Bone Marrow Typing and Registry

Here is some information if you want to help LLS patients and maybe save a life...

BONE MARROW TYPING & REGISTRY

Every year, thousands of adults and children need bone marrow transplants — a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients with leukemia or other cancers have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70 percent do not. These patients' lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible tissue type, often within their own ethnic group, who is willing to donate marrow for them.

As of January 2006 the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated over 20,000 unrelated bone marrow transplants and the national Registry has over 6 million volunteer donors. There is a critical need for more volunteer donors. Many patients, especially people of color, cannot find a compatible donor among those on the Registry. Patients and donors must have matching tissue types, and these matches are most often found between people of the same racial and ethnic background. A large, ethnically diverse group of prospective donors will give more patients a chance for survival.

Bone marrow typing is now a simple and painless. It only requires a swab of the cells in your cheek to get the information they need.

Why donate #4

Because I went for a 70 minute bike ride in a pretty hard rain on Sunday to show my commitment. I learned I need some waterproof gloves. I also learned the value of the recommended sunglasses with exchangeable lenses. Riding in the rain with the clear lenses meant I didn't have to squint to see so my face didn't tense up which tenses your shoulders. And as we all know, your shoulders are connected to your (pause) back area and the back area is connected to the ... you get the ideas. Minimizing these types of things is good. Bravo to glasses with different lenses!

Then, to show my lack of commitment, I didn't do the promised award blog and here it is 2 days later and it still isn't done and I have thank you email to write and don't even get me started on the hand made thank you cards. I can't draw a person on a bicycle - it looks like an octopus inventing the wheel! "Egads, it's a wheel!" said the octopus. But what good is a wheel in the water? Silly octopus, should have invented the nuclear submarine.

Try drawing a person on a bicycle, it's not easy.

Donor sadness - reality

I just found out one of my generous donors has cancer. I believe it was in his kidney, which was removed, but has now spread to the other kidney. As you may know, as cancer spreads it can spread quickly. Although this is cancer, it is not one of the cancers LLS addresses. Regardless, he donated, he supported me, and as much as I can I support him. I would have supported him regardless as much as I can. Sometimes there really isn't much anyone can do in these situations or this life except hope for the best and be available when people need you.

I don't know many details or what his prognosis is, but I wish him the very best. I wish all my donors and all my family and friends and everyone the best, but him especially now. This is why we should all remember there are things that may not be affecting us right now but might, and work to make the world a better place while we have the strength and the resources to do so.

Commercial - Dylan's Donors Award Blog 2008

That's right sports fans, get ready for the 2008 Dylan's Donors Award Blog sponsored by Rivas Generation Donation Coordination and Thank You Committee (TM). The time will likely be some time Sunday although that could change due to a lack of creativity, an ambitious Saturday, or because I am doing a drunken ramble around San Francisco.

The 2008 awards show offers fun prizes, humor, intelligence, insight, and, if you donate by Saturday, December 13, you might (will) win an award!

Everyone is a winner when you play with me!
Go team.

Why donate #3

Because as I train for the Lavaman triathlon I think of things like, "You just have to lavaman who does triathlons." And it's flexible, watch:

"You just have to lavaman who exercises."
or
"You just have to lavaman who cooks."
or
"You just have to lavaman who updates this blog so often."
Etc.

OK, I admit it's not really that flexible or I'm not really that creative. Good thing the internet isn't a person or it would think I'm a dork and steal my lunch money.

Training in San Francisco

Last weekend I did 2 runs and 2 bike rides through beautiful San Francisco and I thought it would be nice to share what I see with you as I train. I remembered my camera for today's bike ride and below are the results. Unfortunately, it was a little foggy this morning so I might have to post updates later. With this blog, I am trying to give you both what I see with my eyes and my mind. Don't get to close.



This is the swimming area near Fisherman's Wharf and where I will be training for open water swimming. There is a bleacher area if anyone wants to come out and cheer us on! I bike and run past here sometimes when I go from work or need a flat area.



This is farther along the same route near Chrissy Field. Chrissy Field is a long flat area to run or bike around and has great views of the Golden Gate, which is in the picture. I used Photo Shop to bring out the bridge below.









Here is what the picture above looks like without the fog magically lightened. Good thing I was in

Photography in high school for a year otherwise I might not know how to do fancy photo editing like this. It's an older version of Photo Shop I was using so it might still be a little rough... don't laugh, all supporters will receive hand drawn pictures of triathletes and it's not going to be any better than this!

