JWT - Volume IV
Joe’s Wolfpack Trailblazers
July 2020
In this month's edition, members of 'The Howling Place' group share their personal cancer journey as it pertains to health and wellness.
A special thank you to these brothers of the wolfpack: Clint Hartwig, Dave Nitsche, Joe Richardson and Jared McMillan for sharing their personal journey.
Also, if you haven’t listened to my interview with Trevor Maxwell on the Man Up to Cancer Podcast, I hope you check it out. I’m honored to be the first guest!
— Joe Bullock, lead administrator, Man Up to Cancer - The Howling Place (Also known as The Wolfpack)
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Clint Hartwig
CLINT HARTWIG
VANCOUVER, WASH.
STAGE 2A COLORECTAL CANCER
I was not supposed to get cancer. There was no history of it on my side of the family, other than a couple cases of the female type of cancers. I was not extremely healthy either. I had been on a mediocre journey to regain my health since the age of 30 when I found out that my cholesterol level was somewhere in the mid 300’s and what was worse my triglycerides were in the mid 900’s!
It was a shock to be told that I was a walking time bomb. After trying several rounds of drug soup, I gave up on medication and decided to eat better and exercise. I dropped a bit of weight and got my cholesterol numbers completely lined up, but still was not what you could consider healthy as my sweet tooth always seemed to get the best of me.
A couple of years later I encountered my first bout with gout. I discovered that was also a disease that was dietary related. Finally, a few months before my 40th birthday, I decided to join a major weight loss company. I lost quite a bit of weight and a couple of months after turning 40, I trained for my first ever 5k. I really enjoyed running and later that Fall when I lost nearly 65 lbs. and had run a few half marathons, I decided I wanted to do something to help others experience this awesome feeling. I decided to combine massage therapy, personal training, and nutrition into my own version of health coaching.
I graduated massage school in January of 2015 and at the end of 2017, I signed up with ACE (American Council on Exercise) to become a personal trainer. It is all online and figured out how long it would take me, plus they had a health coaching certification which interested me. I got my materials and started in January 2018 to go through the material. At that same time, I was dealing with an abnormal amount of constipation and there was blood in my stool. After some serious coaxing from my friends, I went to go see my doctor, who thankfully sent me to a urologist, who immediately set me up for a colonoscopy where I found out there was a tumor on the junction of my rectum and sigmoid colon.
A day later, I found out that it was indeed cancer. Two months later I had surgery to have it removed and my colon resection. It was later staged IIa. Dealing with cancer in 2018, I finally accomplished getting my personal training certification in December of 2018. I never really pushed that aspect of my business because I didn’t “look like a trainer”.
I jokingly said that I looked more like someone who needed a trainer. I received a lot of encouragement from lots of people to step forward with it. I kept feeling that I wanted to do something with my abilities for massage and training to benefit the cancer community and when I found an ACE program to become a Cancer Exercise Specialist and I jumped on that deal. At the beginning of 2020, I started the CES program and lined up for May of 2020 a class in oncology massage.
Unfortunately, as we all know, the pandemic hit, and it hit right at the time I finished the Cancer Exercise Specialist program. Shortly, after states started shutting down and it looked like it was going to be for a while, I received word that the oncology massage class was cancelled. I still look like I need a trainer, but I am excited that the future will bring another turn in my career.
Exercising during and after treatment helps the body deal with the side effects and helps to build your immune system. It is different than most personal training as my job is not to get someone to a certain goal by a certain time, but it is more of progress. Someone going through cancer may have a time when they are able to get out and walk a couple of miles and then the next time it is a win for them to get up and walk a few blocks. It is always changing.
Hopefully, as things open up, I will be able to get back into the oncology massage class and find a lymph node drainage class. While I can still work on others with a more traditional massage or training and I love to help others achieve their goals, I feel like I am now able to help out my fellow brothers and sisters dealing with cancer with a heart that knows what it is like to be told you have cancer.
Dave Nitsche
DAVE NITSCHE
CALGARY, ALBERTA
STAGE 4 LUNG CANCER
Hello all Howling group guys. If we haven’t met or chatted I am Dave from Calgary, Canada. This is a bit about my story with my cancer diagnosis. A bit of background prior to this though. I have two boys who are grown up. I was an ultra runner and multiple Ironman triathlon competitor as well as bike racer.
April of 2019 is when this journey all started. I started losing my sight in my left eye. I called the optometrist and made an appointment, but after a few days I lost sight of it completely. Was told to go immediately to hospital as they thought it was a detached retina. Long story short on that after multiple scans and over eight doctors I finally had the fluid drained behind my eye, but I had lost sight.
The next day the fluid was back and I had my eye removed within a week of that. They then did a biopsy on it and found it to be cancerous but I was not told of this for three weeks after they sent me for a full bone scan and lung scan. I was then sent to a lung specialist who promptly drained approx. 1 liter of fluid from my left lung. It was after this that I was told I had 4th stage lung cancer, and yes I never smoked.
