Saba Beats Cancer

Been a while since I posted and I have to tell you that beating cancer is phenomenal.  First, while I was laying there in the hospital at MD Anderson getting chemo (over 50 days total) I had a lot of time to think and one of the things that I wanted to do when I get over the Lymphoma was to help communities in need.  I found Team Rubicon while I was lying there - and you have a lot of time to google stuff while getting chem for Double Hit Lymphoma - and I decided I would join when I got out.   And I did - and did my first two deployments with them. You can read about it here: From Cancer to GSD GSD = Get Shit Done - and that we do. AND now, I am riding with Navy 83 Ride Across America - a group of Navy 83 Grads who decided to cycle to their 40th reunion.  I have been getting in better shape since chemo and I feel like this is a great statement on where I am 4 years after I finished chemo - to ride 585 miles from Toledo to Annapolis averaging 70-80 miles a day....

A year ago on New Years day 2019 I woke up with a large lump at the top inside of my thigh. It may have been growing for a while but I noticed it for the first time that morning as I woke up.  We had toasted the New Year's with champagne and were full of excitement about what 2019 would bring - so much promise and not a real care in the world - which was immediately dashed with a diagnosis of stage 4 lymphoma, double hit, with lesions in my skull, spinal cord and hip. And I had to go through hell to get here - but here I am. As you make your New Year's resolutions - please stick to them. Because you seriously do not know what you will wake up to tomorrow. Love your family - keep them close - almost losing them is too much to bear -  believe me. And I needed all of them close to get through this.  Love your friends - the prayers I got from around the world are a big reason I am here You need your health - the chemo will kill ya just as much as the cancer it seems ...

So - not going in the hospital today. There is no room and my doc said I could wait a day. So I am on the list for a room tomorrow. This is an ongoing MD Anderson issue - they are always crowded. We are so lucky to live her that I can wait at home for a room. The waiting area for rooms is not all that great. So that stinks - I was ready to go today and get the MTX over with. But it is what it is.  Get another day home to get better before I get hit again.  So not a bad day - a little tired - but still OK. On to tomorrow - will keep you posted.

As we waited for blood work yesterday we were struck by how much my daily groove has grown over the past few months. The goal of all these things is obviously to beat cancer but also to better tolerate the chemo - which now is the hardest part. As we go into chemo 5 and 6 we hear from all my fellow lymphoma travelers how hard that is. So I need to be better prepared going into it. One thing I need to do is gain weight. For some 50 years I have been trying to lose weight and it is surprisingly hard to gain weight in chemo.  But I am up a pound yesterday (go ice cream) and eating 4 meals a day - healthy to get the vitamins etc. So here is the daily routine right now to try and keep ahead of all the side effects and make sure I am as strong as I can be for the next round of chemo. Daily affirmation - I am cancer free etc. hokie but helps Stretching Walk at least 2X Sumo band work out Meditate - this has really helped the last few weeks keep me focused and relaxed Deep brea...