Peru changed my life....

I went to Peru emotionally tortured, this guy came back

My trip to Peru changed my life.

If you run into me in person upon my return, I think you will see a difference in me, some have said it is in my eyes, some will say its in my energy.
For a guy who has METS to his brain recently, I’m pretty dammed upbeat.
There is a reason for that.

After a messy 2 weeks on the trial drug, the final decision by my medical team was made on Friday Nov 2 at noon.  I STARTED packing at 4pm.
I got on the plane that night, loaded up with enough anti-anxiety medications to chill out a horse. 

Whatever it was gonna take to get on that plane.
Regina had loaded a movie onto my IPad called “The Mask You Live In”she asked me to watch it.
I did, and I was sucked in hard, I took notes on my phone feverishly.
Essentially it goes after the whole notion of toxic masculinity and the mask that we wear as a result of it.
One of the key points that I walked away with was that it was ok to be vulnerable.

3.5 years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer I drove with Isabella down to Salem Oregon. We went to hear Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor) speak. 
He said “Being scared Paralyzes you, fear makes you sharp.”
I bought that that shit hook line and sinker.

Guess what!!!! Having cancer in your body and your brain is FUCKING Scary.
Really fucking scary.
Badass Mother Fuckers don’t get scared.
That is what I have been telling myself....
And this whole time I haven’t allowed myself to be scared.
Watch the movie
“The Mask You Live In”
It moved me.
It will move you.
If you want some of what I have got going these days, I strongly suggest that you check it out.

So I landed in Lima and I took off the Bad Ass Mother Fucker Mask.
I didn’t lead with the normal things that I lead with.
No hard edge, although the tattoos on my hands arrived first, I set people at ease.
Yup the tattoos were part of my mask, and they are permanent, but as I learned from some of my new friends, people can look past those things and see me.
So I led with Kindness.
I led with Openness.
I led with Vulnerability.
I led with Humor.
I led with Humility.
Guess what? People liked that guy.

Terri Wingham and the staff of A Fresh Chapter have put together a brilliant program for cancer survivors and patients to help emotionally rebuild themselves. Doses of humility are strong and frequent between our volunteer assignments and the life experiences of our fellow tribe members. 

During the first week we went to our volunteer assignments in the morning.

My assignment at a preschool in a barrio blew me away and I was humbled.
In the afternoons and evenings the facilitators led us on exercises that were designed to help us unpack the emotional baggage that we carried. Some predating our cancer experiences. Every single one of us has demons lurking in the closest that we were to face head on.
It was emotional.
It was rough.
We called it “The Crying Game.”
One of these exercises involved us collecting some of the baggage that we carried that either no longer served us or was actually harmful.
Those pieces of baggage were written down on a piece of paper and one by one we each walked to the fire and threw that baggage into the fire.

Here is what Jim Brown burned.
Guilt
Resistance to Spirituality
Numbing with substance abuse.
Shutting down emotionally.
The idea that I am a Fraud.

Damn, dat shit felt good.

Over the first weekend we went on an amazing trip into the Andes mountains.
Friendships that had been developing over the week deepened with flights, bus rides, meals together, quiet talks in the courtyard, and shared amazing experiences.
We saw big mountains, green valleys, and we met amazing people living a humble life. 

And then we went to Machu Picchu and once again I was humbled.
I stood in awe, I couldn’t believe I was there, the dream had been realized.
The air was sweet and I sucked in as much as I possibly could.
I wanted that pure sweet air to reach every cell in my body, I wanted it to heal me.
I believe in my heart that it was healing me.
I believe God was healing me.

After a really great weekend in the mountains we returned to Lima.
One of the activities that we did was visit the Ronald McDonald House.
Once again brilliant planning and programming by Terri and her staff.
If you want to seek out and possibly volunteer somewhere in your community, take a look and see if an opportunity exists to to volunteer at a local RMD House.

