Ring the Bell School's back in!!!!!!

This is a lyric from one of my early adolescent favorites by L.L. Cool J.   It is significant because this Monday I will be making my seasonal debut at Salem Middle School.  I plan on going back to teach for at least three weeks before my surgery.

I do apologize for not updating this sooner but with the last round of chemo, I got pretty sick and just didn't really feel like writing much.  So here is my update post!  The good news that my HCG and AFP which is the blood markers that measure how much cancer is in your blood have both normalized.   This is a great thing.  It basically states the fast moving part of my tumor has been killed off by the chemo.

The bad news is all three of the enlarged lymph nodes are still of significant grow on my CT scan.  This means that I will be having the RPLND surgery.   Dr. Einhorn said that it is possible that two of the nodes could just be scar tissue but the third is large enough that he feels it is probably teratoma. Teratoma is the part of my tumor that we knew chemo wouldn't kill and that it had to be surgically removed.   The surgery itself is a pretty evasive one.   Basically I will have a large inscision from my sternum to past my navel.  Then will then remove my insides and cut out the effected nodes.   Sounds pleasing right? 

Monday was my last day of Chemo and before I could go get my shot I had to meet with Dr. Einhorn to get my lungs checked and to make sure I was capable of getting the shot.  It was a truly moving appointment.  Dr. Einhorn congratulated me on  finishinng my chemotherapy and then said that my numbers will remain good for the rest of my life now we just have to get the teratoma out.  I love how he is always so positive about everything. 

The next thing that happened to was very interesting.  I had to sit and wait on a bench to get checked out.   A elderly came and sit next to me and asked me how I was today....I told her I was great and that today was my last day of chemo but unfortunately I was having surgery on the 4th.    She then proceded to say....."well dear at least you are getting to have surgery.  My husband can't!  His cancer is back.....crazy he has lung cancer and never smoked in his life"  She started to cry as she was telling me this.   Just then Jackie which is Dr. E's right hand woman and my savior through chemo said "blair you don't have to wait you can go ahead to chemo"    If jackie had came five minutes earlier then I wouldn't have known about the ladies husband.  I and she were there for a reason.  I felt it was god's way of telling me that instead of freaking out about the surgery that I need to realize their are alot of people who would love to be in my shoes......to be able to have the abiltiy to have surgery save their live.  That is the approach I have to take

As we made our way to the infusion room one last time I was over come with emotion.  I really never thought I would make it to the end of my chemo sessions.   The final shot, the final IV, the final room
The bleo shot is only a ten minute shot that has to be given through the IV so it didn't take very long at all.   The infusion room has a bell that you can ring at the end of your sessions to signal that you are finished with your chemo.  The nurse asked me if I was ready to ring the bell!  I told her that I wasn't going to ring the bell.   It wasn't that I didn't want to because I really wanted to ring it loud.   But every time I thought about ringing it I kept thinking about the women I had met downstairs.   I didn't feel like ringing it when I knew their were people in that room that were never going to get to ring it.  

So I packed up my stuff....thanked all of the nurses that were just awesome.   Can you imagine having to infuse chemo everyday.   It really takes a special person.   Then I stopped at the infusion front desk and told the lady who always got me in my private room and said "Don't take this the wrong way but thanks and I hope I never see you again"    she politely responded "I feel the same"

Well a huge hurdle in this battle is over and we Won!   The surgery is next but we have a little time for that.   I just want to thank all of you for the overflowing support you have given me and my family during this difficult time.   I had know idea how many people truly cared for us.  I will never be able to repay you for all you have done for us.  But please know that I thank you from the very bottom of my heart.  I love all you!    Until Surgery!    I am headed back to SCHOOL!!


BT

2/3 of the way down!!!

Wow what a week!  I have been dreading this week since we started this process!   The "long weeks" in which I go Monday through Friday really take a toll on my whole family!  My parents drive me four of the five days and tammie is able to drive me on Fridays.  My mother-in-law picks up and keeps Bray until Tammie is able to get of work.  I get the fun part of getting four hours of chemo daily.  Needless to say it is a very trying affair!  This week they changed my medications a little and I have to admit that minus Thursday till today this cycle was actually better. I was bed stricken all week during my first cycle but this cycle I have actually been able to sit at the table and eat.  The first cycle all I did was sleep!  

