12 Rounds with the Devil

Monday, September 16th.

I finished my 12th round of chemo last friday.  12 rounds?!  Never did I think this is where I would be. 12 rounds and not sure what the future holds.  Knocked down 12 times...and back up again each time.  roughly 12 weeks of feeling like crap, weakness, and fatigue.  Thats 3 months of the last 2 years just spent recovering from chemo.  Not to mention the surgeries, radiation, and a nasty infection.  

I am a few days out from the last chemo - the 12th round - and I am feeling OK.  I should be have some energy and normalcy in the next day or so (I'm getting pretty good at this routine and determining when I'll recover).  So now starts my recovery.  I've done this before - 11 times.  11 times with chemo, a few times after surgery, and once after that nasty infection.  I have become accustomed to slowly hitting the gym, getting outside, paddle boarding a little, maybe mountain bike in another week or so.  The strength comes back quickly, it's the stamina that's the most challenging.  Stamina just takes more time to get back than I have between treatments.  The 3 weeks off isn't enough.  This limits my options for getting after it a little, but I do my best!

"It's not how many times you get knocked down that count, it's how many times you get back up"

I never knew that quote was attributed to George Custer, of the infamous battle of Little Bighorn - Custer's last stand.  He graduated last in his class at West Point and got himself and all 210 of his men killed in one of the biggest fiascos of the american military.  Strong quote though.

Anyway, as I get back up from this latest round of chemo I am planning my first "Between the Chemos" adventure (my goal is to get on some kind of outdoor adventure between each chemo treatment).  There are a ton of things I want to do: learn to kiteboard, climb half dome/shasta/whitney, bike moab, ski south america, ski tour europe, ski everywhere really....  The first outing on the agenda is to paddle board around Lake Tahoe in a couple weeks.  I have a week or so to get back in shape and a 4 day weather window to rip through 72 miles of lake.  Look for a complete trip report in a couple weeks.

In the meantime if you have an idea for an adventure I'm all ears and ready to Send It!

Who Am I?

My name is Jamie Schou.  I am a cancer patient.  I'm a cancer patient who loves to ski, mountain bike, hike, paddle board, and generally get outside for a good time.  I won't let cancer take that from me!

In March of 2012 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in my back called a Synovial Sarcoma (referred to as "stage IV back cancer" in the movie 50/50).  The cancer was treated with 7 rounds of chemo, 25 doses of radiation, and over 20 hours of surgery.  In October 2012 I was deemed clear of disease.

In April of 2013 the disease reappeared, this time it was found to have spread (metastasized) to my lungs.  I have since undergone another surgery and 4 more rounds of chemo (2 separate regimens) that have not worked.  The lesions in my lungs have continued to grow and this week (September 9th, 2013) I will start my third chemo regimen (Each regimen is a different drug or drug combination. I went through two different regimens in 2012 as well).  The hope is that this chemo will control the growth and if so I will continue on this drug indefinitely - a good scenario would be that I am receiving this chemo for years to come...or until a better option comes along.

This new regimen is a 24 hour dose of a chemo called Yondelis, with 3 weeks off and repeat, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat.....  Looking at a long term life of chemo is extremely overwhelming to say the least.  My life for some time has been in a constant state of limbo but there has always been a definitive goal or end point to each treatment.  Now I am going into a long term, "hold on" scenario.  As I look at my life, my calendar filled with being sick and tired for roughly a week of every three, my only choice is to adjust to this new world.  I enjoy living through activity and movement and I plan to continue that lifestyle with every opportunity that I have.  Here you will find my stories of adventure, trials and tribulations Between The Chemos.  All of our time is finite and mine has been whittled down a little more than the rest, but I plan to make the best of what I have!

If you have an adventure you'd like to share with me please let me know!  I am up for just about anything.  It is amazing how much more often you say "YES" when your time becomes more limited.  My advice for the day - say "YES" more!  and.....

SEND IT!

I go into chemo treatment later this week - round 12!  I hope to have a great story of adventure, and my first real posting coming soon.

'Till then,

"It is tough to beat an opponent that never gives up"