Hey There Friend!

Well, it’s been awhile, and, as with you, life happens to me too. Fortunately, I’m the best coach I know and I’m always right here to talk myself through those times that really create our true character. And, let me tell you, I’ve amassed a lot more character in these recent times!

With that, I’d like to share the last few months of my life with you. Why? Because it’s important for me to completely open with you. Honesty, transparency, the real me, is what I’m about. I’ve heard the question “Jeez Christopher, how can you always be so positive?” quite a bit in my life. Sometimes, my answer is “Well, I’m not always positive quite frankly! Actually, sometimes I’m downright miserable!” That’s the absolute truth. I am human after all right?

So, I’d like to catch you up on the roller coaster of a journey I’ve taken with my mom over the last two years. She is the only living blood relative that I know of. Well, I do share plasma with another individual who, some might call my sister, but that story is for another time. Also, recently I found out my sperm donor, some might call my dad, actually died in 1993. Unfortunately, he was never a part of my life. Now, back to my story.  

Last year, in March of 2009, a new chapter in life with my mom began. For now, we’ll call it the “Hospital & Hell” chapter. Here’s a quick breakdown of the events since then:

(March-April) The Hand (her dog bit her severely in her predominant hand which got incredibly infected)

• Several trips to the emergency room
• Admitted a few times for surgeries
• Small quarter size wound appears on her lower right leg
• Brought her dog to stay at our house (miserable experience for everyone)
• Drove every single day to Hemet (200 miles total round trip including work) to take care of her cats while she was in the hospital (You’ll never believe how many!)

(May – Aug) Helped out a few times a month with grocery shopping etc. She was fairly independent again.

(Sept – Dec) The Rest of The Body

• Several trips to Hemet (1hr each way) each month to loan money and run errands for her
• One month in the hospital (vascular disease diagnosed)
  • Right carotid surgery – stent placed (90% blocked)
  • Right leg femoral bypass surgery (x2 – they screwed up the first one)
  • The leg – several wound excavation surgeries (the quarter size wound is growing)
• My truck caught on fire while towing my travel trailer to her RV park to live there while she was in the hospital so I could take care of her animals (truck went home and trailer went to park)
• Released from hospital 23Dec2009 - She FINALLY quit smoking!

(Jan – May 2010) Doctor Appointments

• Vascular/Rehab/Wound therapy appointments multiple times per week
• ER visits for the leg (wound is continuing to grow worse - horrendous looking)
• Started smoking again
• Taking multiple pain killers just to barely make it
• Rapid weight loss
• Overall deteriorating physical health

(June – YTD) Stroke, Amputation, Lung Biopsy, Cancer

• Loss of use in left hand (right hand not much better after initial surgery last year)
• 14 days in Hemet hospital (dozens of tests)
• Three weeks in UCI hospital for right leg amputation
• Moved to skilled nursing facility
• Several weeks/miles of driving to clean and pack her trailer and shed
• We adopted out her final four cats (wait until you hear the back story on this!)
• Her dog (the most important thing in her life) is STILL staying with our friends
• Doctors appointments for stitches removal, potential cancer treatments, and vascular discussions about surgery on LEFT carotid that’s 85% blocked (right one completely failed and collapsed)
• Two significant masses in her left lung (Stage IV) – radiation only possible treatment (5 days a week for 6 weeks she would have to go)
• 68^th birthday (probably her last)
• Rehabilitating her mobility with prosthetic and getting stronger – actually doing incredible on this part!
• Left leg – is now showing significant narrowing of the arteries – the same that happened with the right leg

I can’t even begin to put into words the emotional and physical beating I’ve endured these last two years. As you know, I truly believe, in my gut, that everything happens for a reason. Ya ever feel like life is a test? Truth be told: I’m not one to fail at tests – no matter what they are! Giving up isn’t in my vocabulary OR in my heart.

Love – most people believe I’ve endured these last two years because it’s my mother and I’d do anything for her. Well, they’re partly right. More on that story later…you WON’T want to miss it.  

My daily mantra: “Everyday is a new day and what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” – this, with the love and support of my awesome wife, great friends and family, and, of course you, have been the strength in my life when I was weak. When I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep for 10days in a row and never wake up. ALL of you – are MY FAMILY!

Meanwhile, during all of this, I’ve continued, for the most part, my daily life. A full-time job (9+hrs a day), a two hour commute (sometimes longer), working out, fulfilling my passion with Master Motivators (speaking, coaching, and consulting), and even getting in a little fun now and again.  

Again, I share these intimate details of my life with you because I truly want you to know I practice what I preach. I’m living proof, as I’m sure you are with your life, that it isn’t what happens to us that creates our destiny – it’s how we react to it that does.

So, where do we go from here? Well, next Tuesday, October 5^th at 4pm, we have an emergency appointment with a vascular surgeon. He will share with us her options. They could be (1) Angiogram w/possible stent and medication therapy (2) No surgery and only medication therapy (because she’s already got SO much vascular damage to her entire body (3) Femoral artery bypass surgery Or…nothing. It might just be too late and too far gone.

Meanwhile, back up in the lung area, the place we get our air from, those two masses are not receiving any combative treatments. So, they’re by all means, growing. Without any treatment, she can (1) Be extremely susceptive to pneumonia (2) Suffocate to death (3) The cancer will spread to other organs and…I’m sorry to be graphic, but the harm you do today will have lethal effects later.

Oh yeah, meanwhile all of this is taking place, the chances for a partial or full stroke are with us every minute of everyday…until something, if anything to fix the vascular disease, I doubt it – it’s too late.

Listen, from the moment we’re born, we immediately start dying. We’re all dying, but some, might actually be enjoying the journey! Living life and merely existing day in and day out is the difference. Which category are you in? Honestly?

This life isn’t a dress rehearsal. We only get one shot! Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to do my damdest to go out banging pots and pans showing the world that I LIVED my life. Are you?

Again, thank you from the deepest parts of my heart for your continued love and support. You are incredible and if there’s ever anything I can do for you, a family member, or even your friend, let me know!

Until next time, which will be more regular now (I hope), PLEASE live YOUR EXTRAORDINARY life!

All my best,

Christopher