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Author Topic: duc_fan's gnarly adventures  (Read 6368 times)
duc_fan
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« on: August 13, 2012, 10:58:02 PM »

So I guess I should give a little more info on what's been happening than the "big C" bomb I dropped in the I Remember When thread.

It's been a busy year.  I can't remember when I was last on here, so here's the year in review...

Started off in January with moving out of our house in Stevenson, and into my in-laws' place in Sandy on a "temporary basis"... while we waited for our new house near Centerville/Goldendale WA to get finished.  Well, we're still in Sandy.  New place is roughly 2-3 weeks from being occupancy-ready.  Finally!

In late Jan/early Feb, we took a couple weeks and split to the Philippines.  I flew an airplane for the first time, taking off in a Cessna 172 from the old Clark airfield and landing at Baguio.  Baguio sits in the saddle of a mountaintop at roughly 5000 feet... that was an interesting first landing.  Like something out of the Discovery channel.  I'll try to get back in this thread later and link to pics.  Anyway, had fun in the Philippines, did some flying, did a lot of relaxing by a pool on the Bataan peninsula, then headed back to the States.

This is where the doo-doo hits the fan... not quite literally, but close enough.  Came home from the Philippines and I had a colonoscopy scheduled for the next week.  Lesson: Guys, when the plumping doesn't work like it's supposed to, or there's any sign of blood where their shouldn't be, (or for others of you, if Jacob has been anywhere near your taint)... it's time to call your doctor and get yourself scoped.  Doc comes out and they take my wife and I to a private room (that's the dead giveaway of bad news).  Doc just spills it: "Well, we went in and looked around, and you have cancer."

That line on February 13th started a whirlwind that we're still in the midst of.  We only knew the full extent after surgery, and it was officially Stage IIIB colo-rectal cancer (tumor + 2 lymph nodes, no metastases).  First phase was targeted radiation with a linear accelerator X-ray gun (literally), plus chemo pills for 5.5 weeks.  That ended in mid April.  Then a couple months to recover from that onslaught before Phase II.  Phase II was surgery... cut the cancer out and reroute the plumbing.  I was recovering from that in July.  I'm just now getting back to work, and we're starting Phase III, which is mop-up or as I call it "insurance policy" chemo.  This is a drug cocktail intended to wipe out any loose cancer cells that may be floating around the lymphatic system.

Good news: It had not metastasized.  Also, they're pretty sure they got all of it during surgery, which went flawlessly.  If you know anyone who needs abdominal cancer surgery, go straight to Dr. Mark Whiteford at The Oregon Clinic. He's part of the Providence Portland oncology team.  The man is a miracle worker with a scalpel.  My incisions have healed unbelievably well.

Yeah, the follow-up chemo is starting to suck.  I started it last Thursday.  Makes my stomach upset and it's giving me acid reflux.  The pill stuff, Xeloda, is nasty shit.  You should see all the warning labels on this crap... even if you are perfectly healthy, this stuff WILL hurt you.  The IV infusion drug is called Oxaliplatin, and it makes one's mouth/hands/feet like SUPER cold-sensitive.  And the day after feels like a low-grade hangover pretty much all day.  I get 6 cycles of this.  Starts with the Oxi infusion, followed by 14 days on the Xeloda pills, then 7 days recovery.  Rinse & repeat.

So yeah... other than that, also got some new rubber for the Saturn Sky and had it aligned for motorsport duty... ran it in an autocross before surgery and it did MUCH better than its first outing on those sucky stock Goodyears.

Can't remember if I'd posted this on here yet or not, but my wife and I also bought a new truck last fall (October).  2011 Silverado 2500HD with the Duramax/Allison powertrain.  Man, I am loving that truck!  Fire engine red, crew cab, short bed, 4x4.  I had it Line-X'd and leveled shortly after getting it, and swapped the highway-biased Goodyear Wrangler SR-A's for a set of BFG All-Terrain T/As.  Looks reaally nice, IMO.  Next major item is a Buckstop bumper... because wifey and I are out in deer country, and I really don't want to scoop one into the radiator.  Had one dart across the front of the Penske truck back in January, only missing it by 1-2 feet.

Set up a reloading bench while I was recovering from surgery... being used for .300 AAC Blackout, 7.5x55 Swiss, and soon .44 Rem Mag.  Got a 300BLK barrel en route from MidwayUSA, so I'll be able to run some test loads here as soon as I have the barrel installed in my AR.  I also picked up a nice shiny new S&W Model 629 Deluxe last week. waytogo

My moto upgrades have been backburned a bit, since I haven't been able to get much riding in this year.  This winter and next spring I will return to building the Cagiva up into the machine I want it to be... Wilbers adjustable suspenders, starter wiring upgrade, rectifier/regulator wiring upgrade, HID low beam, engine guards, aux lights...

