5.0 Fight to the Finish

1. Fight to The Finish 5.0 From The Cancer Warrior 5.0 “Cancer was only the beginning.” Bryan L. The Columbus Day Storm of 1962 sweeps over the coast range at 115 mph and destroys as much as it can in the hours that waiting for end of it to come. The Columbus Day storm of 1962 is considered to be the benchmark of extra- tropical wind storms. The storm ranks among the most intense to strike the region since at least 1948. The storm is a contender for the title of the most powerful extra-tropical cyclone recorded in the US in the 20th century; with respect to wind velocity. We all get storms. Some are more abrasive than others. Some storms are for a short period of time with definite results. And yet others storms mix with other storms and create a storm front, that seems overwhelming to get through. Get your coffee, boots, some snacks and love in your backpack cause this storm carries a heavy punch. Fight to The Finish 5.0 is dedicated to all the Cancer Warriors with an overwhelming storm front in their path. Together we win or loose. Bryan L. The Fight is Long – The Cancer Warrior

2. Beyond the Cancer X-Factor “Cancer changes your life, often for the better. You learn what’s important, you learn to prioritize, and you learn not to waste your time. You tell people you love them.” Joel Siegel Some of you will be able to relate to these diseases and their side effects from personal cancer experience. Unfortunately they are my prostate cancers companions and they carry a much heavier punch than the cancer. Warrior Up my friend because on the other side of impossible is we did it. Were not going through that! Yes we are. Oh My! Deep breath. Let’s go. 1. BPH Disease Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous condition where the prostate gland enlarges, causing symptoms like frequent urination, weak urine stream, and difficulty starting to urinate. It is common in men as they age and can lead to complications if left untreated. Okay men listen up. If you like peeing 20-30 times a day (burning pee) and you enjoy leaking in embarrassing situations then ignore your symptoms. Maybe after you understand that the drugs may not work and you are faced with your forth surgery BPH will get your attention. Also consider one laser seal fails and you bleed for 32 hours uncontrollably and you have 43 gallons of solutions washing through your bladder to break down a grape fruit size blood clot that maybe today is a good day to see your Urologist. Unless you want the doctor to ask you if you want to be revived just prior to surgery number three. I’m just saying! It will win, not you!

3. 2. Basal Cell Carcinoma Basal-Cell Carcinoma most commonly occurring on the sun-exposed areas of the head and neck Basal-cell carcinoma, also known as basal-cell cancer, basalioma or rodent ulcer, is the most common type of skin cancer. It often appears as a painless raised area of skin, which may be shiny with small blood vessels running over it. It may also present as a raised area with ulceration. Mine tripled in size and when surgery was over I had a quarter size divot in my left (not golf related). Keeping in mind I’ve already got two disease that my immune system is fighting against, it took 4 months for my surgery to stop weeping. Do not ignore your skin. Period! 4. Fatigue and the Coffee Cup You can see the coffee cup is full and hot ready to drink. I want you to think of every sip you take lowers the level of the coffee. Every sip is slowly draining your energy until your cup is empty and fatigue has taken every ounce of energy you had. Got It? Now take number 1, 2 and 3 and look at those as draining your coffee cup continually. Plus add in you have partial paralysis in your legs from injuries sustained decades ago. Aside from your coffee cup being empty all of the other health challenges, treatments, surgeries and tests are now lowing your ZERO energy into the negative. Every time you go to do anything at all, “it” puts you deeper into the negative and all your body wants to so at this point is sleep. Here’s the kicker. Your fatigue gets so bad that it creates insomnia that is so bad you cannot rest. Your life becomes a sleep when you can and eat what little food tastes good anywhere in a twenty four hour period. The X-Factor becomes, how long can you take this unliving?

4. No Exit Door The Term “Fight to the Finish” Becomes Real. Bryan L. There are times when you just a one day vacation from the madness. When you life becomes a treatment place to keep your body moving, sometimes it be nice to get a mental or emotional break from the whats next list. Fog and Feelings Everything that is in your neighborhood right now, trees, homes, cars, hills, store are still there when the fog rolls in. Fog is the feeling that obscures your ability to see what is still there. When the fog lifts, its still there. When the fog (feelings comes rolling in, its still there. We mistake fog or feelings as the truth. The truth is your neighborhood is still there, so do not confuse the fog or feelings as the truth because they will always come and go. Feeling can be very deceptive (yes) they, who ever they are tell us I feel this way and the doctor gives X-Factor to compensate for it. X-Factor is not a solution per say. It is a medical solution based on some factors and x-drug or x-surgery is the medical professions way of saying we will change those feelings for you. Hmm. Maybe yes and maybe no and maybe the fog doesn’t clear up and we pass away in the fog. Question. What got you and I sick to begin with? What if we reverse out what we did, will that fix us? OR do we take our feelings back to the doctor looking for a better way? Since my experience with the No Exit Door option, I’ve started asking hard questions, like where did the exit door go, cause I’m not staying in this place.

5. Until Recovery “When?” Bryan L. Its 2:37am. Its a simple question. When? How much longer? When will I feel better? When will the fog lift? I miss my neighborhood. Is it still there? Any long term illness skews our outlook and we can forget what normal is. I know of many who never got normal back and did not see their neighborhood again. If you can take one thing from “Fight to the Finish”, you are not alone. And if you need some peace in your soul to calm the storm or lift the fog for a minute or two, remember this – Jesus is fighting along side you. Its your choice to believe that or not. I am not going out alone – Jesus calms my soul. Fight to the Finish! With Respect to all Cancer Warriors, Bryan L. - One of many Cancer Warriors On LinkedIn Support this Cancer Warrior