wasn't it more fun?<br />
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I don't blame my oncologist at all. He is trusting the judgement of another professional who felt the best course of treatment is to hit me with the drug so I'd feel better. My frustration is with the ER doctor and his apparent lack desire to do any digging. See pain - give pill. How many drug addicts are being created through this manner of treatment? Then, when I'm sent on my way, there was no suggestion or recommendation of what to do when I want to get off of this powerful narcotic. Is his expectation that I just get hooked on it and live that way forever? Whatever length of time that may be?<br />
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We accuse many people in our society of being drug-seeking addicts and I openly admit I had the same prejudice. We see these people going to the ER to get pills to make them feel better. Who knows how many of them got hooked on the drug the to begin with by a legitimate complaint that may result from the street life so many of them live? Imagine being one of our city's indigent and getting into a fight or being assaulted downtown one night. You're taken by ambulance or police car to the hospital and to treat your pain from broken ribs or black eyes with a narcotic. After a couple of days in a bed you're discharged with a small number of pills or one last IV dose and then sent on your way. I know that if I wasn't counselled about what to do when the drugs run out there is NO chance that a homeless person is being given any of this information.<br />
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My biggest saving grace, I'm certain, is that I have a good education and the motivation to get off of this drug in the least harmful manner possible. I have resources that I can seek out, I have access to the internet, I will be able to do this eventually. But for those in our city (or country) that are less fortunate they get stuck on an addiction treadmill that may be impossible to get off of.<br />
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I hope this doesn't come off as too sanctimonious or left wing for my friends and family but I hope over this Thanksgiving weekend you can look at your own life and appreciate the great things you have. Not every day is great but there is great in every day.<br />
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In the immortal words of Bill S. Preston, Esq and "Ted" Theodore Logan:<br />
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<br />Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-51169273245818565562015-10-04T23:26:00.001-07:002015-10-05T09:39:44.188-07:00World Ostomy DaySaturday October 3rd is world ostomy day. Having lived with my ostomy for nearly a year now I feel like I'm becoming a bit of an expert.<br />
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For those that don't know an ostomy is when you have some type of issue with your intestines and so a portion is removed and the end is, for lack of a better word, poked through your abdomen. This is where you now poop. </div>
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Because of the nature of this medical procedure not many people are open to talking about it. I, however, was not raised with a filter (thanks mom) and so I'd like to explain frankly what it's like to live with an ostomy. It sucks. </div>
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Now, for people that suffer from Crohns or collitis it may be a huge relief from the debilitating gut pain that many endure. However, in my case, it was just a necessity to remove my tumor. Now I face the day to day hassle of living with a bag strapped to my belly. </div>
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The set up has 2 pieces. The first is a flange. This flange requires you to cut it to fit the size of your stoma. (Haha, it autocorrected stoma to aroma which is fairly applicable) after cutting it to fit, you apply a paste to the appliance and smooth it out. Then you carefully align the flange to your stoma and press it on. Then you remove the backing and stick the rest of it to your belly. </div>
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Then you snap a bag onto the flange. To get the best adhesion you should sit or lie down and keep pressure on it for at least 15 minutes. </div>
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Every time I leave the house I need to ensure that I have sufficient supplies to get me through however long I plan to be out. It's become habit now but there have been times where I have to leave something I'm really enjoying because I'm out of bags. The biggest hassle I've run in to is exercising with it. The sweat can cause the flange to lose adhesion and leak. I'm unable to do certain exercises because I can't lay flat on my stomach. Additionally, because a stoma is created by punching a hole through your abs it is considered a hernia. This limits the lifts I can do. Finally, if my bowels move while I'm exercising I need to stop and change my bag because the weight of a full bag can either pull </div>
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off the flange or pop off the bag. Either of which is NOT COOL. In fact it stinks (see what I did there).</div>
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Probably the most troublesome area that's been affected is sleeping. I love sleeping on my front and will flip back and forth but it's almost impossible now to sleep facing to the right. This position places my stoma flat against the mattress meaning any bowel movement could blow off the flange. Also, when rolling over I need to be exceedingly careful not to catch the bag and pull it off. I've done this a few times this year and it means laundry time at 2am. </div>
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The public awkwardness that comes with a stoma can also be brutal. The stoma does not have a controllable muscle so you can't clench up. Without warning a stoma can get active and either fill the bag or cut some of the loudest farts you've ever heard. Depending on the situation you're in this can be mortifying. People that know you are almost always awesome about it; but if you're in a meeting or on an elevator where people don't know your deal this can be unbelievably embarrassing.</div>
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This blog is not intended to be a sob story. I just want to be completely open and honest about what life entails. If you know someone in your life that has a stoma and are too afraid to ask them about it please understand what they're dealing with. It is a 24-7 job maintaining it. I am thankful to be alive as the procedure removed my source cancer, but it is not without its problems. </div>
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If you have any questions I'm an open book so please don't hesitate to contact me.</div>
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I also want to take this opportunity to thank Coloplast for sponsoring my tour. They have made having a stoma more bearable. By making the flange more flexible it is more comfortable and by using more appealing materials it's not as embarrassing when your bag sticks out under your shirt. This may seem like a small thing but it can be huge to many people.</div>
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-59646078199207752082015-09-19T19:26:00.001-07:002015-09-24T19:46:25.971-07:00Give Dudes a ChanceI've told as many people as will listen about the joys of podcasts. For those that don't know a podcast is a radio type show that you download from the Internet. There are literally thousands of these bad boys available and on any topic you can possibly think of.<div><br></div><div>My two favorite shows are the Adam Carolla Show and the Joe Rogan Experience. At first glance it may seem like these two guys would have almost nothing worth listening to. One used to host the Man Show with hot girls jumping on trampolines and the other is a pot enthusiast who hosted Fear Factor and now works for the UFC.</div><div><br></div><div>"It's probably all about lusting after chicks and other dude-related riffs." You couldn't be more wrong.</div><div><br></div><div>Adam Carolla is actually a pretty inspiring figure. Born in Philadelphia his family moved to north Hollywood when he was young. Anyone that has been to LA understands that Hollywood is not the glamorous star-studded area you would expect. It's actually a low-income, and in some places, scary neighborhood. Coming from poverty with distant, ineffective parents he was forced to almost fend for himself and this gives him a really good perspective on life. </div><div><br></div><div>In a world where being identified as a member of a group is critical, Adam refuses to be placed into a box. Fiscally conservative you would expect him to be a staunch Republican but his pro gay marriage and marijuana stances muddy that water. Although portraying himself as gruff and seemingly uncaring he often slips up and reveals his sweet nougaty centre. His side kick "Bald" Bryan Bishop was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor a number of years back and upon hearing this Adam became an inconsolable mess and did everything he could to make sure Bryan would be taken care of. </div><div><br></div><div>The best part of the Adam Carolla Show is his willingness to say what he actually feels without fear of reprisal from advertisers or other interests. This has likely cost him some job opportunities on network television but he says, and I believe him, that he would rather not work than have to live under their stupid rules. </div><div><br></div><div>Add to Adam the afore mentioned Bald Bryan and "news girl" Gina Grad and you have a dynamite comedy team that touch on everything from current events to delving into possible solutions for societal ills. </div><div><br></div><div>The Adam Carolla show has the feel of your favorite morning radio show but in an uncensored format. </div><div><br></div><div>The Joe Rogan Experience features long format interviews with influential people from various backgrounds. Like the Adam Carolla show Joe Rogan is completely uncensored. However, Joe Rogan's "interviews" are really more like conversations. Traditional radio has a limited amount of time to get the entire story out and the commercial breaks cause you to stop and restart the train of thought. </div><div><br></div><div>Demonstrating his commitment to making his show as authentic as possible Joe has turned down bigger revenues by refusing to do commercials in the middle of the show because they break up the flow of the conversations. </div><div><br></div><div>Because of their reach Joe and Adam get some very big names on their shows and it makes some great "pod" as they like to say. </div><div><br></div><div>To date my absolute favorite interview was on the Joe Rogan Experience with Gad Saad. He's a professor from McGill in Montreal and he talks about how crazy sensitive society has become and that at universities, where things are meant to be questioned and challenged professors live in fear of their students complaining or making accusations of "triggering" feelings or making "micro aggression." He does an incredible job of explaining the environment at universities currently. </div><div><br></div><div>To site one example of this lunacy, Law professors at Harvard are being told to avoid rape law because of the potential triggers. So just ignore it? </div><div><br></div><div>So if you are tired of the boring normal radio shows I strongly encourage you to find a podcast or three that you love. You get to learn new things and on the topic YOU want, not whatever happens to be on. I'd love to hear from you in the comments about the podcasts you live too! </div><div><br></div><div>Ánimo!</div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-51228507971452851152015-09-17T15:45:00.001-07:002015-09-21T10:35:55.096-07:00Vegas and Interbike Baby!I'm really dumb. You'd think that anyone that travels as much as I do would eventually learn a thing or two but I don't. I book early flights all the time because when I'm booking them all I look at is the arrival time. "Hey, look at this. This flight will get me there at 10 am!" Yeah.... but you need to wake up at 430am to do that. "Oh that's fine. I'll sleep on the plane!" No, no you won't. <div><br></div><div>I flew Westjet this time around and I have to say, I really like Air Canada. Westjet's big thing was that they were the fun friendly airline. And I think for a time they were. But now they charge for bags and their flight staff seem grumpy and worn out. And so do their planes. My TV didn't work from the get go and half an hour into the flight NONE of the TVs work.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gp39JZiTFUs/VfupbqnYkdI/AAAAAAAAAnY/3HloBSiRwBs/s640/blogger-image-400026493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gp39JZiTFUs/VfupbqnYkdI/AAAAAAAAAnY/3HloBSiRwBs/s640/blogger-image-400026493.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Fashion question: Ladies, I know you love your shoes but some of them defy logic. These ugly bad boys are basically boots, but with an open toe AND an open heel. These shoes actually made me mad! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l6tyghp2ZXU/VftCj9aPSeI/AAAAAAAAAmw/TX76rygNtIE/s640/blogger-image--1339160736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l6tyghp2ZXU/VftCj9aPSeI/AAAAAAAAAmw/TX76rygNtIE/s640/blogger-image--1339160736.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>When we landed in Vegas it took well over half an hour to get our bags. When you get to Vegas you want to get going and get your Vegas on so every second waiting for your bags is like an eternity. </div><div><br></div><div>I stayed at the MGM Grand for the first time and it's really nice. The room was clean and modern and the beds were comfy. They had a room ready right away but it was on a low floor. Fine by me. Shorter elevator rides and I don't have to check my bags. Boom.</div><div><br></div><div>After checking in I immediately went to the buffet. Kim has been unhappy with me lately because she feels I've lost too much weight. Fine by me, I'll do my best to get it back on. I started out smart. A few things that looked good, some veggies, not stacked. After this my stomach still felt good so I lost my mind. Plate two was a return to fat Colin form. Roast beef, sushi, fajitas; it was like the UN on a plate. Then I hit the desert station. I'm a sucker for carrot cake. Not sure why but I just can't get enough of it. Louis C.K. captured my philosophy perfectly. "The meal is not over when I'm full. It's over when I hate myself." I slowly meandered out of the buffet and made my way to Interbike.</div><div><br></div><div>For those that don't know, Interbike is the biggest bike sales expo in the world. Everything you can imagine to do with cycling is represented here. From the frames down to the grip tape on the bars and everything in between. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KikffJALdNk/VgA_-DL9E6I/AAAAAAAAAow/qn2wddxPrHA/s640/blogger-image--1384981602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KikffJALdNk/VgA_-DL9E6I/AAAAAAAAAow/qn2wddxPrHA/s640/blogger-image--1384981602.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>When you first enter the hall you are transported to China. All the Chinese discount manufacturers are in the same area and it's pretty neat. All the factories have their goods and you can see just how cheap some of these goods are. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5uLR495E6Gc/VfupdCy_m4I/AAAAAAAAAng/c90a3EtLAzg/s640/blogger-image-2032704444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5uLR495E6Gc/VfupdCy_m4I/AAAAAAAAAng/c90a3EtLAzg/s640/blogger-image-2032704444.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Conversely, the Italian companies have their own section as well and the quality of the products they make is equally evident. </div><div><br></div><div>I was surprised at one sight and that was a group of Mennonite folks walking around. But then I realized this is like their car show probably. These are their Ferraris and Lamborghinis. They're probably super stoked to see the newest in bike technology. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WZzwoOUyelY/VfuAfBU7_nI/AAAAAAAAAnA/U-Kv21fmAJ8/s640/blogger-image-384733599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WZzwoOUyelY/VfuAfBU7_nI/AAAAAAAAAnA/U-Kv21fmAJ8/s640/blogger-image-384733599.