Thought I would share the lates message from Eric.   Everything seems to be good.

I am very excited for him !!!  I wrote and told him I was at the  Atlanta  Games Opening , and just to watch  was powerful.    When the Oylmpic Flame reached the top, and there was Mr Ali  himself  to light the torch, the crowd went CRAZY !   I imagine that the opening for these games will be something extra special,  and  just to walk into that stadium is going to be something.

so anyway, lets keep up the support for Eric, he sounds primed and ready.

 

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Robert,

Just wanted to drop you a line from across the world.  I have been in Singapore now for about a week.  We are staying at this five star resort/hotel and training at a very nice country club, so the accommodations have been great to say the least.  This is definitely a good place to get acclimated to the time change and rest up for the games.  Swimming is a unique sport in that a couple of weeks before our big competition we go through a taper phrase.  Basically you cut down on distance and intensity and get your body good and rested.  We spend most of the year beat up and broken down due to hard training.  Hard training is important but hitting your taper right can make all of the difference.  It is nice to be in a place with no distractions and that basically feels like we are on vacation.  Culture over here isn't too different from the US from what I can tell so that has made the transition pretty easy as well.  As for my swimming everything has been going great.  I was able to bounce back into training right after trials, so that has made my taper go very smoothly.  We did some fast swimming this morning and I am right where I need to be.  We leave on Monday for Beijing, so that will put me in China eight days before I start racing, plenty of time to get settled before I have to race.  Other than swimming there really isn't much going on.  As I said, the big part of taper is rest, so we don't do to much all day.

I really enjoy reading all of the support.  I am still getting the mail about the experiences the people have gone through.  One thing I have learned and this holds true with me, is everyone's story and situation is unique.  I just really enjoy reading all of the different ways people have attacked and overcome this disease.  It is very inspiring.  Hope all is going well with you.  Catch up with you later.

Eric

"It's nice to know I'm helping other people in my position around the world," he said. "I've gotten a lot of notes, a lot of messages, packages and everything else. A lot of it is from the cancer community, which is like a family. That obviously means a lot and is kind of the biggest support because they know what I'm going through and they can relate to it." 

      Eric Shanteau      (from interview  on Fox Sports)

 

I borrowed this quote from a Fox Sports story. I said to Eric when I first talked with him, that the support of the cancer community is like no other . There is a power in it, that just about everyone I know or came across  that has been touched by cancer, eventually comes to understand. It is a Family.  You can feel the strength ,hope and fight from others  who have have experienced cancer. There is a great comfort  in knowing that a bunch of people you have never met, are suddenly there to support you, without conditions .  I have had friends dissapear, even family dissappear because of the fear of the word cancer,. Some don't know what to say.  Some, believe it or not, are afraid  they will catch it.  We have all experienced that to some degree, which is why  I  contacted him.   I wanted him to know that there were millions of people, all over the world, that silently, or very vocally, are supporting him. Lance Armstrong will tell you that, and is the base of his Foundation.   Those of us who have experienced cancer, will tell you that.   It doesn't ask anything of him, only that he  follows his dream, beats the disease. That's it.   It is Family supporting family.

To those who have not experienced it, it is difficult to explain.  It's almost like being lost during a hurricane and you see a light,.  You follow the light and knock on the door, and people welcome you in from the Storm .  Comfort, warmth and strength. relief.

Eric knows both sides of this. He is supporting his fathers battle also. I can only imagine how his father felt at hearing his son's  diagnosis. That he might not get to  participate  in something he has trained for, dreamed of   for a long time. I am sure there were sacrifices  the family  made in support of him to follow the dream.   How proud and happy his parents must be.  To them, I send the message that  we are proud of him too. At the age of 24, he has already made a huge contribution to his fellow man.  The future  has only begun for him.  To Mr and Mrs Shanteau, you have one  heck of a son.  Know also we are  also  with you and send our strength , thoughts and be  will be right here with you, as we watch  your son , and your    family,  live the dream.   Your family also has grown quite a bit, and we are with you also.   We are very proud to have Eric represent us, and the United States Of America  in the 2008  Olympic Games. 

