I think I have found my next roommates....
I do this already so I think we will have a seamless transition to living together...
Bedroom Dancing!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What would I be?
As a cancer patient your life is drastically different than the "normal" non-cancerous majority. For those who do not know, I have been fighting the cancer on and off for over 9 years now. I was 16-years-old at the time of my first diagnosis. This is during the years when most kids are knee deep in self-discovery. However for me, I was thrust into the identity of cancer patient.
I actually had a thought today about what I would do if my cancer went away for good. Obviously, I would be excited to not have to do chemo, and have my life revolve around hospitals and doctors appointments. But, for being a cancer patient for nearly a DECADE it has become a deep part of the internal fabric that makes up David Chalk (Yes, I know I did just talk in third person, but this is my blog and I can do what I want).
The real reason this thought popped into my head was because today I walked, yes walked for an hour straight. I did this because I noticed how complacent I had become. Previous to my diagnosis I was very very active and loved playing sports. My schedule was something to this:
6:15 to 7:05 a.m. Seminary, early morning church study before high school. ( I write this for my non-mormon readers who may not know what this is.
7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. High School (This was my time to socialize and although not sleeping allowed for my body to rest...this will make more sense later).
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Water Polo practice...I played however was not that great. I enjoyed just being active. I started my sophomore year of high school, although this was more attributed to the fact that we had 5 great players on the team, and since the coach was a family from my church he chose me to be the 6th guy.
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Soccer Practice...I was on a city team and was the starting goalie. Of all the sports I played growing up I would say I was best at soccer. The main reason being that I was not afraid to beat up my body and therefore played the goalie position with very little reservations.
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Basketball practice...I was horrible at basketball, but have pretty good hand-eye coordination. So , I usually started and played hard. Once again, I had little regard for my body, so I was always diving on the floor for loose balls, and whatnot. Hustle does pay off.
I would then go home do my homework and go to bed around 10:00 p.m. in order to not be completely dead the next day when I needed to get up at 5:30 in order to be at seminary on time.
Anyways so back to the reason I am writing all of this. From this schedule you can see how active I was and how sports was such a BIG part of my everyday activities. So when I was diagnosed with cancer my life changed drastically. I was not longer the overly involved sports player I had become a kid who was home schooled and would get winded just slowly walking up the stairs. Cancer changed my identity.
In contrast, I try not to let cancer be the main definer of David Chalk, but it would be naive to say that it has not played a prominent role in who I have become. So, I think that I would have a identity searching process if my cancer went away for good. I hesitate to call it a identity crisis become the word crisis has a negative connotation. The identity searching that I would have to go through, I think would be a very positive and allow for growth.
It is just that I have had certain restrictions placed on me because of cancer. I basically have no endurance. This mean no sports playing, which was hard to accept at first, but I have been able to adjust, adapt, and find new things that interest me and fill my time.
So if cancer left me forever, many new doors would open, along with the reopening of old doors. This is why I had the thought of....Who would I be if cancer decided that my body was all of a sudden not where the party is at.
If cancer left me I would maybe be able to run a marathon, or hike Mount Everest, or travel the world for long periods of time (because I would not have to worry about weekly Dr. appointment).
It would be fun to see what would happen, and how I would change as an individual.
Anyways, sorry for this random thought process blog. I just started typing and this is what came from it. I have been doing a lot of reflective thinking lately, and this is just one of the many things that I have been thinking about.
Also from reading this I hope you get a glimpse into the very scatterbrained and random thinking that happens in my mind on a daily basis. I am just trying to make sense of my own thoughts. Sorry to bore you with randomness.
The moral of this thought process (I think) is the fact that as uncomfortable, scary, and life changing being diagnosed with cancer was. I think that after the past 9 years, returning to the non-cancerous David would be just as life-changing.
That is all. All is well this treatment I am on my second cycle of Rapamycin and return to San Diego in mid-February for my routine 3-month scans. So lets continue to keep the fingers crossed that the experimental drugs are working.