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This show really is impressive, I had no idea just how big it would be but after the first day I had only seen less than half of the booths. I was pretty tired from the early morning and all of the walking so I made my way back to the hotel and thought I might grab some sleep. After a couple of hours I realized I was in Vegas and acting like a Jabroni so I got dressed and headed down to the casino. I threw away some money on slots and roulette and made my way to the bar. </div><div><br></div><div>I've been trying to be as healthy as possible. In general this is a good policy but as a cancer patient it seems even more prudent. However, there are a few kinds of health and mental health is one of them. I've had some tough days lately based on how tired and depressed being on chemo has made me. A lot of people get 6 rounds as their therapy. I just finished my 14th and there is no end in sight. So I decided I would just enjoy myself tonight. I bought a nice cigar and a scotch and sat at the bar and talked. </div><div><br></div><div>It wasn't long before an attractive young lady sidled up beside me and started a conversation. At this point I remembered what my department head Brian Buchynski told me the first time I came to Vegas in 2004. He said, "if a girl hits on you look in the mirror. You're ugly. It's a hooker." My alarm bells were ringing as we chatted but at no point did anything lead me to believe one way or another. Maybe because I finished my drink fairly quickly and moved on. I don't have a mirror by I do have selfies and I haven't gotten better looking. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mDngt8V4QxE/VfuAhOy-XDI/AAAAAAAAAnI/ISpTeTS7mog/s640/blogger-image--935994574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mDngt8V4QxE/VfuAhOy-XDI/AAAAAAAAAnI/ISpTeTS7mog/s640/blogger-image--935994574.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Day 2 of Interbike was just as good. I got a chance to check out the rest of the booths. There is some seriously cool stuff out there. E bikes seem to be the newest thing to have. These bikes have an electrical assist making it easier to get around. It wouldn't be legal for racing but what a fun way to commute. </div><div><br></div><div>The giveaways were my favorite part of the convention and the best thing I hit were a pair of CEP compression socks. Normally compression socks are knee high but these are just ankle high and work on your feet. This was exciting for me as I usually have foot issues on the bike but I don't like compression on my calves when I'm racing. I wore them for the day on Thursday and they are GREAT! </div><div><br></div><div>Thursday night was sports book night. There was baseball and football to watch so what better place than a room with 50 TVs? I thought this was going to be awesome but I underestimated the silliness of some fans. During baseball it was ok but when the football game started some of these guys started losing their minds. They were yelling and screaming and running around the room. It was really bizarre. One guy in particular was sitting right behind me in his jersey yelling coaching advice and talking to the head coach on a first name basis. If only the game wasn't 1500 miles away. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1JKzytqoDag/Vfuped_xODI/AAAAAAAAAno/JfBWwxqkpHQ/s640/blogger-image--1933470989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1JKzytqoDag/Vfuped_xODI/AAAAAAAAAno/JfBWwxqkpHQ/s640/blogger-image--1933470989.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FRMSDEXJbZY/Vf4VaYuYOaI/AAAAAAAAAoI/ZX2_KeTfEmI/s640/blogger-image--1667335209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FRMSDEXJbZY/Vf4VaYuYOaI/AAAAAAAAAoI/ZX2_KeTfEmI/s640/blogger-image--1667335209.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>By half time I'd had enough and decided to go back and watch the rest of the game in my room. Without the Jabronis. It turned out to be a fantastic finish that would have been amazing on the bet I placed except that the Blue Jays didn't score enough runs earlier in the day. Sad face. </div><div><br></div><div>I was just about to tuck myself in for the night but decided to go through the channels one more time. Nearly at the end up popped Bill Freakin Murray in Groundhog Day. This is a piece of cinematic magic and I couldn't help but watch the last hour and a half. Finally I tucked myself I for the night. Hoping tomorrow would be another day and not the same one over and over. </div><div><br></div><div>Anger update: what the hell are these things? A boot with a cylinder of leather around it? Not only that this "lady" cut line at Starbucks. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NljKWMdLRWw/Vfyt6BHuy1I/AAAAAAAAAn4/dSUIQmZNMNI/s640/blogger-image-1983906393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NljKWMdLRWw/Vfyt6BHuy1I/AAAAAAAAAn4/dSUIQmZNMNI/s640/blogger-image-1983906393.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Friday night was the highlight of the trip. Jerry Seinfeld in concert! I've always been a huge Seinfeld fan and it just worked out that he was in Vegas while I was so how could I not go? I got tickets relatively late but because I was sitting solo so I got a single seat in row 2. What I love about Seinfeld is that he captures life's little comedic situations perfectly. My absolute favorite bit was about having young kids and putting them to bed. He described this epic adventure as a type of nightly coronation ceremony. This is so true it's ridiculous. Our kids have suckered us into performing for them to get them to go to bed each night. I have a tuck in song I do every night on top of reading and wrestling. (Truth be told I love it but don't tell the kids). And if we don't check every box the kids cannot be expected to sleep. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nWEWC_ZpA3E/Vf4VdT1iSQI/AAAAAAAAAog/f-FM7QNtGsw/s640/blogger-image-538388824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nWEWC_ZpA3E/Vf4VdT1iSQI/AAAAAAAAAog/f-FM7QNtGsw/s640/blogger-image-538388824.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EON9IJx8UGA/Vf4Vbp-Z3FI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/zwzpOG4o-TQ/s640/blogger-image--1774007159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EON9IJx8UGA/Vf4Vbp-Z3FI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/zwzpOG4o-TQ/s640/blogger-image--1774007159.jpg"></a></div>Look at these angels. She's actually sleeping with that book. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>After the show I went out with Cam and Elise, the owners of my favorite bike store, and we had a nice little meal at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. The food was great but the music was disappointing. I expected Jimmy Buffet songs and a chilled out atmosphere. Instead it was a thumping rock concert. In fact, the first table they sat us at we had to move from because we couldn't hear one another. </div><div><br></div><div>Maybe I'm becoming an old man but why does music need to be so loud in a restaurant? Does the bass hammering you aid in digestion? Maybe they'd rather you shut up, eat and get out? Either way it seems an odd music choice for a restaurant that's supposed to feel like you're chilling in the tropics. </div><div><br></div><div>I had a brush with fame on the strip Friday night. Kim and I LOVE police shows like Cops. But one of our favorites is called Vegas Strip and it's just that, a Cops-like show on the strip. One of the main officers is Ofcr. Wandick. His most notable feature are his eyes. So much so that the hookers on the show call him Officer Green Eyes. He doesn't let them continue like that but I was so jacked to see this guy! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5o9EFCiXvMk/Vf4VcdWT1nI/AAAAAAAAAoY/4vB37a6-pqE/s640/blogger-image--1182478636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5o9EFCiXvMk/Vf4VcdWT1nI/AAAAAAAAAoY/4vB37a6-pqE/s640/blogger-image--1182478636.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Saturday was pretty chilled out. I hit the outlet mall and made my way to the airport for the direct flight home. I breezed through customs because of my NEXUS card and rolled into bed about 2am. Kelland had hockey the next morning so there's no rest for the weary. </div><div><br></div><div>Next up is my 3 month CT scan on Mobday. I'm cautiously optimistic but will update you all when I get my results. </div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-88320474815131437112015-09-03T10:11:00.000-07:002015-09-03T10:11:17.180-07:00Ironman Muskoka - Yikes Bikes<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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After my disappointing result at Ironman Coeur d'Alene I was excited to get a shot at redemption at Muskoka. Muskoka is a region about 2 hours north of Toronto. I left Edmonton at 730 am on Wednesday. My brother in law Dave was good enough to drive me to the airport and only wanted hot chocolate in payment, not a bad deal!<br />
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Since my uncle uses his aeroplan upgrade on me I'm a 50k member which means I get to use the express check in at Air Canada so I breeze through check in now. At least usually. For whatever reason, this time security wanted me to unpack my entire bike for them to inspect. Ugh. The big problem is that I don't just put my bike in the case. I also put all of my triathlon accessories in there. Shoes, helmet, wetsuit, etc. and this is all done very carefully to maximize my room. Needless to say I was not thrilled at this but I smilingly obliged because what else can you do?</div>
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After satisfying the pleasant security lady I threw my bag on the conveyor and made my way to passenger screening. This is also a breeze as I've got my NEXUS card which means I'm pre-screened by U.S. Customs and get to use the express lane. The great payoff with these express lanes is lounge time. The biggest benefit to my 50K status with Air Canada is use of the lounge.</div>
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I found a chair in front the TV and watched highlights as I ate my oatmeal and sipped my cappuccino. I was only interrupted once when I was paged to the front counter. The nice lady at the desk told me there was room in business class so I was being upgraded. HOLLA! I've had the pleasure of flying business a few times and it is just awesome. </div>
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As soon as the first page was made I hustled onto the plane and set myself up for the flight. The flight attendant brought me an orange juice so I had something to sip as I reviewed the breakfast menu. I selected the fruit plate as I was already quite full from my lounge breakfast. I was worried this flight was going to be frustrating because as we taxied apparently someone's emotional support dog needed its own support dog to stop it from barking. After take off, however, the dog quieted down and we didn't hear from it again. </div>
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Airplane food. I can dig it!</div>
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SIDEBAR: When did we decide that dogs needed to go everywhere we go? Restaurants, sporting events, plane rides. Enough man, leave the dog.</div>
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I decided that even though it's quite a bit further to go from Ottawa than Toronto I would do the extra drive so I could check out our nation's capital. That's right my foreign readers, Ottawa is the capital of Canada not Toronto. Toronto is the capital of the universe (at least according to Torontonians).</div>
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PRO TIP: When you rent a car, pre book the smallest car you can be happy with. Then, when you go to pick it up ask how much it would be for a larger vehicle. It's almost always much cheaper than booking the bigger vehicle ahead of time. </div>
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I decided to go with a pickup as it was easier to transport my bike that way and that was a great decision. And it was only $5 more per day. I sent a quick message to the family I was staying with and told them that I'd be in Muskoka in a few hours. Turns out that was Alberta time. As a hurtin' Albertan I looked at the map and it said about 300km. So, it should take me 2:45 to get there. NOPE. The highway between Ottawa and Muskoka is a windy back country road that hits every small town you've never wanted to see. And there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the design of these roads. They are more crooked than a politician and just as slow. This drive turned out to be closer to 5 hours and I arrived in Muskoka tired and ready to eat. </div>
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Fortunately, the Hayes clan were ready for me and we sat down to eat right away. I became friends with Stu, the father of the group, after chatting on the Internet. He is one of my faithful of readers and when I went to Toronto to speak he took me for dinner and drinks and we really hit it off. So when he saw I was doing the same race he was he invited me to come and stay with his family at a beautiful cottage right on the water at Lake of Bays. </div>
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Stu's wife Julie is an absolute angel and took great care of me while I was there and their kids Liam (15) and Logan (12) are a pair of sweethearts. They made me feel right at home and even let me stay in the bunkhouse so I had my own little place. </div>
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I had heard some frightening tales about the Muskoka bike course so I was glad when Stu said we were going to go for a ride and check out part of it. I was thrilled to see that the hills were a series of rollers rather than long sustained climbs. My body is designed to take on a short hill and then recover, I don't do well with the long ones. Plus, my weight helps me carry some speed into the next climb. We went out for an hour and then back and the only hill I struggled with wasn't even on the course. It was a grinder on the road between our cottage and the main road. </div>
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After getting back I was tired but very happy. Not only was I glad the course wasn't as daunting as I had expected but I also felt great. My liver has been acting up for the last 2 weeks and as recently as last Friday I wasn't even sure I'd be able to travel. This ride was the first exercise I had done in 2 weeks and it went well. </div>
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After a nice supper we sat down and watched Taken 2 and just hung out. It is so nice to have people to hang out with. When I go to races alone I often hang out at Walmart and buy things I don't need in order to pass the time. I made my way to bed a little early as we had an early wake up Friday for the Sunrise Swim.</div>
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The alarm went off at 540 am and I couldn't believe when I looked at the clock. I had slept through the night for the first time in 2 weeks. I hadn't been awoken by severe itching or belly pain. Things were finally looking up. </div>
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Stu and I jumped in the truck and made our way to the swim start. This Sunrise Swim is a fundraiser for the local hospice and was only dreamed up a month ago. Being it was such short notice they didn't think it was going to be much but 125 people signed up and I think they're going to need to look at relocating next year. It was such a great time I think they'll be much bigger in the years to come. </div>
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We went off in waves of 20 and Stu and I were wave 3. The water was perfect and there was enough room that I didn't hit anyone during the entire thing. The course was out around a small island and back and measured about a mile. The coolest part was that 50m from shore was a floating coffee bar and I jumped out and had some joe and a juice. After enjoying my locally roasted Muskoka coffee I swam the final small leg back and grabbed some breakfast. The highlight of which were the cinnamon buns from the local bakery. They reminded me of the ones my mom makes from my great-grandma's recipe. Om nom nom. </div>
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Stu had contacted the swim's organizer, Rich, about me possibly speaking and they were good enough to give me the opportunity. So as things were getting ready to come to a close they gave me the mic and I shared my story in hopes that:</div>
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1) people will see that cancer is a living sentence, not a life sentence (thanks for this Stu) and,</div>
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2) athletes will ignore the fact that they're healthy and get regular checkups. </div>
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Me and swim organizer Dr. Rich Trenholm</div>
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People seemed very receptive to my talk again; but like I said, you've gotta be a special sort of mean to boo a cancer patient :) </div>
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We retired back to the cottage and relaxed for most of the rest of Friday. I watered up, got some salt in and took a nap. </div>
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One of the unfortunate things about races is that most of them have done away with the athlete dinner. Instead they have opted to include a voucher in your package for a local restaurant. This is cool as it helps get the community on board but it was nice to sit down with your fellow athletes at other races. Anyway, the Hayes and I decided to go to 3 guys and a stove for supper and this was a great decision. The food was absolute spectacular. I had the BBQ plate and it was chicken, ribs and brisket cooked perfectly. Ontario is not known for its BBQ but this was superb. </div>
