It’s been ages since I’ve done much in the way of writing about my cancer journey here, but it’s time to start writing again.
Cancer and Faith Q&A
How Rekindling My Faith Cured My Mental Health Issues
How Returning To Church For the First Time in 25 Years Changed My Life
I was raised in the Catholic church, but quickly fell away from the church after leaving home for college in 1996, and have never attended church as an adult. Despite having been baptized and confirmed and doing all of the things a good young Catholic boy ought to have done (except becoming an altar boy, which I refused), I never established a firm connection with either God or the church during my childhood, but have still largely lived a very moral and Christian life. This is the story of my return to Faith, the Church, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My Decade Long Journey as a Testicular Cancer Survivor
I originally wrote this blog for my friend, Justin Birkbichler’s, ABallsySenseofTumor website back in March 2020 as one of his Band of Ballers feature. I had intended to cross-post it here at my own website after a month or so, but with COVID-19 in full swing and a whole lot of disruption in ours and everyone else’s lives, I just burned out and never got around to it. It’s been a year since I’ve done anything on my website, so here it finally is with a few little tweaks and updates to get it up to date! I hope you enjoy this as the first of my 10 years after cancer series of blogs.
10 Mental Health Tips for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nine years ago this month, I had just finished 4 brutal rounds of chemotherapy fighting testicular cancer, and was on deck for a highly invasive surgery the next month in June. You might be surprised to learn that this was all the “easy” part of my cancer fight. What was hard was overcoming all of the mental health issues that many cancer survivors experience in the aftermath, such as anxiety, depression, and even PTSD symptoms. Learning to overcome all of this at a younger age has perhaps left me better prepared for other challenges in life, including the COVID-19 pandemic, so here are some mental health pointers for Mental Health Awareness Month.
THE U.S. COULD BE MISSING 25,000 CANCER DIAGNOSIS PER WEEK DUE TO COVID19
Based on an estimate out of the UK that cancer diagnosis are down by 75% due to coronavirus lockdowns, the U.S. could easily be missing 25,000 cancer diagnosis per week. At the same time, evidence from antibody testing has emerged showing that the coronavirus is at least an order of magnitude more prevalent than believed, which also brings the estimated fatality rates down as well. Are lockdown policies really correct? How many otherwise healthy people are being saved from COVID19 lockdowns, only to lose other lives elsewhere from cancers that aren’t detected or are detected too late, along with other health screenings that are being missed. Robust public policy debate is needed, but isn’t happening.
Information about Coronavirus COVID-19 for Testicular Cancer Patients and Survivors
Community guidance and thoughts about SAR-CoV-2 / COVID19 from a number of testicular cancer experts and health care professionals, and how it could impact testicular cancer fighters and survivors, and a little advice for everybody else as well from someone that’s been there before. In many ways, so much of what I experienced as a cancer fighter and survivor has been coming back in the face of this global pandemic.
How Seasonal Depression and Low Testosterone Can Cause Suicidal Episodes in Testicular Cancer Survivors
I’ve been pretty quiet and basically AWOL on social media for the past few weeks because I had a really rough go at the end of the year. A grueling work schedule drove me straight into the ground towards the end of 2019, and unfortunately I wasn’t doing myself any favors either, all of which put me into an end of year winter solstice tailspin combined with a complete testosterone level collapse, and a suicidal episode. You can read all about it here. Maybe now I’ll finally learn, and practice what I preach.
I Still Have Nightmares About Cancer Nearly A Decade Later
When You Suffer From Post-Cancer Chronic Fatigue But Can Still Bust Out A 30 Minute 5K
Just because you suffer from post-cancer neuropathy and chronic fatigue issues, doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself and get out there and kick some ass. You’re looking at a guy who just a few years ago struggled to run more than 2-3 blocks at a time because of terrible chronic fatigue issues, now coasting into the finish line in 30 minutes in a 5K race, and feeling great while doing it!
New AUA Guidelines for Early Stage Testicular Cancer
Why I Don't Give A (Bleep) About Cancer Anymore
I was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 33 and thought my life was over, but today I’m an 8 year survivor of the disease, and at the age of 41 I’m not even a young adult anymore. Times change, perspectives change, we all grow and evolve not just as cancer survivors but in life itself. At this point I just don’t give a (bleep) about cancer anymore. Here’s why.
The Best Cancer Milestones Are The Ones You Hadn’t Thought Of
My youngest turning 10 has been an unexpectedly big deal for me in my cancer survivor life, and it’s as though some massive box that I never knew about has suddenly been checked. My biggest fears about cancer were never dying or a life not lived, but rather not being around for my family and my children. They still have a lot of growing up to do, but with both now 10 or over, they’ll never be able to say that they never knew their father, and that’s a great moment for me.
World Cancer Day 2019
Have I Mentioned How Important Regular Exercise Is for Cancer Survivors?
The 7 Year Cancer Survivor Itch
At 7 years out, I'm very lucky and blessed that I don't really have to think about cancer too much anymore. There's no reason that I have to, and I don't. Testicular Cancer is a cancer that you fight like hell and either beat completely within a few months or a year, or it very quickly takes you with it, and I’m still here. My cancer fight seems like ancient history at this point - a tiny spec in the rear view mirror, and life has moved on.
Does The Burden of Cancer Ever Go Away?
40 And Moving On After Young Adult Cancer
As a newly minted 40 year old young adult cancer survivor, I've spent much of my 30's heavily engaged with testicular cancer advocacy, but there's other things I've aspired to do in my arc through life. If my life before cancer was my first act, and my life after cancer from the ages of 33 to 39 has been a second, then let this new decade of my 40's become my third. A new era in my life begins today.
Approaching 40 as a Young Adult Cancer Survivor
I have 4 draft Facebook page posts, and a half dozen draft blogs on my website just trying to capture all of the thoughts running through my head, and I've finally gotten a handle on what's been going on with this crazy Scorpio mind of mine, as I approach 40 as a young adult cancer survivor. As I approach this huge milestone, I'm remembering all of those times that I was so spooked and convinced that this day would never come and missing out on so many life experiences, but at the same time I'm also remembering how I made it through those times, how I overcame it all, and all of the amazing people that I found or who found me along the way that were able to help me in this journey, and such deep love and gratitude that I feel for so many.