Keep Going On (Chemo Day) & Race Reports

I started chemotherapy (again) in October, 2018. Today was my 19th round of chemotherapy and I am hooked up to my pump right now for another two days.  Not so bad right now, other than the fact that standing up and walking is a bit difficult, I feel kind of wobbly :)

I will get back to wobbly in a second.  Before this week, since I started back on chemotherapy, I had done 3 Sprint Triathlons as relays, which were an absolute blast, and one 5K.  But I had not done any solo Triathlons since I did the Atlantic City 70.3 in September, 2018.  And I have had a couple of non-cancer issues- plantar (may be related to chemotherapy and the cramping it causes affecting my positioning or tightening things up) and a kidney stone.  Interfered with training a bit. My times have been slowing down the last few months.

But I decided to give a couple of sprints a go.  I did a Super Sprint on Weds.  Then a 42 mile bike ride followed by a 1.2 Mile Run on Friday. Then the West Point Triathlon on Sunday. 

 I was not great in my times on the Super Sprint - two times during the race I thought of stopping.  About 100 yards into the swim and about 1 mile into a two mile run.  Was very close.  But I could not bring myself to stop even though I knew I was going extremely slow on my run. Even by mind standards.  About 4 minutes per mile slower than what I had done a couple of months earlier running a 5K at the end of a relay and two minutes a mile slower what I had done at the end of the half marathon closing out the Ironman 70.3.  My swim time was about one minute slower than my pace for the 70.3  (My swim time is about 30-45 seconds slower training now as compared to last year.)  But I finished.  Which was the most important thing.  I did an entire Sprint by myself.  After 18 rounds of chemo and still getting chemo.

My bike ride on Friday helped make me feel even better.  Though my pace was slow, it was over a three hour ride.  The run off the bike was tough (my running is problematic), but made it.

Then the West Point Race.  West Point is an awesome event.  But it is also extremely hilly.  I remember it was hilly from last year.  But until I got back on the course, I kind of forgot exactly how hilly it was.  😀 I seeded myself way in the back for the last wave of the swim.  My goggles broke fairly early into the swim so I would stop, take them off, try to tighten them and then continued.  It really did not upset me much.   My goal was to finish.  I knew I was not going to make the podium and I was not going to let things get me down during the race.  Not finishing would have.

Then the bike.  13. something miles of uphill.  Still trying to figure out how the course is basically all uphill with no downhills.  Total mobius strip 😂  Well not exactly.  Though I would slow to a crawl (4-6 MPH on some of the real tough parts), going down hill I almost hit 36 MPH at some points.  Last year I rode the brakes more going downhill.  This year let it go more.  Figured I could use all the help I could get in terms of keeping some sort of acceptable time. 💪😂And then it was time to dismount.  This is coming around to the wobbly.  I unclipped, stopped my bike at the line and then tried to get off.  Wobbly legs big time.  It was probably a combination of funny and sad as I tried to move my legs over the bike which I had tilted.  I was kind of laughing inside, though there was a part of me thinking I would not ever be able to move my legs again.  A couple of people asked if I needed help, if I was okay etc.  (One of the reason I love triathlons.  The participants, volunteers, organizers have almost a 100% really nice people rate and very supportive).

I said "Nah, I got this, this is easy.  I have chemotherapy tomorrow.  That is tough." with a big smile.  I was having a good time even with being kind of stuck.  Finally got unstuck.  Made it to transition and then the run.  Also hilly.  Was really tough and I was slow again.  It starts with a hill.  But there were a couple of brief instances where I thought I was hitting my stride for the first time in awhile.  I had to slow down often in order not to overexert myself - it was hot and humid and I did not want to cramp up or have my breathing go south (was one of the days where a little bit of difficulty breathing without doing anything).  There were brief sections where I was going closer to what I did in my last relay.  When I passed people who were walking their bikes back to their car (yes, I am that slow), the words of encouragement really helped.

Then about 1/2 mile from finish I saw some friends waiting for me.  Cheering me on.  And my buddy jumped in telling me he had permission to run the last bit with me.  Totally awesome.  Laughing, joking having a good time.  And when we came close to the finishing chute, I went as fast as I could.  Which was actually a respectable pace.  Last year I had someone pass me in the last 100 yards or so.  I was not letting that happen again. 😌

The best part was that I finished the race less than 9 minutes slower than last year.  Between the plantar issues and the recent kidney stone, I was really pleased.  My swim time dropped back down by about 45 seconds per 100 yards.  I chalk that up to a bit of a warm-up plus the first race in the week.  I had not worn my wetsuit in awhile and that got me back to the feel. I think my bike was about where I was last year (timing issue where I do not have the split).  My run pace was even slower than the Weds race pace, but I had portions where I thought I may be getting things back a bit.  

