Dear Friends,
Greetings. I have been engaged in a battery of blood tests, ECGs, EKGs, CT Scans, eye exams, skin exams and a host of other medical procedures that will continue on Monday January 25th and 26th to assess the impact of the new drug I am taking on my body. With the exception of a couple of tumors, the results have been generally positive, with no development in my vital organs. Most of my body has been found to be, in the only words of the report I understand, 'unremarkable.' I never really lived with the delusion that my body was great, but it carried me through some amazing adventures, into a marriage and a family complete with grandchildren, world championships in baseball, great coaching experiences, and some life long friendships. 'Unremarkable' was never by goal, nor that of my friends. But again, cancer has a couple of lessons up its sleeve, and now, I covet being 'Unremarkable' as often as possible. It is my health report goal from this point forward. I hope to sweet Jesus one day that 'Unremarkable' will turn into 'cancer free', but for now, I am hoping to be 'Unremarkable Me.!'
Another of cancer's good benefits, and God knows there are thousands of bad benefits, is that of saying to people some things that perhaps you wanted to say a long time ago but were for whatever reason afraid or unwilling to say. Being old school, it has always been easy for me to tell my women friends or relatives that I loved them but it has been more difficult to say that to my male friends. I don't know why. It just was, but not any more. Recently my friend of 30 years and first boss, Bruce Leamon, and I were talking on the phone exchanging stories and laughs. Bruce is an Executive Coach that travels all over the world and he and his wife Janet live in Washington. Bruce is the "King of Pun", rivaled only by Kevin Klink, the world's funniest chemical engineer. (It is a small pool.) As we talked we became a little emotional. I told him how much I had appreciated his friendship and guidance over the years. He told me that he was supposed to die before me, and then he said something I will remember all the days of my life. He said:
"You'll never know how many people are carrying your voice around with them."
We both got quite and a little choked up. I think I tried to diffuse the situation a little bit by saying something like, "I bet there are a lot of folks that would like to get my voice out of their heads.", but the sentiment was real and overwhelming. Soon we said goodbye and then pledged to get together soon! Bruce's sincere statement made me realize that in the midst of this disease that one of the things I hope is that I am remembered, that my life matters, and than I did more good than harm on my journey.
If there is someone in your life that has made an big impact or mentored you, or helped you along, please don't wait for cancer, or a calamity to tell them. What Bruce gave me yesterday pulled me out of a small funk of feeling sorry for myself for a minute because there didn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel, or even an end to the tunnel other than one I didn't want to consider. Fourteen words and Bruce illuminated my path, countered the darkness, and made me feel valued and love.
Tell someone today, or this weekend. And thanks to my buddy Bruce for taking time and having the courage to share his feelings with me. I love you Bruce, and I love all of you! Have a great weekend!
Blessings,
Will
Friday, January 22, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
"Behold, I Bring You Good News."
Dear Friends,
During my 8 hour battery of tests Tuesday January 4th, they did two more biopsies on me. I must admit I was thinking to myself, "When you have Stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma, how much more cancer do you need?" Two days later the Doctor called and said, "The tests were negative. I am so happy to tell you this!" Behold, she brought me good news. I wanted you to know!
I return to OHSU Monday January 11th for the next battery of tests in order to receive the third drug for my cancer cocktail as part of the Clinical Trial in which I participate. I am excited, apprehensive, a little frightened, and hopeful all at the same time. Prayers and good thoughts are solicited, and appreciated. It has occurred to me that it not only takes a village to raise a child, but to fight a disease as well.
Finally, my dear friend Curtis Zimmerman and Dr. Dawn Graff-Haight, a gifted and caring Professor at Linfield College, have told me to make it easier for people to help me and the Keim Family. So, if you are able to help, you may contribute to our well-being at:
https://www.gofundme.com/j8f8m7hv
Thank you and God bless you!
Will
"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." Pericles
During my 8 hour battery of tests Tuesday January 4th, they did two more biopsies on me. I must admit I was thinking to myself, "When you have Stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma, how much more cancer do you need?" Two days later the Doctor called and said, "The tests were negative. I am so happy to tell you this!" Behold, she brought me good news. I wanted you to know!
I return to OHSU Monday January 11th for the next battery of tests in order to receive the third drug for my cancer cocktail as part of the Clinical Trial in which I participate. I am excited, apprehensive, a little frightened, and hopeful all at the same time. Prayers and good thoughts are solicited, and appreciated. It has occurred to me that it not only takes a village to raise a child, but to fight a disease as well.
