Vince's Journey

I've been somewhat lax in keeping everyone up to date on the ongoing saga that is...Vince vs Lymphoma. In August, after 6 rounds of treatments, I was informed that I was 'as close to being in remission as I could hope to be.' At that point the plan was to go 3 months, have scans repeated and then return to Dr. Leming's office to get the results and a maintenance blast of Rituxin. Last week I had the scans and yesterday I returned for the results. I'm happy to report that everything looks great and the lymph node that had caused the initial concern had actually gotten even smaller since August. While the CT scan report always uses the word 'unremarkable', Dr. Leming says the scans are boring...and that's obviously a good thing. I actually didn't get to see Dr. Leming yesterday but Nurse Laura greeted me with a smile and the words ' I've got great news!' so there was no opportunity for me to feel the 'scanxiety' of sitting in the exam room waiting for the doc to come in and tell me everything is fine. So I'm good for another 3 months, I'll get scanned again in February and have a second maintenance blast and hopefully things will remain in check. I would expect for this routine to last for a year and then we'll see how far I can go without any treatments. As always, thanks for all your thoughts, concerns and prayers. We're over 8 years into this fight and the score now stands at Vince 3, Lymphoma 0. Let's hope that should a 4th round occur, we'll have a new drug or treatment that can help knock this stuff out once and for all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today I attended a beautiful event sponsored by LifeCenter. LifeCenter is a local organization which supports organ and tissue donations. As many of you may recall, our niece Morgan passed away almost 2 years ago and she was registered as an organ and tissue donor. By simply saying, 'Yes' when she was asked if she wanted to be an organ and tissue donor when she received her first drivers license, Morgan helped save 7 lives. Obviously her loss was devastating to our family but her unselfish act provided 7 other families with the gift of life and hope. This morning, Morgan's father, Jerry, was one of the speakers at the event. Shortly after Morgan's passing, Jerry became a board member at LifeCenter and he has become quite an ambassador for the cause of organ and tissue donations. Jerry did a wonderful job of telling Morgan's story and he and his family is making a difference in the lives of many people who are desperately in need of an organ donation. This morning there was a 23 year old woman who has been awaiting a double lung transplant for the past two years. I was very surprised to learn that there are very few organ donors in the Cincinnati area. Jerry actually said there were none but perhaps I heard that incorrectly. At any event, it is such an easy thing to do - just say 'Yes'! Morgan did and there are 7 families who saw their loved ones receive a second life; what an amazing gift, what a wonderful cause. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last week, Julie had an event to try and put together a committee for her upcoming campaign to be the 2014 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Woman of the Year. This is an event I participated in over 10 years ago and it seems like every year since, we've been able to get a family member or friend to carry the torch for us. this year it's Julie's turn. This is somewhat out of her comfort zone - she's always ready to be a 'worker bee' but when i told her this was something she could do, she realized I was right and agreed to take on the challenge. I'm very proud of her for doing this and she has lofty goals which she'd love to reach. She really can't start collecting money until the campaign kicks off in March but she can line up committee members and potential sponsors so if you have any interest in helping Jules become the woman of the year, just let us know. I think we all know someone who has been effected by a blood cancer (after all, you all know me!) and we are close to so many breakthroughs with potential treatments and cures. Let's not wait around to cure blood cancers Someday, lets cure them Today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Over the past couple weeks, I've attended numerous events for a variety of causes. They're all important and the events have been tremendously inspiring. At the heart of every event is a true sense of how a group of dedicated people can make a huge difference. I feel very fortunate to play a small role in helping the LLS achieve their mission and I know Jerry feels the same way about LifeCenter. It's a way to make a difference, to have an impact, to pay it forward to an organization that has done so much for me. We all should have a cause that moves us to action. Mine selected me - and while I certainly wish I didn't have to deal with everything that comes along with living with a blood cancer, it sure beats the alternative; I AM living. As I said to myself on October 4, 2005 - just minutes after being told I had lymphoma, I had to 'get busy living, or get busy dying.' Eight years later I'm tremendously busy living....Thanks for checking in....Enjoy Life!!!!