I got some difinite positive news this week from dr. Einhorn! This cancer is measured two ways with your blood and with a CT scan. The Blood markers that are used are AFP and HCG!   When I started my AFP was 23 and my HCG was 107.  They checked my markers this week and my AFP was 4 with anything less then five being normal.   My HCG had dropped to 14!  Dr. E said this was a great drop and things were progressing nicely. He said that after this next cycle my HCG should be zero!!   He also told me that I probably won't be needing the Rplnd surgery.   That was the greatest words I hard heard during this whole process.   Now we won't obviously know for sure until the ct scan.   However when we started this journey it was 100 percent I had to have it.  Pray is a powerful thing


So as my medical state has taken a definite curve for the better my emotional state has definitely taken a hit this week.  The start of school had a huge impact on me this week.  It's crazy! If you would have offered me an extra week off of school last year I would have said yes and ran out the door.  But this is different....I don't have an option.  I just can't be there.   I have never called what I do a job. It is my passion! I love seeing my students become engaged the history of our country.  I care deeply for every student that has ever stepped into my room and I hope they have not only learned about us history.....but life as well.   It had been so uplifting to receive the many emails from former students.  It truly helps me keep moving forward.

I had to listen to the game Friday from the radio.  I felt like shooter in Hoosiers when he is listening to the finals in the hospital!  There were a few screams and a couple of fists pumps! It just wasn't the same.  Early when Madison got a couple of runs I wanted to get in my car and drive down to the field.  But I knew that wasn't possible!  After the scrimmage my phone blew up from the guys and they were excited about how they had played.  I could tell that they were playing with a,it of emotion.   We have a bunch of really great kids that I hope the community will be proud of.   This group has been through so much in the last two years and they have never backed down.   They have continued to come to practice to play against teams that were just physically dominate and yet they never backed down.  They came to practice everyday.  They showed up at the games and gave it all they had even though all that had just simply wasn't enough.   This team has really worked hard this off season and I feel we are ready to compete.   I know it isn't easy to come out and cheer on teams that lose but I hope that when Fridays this fall come around you take into consideration what all these guys have Been though.  Their determination has helped me when this stuff seems to get the best o f me.   That is the lesson I want my son to learn.  Anyone can enjoy excellence but it takes someone special to overcome years of adversity and come out ahead!   I hope all you can make it Friday!   I know I will!

Good,Bad,Sad

This week has brought along a lot of reflection!   Reflection of this whole process and reflection of my life and if it will ever be back to normal... What is my new normal?  One thing I have stated from the beginning of this is that I will not let cancer beat me or nor define me!

Three emotions that I have been through in the past week.  I'm going to start with the GOOD...I have actually been out of my room the last four days.  It has been so nice to actually have some energy back..to have an appetite!  Yesterday was my only chemo of the week and last Monday was awful...thankfully due to some research I premedicated this week and it made a world of difference.   I was actually able to ride in the passenger seat of Tammie's car on the way up.   I had been forced to lay down on the way up previously because I was just to sick to sit up.   It was do nice riding to Indy with tammie.  It reminded me of when our lives were normal.   Anybody that knows us knows that we were constantly on the go...to games or vacations.    I just wanted tammie to keep driving on 65 maybe not stop in Indy and head up to Chicago like we did a few summers back!   Sitting on the beach of lake michigan sounded much better then sitting in my chemo chair.   Today I was able to get Braylon out of bed in the morning...something I hadn't been able to do in awhile and this afternoon I got to spend some quality time with him until Tammie got home from work.  It's crazy that before this all happened the time in which him and I would be waiting on Tammie to get home from work was usually spent with a lot of apprehension and stress.  But today was different.  I just wanted time to stand still......today felt normal.  To be able to play with my son and not be sick felt wonderful.  It almost felt like Bray wanted to make it last as well...he is usually very tired and cranky at this time in the day...not today.   He just wanted to laugh..play a little wrestle mania and my personal favorite just hug his dad.    He melts my heart and is the reason I can tolerate all that this cancer wants to throw at me.   He is definition of all that is GOOD in my life!

