The Return of the Murphquake

After a scuba dive in Cabos San Lucas with Manta Diving Crew!

Living Life after Cancer tries to take it away can be the greatest defense for the Human Spirit!- Murphquake

Trading Chemo for Cabos

Livestrong Challenge 2007

Livestrong Challenge 2007

You Are Amazing!!!

Dear Friends & Family,

What can I say, the support for the Livestrong Challenge has been "over the top"! Jackie & I cannot thank you all enough for your generousity towards what we feel is the strongest going charity for Cancer Research. Our team is so diversified, friends, family, co-workers, and people we have never even met, all combining on this day to race for one cause, "The Cure". It is unheard of in today's world that people of every backround will come together with one common goal.

We all know someone close to us who has past away from this dreaded disease, someone who is at battle right now and someone down the line who will hear the words "you have been diagnosed with ___ Cancer". On Sunday there will be an army of racers, supporters and Survivors who all say "We know there is a Cure to be found, and for all of those who support this Cause, We honor You!" Best of Luck to all who have taken on this Challenge in my support, I will be there as your greatest fan Sunday!

Best Wishes & Livestrong,

Jim

Bacon Banned!!!!

...Confusion surrounds the race world today as "French" judges come foward with accusations that the "For Murph's Sake" team canine, Bacon, has been found in possession of "blood doping" materials. (such as EPO, Neulasta, Neupogen) Bacon, himself was not around for comment but a spokeperson (aka Scratch the Dog) has no idea where these accusations could have come from. According to Scratch the fact is that Bacon is not all that "fast" but is large and jumps exceptionally well. Race officials also had no comment but have let it be clear in the past that there is a "zero tolerance level for "Dopey" Dogs".

According to outside sources, other dogs in the neighborhood, Bacon had been putting alot of time in on the ground and was generally looking foward to the race. He was also looking foward to treaties, pizza, and swimming in the local creek.

How will team "For Murph's Sake" be able to recover, only you can make the difference, either by joining the team for this Sunday's Walk/Run or Bike or by donating to the team below.

http://philly07.livestrong.org/mainlinekettlebells

Every donation helps us on our way to a cure!

Best Wishes,

Jim

A Better Understanding...

Dear Friends & Family,

Round 3 is underway and I am getting a much better understanding of where things stand. They will be hammering me with chemo until Friday, then a two day recovery period. Then the stem cell transplant and hopefully breaking the world record (6) by one day, just setting the bar for the next gamer. I will be home Monday afternoon and then the next challenge of getting ready for the Livestrong Challenge. I am going to train with my dog Bacon to see if the 5k run/walk is something we can handle by August 25-26. Bacons record is 2 miles but I will push him and we will build up to goal of 3.2 miles:)

Jackie and the crew at Main Line Kettlebells have put together a team in my honor, it is part of what I believe to be the strongest "Looking for the Cure for Cancer" group, Livestrong. You can either run, walk, ride with us or just be a part of "our" team by just donating anywhere from $1-whatever. So on the site, if you are donating just go to the bottom right and pick a team member(hopefully Jackie) and give what you can, every dollar brings us all closer to a Cure. Here is the team webpage:

https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=219860&team=2025172

It is funny, I have been a Cancer patient since 2005, and I have noticed the "others" that fight this disease every day. They are amazing, most are not as "lucky" as I am, with my support from "You" and still being able to keep myself in the frame of mind and shape that I do. These "others" still "hang in there" and keep the smile, hope and desire to Live on. I would like to dedicate these lyrics to them!

It's down to this
I've got to make this life make sense
Can anyone tell what I've done

I miss the life
I miss the colors of the world
Can anyone tell where I am

Cause now again I've found myself so far down
Away from the sun that shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down away from the sun again
Away from the sun again

I'm over this
I'm tired of livin' in the dark
Can anyone see me down here

The feeling's gone
There's nothing left to lift me up
Back into the world I know

And now again I've found myself so far down
Away from the sun that shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down away from the sun
That shines to light the way for me to find my way back into the arms
That care about the ones like me
I'm so far down away from the sun again

It's down to this
I've got to make this life make sense
And now I can't tell what I've done

And now again I've found myself so far down
Away from the sun that shines to light the way for me
And now again I've found myself so far down
Away from the sun that shines into the darkest place
I'm so far down away from the sun
That shines to light the way for me to find my way back into the arms
That care about the ones like meI'm so far down away from the sun again- 3 Doors Down

I believe this applies to them, please help me any way you can to bring the "others" back to this wonderful world we live in!