Programming for the week focused on helping us shape what the future looks like and how we can build it and perhaps have an impact with our story.
Our Hero’s Journey.
I started writing a piece called: “The things I fell in love with last weekend”.
The idea is based on a piece of writing that Regina had sent with me about falling in love with people, places, and experiences.
Over the weekend I had very purposefully tried to live in the moment.
To soak it up and breath it in.
And I fell in love with some stuff and some people.
In a stream of consciousness I started listing out things to write about.
My pen was just doing its thing.
I had made a list and it included specific people and places.
I looked at the list and I was stunned at what I had written as the last item.
Myself.....I had fallen in love with myself.
What? I know it’s kinda weird and it sounds egotistical.
But it’s not, its the opposite of egotistical.
You see I have a saying.
“Jim Brown, no grey area, you either love him or you hate him.”
Well I have spent the large majority of my life hating him.
This probably might not make sense to a lot of you because from the outside I think it probably looks like I have my shit together.
Well....It actually is pretty together but not in my own eyes.
And that is why I have worn the mask for so many years.
The thing that really destroyed me the morning that I wrote those words in that journal is that it took the adversity of cancer for me to come to that realization.
Not just a cancer diagnosis 3.5 years ago, no that wasn’t enough.
It took cancer spreading to my brain for my world to be rocked hard enough to put me in this place. That was a hard truth to face.
But I threw guilt into that fire, so I m gonna embrace this.

I am changed.
I now feel like a wall has been knocked down and that I can love those the closest to me in the way that they need and deserve, the way it should have always been.

I shared the piece of writing that I did with Bella.
I see me in her, I see how hard she is on herself.
I want to stop the cycle.

Watch the movie, it is what kicked off my journey of discovery.
“The Mask You Live In"
You don’t need to get cancer and go to Peru to find the truth about yourself.

So that might have not been what you thought you were coming here to read.

I am good.
I am really good.
I hope we run into each other so you can see it in my eyes and I can tell you about it in person.

Next scan is in a month.
Brain MRI
Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis CT Scan
It’s gonna be ok.

I am a Warrior.
I am a Thrivor.
I am the Exception.
I choose the Miracle.

Prayer requests:
Loralatinib reverses the progression of disease in my brain and bones.
Peace for my family.
Grace from God.

Hold Fast
Jim

Machu Picchu Pano game was on point with a costume change

Proud of myself for getting it together and making it there.

Legal "Tag" in Lima 

Dat shit I threw into the fire.

Bringing the "Bro" to the people

Sunsets on my 51st birthday November 7 in Lima

Shit got real again...

“There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness.”

-Some Asshole 2004

I may have been that asshole.

The point of the quote, is that sometimes in some situations you have to exude and possess so much confidence to complete the task, that you rub up against that NOT “super clear” line.

It served me well in the Coast Guard, the fire service, and in my athletic career.

Well... I applied a similar approach to my battle to be a Lung Cancer Survivor. Thus far it has served me well.

When I coached cycling, I taught the kids to master the things that they have control over, then when something comes along out of their control, they will have the skill, confidence, and a plan to deal with the situation with a cool level head.

Engage your own advice Jim Brown.

Because its time to get back in the race and focus just like you have done so many times in your life.

This is how it went down:

On October 10th I had routine scans done for cancer surveillance:

 Brain MRI (9 month cycle) | Chest CT Scan (every 3 months)

Here comes the cocky part.

10 days before the scan I told Regina that she didn’t need to come with me.
She had somewhat of a conflict and I assured her that “everything is gonna be fine". But that cockiness faded as the scan grew closer and that familiar foe “scanxeity” creeped in and ebbed away at the confidence.

I became pretty unsettled in the 48 hours preceding the scan, people around me sensed it.  Regina threw down the gauntlet and said there was no way she was missing the scan and its results. 

Dat shit didn't go so good.

Medical Mumbo Jumbo is above.

The more lay-term friendly explanation is:

There is evidence of cancer in my brain (2 confirmed spots).

There is cancer in my right 6th rib and it has eaten a 2-3 cm hole in the bone.

Fucking game changer.

There is just something about that evidence of 'cancer in the brain' part that changes things so much for those who have heard those words.
It doesn't matter how MUCH Cancer there is, just that there IS Cancer there.

I have had clean scans since April 2017. 
That progression was limited to 1 Lymph node in my chest and it was pretty minimal.  This is when I started Xalkori (2nd line of treatment).

Devastated

Deep Breath!!

Be stunned for a couple days.

Consult with your team.

Make a Plan.

Execute Plan.

Stunned:

We cried a lot.

When we talked to the girls about the new development, it was very hard.
Obviously we have had this type conversation in this very room before.
Bella is away at school so I called her after we had made sure she had support.

I went mountain biking for some fresh air.

I went on a short road trip with a couple of my best friends and got to see Bella play soccer over at CWU.

Consult:

There was a general plan in place for disease progression.