I've also got a bunch of work on my GTI backlogged... partly due to physical condition, but mostly due to the faact we're still in temporary housing and I really don't want to tear it apart until it's parked in my new 24'x96' shop and I get the vehicle lift installed.

So yeah... that's where duc_fan has been and what he's been up to since January-ish.
« Last Edit: August 13, 2012, 11:06:37 PM by duc_fan » Logged

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duc_fan
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« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2012, 09:03:51 PM »

From the Philippines:

American Cemetery




Tagaytay (beautiful resort area on the rim of a volcano)


Paete, woodcarving capital of the Philippines



Little girl we played ball with in Paete


Laguna de Bay



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"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." -- Albert Einstein

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun." -- Charlie Crews on Life

Street: 2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon
Track: 2005 Honda CBR 600RR - Salvage project
Sold: 2001 Ducati SS900ie - Gone, but not forgotten...
duc_fan
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« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2012, 09:10:17 PM »

The first airplane I ever piloted, on the ramp at Baguio after my first (highly successful!) landing:


View of the approach end of Baguio's runway:


The beautiful mountains of northern Luzon:


On approach back at Clark:


I'd have had a picture of landing at Baguio, but I didn't actually expect to be flying that approach, so I hadn't given the camera to my father-in-law (who was riding backseat).  I figured I'd get some stick-and-rudder time mid flight, but did not expect to be performing takeoff and landing.  That was incredible!  I've landed an airplane at a mountaintop airport in a foreign country!

Anyway...
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"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." -- Albert Einstein

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun." -- Charlie Crews on Life

Street: 2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon
Track: 2005 Honda CBR 600RR - Salvage project
Sold: 2001 Ducati SS900ie - Gone, but not forgotten...
duc_fan
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« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2012, 09:15:49 PM »

Our accommodations out on the Bataan Peninsula... the Brother's Keeper Inn


The view from the Lanai (covered patio) overlooking the pool... Corregidor to the left... South China Sea to the right...


We headed up to go hiking in the mountains of Bataan one day:


Brother's Keeper Inn at sunset:


And for humor's sake... a Chinese knockoff of the Scion XB, called the "Cool Bear":
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"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." -- Albert Einstein

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun." -- Charlie Crews on Life

Street: 2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon
Track: 2005 Honda CBR 600RR - Salvage project
Sold: 2001 Ducati SS900ie - Gone, but not forgotten...
krolik
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« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2012, 09:16:09 AM »

Well its good to hear that you're doing okay with your course of treatment.  waytogo
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scott_araujo
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« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2012, 08:54:33 PM »

Had a similar thing happen to me 6 years ago when I got cancer a short while after I got married.  Some other stuff too with the bone disease.  Luckily for me it was surgery only and I'm past five years clear now. 

Things sound like they're going as well as possible.  Lymph node involvement is bad but no metastasis is good.  I feel bad for you, worse for your wife.  I know how hard it hit mine.

Mend well, get your checks for the next few years, and enjoy your life.  Best to you and your family.

Scott
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duc_fan
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« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2012, 06:15:14 AM »

Thanks guys.

Yeah, Scott, "enjoy life" is definitely the order of the day now.  Life is short, make the most of it.  I had gotten started on my pilot's license this year when the cancer prevented me from getting a medical... so instead I'll go Sport Pilot and use my driver's license as my medical.  I am bound and determined to fly, especially now.  We can either slowly die of decay safe in a hospital bed, or we can go out an experience life to the fullest.  I like that tagline Ryan had for a while in his sig line: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, shouting 'WOW! What a ride!'"

To that effect, I will be continuing to ride motorcycles, fly airplanes, and drive sports cars.  My wife and I will start visiting the places we've always wanted to see starting next year when chemo is over.  We'll do some more hiking and mountain biking.  I want to build a Shelby Cobra Replica (we've started saving for a Factory Five Racing kit).  I've always wanted a Ducati 916, and now I'm aiming to save up for and buy one within the next 5 years.  I may not keep it long, but I want to enjoy it for a while, take it on a few rides, maybe get it out on ORP or The Ridge, and get some pretty pictures.  Basically, I want more stories to tell.  Life may be short, but it can be full and fun.
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"Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind." -- Albert Einstein

"I want a peaceful soul. I need a bigger gun." -- Charlie Crews on Life

Street: 2000 Cagiva Gran Canyon
Track: 2005 Honda CBR 600RR - Salvage project
Sold: 2001 Ducati SS900ie - Gone, but not forgotten...
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