I am at the edge of the water by the Tarzan swing at Mount Midoriyama, and though I can almost make out the platform with the American Ninja Warrior winner button off in the distance, there’s only one path to get to there. It’s reasonably short, but if I falter, I’m out. I am on track…
Chapter II
In September of 2013, doctors diagnosed me with a malignant 5cm mass, discovered during a regularly-scheduled MRI (which I have as part of my follow-up from a 2001-2002 breast cancer battle). After surgery and tests, I learned that I had thymic carcinoma -- a rare and fast-growing cancer of the Thymus gland. Usually, it’s not diagnosed until it’s already spread to the lungs, heart, or other places, because it can be fairly symptomless. I was blessed, as my oncologist said, that my regular MRIs helped catch it early. My outlook would have been much worse if this had been discovered months later.
I am documenting my journey through Cancer Part II in the hopes that it will educate and inspire others who are facing a difficult diagnosis. In the days after I left the hospital, I sat down with my colleagues at Growing Bolder to share my thoughts on this new challenge. As we say -- I am Surviving & Thriving.
Learn… Wait… Learn… Wait… Learn… Wait. (@#^*@*)
When I participated in a clinical trial the FIRST time I was diagnosed with cancer, it was so easy.
Chapter Two is not Over, and just got more Dramatic
Bad things come in threes, as you know, and when I came in from my run, there it was on my phone: 407-898-5452.
My Absolutely Definitively Very Last Ironman Distance Triathlon Report***
To quote a good friend describing a blessing that took an inordinately and impressively long time: Well, that was a lot.
The “am” in Team
This Ironman is different. Of course, they’re all different, but for this one, I’M different. In three days, I’ll be among a couple of thousand athletes launching on a 140 mile day for all kinds of reasons.
After 24 Half-ironman races, Something New and Excitingly Different (but not Awesome)
Race morning broke, and I woke up at my usual race day 4:45 am…… and laid there for another hour and a half.