Best Wishes,
Jim

Round One

Dear Friends & Family,

I have completed Round One of my Chemo at UPenn and both spiritually and physically I could not be in a better place. My care at UPenn has been stellar and through a tough (5 times the amount) regiment of Chemo, I have eaten round one up like "candy" and look to going foward in the treatment for round 2 (similar in style to round 1), as we search for the
"cure".

One of the biggest differences through round 1 and my entire first experience through chemo was my ability this time to "dream" during my chemo. While at the oncology center during my first go-round the Chemo shut down that ability (taste, smell and hair growth were also on pause) and it was just a wake up then sleep process, you don't realize how much you miss it until it is taken away from you.I have found a vision while dreaming that is very inspirational and I believe it to be the the one I will carry with me for my journey. The image is one of me standing as a tree on a hill, a "One Tree Hill", as a Cancer patient you stand alone to the elements, whatever they may be and your only support is the hill. The Hill is your family, friends and forms of support. Thank you all for standing behind me in this challange, being my "Hill", my vision is strong!As I approach Round 2 (July 5th)

I grabbed a few lyrics from a favorite to explain where things are from a personal standpoint. (by the way thank you all for your lyrics that you sent me during round one, they were all inspirational) Oddly enough this is from the song "Zoo Station" but I think it captures the frame of mind perfectly as I approach Round 2.

I'm ready
I'm ready for the laughing gas
I'm ready I'm ready for what's next
I'm ready to duck I'm ready to dive
I'm ready to say I'm glad to be alive
I'm ready

I'm ready for the push
I'll be crawling 'round
On my hands and knees
Just down the line
Gotta make it on time
I'm ready

I'm ready for the shuffle
Ready for the deal
Ready to let go of the steering wheel
I'm ready
Ready for the crush

Alright, you can turn it up

I've gotta make it on time
Make it on time

Just two stops down the line...
Just a stop down the line...-U2

Best Wishes
Jim

The Rising

6/13/07 The Rising...

Dear Family & Friends,
Breaking this news is never easy ...
Tommorrow I will begin my Third Battle with an old aquaintance, Cancer. It has returned and this time will not be easy, but the hope I carry with me for the "Cure" is as strong as ever. I will be inpatient at UPenn for 4 cycles of High Dose Chemotherapy and Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, which will start tommorrow and end some time around September. The most recent data on this regiment is very positive for recurring cancer patients, and I am confident that I can finally see the light at the end of my tunnel.

For those of you who know me well, you know I am a huge fan of "all" music and specifically lyrics. I think at times artists lyrics can find the mood and the setting that you are in and help you express them when your own words are hard to come by. So I borrowed these lyrics from Springsteen to help you understand were I am at in my battle:

Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine

Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here

A dream of life comes to me

Sky of blackness and sorrow ( a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness ( a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear ( a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow ( a dream of life)
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life

The Rising-B.Springsteen

I will take the thought of everyone of you with me as I begin my journey for the "Cure"
Thank you all for your prayers, Support and Love,
Jim

Something Wicked...

11/4/06 "Something Wicked this way comes again"
It is as if the doorbell rang and an old acquaitance was staring me right in the face again...Cancer my ol' nemisis...emotions are not a factor this time, the same Opponent has come back for round 2.

I am Ready! There will not be a round 3, the C-monster goes down this time. My team, as strong as ever, is assembled and with the help of Chemo, prayers and support from friends/family will conquer whatever obstacles are in the way this time.

I am Confident! Treatment today as well as an attitude to live will be my Guiding Light! My opponent is relentless but so am I and because of that I am not the underdog this time! This visitor is not welcome!

I will Win! I have no choice, If I surround myself with positive people, positive influences, positive lifestyles and positive thoughts, then only positive results can occur.

If you need to make a wager and you want to collect on your "sure-thing" bet go with:"The Murphquake in the 2nd round by way of Knockout" This Cancer is going down for Good!