These are the pics from the 2004 American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Spokane
Team Half Nuts. I don't know the total money raised yet, but I do know that we were the #2 online fundraising team this year. Thank you so much to all that donated, you all made a huge difference. Below are the rest of the pics, just click the thumbnail to see the full size pics. Pay careful attention to Jim Fairchild. He was our Mr. Relay contestant in an awkward beauty pageant in a last ditch attempt to solicit donations from the crowd.
Last, but certainly not least, is Major Vicki Brady. Sappy comment ahead... Major Brady is my Primary Care Manager at the Fairchild Hospital. She is an incredible Nurse and I could not put my health in better hands. About a year after she became my PCM she was diagnosed with breast cancer and kicked it's butt like I knew she would. How many cancer survivors get to swap stories with their PCM? I could not ask for anyone better to take care of me and my family. Thanks so much Major B!!!
On April 5th of 2001 my entire life changed. I was only 10 weeks into a 1-year remote tour (meaning my family was back in the States) in Kunsan City, South Korea........and I was told that I may have testicular cancer. I was having a physical and my Doc found a lump on my left teste. He said there was a 95% chance that it was a tumor and a 5% chance that it was a cyst, not the best odds but I remained hopeful. He sent me downtown with a translator to a Korean hospital for an ultrasound of my testicle. They were speaking Korean but I could read the looks on their faces and knew it was not good. Sure enough, when I got back to the base the Doc explained to me that there was a blood vessel in the lump which was a definate sign of a tumor and not a cyst. I was then sent to Yongsan Army hospital in Seoul. I had an inguinal orchiectomy where they remove the affected testicle through the lower abdomen. They sent it off to the Armed Forces Pathology Institute while I went back to Kunsan to wait it out. That was the longest two weeks of my entire life, especially without my family there. Sure enough it came back cancerous. I had a "Stage one seminoma with no lymphatic invasion." Although it was cancer, this was good news in that is had not spread to my abdominal lymph nodes that they could see on the CT scan. Just to be sure they medivaced me to Tripler Army hospital in Hawaii where I had 6 weeks of radiation therapy (cancer treatments). Not really the way I had imagined seeing Hawaii but hey it could be worse I guess, or maybe not. Let me tell you now, cancer treatments suck, so if you can at all avoid them you should, unless you enjoy constant vomiting! (Hey I thought that was funny) Since then I have CT scans, chest X-rays, and tumor marker blood work done every 3 months until April 2006. I had a significant drop in testosterone levels after losing one of the little “fellas” down there, so I receive a weekly injection of testosterone enanthate. For anyone who has suffered low testosterone you know how I felt before getting the shots. I am now over 2 years out and feel great. I am in excellent health and back in the weight room harder than ever. I eat a very sound diet that is based on my PH scaling. Some people think that PH or acid/alkaline base is a bunch of crap but they probably have never had a major illness either. I think that is a nutritional breakthrough so please feel free to email me if you would like more info on PH balance. Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Below are pictures of my treatments for those who are curious. The big lead ball is to cover the remaining testicle, for some reason I get a lot of questions on that. The first pic is Dr. Duncan, he is the Doc that found the lump and let me cry many times during the whole thing. Remember I had no family there to cry on, just some really close friends, Rick, Reggie, Big Will, Steve and my Doc. I know sob story huh? The lady in one of the pics was my Oncologist Dr. Sprague and the other guys were the techs that zapped me every day and made me sick as hell, but hey everyone has a job to do. I am still trying to get my current docs pics but just have not gotten around to it. The last pics are of my two cancer parties that the fellas threw for me, those guys are the best.
I would like to thank everyone who was there for me during my battle...
My medical team - Dr. Duncan (Family Practice), Dr. Sprague (Oncology), Dr. Castro (Surgery), Dr. Whiting (Urology), the Tripler Army Medical Center Oncology staff and Major Vickie Brady (Family Practice) who is my current Doc and takes care of me now, although I nag her all the time to give me more testosterone!!!
All the fellas at the ROK (Republic of Korea) - Rick Phillips for letting me freak out when I really needed to, I owe you for life bro. Will Hill for keeping my low-testosterone-having-ass in the weight room and being like a brother to me, much love to you bro. Reggie Dirton for keeping me in touch with this planet. Mike Vanalstyne for being there when you didn’t have to. Dave Grant for understanding what I was dealing with when the other Boss didn’t. Captain Laura Goodman for fighting for me to go home. SMSgt's Steven Chandler and David Caldwell for being the best bosses I could ever ask for and being true role models to me. And of course all the bubba’s in the Kunsan Fuel Shop- Steve Jackson and Jim Angle, Big Blaine Ford, Steve "I love the Raiders" Schillinger, Big Wrig Steve Wrigley, Bilbao, Sleepy Sayles, Jimmy Rice, Capone, Dingo, St. Andre, VII, Gradner, and Mario "the physique critique" Dadian. By the way Mario, that guy’s not big is he?
My family and friends – My Mom, Dad and Ma, and Mom Keogh, Pops Keogh I love you and miss you too! My Brother Scott and his family, My brother Erik, My sister in law Shelia for making the wrong things right, I am forever in your debt Shelia! God, 'cause without Him I would be dead and haunting those who left me in Korea for 8 months after cancer... and you know who you are. My daughter Rachel for giving me the most important reason to live and my wife Emily for being there for me every step of the way.
In June 2003 I put together a team for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life here in Spokane WA. Our sponsor was my Dad and Ma’s company Swanger, Eriksen and Associates. We raised over $1700 for the cause. I never really had to worry about the cost of treating my cancer since the Air Force footed the bill. I know and counsel many other cancer patients are not only trying to stay alive but they have to worry about how to finance cancer treatments, not something that anyone should be thinking about at that time, but it happens all the time. So this event is very dear to me. I am going to put another team together this year with my co-captain Dan Fairchild, who’s family contributed more for last year than I could ever thank them for. Not just in money, but assets and time too. I owe ya one bro! If you would like to contribute and/or participate in June 2004 please feel free to drop me an email anytime. We will take all the help we can. This year Dan my co-captain will really be taking the helm as I am not really into planning the event, my whole focus is just to raise money so if you thank anyone, thank him!!! Without him I would probably not raise half of what we should. We are setting a team goal of $3000 in 2004 and I am going to walk the entire 18-hour event myself. I just want my team there to keep me company and focus on raising money for the cause. You can also donate online this year by visiting our Relay Team Website.
I would like to thank all of the people who made last years relay a success. Dave Strasser my co-captain (also a cancer survivor) and his daughter. Dan and Dorey Fairchild and their families too. B.J. and Darla Keogh. My Dad and Ma. My brother Scott and his entire family. My Mom and her friends that donated. Jeff Sevigney and family. My Wife and daughter. Last but not least, all of you who donated to our team and to the cancer fight. My love and prayers go out to all of you.
