Luck

Lately I've been hearing a lot about Ashley's cancer. Usually it's something like...

You're lucky it's only thyroid cancer.

You're lucky that it's 100% treatable.

You're lucky that it's usually contained to only the thyroid.

You're lucky that it should just be an inconvenience.

...

If I went by how everyone else feels, I'd certainly go play the lotto, win few million, and go retire some place hot. Unfortunately I live in the real world where I understand that no one that gets cancer is "lucky". There is no amount of "luck" involved in finding out you have a disease that can kill you. If we were lucky, we wouldn't have gotten cancer to begin with.

The meaning of what people are trying to say doesn't escape me. I know people are trying to give Ashley hope that it's treatable, beatable, and just an inconvenience. That's really nice of people to attempt but I wish it were delivered in another way without the word "lucky".

I've made similar mistakes myself when trying to compliment Ashley. About a week before we found out Ashley really did have cancer I said something like, "You're looking really slim and hot." The fact that I was trying to compliment her wasn't lost on her but it did cause us both to think of the reality that it was probably because she had cancer. I guess weight loss because you have a deadly disease makes complimenting it taboo. I guess "luck" is similar because I'm pretty sure that Ashley wishes to never have this type of luck again.

On the other hand, there is some luck that I'd like to have. For example, if we're lucky...

Our kids will graduate college

I'll stay at the same job for another 22 years

We'll eventually move to a house we plan on living in till we die

We wont get sick anymore

We'll die from our parts wearing out

I'll never get hit on my bicycle

I'll manage to get Ashley to ride a bicycle

As for the "luck" that everyone thinks we have. If you want to comment on it try to be more personal with your delivery. Maybe you can say something like, "I'm glad that it should be treatable" or "I hope it's contained to only your thyroid like it is in 50% of cases."

Then, you can think of us, go play the lotto, and if you do have "luck"... give me half of your winnings. It's only fair. :-)

Kevin

A New Beginning!? (Ashley Has Cancer)

Yesterday, Ashley was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. You're probably thinking much the same as I am... something like, "WHAT THE FSCK?!?"

I really don't know what to say about it. It's scary, really scary. I think Ashley will beat this thyroid cancer quite handily but pondering the possibility of losing her scares the shit out of me. It's not just because it took me so many years to bamboozle a woman into putting up with me this long--although you have to admit that lightning doesn't strike twice. It's because I'm genuinely in love with Ashley. Every day with her is a gift. I strive to be the kind of person I think she deserves and although I fall short a lot of the time at least I'm improving. :)

We'll hopefully know sometime this next week what stage the cancer is in, if it metastasized, etc. I'll update this as I find out more information.

Until then, please consider using one of the donate buttons on the right side of the page to make a donation towards the fight against cancer.

Kevin

Exercise Log

05/03/2011 - Did a 10 mile loop from GWU's Ashburn campus
05/05/2011 - Rode 8.34 miles from home to Kendall's school and back
05/07/2011 - No ride today because I had a football game. We lost but it was an awesome game. My thinking is that more than an hour of football makes up for not cycling.
05/9/2011 - Rode a 10 mile loop from home. Awesome ride. Got a chance to try out my new lightup vest--which was awesome. Didn't get buzzed once this time!
5/12/2011 - Football today! Not many people tonight so I had to play both ways. Talk about a good workout! :)
5/18/2011 - All this rain made it hard to get out and ride! Fortunately, today I managed to get out for an 11 mile ride at lunch and a 5 mile ride this evening as part of the Ride of Silence.
5/21/2011 - A short hike today and a flag football game! Played both ways again so it was super hard but I made it through.
5/22/2011 - First day of group rides for the upcoming Seagull Century! Awesome 15 mile out-and-back ride today with Bob Brown and another guy--I'm terrible with names.
5
5/24/2011 - Did an 11 mile night loop. Awesome ride!
5/27/2011 - 20.1 miles of awesome riding starting at Utica park. It was harder than I meant the ride to be because I got lost and had to modify the ride in the middle of the ride.
5/29/2011 - Today was the second group ride with Team in Training for the Seagull Century. We did a 24 mile ride and I pulled Kendall in the trailer the whole way. It was hard but well worth it. Afterwards, we did the park quest for Cunningham Falls State Park which meant about another 2 miles of hiking. Overall it was a great day with 2400 calories burnt!
5/31/2011 - I commuted to work from Leesburg, VA to the GWU Ashburn campus and then back to Leesburg, VA later. It's 12 miles each way. The last 12 miles I was running short on time so I really upped my pace and learned a hard lesson about NOT keeping hands too tight on the hoods. I compressed some nerves in my hands which left my hands weak and partially numb for 2 days.
06/05/2011 - 9 mile ride around Frederick. Should have been longer but I turned early by accident.
06/07/2011 - 30 mile extended Ride Around Walkersville. This ride was awesome! Lots of hills, lots of descents, and lots of shade at certain parts.