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Once home we watched The Blind Side and chilled. I managed to hold it together this time and that was good because the first time I saw this film I was on an airplane and I bawled like a teenage girl. Such a tough guy. </div>
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Saturday was pretty chill. We turned our bikes and transition bags in and relaxed. I took a chance to walk Main Street and see Huntsville. It's a cool little town with lots of boutiques and restaurants. It was an early bed time as tomorrow was the big day.</div>
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Me and my little buddy Logan in a giant Muskoka chair.</div>
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RACE DAY</div>
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The alarm went off at 5am but, as usual this wasn't a big surprise as I'd been up every couple of hours to check my watch to make sure I hadn't slept it. I threw on my sweat suit and headed into the main house for some coffee. After a small breakfast of some bars and a banana Stu and I quietly made our way to the truck trying not to wake anyone. At this point I missed the unlock button on the remote and hit the panic button setting off the truck's alarm. Real smooth.</div>
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It was about a 20 minute drive to the shuttles so we headed down the road and onto the buses. We got to transition with about 15 minutes left before it closed. This is perfect as some races I've been too early and you stand around and go crazy. We made the 5 minute walk to the swim start and got our wetsuits on and seeded ourselves based on expected finish time. </div>
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The new trickle start is so much better than the mass starts were. It's a swim, not an MMA fight so having open water around you is really nice. </div>
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The horn went off and we made our way into the water. The water was a little colder than I had expected but after 100m or so I warmed up and was quite comfortable. I had my suit on well and was gliding pretty nicely. I only took one shot during the swim and it was a kick to the jaw that slammed my teeth together but that's Ironman. It was a single loop course and so there was no break and you seem to go out forever. But when you make that turn to head home you know you've covered some good ground. </div>
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I came out of the water in 1:26 which is slower than I'd like but considering my training schedule lately wasn't too bad. My health has been wonky lately so days when I feel good I focus on the bike or run and the swim has to wait. </div>
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The run up to transition was quite far and was on an asphalt golf cart path so it was tough on the tootsies. I gingerly made my way inside to the bags and started getting dressed. This was unusual as transition was inside a ballroom of a conference centre. Normally it's a tent in a field so this was trés posh. I threw on my bike kit and was off. </div>
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THE BIKE FROM HELL</div>
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When I left transition and got to my bike at the racks some ass hat had knocked it over and it was sitting on its side. This did not impress me but I picked it up and went on my way. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The biggest downside was that when my bike got knocked over about 2/3 of my water had spilled but I didn't notice and I ran out of fluid about 5km in. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The ride started out as normal as any other. There's a tough little section leaving Huntsville where you have as one quick up and downs and then it's relatively easy for 15km or so. At the first aid at 26km I was feeling good and trucking along. </span></div>
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Just after leaving this stop I felt a feeling I knew all to well. I got nauseous, and then I felt a warm sensation all across my abdomen. <b>SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT THE REAL DETAILS.</b> I had pooped and because my spandex holds my bag firmly against my stomach there's nowhere for the stuff to go so it goes EVERYWHERE. Unfortunately I have no way to predict when this will happen and I don't have the ability to clench. There's no muscle there. I was 25km from the next station so I soldiered on but I knew what I was facing when I got there. It was shortly after this my chain dropped for the first time. This isn't a huge delay but it is a hassle. You have to get off and manually get your chain back onto the crank. Any time you stop your bike your time suffers so that's a pain. When I got to Dorset I pulled into the aid station and quickly got into the porta potty. This situation required 10 minutes, 2 bottles of water and a half a roll of TP to deal with. I know it's gross but this is what I have to deal with. I dealt with it as best I could and got back to it. Fortunately that was the last time I had an issue with that this race but it was plenty. </div>
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The next 70km were fairly uneventful save for two more chain drops. Stu and I had ridden 2 hours just a couple days before and my bike was functioning perfectly so I figure whoever dropped my bike in transition bent or misaligned something. Thanks homie! </div>
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The fourth time my chain came off was the big issue. Instead of coming off my crank (the front gear by the pedals) it came of my rear casette, and to the inside. When this happened it immediate seized my rear wheel and threw me into the ditch. This is actually fortunate as the roads were open and a car could easily have hit me had I gone the other side. Luckily I was climbing out of Dorset and was only doing about 10km/hr so I didn't get hurt, just a few scrapes. There was an aid station just up the road (at 121km) so I road towards it and now my chain started slipping. Every couple of pedal strokes it would slip and catch. I pulled into the aid station and requested a mechanic. Fortunately there was one on the spot and he made a few adjustments to what he thought was wrong and sent me on my way. </div>
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This adjustments had no impact on my bike and I spent the next 25km cursing my bike as the chain slipped and clunked. I arrived at the next pit stop around 146km and once again requested a mechanic. This time a van rolled up with a whole set up. He had a bike stand and all the tools. Nice! After trying similar adjustments as the first guy he realized one of my chain links had actually twisted and when it passed over the gears it would jump. So, now it was time for a total chain replacement. As you can imagine this takes some time and then I had to quickly jot down my info so they can bill me for the chain. Totally fair but Kim always gives me a hard time for my shopping at Ironman. Now I've discovered a way to actually spend money DURING the race! </div>
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I got back on the road about 40 minutes later and was thrilled at how my bike felt. It was like a new ride. It responded to everything and was just awesome. I was checking the time as I needed to be into transition by 5pm and I had to push it a little to make sure I would get there. I didn't have another issue the rest of the bike. Except for the hills but that's my problem. The Muskoka bike course prides itself on being one of the toughest on the circuit. With 7300 feet of climbing it tests anyone and when you're already having a day from hell it's even trickier. There's one hill in particular at about 80km and 160km that is not very long but is straight up. On the first lap I rode it but it spiked my heart rate and I felt it for a while. I decided that on lap 2 I would walk it and it turned out to be a great decision. I watched a guy ahead of me stand on his pedals and really push it. Then at the top he got off and tried to recover. I walked past him, got on my bike and never saw him again. </div>
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The last 8km back into Huntsville is the worst part. There's a couple of climbs that test your will. Admittedly I had to rest on both of them but I got up. After summiting the final hill you can cruise into Huntsville for about 2km. I arrived at 445pm. 15 minutes before the bike cutoff and about 8 hours and 10 minutes after I started my bike. Ugh. </div>
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I made my way into transition and finally got to try my custom Sugoi race kit. It's super comfortable and looks damn good I must say! I headed out the door and was onto the course at exactly 500pm giving me exactly 7 hours to do the marathon. This meant I had to maintain 10 minute kilometers or better to finish by midnight. I hit km 1 in 8:30 and was happy but by km 5 my pace had dropped and now they were taking over 10 minutes. Just before the 8km mark I did the math and there was just no way I was going to cross the line by midnight. I contemplated continuing on for the sake of it but being that I race again in 4 weeks I thought better of it. Why torture myself fruitlessly? The aid station called for a ride and once again my Ironman ended in a pickup truck. </div>
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This time made me particularly angry as it was some outside influences that helped to stop me, but that's the nature of the beast. After heading back to the start area I changed into my dry clothes and grabbed some pizza and pasta and hung out. Eventually I made my way to the finish area to wait for Stu to watch him finish. It was tough watching everyone cross the line as I know that feeling and really wanted it this time. </div>
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From Muskoka I headed off to Ottawa and a tour of the capital.<br />
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I decided to pay homage to my late father during lunch. He always said his favorite meal was a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese while sitting on a rock. I couldn't find a rock but I did make my way down to the Rideau Canal and sat and thought about him. It was a really nice afternoon. </div>
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I'm looking forward to getting home and getting back at training. I need to as I've got Ironman Chattanooga in less than 4 weeks. Animo!</div>
Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-9378361932991860032015-08-10T08:47:00.001-07:002015-08-10T17:27:28.933-07:00The Ride to Conquer CancerThis past weekend I was fortunate to participate in the Ride to Conquer Cancer. This is a 2 day event in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. I say I was fortunate because to ride you need to fundraiser a minimum of $2500 and my friends and family came through in a big way donating $3400. The entire event raised $7.8 million and this money will go to make advances for people like me fighting cancer.<br />
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Mom made the trek with me and volunteered at the event. We headed down Friday afternoon as I needed to be at the rehearsal as I was speaking at the opening ceremonies. We stayed at the Grey Eagle resort and casino and it was a really nice place to hang out and lose some money. </div>
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The ride began Saturday morning so we set the alarm for 5:45. Ugh. I need to find sports where the start time is, like, noonish. Anyway, we got to Canada Olympic Park and downed some breakfast. After meeting up with most of team #Cancercanthackett it was time for me to take the stage. I was speaking on behalf of the patients being helped by the Alberta Cancer Foundation and my words were well received. But to be fair, who's going to boo a cancer patient at an event like this?</div>
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After speaking I hustled down to my bike and got ready to take off. After they counted down to the start it was really neat to see 1700 cyclists all riding together. At triathlons you don't see this because the swim is first so people get to their bikes over a long period of time, not all at once. The down side to this is the congestion. There is no rhyme nor reason to who is at the front. This means there is a great deal of passing and confusion for the first 10km or so. </div>
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The course had a couple of steep climbs but overall was relatively easy. The biggest challenge for most is just the distance. The organizers did a good job of spacing out the aid stations so that you could fuel and hydrate at the right times. One difference from triathlon that o wasn't used to was a lunch stop. At 60km there was a full stop where you got a sandwich and salad and desert. We stopped for about 45 minutes and getting going again was tough. My stomach was full and my legs had started to seize from sitting. At lunch I also did a couple of interviews and my team mates were good enough to wait for me. Especially because the 2nd one was just as we were getting ready to head out. </div>
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I was lucky to meet Lori-Ann Muenzer at one of the aid stations. Lori-Ann is a local hero as she was a gold medallist in cycling at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.</div>
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The course was set up nicely as the hard climbs were before lunch so afterwards it was a little easier heading into the finish for the day. </div>
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We crossed the line after 113km day one and felt very relieved. </div>
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The camp area was a neat place to hang out. There were sponsor tents giving things away, Rogers had a phone charging station (phew) and Steam Whistle was giving away beer. This was a bummer because having cancer in my liver I've stayed away from all alcohol. Although, had I been able to drink o probably would have over done it and Sunday would not have been pretty. </div>
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Supper was in the arena and it was a nice opportunity to sit down with friends and reflect on the day. I was recognizable because I spoke at the opening and I had a number of people come and speak to me either with well wishes or, even better, their own stories of survival. The most memorable was Mark; he told me he had the same diagnosis as me and he is now 7 years out and NED (no evidence of disease). </div>
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After supper we hung out a little and then made our way to the tents. I hate camping so much so I was miserable. I couldn't get the right temperature, the bathrooms were a fair walk away and the ground was uneven. This isn't the fault of the organizers, it's the only way to house that many people, I'm just a princess. </div>
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The ride started a little earlier the next day, 7am and it was fun to look around and figure out who had been good friends with Steam Whistle. Some people were dragging pretty good. We started the journey back to Calgary and again the first 10km were congested and a little scary. </div>
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Despite the return course being a little tougher I actually felt better on day 2. This was likely because I focused on hydrating and got a massage the day before. </div>
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We all agreed to keep our lunch stop much shorter on day 2 as we all felt similar after day 1's lunch. After a quick stop we were back on the road and cruising to Calgary. About 20km from the finish we got a burst of energy and really picked up our tempo. This was fun as John, Ben, Mark, Carlos and I held between 35km/hr and 40km/hr to the finish. </div>
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Crossing the finish on day 2 was a really rewarding experience. Since I started chemo I've noticed a reduction in my physical abilities so it was nice to prove to myself I could still handle endurance events. The big test is in 3 weeks when I once again take on Ironman. This time in Muskoka. </div>
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I need to say thank you to so many people for this experience. The people that donated not only enabled me to ride but also made a difference in the lives of people living with cancer. My sponsors Sugoi, KPMG, Coloplast, Aquasphere, Hoka One One and Xterra Wetsuits. Also, Quintana Roo is getting on board with #cancercanthackett. </div>