Thank you part 1: Reality hits me

For the past few years, I have set aside a portion of my monthly salary to apply to causes I believe in. A magazine my sister introduced me to call Need has identified a number of causes I believe in and allowed me to find what I consider to be good organizations doing good, important work throughout the world. If I decide not to be actively involved in this area for work , I believe I should support it financially. Ideally, I would like to get to the point where I do both, and I believe at some point fairly soon I will.

On Saturday, we had an injury prevention/swimming/running clinic followed by a potluck for our honorees. Each team in Team In Training has around 7 honorees. Some of our honorees are survivors (including a triathlon team member - Go Team!), others are currently struggling with the various diseases (including two children under 8), and one is the father of one of our coaches who has, sadly, passed away. They showed a video of him from 5 different stages as his cancer progressed and if you haven't seen someone receiving chemotherapy in the last stages of cancer, believe me it's terrible. But that's why I'm doing this event.

Or rather, it's part of the reason I'm doing the event. I figured this was a good cause because, let's be honest, everyone knows cancer is bad. I also wanted to get in shape, meet some good people, and learn how to train my body. So far so good. What I had not anticipated was how disconnected I had actually become from the causes I was sponsoring, I was simply sending a check and moving on. This is fine and, let's be honest, necessary, especially with the economy doing what it's doing right now. However, it does not provide the emotional connection that hearing people tell their stories does. Besides watching the video, we heard from two survivors, one of whom is actually training with us. She was in the hospital for 2+ months, 2 years in and out of the hospital with side effects and complications, and is training for a triathlon. It has been 7 years since she left the hospital and she looks great. I knew all this, had read it before I joined the team, heard it from a friend who's sister went through this, but it wasn't real. Now, at least for a little while, it is.

I remember being in a remote area of Honduras and seeing first had what slash and burn/illegal foresting does to an area, how it destroys beauty. I have been donating periodically to an environmental group, but I rarely do so while thinking of those black dead hill sides in Honduras. I realize I need to constantly remind myself to remember. Maybe sometimes we all do.

I understand this is a long winded and winding way to get to where I'm going and I hope to send a more appropriately focused email thank you shortly, but I wanted to thank each and everyone of you who supported me for giving me this opportunity, for helping me learn and remember and realize. I wanted to thank everyone who cannot support me now for reading this blog. I want to thank everyone for being good people and doing what you can to make the world a better place. Ultimately though, I want and need to thank everyone for supporting me in this project, past projects, and maybe, hopefully, future projects (I'll be in touch...).

Go Team!
Dylan

PS: Go Team! is the Team In Training motto, how we end trainings and say to each as we pass during our runs or rides. It's motivating and team building. I might not always work well with other children, but I do appreciate you all for being my team. Thanks.

What are Leukemia, Hodgkin, and other related cancers?

Leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. They are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins. The diseases result from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of malignant cells interferes with the body's production of healthy blood cells.

The previous information is from the Society and there is more info at:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=12486

What is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a general term for a group of cancers that originate in the lymphatic system. The lymphomas are divided into two major categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and all other lymphomas, called non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The prefix "lymph-" indicates their origin in the malignant change of a lymphocyte and the suffix "-oma" is derived from the Greek suffix denoting "tumor." About 53 percent of the blood cancers that occur each year are lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma was named for Thomas Hodgkin, an English physician who described several cases of the disease in 1832. Hodgkin lymphoma will represent about 11.1 percent of all lymphomas diagnosed in 2008.

About 74,340 Americans will be diagnosed with lymphoma in 2008. This figure includes approximately 8,220 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma (4,400 males and 3,820 females), and 66,120 new cases of NHL (35,450 males and 30,670 females).
Lymphoma results when a lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) undergoes a malignant change and begins to multiply, eventually crowding out healthy cells and creating tumors that enlarge the lymph nodes or other parts of the immune system.
Lymphoma generally starts in lymph nodes or collections of lymphatic tissue in organs like the stomach or intestines. It may involve the marrow and the blood in some cases. Lymphoma may spread from one site to other parts of the body. Lymphocytic leukemias originate and are most prominent in the marrow and spill over into the blood. They occasionally spread to involve the lymph nodes.

Lymphoma Causes and Risk Factors
The annual incidence of NHL has nearly doubled over the last 55 years. The reasons for this increase are not certain and there are probably multiple causes. The increase began before the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) within the population. Since the mid-1980s, the incidence of NHL in individuals infected with HIV has contributed modestly to the increase in lymphoma incidence. For those infected with HIV, the incidence of NHL is about 50 to 100 times the incidence rate expected in uninfected individuals.

