Rochester Road Trip!
I would suggest that we all meet for a big meal and lots of drinks but I surely know better!
Anyway, why are we doing this? Well, I am playing again in the National Senior Games hockey tournament (affiliated with the Senior Olympics). It sounds more prestigious than it is since the main criteria are to be old and to pay the entrance fees. Nevertheless, the level of play can be pretty good and we always have ex-pros skating.
The story is that last year, I had the tonsillectomy in late August, took a few weeks to recover from that, and then was to start my nine weeks of rads and chemo. But I asked the docs if it would make a difference if we postponed the treatment for another week and they said no. So I played in the tournament and then a few days later started with it all. As far as I can tell, it made no difference in the outcome physically but it made a big difference mentally and emotionally. I had a nice tourney, giving up just two goals in five games, and we won the gold in overtime of a scoreless final. Then, in the locker room, amid much jubilation, I announced that I had cancer and wasn’t sure what was going to happen. But, frankly, the confidence and that big trophy made the following months a lot more bearable.
As it happened, I was able to continue playing in leagues for a few weeks into the treatment until they found blood clots in legs and lungs and then they wouldn’t even let me out of the hospital (I’d played the night before, too!). And that was the end of hockey until after treatment and also the beginning of the real problems. Well, it was the hard road you all are familiar with and it wasn’t until after the neck dissection two months after treatment that I could get back playing regularly but I made it back for league playoffs in April (we won again). Since then it has been a slow climb back to normal and I have gained back 35 pounds in total.
Some of this can be found at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dougiebaker
And now we are going to do it again. I am just glad that I didn’t now then what I know now. So, if you’d like to get together, let us know here or at bakersabroad@gmail.com We do hope to see some others and promise to post pix just like Skiffin did. Doug
(Sorry if this was a little self-indulgent but we could use some more positive and celebratory pieces here.)
Comments
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my old haunts
all of my family live near of close to those areas , when I lived and worked near Harrisburg, I would take 83 to Maryland to see my daughter, or take 15 along the susqehanna to my mom,brother, and sisters homes. I hear the leaves are starting to change in some areas, I miss the smell of fall. Have a wonderful and safe trip.
Linda0 -
Awesome!
Williamsport would be closest, about 35 miles. I was just through there last night for the 911 Memorial Ride, so I know I can get up town. Sellingsgrove is pushing 50+ miles for me, actually maybe more, because Bucknell in Lewisburg is around 45 miles, about an hour. Danville is where my hospital is, so I could go there too. I am hoping that the roads would be fixed by the weekend of the 30th going to Danville! Hope your Aunt and Uncle, escaped the flooding ok.
Just let me know. The only thing I have going on, is trying to get to the PA Renaissance Faire. I have had to reschedule that 3 times now. It is going to depend on when the girl that I am going with, when she can get off work. Waiting to hear from her. As of right now, she cannot get to my house. The road is still closed.0 -
Road Tripsweetblood22 said:Awesome!
Williamsport would be closest, about 35 miles. I was just through there last night for the 911 Memorial Ride, so I know I can get up town. Sellingsgrove is pushing 50+ miles for me, actually maybe more, because Bucknell in Lewisburg is around 45 miles, about an hour. Danville is where my hospital is, so I could go there too. I am hoping that the roads would be fixed by the weekend of the 30th going to Danville! Hope your Aunt and Uncle, escaped the flooding ok.
Just let me know. The only thing I have going on, is trying to get to the PA Renaissance Faire. I have had to reschedule that 3 times now. It is going to depend on when the girl that I am going with, when she can get off work. Waiting to hear from her. As of right now, she cannot get to my house. The road is still closed.
Hi Doug, I live just outside of Rochester and would love to meet up BUT I'm going to the 1000 islands on that day.
I wish you the best of luck in the tourney and a happy birthday to your wife!
Joel0 -
Long WeekendJoel4 said:Road Trip
Hi Doug, I live just outside of Rochester and would love to meet up BUT I'm going to the 1000 islands on that day.
