Back in the saddle again.

Tomorrow we hope to get the 'official' word about my acceptance in the Cabozantinib (XL-184) clinical trial. In the first week since I stopped taking some of my previous medications I can't tell any difference. If anything, I feel a little better.

I mention feeling a little better with a slight amount of hesitation. Although we received mixed opinions from the medical community, Mary and I are convinced that my recent bouts of pain are related to the two new drugs I started in June. 

The only proof we have is the pattern of the pain I experienced both times I received the treatments. Five days after the injections I begin to have back pain. The severity and location move around from low to high and side to side. Sometimes it feels likes it's my ribs, then my back, etc. It lasts between seven to ten days following the injections and then I have days and days of 'normal' activity. 

This past weekend was one of those 'normal' periods. I was even able to play disc golf on Sunday, and played pretty well considering I had not played in a month. I really miss playing twice every weekend but I'm not complaining, I'll take what I can get.

Three weeks and counting, I hope it flies by like summer did!

601

This post marks quite a milestone, it's number 601! That's approximately one-hundred per year for the last six years!  I never thought I'd have this much to say or share but I proved myself wrong.

Spring has arrived in Kansas City and that means rain.  We received rain showers several times last week.  More importantly the rain means we will also have beautiful spring mornings.

It was 52 degrees when the guys teed off at disc golf Sunday morning. I was the score keeper once again.  Growing up in St. Louis I was familiar with large, planned urban parks (Forest Park). In Kansas City we have Swope Park. Like Forest Park it contains the Zoo, outdoor theater (Starlight), a golf course and in Kansas City's case, a beautiful disc golf course. Sunday morning, amongst other sightings and sounds we saw Missouri Blue birds and an eight point white-tailed deer. It pains me to be on injured reserve as I rest my hips for the time being, but the sights and sounds of nature, along with the time with friends makes up for my lack of participation.

It was close to 80 Sunday so I cleaned up various winter time debris in the garden, move some hostas and lilies and piddled around in the yard and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Thursday it's time for another day trip to Atlanta, I can't wait to see how Spring has enveloped Hot-Atlanta!

A hectic week ahead for FLHW

On Friday, May 7th, FLHW will be hosting our 2nd annual 'FLHW Friday Night at the Greenhouse' event. The owner of Suburban Lawns and Garden will be donating 10% of all sales between 5pm and 8pm, at the 105th and Roe store to FLHW. He also provides live music, beverages and light snacks. It is a very nice event and will be a fun night! It's also the Friday before Mother's Day, so a great time to pick up some flowers!

Details? http://www.flhw.org/images/stories/pdf/2010%20greenhouse%20event.jpg

The following day is the 3rd annual 'FLHW PC Doubles Shootout'. It will be played again at the beautiful Thornfield disc golf course, a privately held course in Stilwell, KS. This disc golf tournament will attract approximately ninety disc golfers for two eighteen hole rounds, lunch, a few beverages and prizes for the winning teams. As with the ball golf tournament, the day will run smoothly due to the help of the FLHW Board and the wonderful volunteers. This year we will be selling limited edition, commemorative discs. Even if you do not play disc golf, please consider buying one to help support the cause! Discs are $25 including shipping (domestic). Email me at 'info at flhw.org' if you are interested. We've already had some sales, which is great. There is a picture of the disc below. We appreciate everyone's support! The picture on the front of the disc was taken at last year's event.

Details? http://www.flhw.org/2010-events/83-3rd-annual-doubles-shootout.html

Have a great week-end!

Hold 'em or Fold 'em?

Mary, Brad and I saw the movie "The Blind Side" last night. What a fantastic movie. I sure wish Hollywood would produce more movies like this instead of some of the junk they churn out. I highly recommend this movie. It is based on a true story. Sandra Bullock turns in a very good performance and Tim McGraw is quite surprising as well.

Even with the cold weather we are experiencing, I played disc golf both yesterday and today. Yes, it was about 28 degrees yesterday and 33 today when we started, but with very little wind it was beautiful, perfect weather for a round. More importantly, I played pain free and remain that way 10 hours later. Next weekend will be my last opportunity to play with one of the regulars before he moves to Tuscon. I'm a little sad to see him go. He will be missed a lot.

