Well, I have finally gone and done it. I am posting the first entry into my diary and, Yes, I am a madman. As we journey through these postings together you will get an insight into the all of the various me's. You will find that I can and will talk about anything and nothing is off-limits.
So, how did I get to this point in my life? Well there is a very long-winded answer but I will give you the condensed version. I will start with recent events that have prompted this "New Beginning" but there is more to the story than just that.
First stop on the journey is December 1, 2005. This is the day my wife moved out and a day after I started a new job that was completely different than the tax and accounting work that I had been doing the previous six years. The separation was a long time in coming and it was somewhat of a relief when it finally did happen. At least it allowed me to focus on my new job.
Next stop is September 5, 2006. After receiving an abnormal reading on some routine blood work that was needed for a life insurance policy, my doctor conducted some additional tests. This is the day that I found out that there was a high probability that I had some form of lymphoma or leukemia. Ouch, CANCER!!!! The good news that I got a few weeks later is that the specific cancer I had was Hodgkin's Disease or Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is one of the more curable forms of cancer there is.
So, did this little news of cancer slow me down? HA! Not one bit. On September 17 I was one of many who ran in the Inaugural Disneyland Half-Marathon "race". This was my first long-distance run and I finished in under three hours, which was my goal. I had to sprint the last 0.1 miles but I did it. WOOHOO!!!!
Over the next few months I would undergo chemotherapy treatments that were supposed to be somewhat debilitating. They were working quite well too. After four treatments we ran some more tests and found that the cancer was half gone. To me that meant I could keep right on running.
And on January 14, 2007 I did just that. It was only ten days after one of my chemo treatments and 29 degrees outside in an otherwise normally balmy Phoenix, AZ but I lined up for the PF Chang's Half-Marathon. Once again I had a blast. I even ran into my old boss during the run (well, I was actually walking at that point). She's the one that fired me just before I started a new career. She was completely supportive and is one of the greatest people I have ever met.
Well, in April we do another test. This time not so good. There has been no progress since the test done in December. Time to change course. This was not a slight change either, it was an about face. My doctor transfers my care to an expert specific to my disease and it is decided to go forward with a bone marrow transplant procedure. This is where they gave me chemo drugs that are so powerful that they will literally destroy my blood system and would have killed me if not for the top notch skills of the medical staff. To preserve my blood system they take some of them away and freeze them before I get the batch of "poisonous" chemo drugs. Once those chemo drugs leave my system I am given those frozen cells that became my lifeline. They were able to find their way home to the bones and regenerate my entire blood system. I was lucky and actually breezed through it relatively unscathed. It could have easily been a lot worse.
The bone marrow transplant procedure has many steps and it took a few months especially since my body was not always entirely cooperative. During that time I was sued the landlord of my spouse's business, finalized the divorce, and started the process of filing for bankruptcy. I know this sounds like a lot to go through all at once but I think that actually helped. I hired attorneys to take care of my divorce and bankruptcy proceedings and focused solely on staying healthy. It was in the back of my mind, of course, but that's where it pretty much stayed.
The Hodgkin's Disease is now under control but we did find out in the process that I may have thyroid cancer. Just pile it on top. I am now to the point that there is nothing that you can throw at me that will break me. When you come face to face with the decision to take drugs that can literally kill you and survive, nothing can really throw you for a loop. You just simply look at the situation, figure out how to get through it, and then do it. No horsing around, just do it. So I met my latest doctor (my fourth doctor in 18 months) about two weeks ago and we talked it through and I am having surgery in five days to cut out the troublesome thyroid nodule and perhaps the entire thyroid.
So here we are. Within the last two years I have 1) started essentially a new career, 2) been divorced, 3) fought off cancer, and 4) began the process of bankruptcy. I would definitely call that "A New Beginning." No more messing around, it's time to get things done.
Tony
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