If You Don't Want To, You'll Never Walk Alone

Day Two of Lessons Learned, and this was a big one for me.

The support, in forms of prayer, good thoughts, cards, rides to and from the cancer clinic, meals, visits, and likes on Facebook have been simply overwhelming.  Even total strangers have made the last 11 weeks much more bearable and simply saying thanks just doesn't feel like it cuts it.  The support has meant more to me than I have words to express, and if I can ever find a way to pay it back or pay it forward (let's put a pin in here for later) I definitely will.

It started the day I went to the hospital in December and just never stopped.

When I went to get my hair shaved in anticipation of losing my hair the woman who cut my hair was just doing her job and making simple small talk with the person who sat in her chair that day.  She asked me if I was cutting it for the summer, I wish.  I decided to be frank with her, "no, I start chemotherapy on Monday and I don't want to watch my hair fall out."  She didn't charge me for the shave.

Several people who are near and dear to me, though my wife certainly takes the cake, got up early, drove to the North Side of Columbus to pick me up and drove me to the clinic.

After my surgery I had more food than I knew what to do with, and unfortunately ended up having to toss out some delicious baked oatmeal, after making a valiant effort to down the two pans provided.  I still have some containers I need to get back to people.

My favorite perhaps were the home visits.  People coming into my home and hanging out with me, weather that means taking me to Buffalo Wild Wings, buying me dinner, and then playing a shooter game that neither one of us were quite frankly very good at or like so many people just sitting and chatting.  On the occasion that I felt good enough to go out, it was nice to meet up with people.

I attended three weddings, and will absolutely loath the pictures I'm in for the rest of my life.  But, all three were beautiful and it was truly an honor to be a part of such special days for three couples.

On the subject of weddings, I also had the distinct privilege and honor of solemnizing the marriage (yes, I made it legally binding, they're stuck with each other now!) of some of my very best friends, while I drank Wild Turkey - neat - in a tiny apartment in Cincinnati.

And the support from work has been simply spectacular.  I had to fill out some paperwork, standard insurance denial stuff, and decided to go in one Friday.  Seeing my co-workers was great, taking part (in an unofficial capacity of course) in some of the standard meetings I've been missing out on was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to go back to work, which I will next Wednesday, barring any drastic unforeseen circumstances.  

Now for the small piece of paying it forward.  I'm not sure how many people actually read these, and quite frankly I don't care.  This blog was started as a self-therapy technique and that's all it's ever been.  However, I do know that some people read it, and that's enough.

A dear friend, who I really owe quite a bit to, is riding in Pelotonia for the second year.  She's riding this year in honor of me, which is pretty humbling.  For those of you not in the know Pelotonia is a significant fundraiser for cancer research at the James Research Hospital at OSU.  All of the money raised goes towards cancer research at the James, in the form of Fellowship's for doctors and students, Grants, and bringing the top cancer researchers to OSU to work on a cure.  As of 9:55AM on 7/7/2015, the 2015 Pelotonia has raised $6.3 million+ and there's just about a month to go before the race.

I'm certainly much more of a prevention guy myself.  I understand that it would be far cheaper and more successful to prevent the causes of cancer, a Western diet, ingestion of carcinogens, exposure to chemicals, etc.  But, I also don't think that that would completely eradicate cancer, it's a massive classification of disease, and it doesn't change the fact that there are 14.5 million Americans living with a history cancer that were alive as of January 1st, 2014 and that 589,430 people will die from cancer this year ( American Cancer Society ).  Make all the remarks about personal choice and responsibility you want, no one deserves to develop cancer, and no one deserves to die from it.

So the meat of the matter.  Here is a link to her rider profile , Laura Valentino.  If it is within your ability donate to her ride, or if you know someone who is riding in Pelotonia donate to their ride.  I did.  I donated $50, and if that sum helps find a cure for any type of cancer it's money well spent.