The bad?   I hate being negative on my blog but I want you to be able to share this journey with me and it would be unfair if I weren't open with you. This has been the hardest week for me emotionally. I'm not really sure why but I just keep thinking about my next long week.   I get sick just thinking about it.  I can't sleep even though my body is begging me to..... I just can't.    My nights are the worse.   I just lay in bed and think about everything.   My head is just spinning  with so much emotion. I haven't gotten sick with this shot this week but I am experiencing more joint and bone pain before.   Heat is really messing with me as well.. Showers seen to take their toll as well.  I have had to turn back the hot water.   The instant fatigue is crazy.   I can be fine then it hits and I have to Kay down immediately.  It is something. I can't explain.   It definitely is BAD!

The sad!   This Monday was the official start of the football season with the annual two a days.   I can't go to practice right now...just don't have the energy!   I missed my first practice in my life yesterday.    I miss the boys on the team so much and I feel like I am letting them down by not being there.  I am able to watch practice through a computer program but I feel so helpless.    I can't be there coaching them up.   Having football taken away for a bit has crushed me.   I know I am suppose to be there.  But my body just won't let me.  It's at moments like these I am reminded that I do have this disease.

My hair is starting to fall out and it's doing a number in my mental state.  I literally can just pull out globs of hair off  my head.   I think it's time to shave it off.  This aspect has really but the reality check of cancer into my head.   I for whatever reason still have a hard time understanding that I have cancer.   I know that sounds crazy but it's just the fact that I have never been sick and cancer at 34 was something i never would have dreamed in a million years.  

I don't want to end this on a sad note so let's celebrate that I have one cycle down and I'm a third of the way through this horrible experience.   I keep telling myself that I am very fortunate to have a positive prognosis and that many of the people that I sit with during my treatments are as fortunate as me.   This whole process has really changed my life for the better.   I use to get so upset over the littlest things.  It didn't matter if it were at school,football, the town crier......it use to bug the crap out of me.   This has changed me for the better.   I understand now that most of the things that use to bug me don't matter.    They really had zero importance in my life.    Cancer has allowed me to take a step back and refocus my life.   It has shown me what is really important and to enjoy everyday that we are fortunate enough to be here.   I wish that it hadn't taken me 34 years to understand that but unfortunately it has taken something like this to prioritize my life.    I never took the things that I had been blessed with lightly but I truly appreciate everything more now.

I hope to continue to gain strength the rest of the week and gear up for round 2.   I know it's going to be tough but I have to put that gameface back on and attack this thing.    Thanks again for all you have done and continue to do.  I feel so blessed to have all of you in my life.   We will beat this!  Just gotta keep my head down and keep moving forward.   I hope to update on wednesday of next week.
h

Chumbawamba,Miles, Misery

I want to apologize to all my loyal blog readers(if anyone is out there) it has been awhile since I have updated this blog!   Needless to say it has been a very trying couple of days but just like our favorite Halloween Character Micheal Meyers, yours truly has once arisen to fight again! I apologize if you are now singing the following song that was added above.  I know it's cheesy but it is definitely  how I have felt in the last few days.  Wednesday evening is when things really went down hill.  Thursday and Friday I had to lay the seats down in the SUV and make a bed just so I could ride up to Indy.  I might end up staying the next time I have my long weeks.  Thankfully I was able to sleep from Scottsburg up both days because I was very sick.   The fatigue has been a huge part of this first cycle as well.   I have never experienced fatigue like this.  I am one who goes with little sleep maybe four hours a night and as never heard of a nap in the afternoon.  But I am lucky not to sleep four hour naps in the afternoon now.   The medications are giving my insomnia so I have had a nice love affair with the Big Ten Network showing classic Michigan football games at 2 am!

