23 Years and Enough Blogging

Greetings! I’ve been very fortunate in my life not to have endured much in the way of inner psychological tension. The numerous posts on this blog are artifacts of how important exercise, fitness, and wellness are to me and have been for over two decades. I’m keenly aware at times I can be preachy about finding a way to exercise. Of late, writing about The Streak has created a mental obstacle. 

Last year, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I was unapologetic that The Streak was one of my top concerns. Over the years, I have argued it is easy to exercise every day if you really want it to happen. Unfortunately, cancer is pervasive, if you haven’t experienced it, and I truly hope you never do, you probably know someone who has. Anyone who has undergone radiation, chemotherapy or both will quickly tell you there was a lot she/he wanted to do that just couldn’t happen. Exercise may well rank at the bottom in terms of priority. 

My fatigue was such that I struggle to describe it. Somehow I found a way to exercise for at least 20 minutes a day (10 minutes lower than my long-time standard). I read 18 minutes was a healthy minimum and even mentioned that on this site in the past. In the moment, and once I finally began to feel like a human again, I did NOT celebrate maintaining The Streak. In many ways, it felt unreal. I knew daily exercise is what I had to have for my personal understanding of hope. Yet, it still creates an inner psychological tension. I’m not sure how exercise happened each day. I tapped something I had no idea existed in me. I don’t recognize this as a triumph of the human spirit, though I certainly don’t deny it. Still, I don’t want to talk much about it. 

To be clear, I was utterly and completely broken during the treatment process. When it was over, as I look back, I have no concept of how I went to work, or even stayed awake, much less exercised every day. Fortunately, I have returned to full strength. In fact, in a few areas, I am in better condition than before the process. Oddly, the experience has changed how I feel when talking about exercise. My doctors made it clear that my fitness level contributed toward saving my life, especially when I went over a week without eating or drinking (I had three IV infusions and 1 in the emergency room). 

I have posted once on this site since announcing my diagnosis in July of 2019. That was in December of 2019 to share I am in remission. Make no mistake, I’m still a proponent of regular exercise, but I’m not going to write about it on this site anymore. I have enjoyed sharing stories, travels, life events, fitness information and more. I’ve appreciated all the feedback I received over the last 11 years. Based on my experience last summer, I feel certain The Streak will live on for many years to come. I am profoundly grateful for that. 

Thank you for sharing little parts of my exercise journey and thank you for your support!

Tom

Unity

Greetings! I am thrilled to tell you my PET scan revealed I’m in remission, y’all! Thank you for your support!

As many of you know, Shannan and I are fans of Sister Hazel. The band’s concerts are always audience centered and family friendly. At the Hazel Hang we attended in June, a woman was on the front row with two elementary aged kids. Ken Block, the lead singer, pulled one of the little guys up on stage. Shell shock set in on the boy. He stood next to Ken frozen as if blinded by the stage lights. Ken was patient and kind with the youngster. After a couple of minutes, the boy happily returned to his mom and brother.

Jett Beres, the bassist, was stationed on the same side as the family. He, too, brought the boy on stage. Still, the child was hesitant to be the center of attention. At one point, the young fellow raised one arm in the air. His hand balled in a fist as if to say power. That brought a cheer from the audience. The boy stood there, fist held high. I looked around the room and noticed adults raising their hand with him in unity. I couldn’t help but to pump my fist up high. Not everyone joined in, but a great many did. Women, men, young and old, some singing, dancing, drinking, and others solemnly holding up an arm in solidarity with an unknown kid. The moment didn’t last long, but for me, it marked the very sense of belonging that brings people to concerts.

Last July, in person and on social media, I raised my arm, not in power, but in a request for support. You, oh so many of you, quickly and repeatedly pumped your fist with mine. You said yes to me, and no to cancer. Throughout my treatment, particularly in the tough times, I would raise my fist in the air. I knew I was not alone. It was that sense of friendship, love and unity you gave to me that made all the difference. Please know that in the everyday and the hardships, I stand, arm raised with you.

Tom

Exercise in the Hard Times

Greetings! Recently I was diagnosed with cancer at the base of my tongue and in my neck. Fortunately, it’s contained to those areas, and my care team is very confident about treatment. I’ll start radiation and chemotherapy July 8. The process will run for 7 weeks.

My brother, Tim, was diagnosed with cancer this very time 20 years ago. His was in the exact same places as mine. He had been a long-time smoker. I have never smoked. Damn genetics! The good news is, Tim went into remission. I am clinging to that reality. 