I wish you the best of luck in the tourney and a happy birthday to your wife!
Joel
Joel, thanks for posting. We will actually be coming up Thursday morning, the 29th (if not Wed night) and will be staying through Sunday morning when I hope we will be in the final. If you are gone that whole time we will miss you but perhaps you won't have left yet.
I see that Irishgypsie, miccmil, and mshvick are also in Rochester. They may not be reading the forum so I will have to try to figure out how to contact them.
Dawn, we could probably go out of our way on 405 to Montgomery to make it easier for you. That would also avoid having to find each other in "the big city" of Williamsport. Send something to bakersabroad@gmail.com and we can take the discussion off line. We always try to get the MD Renaissance Faire as well.
And, yes, I am a goalie and it is the equipment that makes me look a lot bigger than I am. You should see the welt on my face right now from a slap shot to the head last night. Sometimes they will come so hard they will bend the steel bars. Last night was good because I was able to turn a little and take it off the side of the head. That is all still a little numb from the neck dissection anyway so it hurt less!
Doug0 -
I emailed you. I didn'tGoalie said:Long Weekend
Joel, thanks for posting. We will actually be coming up Thursday morning, the 29th (if not Wed night) and will be staying through Sunday morning when I hope we will be in the final. If you are gone that whole time we will miss you but perhaps you won't have left yet.
I see that Irishgypsie, miccmil, and mshvick are also in Rochester. They may not be reading the forum so I will have to try to figure out how to contact them.
Dawn, we could probably go out of our way on 405 to Montgomery to make it easier for you. That would also avoid having to find each other in "the big city" of Williamsport. Send something to bakersabroad@gmail.com and we can take the discussion off line. We always try to get the MD Renaissance Faire as well.
And, yes, I am a goalie and it is the equipment that makes me look a lot bigger than I am. You should see the welt on my face right now from a slap shot to the head last night. Sometimes they will come so hard they will bend the steel bars. Last night was good because I was able to turn a little and take it off the side of the head. That is all still a little numb from the neck dissection anyway so it hurt less!
Doug
I emailed you. I didn't catch the first time, that you said "go out of your way", I was wondering why you would go through Montgomery. LOL
What I sent you would work, I think. Just let me know.
I have never been to the Maryland Ren Faire. I was to Sterling NY, but I was little, and very sick that day, so I don't remember it. I have been going to the PA Ren Faire for 13 years or so.0 -
Doug, Your post is very
Doug, Your post is very inspiring. The fact that you are playing hockey one year later is a miracle. To also meet other survivors on CSN is a great bonus. I hope Mary & You have a great vacation and tournament. Remember though, Win or Lose, you will always be a WINNER!
Your Friends, Homer & Connie0 -
Doug and Maryconnieprice1 said:Doug, Your post is very
Doug, Your post is very inspiring. The fact that you are playing hockey one year later is a miracle. To also meet other survivors on CSN is a great bonus. I hope Mary & You have a great vacation and tournament. Remember though, Win or Lose, you will always be a WINNER!
Your Friends, Homer & Connie
We'd love to meet you when you're here in Rochester.
Glenn wants to know if you want to go to dinner at the Dinosaur Barbeque? (our BBQ claim to fame here in Rochester).
When are you free? We'll meet you anywhere.
I've got Charles (Irishgypsie's) phone number, I'll give him a call. Joel, we'll miss you.
Lisa and Glenn.0 -
Free each eveningmiccmill said:Doug and Mary
We'd love to meet you when you're here in Rochester.
Glenn wants to know if you want to go to dinner at the Dinosaur Barbeque? (our BBQ claim to fame here in Rochester).
When are you free? We'll meet you anywhere.
I've got Charles (Irishgypsie's) phone number, I'll give him a call. Joel, we'll miss you.
Lisa and Glenn.
