Just Signed up for a Race

I just signed up with Crystal to do a relay for the Mainiac Triathlon.  It is a Sprint distance tri.  That is 1/3 mile swim, 15 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run.  It is on September 17th.  Crystal is going to do the swim and bike.  I am going to run.  Our team name is "The Dynamic Duo".  My goal is to break 30 minutes on the run.  In the past, I would not be happy about 30 minutes, but would be psyched if I could pull it off now!

For training, I have really just begun.  I am running 15 minutes every other night on the treadmill.  I go from 0% incline for 1 minute to 3% incline for 1 minute and alternate on the minute for the 15 minutes.  Next week I will increase to 20 minutes, 25 the following week etc.  On nights I am not running, I am doing 15 minutes on the bike trainer.  Next week I will increase to 20 minutes, 25 the following week etc.  Everynight, after the run or the training, I am doing 15 minutes of weights and abs.

I am gaining a bit of weight.  I am up to 146-148.  It varies day by day.  I am trying to eat better and take note of what I am putting in my body.  I want to gain about 10 more pounds, But would like them to be "quality pounds".

Here is a link to the Maniac Triathlon website.

9 Months Post Transplant

Next week marks 9 months post transplant.  I am still working full time from home.  Next week, I have been cleared to go into the office 1 day a week.  I cannot wait.  I am starting to gain some weight and muscle back.  Training is going slow to say the least.

Crystal had her Tri For A Cure race last week.  I put together the attached video of the race...
Tri For A Cure Video

Also, just wanted to encourage people to donate to a local family.  Their young son was recently diagnosed with leukemia.  You can get more information from their Facebook page located at Jeffrey Davis Fund

220 Days Post Transplant and Loving It

Haven't posted in a while.  Been busy with work and life.  My recovery continues and I am feeling good.  At the time of my last post, I was working 6 hours a day from home.  I am now up to 40 hours a week working from home.  It feels great to be using my brain again!  Paychecks are cool too!  If all goes well, I may begin working a few days a week from the office as early as next month.

My chiropractor has asked me to stop running until he can get me straightened out.  I was up to running a full 5K.  I was extremely sore though and getting bad migrane headaches.  He has been working on me over the past month and I have noticed a huge improvement in my posture, less headaches and less overall body aches.

I am eating pretty much everything I was before transplant, but just can't seem to gain any weight.  After the chiropractor finishes up this routine, I am going to hit the weights and protein and work on building some muscle back.  That is the kind of weight I am looking for.

Also over the last month, I attended my 20 year high school reunion.  It was great to see friends that I have not seen in years.  It is funny how easy it is to talk to friends you have not seen in years.  It is like there is a connection there that can never be broken.  It is priceless and I  had one of the best times I have had in years!

My Dad is still battling his cancer.  This fathers day was particularly tough for me.  His spirits are still up, but it is extremely tough for me to be around him.  My Mom is doing her best to be a caregiver, but she is not equipped to mentally and physically handle all the details.  My sister Rhonda has stepped to the plate and I cannot express how much that means to Crystal and I.  I am not dealing with this phase of my parents life very well at all.

I want to thank again my wife Crystal for being there for me over the last year.  I realize how hard it has been on her as the caregiver and basically being a single parent.  She had a lot of help , but it definitely took its toll.  Coming out this side of the process, it has strengthened our relationship 10 fold, but it takes it's toll.  I love ya hun!

The role of caregiver is a thankless job that no ones signs up for.  If you know a caregiver, treat them to a night off.  They deserve it and they will appreciate it.

Training, Work and Life

Been a while since my last update.  Been busy living life!!!  I set a new post transplant PR today.  I ran 2 miles in under 30 minutes.  Does not sound that impressive, but it is a huge milestone for me.  Also, I ran the whole 30 minutes with no stopping.  Yehaaaaa!

That being said, today was the first day I got back on the treadmill in several weeks.  My leg muscles have been extremely tight for some reason.  They feel as though I have been running everyday.  You know, that soreness that is always there when you are training hard.  Problem is, I have not even been training.  I have a Dr. appointment this week in Boston and will see what the doc has to say.

Things at the Davis house have been hectic to say the least.  We are replacing all of our flooring on the first floor with hardwood.  Crystal has wanted hardwood for years.  She is now getting it under the pretense that it does not hold dust and dirt like carpet does and will make the house healthier for me.  She always gets her way :)  Crystal also wanted to paint.  I said "Have at it Hun!" 

So, she has painted the whole downstairs, removed the baseboard, ripped out the carpet and we now have a lovely AdvanTech floor.  Our neighbor does hardwood and he is coming over this week to install for us.  Can't come soon enough.  All of the hardwood (30 boxes) is stacked throughout our first floor to keep it room temperature.  The place looks like a bomb went off.

On the work front, I am now working from home 6 hours a day.  I have increased from 2 hours a day over the last month.  I am getting back up to speed.  The company and my staff has been great during my return to work transition.  We are pretty busy with close to 50 IT related projects slated for 2011.  I would be worried, but have a great team of people and great support from management.

Baseball season is underway so Nolan has been busy with that.  We have been working with him on his batting skills and he has really improved at the plate this year.  Now it is time to focus on the fundamentals of catching and making good throws.  Here are a few pics....

Bike Fit

Aside from going to a bike shop to be fitted, can anyone give me any advice on my bike fit by watching this video? 

Blog it, And it Will Be

So, my training is sucking to say the least.  You cannot even call it training.  Running 1.5 miles once a week.  What the hell is that??!!!

