Sunday, February 12
Last time, I posted:
“We accept (Dr. Beer’s) recommendation to continue Enzalutamide for 6 more weeks and then get another PSA data point.”
In the meantime, I feel like my body is truly working overtime. I struggle with an overwhelming muscular fatigue. The exact sensations are hard to describe, but I feel weak all over. The muscles just won’t respond. It feels like they are bathed in tar or sap or other sticky substance and just cannot seem to contract fluidly. They get stuck! I move with lethargy and great effort.
I also experience continual joint pain. It is not debilitating, but quite noticeable. Aches and pains all over, especially my wrists and back.
My older friends might be thinking,“welcome to my world.” Perhaps age is catching up with me. Perhaps I am feeling the cancer as it invades my bones. Perhaps, I am losing a level of conditioning to which I’ve grown accustomed. Perhaps, I do not take enough rest days between workouts. Most likely, I am feeling the side effects of these powerful drugs. I don’t know for sure, but undeniably I am dragging. This is despite almost 10 hours of sleep a night and an occasional nap.
This gets me down slightly. However, I still continue to train for two up coming climbing trips – Red Rocks in April and City of Rocks in June. I still try my hardest to keep up with Laurie on our morning walks. Finally, I thoroughly enjoy our weekly ski jaunts, especially since we can pick and choose the days we go.
‘Keep’n It Real’ for my friends……………..
Thank you for your continuing blog, Mike. I think of you and Laurie often. 🙂
I appreciate you ‘Keep’ n it Real in your posts. Sharing your journey so openly and eloquently has had a positive affect on me in ways that are hard to put into words.
Some of the BEST times of my life have been spent with you climbing, so needless to say I am looking forward to Red Rocks. If April finds us scurrying up rock great, but if April finds us hiking around Red rocks that would be great too. If your body says “Hey Mike you need to stay home” ‘Keep’ n It Real… that’s fine too.
Love and Prayers Always
Grandpa Dave
I was shocked to find out you are having this battle. Not healthy, fit Mike. I was diagnosted with breast cancer in May 2015. A literally stunning, world altering bit of news. Drs very aggressive, which I wanted. Now on the other side after a year of chemo, surgery, radiation. In remission. Dealing with letting the body heal after such an assault.
So I have some small understanding of your journey. Sounds like you are hitting it straight on. With hard work, humor, honesty. That is who I have always admired. So many times Ray and I say, what would Heil do. You are our hero.
Wish there was something to lessen all you are going through. But each journey in life brings insights, unexpected turns, new prospectives. All of this is certainly that. I am amazed what my cancer journey continues to teach me. Hell of a hard way to learn about this aspect of life.
We love you Mike. We are so sorry this is your present journey.
I haven’t commented in a while but I’m always checking your blog, thanks again for keeping it up. Re: “the Big Eraser” you could try photoshop, it can do wonders…and of course there’s “fake news” maybe as a way to get those cancer fighting antibodies riled up.
Glad to see you’re continuing your training and workouts, we all know the value of positive thinking, positive energy, positive movement. Go Mike !
Looking forward to seeing both you and Laurie at Odell in a couple of weeks, what do you say we try a jump in the lake as a system shocker.