I had to push my only treatment of the week back from Monday to Tuesday because I feel very ill on Monday....constant sickness from 4 am monday morning until about 8 pm that evening.  It was mieserable.   Thankfully I got a different prescription that put a stop to the madness.  It is one of the traits that I love about my wife.....when ever she needs something you better get it.   I always put her in charge when I need something from the pharmacy.  They don't tend to question her as much:)

Tuesday I started to feel a little better and we headed up for thankfully our only trip of the week.   I have acquired a head cold which gave the nurses some concerns about giving me my Bleo shot.  This shot is only administered once a week but it is nasty.  It basically jacks up your lungs but kills the cancer at the same time.  Their was some questions about proceeding put they went ahead.   All went well until we literally pulled into the driveway at home.  I begin to shake and tremble I was freezing and yet hot.  We had been warned of this side effect....commonly called the shake/bake...Ricky bobby reference.   We were told that it usually lasted about 4 hours but as long as my temp didn't get over 102 I would come out of it.  You may have heard the term fish out of water....well I literally felt like one flopping around in my bed...freezing with a heating pad.  I finally fell asleep thanks to some benedryl and when I awoke the shakes were gone but I couldn't stop coughing.  The mucus from my cold had a reaction to the shot and I spent the rest of the evening coughing up crap like I had been smoking for thirty years.   I have created a fascination with lemons in this chemo cycle and I have literally eaten two a day.   I don't know why but it takes the metallic taste out and really taste good.   So after all that was on Tuesday....I sat down at 1:30 AM and had a lemon.   It tasted so good.   It actually cleaned out my throat and nasal passages and allowed me to finally get some sleep.

Today has been the best day since last Tuesday.  I have actually been able to take a shower and get out of bed and have dinner with my family.  I really miss not being able to get the little man out of bed in the morning and giving him a bottle.  I know it will all be just a matter of time before it all gets back to normal.

After 24 hours in a car, 6 trips to Indy and 27 hours in treatment we are a monday away from being 1/3 of the way through.   Like the song says "get knocked down, but we get up again"   and when Life gives you Lemons.....Eat them!

bt

Wrestlemania, I-65, Private room

When I was a kid I could not wait to wake up and grab the "clicker"....it was time for wrestling. There was no larger celebrity in the 80s then Hulk Hogan. You remember....eat your vitamins and say your prayers. I was a little hulkamaniac. This is going somewhere I promise. Well hulk was also famous for nearly being counted out by the ref but when the count got to nine his arm would stay up and he would proced to get off the Mat and pummel his opponent. He was hulk hogan. The past 48 hours I have been placed faced down on the mat. I have suffered through the most agonizing sickness and overall fatigue I have ever experienced. Thursday and Friday I had to lay in the back of my suv just to have the energy to make it. It seems I-65 gets longer each time we head north. Either the government doesn't care about holes or my wonderful drivers think its fun to hit everyone. Fortunately I usually fall asleep around Seymour and wake up as we are pulling in. If their are any women reading this that struggled through morning sickness I salute you. I have had this for one week and never want to see it again. You deserve a gold star. The chemo has gotten really bad it has beaten me down. Fortunately I have my own room in the infusion center so I can sleep. I can taste it in my mouth..nothing taste good. The cisplatin comes out the pores of your skin and you can feel it no matter how many time you wash with a washcloth. It's so disgusting. I am do sick of it. But I know that it is killing the bad stuff and I just have ride it out. Well it's Saturday morning and for the last 48 hrs I was face down on the mat with Hulk. But this morning my hand stayed in the air when the count got to nine and I fought myself out of bed and to this blog. The reality is we are 1/3 of the way through this evil treatment. I will make it. Thanks to all of you. Don't forget to say your prayers and eat your vitamins so all my hulkamaniacs can run wild on CANCER! Love you all. BT

The Humpty Dance to Chemo

Nothing like starting a Wednesday off with a little Humpty!  Well Cycle one we are now offically on the downhill slide.  Had are pretty good evening last night ate well.....That has never been a problem for me....was introduced to a new side effect last night Hiccups.  I am not talking regular hiccups these things sound like Captain Caveman!  It is rather embarrassing so I hope I can get it under control before I am out in public and people start taking cover.  Had a piece of Red Velvet Cake that was brought over from Lyndsay Wade-Swift!  She is an amazing cook!

