2019 Dancing Daddy Cancer Champion: Jon Heisel
I was diagnosed in July 2018 with tonsil (throat) cancer, after I noticed a lymph node in my neck had swollen to the size of a golf ball and my sleeping habits had changed drastically. It's amazing how fast my life changed since a year ago, as I was at DFAC last year doing the live auction on stage along with doing the "Dancing Dad" routine. I was at nationals in Palm Springs in July with the EDD group and then found out a couple weeks after nationals that I had cancer.
Kim (my wife of 27 years) and I sat in the doctors office and listened as he explained the long road ahead, 7 weeks of radiation 5 days a week along with chemo treatments. I had no idea what was in store for me! Dozens of doctor appointments in Seattle that Kim and I went to before treatments started. Sometimes doing 3 in a day just so that we could knock them out, which caused an overload of information in our heads. They sent us home with books, pamphlets and all kinds of information after each appointment. I had to get a mask made for my face/head, my new "buddy" for the 7 week radiation ride. The doctors kept telling me that this is one of the hardest treatments to go through as I would eventually not be able to eat because of the radiation treatments to my neck area, and would have to have a feeding tube put in me. I tried to fight this from happening, but in the end, I'm glad I have it in, as I had to use the feeding tube for over 2 months.
Every morning I drove to Seattle for my radiation treatment at Virginia Mason, laid on a bed, had my mask put on and then they rolled me in for my radiation. Your mind starts playing games with you since the mask is locked down so that your head doesn't move. It is a lonely place, you start thinking about things, as it starts out all quiet in the room before the radiation machine starts up. Then I would concentrate on my breathing and try to "chill out" by listening to the music they had playing. I decided at the beginning of treatments I would make daily goals. Every morning I would say to the staff, "1 down 34 more to go", and then 7 weeks later it was "34 down 1 more to go". I joked with the hospital staff (I know, me joke around?) every morning, to try to make light of what I was going through. Kim came down to Seattle with me to sit in the room every time I had chemo treatments. Those treatments last all day, sitting in a room, getting fluids put through my body. Towards the end of my radiation treatments my in-laws (Tom and Linda) drove me down to Seattle, since I wasn't able to drive with the pain medications they had me on.
The doctors told me it would be months to recover from the treatments, but again I had no idea what was in store for me! Taste buds shot, no saliva, dry mouth, sore throat/mouth, weight loss (started at 210, down to 150) but if others could do it, SO CAN I. I kept thinking of others who are going through, or who have gone through, other types of cancer treatments. If they can do it, SO CAN I. I kept telling myself and others that I am a warrior, I am a fighter, I WILL KICK CANCERS ASS!
I went in for my PT Scan (full body scan) 3 months later, I found out mid January 2019 that my treatments went GREAT and I am now CANCER FREE!
Tonsil, throat and tongue (as well as others) cancer is common in men over 50 years old and it is due to us not having the HPV vaccination when we were kids. The HPV vaccination is also to prevent cervical cancer in women, along with a few other cancers. If you feel a lump, notice a lymph node swollen, the faster you get in and have it checked out, the better the chances are that you can be cured!
I would like to thank all of the doctors and staff at Virginia Mason who were 1st class and made me feel like family every day I went there. I would like to thank family and numerous friends who were there for me a the beginning and MANY times while I was doing my treatments and after when I was recovering at home.
AND last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my loving wife, Kim, who was there for me at all times. I don't know what I would have done without her there, I LOVE YOU!
Cancer does not discriminate. I doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, what ethnic you are, where you live, what your do. Think about it, life is short, respect others and treat them how you would like to be treated. Because when you find out you have cancer, it puts a lot of things in perspective. Enjoy life every day! I KICKED CANCERS ASS! If you get it, so can YOU!
I was diagnosed in July 2018 with tonsil (throat) cancer, after I noticed a lymph node in my neck had swollen to the size of a golf ball and my sleeping habits had changed drastically. It's amazing how fast my life changed since a year ago, as I was at DFAC last year doing the live auction on stage along with doing the "Dancing Dad" routine. I was at nationals in Palm Springs in July with the EDD group and then found out a couple weeks after nationals that I had cancer.
