Today has been a day full of acomplishments and I can not forget the good days. I used to take my chemo for 5 days in a row and then would rest for two weeks. I have said that after my first five days I went to Miami beach and partied till 4:00am, no problem. But that was not the case always. As I progressed in my treatment it got worse. In the biggining by the third or fourth day I was feeling well again, but by the end it took all two weeks to get better. After day 7-14 after chemo my white blood count would drop and then it was a visit for a few days to the hospital. It is ironic that I actually liked the hspital visits. Why, simple it got me out of my room and I could see and talk to diffrent people including Rodrigo and Casandra. It was like a weekend away. Mom would always stay until about 9:00pm and would arrive by my side at 7:00am sharp. Sone times my adoptive grandma Dulce would stay with me so mom could run some errands or rest a little. I was always with someone and we had a lot of peacefull time. I was tough I went thru a lot trying to get better quickly only to get more chemo and kill the SOB that was bothering me. Remember the Rodney King verdict and the riots? I saw every minute of it in TV live even when that truck driver was hit in the head with the brick. Dr. B sat with me that night as we watched the coverage. I can't talk much about him because I get emotional but no question that he was sent to make sure I pulled thru that desease. He was all about medicine and little of nothing else. He probably had all the money he ever needed and it matter very little to him. He did very little for me while on the hospital it was really a waiting game more than anything but he always came to see me and we talked a litlle bit. He some times sent me home earlier and some times he was tough and made sure I was were I was supposed to. After my last chemo I ended up in the hospital for 10 days. I was so weak I could not walk to the bathroom to pee. He came in and I told him I felt like I was diying. He explained to me that I had no blood or something like that because of the chemo. I asked him to transfuse me. He said I had gutted chemo for 13 months with out a single transfution and that being this the last chemo he felt I could make it back on my own. My next two days were very dificult but indeed I made it thru my tratment without a single blood transfution. During chemo you have your bad days but you also have good days, it is all about what days turn is today.
Today is a good day as it turns out. I ran 30 minutes yesterday as my body was screaming for some action. I called coach K in the afternoon and we discussed some training issues and future steps. Today I went for my swim and a very intresting trainer ride. As you know that machine and me do not mix. However it is part of the deal so I have to work with the issue. After we were done I cought up with an old frined. Actually the old friend who suggested I kept this blog of my training and my experience. He appeared out of nowhere and I have not seen him in a while. I talked to him a little bit and his support is as always incredible. I truly felt like he was placed there to check up on me, and I was really glad to see him. A few minutes latter he left as he was in the midddle of his run not knowing how important our brief conversation is to me. Jay thank you you are great supporter and friend.
During my training one of the people I met is a young woman by the mane of Alexandra. Alexandra has a magnificent sense of fashion, which for me means that she can match colors. She has a pink bike with matching outfits and pink running shoes which also matches her outfits. So...naturally speaking Gabriela was magnetized by the fashion sense of her "twin" fashion soul. Gabriela is very carismatic so in a short time Alexandra and Gabriela became friends and "girly" partners. Alexandra is an avid cyclist and runner and for a few weeks now my swiming lane partner. I learned a few weeks ago that Alexandra wanted to do Ironman Canada, and so we became training partners. Good and bad!!!! Good because I have someone to do my training with and we will be sharing the journey together. She will be able to push my limits, and bad because this girl is in shape. Basically in that department I am screwed except in the water where I am still holding my own but I concede that it is probably a matter of time before she kicks my ass in that department also. Regardless, she has a super positive attitude towards training, one that is contagous and that is going to be something I will need. She has not figured me out yet but I know eventually she will. She will eventually realize just how commited to this event I am and she will probably learn just how far I am willing to go to acomplish this. Why is this relevant? Because today I just got word that Alexandra has formilized her entrance spot to Ironman Canada and will be joining me in the race of our lives. I have no clue if she has read this blog at all or what her personal motivations are. In reality it should not matter to anyone as long as she thinks and beliefs that they are worthy. Alexandra, along with other people that are very important we will cross the finish line, we will shed tears of joy, we will make a few more people aware of cancer and will influence some to contribute along with my friend Winter in finding the cure, believe me, we will make it. I can't teach you much about being an athlete, I have never been one, but I can teach you a thing or two about getting a job done no matter the obstacles in your way. Some of them we will move aside, some of them we will go over them and some of them we will plain and simple get rid of them. All you have to do is believe!!!!! ..............and training also helps!!!!
So folks it has been a good day full of good news and looking forward. Training is hard but as the saying goes, Not all days are bad days.
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