March 29, 2023 | AO – Paradise Island| One Pacific Place | 28 Degrees
PAX (20): Dirty Bird, TC (Respect!), Bubbles, Tater Tot, Canadian Bacon (Respect! Respect!), Wait Time (Respect!), Slow Pitch, Khakis (Respect!), Hindsight, Tight Lip, FDIC, Gunner, Back Jack, Cosmo, Redacted, Vandelay, Honey Maid, Black Lung, Retweet
Q: Tin Cup
YHC welcomed the PAX to F3 Omaha at 5:15 AM. The Mission Statement, Disclaimer, and 5 Core Principles were given. An inquiry about FNGs was also made, but no FNGs were in attendance. YHC indicated that the route would be similar to the “traditional” PI route, and he had already asked Retweet to lead the way so he could pick up (be) the six. Below is a map of the route and 6 stops consisted of a core exercise led by a different member of the PAX. At stop #6, YHC added 20 merkins and 5 burpees.
MOM
- American Hammers – Rancid Style (20)
Circle of Trust (COT):
I am going to be in Florida over Westside’s spring break with my wife and daughter next week, so I wanted to give this COT this week. About a year ago on April 5th I was in my office when I received a notification on my phone that I had an update in my electronic medical records portal. I knew it was the results an MRI I had the previous day. So, I logged in and I read the following:
Appears typical of high-grade prostate cancer. I read it over and over. Oh and to top it off. Lymph nodes suspicious for nodal metastases.
So to try to make a long story short, I started hormone therapy a few weeks after the MRI. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer is a treatment that stops the male hormone testosterone from being produced or reaching prostate cancer cells. Most prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to help them grow. Hormone therapy causes prostate cancer cells to die or to grow more slowly. (www.mayoclinic.org). My doctors want me to stay on hormone therapy for 2 years so I am about half way there. I also had high dose radiation treatment in the operating room (Brachytherapy) on August 30th, and a few weeks after having brachytherapy, I started 30 daily external radiation treatments that I finished October 24, 2022.
Ultimately the goal is to go off hormone therapy in about a year and to have no signs of having cancer and be in remission.
So that is the one-year post cancer diagnosis update on me. But the point I really want to make is how much F3 has helped me over the past year.
- First, F3 motivate me to get up and work out. I greatly appreciated the opportunity I have to post at F3, so I would post to push myself, for the fellowship, and to temporarily block out the thoughts running through my brain.
- Secondly, it took me awhile to talk about my cancer diagnosis at F3 or with anyone really, and I did not tell anyone in F3 until July 27 during my COT at a Respect pop up. At first, I wanted to wait until I had as much information as possible and I knew the severity of my cancer and my treatment plan. After that, I wanted to wait until after my son’s high school graduation reception. However, I now realize I just did not want to talk about it. F3 helped me process everything and gave me the opportunity to talk about it.
- Lastly, I cannot articulate how supportive this group is, and how the positive energy created by this group has helped not only my physical health, but also my mental health.
To me, F3 is an essential part of my treatment plan and it pushes me even though workouts are harder than they were previously because of my treatment (i.e. – low testosterone). I don’t know for certain what the last year would have been like if I was not active in F3, but I am guessing I would have lacked the motivation to exercise, and I would have avoided talking about my cancer diagnosis as much as possible. Because let’s face it, talking about cancer is hard and can be uncomfortable.
A few days ago, my wife asked me if I knew who Tig Notaro was? I knew she was a comedian and actor, but that was about it. I did a quick search on her and found an article from 2012.
[I]n 2012, American comedian Tig Notaro walked onstage at Los Angeles club Largo and announced, “Hello. Good evening, hello. I have cancer.” What followed were 29 minutes of standup comedy that have already become seminal. Four days earlier, Notaro had been diagnosed with cancer in both breasts.…Notaro’s set feels breathtakingly new. It’s raw and warm and heartwarming and unbearably sad, and yet still somehow laugh-out-loud funny. (https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/oct/19/tig-notaro-reveals-cancer-on-stage)
Since it took me months to talk about my diagnosis with anyone besides my wife, and I was a mess when I did share the news with friends and family, I was so impressed when I read about and listened to Tig Nataro’s stand up set that starts off “hello, I have Cancer….” Obviously, it is difficult to find any humor in cancer and her strength not only to get through the set but to make jokes only 4 days after being diagnosed impress the hell our of me, so in an attempt to be funny and maybe a little edgy, here are my personal top five benefits to my cancer diagnosis.
5. After being diagnosed with cancer, I have an endless number of COT topics.
4. Because of the hormone treatment and my lack of testosterone, I now really enjoy fresh cut flowers, romantic comedies and scented candles. Though to be fair, I have always enjoyed a good rom com.
3. Who else was exposed to radiation? Spiderman and the Hulk, that’s who. Not bad company.
2. If I am ever losing an argument with my M or kids, I can just say “I have cancer”, drop the mic, and walk away. I win…
1. Lastly and seriously. I now have a different outlook on life, being positive, and being grateful.
Thank you. I love you guys.
We ended in prayer.
Aye – Tin Cup