Finally, my dear friend Curtis Zimmerman and Dr. Dawn Graff-Haight, a gifted and caring Professor at Linfield College, have told me to make it easier for people to help me and the Keim Family. So, if you are able to help, you may contribute to our well-being at:
https://www.gofundme.com/j8f8m7hv
Thank you and God bless you!
Will
"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." Pericles
Monday, January 4, 2016
"Need Is Not Weakness. Need Is Need." Dr. Bennett Omalu
Dear Friends,
Pictured immediately below are two miracles. One, a man in recovery from cancer surgery performed by surgical oncologist Dr. John Vetto, assisted by Dr. Mayo. They removed a football sized growth from my abdomen which had been resistant to the chemo treatment I was receiving. They operated on December 18th, and I was home by December 23rd for Christmas. To me, this was a miracle! I was inspired by the words of Louis Zamperini in his book, "Don't Give Up, Don't Give In." You may remember his story from the movie 'Unbroken.' In his chapter entitled, 'Don't Ask Why, Ask What's Next', he advises, "Instead of getting all caught up in asking why, I ask, what's next? That's all you have to know." He continues, "Whenever I've had to go to the hospital, and the doctors tell me how long I'll have to stay, I always try to get better sooner. So far it's worked. Why? I help heal my body by--again--accepting the situation. I let the doctors do what they can, but in the meantime I also use the healing powers of cheerfulness. When I leave early, the doctors always credit my attitude. If you can't control your attitude, forget it. You're going to heal slowly or die young."
The second miracle in the picture is Gus the dog. He is my Granddog and technically belongs to my daughter Sami and her husband Steve. I never cared for small dogs before. But this little guy has won me over. He is a Welsh Terrier and whenever I am on the couch he lays with me and cheers me up. Some say it is because I feed him snacks. Oh, ye of little faith. He constantly makes me smile and be cheerful, and if Louis Zamperini is right, that happiness and positive attitude can help me get better. Thanks be to God, and Gus!
Tomorrow, on January 5th, Donna and I will venture to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Center for a new battery of tests in preparation for the next phase of the Clinical Trial. We are likely going to add one of the five experimental drugs to my current chemo cocktail. We have an 8 a.m. eye exam at the Casey Eye Institute, a 10:20 a.m. Dermatological Exam, an 11:50 a.m. staple removal and post surgery exam with Dr. Vetto, a 1:30 p.m. Cardiac Non-Invasive Test, a 3:30 p.m. CT Scan of the abdomen, and a 3:45 p.m. CT Scan of my head and shoulders. I have tried really hard to treat everyone at OHSU with respect and good cheer, and Lynn at the 7th floor reception area, John at the immuno therapy area, and the bearded checkout guys have told me it is always good to see me. I cannot control my cancer, though we are all trying. But I can control my attitude. Thanks to Lindsay Chandler for setting this schedule up and to the amazing Donna Keim for taking another day away from work to make sure I get there and get treated.
Feeling much better this weekend, Donna and I along with Sami and Steve decided to take in a movie. We chose Concussion, starring Will Smith as Dr. Bennett Omalu. Dr Omalu overcame a great deal of resistance to make known the fact that while it is a beautiful game, football is also a very dangerous game. The movie is powerful and really made me consider my love of the game. I concluded when JJ played football in high school that it was easier to watch other men's sons play the game rather than my own. I watched the games over the New Year with a different mindset.
In the movie, Dr. Omalu says to a fellow immigrant to America, "Need is not weakness, need is need." While cancer has provided me with an opportunity to embrace humility, renew my faith, and tell people that I should have told 20 years ago that I love them, I remain a proud man and would much rather be the one visiting the hospital than being the one visited. I would rather give than receive. As I prepared to come home, my daughter Hannah informed me that she and Christa, Sami, and JJ had set up a GoFundMe account for me to help with our cancer and living expenses. I was at once deeply touched, embarrassed, humbled, and yet proud that my children cared and had acted to make my fight with cancer less stressful. I know there are many needs in the world greater than my own. I also know that my travel is presently on hold and my expenses continue. I hope, pray, and plan to return to speaking, but the reality is that time will tell.
So with great humility and mild trepidation I am sharing the GoFundMe account information the Keim children set up below. Hannah said, "Dad, if every student you have spoken to gave a dollar, you could stay home and get well." I do not plan to beat this until it is a dead horse, but I will ask once for you to consider helping us and sharing the GoFundMe with any of your friends or colleagues that I may have helped or inspired along the way. I hope Dr. Omalu was right, as your help would be a lot easier to receive if it was simply need, not weakness. In either case, I appreciate your consideration, and in the event God grants me more time, I promise to pass it on! Blessings and best wishes for a healthy 2016!
