The beat goes on

I just got home from chemo treatment #4 of 2012 and before I hit the couch for an extended visit I wanted to try and get this belated status post done.

All remains status quo with treatment, etc. Side effects although challenging remain in the realm of manageable so I try not complain about them at all. I’m most bothered when nice weather presents a bike riding opportunity and when I can't pull it together for some chemo-related reason. I’m hoping that as the change in seasons really starts to kick in that I’ll be able to steal rides on occasion at the end of my work day.

Slowly but surely our Mintz’s Mentschen numbers have been increasing with regard to the number of team members and fundraising. But it’s really only been a trickle and not what we were hoping for considering our goal to try and kick things up a notch this year. I may even try to get small community interest pieces in the local newspapers as a way to help our recruitment but for those of you still reading here it would be outstanding if you could consider joining our team to walk/run (5K or 10K) or ride (multiple distances to choose from). We do train together for the biking events and will help to coach anyone that is new to cycling and/or new to group riding. Whatever type of event you choose I can guarantee that you’ll have a fantastic time and that it will be an experience to remember. The event is over the weekend of August 18-19 this year. If you aren’t able to join us please consider a tax-deductible donation. You can join us or donate by clicking here and clicking the applicable button on my webpage.

Status

For those of you that are still following along here on the blog I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to post a status update until now. The delay really has been that it was a tough week all around. It was definitely a bit strange to be back in the chair and connected to IV’s. The treatment itself was fine but the aftermath while not completely horrendous was more than enough to knock me down pretty hard.

I had hoped to be up and around by Sunday and ready for a bike ride but for various reasons that was not a good idea and Amy and I opted for a leisurely stroll on the canal towpath In Princeton. Treatment #2 was yesterday and although it may seem odd to those unfamiliar with chemo I’m generally “OK” the day after treatment. That’s why I’m making sure to get this blog update done NOW because things typically take a downhill slide from here. I’m stubborn so once again I’m hoping that I’ll be able to get out this Sunday for a bike ride.

That’s about it from here. The chemo process and juggling EVERYTHING around that schedule has begun.

As a parting note I do have to make a plea for our 2012 LiveSTRONG campaign. You can read my comments in recent posts where we’re looking to recruit new team members to walk, run, or ride with our Mentschen team this year. And, of course, if logistics or schedule won’t work for you it would be terrific if you could consider a donation. Links for all of that are in my prior posts as well as via my LiveSTRONG link in the LINKS section on the right side of this blog. Response so far has been disappointingly slow. Please help to pump up the Mentschen… and ME by joining/donating. THANKS!

Eve before

I don’t really have much to say right now but since tonight is not just any old eve before treatment moment I feel like I should at least make a post to mark the date.

Yes, as happens whenever we start a new chemo protocol I’m a bit anxious about tomorrow. Mostly it’s just fear of the unknown and that I want to quickly establish the routine I’ll need for this specific chemo protocol. Will nausea be an issue? Will taxotere affect me as it did in 2008 when I had mouth sores, lack of appetite, and significant weight loss? Will my immune system be impacted to where we’ll need to use neulasta as we have in the past? What is this 2-weeks ON, 1-week OFF schedule going to be like?

I’m not scared… just anxious. I feel very well cared for by Dr. Richards and the nursing staff. I look forward to giving Debbie, Marie, and Sharon big hugs and to get this show on the road. Dr. Richards will have to settle for a hearty handshake. Ha!!

Of course one of my biggest hopes as we get underway with Chemo Party 2012 is that I’ll be able to continue bike riding during treatment with meaningful frequency. Following the results of the PET/CT I have had strong rides of 42 and 40 miles that help me just as much mentally as they do physically. We’ll see how things go.

I’m thrilled to say that today we had two people register for our Mintz’s Mentschen LiveSTRONG team in Philadelphia. Most importantly these are two people that have not ridden with us before. This is exactly what we need as we strive for our goal of $40,000 this year. Hopefully this is a positive sign for many more that will be able to join us. Keep those cards and letters coming! And.... if you aren't able to ride/walk/run with us if you're able to consider a donation it would be greatly appreciated (yes, I haven't really been clear that there is also an opportunity to run or walk as part of the Mentschen LiveSTRONG team).