Known risk factors explain only a small proportion of lymphoma cases. In specific geographic regions, infection with the Epstein-Barr virus is strongly associated with African Burkitt lymphoma in Africa. Epstein-Barr virus infection may play a role in the increased risk of NHL in persons with immune suppression as a result of organ transplantation and its therapy. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori causes stomach ulcers and is associated with the development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.

Human T-cell lymphocytotropic virus (HTLV) is associated with a type of T-cell lymphoma in certain geographic regions in Southern Japan, the Caribbean, South America and Africa. About a dozen inherited syndromes can predispose individuals to later development of lymphoma. These inherited disorders are rare, but the concept of predisposition genes is under study to determine if they play a role in the sporadic occurrence of NHL in otherwise healthy individuals.
There is an apparent increase in NHL incidence in farming communities. Studies point to specific ingredients -- such as organochlorine, organophosphate and phenoxyacid compounds -- in herbicides and pesticides as being associated with lymphoma. However, the number of NHL cases caused by such exposures has not been defined.

Most cases of Hodgkin lymphoma occur in people who do not have any identifiable risk factors and most people with presumptive risk factors do not get the disease. The causes of Hodgkin lymphoma are uncertain. To illustrate: Many studies of environmental, especially occupational, linkages have been conducted with unclear results. Epstein-Barr virus has been associated with nearly half of cases. However, this virus has not been conclusively established as a cause of Hodgkin lymphoma. People infected with HTLV and HIV also have an increased probability of developing Hodgkin lymphoma. There are occasional cases of familial clustering, as with many cancers. There is an increased incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma in siblings of patients with the disease.

Lymphoma Incidence
In the United States, NHL is the fifth most common cancer among males and females. The age-adjusted incidence of NHL rose by nearly 79 percent from 1975-2005.
Age-specific incidence rates of NHL are 2.9/100,000 at ages 20-24 for males and 1.9/100,000 for females. By ages 60-64, they are 53.9/100,000 for males and 39.2/100,000 for females.
The incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma among people under 20 years of age was 0.9 per 100,000 people in 2005.

For information on the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma and NHL, read online or order the publication, Lymphoma: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers. For more detailed information see the booklets, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma .

The previous information is from the Society and there is more info at:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=7030

What this triathlon is teaching me

I'm a bad swimmer right now. I know that for a number of reasons, one of which is that I take in a lot of water when I (try to) breathe while swimming. However, this has given me the opportunity to learn that chlorine makes me gassy. Or something else in the pool water makes me gassy, and I really hope it isn't something yellow.

Interview

Below are highlights from an interview conducted with your local triathlete. The questions are pretty hard hitting but I did my best. This is part of an ongoing series:

Interviewer: Why did you choose a triathlon?
Me: I thought a triathlon would best allow me to utilize the multitude of my athletic abilities to achieve a higher plane as an athlete and as a person.
Interviewer: Very interesting. Why this triathlon?
Me: It's in Hawaii.
Interviewer: They do triathlons in San Francisco. You live in San Francisco. Why not do one of those?
Me: Those aren't in Hawaii, they are in San Franciso.
Interviewer: But you like San Francisco?
Me: Yes, but I'm afraid a sea lion will eat me during a triathlon in San Francisco. I am not worried about that in Hawaii.
Interviewer: But they have sharks in Hawaii.
Me: True, but sharks aren't attracted to me like sea lions. When I go to Pier 39 where the sea lions live, they jump off their rafts, swim to the dock, climb up the steps, and surround me like I'm a Jonas brother at a tween convention. They make barking sea lion noises and smell bad too and it's a stink you can't easily wash off, it just hangs around. Sort of like teen agers. Just barking and stinking and barking and surrounding me and barking some more, all the while the stinking. It's horrible. (a pause, almost slightly awkward) Have you ever been to a tween convention?
Interviewer: I'll ask the questions here thank you.
Me: You're welcome.
Interviewer: Have you ever considered doing a marathon?
Me: Yes.
Interviewer: They do marathons in San Francisco. You live in San Francisco. Why not do one of those.
Me: Too hilly. And you can't sit on the beach afterwards and drink beer out of coconuts. Or maybe I could, but it wouldn't be the same.
Interviewer (giggling a little): No, Hawaii and San Francisco are not the same. Where did you consider doing a marathon?
Me: Rome. Team In Training does a marathon in Rome and I almost did that. Picture it: Roma, 2009. Eating fresh pasta to carbo load before the event and wine after to relax. It starts and ends at the coliseum, running along the historic sites of Rome, and you actually pass through a second country - Vatican City. I hear you get to run through the Pope's secret hallway where the pope would escape the chattering class if the people of Vatican City ever revolted. And to keep the spirit of Old Rome alive, they have lions on the course the last 5 miles to motivate you, just like Gladiator. The last 5 miles of a marathon are called the death miles because your body is so tired. Or at least they are called that in Rome because you might get eaten by a lion.
Interviewer (almost offended): That's not true.
Me: Some of it is.
Interviewer: Not much of it.
Me: Maybe.
Interviewer: Why didn't you do the marathon instead of the triathlon?
Me: I would have had to raise even more money. If you think I'm annoying now, picture me with another $2,000 on that damned thermometer...

