Peameal on a Bun...with Cheddar

Lets skip to the highlight of last weekend. I was in T.O. for the Nationals game on Saturday night. I had a 9:30 AM return flight to Philly on Sunday morning. After a late night at Hemingway's with Bevster, the Merrill brothers and a sleepy Willy, I returned to the hotel and requested a 6:30 AM wake-up call. I was in the lobby by 7:00 AM and grabbed a cab from the Sheraton and headed down to the Kensington Market to collect my prize. I was running a little late and asked the cabby to keep the meter running. Nothing better than a peameal bacon and cheddar on a bun. Lots of options at the market and I hit my personal favourite, the Carousel Bakery. Grabbed a large Sealtest chocolate milk and jumped back in the cab. So good!

Needless to say, the trip to Toronto was a success. I arrived to the stadium on Saturday in time for shoot-around. I jumped in the goal and coach Huntley opened up with 4 rounds of what I like to call the Six Nations warm-up. Twenty players in the semi-circle wiring balls at the goalie. The team showed mercy, but even at 3/4 speed it was great to face shots from guys who are playing at the pro level. My hands felt quick and my footwork wasn't bad. Somehow Snider slipped one by me...still work to be done! I was gassed after praccy. Have I mentioned cardio in my previous posts? Well, I actually started on Tuesday.

I flew down to Duke on Monday morning for a vaccine treatment. I requested to meet with my doctor to re-visit the idea of going off Temodar(chemo) for two months to accommodate my participation in the World Games. The original plan was to take June off to avoid the break in my training when I roll up into the fetal position for 5 days. Then I would have to skip July, as it falls right in the middle of the tournament.

I started to second guess myself about a month ago. Was I being stupid - jeopardizing my life to play in what will be my fourth World Games? There is no way to know why I'm staying ahead of the tumor and maybe the Temodar is reason we are defying the odds...you can understand my dilemma. And the truth is that isn't even a dilemma, because my only goal in this battle is to be here for my girls and lacrosse means nothing compared to that. Sorry to turn this into Brian's Song on you.

Anyway, Dr. Reardon and I had a great conversation and we decided to do a round of chemo this month, but dial it back to a normal dose. My protocol calls for a double dose each month - as I've shown a tolerance for the chemo(all that peameal bacon and chocolate milk!), but a normal does will limit my down time, allow me to recover quicker and calm my anxiety about a break. Its difficult to get a good read on doctors who deal with brain tumors and brain cancer because they are always juggling this "quality of life vs. treatment" question. I understand that most of their patients only have a limited amount of time left, and a trip to Manchester to play lacrosse would be a nice way to scratch something off the bucket list...but thats not my situation. I'm going to be a 1% that beats it. I'm confident the doctors and I are on the same page.

So, with the treatment plan set it is back to real life. I have hit the track the last two days. We finished our last session of Little Laxers last night and set a date for a camp for the same age group in August. I was hoping to see some rubber today, but it just starting raining.

Anyone for a Ceaser?

Where have you gone Miles General?

Finished up a brutal round off chemo last week. So much for the new plan. Felt great through the weekend, but hit the wall on Monday. I was in bed until Thursday - I couldn't shake the feelings of nausea and fatigue.

It was great to see my mom and Dustin, who came down for the first weekend of chemo. We all hit the quarterfinal games at Princeton and enjoyed a little Hoagie Haven.

Fast forward...

The long weekend was great. Summary: The Zullas came to dinner Friday night, Saturday in Philly for a birthday party with the Munsterteigers, Sunday at the pool, followed by a BBQ at Prettybrook and finished up yesterday with a parade in Pennington, more pool time and dinner with Bro's family. Busy, but fun.

Between hot dogs and weenie benders, I squeezed in about 12 lax games on TV. It was amazing how the games with Quint Kessinich doing the color bring on nausea and fatigue...the guy is broadcasting chemo! Since I'm in my "negative place" - does anyone care that a hirsute fella can shoot the ball 111 mph? Enough with the commercials. I saw Miles General clocked at a Jr. A All-Star game shoot the ball 122 mph - with a Logan. Red Bull needs to look him up.

Felt for the 'hoos on Saturday. They played hard and were in it at the end. Obviously there is no way to know what their guys are experiencing, and I was proud of how they battled. It is an honor to have played in that program and for Dom.

Busy week - Avastin treatment today, Little Laxers tonight, gym and shooting all week and a cameo appearance with the Nationals on Saturday night...word up!

Stevie, Dust, CS and Mom

Does Warrior makes this model cup??

Catalina Wine Mixer

No, the picture from the last blog wasn't snapped at the CWM...

Guess who is back? The personal shooter emerged from a 6-week stint on the DL and put me through my paces yesterday. My expectations (for him) were low, so I left the Flip camera at home - but we had a tough workout. Footwork, turns, mid-range snipes...the quads were burning at the end.