Then afterwards had a get together with a bunch of friends.  

People ask me how I get through this.  I tell them I focus on the good moments as much as I can.  Today, at the infusion center as I was getting kind of #%#^& feeling as the drugs were pumped into me, I started smiling as a bit as I thought of the joking on the run, seeing my friends, finishing a couple of triathlons and doing a long bike ride the last 5 days or so.

I am on the bottle now, so training shut down for a few days. But the thought of getting back to #triathlontraining is making me smile.  And looking to sign up for a couple of more races.  

Long Overdue Update

Okay, it has been too long since the last blog entry.   I thought that switching chemo to every three weeks would be good.  It has been, kind of, but not what I was hoping.  After switching to the three-week schedule, the first cycle I came down with an upper resistor infection, which slowed me down and messed with training.  The second cycle I started throwing more cramps in my legs and eventually developed plantar issues, though I have been in PT and it seems to be resolving.  But in the time leading up to this current cycle (plugged in last Monday) I started feeling slower, more nauseous, more tired and a bit bummed in the way I was trending.

Then there was last Saturday.  I was going to see a friend I had not seen in quite awhile, then a ballgame.  But about an hour before leaving I started developing pain that was getting pretty bad.  Then it escalated from there.  I popped a painkiller and muscle relaxer, but it did not stay down.  Was not please - I had taken these pills before over the last five years without issue.  I rarely use them, but they work when needed.  I tried again, and same result.  With the pain escalating.  I was taking my shirt off and on as I swung between chills and feeling like I had a fever.  The same applied to my shorts, kept on taking them off and putting them on as I paced, crawled on the floor, anything to find a position of comfort.  Was not pretty at the time, though I am guessing it had to be a sight to see. 

We debated about calling 911 or going to urgent care at Memorial Sloan Kettering.  My thoughts were that I had internal bleeding from the chemotherapy.  A blockage.  That the tumors in my spine were causing issues.  That the tumor in my psoas was causing issues.  Basically, cancer or chemo was spinning around.  We got in the car and tried going. Three times within no more than 10 blocks I called out for the car to be stopped.  The last time another car stopped and asked if we needed help.  I could barely speak, and looking at my reflection in the windshield, was kind of scary looking.  Wild eye pain.

I popped another pill and crawled onto the couch resting.  The pill stayed down.  20 minutes later I popped another one.  It stayed down.  Crawled into the back of the car and sprawled out, occasionally sitting up, as we made our way to MSK.  Finally made it and I paced in the room.  Up and down trying to find relief.  Eventually got a shot of morphine.  And a scan. 

When it was all said and done, turns out a kidney stone and related infection.  In the world of a cancer patient, there were high fives and relief finding out that it was the issue.  As of today, there is still some pain, and not sure if the stone is still in me.  But at least this helped explain the symptoms I have had the last couple of weeks a bit more. 

Another slight glitch was with my scan this week before chemo – though the spine and lymph nodes look stable, and the majority of the lung tumors are stable (including the largest one) or showing signs of dying, some of the ones that exhibited cavitation have started filling in.  Which means the cancer may have stopped responding there and is active.  Not much I can do, except keep on going on with chemo and #triathlontraining.

Finally got back on the treadmill today.  It was tough. Very tough.  I had to hold onto the bars for the vast majority of the workout in order to not fall.  But I kept on moving.  It is active recovery week and I have done nothing. I was not stopping.  Made it.  And some of the intervals were not too bad, though overall pace was very slow.  Right now resting up from it and hoping I can get back on track.  I have my first solo triathlon of the year, super sprint, coming up, and hoping that I can do it.  

Then may do another sprint relay shortly thereafter with some family members. 

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It is getting a bit tougher lately, and the chemo is building up so my downtime seems to be more pronounced, but plan on biking or swimming tomorrow.  I figure a few better workouts, meaning any movement to improving, over the next couple of weeks will make me feel better.  #itri4acure