Halfway

Yesterday's 7-hour chemo session came and went smoothly. The New Liskeard Daffodil Room was a swirl of activity, with 2 or 3 people coming in for shorter sessions, and Randall and I there both getting the rCHOP. Lynn says that's the first time in her 10 years there that she's had two patients on the same regimen on the same day. I also had a visit from Dr. Pariag, the surgeon who removed my largest tumour. It's always good to see him. He's very thorough and asks about my mental as well as physical health. He left yesterday by saying, "You're eating well, sleeping well, exercising, going to work, you don't have too much nausea, you have good bowel movements, your blood work is perfect, you have a beautiful wife. You're in a better situation than most people without cancer."

All this said, I'm very conscious that I cannot be the race leader who stops halfway to give an interview. I have to stay focused. I am beating cancer, but it's not yet finished. Four more chemo sessions to go and then the long five year observation period starts.

I'm trying to figure out a way to post the tally for Lisa and Jodie's Ride to Conquer Cancer fundraising efforts here. In the meantime, I've added the fundraising events to the sidebar. Note the new dates for the Skate-the-Oval and Dance-a-thon. I suspect right now that I will be at the Skate, but not the Dance. I'm torn about the Buddy Wasisname concert (May 9-10). I have vacation from May 2-13 and have been planning since November to spend that time on a canoe trip down the Makobe River with my buddies at the Friends of Temagami. That trip has been a big motivation for me. With my last chemo scheduled for April 10, I'll have to stay healthy throughout this flu-season and relatively side-effect free in order to make it on this whitewater paddle.

In case anyone was wondering about my workout on Wednesday went (Elizabeth): 21-15-9 reps of 105 lb. squat clean and ring dips
Time: 11:42. Not a record, but I've never done it with that much weight before. And if anyone read the Jan. 11 Globe and Mail article on CrossFit, it is a good intro to my workout program. The article's title is off-putting (No Puke, No Pain, No Gain), but the writer quickly gets past this inaccurate perception and talks with real people who do CrossFit.