Slept well and headed to Indy at 6 A.M. this morning!  The nauseousness seems to be the worse in the morning but nothing a little pill can help me get through.  I was wondering if the doctor was hinting at my mental capacity or my profession when he gave me an anxiety pill called ATIVAN for the sickness.  He said that in a clinic study it was proven to be the most effective.  So far so good.  I slept from Seymour to Inday!

I am getting to be on a first name basis with everyone in the infusion room.  I know I know you are surprised right.  Well they got me in right away and I head to the scales.  This is done every time before we start.  Each time I beg them to let me take my shoes off before I weigh but they won't let me :( I am hoping the cookies and doughnuts will eventually make this happen.   Fortunately the weight is in kilos  so it looks alot better....I always tell them not to worry about converting.    I got a corner cubicle today so I had a lot more privacy.  It's like my own little world with a TV and a recliner.  It is also closest to the restroom which is a huge plus!  Fought sickness all day but never actually threw up.  The dreaded hiccups came back after about two hours.  I thought they were going to be the death of me.  Begin watching the series Breaking Bad on Netflix and have a new passion.   I got through five episodes in my chair    Today seemed to move along fairly well.   Just wish I could get the sickness to subside.  Small Victories are all we wish for at this point.  One day at a time!  Thanks to all who continue to  follow this story. 

   

Until tomorrow!  BT 

Friends,Family and The Town I Love

This entry is going take a different tone then the previous ones! When I started on this journey I was going to try to keep everything a secret to everyone but my family. I didn't really think it was anyone's business what I was going through and I definitely wasn't going to blast my business on Facebook. I am sorry if I have offended but just not my thing. However, I had no choice because I was going to miss my second football practice in over 25 yrs.....the other was the birth of my son. I had to tell the team what was going on and quite frankly it was my duty to tell the kids that they need to make sure and tell there parents if something were to feel different. This is something that many boys struggle with but the fact that this is the number 1 cancer among young men you must be concerned about anything down there. I told the boys in the morning and by noon this thing had went viral! Welcome to the technology age Mr. Thompson! Don't get me wrong I was flattered that it got to so many so fast. However this is Salem (if you live here you get it). The negative to that is so many un truths were coming out you would think I was at the Republican convention! I had one lady after practice tell me she was so sorry that her son HAD always liked me.....hold up lady please stop referring to me in past tense. I am not going anywhere yet! After the team found out I felt like I needed to post on my classroom Facebook page what the facts were And that I wasn't going to die and that everything was going to be ok. The students light up my facebook page with love and prayer requests. We really do have some great young adults in this community. I hope everyone around them will give them the love and nourishment to be able to achieve their dreams. It was from then on I decided I wasn't going to fight this alone. Boy am I glad I made this decision. Salem....if you were to classify kit it with words...you might use quaint, tiny, old-school, afraid of change, but the word that you always find on everyone's list is CARING! I have had a first hand look at the caring our community has when a few of my colleagues and I started a christmas giveaway at the middle school. We collected so many clothes from educators and other members of the community that we were able to provide over a hundred families to have something for Christmas. I also have attended the relay for live at the track what an amazing night for our community. I never dreamed I would be there next year as a survivor but I will!! The outpouring support that has been given to me and my family during this extremely tough situation is something that I will never forget! Every trip up to Indy and every trip back my phone just blows up from either a text message from a friend or old classmate.....or a Facebook comment...or a blog comment. You have know idea the impact that has on someone that is about to have five hours of poison pumped into his body. You guys push me to continue to get out of bed and to drivethe end the hours. You push me to be able to fight off the nausea, you push me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I will never be able to repay you for what you have done but know that I will always be here for any of you if you ever need a friend! People often ask me why I wanted to move back to a small town with no job opportunities. I alway say because salem is a much bigger and brighter city because of the individuals that live inside it. Once again you all have proven me right. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I want to end this post with a special thanks to two of the greatest people in my life my parents. My parents have never missed anything that I have been in during my entire life. Still today as I run on the field to coach I always look to make sure they are in the seats on Friday that they have set for almost thirty years. My parents have been with me everyday through this..many times just sitting in the lobby to offer support when I would finish. This week my parents have already drove eight hours and sit for 11 hours and we are only two days in the week. I am so fortunate to have them still in my life and to have parents that care so much. I have to admit sometimes I have to turn my headphones on because they are a little overbearing. But I know they care. They are really having a hard time with this...heck I cried when I had to take Braylon to get tubes for his ears! But they have never wiped a smile off their faces when talking to me and how we are going to beat this. They truly are special people. I can only hope that I can shower Braylon with the same affection and become the parent that my parents are to me. Sorry if this post was a downer. Im On some serious meds lol! I promise tomorrow will bring laughter. Again thanks for everything. I will not be able to ever repay you for all everyone has done but know I am very humbled and appriected for all you have done and the kind words! We will beat this together! Day 3 tomorrow! Good night God bless Bt