After the diagnosis (where my ex-wife came with me) I moved back in with my ex wife at her insistence. Since then I have been on Afatinib and most recently Tagrisso or Osimertinib. The drugs have obviously been working as I’m still here.
The past year has been a challenge with many ups and downs, but in Calgary we have a great cancer clinic (brand new one being built) and a great support system. I have also found lots of great people on the internet to help out (Howling group particular). I also back onto an off leash area where my “support” dog Indie and I have made some amazing friends that I can talk to and she can play with.
I have been attending classes and support groups at Wellspring Calgary which has also been an amazing support for people with cancer and for survivors. Again though I have to say the journey has not been easy and as you all know there isn’t a day goes by or a morning you wake up and not think about what if this happens, and of course the scans and scanxiety!
I do have to thank from the bottom of my heart my family, especially Sarah my ex-wife who took me in and has provided great care, and also my friends past and present for their support and understanding as much as they can understand and my church family and ministerial staff. Until you have those words said to you “you have cancer and you will die from this” it is hard to put into words what to say or truly understand.
In the meantime though, I’m back running a bit thanks to inspiration from Kirk Smith and continue to ride my bike when I feel well enough to do it.
Thanks for listening and don’t waste your cancer!!!!
Joe Richardson
JOE RICHARDSON
OCEANSIDE, CALIF.
SARCOMA CANCER
I am a sarcoma survivor going on 35 months NED (No Evidence of Disease). I wanted to share my health & wellness strategy during treatment, surgery & beyond.
In May 2017, in an E.R. I was diagnosed with a 19cm x 17cm, cantaloupe size, soft tissue sarcoma, right flank lower back with zero pain, only pressure at times. I went through 5 weeks of radiation, 2 major surgeries. Tumor removal with floater ribs split to remove tumor undisturbed.
Reconstruction - Muscle flap taken from right lat & skin graft taken from upper right leg, both transferred to surgical site. 7 weeks in hospital, 10 weeks at home wound nurse. Through it all I was so very determined to reclaim my life back, get my ass back to the gym no matter what & take a brutally honest look at everything in my life and make it healthy and whole again.
Chronic stress is the silent killer in society today. Can never allow it ever again to take hold of me. Making time for relaxation, meditation, deep breathing throughout the day especially at bedtime as sleep is the time for deep rest, repair & replenish the immune system.
Healthy Dietary Choices - Treat your body like a temple. I got rid of all junk food, 99% of refined sugar, red meat, pork & empty carbs. I now focus on live food to nurture and heal my internal body. Nutritional value is now first importance and taste buds dropped to second place. Created my own live blender drink. Items needed: Power Greens, (spinach, chard, baby kale), shredded carrots, 1/2 ruby red grapefruit, 1/2 avocado to make it smooth, frozen blue, black, straw or raspberries, vanilla almond milk zero sugar, plant based choc protein powder sweetened with stevia, greens powder, blend well. It tastes way better than boost or ensure. I am nourishing every cell in my body every day with micronutrients to keep my immune system healthy & strong.
I was not wasting my energy on petty things or drama. Refuse to allow others to pull me into their self induced draining drama. It does not deserve my attention. I set free unhealthy relationships, friendships. This wake up call made it so crystal clear who truly cared & who could care less. I wish them well & set them free. In the process I have made new friends who are keepers.
I started to exercise - This really helps with stress, depression, anxiety, PTSD & helps immune function. Even during brutal radiation when I was so weak & ill, I would get on the floor & would do push ups as it forced fresh oxygen in me. It actually helped me sleep better. As severely fatigued I was, it was mind over matter. 3rd day after surgery with IV's attached to me, I would walk laps on the 4th floor 4 times a day as I always heard patients who get up & move do better than the sedentary patients.
A couple weeks after I got home from the hospital, I began outdoor power walking. I started out with 2 miles & now up to 7 miles 5 times a week. About 3 months after my 2 surgeries, I was back to the gym. Started out slow. It was so great to be back. Hearing the machines rumble, the weight lifters grunt, the energizing music adding to the spirit of working out, this is where I belong. The human body was meant to move.
You need to find your passion to shift your focus. When I was in the hospital in a room with an Alzheimer's patient & a stroke victim I could not interact with them, no fault of their own. It gave me a great sense of gratitude that I am the only one that can get up, walk outside, get to the bathroom on my own, go full force with PT. I would put on the headphones to Alternative Rock and rocked out in my bed. I made sure I was connected to the outside world as music is my passion.
This wake up call changed me forever. Working 65 - 75 hour work weeks with chronic sleep deprivation for decades is no longer in my future. As brutal as this disease and recovery were, I am healthier now & I never ever take life for granted. I kept the everlasting fierce strong will 24/7 mind set that cancer does not know who it messed with. Every day is a gift to savor and treasure.