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Finally, I need to thank my team mates. They kept me motivated throughout this adventure and it was so nice to share it with them! Mark, Ben, Carlos, John, Dayna, Kayla, Greg, Brian, and especially Vicky who came all the way from the UK; thank you all so much for doing this with me!</div>
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If you're doing the Edmonton Marathon or the ITU in Edmonton please come and visit my booth. I'll be passing out info on cancer screening and prevention and also selling sunglasses with the proceeds going to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.</div>
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Keep training hard my friends and ánimo.</div>
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-36421033019585607872015-07-25T19:59:00.000-07:002015-07-25T20:07:44.548-07:00The Power of the MindI have continued my work with my psycho-oncologist and I'm so happy to report that I'm feeling extremely positive and happy. One of the biggest things we focus on is "programs." These are the thoughts that enter our conscious mind that then go off into our subconscious and do their real work.<div><br></div><div>A simple negative thought about our health can act like a worm and spread throughout your body. Likewise, a positive thought can boost you and keep you feeling good. </div><div><br></div><div>I am a believer in the body's ability to heal itself and Dr. Valenzuela and I have been focusing on that a great deal. That being said, I'm not going to stop chemotherapy, that would be silly, but I think if you just turn yourself over to someone else and say "fix me" you don't have enough invested in yourself. Visualization is a huge part of this process and I'm glad to say that any time I've pictured my cancer it's been a passive mass. Some people studied actually see a living being that they're fighting. That is an unfortunate scenario because it gives a certain amount of power to the cancer. My visualizations involve seeing my body identify the tumors and then my body moves in for the kill. </div><div><br></div><div>Any athlete who has set long term goals should recognize most of these strategies because they're exactly the same. It's simply seeing the end goal and not straying from that mission. I have to say that I have seen the effect of losing belief. Going into Ironman Coeur d'Alene I told my friend Kris that I figured I had about a 25% chance of finishing the race. And wouldn't you know it? I didn't finish the race. My wife Kim and I have always maintained that everything happens for a reason and this was just another instance. Happily it was one where the stakes were low but it was an important realization that I need to maintain my focus and not let the negative programs sneak in. I'm in for a hell of a fight but the army I've amassed is as good as any in the world. </div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-7666785140391622462015-07-06T22:39:00.000-07:002015-07-10T08:25:14.312-07:00The Old College TriIronman Coeur d'Alene was to be Ironman #8 on the way to 12 to get to Kona. Unfortunately it didn't work out but that's actually ok. In the previous 6 weeks I have had 4 procedures to get my liver working again. While my liver was not functioning properly I didn't ride or run the entire time. 6 weeks off of training leading into an Ironman is not the best strategy. Although I did have fresh legs.<br>
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The week started out Monday with my regular oncological appointment and blood work. Thankfully everything was good but my doctor was left shaking his head. I told him my plan for the weekend and he just laughed and told me "just don't do anything stupid." I promised a</div>
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I wouldn't and went out to the receptionist to get my chemo appointment. I had chemo on Tuesday and that lasts until about noon on Thursday. </div>
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I left with my buddy Kris on Thursday and we went about half way to Coeur d'Alene. It was a nice drive and great to share it with a long time friend. Kris was doing his 3rd Ironman and so he had experience so we had a chance to talk about racing and we knew what we were taking about. </div>
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On Friday we were up early and on the road. We got to the border about 11 and were thrilled how good the border guards were. They had a couple of quick questions but let us through pretty quickly. We got in to Coeur d'Alene about 1 o'clock and after checking in to the hotel headed down to Ironman Village to register. This has become anti-climactic; it used to be a really exciting time. Getting your wrist band and checking out the cool tents. Now, unfortunately, it's become more of a chore as it's just another step towards racing. However, we got our stuff and headed out onto the race course so Kris could see it once before racing it Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M42QXg6mIPQ/VZ_jw3ZlATI/AAAAAAAAAjE/VsMN_jB8vJM/s640/blogger-image--238565160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M42QXg6mIPQ/VZ_jw3ZlATI/AAAAAAAAAjE/VsMN_jB8vJM/s640/blogger-image--238565160.jpg"></a></div><br></div>
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One of the biggest breaks for Kris and me was that the Martinez family were in town to race and had rented a basement suite with a parking spot across the street from transition. This is the Martinez family from the famous Animo story so they're great friends and were so generous to share their place with us when we needed parking or a cold drink.<br>
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The bike course is not overly technical but it is fairly hilly. And it's not rolling hills, it's significant climbs separated by flats. These long slow climbs can be quite draining physically and mentally so it's nice to see where they end so you can plan for it. After course recon we headed back to the room for a rest before going to Ted 2. I LOVE watching movies at Ironman for a few of reasons. You get to sit in a cool room, relax and take your mind off the race. We got out about 10 and were starving so we jumped across the street for some pizza. Unfortunately the place had just closed so we asked for a recommendation and they told us to try Pepe Caldo. </div>
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We punched this place into the GPS and headed up the hill. We found it pretty easily but upon arrival I decided that the ramp section of the sidewalk was for chumps and launched over the curb and into a spot. I don't take the easy road,sometimes literally. I was confused at first as the front area of the pizza place is also a skateboard shop and I thought I'd gone in the wrong door. Upon further investigation there were pizza ovens in the back so we made our way to the counter and started talking with the two people working. It quickly became evident that they were the owners and were VERY passionate about their business and it showed. After a great chat we made off with our gigantic pizza and headed back to the room.<br>
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Saturday, we got up fairly early and packed our transition bags and bikes. We hauled them into transition and after getting them settled we picked up my friend Sarah and her mom and headed into Spokane for some shopping and lunch. The original plan was to continue my tradition and have P.F. Chang's as my day-before meal. Unfortuately Hoop Fest was also on this weekend. This is the largest 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the world and P.F. Chang's is right in the middle of the mayhem. We opted not to go to Chang's and instead went across from the mall to Dragon House.<br>
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We met Kris' dad and step-mom at this point and he was so generous and picked up the cheque. Unfortunately, this was the worst Chinese food I've ever had. It was over-sauced and under flavoured. The weirdest part was that they provided crackers with the won ton soup and ketchup and mustard with the main meal. So very very odd.<br>
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We headed back to Coeur d'Alene and rested up for the torture test that was to take place the next day. We set our alarms for the ridiculous time of 4am becuase the temperature was predicted to be so hot that Ironman decided to start an hour earlier. This was to protect the pros as much as possible as it meant they would spend less time in the heat. It sucked for us regular folks but we were gonna spend all day in the heat anyway so no big deal.<br>
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When the alarm went off it was WAY too early but we had laid out everything the night before so it was essentially grab and go. I knew it was going to be a hot day when, at 4:30am, I was perfectly comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. Normally I wear sweat pants and a hoodie to the race site as it's too cold otherwise. We met Carlos and Roxi and got all of our stuff together. Roxi was so awesome and handled all of our gear and car keys, etc. so we had nothing to worry about.<br>
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We headed down to the swim start area and warmed up and then found our starting area. In Coeur d'Alene you seed yourself based on expected swim finish time and it's great because you don't have to fight with faster people going over the top of you.<br>
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The water was much warmer than the previous time I competed here so that was a nice little bonus. When the horn went off I waded into the water and started swimming. This is a really interesting part of an Ironman because you can't win the race here or even get too far ahead, BUT, you can really screw it up. You need to focus on your breathing and controlling your pace. Going off too fast at the start of the swim can make you hyper-ventilate and that's what induces panic. I was really happy with my performance in the water. I came out in 1:24, which is my slowest swim to date, but considering the issues I'd battled leading up to the race I was happy. <br>
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Transition took a lot longer than usual. This was because I had a whole new step in my transition. The colostomy bag change. This is a bit graphic but unfortunately my bag didn't hold through the swim so I had a clean up on aisle 7 before I could get out on my bike. Before you can put on a new bag you need to dry the skin completely so this took time but it's my new reality. I was using the Coloplast one-piece bags and they provide an awesome benefit. They don't have a hard ring that pinches when you move and they are self-adhesive so I didn't need to carry paste with me. I had pre-cut 10 of these bags and put 5 in each of my transition bags. <br>
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I got on the bike and was careful to start out easy. The bike course is a two-loop course and features two out and backs. The first is a short loop with a short steep hill. I spun this hill and it was very easy. After coming back through town you head out onto the bigger loop. Fairly soon after starting you hit the big hill on the course. It's a 2 mile 6% grade climb. Again, I spun my legs and didn't try to power up the hill and instead just rode easily. This strategy paid off and I never lost my breath. For those that haven't attempted a distance race like this you need to understand the emotional roller coaster you go on. Going up a hill you swear you're going to die or at least spontaneously combust. Then, when you crest that hill and start coasting down it's like angels are singing. Managing the emotional game is just as important as managing the physical part of the race. <br>
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As I finished the first 56-mile loop I felt great and saw Roxi and our friend Lisa on the course cheering. I gave them a big smile and a wave and headed off feeling great. Unfortunately 4 miles later I realized my day was over. The temperature was hitting the high of 41 Celcius (104 F) and although I wasn't at a point where I needed to stop, I knew I wasn't going to finish and punishing myself further would not be safe. I kept hearing my doctor telling me not to do anything stupid and I pulled off to the side of the road and flagged down an official. They put in a call for SAG to come and pick me up and I waited next to the road. When the truck showed up he loaded up my bike and my carcass and I joined the other 3 riders already in the truck. He said it was already a busy day and I could tell by the radio traffic asking for pick ups. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ULvuTSaXKos/VZ_jzYlTZ2I/AAAAAAAAAjU/k53kEbq0mQI/s640/blogger-image--1298910220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ULvuTSaXKos/VZ_jzYlTZ2I/AAAAAAAAAjU/k53kEbq0mQI/s640/blogger-image--1298910220.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>After getting dropped off at transition I found Roxi and Lisa and hung out with them. I grabbed my phone and called Kim to tell her what had happened and she was really happy to hear from me. I can only imagine the stress when you see times stop showing up online. You wonder if there's been a crash or something awful has happened. After a quick cry I realized that it was ok. In fact,</div><div>after checking the results I saw that 70 people just in my age group dropped out. Nearly 1/3.</div><div><br></div><div>I returned to the hotel and grabbed a burger and a nap. After waking up I headed background to the race to cheer on Chris, Carlos and Sarah. Sarah,</div><div>The amazing little med student racer turned in around a 12:30 but didn't look super happy coming in. Carlos was a couple of hours later around 14:20. I realized just how hot it was when I was just watching the race and the sidewalk was too hot to even sit on. </div><div><br></div><div>I began to worry about Kris' ability to finish. It was getting late in the day and I was constantly checking in with Kim o see his progress. Unfortunately, the online tracker wasn't working propey so it said that Kris had 2 miles left and only 28 minutes to do it. This would mean he would have to pick up his pace quite a bit to bear the 17 hour cutoff. Needless to say I was thrilled when he showed up with 19 minutes to go before the cut off. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dO_qB7-d4pM/VZ_jx6hzNmI/AAAAAAAAAjM/fdS0kvgOCt4/s640/blogger-image-179664818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dO_qB7-d4pM/VZ_jx6hzNmI/AAAAAAAAAjM/fdS0kvgOCt4/s640/blogger-image-179664818.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Because I had an athlete wrist band I was able to get into the finishers area and hang out with him while he recovered. This was nice because it can be lonely back there when you don't know anyone. After some pizza and a sandwich he was ready to head back to the room. I had already loaded up his stuff so we just had to jump in the van and go. </div><div><br></div><div>After getting back to the room it was pretty easy to fall asleep and we drifted off to get ready for the 11 hour drive home the next day. </div>
Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-16940749753081883192015-05-23T05:08:00.001-07:002015-05-23T12:00:03.327-07:00I'm waiiiiiiting. An update.Quite a bit of time has passed since my last post. Mostly this was because things were ticking along just fine and there was nothing to tell you.<div><br></div><div>The highlight of this past couple of months was the opportunities I've been given to speak to different groups. The Alberta Cancer Foundation had me out to their staff retreat to talk about what they do for patients. The ACF is a charity that funds the bulk of what makes cancer treatment tolerable in Alberta. They provide the chemo recliners, the volunteers that escort you when you're lost and most importantly fund the clinical trials that advance oncology for the entire world. </div><div><br></div><div>Part of my message to these amazing people was that no matter what role they fill in the foundation they are an integral link in patient care. I talked about my story and share a few humorous anecdotes. This was well received and I was happy to give back to a group that has done so much for me. </div><div><br></div><div>Later on I was given the opportunity to speak to a running group at the Running Room in Sherwood Park. This was a much different group so my message was tailored to them. This time my main message was what endurance racing has done for me. Ironman racing has taken my body to places that many people will never get. Exhausted and beaten up but I still managed to keep going. This has been hugely important to my treatment being tolerable. No matter how bad I've felt during chemo it's never been as bad as an Ironman.</div><div><br></div><div>However, about a month ago my blood tests started to show an issue with my liver enzymes. They reached a level where they stopped giving me chemo for a time and this made me angry. It's mentally draining enough to endure treatment, but stopping that treatment because something is wrong is absolutely enraging. </div><div><br></div><div>This culminated last week in a trip to the ER at 3am. I had a great deal of abdominal pain and my eyes had turned yellow. After a day of tests they decided that my bile duct had become pinched off by some swollen lymph nodes. They sent me home and told me to come back on Tuesday for an ERCP procedure. This is a camera down the throat where they access your bile duct through your small intestine and use a stent to open it up. </div><div><br></div><div>Awesome, I endured a pain all weekend long. Not being able to sleep lying down I made my way to the basement and passed out sitting up on my recliner. Tuesday came and my sister drove me to the U of A for my procedure. After getting prepped they wheeled me into the room and started the sedation. I thought I was going to be out completely but all they do is make you happy. After putting a mouthpiece with a hole in it in my face they started feeding equipment down my gullet. They use air to keep everything open so I remember a great deal of burping the entire time. </div><div><br></div><div>After about 45 minutes they told me they had put in two stents and I waited for my ride home. Mom came and got me and took me home to rest. Every day I keep waiting for my pee and eyes to be a normal colour and so far I've been disappointed. Kim assures me I'm looking better but I don't feel any better. </div><div><br></div><div>This is really the worst I've felt this entire time. Mentally and physically I'm aggravated. I just want to feel better so I can live my life. </div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-27623721522026482062015-04-08T14:48:00.001-07:002015-04-08T16:53:22.691-07:00Psycho OncologyI have added a new member to my treatment team. Dr. Francisco Valenzuela is a rarity in that his area of expertise is psycho oncology. <div><br></div><div>Now to clear things up, this does not mean he is an oncologist that is a psycho. I know this should be self-evident but my darling sister WHO IS A LICENSED RN didn't understand what this term was. (Sorry Erin but c'mon) Dr. Valenzuela's approach to fighting cancer is to engage the body in what it is supposed to do, and that is casting off these rogue cells. He achieves this by getting the unconscious mind to absorb this suggestion and giving it permission to carry out this task. </div><div><br></div><div>The first meeting is very simple. We met and discussed my situation and he did a couple of simple exercises. The first that really blew my mind was to describe my Kindergarten teacher and the classroom. As far as I can remember I haven't been into that school since 1989 but I was able to recall nearly every detail. This information has been floating around in my mind for decades but just running in the background. </div><div><br></div><div>The thing I love about Dr. Valenzuela is that he comes from a place of positivity. My regular oncologist is a brilliant man but his stance is embedded in science and statistics. I find meeting with him extremely unnerving because he almost hedges his bets with me and every time he gives me good info there always seems to be a caviat or "but." At my last appointment i was told my CT results were good but during this meeting I was told I have a "weird mutation" to my tumor and that he'd like me to send it off for genetic testing. This would require me to give permission to be entered into a phase 1 trial which is scary but I was reassured after the fact that this just means he's such a good doctor that he's building a tool box to work on me if the current tools stop working. </div><div><br></div><div>I think the cost of genius might be forgetting that the patient is a fragile ball of nerves that hangs on every word and nuiance. The biggest thing that stuck with me from my last appointment was an off-handed comment. He was talking about the paperwork requirements of insurance companies and said that every 6 months or so they will ask him to update a patient's status. His stance was , "they're stage 4, they're never going back to work." This was a slap in the face. Does he never plan on me getting better? Am I really unsavable? Even if he extends my life a decade will it be so awful I won't have a normal life? I was too stunned to ask at the time but I was saddened to think that this amazing man is writing me off. This may or may not be the case but it's definitely how I interpreted it. If I hadn't seen other people with my similar diagnosis or worse that were 10 years on and thriving them maybe I'd feel crazy, but having seen what's possible I'd really like my doc to get on board with Team Colin and come from a place of fixing me. </div><div><br></div><div>As Dr. Valenzuela said, our unconcious mind is always working and taking everything in; so when the man I'm entrusting with my life throws out words like incurable and never returning to work I believe they circulate in my mind and can do absolutely no good. Deep down I know I've got the top doctor and that he's doing 100% of what is currently available to fix me, I just wish there was an attitude of positivity. </div><div><br></div><div>The final activity Dr. Valenzuela and I did was enter in a trance type state and allowing my body to just focus on breathing and seeing the cancer. This was a bizarre experience. I completely relaxed and hung out in a chair. After a few minutes of just breathing I actually started sweating and feeling odd sensations throughout my body. This was a very powerful feeling. That night was odd as I had some far out dreams and it even made sleeping hard but I can see the possibilities that this treatment is opening up. </div><div><br></div><div>If you're in the Edmonton area and want to enlist Dr. Valenzuela I STRONGLY encourage you to at least explore it. The office he works at is http://www.solmed.ca </div><div>His personal site is http://www.drfvalenzuela.com</div><div>If you can't visit him personally please get his book! </div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-3059241749040639532015-04-03T13:30:00.000-07:002015-04-03T13:30:17.624-07:00That First CTThe hardest part of this entire thing is all the waiting. I dutifully take my chemotherapy every second Tuesday but I never really know if it's working. I just have to trust that the science is good and that I respond properly.<br />
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On March 30th I made my regular trip to the Cross to get my blood taken to ensure I had sufficient neutrophils to take another round of chemo. These neutrophils indicate your body's ability to fight off infection and if they're too low you get delayed so they don't open you up too badly to infection. I had this experience a couple of rounds ago and I was extremely upset for a couple of reasons. The first is that I took any delay to mean that somehow I was losing, not getting my chemo on schedule seemed like the disease was winning. The other was that it threw my entire life schedule off. I had booked trips to Toronto and Hawaii around my chemo schedule and when I got delayed it meant I was now supposed to get chemo while I was on these trips. I was able to reschedule without any trouble and so the trips are back on but I was worried for a bit. <br />
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Fortunately, I'm part of an amazing group of colon cancer survivors online and they had all experienced delays in their chemo treatments and reassured me that it was nothing to be uspset about. Just a fact of treatment.<br />
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I was thrilled to find out that my neutrophils were extremely good, typically I've been around 1.4 which is the absolute bottom level that they'll allow you to get treatment. This time I was at 3.2 and doing very well. The VERY exciting part was that my CT results showed that my cancer was SHRINKING! One of the two tumors in my liver had shrunk while the other remained the same. Additionally, my lymph nodes were shrinking, with one cited at going from 1.4cm down to 0.9cm for a nearly 30% reduction. The doctor just couldn't let me have that; he went on to explain that he had gotten the results of my tumor's genetic testing and that it had an "odd mutation." I asked what this meant and he sort of explained that because it was responding to chemo it didn't really mean anything but he was going to ask me to sign a permission form to be considered for a phase 1 trial in the future just to have it "in his back pocket."<br />
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This was alarming to me as I know phase 1 trials to be the last chance for people who have not had success with the tried and tested chemotherapy. It turns out I'm right but Kim went online and chatted with some online friends and they assured us that this means our doctor is a super hero. Rather than doing the minimum, he was getting ahead of the game so that if I did have an issue with my current treatment plan there was an option already available instead of scrambling. <br />
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I was further calmed the next day when the research nurse came to visit me and get my permission to send my tumor off for further testing to see if I was a fit for the trial. The first words out of her mouth were, "Dr. Sawyer wanted me to reassure you this is just for the future, nothing to be worried about." I think he's getting to know that despite my tough outer shell I'm an emotional train wreck when it comes to how I'm doing. <br />
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I know this is going to be a recurring cycle. Get my results, go a few months of treatment and then go for another CT and anxiously await my results. It's taxing and exhausting but the joy of getting good results is a feeling like no other. I'm back into my training for Ironman Coeur d'Alene and although I'm not where I have been in the past I feel confident in my ability to finish.<br />
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Animo my friends!Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-13512104830069582382015-03-02T15:36:00.001-08:002015-03-02T15:38:48.133-08:00The Flu Gave Me InsightI'm sitting here writing this in a towel as I try to recover from a nasty flu. Just let that image sink in for a moment. Mmmmm. I'm sick to my stomach, my body is sore and I'm mentally fatigued. The best part of this flu is that this is a completely foreign feeling to me.<div><br></div><div>Why am I telling you all of this? I want people to know that curing cancer is not the only reason you donate to cancer fundraisers. The treatments involved in curing cancer or, at the very least, staving it off are extremely taxing on the body. You can get worn down and feel absolutely miserable making the treatment often worse than the disease. This leads to poor survival rates because some folks opt to forego treatment because of how awful they feel. </div><div><br></div><div>In recent years, however, such incredible developments have been made that they don't have to completely obliterate your body to treat your cancer. Rather, these new targeted treatments are bothy more effective and less harsh on the patient. </div><div><br></div><div>As I lay in bed thinking about how miserable I feel I am filled with a profound appreciation of those that have gone before me. The ones that fought through illness. The ones that offered their bodies up to improve treatments. And the ones that donated to places like the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. </div><div><br></div><div>I was lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cross Cancer Institute and see the amazing work they're doing there. One of the resounding themes I heard was that the advances are directly related to the donations to these charities. The government only funds so much. To truly make a change we need the private citizens to contribute to these events. </div><div><br></div><div>Every one of you that has contributed in any way has really made life better for people like me and I thank you. Going forward, don't think the only measure of success is a "cure for cancer." Every day they're getting a little better and treatments are a little easier. </div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-21345274789976078632015-02-22T09:41:00.000-08:002015-02-22T09:41:29.319-08:00An Attitude of GratitudeThe last couple of months have been an absolute whirl wind. Appointments, interviews, photo shoots, charity hockey games and all the while training.<br />
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The charity hockey game was absolutely amazing. 40 players took shifts and played for 250 hours. More importantly they raised $1.1 million for the Cross Cancer Institute for some vital equipment. Dr. Brent Saik did the first World's Longest Hockey Game to honor his father who passed away from Cancer. Shortly after that his wife passed away from cancer and his mission was clear. He was going to help everyone he could in his fight against cancer. This most recent game was the 5th edition and each time it gets better. I referee in my spare time and was honored to referee the final shift of the record setting game, mostly because it gave me the opportunity to the thank the men and woman who took 10 days out of their lives to help people like me.</div>
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Hugging Brent Saik</div>
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This is all really fun but my hope is that from all of this exposure my message doesn't get lost. You need to pay attention to your body and get your regular check ups. The ability for them to cure cancer in the early stages is absolutely amazing. BUT, they have to find it. Don't be afraid to stand up to your doctor. Insist on getting a scope. You don't have to be passive in your care. Too often we just take the opinion of the first person and just accept it. </div>
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I've mentioned before that I religiously listen to the Adam Carolla show. A daily podcast that is hilarious but also has some amazing insights. Adam's side kick Bald Bryan is living with a brain stem tumor and his book Shrinkage details his entire fight against cancer. In his book, one of the things he mentioned was visualization, which I do anyway, but also talking to your cancer. I really liked this idea. I told my cancer out loud, "Thank you cancer, you've shown me what's truly important in life and given me the opportunity to talk to people and help them. But you can go now." This felt great but the guy sitting next to me on the bus seemed freaked out (I kid I kid). </div>
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Kim and I have taken a holistic approach to beating this stupid disease and I really feel like it's working. Of course I'm getting the chemotherapy, but I'm also taking natural supplements, doing yoga with Kim and meditating at night. This has allowed me to make cancer a part of my life rather than what my life is all about. </div>
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The greatest opportunity I'm getting is one I've created myself. The #cancercanthackett tour this summer is going to be an amazing opportunity to reach tens of thousands of people. I've picked 8 races (possibly 9) across Canada that I will be setting up a booth and talking to people about screening and prevention but more importantly, I think, showing them that cancer doesn't have to change who you are. </div>
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I'm so happy to have sponsors on board as well. XTERRA are sponsoring me with wetsuits and swim suits, Sugoi is doing custom clothing, Hoka One One is supplying my shoes and Coloplast is providing cash to make it all happen. The best thing about these sponsors is that I used all of these companies' products anyway. They've just decided that my project is important enough to support it. </div>
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My training is finally getting back on track. I had a bit of a tough time getting back into running. I realized afterward that I had been going too fast and burning out quickly which made me angry and got me down. I decided to slow down and my minutes went way up. I'm really kind of starting over but that's ok. Finishing an Ironman now is a whe new challenge. I'm not sure how many people actively on chemo have completed one, but I'm not one to pay attention to averages or stats anyway. If I was I wouldn't have done a half marathon at 300 pounds or an Ironman at 285 pounds. </div>
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Kim and I are really in a good place now. We've gotten to a place where we can openly talk about all of the possibilities and we're totally at peace with where we stand. </div>
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I'm hoping you'll continue to follow along and more importantly, getting your check ups! </div>
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¡Ánimo!</div>
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-15944471101316771002015-02-19T19:39:00.002-08:002015-02-19T21:07:45.426-08:00Living with a Colostomy - There's Better Options!<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX87994297" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">Without
question the hardest part of this entire journey has been my colostomy.
