"Start Kits"

Friends and Family still want to know how they can help support me.  I am asking that everyone do just 1 Random Act of Kindness this April.  Pay it Forward somehow and put a little positivity into our world.  So from this GoodMan go forward and DO GOOD.  

For those of us who work in Healthcare a "Start Kit" has a different meaning.  For my oncology nurses a "Start Kit" is all about the patient.  

When I started Chemo I got a Small Cooler with a hand written note of encouragement and some goodies that came to be important throughout my treatment.  Before you start Chemo you do everything you can to find out what to expect and it really is different for everyone. These Kits have things for both the patient and the care giver.  Honestly I watched Netflix and slept the majority of the time.  But it was nice to have the lotion, hand sanitizer, Chapstick, etc.  

I made some of these kits back around Christmas and took up there, they are all gone now.  So I want to make more.  

Each kit comes in a nice box and I put the following in:

• -Lotion
• -Hand Sanitizer
• -Coloring Book
• -Notepad
• -Snacks that they DON'T have at the Cancer Center
• -Playing Cards
• -Hard Candy
• -Chapstick
• -Color Pencils
• -Pencil Sharpener
• -Note of Encouragement
• -Letter about how awesome the nurses are there

Each kit cost me roughly $20.  I know that I appreciated it when I was going through treatment and I want to return the favor. If you want to help I created a wish list at Amazon you can shop from.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1DR06YRJ6K0Z7?ref_=wl_share

But honestly I find that the bulk of this is at the Dollar Store and that is where I got most of the items last time.  If you and your family want to make hand written cards with words of encouragement that would be awesome.  

I have always loved serving others and giving back to my community.  All I ask this year is that you take the time to talk to your loved ones about the importance of knowing your body and speaking up when you think something is wrong.  And for everyone to do 1 random act of kindness in April, the dividends of that will last way past this month.  

Consciousness | Awareness Around April

Well Hello World !

It has been about 6 months since you have heard from me here.  I have hit the ground running to say the least.  Work is busy, very busy for me.  I have been working 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week.  I am pushing myself mentally and physically harder than I have in a long time.  Maybe it is so I can forget about the last 6 months of life for a moment.  

Once if the most interesting things I have done recently is to work in the community at the Mass Vaccination Clinic.  I hope that this is a once in a lifetime experience.  I worry the reality is this is just the first.  I have always enjoyed volunteering and working in the community around large events that make a difference.  I received my first vaccine on December 28th 2020 just after my first Quarterly Oncology Visit.  I have never looked back.  Getting Vaccinated is a personal decision, all I can do it encourage you to get it.  It is science and it works.  I had minimal side effects with the first Dose.  I did Moderna and had a sore arm.  The second dose was not too bad.  I got a fever for about 12 hours and it was gone as quick as it came.  I wanted to sleep the next day, but I was okay with that.  

 

I have also been doing tax returns on top of all of this. So that has been a regular stressful blast.  It is truly and love hate relationship.  

April is an important month for Testicular Cancer (TC).  It is Awareness Month.  So I want to do my part.  I am making boxes with T-Shirts, a little update and a bracelet and sending to those who supported me along the way.  

I asked everyone to post a add the hashtag #foulball to their post so be sure to look for them.  As I find them I will post them here. 

Here is a progress photo for your pleasure.  Yes I found 20 pounds laying around.  And yes my hair is long.  It is so so so soft.  Baby Soft and it is more gray and I do not want to cut it.  I am glad it is back and I know once I cut it that baby soft texture is GONE.  So I am holding out.  I did get the edges trimmed for a video at work so it has a regular texture now and is curly.  So I guess I will have to embrace the curls.  But I will NOT embrace this weight and will get on that ASAP.  

 

Visit the Testicular Awareness Foundations website for more ways on how to spread awareness.  

https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/