This site is largely dedicated to my Streak of exercising every single day for over 22 years. Thanks to The Streak, my current physical health will serve me well in the treatment and recovery process. I understand radiation and chemotherapy will take a heavy toll on me in the coming weeks. I’ve been trying to decide what to do about The Streak in the weeks to come. Below is an excerpt from one of the cancer information books provided by my care team. As you can see, regular exercise is strongly encouraged. That’s all I need to know. It is my goal to continue to exercise every day for at least 30 minutes throughout this process.

Celebrate Health!  Exercise!

Tom

22 Years and Counting

Greetings! Over 21 years I’ve become pretty good at planning for odd situations that call for extra steps to preserve The Streak. For the most part, I’ve managed inclement weather, the occasional ache and pan, and international travel. A couple of years ago, we took a week-long cruise on a very small boat with no exercise room. It worked out fine because the cruise was in the Galapagos Islands. The weather was lovely all hours of the day and night, especially the early morning when I worked out on the top deck.

The last year proved to be a difficult one, for sure. I didn’t plan on some health issues like a hernia or nerve damage in my right foot. Carefully, I worked through those issues. In December we took a trip to South America, which included four days on the boat. It did not have an exercise room. I wasn’t worried as I had a similar experience in the Galapagos. The major difference came as this ship cruised channels in Patagonia and around Cape Horn. It was very cold, windy and often raining. Exercising on the top deck was cold, wet and miserable.

Other changes over the last twelve months made preserving The Streak not a simple as it has been for more than a decade. We moved. We seriously downsized. Our previous home had an exercise room with more space at my disposal than many yoga studios. Our new home does not have a dedicated space for exercising. As a result, I gave away most of my exercise equipment. We joined a gym to make up the difference. It’s not the same. However, I’m getting into a new routine. For the first time in 22 years, I had my anniversary work out in a gym. Embracing change felt like the appropriate thing to do.

Given the planned and unexpected events of the last 12 months, The Streak remains intact. I always say if you make this exercising your priority, you’ll find the time each day and you’ll find a way to get it completed.

Long live the streak.

Tom

No More Jell-O

Greetings! I hope all is well in your world. In March of this year, I mused about The Streak reaching 21 years while reflecting on turning 50.  In that post I wrote, “As you know, I love to quote John Mellencamp lyrics. The 21st anniversary of The Streaks seems like as a good occasion to continue the trend. In Mellencamp’s song, Don’t Need this Body, he writes:

This getting older

Ain't for cowards

This getting older

Is a lot to go through.”

Oh my, it’s like I put some sort of craziness into The Universe.  Since that time, I had a hernia and repair surgery. Both of which seriously threatened The Streak.

The health and wellness community strongly encourages people to have a colonoscopy after turning 50. Yesterday, I had the procedure. Let me join my voice to the masses. First, do it. Second, the day before is more annoying than the procedure. I didn’t have any polyps, so that made my experience as low key as possible. It was a breeze. I was out of the office in an hour. We went straight to lunch and had a normal evening.

Seriously, this getting older is not for cowards. Being healthy sure makes a different in the process. I told Shannan my new message for The Universe is, I’m done with hospital gowns and Jell-O. The Streak will help with that, I’m sure.

Make Good Choices. Run.

Tom

The previous blog mentioned above can be accessed at this link:

http://drtlp.blogspot.com/2018/03/21-years-and-counting.html

Road to Recovery

Greetings! Thank you for your support and words of encouragement. It’s been a month since surgery and all is well. I preserved The Streak most of the last five weeks using an elliptical. At first, I was using it without any incline. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been gradually increasing the intensity. Also, I included in a three mile run or cardio workout every two or three days. The doctor gave me the go ahead to begin the road to normal last week. I took a few extra days just to be sure. Yesterday, was my first day of light resistance training. It felt good.

There is a new resistance and high intensity interval training program coming next month, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RzwOvzRVY .  My plan is to be ready to dive back into regular exercise with its arrival.

Again, I deeply appreciate your support.

Recover. Run.

Tom

Humanities as Vocation

Swoop looking over a city square in Prague.

Greetings! Below is a link to the current episode of Public scholarship postcards. The topic is Humanities as a Vocation. I teach an introduction to the Humanities course. Some of you are probably thinking the question I am often asked, what do you mean by humanities? Learn how our college mascot, Swoop, is part of the answer and more by listening to the podcast.

Enjoy the human experience. Run.

Tom