Saturday, October 26, 2013

October 27, 2013

Alright so because it's such a sick story I've got to dedicate nearly an entire blog to it: Keeneland was awesome, and I can still destroy a suit.



As I mentioned in the last blog, if you timed it right you caught me on TVG thanks to Gino Buccola, a lymphoma survivor and now on-air personality for the horse racing-centric television channel. Great dude, owe him for hooking me up with that spot. So as it goes, he tipped me off the night before that I'd give my pick for Keeneland's 8th race and if I gave him the info on my pick early enough, maybe they'd be able to throw together a graphic. Of course I made that happen.
I did my due diligence, and my pick for the 8th race was this quality filly Hot Tempo. Caleb, who interviewed me, asked me who I liked, to which I responded Hot Tempo while this graphic was supposedly shown, and what other horses I liked in the race, to which I responded the 2, 6, and 8 - to use in exactas (one of those horses finishing second to my top pick, the 7 - Hot Tempo). Was there ever any doubt this was going to happen? And boom goes the dynamite.

And so goes the story of Nicky Mo straight up handing money out to those who would be kind enough to lend an ear to him on TVG on a quiet Thursday afternoon. As I told Bigfoot: veni, vidi, vici, Keeneland. The legend grows.

On a more lame note, for those who are still interested, I started radiation on Friday. I'll get zapped up again Monday and Wednesday. In other news, so far, so good. You're only as sick as you mentally allow yourself to be. Who wants to run a marathon with me tomorrow?

Later everyone.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

October 23, 2013

So nowadays it looks like we might have to start playing the "Where in the World is Nicky Mo" game...mwahaha.

Much to update the world on, some new activities to detail; let's dive right in.

First, it appears I've been given the tremendous honor of having my number 37 retired at Kennedy Catholic High School. Although I informally retired said number when I quite literally stole the jerseys from the backseat of Coach Fletcher's car, the official nature of this is far more comforting. Of course I feel tons of pride in this and am quite excited to see a good number of my former teammates at the retirement ceremony.

Next, I was unbelievably fortunate enough to play a round of golf at Shinnecock Hills last week. I can't even describe how awesome it was, but I'll try. Luckily (or unluckily to some), we caught a true Long Island day: windy and overcast. Once that ball gets up in the air...good luck. However, like I said, I feel luckily to have experienced it in such a fashion - feels like my own US Open of sorts. The club itself is simple, refined, and focused on golf. It's not a country club, isn't flashy, and is clearly steeped in history. One could definitely see why it's one of the toughest places to play in the world, why it's so impossible to gain membership, and why the members love their club - it's everything a golfophile could ever desire.

After a great weekend catching up with high school buddies and college friends, I played a quick round over at Pound Ridge Golf Club, where I think I may no longer be welcomed. When an employee asked me, "Tough course, huh?" I responded, "Nah." I then explained to him that I just played Shinnecock so comparatively speaking it wasn't nearly as difficult - hope I didn't offend him and his course because it was nice and I'd definitely go back.

Now where is Nicky Mo? Well he's in Kentucky, at historic Keeneland Race Course. About time, you say, the horse racing kid makes it to the horse capital of the world. Feels right. I'll toss up some pictures of all these travels in my next blog, hopefully with pockets overflowing of cash from my winnings here. Also, I might just be on TVG tomorrow during the second half of Keeneland's card (somewhere after 2:30-3 I'd guess, if it occurs). If you're around and bored, see if your TV provider carries the channel, flip it on, and say a prayer that I don't sound like an idiot on national TV.

I'm ready for my close-up. No really, my hair's like kinda thick and the best looking it's been since I lost it all, so I'm quite ready. Catch ya later everyone.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

October 17, 2013

I think we're just about hitting peak foliage here folks. Northeast in the fall...great stuff. How's life? Fantastic. Just cruising around right now with some time off before radiation treatments begin.

Speaking of, we're going to do a little tinkering with this round of radiation: crank up the dosage and have extreme accuracy in slaying this activity that has arisen in the L4 vertebrae. It's actually pretty interesting - since we already have to be overly careful not to double treat the spot that's already gotten radiation, the accuracy of the treatment is so pinpoint that we might as well just use more radiation and a smaller number of treatments to achieve the same overall desired effect. Great strategy. Saves me oh so valuable time. The goal of this will be, like I said, to halt the progression of whatever is going on in that bone and ultimately try to give me some more pain-free time. Needless to say, I dig that.

Since it's such an intricate process to plan, treatment won't start until the 28th. I can also dig that. Feeling good, with no commitments, I'm getting ready to do some things. Golf is a must, of course...so I'll let you know where I take my hacking skills next. Betting the ponies is a must...so I'll let you know where my degeneracy takes me next. Otherwise, relaxing with friends and family...the simple life.

Hope everyone out there is moving right along. Enjoy the weather while it lasts!

Monday, October 14, 2013

October 14, 2013

Hey everyone, just a quick blog to provide a little update.