H&R, nurses, family and friends

Day 2 started of with what I thought was a pretty sweet idea! Whenever I need the girls to help with something they really don't want to do or I misplace something I can usually get my way if I bring them food! Specifically Reese's cups!!!! Wel I decided that since I am going to be spending the next three weeks with these people who are going to be sticking me and preventing me from getting sick, I might need to make them happy. I brought up H&R sugar cookies AKA crack cookies because of a persons addition to them. If you live in Salem and don't know what I'm talking about. Sham on you! If you don't live on in Salem I can't get you directions. Anyway when I get to Indy feeling pretty sick but the Ned's kick in. Unfortunately I have been moved to pod b with separate nurses. I quickly get up and run the cookies over to pod b where I was yesterday. I told the head nurse I had brought her a surprise and to make sure she had one. She was shocked that I brought them gifts! About an hour later se comes running back into my room yelling "those are the best cookies we have ever ate". I just smiled because I knew I was going to have a great day with needles today:)

Game Face

Well at least this was my mentality as I awoke Monday morning.  I did not want to do this and for most of you that have unfortunately dealt with something I don't want to do it's not a pretty sight!  (not my faulty inherited)  Tammie was unable to go with my on the first day and it was really hard for me.  She is definitely my rock!  She is such a strong willed person that sees everything as an opportunity not a challenge.   She has been so awesome throughout this entire ordeal.  I am so fortunate to have her as my wife.  However on this day I had to do this alone.   Before she left she gave me a stern look (one I had seen many times in our 9 years together) and simply said "put your game face on and do this....I love you"   It was strange....It really just changed my demeanor  all together.    GAMEFACE!

The ride up was definitely like the many road trips I had made up I-65 to Muncie and the great Ball State University!  I wish I was headed up to spend one more night in the Big Green Mansion or wherever the Phi Sig brothers would end up the next morning.  This resulted in many a morning in the front lawn on a couch.   This ride was different.  The hardest part of this process is that I feel fine....I am not sick.....I can still do all the things I have done before.  Now I am about to put poison in my body that is going to make me sick......lose my hair....lower my WBC.     This is something I really struggled with.   It's just not natural! 

We arrive at the hospital and I am in suite B!  I thought that was an interesting way of calling your chemo room....SUITE!   I would compare that to a SUITE at the Salem Motel.   When they called me in I was in pod B-3.  I was quickly given an IV the first of five for the week.  My nurse Lorie was amazing.  My setup looked like a cubicle in an office building  I had my own TV and a recliner......not a very nice recliner at that.   I received my anti-sick pills next.....I started to get sick.  I asked the nurse.....ah I thought these were suppose to prevent me from getting sick?   They called and got me some different pills and I felt much better.   I would then receive a bag of Saline.....freezing.  The first Drug I received was Platinum....you guessed it the metal.   At this point I start thinking I am going to come out of this looking like Cobra Commander!