So I hope everyone will spread the word, and post messages of support   for Eric and his whole family.  I assure you he will read these.  I know he appreciates them.

 

 

 www.acor.org/tcrc

 

I recieved this great news this morning:

R,

The blogg sounds great.  I definitely have no problems with it at all.
As I said before I am going to take all of the support I can get.

As for how I am doing, things are going great.  I got the results back
from my last round of testing yesterday and things are looking great.
My blood marker levels have continued to decline and all of my scans
are coming back normal.  I have basically been cleared for the rest of
the trip so that is a weight off my shoulders.  However, I will still
be doing weekly blood tests overseas just to keep an eye on things.  I
am also beginning to get my surgery lined up for when I get back from
the games.  I would like to do it  in Atlanta so I
can be close to my family.

Swimming has been going great.  I feel really good in the water and am
also very strong in the weightroom.  Those are two pluses as sometimes
after a big meet like trials it takes a while to get back into things.
I have been going very fast during the test sets we do so that is
always a good sign.  We leave for Singapore of Friday.  We are staying
at some 5 star resort for like 8 days before we head to the games on
August 4.  Obviously I am really looking forward to the Singapore
trip.  Other than that everything is pretty low key and boring at this
point.  Taper time in swimming always is, but we need our rest.

Hope you are doing well, let me know if you need anything.

Eric

 

As reported today on Fox Sports, Eric has been  given the green light  to particpate in the 2008 Beijing  Olympics !   I say alright !!  Having been diagnosed the day before quailifying, had to be hard enough, but as I personally  know, just being diagnosed is a shocking experience. Imagine that it comes the day before you are  fighting for a spot on the USA Swim Team. Wow.    

Protocol says that any confirmed mass on a  " Little Buddy"  the "buddy "  should be removed   in 24-48 hours. You just make the 2008 Olympic team to represent your country . What do you do?  This is something that you have dreamed of, trained for, and worked very hard  to achieve, and you make both "clubs" at the same time.

The Team Doctors , and his agent Evan Morgenstein  called  the agent for the most  Famous Face of Testicular Cancer, 7 time Tour de France Winner  Lance Armstrong and asked  for the name  of the expert of this disease. Dr   Einhorn at Indiana University.  After careful consideration , and hearing the full facts  and chances and possiblities , and having everything explained to him, including all  risks, Eric decides to try to go for it. He had weekly blood tests and regular scans to monitor  the situation, and Eric was on the team on a "week by week basis".   So this morning, when I open my e-mail, and got the good news  that he was good to go for the Olympics,   I was thrilled !    That's 2 wins already. 

I had asked Eric if he minded  if I started this blogg, as I wanted to provide people a place to send messages of support  that he could read. I hope everyone will use this space to send him your best wishes, and messages of support and encouragement.  He readily agreed , and expressed he could use all the support he could get. I am sure we will hear from Eric as he has time, but I assure you, he will read your messages.

 A little disclaimer here so we can get it out of the way...  My concern, and concern of others who know about this disease,  is that it is true that if you feel a lump, and it is confrimed by an Ultrasound, it should be removed   within 24-48.  Testicular cancer CAN  spread very quickly  so as with all cancers, early detection and treatment can mean all the difference. TC is a very curable disease when treated properly by an expert, so we do urge anyone that feels they have a problem to seek immediate  medical advice.  Eric DID  seek  immediate medical attention,   It was only after careful consideration  and consultation with the expert and his medical team, was the choice made by Eric  to try to participate. It was his choice based on his information from his Drs regarding HIS  condition...There are variables based on each individual .  So he did the right things . Kudo's to his girlfriend  !!!

 Having received the news today  clearing  him to compete , he can now  focus on swimming and living  and enjoying his dream. I hope that our messages here can be of support.  Eric is one of us now.  He is a cancer survivor. He deserves our collective strength  and support as he represents the United States of America in the 2008  Beijing  Olympics. 

For information on Testicular Cancer  I urge  you to visit the Testicular Cancer Resource Center  at  http://www.acor.org/tcrc/