Deja vu all over again... all over again

Yes, I know that I’ve probably frustrated a bunch of people by not posting more quickly but really the past few weeks have been action packed.

First, let’s wrap up the Cycle for Survival topic. Last year the event raised a record $4.7 million and with the $6.1 million check presentation at our event early this month clearly this year had broken all CFS records. Imagine our surprise this week when we received emails broadcasting that total fundraising had surpassed $8 million! Absolutely amazing. Thanks again to everyone that donated so generously.

With 2011 as yet another year where my vacation days were used for chemo treatments I was very excited for Karsyn and Matthew’s wedding to enjoy a very happy occasion as well as a couple of days with extended family on Marco Island. It was everything I hoped for and more. It was a very unique gathering that included Erin, Bailey, and Sasha as well as Amy’s sisters and all of the Durkin family. Below is a picture of the Mintz clan from the wedding weekend taken at Amy’s sister Robin’s house.

Bailey, Erin, and me in the back. Amy and Sasha in front.

And at 7:45am on the morning after we returned from Florida I had my quarterly PET/CT. It was Valentine’s Day and since my recurrences have been like clockwork in February each year I had a sneaking suspicion for what might happen. And unfortunately I was right.

The metastases on my liver showed enough activity to where we need to start with chemotherapy again. My first treatment will be this coming Tuesday, 2/28. Amy and I met with Dr. Richards and we wound up choosing one of the chemo options that had been suggested by Memorial Sloan-Kettering when we went there at this time last year. The drugs we chose are two that I’ve had before but never together, docetaxel and irinotecan (aka taxotere and camptosar). Docetaxel is one of the drugs I had back when this all started in 2008 and it contributed to what was a challenging and “interesting” chemo experience. While I’m confident docetaxel will do its job I’m also hoping that it doesn’t kick my butt too badly. Especially since this will all be administered as two weeks on and one week off. i.e. I’ll be getting a treatment two weeks in a row before a one week break.

That about sums it up except that, of course, this recent development definitely kicks up the emotion that I have for our Mintz’s Mentschen participation in the 2012 Philly LiveSTRONG event. As usual it is in August but this year we’ve already set some big goals for our team. As you all know, we have collectively raised over $140,000 through these past 4 years of riding in Philly. Last year alone we had 23 people raise over $34,300. This year we want to reach $40,000 and to do that we’re making a plea for new Mentschen team members. Event routes range from 10 miles all the way to a full 100. I can’t predict what route I’ll be able to ride come August but I have ridden the 10-miler while in treatment before and I know that minimally I’ll be able to do that again. Please join us!! Experience level is NOT a factor. This event is a ride and not a race and we'll be preparing by riding/training together in advance. Believe me, while having an absolute blast of a time it is not uncommon for people to come away saying that it was a life-changing experience for them. And the minimum fundraising requirement is not at all difficult at only $250. Email (jhm100@gmail.com) or call me (917-533-9097) with any questions. Click here to register and join us. I'd be thrilled to have you join us.

If you aren’t in a position to ride with us please consider supporting us with a donation of any size. Heartfelt thanks in advance for your generosity! Click here to donate on my fundraising webpage.

Cycle for Survival success

The Cycle for Survival event was yesterday and it was a record-setting success. Thanks to the generosity of all that were able to donate the event raised over $6.1 million in support of clinical trials at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Our Mintz’s Mentschen group had a great time and look forward to riding in Cycle for Survival again in 2013. I was lucky enough to have been invited to ride on the Team Fearless bike in honor of the event founder, Jen Goodman Linn (www.youfearless.com), who lost her cancer battle this past summer. Following are a few pictures.

