Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer Survivor, 3 Time Final MTS Innergeekdom Champ, The Smasher, Ironman finisher, The Jedi Way co-host, Scoundrels Inc
#SmashCancer
I’ve been waiting to use this hashtag until I got official word from the docs and the post-surgery pathology report... but I finally met with them yesterday two weeks after the procedure and now I can officially and faithfully say I’m IN REMISSION!
#SmashedCancer
There’s no easy way to say it so I’ll just pull the bandaid. I have been diagnosed with cancer. Stage 3 colorectal cancer. But for those that know me, that just means the bell has rung and it’s time to fight.
Friends, I was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, I wasn't sure I'd live to see the next Star Wars film or show. This recent toxic discourse reminds me - life's too short to take things like SW for granted. Let's cherish what brings us joy & be kinder to each other.
#swtwt
@starwars
Released from the hospital 3 days ahead of schedule! I think I set the tone when I insisted on walking 20 ft just 12 hours after surgery. Happy to be home and be reunited with my family, I feel like now every day is actually me getting BETTER. Thanks for all the love & support 🙏🏻
After 7 months radiation, infusions, and 6 chemo pills a day, this is the last 3 I’ll hopefully ever have to take. Next step let the body recover, follow up CT/MRI next week, and then most likely surgery sometime in late May or June. Long road ahead still but the fight continues.
Round 3 begins today. Each round gets harder than the last but with my friends, family and of course the Dungeonheads in my corner there’s nothing that can stop us!
#Smashcity
Shoutout to
@nunosarnadas
for the art and
@markellislive
for the armor!
33 days of radiation treatments mixed w 6 chemo pills a day for 7 weeks, today marks the end of this first battle of the war. I’ll be forever thankful to the entire team at UCLA medical. Its just the beginning but with the support of my friends; family & you; I’ll keep fighting!
Last time I was here was to scan my body to see what staging my cancer was. It was a scary time, I had no idea the fight ahead. Today after 7 months of a brutal war waged on the body its time for the follow up scans. But today I’m filled with more hope than despair.
#smashcancer
THIS is why I did this. This makes my fight worth it. Overwhelmed by the love. Every message, tweet, comment, DM has lifted me up. In just under 24 hours you’ve ALL made me feel stronger and more capable of smashing this cancer than I ever dreamed of. THANK YOU.
#smashcancer
Happy to report my scans came back ALL CLEAR! Still a ways to go but so far so good! Another year of clear scans will be the 1st big milestone. Then 3 years after that to be considered “cured”, so the battle wages on but we’re winning! Thanks to everyone’s support
#smashcancer
My friend
@thatmara
- Forever a champion and rest assured, she will get that gold back! Thanks to you and
@MurrellDan
for being there for me during my 8 months of hell. Can’t wait until it’s in the rear view mirror.
#family
Heading toward the final boss battle. But it won’t be pretty. Hearing the details of my major surgery, the long recovery & what it entails has given me great anxiety. But I will keep hanging onto the fact that we almost have this thing beat. Surgery date is for early/mid June.
I’m still at hospital, feeling about as good as this guy. Haha Thanks for all the love and support and messages the last few days. I haven’t the energy to reply to all of them like I usually do but just know I have read and appreciated every single one of them so thank you!
Enjoying the last few days of feeling normal (I get about 5 of these days a month) before I go back to chemo treatment on Monday. The anxiety of what’s to come is unbearable sometimes. But doing the best I can.
#getchecked
#smashcancer
So a few weeks ago we showed 2020 that despite its best efforts, there can be a happy ending. The next journey begins!
#married
#hellowife
#babynextmonth
I miss my wife and daughter so much. Hoping for an early discharge but as of now still in the hospital. I miss
@KaiserSaysSo
too who photo bombed this picture 😂
Enjoy the little things in life, because actually one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. Recovery going well, almost 💯!