It requires constant maintenance and I’m almost always concerned about
some aspect of it. Is it sealed? Is it showing? Do I have extra
supplies? This problem is compounded as an athlete as the extra sweat
and movement mean</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">s</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;"> my average wear time is even less than the usual </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="SpellingError SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">colostomate</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">I
was lamenting this to a friend who had been through stage 3 colon
cancer just the year before and he asked what colostomy supplies I was
using. I showed him and he told me he had something for me. He had had
his ileostomy reversed but still had some supplies kicking around so he
told me to give them a try. I immediately noticed a few very distinct
differences between what I was using and what he was showing me. </span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">My
colostomy supplies were an ugly beige medical looking product and the
flanges were a hard plastic and monstrous. This other product was a much
more attractive fabric, the flanges were bendable and a much smaller
size.</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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and I went home and changed my flange to try it out. I was
immediately impressed. I decided to test it out by riding my bike and
the difference was instantaneous. In triathlon you ride a great deal of
time bent over your </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297">handle</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297"> bars which means your stomach area is folded. My old flanges made this uncomfortable as they were solid and dug into me. The </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="text-align: left; color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297">SenSura Mio</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297"> flanges allowed movement and made my riding so much more bearable. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297">The addition of the adhesive strips on the outside of the flange gave me extra security</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297"> to do things like swim, run and just live my regular life.</span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="color: windowtext; text-align: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div></div><div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX87994297" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">Another benefit of </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">SenSura Mio</span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">
I’ve noticed over the other product I was using is that the flange is
clear. This means that you don’t have any doubt when you’ve lost your
seal. The other product was like a bandage so you were always inspecting
and guessing whether or not it was still working and sometimes it was
too late. </span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">While
having a colostomy is not the greatest thing that’s ever happened,
Coloplast helps make me feel as normal as possible. As a young man it
can be embarrassing to have a colostomy and having you pouch hang out of
your shirt can be mortifying. Coloplast </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">SenSura Mio </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">pouches
don’t look medical though. The silk-like fabric accidentally hanging
out of your shirt, while not the best look, doesn’t look like a medical
product. </span></span><span class="EOP SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">If you require colostomy products I strongly encourage you to </span></span><a href="http://www.coloplast.ca/Ostomy/People-with-an-ostomy/New-SenSura-Mio/?utm_source=MioCleanGear&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=CleanGear"><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">click </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">here</span></span></a><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="color: red; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX87994297" style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SCX87994297" style="background-color: inherit;">and try a sample. I promise you won’t be disappointed!</span></span>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-64810511101992603382015-02-18T12:10:00.001-08:002015-02-18T12:10:31.444-08:00Spreading the WordNow that my new reality is setting in I'm excited to enter into the
next adventure. Being out of the classroom means that I have time to
devote to spreading the word about cancer screening and prevention.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
I
am writing this blog as more of an advertisement than a blog so I
apologize for that but I really want to get out and start talking to
people about the importance of screening for various cancers. I was
foolish and did not get my regular check ups and ignored some signs that
may have been able to prevent my cancer from spreading. <br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
As
a teacher I'm an experienced public speaker and my presentations to
different groups have received incredible feedback. I manage to weave
comedy into some pretty heavy topics and this breaks down people's walls
and allows the more important message to come through. <br />
This
summer I will be exhibiting at a number of endurance races across
Canada spreading this message. I chose these races because typically
this population is not the one to get their screening done. It is a
self-selected group of healthy people and thus they don't get secondary
illnesses that would lead to an "accidental" cancer discovery. <br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
This
#cancercanthackett tour is backed by the Alberta Cancer foundation and
the Canadian Cancer Society and promises to reach tens of thousands of
people. <br />
If you want me to come and speak to your group or attend your race please contact me through my website. <br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
Additionally,
I am looking for sponsors for the tour. All sponsors will get their
logo on my uniform, website, print media ,and banners. <br />
<br />
Animo!Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-80753661489296815932015-02-12T20:44:00.001-08:002019-11-02T16:58:02.999-07:00Kim's take on living with a celebrityTrifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-80222653132019409642015-02-08T21:10:00.000-08:002015-02-09T08:16:16.297-08:00I'm Back Baby, Part IIThe next part of my rebirth, if you will, is a trip to San Francisco to do some training. It sucks trying to train for an endurance sport almost exclusively indoors but in Canada your choices are limited. So every now and then I like to get away to train.<br>
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I had a funny moment at the airport as I entered the U.S. Customs area. The dutiful guard asked why I was going to San Francisco and I told him I was swimming from Alcatraz. He thought I was being a smart ass and so he started to grill me. I realized right away that he could really mess up my travel plans so I whipped out my phone and showed him the confirmation email of my crossing time and he half sheepishly told me to have fun and let me go. </div>
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The first leg from Edmonton to Denver was wonderfully uneventful and we landed a little late but with plenty of time to spare so I hustled up to the United lounge and had a glass of red wine and some snackers. I boarded my flight to San Francisco and was to delighted to find that although I had a middle seat my seat mates were both very slender. Boom! Awesome. Or so I thought.</div>
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I hadn't noticed right away but the person at the window was actually the rare domesticated bare-footed chick. The main feature of this species is that it's not enough to have bare feet. You have to hook your toes on the pocket of the seat back in front of you. The most prominent feature of the feet is a series of blisters on the top of the toes that make other passengers cringe. </div>
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I got to SFO and found my way to my luggage. FIRST BAG OFF THE PLANE! This reminded me of my time with the Golden Bears. On flights we would all put a dollar in a hat and the first bag off the plane would take it all. Then everyone else would throw your gear around the airport but hey, can't win 'em all.</div>
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I woke up Friday with nothing to do. I remember a professor in University saying "the freedom to do anything is great, but the freedom to do nothing is divine." I never really understood what this meant until I was a real grown up. Having absolutely zero responsibilities for a day was incredibly freeing and I felt light. I made my way down the street to a nice little diner on the wharf and had French toast and eggs. As I sat there the light drizzle turn into a full on storm. Fortunately, when you don't have any plans they can't be ruined so I just decided to drive around. If you've never driven in San Francisco you need to do it once. The hills are absolutely hilarious and terrifying at the same time. Some are so steep that when you hit the apex and start to descend you just have to trust there's no one on the other side because you can't see where you're going.</div>
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The storm never let up and, in fact, I got an email from the company that was running the Alcatraz crossing that there was a Coast Guard warning for the bay the next morning. Awesome. Basically, they were going to take us out there and then hope it was safe enough to make the swim. Okay, not super excited about that. However, when I woke up Saturday morning I opened the curtains and was delighted to find that the sun was shining and there was no wind. I used google maps to get directions to the meeting point for the swim and started laughing. It said 2 minutes walking. It was essentially right outside of my hotel. I made my way down to the meeting point, signed my waiver and off we went. It was great because there were only 10 of us swimming so there was very little prep time needed. This is unlike the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon where there are a couple thousand participants and it takes over an hour to get going.<br>
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We jumped in and the water was just as cold as I remembered. I wanted to complain but as it happens there was a 12 year old girl swimming with us with NO WET SUIT! I found out afterwards this girl speaks 3 languages and just finished climbing a mountain in Chile. Jeepers! An interesting thing I found out was that they only sort of know what the water is going to do. They originally told us to aim for the old fort because they expected a flood tide. This would push us left and so that aiming point would take us safely into the harbour. Well, it turns out we had a slack tide so as we got closer to shore the kayak pilots had to herd us and navigate us further over into the opening to this really cool harbour. They've essentially created an open water swimming pool. Picture a horse shoe of pier that goes out about 100 meters with an opening into the ocean. As I entered this horse shoe I had a "you gotta be kidding me" moment. I was swimming along and BANG, bounced my head off of something. I looked up to see an equally confused 50-something year old man staring back at me. I had managed to swim into another person in the middle of the friggin' ocean. We laughed it off and I made my way to shore.<br>
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After getting back to the hotel I showered up and planned out the rest of my day. I decided to do something I've always wanted to do and that was to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. I made my way to the Sausalito end of the bridge, threw in my headphones and just started walking. <br>
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1% Man</div>
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I'm writing this portion of the blog from the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. I've taken Adam Carolla's advice and put on some headphones and just started walking. This cleared my head and filled me with endorphins. The GGB is 1.7 miles each direction so 3.4 miles in total and its a great chance to do some thinking. </div>
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Behind me (if you can see past that giant dome) is the swim I completed just this morning and I got to thinking. When I was first diagnosed we looked up how likely I was to get this stupid disease and I'm a 1%er. That meant to Kim and I that the stats don't apply. I've done things in my life that most people will never come close to in their life so why should I look at other people's cancer stories? How many people do Ironman at 285 pounds? Me. How many people go sub 12 hours at 250 pounds? Sat in a burning building? Taken down by a police K9? Have the best wife in the world? (Boom! Brownie points. Although writing that probably negates them. Damn.) I'm a unique dude and I'll show people there's hope.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3zkbnlYnBBQ/VNg8OsQoPLI/AAAAAAAAAgU/YMvHWzqhSMM/s640/blogger-image--973456747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3zkbnlYnBBQ/VNg8OsQoPLI/AAAAAAAAAgU/YMvHWzqhSMM/s640/blogger-image--973456747.jpg"></a></div><br></div>
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COLOSTOMY UPDATE: The bathrooms at the Golden Gate Bridge were out of toilet paper. But I don't need toilet paper. Who wins now world?<br>