Our Mintz's Mentschen team

Me on the Team Fearless bike

The check presented to MSKCC

As one event passes our focus turns to plans for participation in LiveSTRONG challenge and other events. We’re definitely participating as a team in the Philadelphia LiveSTRONG event in August and several of us may even go out to Davis, CA for the event there in June. Note that we are looking to up the ante this year with Mintz’s Mentschen by setting a goal of raising $40,000. Our plan for reaching that goal is to recruit more people for our team. If you’re interested in helping to raise funds to kick cancer in the face while making new friends and getting some exercise please JOIN US! Email me with any questions you may have but really there’s no “risk” on your part. Ride distances range from 10-100 miles and the financial commitment is that you raise a minimum of only $250. We will be riding together on weekends to prepare for these events and will train you physically and with all that you need to know so that you are ready on event day. PLEASE join us now so you can maximize your training and fundraising lead time before the event. If you are ready to JOIN just click here and then on the “Mintz’s Mentschen” link to register.

The next week will be a bit of a whirlwind since I’ll be traveling for work, then to Florida for a wedding the day after I return home, followed by my PET/CT the day after I return from Florida. As always, I will share the results of the scan here as soon as possible.

It Still Works!

Hey, hey!! No, I’m not referring to what you’re probably thinking. Let’s keep it clean! On Tuesday I had a regular 6-week visit with Dr. Richards and I always get that “it still works!” feeling of relief when they access my port and I see the blood flow into the catheter. Oh, the small pleasures. LOL. Port insertion/removal were not my favorite procedures so as long as this one keeps on ticking I'm happy.

Dr. Richards wrote me the prescription for my next PET/CT and I have already scheduled it for February 14^th. I didn’t specifically choose to have it on Valentine’s Day but that will be our first day back after a family wedding in Florida. I’m really looking forward to have our family together for such a fun occasion, even if it’s only for a weekend.

Cycle for Survival is 2 weeks from today. Donations from family and friends continue to come in and I can’t thank you all enough. I wish the event itself was a little closer to home but Long Island isn’t that far away and the cause is more than worth the effort.

I’ve really been itching to set some more significant goals for 2012 but it’s so hard to plan or commit to anything while thinking that the results of my next scan will have me back in treatment. Right now I’m focused on February 14^th and I’m hoping that my chemo vacation gets extended. We’re still also thinking about the Tour de Hot Chocolate and when that might happen. Time will tell. We're now having some complication due to winter precip but hopefully the weather will cooperate and I'll be up to the challenge sometime soon.

No Rules

I hope that 2012 has gotten off to a good start for everyone.

I have a routine appointment with Dr. Richards next Tuesday for a port flush and I should even get my prescription for the February PET/CT. It would be good to get the Rx because I’ll get my choice of date/time when scheduling the actual scan. Not that I haven’t been through this just a few times before but I’ll still be a bit anxious with hoping that my chemo vacation won’t be ending so soon.

Although February of the past 4 years has rhythmically coincided with the start of chemo I am hoping to break that streak. Since beginning this break from chemo following my November 1^st treatment I have been pushing myself on the bike (as I have mentioned more than once…. I know). I have plunged ahead with little regard for thoughts of, “it’s a bit too cold to ride…” or “there’s no way you should be trying to ride this far…”. After a ride or two where I stepped single-ride mileage up into the high 20’s I took significant leaps to a couple of rides of 46-miles before getting sidetracked by the holidays.

This past Saturday I was back on the bike and although I had no business even attempting it I was hoping for a 50-miler. We wound up finishing just short of that at 49 miles but it was warm enough that I was compelled to do it in SHORTS! You should have seen the look on the face of other riders as we passed them on the road. It made me feel like a real rebel. Ha!

I have leveraged the knowledge of my body that I acquired in my youth while running track in high school and college. I know what will and won’t cause me harm and getting a little tired ain’t gonna hurt me (not too much anyway…). I’ll continue enjoying my “no rules” approach to cycling for now and hope that my 3 month break turns into at least 6. Please come out and join us! Shoot me an email if you’re interested.

Happy holidays!

Happy holidays everyone!

The excitement and anticipation was running very high in the weeks/months leading up to these past couple of weeks where all 3 girls have been home at the same time. It’s been fun having some hustle and bustle around the house and we even managed to squeeze in what has become somewhat of a holiday tradition where we venture into Manhattan for a show. This year we saw Avenue Q and had a lot of fun before/after walking around the city.