Kim (my wife of 27 years) and I sat in the doctors office and listened as he explained the long road ahead, 7 weeks of radiation 5 days a week along with chemo treatments. I had no idea what was in store for me! Dozens of doctor appointments in Seattle that Kim and I went to before treatments started. Sometimes doing 3 in a day just so that we could knock them out, which caused an overload of information in our heads. They sent us home with books, pamphlets and all kinds of information after each appointment. I had to get a mask made for my face/head, my new "buddy" for the 7 week radiation ride. The doctors kept telling me that this is one of the hardest treatments to go through as I would eventually not be able to eat because of the radiation treatments to my neck area, and would have to have a feeding tube put in me. I tried to fight this from happening, but in the end, I'm glad I have it in, as I had to use the feeding tube for over 2 months.
Every morning I drove to Seattle for my radiation treatment at Virginia Mason, laid on a bed, had my mask put on and then they rolled me in for my radiation. Your mind starts playing games with you since the mask is locked down so that your head doesn't move. It is a lonely place, you start thinking about things, as it starts out all quiet in the room before the radiation machine starts up. Then I would concentrate on my breathing and try to "chill out" by listening to the music they had playing. I decided at the beginning of treatments I would make daily goals. Every morning I would say to the staff, "1 down 34 more to go", and then 7 weeks later it was "34 down 1 more to go". I joked with the hospital staff (I know, me joke around?) every morning, to try to make light of what I was going through. Kim came down to Seattle with me to sit in the room every time I had chemo treatments. Those treatments last all day, sitting in a room, getting fluids put through my body. Towards the end of my radiation treatments my in-laws (Tom and Linda) drove me down to Seattle, since I wasn't able to drive with the pain medications they had me on.
The doctors told me it would be months to recover from the treatments, but again I had no idea what was in store for me! Taste buds shot, no saliva, dry mouth, sore throat/mouth, weight loss (started at 210, down to 150) but if others could do it, SO CAN I. I kept thinking of others who are going through, or who have gone through, other types of cancer treatments. If they can do it, SO CAN I. I kept telling myself and others that I am a warrior, I am a fighter, I WILL KICK CANCERS ASS!
I went in for my PT Scan (full body scan) 3 months later, I found out mid January 2019 that my treatments went GREAT and I am now CANCER FREE!
Tonsil, throat and tongue (as well as others) cancer is common in men over 50 years old and it is due to us not having the HPV vaccination when we were kids. The HPV vaccination is also to prevent cervical cancer in women, along with a few other cancers. If you feel a lump, notice a lymph node swollen, the faster you get in and have it checked out, the better the chances are that you can be cured!
I would like to thank all of the doctors and staff at Virginia Mason who were 1st class and made me feel like family every day I went there. I would like to thank family and numerous friends who were there for me a the beginning and MANY times while I was doing my treatments and after when I was recovering at home.
AND last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my loving wife, Kim, who was there for me at all times. I don't know what I would have done without her there, I LOVE YOU!
Cancer does not discriminate. I doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, what ethnic you are, where you live, what your do. Think about it, life is short, respect others and treat them how you would like to be treated. Because when you find out you have cancer, it puts a lot of things in perspective. Enjoy life every day! I KICKED CANCERS ASS! If you get it, so can YOU!
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2018 Dancing Daddy Cancer Champion: Michael C. Madsen 1942-2017
LONG time EDD Dad and one of the founding "dancers" of Dancing Daddies, Michael Madsen is a cancer champion. Mike lost a short furious battle with cancer July 2017.
Mike & Tricia at Dance for a Cure 2017!
LONG time EDD Dad and one of the founding "dancers" of Dancing Daddies, Michael Madsen is a cancer champion. Mike lost a short furious battle with cancer July 2017.
Mike & Tricia at Dance for a Cure 2017!