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Sunday was supposed to be half marathon day. However, on Saturday night I realized that my sock choice the day before was not stellar as I had gotten some nice blisters on the bottom of two toes which were incredibly painful. Also, I started to develop a gnarly cough which left me wheezing and hcking. Beautiful hey? So when my alarm went off Sunday morning and it was once again POURING rain I shut off the button and tucked myself back into bed. I need to be at the Cross Cancer Institute tomorrow afternoon for my blood tests and I don't want to be too sick to my next round of chemo. </div>
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I turned on the TV and realized what I had been subjected to for the past three days. US TV news is all about fear. Russia, China and Iran are all conspiring to destroy the world, ISIS and Boka Haram are going to cotinue randomly attacking innocent people, Republicans and Democrats are conspiring against one another to destroy the free world. It had all been subtle but I longed for the Canadian news I was used to. I can assure you that we do, in fact, hear bad stories on the news but it is not the constant barrage of negativity I experienced on the trip. The other really depressing thing about American TV is that they appear to LOVE basketball. I can get down with the occasional game but no less than 5 different channels were showing NCAA basketball. Most of these games were one-sided drubbings which were hardly worth watching. I also can't figure out why people go absolutely bananas over a slam dunk. Now an alley oop or a guy getting posterized (a guy jumps over you and dunks) are pretty cool, but most often it's a 7'1" tall dude jumping 4.5" off the ground and throwing a ball through the rim. Then this gets put in the top 10 plays for the night. Are you out of your friggin' minds?!? Imagine if Canadian sports highlights conisisted of Sidney Crosby carefully sliding a puck into an empty net while his teammates swung towels around in the air and chest bumped each other. Weirdos.<br>
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This would have been bad enough but the absolute worst thing I saw on TV down here was a bowler. This guy, whose last name is Weber, is just absolutely infuriating. He wears dark sunglasses and yells to the crowd after his throws. After the 8th frame he did the "discount double check" thing where he pretended to be wearing a championship wrestling belt. But the coup de gras was after he won the quarter-final match. He held his black-gloved fist in the air, then went to a knee and slammed his fist into the floor and roared. I was pissed. I couldn't believe this guy. I was so mad in fact I actually took my shoes back off, I had planned to go out, and watched the semi-final to see him lose. When he did I actually threw a fist pump in the air. I immediately realized the absurdity of it all but in those moments it was so nice to be normal. Or, as normal as I can be cheering against a weirdo bowling.<br>
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I had a few hours to kill before my flight so I headed to Westfield Centre in downtown San Francisco as I had tried to buy the kids some things at the wharf but it was mostly overpriced crap. I knew I would find something better at the mall. I phoned home and asked Cambrey (2 1/2 year old) what I should get her. She told me she wanted a purple present. She is so sweet, all she wanted was something purple. Knowing the next answers I asked her what to get Calliah. She said Calliah needed a pink present and, of course, Kelland needed a blue present. The absolutely heart-melter was when she cautioned me that the baby needed a big present because, "baby can choke on little things." I'm so incredibly proud of how Kim is raising our children. Despite the occasional scrap, the kids love each other beyond belief and are some of the most thoughtful and sweet little people I've ever met. Granted, I'm more than a little biased.<br>
<br>I couldn't find anything for the baby and I knew this would not sit well with the other kids. I would be subjected to a barrage of "why didn't you get baby something? Where's the baby's present?" I did what every other bad father does and hit up the Hudson News at the airport and bought the first thing I saw. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i-C4ujNuQ20/VNg8UOZoBaI/AAAAAAAAAgc/cVhDhFCK9Qk/s640/blogger-image--1295117340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-i-C4ujNuQ20/VNg8UOZoBaI/AAAAAAAAAgc/cVhDhFCK9Qk/s640/blogger-image--1295117340.jpg"></a></div><br><br>I did see something in Chinatown that made me chuckle. Is it just me or does this sound like China's greatest Super Spy?</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VTzRBlpbiq4/VNg9h6_rCkI/AAAAAAAAAgs/eV3CPsquBKc/s640/blogger-image--163112294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VTzRBlpbiq4/VNg9h6_rCkI/AAAAAAAAAgs/eV3CPsquBKc/s640/blogger-image--163112294.jpg"></a></div><br><br>
The San Francisco to Vancouver leg of the flight was great. I had a window seat and was upgraded to United's Economy Plus so I had more leg room, but even better there was no one seated in the middle seat so I had two arm rests and the middle table tray became my side table. Booyah!</div><div><br></div><div>I made my way into the Air Canada lounge at Vancouver International; had some snacks, a glass of red wine and </div>
<div>watched the planes taxi in and out for a couple of hours. When the time came I made my way to the gate and when they made the first boarding call I jumped on it. I had used my final upgrade credits to get a business class ticket. I got on the plane early and basked in the disapproving looks of the people walking past me. "How did HE get up there?" If they knew I got a free upgrade it would all make sense to them but I won't give them the satisfaction. As we landed in Edmonton I looked out the window and realized there was a LOT more snow than when I left. </div><div><br></div><div>I usually park in the valet area but there was such a good deal in self park I took it. Such a dummy. I got into my frozen van and waited for it to heat up so I could get home and hug my wife, kiss my kids and tell them it was all going to be ok. </div>
Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-52729694358969946672015-02-05T14:58:00.001-08:002015-02-06T08:48:14.686-08:00I'm Back Baby Part ILife is finally getting back to normal and I couldn't be happier. The last 3 months I feel like I have been living someone else's life. Sitting around the house, playing Xbox and staying up until all hours of the night watching Netflix. The boredom almost overwhelming, I have bouts of panic, depression and outright rage. <div><br></div><div>But as it happens, on February 4th, World Cancer Day I hit the reset button on my life. I had been put on to an amazing man from my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Steve Csorba is an amazing local artist and a member of the November Project Tribe. The November Project is a really cool phenomenon that started in Boston with 2 students wanting to workout with groups rather than alone. They starting sending out messages over social media announcing a location and people slowly started growing up in bigger numbers. </div><div><br></div><div>This project has now started to spread and it arrived in Edmonton when Andrew Ference was traded from the Boston Bruins to the Edmonton Oilers. Andrew is a committed member of the tribe and under his leadership it has exploded. One of my good friends, Connor, who regularly attends the workouts told me about this amazing guy in a Fuck Cancer tshirt that had been kicking the shit out of cancer. This guy is Steve. </div><div><br></div><div>I had sent Steve a quick message about my situation on Twitter. He got back to me almost immediately and helped put me at ease. He didn't tell me anything out of this world but getting kind words from a person that has kept cancer at bay for over a decade was really powerful. I occasionally would fire him a note when I felt nervous and he would quell me. Finally, I decided I needed to meet him and I asked him to meet me for lunch. </div><div><br></div><div>He gave me a selection of 5 really hip places, none of which I had ever eaten at, but they all sounded great. We agreed upon Remedy. A really neat cafe that serves chai tea and eastern food. Kim and I were never really into small cafés and since we've had children, a quick bowl of pasta at Boston Pizza has masqueraded as cuisine so this was a neat experience. </div><div><br></div><div>I arrived and saw Steve already seated at a table. I made my order and sat down to join him. This man is incredibly impressive and I did not want to waste a minute of his time so I had mentally prepared a list of questions I wanted to ask him. We started to chat casually about life in general but then I steered the conversation towards cancer. Steve took it in stride and explained what he had been through in the past decade. I won't get into the details as it's his story but please believe me when I say it's incredibly invasive and scary. </div><div><br></div><div>I looked at him as he happily discussed the worst moments of his life and was in awe. Every time he spoke I was filled with a little more hope. This guy had been to the absolute bottom of the well, and now he was seemingly on top of the mountain. </div><div><br></div><div>The best advice Steve gave me was to not think about beating the cancer. Rather, he told me to control what I can and that is getting my body and mind healthy. This was almost all the cancer talk; I didn't need to hear any more. After this we talked about how he stays healthy and makes the world a better place. I listened intently and realized I'd found someone that has found the keys to happiness. </div><div><br></div><div>We started talking about my #cancercanthackett tour plans and he was all in. He had some thoughts for the Alberta Cancer Foundation about a prevention and screening campaign that aligned very well with my plans. I began getting pumped up and truly excited about what we might be able to do together. After 90 minutes we said our goodbyes and I immediately phoned Kim and told her I was going to change the world with this guy.</div><div><br></div><div>That night I got to continue my return to form by refereeing my first hockey game in over 3 months. I picked up my linesmen and we headed off to Vegreville, Alberta. Home of the worst biggest Easter egg.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcDMeA7A4o0/VNTwS1Xnk-I/AAAAAAAAAfc/fto8LXt5sao/s640/blogger-image-245193905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcDMeA7A4o0/VNTwS1Xnk-I/AAAAAAAAAfc/fto8LXt5sao/s640/blogger-image-245193905.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>As we bombed down the highway we listened to old school gangster rap and I lamented the fact that these 2 had just been born when I was listening to Snoop and Dre and acting like a bad ass. We arrived at the arena just in time for warmup and I got right into my routine. Before I knew it I was out taking a coue of warmup laps and dropping the pick at centre ice. </div><div><br></div><div>I got into the game right away as there was an easy tripping call 22 seconds in and a power play goal 30 seconds after that. This was a perfect game to return to as it was one sided on the score board and really rough so I had to manage<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> the game very carefully. When it was all said and done I had tossed a half dozen players and called around 100 penalty minutes. </span></div><div><br></div><div>I had known the Vegreville coach for a long time as he was originally from Edmonton so before the game when he had asked why it had been so long since </div><div>he had seen me I told him about my situation. After the game every member of the Vegreville Rangers came by and shook my hand and wished me well. This was very touching.</div><div><br></div><div>After the game we quickly showered and hustled down the road to 7-11 to get chicken. This might sound awful but Vegreville 7-11 chicken is delicious and a tradition of the road trip. BUT, you have to beat the visiting team there or sow times it's all gone and you drive home sad and hungry. Luckily we made it and had our pick. </div><div><br></div><div>We cruise home blasting Uptown Funk and just chatting. This was the best night I'd had in months because for 4 hours I wasn't a Cancer patient or an out of work teacher. I was just one of the guys doing our thing. </div><div><br></div><div>Stay tuned for Part II, San Fran Training Trip</div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-6613730453479848982015-02-02T14:25:00.001-08:002015-02-02T14:25:50.449-08:00Every Time a Door Closes a New One OpensThis has been a tough week for me. I thought I would be returning to
work with the exception of every 2nd Monday and Tuesday. In my heart of
hearts I didn't think this plan would get rejected but I was shocked to
find out this morning that my school and schoold district could not
support my return to work plan.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure everyone completely
understands teachers. It is not your usual job. It is a job that is a
part of what your are. The connections and differences you make in the
lives of young people are powerful. I think that's why I'm taking this
rejection so hard.<br />
Leaving that meeting I've never felt more like a
person with cancer. Alone, tired and seemingly useless. I walked in the
front door of my house and just crashed into my recliner.<br />
Then
the phone rang. You may or may not have read about my plan to go to
races across Canada and speak to people about screening and prevention
of cancer in younger athletic populations. I'm calling it the
#cancercanthackett tour and it's quite a passion of mine. The phone call
was from clothing supplier Sugoi. They are impressed by my venture and
have agreed to do custom clothing for my tour. Additionally, they are
going to use their race sponsor status to get me in to Ironman Arizona.
The race I was supposed to do in November that sold out before it even
went online for registration.<br />
After hanging up the phone I went
onto Twitter and the first story that popped up was the tale of Teri
Griege. Her book Powered by Hope is exactly what I needed to be reminded
of. She's a stage IV cancer survivor since 2009 and competed at Kona.