Although I hope to get on the spin bike later today it looks like my nearly 2 month streak of weekend rides has been broken. I’m not very happy about that but I guess that’s what happens when busy holiday weekends roll around. My last two rides were each 46-mile rides and I’m hoping to push for a 50-miler the next time out. One of my 2012 resolutions, like so many people, is to get back into a regular exercise schedule. Prior to my personal “adventure” I had been enjoying a routine where I’d get to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I miss it terribly, both physically and mentally. The intermittent bike rides have been fantastic but I need more.

I received an email this past week with a video of physicians from Sloan-Kettering thanking Cycle for Survival for making the financial difference that allowed for their respective research projects. Please take a minute to view the video by clicking here. It will be great for those of you that have generously supported my participation in Cycle for Survival to see the tangible benefit of your donation as well as for those of you that may be still contemplating a donation… PLEASE DONATE TO THIS TERRIFIC CAUSE! Click here to donate. Not to bombard you with videos but here's another one that I just came across that is a tribute to Jennifer Goodman Linn, the co-founder of Cycle for Survival, that will help you to know why I support this cause. Click here to view the video (if you look quickly at minute 4:02 of the video you will see me at the far left on the stage in my yellow Mintz's Mentschen jersey).

Cycle for Survival on CBS TV News

This morning while watching CBS TV news Amy and I were surprised when a story regarding Cycle for Survival came on. The link below is a video of the piece that very clearly spells out why I'll be participating in this event for the second time. Please persevere through the 15 second advertisement that precedes the video.

Cycle For Survival: Fundraiser Takes On Rare Forms Of Cancer: For the past several years the fundraiser "Cycle For Awareness" has been raising money and awareness for rare forms of cancer. CBS2's Cindy Hsu has more.

Chemo vacation... making the best of it

It’s funny when I stop to think that I had a chemo treatment only 4 and a half weeks ago. But when the PET/CT came through with good news only one week after that treatment it was almost as if that treatment was completely erased from my mind. I’ve been on chemo vacation and I’m doing as much as I can while I can.

I rode my bike twice that weekend and for the 3 weeks since then the weather has been dry and I’ve been on the road and trying to aggressively push the miles and effort so that I can regain some fitness as quickly as possible.

I had two multi-ride weekends in a row followed by last weekend where I rode a solo 37-miler. I enjoyed that ride but it was mostly flat so while I was happy to be adding mileage I knew very well that my training was just getting started and I didn’t rush to make a blog post about it. However, the ride that I did today with Dan Nies has me quite happy and it’s time for a bit of chest thumping. For those that are local or who are on our Mintz’s Mentschen team and know these roads, we left my house and headed out through Princeton into Hopewell and hit the Sourlands. Up Lindbergh Rd to Peacock’s for a hot chocolate break and then back over the mountain on a slightly more forgiving route that still included a good amount of climbing. And then, with my gas tank approaching “E” we had some rollers and few smaller climbs to get back to my house. When we turned onto my street and the mileage turned to 40.0 I was thrilled with what I had managed to do.

Of course the effort had me reclining (and sleeping) on the couch for most of the afternoon. I managed to move a little as dinner time approached and I’m sure that I’ll be feeling it for the next couple of days at least. But I’m happy to know that I’m rapidly nearing readiness for our as yet unscheduled Tour de Hot Chocolate. The tour will be in the vicinity of a metric century (100 Kilometers, 62 miles).

Donations for my participation in the Cycle for Survival spinning event to benefit Memorial Sloan-Kettering continue to come in. For those of you that have been able to make a donation please accept my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. For anyone that is in a position to consider a donation of any size please click here to go to my fundraising web page for the event.

The holiday season will be starting to kick into gear over the next few weeks as Bailey, Sasha, and Erin each make their way home. They’ll all be here together for a week at the end of December. I can’t remember the last time when they were all home at the same time.

Happy holidays everyone!

Multi ride weekend

Since today was a nice fall day, albeit a bit windy again, I opted to skip a couple of hours of couch time watching football to head out for my second bike ride of the weekend. I had some rare instances where I managed to squeeze in multiple rides on a weekend during treatment but it's funny how perspective changes during an official chemo vacation. The ride was awesome and in my mind seriously therapeutic.

