This page is a work in progress. Here’s a musing list of current goals for once I finish with all the treatments I need to finish with, and knock on wood, don’t have any relapses.
<Editor’s Note> Looking back on these things I wrote a year ago, I have to laugh. I’ll provide some commentary marked with <ed>, and then put some updated stuff at the bottom</note>
Short Term
Literally, the first thing I’m doing when I get discharged is directing the car straight to Minetta Tavern on MacDougal and Third. Once there, I am ordering a Black Label Burger, bloody. I will then devour my $27 of dry aged rib eye, sirloin, and brisket, covered with caramelized onions, served on a custom brioche bun. Then, I will inhale the plate of Balthazar shoe string fries that’s served with it. I will then probably enter a food coma, and go home.
<ed> I did. It was delicious. I proceeded to introduced *many* other folk to this glory, and not one has been disappointed. </ed>
As soon as I’m given clearance, I’m getting back on my bike. Can’t swim until the PICC line comes out, and I don’t really have any reason to run, so I’ll be biking as much as I’m allowed.
<ed> I went biking a ton while dealing with consolidation chemo. It took about 6 months before I was able to hit the bike post transplant. </ed>
I will give myself at least one full day to do nothing but play Diablo 3.
<ed> I did. I played a lot. I actually even made some cash from it. Go figure! </ed>
Long Term
The goal this year was really just to complete an Olympic distance triathlon. I had two reasons to do so. The first was that I wanted to do something for my little cousin Ryan, who has Autism. I was running the triathlon for Autism Speaks, and it was my first time really doing something straight up for a charity. So, the first long term goal is the 2013 NYC Triathlon. A little delayed, certainly, but I will run that stinking triathlon.
Now, initially, that’s where I planned to stop. My second reason for running the triathlon was because I had always slacked on cardio training, and I wanted a big thing type goal, not only for motivation, but for a check point, so that I had discrete points for figuring out what my fitness level was like. Well, I think that’s changed. Depending on when this whole saga is “finished”, I’m shooting for either the 2013 NYC Ironman, which I think is almost an “impossible” goal. I just might not have enough time to essentially start from scratch and train for an Iron Man in less than a year. Plus, I might have to keep the PICC line in so long that my swim training just might be too gimped.
But! The official goal is the 2014 NYC Iron Man. I may be insane. Who knows?
<ed> 2013 Iron Man is definitely a bit….ambitious. </ed>
2013 Updates:
The difficulty of the transplant was a rude awakening. I expected feeling shitty. I expected unpleasantness. I expected to be unhappy.
I was unprepared.
My 48 days in MSKCC were the worst of my entire life. The horror of the experience, 8 months later, is muted, but I’m sure it is still vivid in my family’s memories. I still can’t recall a lot of things that happened. It has taken me a very long time to achieve some semblance of normalcy, and only recently have I been able to start to resume my normal life. That being said, here are my goals, as they stand:
Short Term
My brother in law has been filling in for me at work for over a year, on top of all the stuff he was handling before I got sick. I would like to relieve him of that duty as soon as I can. I already know that soon is a relative term here, however, this is the big current goal.
I miss lifting. I miss Rui. I miss spending an hour in his gym, getting pushed to my absolute limit, and leaving with my head held high. I miss setting personal records on bench, leg press, and dead lift. In other words, I really miss picking heavy things up, and putting them down. I’d really like to get clearance to head back to the gym. No clue when that’ll happen though. Gyms are gross places, unfortunately.
Resume social activity. Even during consolidation treatments, I was still able to go out and hang with friends. My friends also did an amazing job of visiting and keeping me company. However, during the stay at the hospital, I generally felt so crappy that I limited the amount of visits from friends I got. And the 6 months of solitude at home was also pretty difficult. So getting out, catching up, and treating some friends to some well deserved dinners and rounds on me is on the near future list.
Long Term
I think this is probably out of the picture at this point, but my ideal goal would be to complete the DC tri for LLS this fall. I don’t think I have the time to get into the shape required for an Olympic distance tri, but I am completely a sprint tri in 2013. Period, end of story. It’s going to happen.
NYC Tri, 2014. Be there. ‘Cause I’ll be there, running with Team Up! I will most likely cry at the finish line. Just sayin’.
I also would like to get back to Jackson Hole in 2014. We’ll see how funds / vacation / snow plays out.
Eff Leukemia 