“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”  
                                                          -Mike Tyson

This was the 2nd time I have been punched in the face with disease progression, this time it hurt much worse that the first, because of the location and nature of the changes.  My team was on it right away and the clinical trial coordinator was in the exam room within minutes of the news.  The preliminary EKG and screening was done before I had even left SCCA for the day.

Dr. Keith Eaton is my team leader and he is my guy.
Jennifer Jacky-ARNP is his partner.
Together they bookend my care like no other team could.

I reached out to Dr Ross Camidge in Denver & Dr Alice Shaw in Boston.

I had traveled to see both for second opinions and they each told me that they were on my team from then until I didn’t need their help anymore.

Both contributed some great information and input to to the evolving management plan.  Dr Jing Zeng from the University of Washington department of Radiation Oncology was added to the team.

Make a Plan:

Scan the rest of torso and pelvis for metastatic surveillance.

Radiate the rib to try to alleviate the discomfort of the rib.

Start the clinical trial for Loralatinib.

Rescan Brain and Chest in 6-8 weeks.

Execution:(In progress)

October 10th: Begin washout of Xalkori (previous medication), Prescreening for Trial. 

October 16th: The rest of my torso and pelvis was scanned (scan was clean of further metastasis).

October 17th: My rib was radiated at UW to faster stop the lesion and relieve me of discomfort.

October 19th: Start Phase 2 Clinical Trial for the drug Loralatinib.

November 2:  9:15 am: 2 week Trial Labs and EKG (*required for trial).

11:40pm: Get on a plane to Peru (assuming blood work and EKG clean).

November 7: Celebrate 51st birthday in PERU.

November 17th: Return from Peru.

Yes I am still gonna go to Peru.  Is that Cocky?  Sorry....

The execution of the plan reads pretty smoothly and appears almost simple.

I can assure you that formulating and executing this plan in a timeframe that allows me to still go to South America on November 2 is an astounding feat.

My people GET SHIT DONE.

So, it is a set back, we can deal with it but we are not without our battle wounds. My entire family is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.

“Mom, this feels just like when daddy was first diagnosed”

-Lilly Brown Oct 12, 2018

We will be accessing some resources to help everybody deal with the emotional scars that this cancer journey has brought every member of this family.

The Brown machine rolls on, the kids grind away at school.
Bella just wrapped up her Freshman season at CWU Soccer.
Regina continues to touch others around her both professionally and personally.

I am going to be me.

I am gonna do it my way.

And I shall continue to rub up against that line.

In other news.

The Hold Fast Project Website Launched!!!
You can check it out here!!  
The Hold Fast Project  Thanks to a good friend for making that happen.

And yes I said I'm going to Peru!
I am going on an amazing adventure on Friday.
A Fresh Chapter  There will be some great stuff coming out of this!!!

Follow me here on the Instagrams:
Jump on there and give me the follows.
therealjimbrown  This one is still a baby, had to start over.
theholdfastproject She's a good one too eh?

Facebook Machines:
Big Daddy's Facebook!
The Hold Fast Project!

I am a Warrior.
I am a Thrivor.
I am the Exception.
I choose the Miracle.

Prayer Request:
Peace and levity for my girls.

Go out and Kick Ass at something today.

Oh and by the way blogspot and its ease of use sucks balls.

#holdfast
Jim

Just what the hell is going on!!!?????

Man....lots.

Clinical:

Starting out with clinical information.
I continue to be "minimized and stable".
I take Xalkori 2 times a day and it continues to do the job.
This will continue to be the course of things until there is a change.
All of my treatment will continue to be at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Blood work every six weeks.
CT Scans every 3 months.
Brain MRI every 9 months.


What Else?

Had a great holiday season with the family.
Shredded on my snowboard ALOT.
Went to Supercross in San Diego.
Went to Harmony Hill Cancer Retreat Center
Stopped drinking Alcohol Feb 20th
Went to Jackson Hole. Click Here for Video Edit
Raced my Ebike at Sea Otter.
Celebrated 3 years of Survivorship May 7.
Regina became the Elementary Vice President of the Washington School Counselors Association
Isabella graduated.
I started The Hold Fast Project.
Went to Boston to see my brother take over as Base Commander.
Saw Foo Fighters at Fenway.

I seemed to have turned a corner in the last 7-8 months.
I have found a way to effectively manage my side effects so I feel better physically.
Bouts of depression have been minimal.

I am sure that eliminating alcohol has had an effect on how I feel.

The dismal 5 year survival statistic of 3% hangs over my head, but I am really starting to lean into the fact that I might be around for awhile.
I know I have said this from the beginning but now I am really starting to believe it.

