Pressing forward... and more family visits
Eric is into his 3rd week of treatment at Huntsman now and handling it like a champ. I didn't get to visit with everyone else last week but came in this week to hang out. Not sure I was quite prepared for the adventure week!! Eric and J informed me that the goal is "one adventure per day of radiation treatment". So, in true form, only a couple of hours after stepping off the plane, I was headed into the mountains above Salt Lake with Eric, J and the dogs for an afternoon hike of several hours!
Over the next few days our adventures included a couple of Jeep trips up the mountain "roads" to see spectacular sights from some stunning heights. We also got in a couple more hikes too. Yesterday he was feeling a "bit fatigued" (Eric's words) in the early afternoon so we decided to head out with Aspen the puppy for only a short, 45 minute hike on some easy mountain trails. Well... 2.5 hours, 5 miles and 3000 feet later, we arrived back home tired sweaty and grinning (I guess he felt better!!). True story: (he likely doesn't know this until now) I had to step into the lead on the trail a few times to slow the pace down so I could catch my breath! Today J drove the jeep up another hidden away "road" where, once the snow on the road forced us to stop, we got out and hiked up to the 9000 foot summit!
All of this, (and last week's "adventures" with Mom, Dad, Emily and Julie too) before meeting with his surgeon today for follow up where she said to him, "you are looking really good... probably ok to start doing some exercise". She OBVIOUSLY doesn't know my brother like the rest of us do!!! THIS is how HE fights back against a brain tumor!!!
As Julie said in the previous post... its been way too long since we last were together. So I'll be back soon for some more adventures. Mom and Dad and Julie are next up in the coming few weeks... wonder what kind of trouble they will get into with Eric (if his surgeon only knew!!!)
Doug
Comments (7)
You are all maniacs...in the BEST possible way! Thanks for sharing your stories!
I do not know Eric as well as some of you, but from what I know I can believe his energy, drive, and love of hiking. It is such a healthy and alternative activities in which to engage during all this treatment. Wonderful for him and probably healthy for those that try to keep up with him. Take care Eric PS When I would flying to visit my son at Pingree Park, Colorado State's Summer conference and be at 9,000 feet in the afternoon after early morning flight from Indiana we would go for short walk. I was always stopping to eat huckleberries. but my son soon recognizes I was catching my breath. It is good to have caring and understanding family and friends.
I'd love to visit Eric and J, but it sounds like they'd kill me. ;)
Doug, J, Eric...I just ran into your parents yesterday on the marsh trail here in La Crosse. Please encourage them to connect with Doug and his wife in La Crosse to make plans to meet with me on my deck near the marsh to convene and strategize ways to help all of you, Julie and Emily included, with remaining grounded and connected for the sake of physical healing. You are all AMAZING and so inspirational!!
Thank you for the update! It's so good to see you doing the things you love with the people you love.
PS we'd love to visit too! just say when...
What an amazingly positive way to fight this horrible invader! I ran into your parents on the trail yesterday with the dog and we chatted for a bit while we walked. I chuckled when I heard that Eric is figuring out the physics of the machine that is bombarding his tumor with radiation while his is being treated. Amazing! Remember space invaders? Or is that before your time? If you do, you could also imagine the individual radioactive particles hitting and exploding only the cancer cells during treatment. Or perhaps imagine the radiation to cause the cancer cells to splat like a bug on a windshield? 😜