Post workout I drove to Philly and have my blood work re-done at CHOP. They needed to see if I could start Chemo last night. My platelets bounced back, I started my 14th round of Temodar last night. I almost vomited from the taste of the capsules, but I choked them down and hit the rack.

The plan is to try and maintain my regular routine and workouts through the chemo days, until the body and/or mind gives out. I hate burning 7 to 10 days a month on this drug, so I'm going to try and take a couple back.


My mom and little brother on are they way down as I type, so if will be a fun weekend for all of us.

Go Hoos!

Vaccine needle to the groin.

Bill Clement, Clement...hands of cement!

Triple Double

Not to be confused with the Tim Horton's double-double. I made my return to our local over-35 men's league last night. With the Wings schedule and treatment I was unable to much this winter, but I caught the final game of the "spring" season. I was a little nervous playing without my wing man, Ryan, who is still on the shelf. It was fun to see the guys again and get in a run at attack. My line a the end of the night - 10g's, 12 turnovers and 24 moving picks - fortunately Tom Sutton wasn't reffing and I got away with all 24 illegal picks.

I'm writing this post at CHOP, waiting for Avastin to be released. My platelet counts were a little low - but the Doc wasn't worried about receiving the dose. What effects platelet levels is a mystery to me and everyone else, but I doubt the 8 Miller Lites after the game last night help!

I have been feeling great since the minor seizure last week. My training has been consistent - lifting and getting shot on. Time to add some cardio! I booked a very difficult 4-miler on Saturday morning down in FLA...definitely work to be done.

Bro and CS in Florida this weekend

Trolley Tracks

I had an awesome trip down to the brain tumor center at Duke on Monday. I dread these trip and the MRI's - when you are assured by every doctor that the cancer is certain to come back, I keep thinking the next MRI is going bring bad news. Bro and I flew down on Sunday night. Lots of anxiety, but I found the right combinations of rums at dinner the night before and 2 early morning Ativan to get into the MRI and magic - the results came back positive. Bro does a great job recounting the visit on her site, bounce over there if you are interested.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/chris_sanderson/journal

And with every bit of good news...

Grapes always warned about it, but I got slammed last night at camp. I should have seen it coming...lifted in in the morning, busy day and then the mad scrambling to get entire Sanderson gang over to Little Beavers Part Deux. Camp was going great the last 10 minutes, when out of the blue I started to have a focal seizure. My right hand went numb and I couldn't speak. Fortunately, Ryan knows the "look". He took over and I walked around trying to look normal.

Brogann took over bed time with the girls and I chilled out for the rest of the evening. The entire episode was brought on by mental fatigue and stress. I can run, lift and get in the goal and not feel a thing. The minute I tax my pumpkin I'm guaranteed a seizure or at the very least I get a little "symptomatic". We are learning to try and prevent these, but it tough when I try to live a normal life.

More importantly Stevie was one of a hand full of girls that learned to cradle on the run last night and Clementine enjoyed an hour on the swings.

Below is the physical exam from Monday at Duke. Keep in mind, this is an hour after I buried two Ativan's to get into the MRI mac-hine!

PECO Power Play

The Kruger brothers drove from Orangeville to Pennington for the Flyer's game last Friday night. Rusty and Warren made the trip without directions or a map. What would normally be a 8 hour drive, turned into 14 hours. Fortunately, Ryan was the one guiding them in at 4:00 AM Friday morning.

We got down there early and tailgated in the 80 degrees weather. The Kruger's are die hard Flyer fans and were treated to an overtime win. After our Wings season it was nice to see a victory at the Wachovia Center!

Warren, Rusty, Chris & our sections waitress

R and Rusty with fans

Hopefully Kelly Amonte Hiller follows this...

After beating down chemo and surviving the party last week, it is back to lacrosse. I have had three great workouts and get back in the cage tomorrow morning.

Last night was the first session of the Little Laxers Lacrosse Camp that Brogann and I are running in Pennington. It was amazing. We had 50 boys and girls between the ages of two and seven on the field for an introduction to the sport. It was the first time that most of the campers had worn a helmet or goggles. The kids were awesome and I'm looking forward to getting back out there next Tuesday.

I really enjoyed working with kids again. Prior to getting sick I was coaching high school in the spring, running a club program and operating a bunch of camps through the summer and fall. With the uncertain nature of my cancer and my physical limitations, coaching was no longer an option. Believe me, I was gassed last night when we finally got our "Little Laxers" to bed, but it was well worth it.

A special thanks to Phil and Tim for helping out last night. Tim McGeeny was an All-American goalie at Loyola back in the 70's and lives down the street. He claims he played goal with a wooden stick...

Clementine, the only two year old lasted about 20 minutes. Stevie made it through the duration. Based on Brogann's initial assessment we can't be certain they will be players...but they looked really cute!

Stevie & Clementine