In the interest of moving forward.....

I have been accepted into a program known as A Fresh Chapter
This organization organizes trips for Cancer survivors and patients to do international volunteerism.
In November I will be traveling to Lima, Peru to volunteer at a school with my group.
Additionally we will have the chance to visit Macchu Picchu.
There are several things that intimidate me about this trip:
Application: The process started last February, this was way outside of my planning comfort zone.
Cost: The program is expensive but I was able to raise all of the funds through my amazing network.
Travel: I don't travel well anymore, 12 hours on a plane is a lot for anybody, but this is gonna be hard.
Family:  I know how hard it is for Regina and the kids when I am away.
Anxiety:  Sometimes I am overcome with anxiety, one trigger is being away from my family.

These are all things that I either can, or have overcome.
I can do this.
It pencils out in my Time, Energy, Resource model.
It will be hard in some cases and it will stretch me, but the cost/benefit will work out in my favor.

The Hold Fast Project:

"The Hold Fast Project's mission is to turn my cancer experience into something positive while providing a service to others through inspiration, education, and advocacy."

We are looking at the prospect of launching a non-profit to help fulfill those goals.

Keep your eye on the social medias:
The Hold Fast Project Intagram
The Hold Fast Project Facebook Page
Website launching soon thanks to help from Redcloud Consulting

Well that is a fair amount of catching up.

I am a Warrior.
I am a Thrivor.
I am the Exception.
I choose the Miracle.

Thanks for catching up with me.

Warm Regards,
Jim

Here are some fun photos:

Good Times in the Mpountains

Jackson Hole

Bike Racin' at Sea Otter

Giving cancer the finger on my 3 year survivorship anniversary

Isabella's graduation

My brother the "Skipper"

Foo Fighters at Fenway

Intimidation, among other things....

Clinically Speaking

For starters, if you haven’t blogged in 6 months, then you are a pretty shitty blogger.
Sorry.

In my last entry in May I had just started a new course of treatment after some disease progression on first line chemotherapy, so after 30 rounds I switched to targeted therapy which is basically 2 chemo pills a day.  These pills come at a tune of 15K per month.

The great news is that all identified disease progression has been reversed and after 6 months and 2 CT scans everything is back to “minimized and stable.”

We are continuing to wrap our heads around chronic disease management, and I have grown accustomed to the new drugs and their side effects.

I can tell you that it is much better than the roller coaster of Chemotherapy infusions every 21 days, and the recovery from each infusion.

CT scans every 3 months, with blood monitoring every 6 weeks.

My care team and support network continues to be amazing.

Maui Fun Times

 

Life Stuff

The Browns had a pretty great summer, lots of soccer, swimming, dirt biking, and time outdoors. The summer was capped off by an amazing trip to Maui for just Regina and I. We swam and relaxed, and for a week I was just another guy, not the guy with cancer, this was very liberating and we came back rested and refreshed.

Also in August, Bella committed to Central Washington University on a soccer scholarship, we are very proud of her and are happy to see all of her hard work pay off.

Click on this link to see Bella drop one of the most beautiful goals: Bella Banger

November 7th I turned 50 years old.

This is not a milestone that I take for granted.

I did it up relatively big over the course of a couple weeks:

-Trip to Nashville with some of my best friends. 

-Birthday party at Top Rung Brewing with an amazing group of friends.

-Mountain Bike ride on the actual day of my birthday with some hard core dudes in the snow.

I think we got after it pretty good, and I felt so much love.

Intimidation

In my pre-cancer life, Intimidation was not a feeling or an emotion that touched me much or had any impact on me.  It was a rare occasion that Jim Brown was intimidated by anything.

I have always been strong and confident in myself.

Recently I was having lunch with a good friend and we were talking about life in general.  I found myself speaking several times about being “Intimidated” by things in life.

These things don't seem like a big deal but for some reason they weigh on me, concerts, trips, work stuff, it's all very foreign for me to feel this way.

The mental and physical effects of my disease and it’s treatment leave me feeling fatigued often.

It seems that everything comes with a a much larger price tag, and that price tag wears me down.

I have been humbled by this experience beyond what I ever would have imagined, and things will never be the same.

I still apply my: Time... Energy... Resources.... model, to decision making and I weigh things out carefully to evaluate the impact they will have on me and the benefit that I gain from those actions.
I have found myself saying no, or backing out of commitments more often.

