Toad
10-21-2005, 08:57 PM
I may have mentioned a thread about reasons to LiveStrong, but this guy posted this today and is fairly representive of the stories told. Sometimes people tell about someone close to them, but this is a first hand account. LiveStrong for those who are fighting and for those who have lost the fight.
I am 31 and was diagnosed with cancer 2 months ago and I am currently going through chemo so appreciate any awareness that the Livestrong band creates. I get asked by heaps of people about the band and love telling Lances story, its all about cancer AWARENESS as much as his achievments. Lance says himself that beating cancer is his sweetest victory and I am hoping to taste that as well. Even my oncology nurses don't know about the band and the new ones always ask about it as I have it on the wrist where I receive my chemo and they are all suprised when they hear the story. I am ordering a few dozen bands when I can afford them to sell at the oncology unit to raise money for them. I don't wear this band for fashion, it's about awareness of cancer.
I have a rare cancer that originated in my appendix, due to its location I had 1/3 of my colon removed 6 weeks ago and have to have chemo once a week for 30 weeks straight, 3 down and 27 to go I have no history of cancer in the family and had no symptoms until my appendix nearly ruptured, my surgical doc said I was about 24 hours away from dieing of the rupture. I have a beautiful wife and 2 amazing girls aged 3 and 5 to live for and I do not want them to be left husband and fatherless for at least another 50 years.
The chemo may or may not cure me and the doctors so rarely treat this type of cancer that I have not been giving anything other than 50/50 odds. I have been an on and off cyclist all my life especially since finishing school when I could afford my first real racer (14speed SHOGUN Katana). 3 weeks ago I got the ok to start riding and my father bought me a great 2nd hand 9speed mostly Ultegra Cannondale. It is a dream to ride compared to my previous bikes even if it is lowly CAAD4..but hey...it's not about the bike
I haven't ridden for 6 months due to work and poor excuses so I have been instructed to go "VERY VERY EASY" by absolutely everyone including the doctor, my wife and my mum ....but with the hills all around where I live it is hard to go easy even in the 39/23 at times. I completed 16km (10miles) my first ride and averaged 20km/h (12.5m/h) and just today did a solo 31km (19miles) at 27km/h (16.5m/h), sure I will not break any records but I am content in having come so far already with what I have been through and what is currently going on. My butt is sore at the moment though, an Arione is in the pipeline This Sunday I have a 50km (31mile) ride with 2 good friends planned and I am looking forward to it so much! Slow and Easy Within 3 months the plan is to complete my first metric century in around 13 years. I am so excited at the prospect of this and I am hoping that the chemo doesn't get in the way, certainly I will be riding as much as my body and doctors allow me as I have always took for granted this wonderful thing we call cycling.
My heartfelt thanks to you members here at ***forums for answering my questions (there will be many more!!) and for giving me some great reading during my long days of recovery. Enjoy the wonderful gift of life and LIVESTRONG. Please now get off your a$$ and go for a ride
I am 31 and was diagnosed with cancer 2 months ago and I am currently going through chemo so appreciate any awareness that the Livestrong band creates. I get asked by heaps of people about the band and love telling Lances story, its all about cancer AWARENESS as much as his achievments. Lance says himself that beating cancer is his sweetest victory and I am hoping to taste that as well. Even my oncology nurses don't know about the band and the new ones always ask about it as I have it on the wrist where I receive my chemo and they are all suprised when they hear the story. I am ordering a few dozen bands when I can afford them to sell at the oncology unit to raise money for them. I don't wear this band for fashion, it's about awareness of cancer.
I have a rare cancer that originated in my appendix, due to its location I had 1/3 of my colon removed 6 weeks ago and have to have chemo once a week for 30 weeks straight, 3 down and 27 to go I have no history of cancer in the family and had no symptoms until my appendix nearly ruptured, my surgical doc said I was about 24 hours away from dieing of the rupture. I have a beautiful wife and 2 amazing girls aged 3 and 5 to live for and I do not want them to be left husband and fatherless for at least another 50 years.
The chemo may or may not cure me and the doctors so rarely treat this type of cancer that I have not been giving anything other than 50/50 odds. I have been an on and off cyclist all my life especially since finishing school when I could afford my first real racer (14speed SHOGUN Katana). 3 weeks ago I got the ok to start riding and my father bought me a great 2nd hand 9speed mostly Ultegra Cannondale. It is a dream to ride compared to my previous bikes even if it is lowly CAAD4..but hey...it's not about the bike
I haven't ridden for 6 months due to work and poor excuses so I have been instructed to go "VERY VERY EASY" by absolutely everyone including the doctor, my wife and my mum ....but with the hills all around where I live it is hard to go easy even in the 39/23 at times. I completed 16km (10miles) my first ride and averaged 20km/h (12.5m/h) and just today did a solo 31km (19miles) at 27km/h (16.5m/h), sure I will not break any records but I am content in having come so far already with what I have been through and what is currently going on. My butt is sore at the moment though, an Arione is in the pipeline This Sunday I have a 50km (31mile) ride with 2 good friends planned and I am looking forward to it so much! Slow and Easy Within 3 months the plan is to complete my first metric century in around 13 years. I am so excited at the prospect of this and I am hoping that the chemo doesn't get in the way, certainly I will be riding as much as my body and doctors allow me as I have always took for granted this wonderful thing we call cycling.
My heartfelt thanks to you members here at ***forums for answering my questions (there will be many more!!) and for giving me some great reading during my long days of recovery. Enjoy the wonderful gift of life and LIVESTRONG. Please now get off your a$$ and go for a ride