The Second drug is a nasty one Bleomycin...the drug has a toxicity to your lungs and I could immediately feel my lungs constrict.  It went ok and I got through it.  Nausea really begin to set in during this drug and I had to have more anti-nausea meds called in but after I took them I was fine.  Another Saline drip for an hour.....then Finish with a drug call Cisplatin.  The biggest side effect to this one is to your kidneys.   I literally drank 80 oz of water in my chair....if anyone wants to make a lot of money then design a smaller or more mobile IV cart...this thing is a Bear dragging it to the bathroom.....and go did I go...with the 80 oz of water and the two bags of Saline I was literally in the bathroom over 20 times...

Finally it was all over and we were headed home....the drive seems to drag on but I can't wait to get home to see my little man!  This has been the hardest part of this whole ordeal.  When I had my surgery I couldn't hold him.  He would just crawl up to me and have his arms out but I couldn't lift him.   It killed me!   I am glad he is to young to realize what is going on with his old man.  I just can't wait to get this past me and have the opportunity to be there for him for everything.  

Day 2 Later!   Thanks again for following me on this Journey!  You guys are the greatest!

                                                            LionStrong

                                                                 BT

So last Monday I have my initial meeting with Dr. E. When he entered the room it was almost like the first time you see the shark on Jaws! My mouth dropped! Now even though this has been a common occurrence (especially for a sport celebrity) I had never for a dr. but Meeting this guy just made me feel like he could cure what I had no matter what. He first just poked his head in and uttered these words. " I am dr. E and I wil cure you! Be back in a sec". Know that's an intro! He did eventually come back and tell me my diagnosis. Going scientific: Testiculsr cancer is made up of two particular groups Seminoma and non-seminoma The first being the easiest to treat and (you guessed it) non-seminoma is the harder. Can you Guess which I was lucky enough to win? Ding ding non is correct! What makes non-seminoma harder to treat is that it is made up of different types of tumors all which have to be treated differently.

 My diagnosis I'm really not sure why I wasnt freaking out the day I found out what my diagnosis was?....I am going to chalk it up as my denial that I really did have cancer..and my strong faith! Dr. E confirmed I had cancer then he walked over to a chart in the room. Tammie started to cry and I started thinking the worse.....it's all over my body! Dr. E then proceeded to tell us that the cancer had spread....I nearly lost my lunch. But it had only spread to two lymph nodes in my stomach. Lymph nodes? Lymphoma? This isn't good... Dr. E quickly put my fears to rest when he told me that testicular cancer in your lymphs were totally different then lymphoma....wheew! My official diagnosis was stage 2a. Which means the cancer got out the testicle and spread. It is this closest I could have gotten to a one. I have 2 lymph nodes affect but the are small 1.9 cm and .5 cm....these numbers are going to be huge as we move forward. The tricky part in my case is that my tumor is 50/50 two types of cancer. The first is the 2nd fastest moving called Embryonal Carcinoma. EC is tricky in that it can skip lymph modes fast but it is the easiest killed the chemo. The second type is called teratoma. It is the slowest moving cancer but does not react to chemo. The problem with this is we have no idea what the lymph nodes in my case are made of...the could be all EC...all Tera.,..or combination of both.

Dr. E said I was looking at rplnd surgery again don't google. It's pretty much being gutted like a fish and then having the lymph nodes in your stomach removed....option 2 was to have chemo then the surgery. It was a pleaseant ride home to say the least. I tried to concentrate on the fact that Dr. E gave me a 100% cure rate drs. Don't do that! But for a guy who had never recieved a stitch heck I haven't even twisted and ankle. This was huge. We get home and I get a call from Dr. E."Blair we are going with chemo and there is a chance based in your blood markers you may not need the RPlnd" best news I have had yet! Day one chemo next. Thanks for joing me'

Might have to become a Vampire (Edward?)

I was thinking on my way up to visit Dr. E for the first time.   I know what your thinking "Blair we haven't seen you think much in your life"  Ha Ha...but seriously.  I was thinking about how many times I have had my blood taken in my life until the cancer diagnosis....two times!!!  Wow  I have been stuck in the last three weeks over 22 times!   Great news is this is only the beginning. Serious might have to up my blood intake!  You think it will make me sparkle?