After 19 years of coaching football I've decided it's time to call it a career. Yesterday was my last 'official' act as a head coach as we held our post season party for the 6th grade team I coached this season. We had a small team, only 14 players signed up, so it was quite a challenge to get through the season and put a team on the field every weekend. I give the boys a lot of credit; there were several occasions where we only had 11 players available but they stuck with it and finished the season on the field. Our record may not have been the best but as I told them at the end of the year, they showed a lot of character showing up at practice every day and working to get better. I made the decision to call it a 'career' earlier this season. I realized I'm no longer able to devote the time I feel is needed to coach the boys. With my job and other interests, I found myself missing more and more practices and honestly feeling like I was only giving 50%. It's hard to ask the boys to give 100% when you can't do it yourself! In addition, our trip to Scotland made me realize that I need to spend more of my free time with my family, especially Julie. I gave the St. Susanna football program almost 20 years, now it's time (actually past time!) to do more with Julie and the kids. Coaching has been a wonderful experience. I always looked forward to the new season, spending the time on the football field practicing with the coaches and the boys - getting ready for the games. I enjoyed the strategy of a game and watching the hard work pay off with triumphs on the field. But most of all I enjoyed the relationships; with the boys, the coaches and the parents. I've tried to be a role model for the kids and they've paid me back by being supportive of me during some of my more difficult times. One of my favorite St. Susanna football mementos is the 'Relentless' picture my 5th grade team gave me back in 2005 shortly after I was diagnosed with lymphoma - it still hangs in my basement, I can't tell you how much those kids and their parents helped me through a very scary and difficult time. And it's happened twice more since then, in 2010 and just recently this past summer. Every time I've needed support, the football families at St. Susanna have been there. I remember some of the games more than others. I remember far more the stories about the kids, the moments where I knew some of my long and drawn out lectures at the end of practice or a game had sunk in to a least one of the kids. That was really my goal all along - to get a life lesson across to at least one boy every time I'd go off on one of my tangents. And I also remember the underdogs, the kids that may not have had the most ability but were out there trying - I always looked for the little victories in them. And when those victories occurred, I couldn't help but feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction. In 2010 I had a young man who was new to town. He was a little behind the rest of the team in ability but he came to practice and tried hard. All he needed was a little confidence. One day we were doing a tackling drill and as it turned out, this young man was teamed up against one of our better players - I almost switched them out but then the stronger boy came over and whispered, "Hey coach, do you mind if I let him tackle me so he can feel good about himself?" I said that was a great idea...well this kid tackled the other boy and the whole practice erupted, everyone was giving him high fives and hugging him. He felt like he was finally contributing, he felt like he was a part of the team. And the coolest thing about it was this - as happy as that kid was it didn't match the happiness his team mate felt by allowing this boy to have a victory in practice. This was a kid who got what it was all about. In the second to last game of the season, the same boy finally made a tackle in a game and our entire sideline erupted - players, coaches, parents and families - it was a moment I'll never forget. One of the proudest moments I've had in my years as a coach. I'd like to thank all the coaches who supported me through the years - you've all become great friends. I know we won more games than we lost, we usually made the playoffs and actually played for a few championships. Last season we won the Division 2 championship - the only championship in my career. I'd like to thank all the parents for getting the boys to practice and the games, reading my countless e-mails and keeping me honest about the things I'd promise to do at the beginning of the season. But mostly I want to thank the boys, they were why I was out there. I wanted to teach them the game but I also wanted them to know there were more important things in the world like always giving your best, helping others in need and loving their family (Especially their moms!!) I've always said, coaching doesn't provide instant gratification, it can take many years. Some of the first kids I ever coached are now 25 and 26 years old. some are married - some have kids of their own. And more often than not, when I see them today we always reminisce about our days on the football field and every once and awhile, one of them will say, "You know, I never really understood why you took all that time to talk to us about family and helping others but I get it now - thanks!" That's the payoff, that's what it's all about. That's why I spent the last 19 years coaching the fine young men of St. Susanna. Next season I know I'm going to miss it but I also know its time for a younger guy with far more energy to step in and take my place. So thanks for the memories, the friendships and the many smiles - the only thing left to say is....GO TITANS!!!!