#SmashedCancer
A big thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone, from behind the scenes, to friends, family & fans. You all have literally helped in saving my life. You raised nearly $20k across both platforms and most importantly, raised awareness! I’ll forever be indebted much love 🙏🏻
My past successes were built on the foundations of failure. This will remain. Expect a new Smasher next season. One who’s angry. One who’s focused. And most importantly, one who’s hungry. Until then...
#thankyoufans
#ilovethisgame
Lost my aunt Nannette this week to Covid - my uncle is sick too and may have it, but he at least got to say goodbye. Hug your loved ones. No one is guaranteed tomorrow, I’ve learned that lesson myself the past few months. Wear a mask. Get checked. Let go of hate. Embrace love.
Before & after- the very thing that is saving my life is also poisoning my body. Chemo destroys ALL cells. Healthy cells grow back but cancer cells are unable to. It’s burning down the entire house (that can be rebuilt) to kill the demons and spiders (that cannot come back).
Thanks (and congrats) to
@OhMyBarney
and
@MikeKalinowski
- on the cusp of their big wins on Spectacular Saturday they stopped by with delicious holiday care package! The world is improved with this duo out there spreading their love and cheer. Thank you again to the King & Queen!
Sending love to all the fans and crew of
@TheSchmoedown
- you literally kept my family afloat with the
#SmashCancer
movement when I was away & for that I will forever be grateful. I will miss you, but always will be there for anyone who needs advice or encouragement. Much love.
A year ago the Smash-A-Thon, a 24 hour stream made by my closest friends & also fans of
@TheSchmoedown
, ended & by closing time raised over $50K for my family, which kept us afloat when I couldn’t work for a year. I’ll never forget this act of love and kindness.
#thankyouagain
Radiation/chemo was brutal at times, yet my oncologist said it was only pre-season. The real work begins tomorrow and on the eve of my first iv Oxipilatin infusion, I feel a great amount of fear, but I’ll keep my head down and push forward. There’s no other choice.
#smashcancer
Raising a newborn is difficult....caring for a cancer patient is just as stressful and this Super Woman has done both at the same time. I love you Dasha, thanks for being an amazing wife and mother. Kira and I are both better because of you.
On the eve of my next treatment which is tomorrow morning, I am filled with dread and anxiety, as I know the shit storm the first 10 days are that follow. But this weekend having seen friends and family, I feel like Andy Dufrain. Suds on a roof. Back to hell tomorrow.
Chemo has lasting effects. Some permanent, others fixable. About to head into the first of four procedures to fix the hidden damage it caused to my teeth and gums. Scars never go away but neither does my resolve! 💪🏻 Kira is my backup so we’re in good shape!
#remission
#rebuilding
“You beat cancer by how you live... why you live... and in the manner of which you live.” - Stuart Scott.... The fight continues. Round 6.
#SmashCancer
I keep telling Kira I’m not coming back this season and she’s all “IT DOESN’T MATTER! NO DAYS OFF! KEEP SHARP”, she says! She’s a tough coach! Hey
@markellislive
@KristianHarloff
she wants to manage in 2040 for season 28
#trainingneverends
I had all sorts of feelings when I found out I resume the fight sooner than expected, realizing it’ll be during the holidays and a rougher road. But in the end keeping the fight going and not letting up seems a very Smasher thing to do. So we keep going!
#smashcancer
#roundtwo
Thanks to everyone for the love the last few days. I’ve read each and every one of your messages. It means a lot to myself and my family!
#smashcancer
#thankyou
Just woke up from my weekly ‘you still have cancer’ nightmare. The mental aspect of recovery takes its toll. Was it just a dream? Was it a vision of things to come? The mind can be cruel. I can only shake it off, continue to live my 2nd lease on life. Don’t take life for granted.
What’s worse? Getting a colonoscopy which is painless, takes 45 min & gives you peace of mind? Or having to hop into this bad boy Monday through Friday for weeks on end, literally shooting radiation into your body & sucks your energy out like a vampire?
#getchecked
#smashcancer
So just got off the phone with my surgeon, she wanted to reiterate that things are looking VERY promising…which is huge because usually she’s a little more hesitant to be positive - still more time to go but there are “no concerns anymore” - which is a huge WIN!