Will
If you would like to support our family through my GoFundMe, which was set up by my children, click HERE.
Thank you for your support.
Pictured immediately below are two miracles. One, a man in recovery from cancer surgery performed by surgical oncologist Dr. John Vetto, assisted by Dr. Mayo. They removed a football sized growth from my abdomen which had been resistant to the chemo treatment I was receiving. They operated on December 18th, and I was home by December 23rd for Christmas. To me, this was a miracle! I was inspired by the words of Louis Zamperini in his book, "Don't Give Up, Don't Give In." You may remember his story from the movie 'Unbroken.' In his chapter entitled, 'Don't Ask Why, Ask What's Next', he advises, "Instead of getting all caught up in asking why, I ask, what's next? That's all you have to know." He continues, "Whenever I've had to go to the hospital, and the doctors tell me how long I'll have to stay, I always try to get better sooner. So far it's worked. Why? I help heal my body by--again--accepting the situation. I let the doctors do what they can, but in the meantime I also use the healing powers of cheerfulness. When I leave early, the doctors always credit my attitude. If you can't control your attitude, forget it. You're going to heal slowly or die young."
The second miracle in the picture is Gus the dog. He is my Granddog and technically belongs to my daughter Sami and her husband Steve. I never cared for small dogs before. But this little guy has won me over. He is a Welsh Terrier and whenever I am on the couch he lays with me and cheers me up. Some say it is because I feed him snacks. Oh, ye of little faith. He constantly makes me smile and be cheerful, and if Louis Zamperini is right, that happiness and positive attitude can help me get better. Thanks be to God, and Gus!
Tomorrow, on January 5th, Donna and I will venture to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Center for a new battery of tests in preparation for the next phase of the Clinical Trial. We are likely going to add one of the five experimental drugs to my current chemo cocktail. We have an 8 a.m. eye exam at the Casey Eye Institute, a 10:20 a.m. Dermatological Exam, an 11:50 a.m. staple removal and post surgery exam with Dr. Vetto, a 1:30 p.m. Cardiac Non-Invasive Test, a 3:30 p.m. CT Scan of the abdomen, and a 3:45 p.m. CT Scan of my head and shoulders. I have tried really hard to treat everyone at OHSU with respect and good cheer, and Lynn at the 7th floor reception area, John at the immuno therapy area, and the bearded checkout guys have told me it is always good to see me. I cannot control my cancer, though we are all trying. But I can control my attitude. Thanks to Lindsay Chandler for setting this schedule up and to the amazing Donna Keim for taking another day away from work to make sure I get there and get treated.
Feeling much better this weekend, Donna and I along with Sami and Steve decided to take in a movie. We chose Concussion, starring Will Smith as Dr. Bennett Omalu. Dr Omalu overcame a great deal of resistance to make known the fact that while it is a beautiful game, football is also a very dangerous game. The movie is powerful and really made me consider my love of the game. I concluded when JJ played football in high school that it was easier to watch other men's sons play the game rather than my own. I watched the games over the New Year with a different mindset.
In the movie, Dr. Omalu says to a fellow immigrant to America, "Need is not weakness, need is need." While cancer has provided me with an opportunity to embrace humility, renew my faith, and tell people that I should have told 20 years ago that I love them, I remain a proud man and would much rather be the one visiting the hospital than being the one visited. I would rather give than receive. As I prepared to come home, my daughter Hannah informed me that she and Christa, Sami, and JJ had set up a GoFundMe account for me to help with our cancer and living expenses. I was at once deeply touched, embarrassed, humbled, and yet proud that my children cared and had acted to make my fight with cancer less stressful. I know there are many needs in the world greater than my own. I also know that my travel is presently on hold and my expenses continue. I hope, pray, and plan to return to speaking, but the reality is that time will tell.
So with great humility and mild trepidation I am sharing the GoFundMe account information the Keim children set up below. Hannah said, "Dad, if every student you have spoken to gave a dollar, you could stay home and get well." I do not plan to beat this until it is a dead horse, but I will ask once for you to consider helping us and sharing the GoFundMe with any of your friends or colleagues that I may have helped or inspired along the way. I hope Dr. Omalu was right, as your help would be a lot easier to receive if it was simply need, not weakness. In either case, I appreciate your consideration, and in the event God grants me more time, I promise to pass it on! Blessings and best wishes for a healthy 2016!
Will
If you would like to support our family through my GoFundMe, which was set up by my children, click HERE.
Thank you for your support.
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