I had my appointment following my " Inguinal orchiectomy"    I wouldn't recommend looking in up on google....pretty nasty!   That being said google away Dr. E......he is simply the best! The man could retire....he could be living it up on the beach some where but instead he takes great pride in saving lives of young men all over the world.   That's right the world.  Today there where to guys from England and Australia in his office.   WOW!   I know you might be thinking geesh Blair we get it.   I hope you do!   If you our any of your loved ones are ever in this situation and I hope you are not please don't send them to anyone else!

Fast Forward Six months and the small cyst has now grown.....I know.....I know  6 months are you serious?   I was told I didn't have cancer.....I am a man....That's how we operate!   The Tumor now was about the size and Hardness of a golf ball.  I saw a different Dr. this time at Metro.  He said "it's scar tissue, usually takes six weeks to heal"   No I really to this day don't know why I didn't just say ok and walk out.  If I did I would probably be dead!   But I didn't.....I told the Dr. it has been six months.  I could see the panic in his eyes.    6 Months?  "You have to get an ultrasound now"  Well I knew at this point I was in trouble!  He was waiting for me in the ultrasound room.  He confirmed the worse news of my life!  This things gotta come out!  Are you serious!  No way!  Not going to do it!   Will I be able to have kids again?  What does surgery mean?     AM I GOING TO DIE?   

I went home and started researching everything I could find out about testicular cancer.  Everything that I read mentioned a guy by the name of Lawerence Einhorn.   DR. E (as we will refer to him for the remainder of the blog) is the Leonardo Da Vinci of Testicular Cancer.  He came up with the live saving treatment of Chemotherapy that took the survival rate from5% to 95%.   Guess what......he is in Indianapolis!     That is where I headed the next day to get this party started!  NAPTOWN and Myself are going to become quite freindly over the next six months!   

Can't wait to be in the presence of such a great individual as Dr. E!!!

I made an appointment at Metropolitan Urology in Jeffersonville!  Ok I don't know about any of you but the idea of going into a Urology center and have yourself  "physically examined" by another man didn't sound like much fun to me.    I knew I had to do it so I went.  The Dr. told me at first that this didn't look good.  He said that the tumor was growing inside and that 95% of the time this is a cancerous mass.  My heart stopped! CANCER.....me?  I just had a son, built a new house, new job on the football team.....I feel great?  How can I have cancer?  Cancer is for old people!  I have all my hair!  No Way! 

The Dr. told me he wanted me to get an ultrasound and blood work to make sure that this was a cancerous mass.  Off the the Ultrasound we go..........Well I am really feeling invaded now.  Ultrasound?  Isn't this for women who were pregnant?  Not a testicle....I started to feel really uncomfortable.  When I saw the 20 something blonde who was going to administer my ultrasound I was REALLY uncomfortable:)

I will spare the details but she took the results to a radiologist and said he didn't need anymore images.  Of course they never tell you what they saw but she did tell me to have a great weekend and don't worry to much.   This made me feel really good.

Went back to the Dr. on Monday and he said Good news NO CANCER!  I am not sure other then the birth of my son have I been so happy!  He said it was a Hematoma and that it will dissolve itself.  He said come back in six weeks and we will make sure everything is dissolving like it should.

SEE YA CANCER !!!

Ouch! It all begin in a sweaty gym in January!  After seemingly dominating the the open gym pickup game  it all came crashing down in a hurry.   I was on a drive to the hoop thinking about if I should go up with two hands or just a windmill dunk and out of no where my opponent flew in and his knee hit me below the belt.  Excruciating pain instantly throughout my body.  However after a few deep breaths I was ready to play again.  Fast forward two days later and I was still having pains.   Being a guy we take anything that occurs to our nether regions SERIOUS!   I discovered a lump on my Right Testicle!  Instant panic set in!  I have Cancer I just knew it.  You know what I am talking about sometimes you just get that feeling that this what something is you just know it.  I am going to the Doctor!!!!