I've had this thought many times before but while riding today it was right there at top of mind. I love my bike! I truly do. I feel like it literally keeps me alive physically and mentally. Thanks Jason, Chris, and everyone else at Halters Cycles.

Chemo vacation

It’s been a full month between blog posts and this time it’s not because of any lack of things to write about. I’ll try to squeeze it all in here somewhere and I think you’ll get the idea for why I haven’t been able to find time to write.

Treatment has continued with its non-eventful monotony through October and early November while my focus remained on the PET/CT scan that actually happened just this past week. Prior to the scan I did have chemo treatment #18 (FOLFIRI protocol) for 2011 and that was #41 since this started in January 2008. These numbers are starting to get quite impressive, huh? As many people are already aware the PET/CT results were about as good as it gets. The lesions that the scan showed back in August were undetectable this time around and that means that for the 4^th time I have achieved remission. I spoke with Dr. Richards twice on Thursday and while he said that he’d be OK with continuing through another treatment or two he also said that he’d be OK with a 3-month chemo vacation. It’s one of those decision points that he says has no wrong answer. As you may have expected I chose the chemo vacation and the next PET/CT that will come in early February 2012 will let us know if the vacation continues or if we return to treatment mode.

So I’m jumping right into some short-term goals that start with ratcheting up my exercise routine and hopefully dropping a few pounds in the process. As I’ve mentioned in prior posts the next formal cycling event is the Cycle for Survival spinning fundraiser for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. That will be in early February 2012 and you can donate by clicking here. But between now and then I hope to be as aggressive with my outdoor cycling as possible. I did get out for a 27-mile ride today with Dan Nies in glorious sunny but chilly and breezy weather. If all goes well we hope to be able to pull off our “Tour de Hot Chocolate” ride that will be a metric century (62 miles). So I have some training to do!

I have continued riding all along as has been my mode of operation. Back in October, on Columbus Day, I had the day off and was enjoying a ride on a beautiful weather day when I was christened with my first ever serious bike crash. I was riding solo and luckily the crash didn’t involve a car although I have no idea what caused me to go down. But before I knew it I was sliding down the road on my left side. I didn’t break anything but had some fairly significant road rash and put my helmet to the test when my head did make contact with the road. A couple of nice people stopped and helped me to my feet, straightened my handle bars, and offered to drive me home. I was 12 miles from home and since I didn’t break anything I opted for a slow ride home. I now have a new perspective for anyone that has had a crash on a motorcycle. I can’t imagine….

Treatment #40 here we come

As usual here is my pre-treatment hello.

Things have been going well and with the good weather we have had over this past weekend, and into today, I have been able to enjoy a 25-mile ride with Dan Nies yesterday and then a 32-mile solo ride today. Both rides were terrific. The ride yesterday was out of Washington's Crossing so it was a bit of a challenge but I made it through. My legs were a bit on the tired side today but there was no way that I was going to not get out and enjoy the weather. The flat route allowed me to stretch the miles a bit.

And, yes, tomorrow is treatment day. Not just any treatment mind you. This will be my 40th treatment since this all began in early 2008. There may be another before my next scan during the 2nd week of November but for sure I'll be taking a moment tomorrow to reflect on these past 4 years.

Our Mintz's Mentschen participation in Cycle for Survival 2012 is all set. We'll be involved as a "mega team" with 2 bikes in the event that is scheduled for Saturday, February 4, 2012 in Roslyn, Long Island. The spinning-based event is for a 4-hour shift so we'll have at least 8 mentschen participating. With the passing of co-founder Jennifer Goodman Linn this past summer the Cycle for Survival (CFS) event this year proves to be an emotional one. CFS raises money in direct support of clinical trial development for rare cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Last year the total amount raised was $4.8 million and since esophageal cancer falls into the category of "rare" cancers the CFS organization kind of hits home with me. I'm sorry for my continued requests for financial support but if you can support us with a small donation I'd appreciate it very much. Please click here for my personal fundraising page.

A must see

From the many posts on Facebook regarding the death of Steve Jobs I came across a video of his commencement speech at Standford University in June 2005. It's definitely a must see. I know that I had a couple of take aways from it.

Click here to reference the video on the Stanford website.