The highlight reel looks good, but there are still some rough days.

I am trying to regain some confidence in myself and “lean in” to my treatment success.

Daily Choice 

Daily Victories

“Don’t let cancer define you.”

What the fuck does that even mean??!!!

I have had several people say that to me, thinking that they are giving me good life advice.

I came out of the gate punching hard with cancer, and I feel 100% that my attitude has contributed to my success with treatment.

But.....I have been redefined by having cancer, there is no avoiding that.

It is metastatic, it is incurable, and it is considered “terminal”.

I will be receiving some sort of cancer treatment for the rest of my life.

Simmer on that for a minute......

I feel like I have approached this as a fighter and I have defied the disease.

I still Work.

I Snowboard.

I Mountain Bike.

I Dirt Bike.

I LIVE....

In fact.. many people tell me I live harder than most “healthy” people.

Yes I am a cancer advocate for lung cancer patients and an educator with regards to cancer awareness and prevention for firefighters.  Sometimes I'm "That Guy".

I am not defined by that, but It is a part of who I am now.

If I didn’t advocate and educate I would be negligent.

So I guess after a lot of thought, I kinda take offense that somebody would say that to me, especially this far into the game.  

DEFINED by Cancer is NOT me... never has been and never will be.

Take home message is: 

Think very hard before you say this to somebody battling cancer or a chronic disease.

All that said.....remember this.

I am blessed.

I am fortunate.

I never forget that, or take it for granted.

The Browns a gearing up for a great winter up in the mountains and we are gonna LIVE!!!!!!

I am a Warrior

I am a Thrivor

I am the Exception

I choose the Miracle.

Life is good.

Rad Racing Reunion at my 50th

Jaeger Shots on Capital Peak Birthday Ride

Birthday Tattoo

Maui, 2 Years, Disease Progression, Generosity...

So I will start with some awesome news here....

I am writing this blog post whilst on a flight to Maui.  An opportunity presented itself for me to get out of town and soak in some sunshine, I am going to embrace it and go live some life.  The amazing generosity of our community has provided some great opportunities for myself and my family as we work our way through the cancer journey.  This trip is just the newest addition to this generosity, I am humbled and at the same time overwhelmed.  I will be meeting and making some new friends on this trip, and I feel like my life is going to be tremendously enriched by the people and the experience.  For the next few days I will be riding bikes, swimming, snorkeling, and laying on the beach, I'll take it.......

Morning coffee in Paradise

2 years:
As of May 6th, 2017 I am  officially a 2 year cancer survivor.
The road has been challenging thus far but my team has made it happen.
Continue to believe that I choose the miracle, and the miracle continues to choose me.
I am a fortunate and blessed man.
New tattoo to commemorate my 2nd anniversary is in development and will happen soon.

Shit just got real, again....

On April 26th I had a CT scan to monitor my treatment.

For the first time since I started treatment the news was not awesome.

Up to this point everything thing has shown reduction and stabilization in disease.

This time was different.......

The CT scan showed what appears to be disease progression in 1 lymphnode.

Remember that my Lung Cancer had metatisised to my lymph nodes and bones.

This pesky Lymphnode went from .5 X .6cm to 1 X 1.1cm over the last 4 months.

I'm no rocket-surgeon, but that is double the size.

This is the ONLY place that showed any progression but it was enough to cause concern for Dr. Eaton.  I am NOT symptomatic from this development in fact I have been feeling really well and have been exercising more recently, since before I was diagnosed.

Dr. Eaton felt like my first line treatment of chemo infusions had run its course and that my cancer had adapted to the treatment.

Out comes my silver bullet......

Early in my diagnosis, I had my tumors genetically tested and as it turns out I have a mutation called ROS1, which has a targeted therapy that has proven to be very effective and durable in clinical trials.

Let me highlight the fact that only 1% of Lung Cancer patients have this genetic mutation, that in itself is amazing.

So why didn't you start this treatment earlier in the game Jim?

Because I was responding to first line standard chemotherapy so well, all of the specialists said to ride that train for as long as you could.

I sought out opinions from specialists in Denver and Boston on this subject.

So I rode that train for 22 months, and 30 rounds of infusions, and then the train ran out of steam.

So here I am starting 2nd line treatment, it is basically chemo in a pill form and I take it twice a day.  The side effects are expected to be less severe than chemo infusions and I will not be riding the roller coaster that infusions brought me.

I have several friends on this therapy and the reports are all pretty glowing.