She overcame my exact diagnosis and is still spreading hope.<br />
<br />
I'm
not a religious person but I am spiritual and the fact that this phone
call and tweet came when I've been at my absolute lowest speak to me
that this is certainly not the end. Rather, it's a new beginning. It's
going to mean a disruption to our family situation but not one that we
can't deal with. I'll get to spend more time with my children and Kim
will be given a push to get an Ed degree and take steps toward going
back to work.<br />
<br />
My Dad was the absolute best example of what can be
accomplished if you just roll with the punches and I'm so glad I was
shown how to deal with these situations by him. Like Dad always said,
"life's not fair" and "there is no sense getting upset over that which
you have no control." I could throw a fit (I did a little bit in the
van) and be bummed out but it won't get me anywhere. Instead, I'm going
to focus on my other positive outlets and go from there.<br />
Animo!Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-74915067465133040352015-01-25T00:34:00.002-08:002015-01-25T00:34:30.944-08:00That's Chemo?So I've successfully completed two round of chemotherapy and I'm happy to report it's not that bad. As I'd mentioned before, I go in every second Monday for lab work. They check my blood and urine to make sure my levels are safe for me to get chemo the next day. An hour after my blood draw I meet with my oncologist and he discusses how things are going. I told my doctor that he's never had a "me" before and now I think I'm right.<br />
<br />
At my first "check up" the doc asked how I felt after my first round. I explained that I felt almost perfect with the exception of a couple of mouth sores and a sore esophagus that basically felt like heart burn. He said that was good because they weren't totally sure how much of the chemo to give me. Based on my weight it was a LOT of chemo but they gave me the full dose and were going to judge it from there. He was happy with how I took it and decided to continue giving me the full dose. The only little hiccup was that my blood pressure was 190 over 110. This is VERY high. He gave me a funny look and I said, "well I'm sitting here with my oncologist. What's my blood pressure supposed to be." He laughed and said we were going to take the Avastin out of the cocktail for one round as it's a vasoconstrictor and can cause high blood pressure. I wasn't thrilled with this as Avastin has shown to be amazingly effective at shrinking and choking off tumors. He agreed to let me calm down for a bit and see if I could get my blood pressure down to a reasonable level.<br />
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I put on Enya's Sail Away and closed my eyes and just focused on my breath. Why do I have Sail Away on my ipod? I don't know but I'll thank you not to judge me. When they re-checked my blood pressure it was still high but it was at a reasonable level and he agreed to give me the Avastin as long as I went on blood pressure medication. I agreed and he wrote me up a prescription. I sort of tried to find out if they knew how I was responding through some vague questions and everything just asked when we would know if it's working. They said I would get a CT every 3 months and that would be the only time we really get any info. I just have to trust that science will take care of me. <br />
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When I went for my second round of chemo the nurse took my blood pressure and after only 1 pill it was down to 110 over 69. Much lower than I was used to but if it keeps them giving me the good drugs I'll do anything. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcpSoNQtZUg/VMSnIx7sjVI/AAAAAAAAAeo/-B6Nsy0GesU/s1600/Chemo%2Bround%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EcpSoNQtZUg/VMSnIx7sjVI/AAAAAAAAAeo/-B6Nsy0GesU/s1600/Chemo%2Bround%2B1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round 1 of Chemo Dec 31, 2014</td></tr>
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This also seems like a good time for a Kim update. She's been doing quite a bit of driving lately and is actually turning into quite a good little driver. She did have one tough stretch, however, that I couldn't help but document. We stopped at the local Tim Horton's drive through and it was like she forgot she was the one driving. She managed to bounce of the curbs on both sides of the drive through in a span of about 20 feet. I was quick enough to get my phone out and document this occasion. We didn't get a chance to go to Disneyland this year but she was good enough to simulate the Autopia cars.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDnScDNWYo0/VMSnND4aITI/AAAAAAAAAe8/nUti8O54ZgI/s1600/Kim%2Bdrive%2Bthrough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDnScDNWYo0/VMSnND4aITI/AAAAAAAAAe8/nUti8O54ZgI/s1600/Kim%2Bdrive%2Bthrough.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of my mantras (I have many) has been that if I don't bother to live my life then any extra they can get me is worthless. We are lucky enough to have some amazing people that can babysit and give Kim and me a chance to get out and have some fun. Our annual Cops for Cancer triathlon team party was one of these great nights. To encourage creativity the rule was that you had to dress as a noun that started with the 3rd letter of your first name. I got "L". It was a quick decision for me to go as Lance Armstrong. First, regardless of what you think of him and dopin, he is an incredible athlete that beat almost impossible odds against cancer and I hold him in very high esteem. Additionally, I have a jersey from Team Radio Shack which is the last team he rode for. In fact, I was in Paris for his very last Tour de France and becaue my sister and I paid a huge sum of money for a paddock pass I actually patted him on the back after he rode in the TdF for the final time. Pretty cool.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7ZBd6Wapxg/VMSpDzC8ZLI/AAAAAAAAAfE/rwM0FsXvri8/s1600/Lance%2BTdF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b7ZBd6Wapxg/VMSpDzC8ZLI/AAAAAAAAAfE/rwM0FsXvri8/s1600/Lance%2BTdF.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took this picture at Tour de France 2010</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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For laughs I tweeted to Lance Armstrong that I was going as him to a party:<br />
<br />
TWEET: "Going to a party & have to dress as a noun that starts w/L Going as @Lancearmstrong so committed to it I even have cancer"<br />
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I was thrilled to see a response a few minutes later from Lance Armstrong:<br />
"dirty. Love it.<br />
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<br />
This absolutely made my night; a guy with 3.8 million Twitter followers has got to get bombarded by Twitter mentions so for him to take the time to respond is just too cool.<br />
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I hope you can all tell I'm in exceptionally good spirits and ready to continue this fight. I also am working on getting a really exciting project off the ground and hope to have more details later this week.<br />
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Train hard everyone. Animo!<br />
<br />Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-55808342555720262322015-01-10T12:38:00.001-08:002015-01-10T12:42:25.383-08:00Why are we whispering?Cancer. There I said it. This seems to be one of the most powerful words in the English language. It can bring a person to their knees and makes others quake around them. It's this power that makes people not want to talk about it but that's the entire problem. We need to be able to openly talk about one of the biggest problems facing our society.<div><br></div><div>When I received my diagnosis I felt like the only person in the entire world facing this battle. But the more I talked to people and the more I got them to open up I found out just how many people I knew that had fought this awful disease and won. This was hugely important for me, it gave me hope. </div><div><br></div><div>I implore you. If you know someone that is facing cancer please talk to them. I'm still shocked every time I'm in the middle of a conversation with someone close to me and they feel the need to whisper every time they say "cancer." I'm not contagious, you can't activate it by saying its name three times, it's just something I'm dealing with. </div><div><br></div><div>The best thing that's happened to me was a local policeman that faced stage 3 colon cancer last year reached out to me. He had a couple of phone conversations with me and then had me over to his home to talk about what I can expect and what I should do to stay sane and rested. It's one thing to have your friends lend you their support, but it's an entirely different thing for someone who had actually gone through treatment to sit with you and talk. I left Dean's house feeling empowered and even excited to start chemotherapy.</div><div><br></div><div>Please, all of you, take away the power of the word cancer by talking openly about it and not using hushed voices. And survivors, please share your story of hope and reach out to someone else that will benefit endlessly from your kindness. </div><div><br></div><div>This blog was heavy but I think it's important for everyone to hear this. But here's a joke to lighten the mood:</div><div><br></div><div>A man walks into a psychologist's office wearing shorts made of nothing but Saran Wrap. The psychologist looked up from his desk and said, "well, I can clearly see your nuts!" Wocka wocka.</div>Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4521636818615013515.post-85654437175251091982014-12-31T15:20:00.000-08:002014-12-31T15:20:50.106-08:00And it begins<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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So I have begun chemo and with it the true fight against cancer. On December 19th I had a port put in. This was actually a very quick procedure but when the nurse started to describe it to me I told her she could just skip to the part where I sign off on permission.<br />
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This port means that I don't have to get poked constantly to get my chemo drugs put in and makes it a very simple procedure. The surgery itself was only about 8 minutes and the doctor was very good and actually quite hilarious. I was tented off so that only my neck and right chest were exposed and they let me wear my headphones with my music on low so that they could still talk to me. </div>
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A small (about 1 1/2 inch) incision is made and a triangular bubble was inserted above my nipple. Then a catheter (tube) was fed up to my neck where another incision was made and it was inserted into my jugular vein. Then I'm closed up and sent to recovery for a couple of hours. This was all done just with local freezing. The nurse asked if I wanted some numbing and I said yes so she leaned down to my ear and went "num num num num." (not really but that would have been awesome). The nurses were just awesome and after my surgery took some pictures for me.<br />
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After looking at the photos I noted a major mistake in my photo prep. When wearing yoga pants I need to hike them up and not slouch because the resulting muffin top is just too much.</div>
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The nurses were also smart and told me to take a sympathy photo just in case I needed it later. </div>
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This needed to heal before anything else could be done but in that time I received a package that meant a great deal to me. It was from Fireman Rob (@teamfiremanrob). Rob is a firefighter and USAF vet from Wisconsin that competes in Ironman triathlons. However, to raise money for ailing firefighters Rob does the marathon portion of Ironmam in full bunker gear with helmet and Airpac. Seeing Rob out on the course in all that gear is truly inspiring and I've lived chatting with him a little the few times we've shared a course. After my diagnosis I messaged Rob on Twitter and told him how inspiring I found him. He responded by sending me a running hat from his charity. But the other item in the package brought Kim and I to tears. It was Rob's race bib from Kona (Ironman World Championship 2012) with a note on the back telling me to stay strong and that I'd earn my own. Triathletes will understand that this is a treasured item and so to give it to someone is really an incredible gesture. I framed it and went to Michael's craft store and put ánimo on the front. Thank you so much Rob.</div>
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On December 30th we got to meet with Dr. Michael Sawyer. He's an incredibly nice man but what was most impressive was his astounding knowledge. He sat with Kim and I for an hour and a half and although the prognosis is not much different he gave us some hope. He said no one can predict when any of us will go and that I shouldn't discount my physical fitness. He wants me to continue training as much as I can as, in his words, "we have no idea why Lance Armstrong is still alive." We asked about me planning to complete an Ironman in August. His response? "Go for it!" Awesome. Additionally, he also mentioned that there are drugs in the works that may be incredibly successful in the future. So although I was hoping he would sit us down and apologize because they were wrong and, in fact, I didn't have cancer I am very happy in his care. As we left he told me I would be starting chemo the next morning at 8:15am. This was great as I didn't have much time to fret, although I didn't sleep well.</div>
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They warned us to not arrive early as the doors don't open until 8:15 and they weren't kidding. A group of us huddled in the entry way to the room and at exactly 8:15 the doors opened up and we shuffled in. I was escorted to my chair and my nurse Paige asked if I had a port. I told her I did and this made her very happy as it is very easy to hook me up, and she was right. Rather than a standard needle the drugs are given through a device that can best be described as a power plug with a single pointy prong. This prong is pushed through the skin and into the bubble. That's it. </div>
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The nurse was awesome and made me very comfortable. She explained all of the possible side effects and what to watch out for and fortunately I only experienced one of the very minor ones. My head and hands began to sweat excessively so I was given a shot of Atropine and it fixed itself up. As the nurse promised chemo was actually quite underwhelming. You sit in a chair for 3 hours and then you leave. That's it. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BXXMwAqmLJI/VKR-q_wfQII/AAAAAAAAAeQ/0rzwAWpL8rI/s640/blogger-image--1565763988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BXXMwAqmLJI/VKR-q_wfQII/AAAAAAAAAeQ/0rzwAWpL8rI/s640/blogger-image--1565763988.jpg" /></a></div>
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Well, that's not totally it. For the next 46 hours I get to wear a very functional yet stylish fanny pack with a bottle of chemotherapy that pumps into me at a slow rate for the next 2 days. It's a bit of a hassle, but you know what REALLY sucks? Dying sooner.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9cxC4AVwJdY/VKSCRLdmR1I/AAAAAAAAAeY/-n5wuw-KP1A/s640/blogger-image-1604130783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9cxC4AVwJdY/VKSCRLdmR1I/AAAAAAAAAeY/-n5wuw-KP1A/s640/blogger-image-1604130783.jpg" /></a></div>
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I truly hope everyone has an amazing 2015 filled with incredible experiences and wonderful memories. You only get one shot and none of us know how long it will be. Ánimo</div>
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Trifattytrihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16744175699109937116noreply@blogger.com3