Curt's Page

12/24/2020

•All I Want For Christmas•

Was a good check up and that’s what I got 🎁

Merry Christmas 🎄

02/26/2020

•2020/50-50•

Hello,

It has been awhile since my last update regarding my health and what I have been up to for some of you. So here we go!

In July I made the move to Sioux Falls, SD with the help of my wonderful Girlfriend Kelly Allen. I’ve always lived with roommates, and I was glad I was able to continue this trend. More responsibilities but it has been worth it : ) The move also brought me closer to family and new experiences down here...Example The Dave Matthews Band playing 3 shows in my new hometown and 20 minute commutes.

August I joined the Sioux Falls Flyers Hockey association as the U-16/JV Head Coach and Varsity Assistant. It was a smooth transition and has been a great experience becoming a part of another organizations family. The transition was even easier when I found out I would be coaching with Brian Prisbe, we competed against each other over the years and now get to work together. The same can be said for the rest of our staff as well Ben, Sam, Connor and Tristan.

September I began volunteering at the Avera Prairie Center welcome desk on Friday mornings. Then came the challenge of finding a job that fit my schedule. I signed on to be a substitute teacher, K-12 and each class has been a learning experience...Kindergarten I found myself sitting on the floor surrounded by beanie babies while the students taught me. Middle School was the biggest challenge while High Schoolers get the process.

I also officiated my first wedding for Steve and Denise Nelson.

October first follow up post Chemo, feeling good hair/beards grown back Let’s Go! But then I received a call from Mayo regarding my scans. There was some tumor growth in my lower spine. Hit that “speed bump” again.

November Hockey season kicks off, set a plan with my Doctors able to spend Thanksgiving at home this year.

December/January
Busy as can be with the holidays, plan is in action and I began 2 cycles of a newer oral chemo. My biggest fear was losing my hair and beard again but it stuck around. Christmas at home which meant a lot to Kelly and I after spending it in Rochester last year.

Early January we Celebrated the life of my Grandpa Thomas Egan. Great guy and glad I was able to spend some more time with him after moving to Sioux Falls.

Hockey is in full swing, got the privilege to coach our Atoms program (5 & 6 yos).

February, here we are...2 cycles down of the chemo pill, fatigue and muscle cramps, I can get thru this.

March appt gets moved up (first thought is uh-oh) scheduler said no need to be worried Doctors schedule opened up...I took her word. I let Kelly know right away on Friday and we made the trip up this past Monday.

My scans are done on 2 different days because of the length of them...Monday pretty casual check in to the hotel, go to Mayo get scans. Kelly and I meet up with a friend for dinner...Tuesday morning, wake up a little more anxious, go do blood work, 2nd MRI then time for lunch before we head back for the consult.

Going into the day I was 50/50. Is this pill working? Yes it is! What if it’s not? Both scenarios running thru my mind but staying positive...Good or Bad I want to have a positive response for the Doctor and Kelly.

In short the pill did its job, tumor has shrunk again and no sign of growth. Minimal side effects, and I will continue to take it for 2 more months and have a check up after that.

If you stuck around for the entirety of this post...Yes I was “Repaired in Rochester”

But I’ve actually been repaired by my communities, my hockey teams past and present, and most importantly my FAMILY & FRIENDS


Thank You,

CE☘️

07/13/2019

•”We Did It”•
Today was the final round of Chemotherapy. I say “We” because there have been so many calls, texts, letters, prayers and any other form of communication that got me through this phase 🔔
I’m very fortunate to have such an unbelievable “Crew” backing me through this day in and day out. Back to Mayo next week for scans, feeling good, feeling strong and ready to start the next chapter.
☘️

03/22/2019

Quick Update, cycle 2 of Chemo complete and I’m feeling great. As you can see the beard lost its battle but what better time for a Mustache! 👨🏻. Three weeks off back to work followed by cycle 3 and a visit to Mayo for MRIs.