I typically work out at night after dinner.  The problem is that I am usually exhausted by the time dinner is finished.  So, I am going to make time during the day or before dinner to work out.  I am going to alternate between the treadmill and the bike trainer.  I am going to workout 6 days a week for 30 minutes at a time.  I am going log my miles on Daily Miles (Orange widget in right hand column of blog).

It seems to be extremely easy for me to blow off workouts and blame it on being tired and blaming it on my transplant.  That is bullshit.  I am just being lazy.  Anyone can do anything for 30 minutes,  I vow to all blog readers that I will work out 6 days this week.  I am writing this in hopes that it will force me to workout.

We got a new camcorder this week.  Playing with it the other day and came across a sure sign of Spring.

Going Back to Work

We finally got word from my doctor that I could return to work.  After being out for over 8 months, I am pshyched to say the least.

The plan is for me to gradually build up to 40 hours a week from home over the next couple of months..  I am still waiting on final approval, but it looks like I will start working 2 hours a day, 5 days a week from home on April 18th.  I will do that for 2 weeks and then go to 4 hours a day.  2 weeks and then 6 hours a day.  2 weeks and then 8 hours a day from home.  I am very fortunate to work for a company that has held my position for this long.  Thanks PWD!

As far as training goes, I am slowly making progress.  It is frustrating as hell to only be able to run 1.6 miles in 30 minutes.  I used to do close to 5 miles in 30 minutes.  My progress this week was 1.5 miles in 30 minutes to 1.6 miles in 30 minutes.  .10 mile improvement!!!  I have added a little widget in the right hand column of the blog where you can track my training if you are really bored.  Right now, the numbers are not to great.  They will improve.  I will run a 5K this year and I will finish in under 30 minutes. (maybe if I type it, it will happen)

Am I a Cancer Survivor Yet???

When I was diagnosed in August of 2010 with Leukemia, Crystal and I were shocked to say the least.  Our whole world was slapped in the face and kicked in the ass.  It was an extremely difficult time.

I immediately went on high dose chemo and was in the hospital for over a month.  At the end of the month, we were told the leukemia was wiped out but could come back.  I was released and after 1 week, I had double vision and a rash.  The leukemia was back and now attacking my central nervous system - ya know, my brain and stuff... 

Another round of high dose chemo with several rounds injected directly into my spine so the drugs could make it to my brain. OUCH.  Also, brain radiation.  After almost another month in the hospital, I was sent home being told the leukemia was gone.  That was October 2010.

Since that time, I had a third round of high dose chemo,  full body radiation (I should just go help out at the nuclear plant in Japan, the damage is already done to my body) a bone marrow transplant and gallbladder surgery.  I have not been checked to see if the leukemia is still in remission.  They closely monitor my blood chemistry.  If something is off that may be an indication of leukemic activity and they will do further testing.

It has been six months since anyone has told me I have leukemia.  If you read about my form of leukemia, AML M5 with CNS involvement, on the Internet, I should not be in nearly as good of shape as I am now.  I did not find one successful outcome with my type of leukemia.  Not one.  Looks like I may be the first successful outcome.  Maybe they will feature me in the New England Journal of Medicine. :)  I do know that I still get extremely tired each day.  A mile on the treadmill feels like a 10K.  The doctors say that my endurance will improve but will not be what it was pre-leukemia.  As far as I know though, my new immune system is working like a champ.  It is seeing those leukemic cells in my body and is destroying them.  I do feel better everyday.  My taste buds have returned and I am gaining some needed weight back.  I am hoping to return to work soon.  I have not worked since August.  That being said, I still lay in bed at night and wonder though, is the worst behind us??  I certainly hope so!

Germs and Public Spaces

Me and Nolan.  I am starting to see a little hair growth.

So, now that day 100 has come and gone, I am able to go into public places.  The theory for the first 100 days was my immune system was too weak to visit public areas.  The only public place I went was for check ups in Boston at Dana Farber.  On those days, I wore gloves and a mask into the clinic.  It makes it pretty easy to see my fellow bone marrow transplant patients.  We all have masks and are skinny.  We are bundled up because we are always cold.  Whenever I put on the mask, I think of the Bob Marley (local comedian)  routine where he is talking about his father going through the Wok Inn drive through.  Employee says, "Why you wear mask???"  Bob's fathers reply "Love the food, hate the SARS."  It is a bit dated, but still funny.

I am now able to go into semi public areas without a mask.  In the last couple of weeks, I have been able to visit the Dixon's and my parents.  I have been able to goto Nolan's school and meet his teacher for the first time.  I have been able to pickup Paige at daycare.  I have gone into the office to take care of a couple issues.  I have gone to the grocery store, convenience store, Reynolds Sportcenter and Rite Aid.  It has been amazing!!  It is crazy how the little things make such an impact!

Eating, Training and Project Management

The last couple of weeks have been great.  Food has begun to taste good again, I am gaining some much needed weight back and as a result, my energy level has increased.  All the parts finally came in for our treadmill and I have begun putting in some time on it.  It feels good to actually break a sweat again.

Since I am still not back to work, I still have a bunch of free time.  I am going to do some online training.  I am going to work towards getting my project management certification.  As an IT Manager, can anyone recommend which project management certification would be most beneficial?  I am leaning toward CompTIA + Project.

Crystal signed up for the Tri for a Cure again this year.  There is a link to the right to make a donation toward the cause.  This year they need to raise $350.

Also, Crystal and I wanted to say congratulations to Shana and Chris.  We are so happy for you!