At the moment all I know is that we are playing at 4 30 Thursday. We will have one or two games each on Friday and Saturday and, we hope, one Sunday morning provided we make the finals. We will get a schedule soon but they always leave the nights free of games though they usually have dinners or open houses for the athletes at local places. By Saturday night, after your fourth game in two days, you don't really feel like staying out late and carousing, believe me. So, at present, we could get together any night. If Joel isn't going out of town until the weekend or Saturday, perhaps that might argue for Thursday? Let's just keep in touch on this.
As for the bbq, I have been reading that they have found that many dinosaurs had feathers so perhaps they would taste like chicken? In any case, I am game (excuse the pun). I can eat almost anything again though unbelievably slowly and with gallons of water. My jaw usually gets tired before my stomach fills, but sure!
We really look forward to this. Doug and Mary0 -
RochesterGoalie said:Free each evening
At the moment all I know is that we are playing at 4 30 Thursday. We will have one or two games each on Friday and Saturday and, we hope, one Sunday morning provided we make the finals. We will get a schedule soon but they always leave the nights free of games though they usually have dinners or open houses for the athletes at local places. By Saturday night, after your fourth game in two days, you don't really feel like staying out late and carousing, believe me. So, at present, we could get together any night. If Joel isn't going out of town until the weekend or Saturday, perhaps that might argue for Thursday? Let's just keep in touch on this.
As for the bbq, I have been reading that they have found that many dinosaurs had feathers so perhaps they would taste like chicken? In any case, I am game (excuse the pun). I can eat almost anything again though unbelievably slowly and with gallons of water. My jaw usually gets tired before my stomach fills, but sure!
We really look forward to this. Doug and Mary
I can do Thursday night if that works for everyone and the Dinosaur sounds good to me!
Joel0 -
Still on!Joel4 said:Rochester
I can do Thursday night if that works for everyone and the Dinosaur sounds good to me!
Joel
Hi all, it has been a miserable couple of weeks of work because of my project in Mexico but I am dug out finally.
We are still planning on coming up this Thursday and possibly meeting Dawn Sweetblood on the way in PA. We will still be available for dinner after my late Thursday afternoon 4:30 game. The tournament is down at the Monroe Comm College facility (four rinks) in the Henrietta/Brighton area. The Dino doesn’t look too hard to get to as it seems right up the road to downtown.
If you all are still available, we really do want to make this happen. Joel, I am very happy to see that it seems that you can make it. It does seem odd for a bunch of H&N people to get together for bbq but, with enough water, anything is possible! And the Dino seems right on the river...
Again, let us know here or at bakersabroad@gmail.com. We can trade phone numbers later. Doug0 -
MCCGoalie said:Still on!
Hi all, it has been a miserable couple of weeks of work because of my project in Mexico but I am dug out finally.
We are still planning on coming up this Thursday and possibly meeting Dawn Sweetblood on the way in PA. We will still be available for dinner after my late Thursday afternoon 4:30 game. The tournament is down at the Monroe Comm College facility (four rinks) in the Henrietta/Brighton area. The Dino doesn’t look too hard to get to as it seems right up the road to downtown.
If you all are still available, we really do want to make this happen. Joel, I am very happy to see that it seems that you can make it. It does seem odd for a bunch of H&N people to get together for bbq but, with enough water, anything is possible! And the Dino seems right on the river...
Again, let us know here or at bakersabroad@gmail.com. We can trade phone numbers later. Doug
Doug, there are several restaurants across the street from MCC. There's a TGI Friday's. They have a pretty big menu?
We can meet you at MCC and you can literally follow us anywhere.
Lisa0 -
Darnit..miccmill said:MCC
Doug, there are several restaurants across the street from MCC. There's a TGI Friday's. They have a pretty big menu?
We can meet you at MCC and you can literally follow us anywhere.
Lisa
I can no longer make Thursday night work and I'm going out of town early Friday. Wish I could be there but have a great time and good luck in the tourney.
Joel0
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