This magical silver bullet of a pill (Xalkori) costs $15,000 per month.

Because my cancer was ruled to be service connected to my job these costs are covered.  I want to thank WSCFF, IAFF 468, D7VP Kelly Fox, Chief Larry Dibble, and City Manger Steve Hall for supporting my claim and helping this rightful determination be made.

The disease progression is something that we knew was eventually going to come, and I had big talk about how I was prepared for it, we had a plan, and it wasn't going to be a crisis, but when the Dr punches you in the face with the news of disease progression there is no easy way to receive that news.

The first few days were rough, but my treatment team was right on it and I had my new line of treatment in my hands only 5 days after the CT scan.

Our support network swept in and took care of us on the emotional and nuts and bolts side of things, I still am amazed at how much love has been extended to my family in this journey.

So our journey has a new pathway and a new rhythm to it, I am adjusting to the side effects and relishing the fact that I don't have to schedule my life around infusions, or miss almost a week of work once a month.

We will prevail.....many people have had it a lot worse than I have and I never lose sight of that....

Awesomer things.....

My work at the Olympia fire Department continues to be rewarding and impactful, I am proud to have a part of bringing EMS to the forefront of our priorities at OFD and love the people that I get to work with.

I have been doing some work on the advocacy side of things:

1.  Helping to reduce the stigma associated with Lung Cancer and raising awareness.

2.   Educating fellow firefighters on the risks associated with our in regards to cancer  incidence and helping teach practice that can help reduce our exposure to carcinogens that cause cancer.

I've been riding my bike 3-4 times a week for the last month and have incorporated some strength training into my routine, including deadlifts, power cleans, bench press, and squats. Bam!!!!!

The girls are doing well and thriving.

Lilly just turned 11 today, and is fresh into a new season with Black Hills Football Club.

Phoebe is loving middle school and just finished up Volleyball.

Bella just received her first offer for college soccer at Whitworth University.

She has a boyfriend who is a really great guy.

Regina and I are doing the dance that so many parents do, trying to create opportunity for our kids that we may not have had access to.

We really hope to try to get away sometime soon for just the 2 of us, but scheduling that is a challenge.  We are doing our best to live life to the fullest extent possible.

Despite recent developments, I have been able to manage the depression that stalked me all winter long.  Feed the good dog....

Maui Postscript:

I got back late last night from Hawaii.
As I expected it was an amazing trip that was highlighted by the people I got to meet and spend time with.  I saw some amazing things, I drove my bike around Maui with  the highlight being ripping some awesome descents.  I built on current friendships and established new ones.
Here are a couple of quotes from my friend Don O'Neill.

"Have you ever seen a guy in a red jersey, with stage four lung cancer climb a hill all day in 85 degree heat, and then go flying down the other side at 40 miles an hour for close to 40 miles in Maui, Hawaii, all while inspiring the riders that came to inspire him???? ........................
I have. I saw it today."

"As I say Aloha to Hawaii tonight I will be thinking of this man, Jim Brown, a firefighter, a husband, a son , a friend and a daddy from Olympia WA. The doctor says he has stage 4 lung cancer that can't be cured. You wouldn't know that from being around him. This week he taught me that cancer can beat up your body, but it can't contain the human spirit, it can't tame the human heart, and it can't define the human soul . As we snorkeled in the ocean together he told us that is when he feels free. The water and the waves make him feel free from cancer and the physical and emotional trauma it can bring. I am leaving Jim here for a few more days in the capable hands of my friend's Carter and Joe. He wanted to do some more snorkeling. Who could argue with that? We could all use some more snorkeling. GForce, Mr. Ron and I will see you all tomorrow at Safeco Field for Dan Wilson's Celebrity Softball tournament. We are gonna raise a million dollars together for area kids.! Until then, Mahalo🤙🏾🤘☝🏽 And Mahalo to you Jim Brown. Holdfast brother! Don"

Maui Crew
 Carter, Myself, Don, Joe, Eric, Anna

West Maui Loop Selfie

My new best buddy Carter Harrington Lt Commander USN

That seems like a pretty great way to come to a close here today.

Prayer Requests:
That Xalkori is effective in not only stabilizing my cancer but shrinking it back down again.
Stabilization of the side effects from my new medication.
Increased ability to exercise and do physical activity.
Restful sleep.
Peace for my family.

I am a Warrior.
I am a Thrivor.
I am the Exception.
I choose the Miracle.

#holdfast

JB