Let me know what you think....If you have any insights into my train of thought and would like to add a different perspective. I would love to hear it. I am a strong advocate of the diversity of thought.
You can comment on my blog, email me at cansirboi1986@gmail.com, facebook me, or send me a tweet @cansirboi.
I actually had a thought today about what I would do if my cancer went away for good. Obviously, I would be excited to not have to do chemo, and have my life revolve around hospitals and doctors appointments. But, for being a cancer patient for nearly a DECADE it has become a deep part of the internal fabric that makes up David Chalk (Yes, I know I did just talk in third person, but this is my blog and I can do what I want).
The real reason this thought popped into my head was because today I walked, yes walked for an hour straight. I did this because I noticed how complacent I had become. Previous to my diagnosis I was very very active and loved playing sports. My schedule was something to this:
6:15 to 7:05 a.m. Seminary, early morning church study before high school. ( I write this for my non-mormon readers who may not know what this is.
7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. High School (This was my time to socialize and although not sleeping allowed for my body to rest...this will make more sense later).
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Water Polo practice...I played however was not that great. I enjoyed just being active. I started my sophomore year of high school, although this was more attributed to the fact that we had 5 great players on the team, and since the coach was a family from my church he chose me to be the 6th guy.
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Soccer Practice...I was on a city team and was the starting goalie. Of all the sports I played growing up I would say I was best at soccer. The main reason being that I was not afraid to beat up my body and therefore played the goalie position with very little reservations.
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Basketball practice...I was horrible at basketball, but have pretty good hand-eye coordination. So , I usually started and played hard. Once again, I had little regard for my body, so I was always diving on the floor for loose balls, and whatnot. Hustle does pay off.
I would then go home do my homework and go to bed around 10:00 p.m. in order to not be completely dead the next day when I needed to get up at 5:30 in order to be at seminary on time.
Anyways so back to the reason I am writing all of this. From this schedule you can see how active I was and how sports was such a BIG part of my everyday activities. So when I was diagnosed with cancer my life changed drastically. I was not longer the overly involved sports player I had become a kid who was home schooled and would get winded just slowly walking up the stairs. Cancer changed my identity.
In contrast, I try not to let cancer be the main definer of David Chalk, but it would be naive to say that it has not played a prominent role in who I have become. So, I think that I would have a identity searching process if my cancer went away for good. I hesitate to call it a identity crisis become the word crisis has a negative connotation. The identity searching that I would have to go through, I think would be a very positive and allow for growth.
It is just that I have had certain restrictions placed on me because of cancer. I basically have no endurance. This mean no sports playing, which was hard to accept at first, but I have been able to adjust, adapt, and find new things that interest me and fill my time.
So if cancer left me forever, many new doors would open, along with the reopening of old doors. This is why I had the thought of....Who would I be if cancer decided that my body was all of a sudden not where the party is at.
If cancer left me I would maybe be able to run a marathon, or hike Mount Everest, or travel the world for long periods of time (because I would not have to worry about weekly Dr. appointment).
It would be fun to see what would happen, and how I would change as an individual.
Anyways, sorry for this random thought process blog. I just started typing and this is what came from it. I have been doing a lot of reflective thinking lately, and this is just one of the many things that I have been thinking about.
Also from reading this I hope you get a glimpse into the very scatterbrained and random thinking that happens in my mind on a daily basis. I am just trying to make sense of my own thoughts. Sorry to bore you with randomness.
The moral of this thought process (I think) is the fact that as uncomfortable, scary, and life changing being diagnosed with cancer was. I think that after the past 9 years, returning to the non-cancerous David would be just as life-changing.
That is all. All is well this treatment I am on my second cycle of Rapamycin and return to San Diego in mid-February for my routine 3-month scans. So lets continue to keep the fingers crossed that the experimental drugs are working.