Tomorrow is day 28 which means it's time to go see Doc V. I've been feeling really good since a week after my last visit, however we just never know what's going to happen.

Finally, tomorrow night is another event for the FLHW Foundation. We will be playing a Texas Hold 'em poker tourney at Johnny's Tavern in Overland Park. Click here for details, for those of you in town I hope you can make it!

Laboring Day

If there remains any doubt as to how well I have recovered, I have played disc golf each of the last three mornings. On top of that I just mowed the lawn in addition to a number of things around the house yesterday. I would say things have returned to some sense of normalcy.

The week ahead however is bound to be chaotic, at best. Last October the company I work for announced they were selling out to a much smaller competitor. After all the legal and governmental wrangling, the merger was approved on July 1st. Many of the other departments have announced who was leading, staying and going. Many, many very experienced, professional

and sincerely wonderful people have lost their jobs.

Rumor has it that this week my department is going to finally announce our reorganization. My gut tells me I have about a 50/50 chance of being offered a position. I have been through this before, as I'm sure many of you have. It's a horrible experience and in this economy I am sure it's going to be even more stressful.

Regardless of what happens to me, there are a number of people I work with that are sure to be impacted. What this will do to them mentally and their family financially will in some cases be devastating. For others it will become a breath of fresh air, a new start. For the former, I send a silent prayer your way and hope that God grants you the strength required to get through this ordeal.

What a weekend

Here's what you do when you have cancer - you try to ignore it. Maybe not ignore, perhpas it's better if I say go on without it as best you can.

Friday, I left work a little early and joined a friend on his sailboat at Lake Perry. Lake Perry is about an hour from here, between Lawrence and Topeka, KS. It was a bit windy when we arrived but we were out on the lake by 6:30 PM and were able to sail for two hours.

It was unbelievably relaxing and Jim, I'm ready to go back when you are!!

Yesterday, I played disc golf with a smaller crowd since some of the guys were out playing in a tournament. It was good to see Mark back out with us. He's first and foremost a ball golfer but I think he's slowly but surely getting the bug, plus his back is feeling better. Regarding my game, I just couldn't catch Rich, falling one shot short.

Last night we had family over for dinner on the patio and then enjoyed a fire in the fire pit. We really enjoyed the evening. The weather remains unseasonably cool...it's hard to believe it's August in Kansas City.

Today we drove to Emporia, KS and played in a disc golf tournament. I joined Pete, Steve and Steve. I played better in the morning than the afternoon and finished in a tie with Pete for 6th place. Yet another Steve played lights out this afternoon to move from 6th to 2nd place. Sometimes it's really fun to watch another guy you are playing with tear it up. He's also one of those very quiet, humble guys - great job Steve H.!!

So not real exciting to read, but I hope you found it to be worth sharing. I just wanted to share with you the fact that I'm not slowing down!

How low can you go?

I'll take a few points, just the beginning of a trend!

This morning I'm off to the doctor for my monthly shot and blood tests.
As always, it's a crap shoot but my body is telling me things are going well on this new medication. At times, I find it somewhat amazing how in tune I am with every little tweak, ache, pain, etc. that I experience. It comes from four and a half years of constant worry, constant obsession. Right now I am feeling good vibes!

I spent Saturday and Sunday in St. Louis with my brothers. I introduced my nephews to disc golf and really hope they catch the bug. I watched a little golf with my dad and then took in the Cardinals game with my brothers. It was a great game and what a beautiful stadium! It wouldn't be a trip without providing the family with a little tech support! Two printer, scanner, faxes in and working, one with wireless support! Note to the industry, Plug and Play is a joke!

It's a rainy Monday, is this God's way of telling me he is washing away the PCa cells? Perhaps. One way or another, I'll know in about three hours.

Finally, school starts on Wednesday. Brad will be in seventh grade...I'm in shock! Where is the time going?

Short, sweet and to the point

I'm finally resting after four straight days of disc golf and yard work.
It's cool, cloudy and raining off and on, so I'm catching up on paper work
for the foundation and paying bills.

As I sit here I've got iTunes up and just fired up Zac Brown Band, the song Toes. The course contains the line "..life is good today.."

and it is my friends, it truly is good today.