#SmashCancer
Less than a month out from my last chemo treatment, went on my longest run since my diagnosis. Wasn’t easy but I got it done. The plan is to be in tip top shape for the surgery ahead. 💪🏻
#smashcancer
PS - gotta have Conquest from Rocky III as my jam!
Exactly a year ago I had life changing surgery… it was the first step to a long road of recovery but the end result was complete REMISSION of my cancer! 7 days I was in this room & many months after suffered many setbacks but a year later I’ve never felt better.
#CancerSmashed
Due to neuropathy caused by chemo, my feet go numb about 2 min into any run. Since I’ve started training, 2 faceplants & one rolled ankle later, I dust myself off every time... “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must. Just never give up.“ The fight continues...
One of the many reasons
@thatmara
is such a dear friend. She gave me 1000 hand-created paper cranes, wishing for my full recovery from cancer. Her &
@MurrellDan
triple checked that it was exactly 1000! That’s a lot of counting. But I count myself lucky for having them in my life!
Here’s a
#SmashCancer
update - I got the call you *never* want to receive… sadly that’s thee life of a survivor. I said from the beginning I’d be 💯 with my journey so sometimes it won’t be all good news.
My PTSD is real. MANY things trigger me to my worst days on chemo/radiation/surgery. My body is on the mend (80%) my mind has a ways to go. I am thankful that after 8 months, today I return to work, a welcome distraction from these difficult thoughts, going back to what I love 🙏🏻
My buddy Tyler, a Rams season ticket holder, did something nice for me during Monday night football. Thanks pal! The goal is next time my name is up there it’s for a sold out
@TheSchmoedown
Spectacular in 2023
#catchcancer
#theschmoedown
Let this sink in. There will never be another
@RachelJCushing
- ever. Rachel - Thank you for all you have given, your guidance & advice & most of all your friendship. Looking forward to that empty arena Rocky 3 style Crusher vs Smasher match one day. You are amazing.
#TheCrusher
Thanks everyone for the bday messages... I had my chemo infusion on Monday so haven’t been able to really be on my phone and reply but I appreciate each and every message - they came at the perfect time so thank you!
Can finally share some good news … It was a very taxing six weeks, especially mentally, but I’m glad my oncologist team wanted to be extra cautious. Take a look…
Post-Remission check up
#1
- there will be 20 scans/checkups in the next 5 years (every 3 months) to make sure the cancer has remained gone. I need to go a perfect 20-0 to get the magic words “you’re cured”. The long, nervous, but hopefully successful march to “cured” begins now.
What a journey this last year has been. From the depths then to heights I can’t even describe. And it all culminates tomorrow with the Season 9 premiere. To my fans, I’ll do my best as a thank you for all the support you’ve given me. Time to complete the journey!
@TheSchmoedown
A year ago I had my 1st of IV chemo that I can say were the toughest days of my life. Christmas I was in the middle of a gruesome fight -that could have been prevented had I got checked sooner. Now, in remission, I plan to Santa it up & enjoy the holiday!
#smashcancer
#getchecked
Had another follow up video visit with my cancer smashing team. All vitals look good & the words “you couldn’t be in a better spot right now” were said to me. This is everything. I am living proof that this is beatable, but also a living warning to get checked early!
#smashcancer
My sis finally got to meet my daughter over the holiday weekend (this isn’t the exact moment but it’s one that brings a smile to my face anyway) - Kira two months today!
#timeflies
#family
#thisistheway
This is the first month where I can run and my feet no longer get ice cold numb (a remaining symptom from my months and months of chemo) - getting out and running and going on walks with my family I will never take for granted again!
#SmashedCancer
Waiting for appointment 2 (of 7) that I’ll have before my surgery even happens. They gotta make sure I’m in proper shape mentally and physically and that I know what it will involve and how much of a mountain the recovery will be. D-day is 16 days away!
#smashINGcancer