Great weekend hangin' with the boys of 30 Mod in New York City along with a select few others. Always a good time - you're only a champion if you surround yourself with champions; a team is only as strong as it's weakest link and the same goes for groups of friends. Couldn't ask for a better group.

Heading down for radiation simulation today, should be a quick hit at Sloany Ketts. I'll provide some more detail when I find out info today.

Keep on keepin' on everyone.

PS - how nice was it not to have to deal with the Giants this weekend???? Okay later.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

October 11, 2013

Salutations out there!

Yesterday was some day (and by yesterday I mean like 20 minutes ago). Old Man Wrinkles and I cruised over to the memorial golf tournament held for Mike Martirano, one of Wrinkles' best friends who passed in 2009 from ALS. It was a beautiful outing remembering an excellent human at a gorgeous course in Connecticut. Naturally I crushed the competition...don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Now some of you might be wondering how we're doing, and the answer is we're doing okay. Hanging in there, can't complain, won't complain - as I've said throughout. We keep on keepin' on. Life's a garden...dig it. Yeah I just quoted Joe Dirt. Fantastic move. Fantastic.

To all those who have reached out, and even those who haven't for whatever reason but have seen the blog and thought of us, thank you so much. It really means a lot, and I wish that wasn't such a standard response but I (yes, me, Nick Modico, Nicky Mo, etc.) am at a loss for words to describe it otherwise. You're all amazing. Please bear with me as I try to respond to all messages!

Got a great weekend lined up: gonna see a whole bunch of my buddies from school along with some family and friends from around here and just enjoy myself and the fact that I don't have to watch the Giants blow it again on Sunday (nice to get that out of the way early, actually). I'll leave you all with a little tune that I always used to like to play as fall really started to set in (so like now). Be good everyone.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

October 8, 2013

Hello world.

Well it was a great weekend. Highly enjoyable time of relief, relaxation, and enjoying time with family and friends. Alas, what a difference there is between "preliminary" and "final". Unfortunately, cancer is back - in one of my vertebrae and in two little spots on my pelvis.

Now I know some of you may think highly of me and say that this is just another hurdle to jump, and I commend that optimism. The first step will be to radiate this spot on the vertebrae that's arisen with activity to stop its spread. There are clinical trials of other protocols to try to subdue the progression of disease, which we'll of course consider. The fact of the matter is this: the disease returned while I was undergoing chemotherapy that is known to quell Ewing's Sarcoma, which is awfully bad news. As my doctor put it, we have to be realistic with our goals for me - the disease was very, very advanced when we finally got it diagnosed, we knew high dose chemo could get me into remission but we didn't know for how long (the hope was that it would be in remission for good). That being said, the true goal is to try to give me good time for as long as possible.

I am unsure how much time that leaves me with, and it'd be unfair to ask the doctor to venture a guess so I didn't ask today. I'll have scans again after radiation; they'll be either when I start experiencing pain elsewhere or 4-6 weeks after radiation concludes, whichever comes first. How far the disease has progressed at that point will give us a better indication as to how much time there is to be had. The unfortunate truth is this: a relapse of Ewing's Sarcoma is 100% fatal, and I am now terminal.

This leaves the status of the blog up in the air. Though I do enjoy producing it, I know that there will be a point coming up where there will be no more to report - I'm not sure if this will be before I'm too weak to write or not. I also don't want this to become "The Blog of the Dying Man" because that just stinks and sounds so depressing. As you all have known from my past blog posts, I'm neither depressing nor stinky. Also, above all other things I want to be remembered as a guy who was always happy. Always. Which unbelievably, after all this news today and suffering for the past nearly 20 months, I still am. We'll see how things go, and if I do choose to conclude the blog I'll procure a final post, not just cut it off...so you'll all know.

Am I realistic about my prognosis? Sure am. Have I stopped fighting? Sure haven't. Do I believe in miracles? Sure do. Let's pray for one.

Take care everybody.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

October 5, 2013

Another off week in the books, except this was no usual off week.

I had mentioned a bit of anxiety about the recent scans, and much to my delight (and maybe some others...) they have preliminarily come back good. Final reports to come in the near future, but due to the heightened sense of concern for these scans, a couple of good nurses and doctors took a sneak peek at the scans themselves and gave me a bit of relief. why the heightened concern? Well, for the first time since diagnosis and the start of treatment, the pain that sent me searching for answers as to what was wrong in the first place was back (not nearly as bad, but eerily reminiscent). Of course I thought the worst and figured disease was back, but luckily so far that is not the case.

What could the pain possibly be? Who knows. I had nerve damage that I just assumed would never recover, so maybe they are recovering and now I can feel my pulverized from chemo/radiation/dead tumor bones? Whatever it is...don't care - as long as it's not disease coming back.

Now as a result of this being a not-so-off week, I've requested next week off as well. Gotta relax a little, get back on the links for a few rounds, and take in the beautiful autumn weather and foliage (aka landscaping at the Compound).

Giants are going 12-0 from this point out. You heard it here first, folks. No I'm not tripping on painkillers. Maybe I'm just tripping, though. Later everyone.