Thank You for the continued support, thoughts, prayers, texts, calls and just dropping by to say hello. ☘️

02/18/2019

•Phase 2•
Chalked up a Port this morning. Chemo starts tomorrow. I will have 6 cycles, a cycle being 4 days of Chemo then off for 3 weeks. It’ll be nice being closer to home as I will be at the Avera Prairie Center in Sioux Falls. I think caregiver/gf Kelly Allen is thrilled 😁.
☘️

12/21/2018

•Part 2•
▶️▶️▶️▶️▶️
This week consisted of a bone marrow biopsy and blood work for my upcoming Stem Cell Harvest (hope you guessed it right).
💉
The next 4 days I will be getting an injection to stimulate the stem cells. The goal is to harvest 8 million stem cells which might take up to 4 days. The stem cells have a pretty long shelf life and my doctor told me that they have a big refrigerator/freezer to store them in for several decades.
☘️

12/17/2018

•30/30•
👍🏼👍🏼
I got all the protons.
⚡️
Thank you to everyone for all of the support during this phase of my journey.
🛎
I was able to ring the bell today, different bell then the one at Arby’s when you’re satisfied with your sandwich.
🥪
Next step will be my stem cell harvest.
😎
☘️

12/14/2018

•One To Go•
☝🏼
Pretty uneventful week, but nearing the end of Proton Therapy.

Continued improvements, blood work has been good, and the sun finally came out in Rochester today.

Monday morning will be my 30th and final treatment.

Thank you for the continued support, looking forward to getting back to SD this weekend to see everyone.

Cheers!

☘️

12/03/2018

•Shrinkage•

“There is evidence for favorable treatment response with marked interval improvement in previously described intracranial and intradural enhancing abnormalities, as above.”
🧠
MRI report from last week looks favorable. The word “DECREASE” appears several times which is great.

11 treatments to go.

☘️

11/30/2018

Thanks to Jami Beck and Beck Motor Company along with Annie Beck and the crew at All Around Graphix for putting these together.

Lastly the creative genius behind this shirt is my buddy Chicago Bob (no FB). He made the shirt for a DMB show in Chicago 2016 and had several people stop by and say hi.

Cheers!

☘️

*Will update with shipping details*

11/27/2018

•Half Way There•

Last night marked 15/30 treatments. On the downhill from here.

☘️

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk

Music video by Bon Jovi performing Livin' On A Prayer. (C) 1986 The Island Def Jam Music Group

11/22/2018

🦃Thanksgiving🍷

A lot to be thankful for this holiday!

First off thank you to all my friends and family for the continued prayers, thoughts, donations, laughter and the list goes on.

I’m also thankful for my local care providers starting with Dr. Marso at Central Dakota Eyecare, Dr. Johnson at Avera Pierre, and Dr. Persson at Avera Sioux Falls. Everyone did an excellent job getting me referred to Mayo in short order and getting answers and a plan as quickly as possible.

As for a general update, 13 treatments down and 17 to go! Taking today off so my final treatment is scheduled for Monday December 17th.

After 3 treatments my back pain was at a “0” on a scale of 1-10...I haven’t been able to say that since January. My vision/focusing has also improved tremendously over this time.

As for day to day side effects, I’m a napper now just a little tired from day to day.

I also got the results from my baseline cognitive testing and as I suspected I scored above average in virtually every category...I’ve been telling everyone I’ve felt smarter since they cut into my skull for the biopsy and I guess I was right.

Lastly I’m thankful for my over all “good health” this has been crucial so far and will continue to be during this small speed bump.

Happy Thanksgiving!

☘️

11/16/2018

•Proton Room•

Here’s the table my Proton Treatments take place on. The beam is projected from the backside of my body. I can’t feel or see anything, I can hear the beam and that is it. Each time we spend about 45 minutes lining my body up and 45 minutes for the treatment which includes 5 different proton beams. It is key that I line up the same way as we are working within millimeters each treatment.

On a side note the team will stream my playlist for me nightly and I was actually able to listen to Rod Fisher call the Pierre Governors 2nd half of the State Championship game last Friday. Go Govs!
☘️

11/15/2018

Week 2 visitors! ☘️

11/08/2018

•Pencil Beam•

A lot like our penciled in mustaches circa 2012 👨🏻

Mayo Clinic's Proton Beam Therapy Program differs from most other programs in the United States — it exclusively features intensity-modulated proton beam therapy with pencil beam scanning. This, the latest form of proton beam therapy, uses spot scanning to deposit streams of protons back and forth through a tumor, closely targeting the tumor and sparing healthy tissue. ☘️

11/07/2018

At the USA hockey coaching clinic several weeks ago I learned we borrow stuff a lot as coaches. Drills, ideas, techniques etc...here’s today’s share.

11/05/2018

1/30..... Let’s go!! ☘️

10/31/2018

Here is a quick overview of the Proton Therapy I will be doing over the next 6 weeks starting November 5th. Video in Link

https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/proton-beam-therapy-program/sections/overview/ovc-20185491

Learn more about services at Mayo Clinic.