A repeat performance? and Sea Creatures

Sunday is the 2009 Kansas City Corporate Challenge Disc Golf event and my friend Gary and I will be defending our gold medals. See this post; 'We are the Champions..."

I'm not expecting a repeat, since I really haven't played very well the last few rounds. You can bet though I am hoping for a turn around by this weekend!

Not that it's an excuse or that it has impacted my game in any way, but my knees have been hurting. It started when I came off steroids after concluding chemotherapy. It primarily hurts when I sit for a while or after sleeping. The more active I am, the less I notice it. I tried to use this as an excuse for more disc golf, but Mary wasn't buying it.

My docs weren't much help (it's not their specialty) except to suggest I see an Orthopedic Specialist if the pain became too severe. Monday I asked a few runners I work with and they all suggested Glucosamine.

Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body, made from glucose and the amino acid glutamine. Glucosamine is needed to produce glycosaminoglycan, a molecule used in the formation and repair of cartilage and other body tissues. Production of glucosamine slows with age.

Glucosamine is available as a nutritional supplement in health food stores and many drug stores. Glucosamine supplements are manufactured in a laboratory from chitin, a substance found in the shells of shrimp, crab, lobster, and other sea creatures.

Though I've only taken it four times, I already feel the difference! I only hope it continues to get better as I continue to take it.

Eggs, and bunnies, and candy oh my!

We made it home safely on Friday, but not in a timely manner. Southwest Airlines, who I usually find to be reliable, did an absolutely miserable job of getting of us home. I'll forgo the details, but it involved delays, missed connections and arriving home six hours late.

I played disc golf yesterday and today with the gang. I really need them and appreciate them in my life. I am trying my best to take the doctor's words to heart and just get on with my life. Easier said than done!

Today is about the Lord and family and now relaxation with just Mary and Brad - this I also need!

Happy Easter everyone, peace be with you all.

Spring and a break!

Spring found KC in a big way! The weather since last weekend has been wonderful, and we couldn't have asked for better timing since we stayed home for Spring Break!

Oh course there has already been four rounds of disc golf and Saturday we helped some of the guys from the local club out by orking on the course in the woods. It was only two hours,but back breaking work!

Monday Brad and I played 9 holes of ball golf and he did really well. He showed much improvement from last year at this time.

Yesterday I played disc in the morning, washed and detailed cars for two and a half hours then played another round of disc golf. This year the FLHW disc golf tournament is being held at a private course, just two minutes from the house. It's long, there are a lot of trees that come into play, and it took two of us two hours to play. We primarily went out to determine how to lay out the course for our event on May 9th. It's going to be great, a real challenge, and I really hope the local disc golf community (and others) come out to play and support the cause!

Well, that's really it for now, I'm really tired after yesterday and I still have two or three basketball brackets to fill out!

180 Needles later

This morning was a good morning, I gave myself my last injection of Lovenox! (see this post http://prostatecancerat42.blogspot.com/2008/08/im-not-lovenox.html)

Six months of daily injections are over, woo-hoo!! Now it's just a daily baby aspirin to control clotting.

The mention of baby asprin reminds me of when I was young and one of my brothers liked those orange Johnson's Baby aspirin so much, he ate the whole bottle. I bet the thought of the stomach pumping that followed still gives him chills!

Four years ago today I sat at work and wrote how frightened I was about the results of the biopsy I had experienced the day before. As it turned out, I had good reason to be concerned. Those thoughts, that fear, feels like it is from another life, one that I no longer lead. Not that I am naïve about the road ahead, but dwelling on the negative does no good.

Spring is going to tease us once again for the next few days with temperatures climbing well into the sixties. If the wind cooperates, we'll be spending a lot of time outside both in the yard and playing, what else!

A brick wall

I was able to get almost all of the way through the week without much day time fatigue, just in the evening and over night.Today on the other hand I am beat. It's just after noon and I am contemplating heading home for a several hour nap!

I am hoping this does the trick because tomorrow it is supposed to be 60 degrees and disc golf is calling my name! I'll have to see how things go this afternoon and tonight.

In addition I was hoping to go out a have a nice dinner with Mary tomorrow night, since we spent my birthday at home. I'm not upset with that, I was tired, it was freezing out and my brother-in-law was still getting over a cold. So maybe with the warm weather tomorrow the four of us will find time for a nice meal?