Let me know what you think....If you have any insights into my train of thought and would like to add a different perspective. I would love to hear it. I am a strong advocate of the diversity of thought.
You can comment on my blog, email me at cansirboi1986@gmail.com, facebook me, or send me a tweet @cansirboi.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Spontaneity
Here is what I did on my very impromptu trip to AZ.....I love last minute decisions!
To make this trip possible I had to wear the same clothes for three days and only change my underwear once in 5 days....but I would totally do it again in a heart beat.
Thanks to the Akers for their awesome hospitality.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Christmas Break!
During my first semester of grad school I survived, experienced, and am a better person as a result of the following:
27 page papers about sex scandal
15 annotated bibliographies
10 blood transfusions
9 great grad school cohort friends
8 hours per day spent in the Stats lab during the last month(average)
7 papers
6 classes left in grad school
5 GOLDEN RINGS!!!!!
4 combined millimeters in tumor shrinkage during the semester. (turns out grad school is the greatest chemo treatment of all!)
3 hour stats final
2 weeks of missed school due to health complications
1 semester of Grad School DONE!!!!
and a partridge in a pear tree.
This past semester has been my favorite that I have ever had. I have made some great friends, learned a lot about myself, and had the greatest research partner you could ever have. Special thanks to Kelsey for sharing in my love of sex scandal Apologia. (she was my research partner)
But, I am now done with school until next Year!!!!!!!
Just want to keep you all update.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
27 page papers about sex scandal
15 annotated bibliographies
10 blood transfusions
9 great grad school cohort friends
8 hours per day spent in the Stats lab during the last month(average)
7 papers
6 classes left in grad school
5 GOLDEN RINGS!!!!!
4 combined millimeters in tumor shrinkage during the semester. (turns out grad school is the greatest chemo treatment of all!)
3 hour stats final
2 weeks of missed school due to health complications
1 semester of Grad School DONE!!!!
and a partridge in a pear tree.
This past semester has been my favorite that I have ever had. I have made some great friends, learned a lot about myself, and had the greatest research partner you could ever have. Special thanks to Kelsey for sharing in my love of sex scandal Apologia. (she was my research partner)
But, I am now done with school until next Year!!!!!!!
Just want to keep you all update.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanksgiving Update
Yesterday, I had my routine scans that I have every three months.
I was nervous to see how well the experimental rapamycin drug is working.
I had the CT scan and then went to go see my doctor and EVERYTHING had shrunk and was smaller than they had been previous.
It was great news to hear and so I will continue taking the drugs I am and thinks are going great!
Now on to finishing the school semester and then I can relax and enjoy things during Christmas break.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Sex scandals and Cancer Fighting
I have now been taking Rapamycin for over a week now and so it was once again time to go to the doctors and get my arm poked. Since this is not a ordinary chemo or drug that is usually used to treat cancer the nurse drawing my blood did not know the protocol for figuring out my Rapamycin levels.
They check these levels to make sure that my body is not being totally put out of whack by this new drug I am taking.
So after about 2 hours sitting and waiting my blood was drawn and sent off to the lab. I have yet to hear back from them so I assume that all the levels are good. (I figure they would call me if they were otherwise.)
Besides fighting cancer I am still working on my research paper on comparing the apology celebrities and politician after they admit to a sex scandal. This paper along may be the reason why BYU was only ranked #9. If it was not for my research partner and I googling and searching for prominent sex scandals I feel we would have at least been in the top 5. Here is the article.
That is all I have for today. Oh wait I was going to unveil my new theme song. I could not pick just one. Here are two song the ALWAYS put me in a good mode when they come on my ipod.
First:
Song: It's Time by: Imagine Dragons
Second:
Song: This is the New Year by: Ian Axel
Enjoy listening. I listen to each song like 5 times just while writing this post.
Also if you have not seen the movie 50/50 you need to because it is great.
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