To be continued...

Commercial break - Beljum Budder

I can't speak for this product as highly as I can for Tiger Balm (when are they going to officially sponsor me? How shameless do I have to become? How much pride must I toss aside?) because I haven't used it, but it sounds great. This is the only product you will ever need for all natural, vegan approved chafing protection: http://www.beljumbudder.com/. And it's paraben free!

This product is a sponsor of Team In Training so I do imagine it's quite good. What really caught my eye was the description on the Community Friends of Team in Training webpage:

"Beljum Budder is a paraben-free professional quality chamois and skin lubricant that provides maximum protection from chafing and other friction related problems for endurance cyclist and runners. Our surprisingly light, yet highly effective formula contains a unique blend of botanicals, essential vitamins and other ingredients which have been specifically designed to address the lubrication needs of the long distance athlete while eliminating some of the harsh chemicals found in other balms. Beljum Budder contains no parabens, lanolin or petroleum. It's s fragrance-free and non-greasy. Beljum Budder contains absolutely no animal ingredients, by-products or derivatives and is considered vegan. The natural choice for chafing protection."

Rock on Beljum Budder. I was 9 words into the description when I read chamois and thought, oh, they make scarves. I don't know if a scarf is a chamois really, but it is in my head. It wasn't until word 11 that I realized what this was for. And I just bought Glide last weekend to stop chafing. Should have done my homework. And Beljum Budder is fragrance free, not like glide which makes you smell like a stinky sweaty triathlete!

Why donate #2

Why donate #2: I am a fountain of information, but like any fountain I can only be sustained by the continual rain of your donations. ugh. I can't believe I'm even posting that.

What is Leukemia?

Leukemia is a malignant disease (cancer) of the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by the uncontrolled accumulation of blood cells. Leukemia is divided into four categories: myelogenous or lymphocytic, each of which can be acute or chronic. The terms myelogenous or lymphocytic denote the cell type involved. The are four major types of leukemia.

1. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
2. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
3. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
4. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

The terms lymphocytic or lymphoblastic indicate that the cancerous change takes place in a type of marrow cell that forms lymphocytes. The terms myelogenous or myeloid indicate that the cell change takes place in a type of marrow cell that normally goes on to form red cells, some types of white cells, and platelets.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia are each composed of blast cells, known as lymphoblasts or myeloblasts. Acute leukemias progress rapidly without treatment.

Chronic leukemias have few or no blast cells. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myelogenous leukemia usually progress slowly compared to acute leukemias.

The previous information is from the Society and there is more info at:

http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=7026

Tiger balm and training follow up

One of the reasons I decided to pursue a team for my first triathlon was to ensure I trained in a healthy way and developed good habits. Although I played sports in high school, I never trained for an endurance event. Even in middle school when I ran the two mile in track, my daily workout consisted of me running exactly two miles and going home. Looking back, not much of a wonder why I always finished last. Plus I was fat.

Anyway, after a hard first 3 weeks of training I feel good. Although my body is generally tight, it's not generally sore. I stretch every morning and every evening, and before and after workouts. I can almost touch my ear to my pinky toe!

I am also usually hungry. This is, according to my coaches, expected as I convert lazy fat to lean hungry muscles. It happens constantly, even as I type this. That's why I am hungry again after eating about one hour ago. This week is a light week, still 5-6 days of training but shorter times, letting our bodies adjust and rest after the first three weeks. And a good time to catch up on our drinking...

The best news is I haven't needed Tiger Balm in over 10 days. That's good. My body is adjusting to the routine. Yesterday was our day off but I really wanted to run. I crave it in a way. To avoid injury, our coaches really stress using our days off to actually rest. So I did. I feel good and I'm running later with a friend. It's a beautiful 60 degree and we will run along the bay, throw rice-a-roni at the tourists, and play with the sea lions (they like to be tickled behind the ears- what mammal doesn't?). Should be fun.