Not much else to share today, other than the fact I pine for spring!

The end is near, the end of chemo!

It's been a long road, not too terribly difficult of a road, but long and arduous.
With today's events, this post is a milestone. It is also the first of many significant posts in the upcoming days.

There are birthdays, anniversaries, and a number of key markers in this journey that are to be recognized. I hope you check back to live and re-live the events with me.

What a long, strange trip it's been……and will certainly continue to be!

P.S. - It was 17 degrees when we started the Ice Bowl yesterday and 20 degrees when we finished at 12:15. We chose not to play the second round because they were running so far behind that it would have been after 3:00pm. The good news is they were running behind because they had an estimated 300 brave souls out to play Disc Golf!! Great news for this year's benefactor!

The Dirty Dozen

On Monday I will undergo my 12th, and let's pray, final chemo treatment. I am really looking forward to it's conclusion.

The past 7+ months have flown by quickly. As my overall PCa experience over the last four years, the chemo experience has been full of ups and downs. I must say, that as I sit here tonight and write this, I feel great.

After slacking off my exercise regime over the holidays, I worked out four days both last week and this week. This week I even got back on the exercise bike three times. Though I only rode 10-12 minutes, it felt good to once again get my heart racing. However, even after 10 minutes or so, I can rarely get my heart rate over 130 beats per minute. This has always been a problem for me, I guess I'm just too laid back!

It's that time of year again for the Ice Bowl (here are some previous posts about the Ice Bowl)
pain-in-neck

ice-bowl-video

i-am-such-wii-knee

The forecast this year is calling for a high of 26, but it looks like it will be 18 degrees when we get started on Sunday morning! Remember the motto of the Ice Bowl "No wimps, no whiners"!

Monday will be here before you know it and with that thought, I ask for your thoughts and prayers as I end one stage and enter another.

Prayer to Saint Peregrine ~ Patron Saint to cancer patients
O great St. Peregrine,
you have been called "The Mighty,"
"The Wonder-Worker,"
because of the numerous miracles
which you have obtained from God
for those who have had recourse to you.

For so many years
you bore in your own flesh
this cancerous disease
that destroys the very fiber of our being,
and who had recourse
to the source of all grace
when the power of man could do no more.

You were favored with the vision of Jesus
coming down from His Cross
to heal your affliction.

Ask of God and Our Lady,
the cure of the sick whom we entrust to you.
(Pause here and silently recall the names of the sick for whom you are praying)

Aided in this way by your powerful intercession,
we shall sing to God,
now and for all eternity,
a song of gratitude
for His great goodness and mercy.
Amen.

Ace times three

That's this morning, January 11, 2009 after getting a hole-in-one on the 5th hole!

After a long tiring, post chemo week, I was feeling great this morning so I decided to join a few of the guys at a new disc golf course. The baskets aren't in yet so we aimed for trees marked like the one next to me. The object was to hit the tree below the ribbon. My shot was 300+ feet from the tee pad and hit the tree right smack in the middle.

Better than my accomplishment, my brother in law Rich got two!! He started the day with one on the first hole and finished the round with another on the 18th! It was only 24 degrees when we started but with no wind it quickly reached 40 degrees.

This afternoon we took down the Christmas tree and put the decorations away. Now football has ended and it's time to finish the book I started yesterday and get a good night sleep before I start working out again tomorrow morning.

Life

I saw this quote and because it's so appropriate, I thought I'd pass it along.

Life is not the way it's supposed to be.

It's the way that it is.

The way you cope with it,

is what makes the difference.

Played disc golf this morning, 28 degrees when I left the house, but it was 45 degrees when we finished at 10:30.

Monday is treatment #9, more thoughts on that over the weekend!

A premonition?

The title is just me kidding, I was going to add a joke about my mind being in a fog after tomorrow, but I'll spare you.

I had to share this picture from Saturday morning's round disc golf. (click the photo for a larger view) It was around 55 degrees yesterday, shorts, long sleeve t-shirt and a light pull over. When we arrived at the first hole, we could only see about 50 feet in front of us. We encountered the same on hole two. The fog slightly lifted for holes 4-8 but #9 was a blind shot as well. My drive on #9 disappeared into the fog and we found it 320 feet later, under the basket!

