They Call Me Galvez

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This past week was amazing!  I had the privilege of participating in the inaugural First Descents Surf camp (First Wave) in Santa Barbara last week.  2 years ago, I participated in my first White Water Kayaking Camp in Glacier National Park, Montana.  I was hesitant to participate in another First Descents camp because I was afraid of tarnishing the memories of my first FD experience.  I was completely wrong.  New memories and adventures were created with a new group of friends in a new exciting adventure.

Before my surgery in 2005, I was just starting to get into a new hobby, surfing, in a new city with new friends.  I’d wake up early to go surfing before work, and found myself so relaxed the whole day.  A few months after I established my routine, I was diagnosed with a golf-ball sized brain tumor between the brain stem and cerebellum.  The new hobby that I was just learning to love was suddenly taken away!  Within a month I had:

1. an eight hour brain surgery,
2. an eight day visit to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit with 5 days in a medically induced coma,
3. a six week stay in the rehab unit at the hospital I used to work,
4. brain radiation treatments five days a week for eight weeks, and
5. physical, occupational, and speech therapy with my former coworkers.

Since then, my life has taken a completely new direction from the plan I had since graduating from Physical Therapy school eight  years ago.   I’m very grateful for the new direction my life is taking me, but I sometimes wonder how things might have turned out if didn’t need to take this new direction.  I have surprised many people (myself included) with some of the things I have been able to accomplish.  Publishing articles/books, going on national book tours, public speaking at universities/colleges/hospitals, and starting a nonprofit organization were never in my wildest imagination.  The brain tumor hit me pretty hard, but it didn’t knock me out!  (It’s my turn to counter punch through MKF!)   I hate to admit it, but the brain tumor was the spark that ignited a new fire in me.  I’ve also learned to appreciate all the little things in life!

I still miss the old activities I use to do.  The tumor took away so much.  Surfing is one of the few things that connects me to the “old” me.  I have met so many amazing people on this journey, but the people who inspire me the most are the survivors I have met on all my travels!  Every person I’ve met that has attended a First Descent camp (campers, staff, and volunteers) has a unique energy about them.  It’s an attitude that is hard to describe, but easy to recognize.  I have met so many amazing survivors in these camps!  I have heard so many incredible stories of triumph that it is humbling being there to witness a fellow survivor’s own personal triumphs.  To see it on their faces is an incredible feeling.  I unfortunately could not paddle out to the lineup myself, but the experience of being out there has given me something to shoot for.  Just knowing the journeys my fellow campers had to endure and watching them catch their first waves was so inspiring to me.  Watching someone do something they didn’t think they could do is incredible.  Seeing the smiles on their faces coming out of the water with a look of confidence reminded me of my own experiences catching my first wave.  The feeling of riding a wave is nothing short of incredible.  The speed, the freedom, the fact that you are being propelled by pure energy that no human created is pretty cool when you think about it.  It made me smirk seeing the “awe yeah, I did that” look on everyone’s face as they confidently walked back to our spot on the beach. I’m still improving physically, but it’s taking much longer than I expected.  I look forward to the day that to will be able to paddle out to the lineup and catch my first wave on my own.  Give me some time to figure out how to do it… I can’t wait to join my new friends on a wave.  ;P

August 8, 2009 Pinckney, Michigan

On a damp and stormy Saturday in Michigan, ~100 brave souls endured the elements to raise awareness and funds for brain tumor research in a unique new fundraiser, the “Tumors Suck! Paintball Benefit”. That’s right… paintball!  Paintball falls directly in line with the attitude of “mAss Kickers”.

The day started off with a heavy downpour and the chance of thunder showers.  Within minutes the chance of thunder showers turned into actual thunder showers.  The enthusiasm of the members of the FUBAR paintball team provided a “calming-spark” to those eager to play yet disappointed by the weather.  Everyone had to patiently wait out the lightning.  FUBAR‘s participation in the event was key to it’s success.  They volunteered to mentor participants in this event to share stategy, techniques, and paintball etiquette.

Some of the participants drove hours from the other side of the state to participate in the event!  The inclimate weather would not be a deterant for these “mAss Kickers” looking to try paintball.   There were creative variations on typical paintball games including “capture the cure” and “survivors vs tumors”.  The highlight of the day was “the gauntlet”.  Members of FUBAR volunteered to literally be targets for participants who donated to the fundraiser!  They would run across the open field and hide behind targets (or chose to instigate the shooters in the open field!)  It provided some humorous moments for everyone involved.  Their willingness to “take one for the team” was a display of the solidarity that is essential to combat an intimidating diagnosis.  Everyone had the opportunity to take a shot at moving “targets” for charity.  FUBAR definitely created some memorable moments for a lot of people.  For one day, patients and their loved ones didn’t have to worry about their medical battles and feel like they could go on the attack.

As the day progressed, the clouds disappeared and the rain finally stopped.  The day was very sympbolic of the attitude a newly diagnosed patient and his/her loved ones must possess in order to effectively battle an intimidating diagnosis.  Things look stormy at first, but with correct knowledge, the right attitude, and patience… things can get better.  We are looking forward to the next paintball event.  Stay tuned, mAss Kickers has a few more events planned!

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What a great week! I got back last night from Glacier National Park and I was honestly amazed by the whole experience. The superficial purpose of the week was to teach young survivors how to kayak in white water rapids. What I found was an experience that brought everyone (“campers” and “counselors” alike) together as we prepared for the unpredictable river. It was very symbolic of the struggles one experiences when faced with an intimidating diagnosis. When you look at what is coming up, it looks scary as hell. You got to do it and you need help to get to the other side. The first day, we (the “campers”) were all nervous about turning over in our kayak and being stuck turned upside down under water in the kayak. As the week progressed, our confidence grew with the help of the counselors. Just like our loved ones, they were looking out for us. Their enthusiasm and confidence in us was contagious. For a young adult with an intimidating diagnosis, it is difficult to get that type of response from the medical community because there is still a lack of knowledge on how to treat these diseases with young adult issues.

Unlike a brain tumor or cancer diagnosis, many of us would face a challenge for the first time in the company of others similar to us. We faced the same fear of the river, but this time around we had so many “experts” in our corner. I was amazed by many of the stories I heard… breast cancer, sarcoma, colon cancer, etc… all very different diagnoses, but we all had similar experiences in the fight for our lives. Fighting our fear of the rapids was just another battle we would face but this time we had so many people to lean on. It was very easy to build bonds with everyone because it really was “Us vs the River”. The campers were initially intimidated and the counselors were very enthusiastic about helping us overcome our fears and enjoy the river. By Day 6, we all felt confident in each other, our counselors, but most importantly ourselves. It actually reminded me of a quote I once heard.

The strength of the pack is in the wolf. The strength of the wolf is in the pack.

I look forward to staying in contact with my new friends and taking on any new challenges with them in my corner.

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