Jared McMillan
JARED McMILLAN
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
STAGE 4 COLORECTAL CANCER
My name is Jared McMillan and I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer initially in May of 2016. There are a lot of treatment protocols, scans, surgeries, and anxiety/fear that came with this. At this time I have had a total of 59 rounds of chemo, 20 rounds of radiation (10 spine and 10 brain), two abdominal surgeries, more biopsies and scans than I can count, and two brain surgeries.
A lot of people look at a cancer patient and in my case have said, “I could never do that…” At this I always say “you have no idea what you can do when pushed..you have no idea how strong you are until your resolve and resiliency is tested.” Cancer is an evil, evil thing… but it teaches you. Before cancer a bad day could be my coffee was cold…that movie was terrible….Now…little things don’t bother you…You focus on what’s real..what’s important.
When I started going through all of this I never thought I would be able to work out again. When my cancer recurred in 2018 I was in such pain I lost 50 pounds. 190 to 140 in a couple of months. I was so weak I could barely lift my infant. The pain caused by the cancer robbed me of strength and fight. After I was admitted to the hospital and it was found that I had 12 tumors up and down my spine, tumors in my lungs, hips, femurs, abdominal wall, and most surprising brain.
My world was turned upside down.. again. At time of discharge from the hospital I was given 4 months to live. To that I told my doctor, “only one person can tell me when I am leaving this earth. I pointed to the sky, my faith has been paramount in my battle. “And no disrespect to you, it’s not you.” I have a baby that’s just barely one. I have a wife of 14 years at the time. Time to FIGHT…I have to be here!!!
After brain surgery, spine radiation, and a restart of chemo I started experimenting with strength training again. I was so weak I could barely lift a five pound dumbbell. But that five pounds turned into 10, 20, 30, 50. The amazing thing that started happening at this critical point in my fight was my mental, physical, and spiritual strengths started growing.
I was also back to work full time at my Air Force job and I would go every morning at 0500 to the gym then get to work. I’ve always been a positive person through this fight, but with the addition of fitness training I felt a normalcy that battled the very not normal feeling of having cancer. I put back on the 50 pounds.” and was stronger than ever. I pushed people to get moving, I tried to help people see cancer can halt your progress, but it CANNOT stop you.
There will always be moments in this war that you are knocked down. The key is, GET UP. It’s easy to stop. It’s easy to say poor me, I have cancer I cannot do this. It’s hard to dust yourself off, look at yourself in the mirror and say “are you going to quit or wipe that blood off and push?”
Motivation is the word. You must find it, sink your teeth into it and never let go. My wife and my baby push me. I will set the example for my daughter. I will show her no matter the circumstance, you can push yourself, you can be better, quitting is not an option. I now work out 4-5 times a week. I still go to the gym while on chemo and will work harder than most.
I have been told “I can’t believe you have cancer, you look healthy.” To that I say,” It is all in you handle it.” I know cancer can take a lot from you. It can physically change you. While I can still move, while I can still lift weights, I will. My body responds well to the weight training and despite it all I have put on muscle. I need my strength to fight and to push others. I also say this.. “if I am in pain, I’m breathing. If I’m breathing, I’m fighting, and I will fight until I no longer can.”
Fitness has been KEY in my fight with cancer. Overcoming the pain, the weight loss, the overall feeling of “what is happening to me” was one of the hardest things I’ve faced. Looking into the eyes of my daughter and wife though….It drives me to continue. I will continue to try to motivate others to do the same. Never stop, keep pushing. NEVER EVER QUIT.
Joe Bullock
On May 19th, 2018, I heard those words from my GI doctor after a scheduled colonoscopy, "Mr. Bullock you have colon cancer." It was a complete and utter shock. It was as if my mind stopped working and I just wanted to vomit. I could not wrap my brain around what he was saying.
Luckily my wife, Michelle, who is a Registered Nurse, was able to mentally handle what was going to happen to us next in our life. For me it all became a bit blurry but she could handle the clinical part. It was the emotional part that she set aside to help me fight my cancer. You see, whether you are patient or a caregiver, it takes a certain amount of mental and physical strength to survive cancer. It can break the best of marriages or partnerships.
A couple of months after my colon cancer surgery at about the time I started chemotherapy . I started to feel very sad about my situation. The worry and anxiety had started to settle into my mind. One day a therapist came to visit my wife and I during one of my chemotherapy treatments. She asked us how we were handling my diagnosis. I was about to say we were fine but my wife had more to say. She really needed me to talk it out with someone. The pressure of being my only sounding board was getting to be too much for her. Michelle was incredibly brave to tell me what she needed at the time. It proved the strength and health of our marriage and challenged me to be a better man even in the midst of my fight with cancer.
I began to take charge of my cancer both mentally and physically. I started to become more active by going on daily walks and making healthier choices with food. I would regularly meditate , pray daily , and write in a gratitude journal. I would have several visits with my therapist during my months of treatment for my cancer. I started to participate in a local support group at my cancer that I continue to support today. All of these things are wonderful but may not be for everyone. I think you have to choose your own path that you feel the most comfortable with in the fight.