The picture above is hole #11. The tee shot and the fairway are covered by trees, thus keeping the fog at bay. However, as we approached the basket this was the scene.

Needless to say, it was fantastic Saturday morning!

7, 617, 54...sorry

First and foremost, sorry for not posting for the last week!

Everything is fine, everything is 'normal'.

Being week two, my tongue returned to normal and work returned to being hectic.
I spent Wednesday and Thursday in Boston, MA (617 area code) for work. It was a quick but productive trip.

I spent yesterday playing 54 holes of disc golf with most of the members of the Saturday morning gang.
We left at 6:00am for Columbia, MO where we played two rounds; one as individuals, one as two-man teams.
During the first round my brother-in-law almost made a hole-in-one - the disc hit the front rim of the basket from about 275 feet away.
250 feet over water then, BANG! Would have, should have, could have......

Both yesterday, and this week in Boston, were absolutely gorgeous fall days. The trees have turned, the days are cooler and crisp
and winter is right around the corner. With winter's arrival will come my longing for spring. I have five more chemo treatments, lasting until late
January, a mild and short winter would be a welcome treat.

In the weeks ahead I have treatment #8, new bone and CT scans, a long overdue trip to St. Louis and ......?

54? Let's make it an even 72!!

Yesterday was a little more that a typical Saturday in August for David. Why let Prostate Cancer and chemotherapy keep you down when you love disc golf?

Joe, Rich and I decided we had talked about a disc golf road trip long enough, it was time to act. We decided we would make a day of it and play in Marshall, MO and two different courses in Columbia, MO.

So yesterday morning Rich and I left my house at 6:00am, picked Joe up and headed 60 minutes east on I-70 to Marshall, MO. They have a great little disc course there, Indian Foothills Disc Golf Course. When we tee'd off a little before 8:00am it was damp, due to heavy dew overnight. Our feet were instantly soaked, and they remained that way for the next 12 hours. This had no impact on our day however! The course was new to Rich and myself and the three of us really had a great time, despite the face full of spider webs each us experienced multiple times. Eww!!!

By 10:30 we were in Columbia, MO at Albert Oakland Park. I love this course. It had been almost four years since I played in Columbia, certainly - BC (before cancer). The threat of rain had long passed, the sky was still overcast but the humidity was typical for an August day in the heartland! Joe shot a nice round at even par and Rich and I finished equal at +3.

Next it was off to the campus of the University of Misssouri and lunch at Shakespeare’s Pizza.
The pie was delicious and with little delay we were off for our next round at Indian Hills Disc Golf Course. The previous time I played this course I really liked it. This time, by the time we reached the back nine we couldn't wait to leave. I'm all for a challenge, but this course is in need of some serious trimming! There was at least one tree and multiple limbs on every hole that needed to be removed. I even questioned at one point whether the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department owned it or knew how to operate a saw. I'm not whining here, but the condition of this course was ridiculous.

By the time we finished it was only 4:00. We agreed we couldn't finish on a bad note. A quick phone call to Mary and we were on our way back to Oakland for round four! 72 holes of disc golf in one day!

The last round was perhaps the most fun. We played in less than 90 minutes and finished the back nine in 28 minutes! Joe and I barely missed ace's on number 16. His shot went right over the top, mine cut right across the front of the basket!

In total, it was an unbelievable day! I haven't had that much fun playing disc golf since Europe in 2006.

Here are the scores for the day (Par is 54)
Joe - 53, 54, 60, 50 = 217 or +1
David- 61, 57, 64, 57 = 239 or +23
Rich - 57, 57, 70, 57 = 241 or +25

One thing to note - I definitely had an advantage over Rich in one aspect. I had played both courses in Columbia previously. Due to the layout, my experience did not provide an advantage at Oakland however, at Indian Hills, due to the number of blind shots, I had a leg up.

In the end, the scores really didn't matter. We had a fantastic time, a nice trip and great conversation on the trip home. Thanks Rich and Joe for sharing this day with me. You both are great guys. I wonder where we'll go next?

EPILOGUE: I was slightly concerned that after all that activity I'd be a little sore today. And of course, Mary shared in my concern. Well I was not fatigued or hurting in the least bit! Take that chemotherapy and PCa!!