I find myself in a unique position with this week’s Blog. Well, maybe not all that unique as I think anyone who writes, sometimes find themselves with what’s termed as “writer’s block.” It’s a condition where for a short time your mind sort of goes blank. It happens and you roll around wondering what in the heck am I going to write about.

As most of you are probably aware, my writings usually center around the sport we all have a passion for. Of course, my absence at certain races this past year sometimes leads me back to that “what in the heck am I going to write about.” I really can’t make excuses for not being at the races as I believe most know I have some other important (read as health) issues to contend with, issues they tell me are only temporary, but still I have to cope with. Anyway, enough of that, here goes something that really is on my mind this week.

It was several years ago when an engine builder friend thought he heard something funny inside his engine. He proceeded to disassemble the entire engine, eventually finding nothing wrong. But his “early detection” may have saved him from a larger problem. The fact that nothing was wrong wasn’t the point.

Two years ago, my Super Stock engine only had about 50 runs on it at the end of the season. Not really looking to take it apart during the off-season, I instead chose to do so anyway. The result after careful examination of the components was a roller lifter wheel starting to go bad. Had I not disassembled it, I could have had real problems the following season. That might not really come under the early detection philosophy because I really hadn’t “detected” anything, but it does prove that early detection of anything is a key.

In order to obtain an NHRA racing license for cars running faster than 9.99, pros or sportsman, it used to require a NHRA-approved medical exam. Several years ago, the NHRA dropped that requirement in certain classes. Their reasoning as I was told was to save the racer some money. But the fact of the matter is that by “forcing” someone to see a doctor could possibly perform the same early detection of a health issue before it turns into something worse. I know of several racers who during that exam, their doctor found the beginnings of what could have turned ugly had it not been detected early. The fact of saving a racer money is a moot point as I believe most racers have some sort of health insurance which usually will pay for well visits. And if you did have to pay for a doctor’s visit, it still would be money well spent. Better spent there than anything you might buy for your race car.

Over the weekend, the National Football League once again rolled out their Crucial Catch directive. I know a lot of people may have opted to not watch NFL games for a variety of reasons and I’m certainly okay with your choices, but their Crucial Catch campaign does bring up a point. According to them, during the height of the pandemic, screenings for cancer dropped radically. Maybe it was the fear of Covid which may have kept people away from doctors and hospitals, but if something doesn’t feel right, you should act on it.

What was that campaign? “If you see something, say something,” which was related to raising public awareness of terrorism. Well, sort of the same goes for “if something doesn’t feel right, do something about it.” It may not turn out to be anything if you’re lucky, but it just as well may. Over and out!

Worthy topic!
Had I listened to my GP Doc, and / or heeded a couple of warning signs, the outcome of my rectal cancer would have been MUCH different.
Had I not gotten to a doctor, and refused to be put on a wait for treatment by asking about and getting accepted into a clinical trial with the local University Med school, I would have been dead within a few weeks, either from the disease, or my own hand. I was there. I was 48.

By the grace of God, and some very talented, dedicated medical professionals, I'm here living my best life 15 years later.

Guys, if you're 40 plus, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get checked, family history and what they find during the first exams will determine your course going forward.

This topic is almost worthy of being a sticky, it's nearly off season, no excuse to not keep your health in order....

OK. I'm sold. I get an annual physical with my GP. They analyze both my blood and urine. I was in a 5 year rotation for colonoscopies, but since the last couple were clean, I'm now in a 10 year cycle. Cancer has my full attention. My GP asks questions, listens to my heart and lungs, checks my reflexes, and updates my prescriptions. What else should I, or even could I, be doing?

I plan to pull my engine (the car, not my heart) at the end of this season. The rest of the heap gets normal preventive maintenance. Take care. Tom Worthington

Had I listened to my doc 10 years ago I would not have lost 5 of the past 9 months to complications and surgery for diverticulitis. Had my first flare up 2011, my GP and surgeon suggested surgery then to correct the issue. Me being a tough guy took the easy (?) way with medications. For the next 9 years all was good or so I thought until last year at this time I began to feel like s-h-i-t. In November the pain was so bad I ended up in the hospital with a sigmoid abscess, diverticulitis related, 10 days in the hospital with 14 days of home health aide visits to get that issue resolved. Surgery was scheduled for 90 days later but due to covid restrictions surgery was suspended. In mid-March it was only getting worse, back in the hospital for 6 days to clear out the infection. My GP and surgeon pulled some strings, surgery took place on April 19. After 8.5 hours of surgery I woke up up to the best news one could get under the circumstances ( feared the worst). Colon resection was successful, no stoma needed, no cancer but now short 11.5" of colon. Its taken 5 months to fully recover, the doc's said 6/8 months. Moral of the story, LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR and your body which I should have done 10 years ago. Had I not been such a tough guy (?) I could have avoided the K-R-A-P of the past 11 months. My.02.

And this is treatment week 3. Chemo sucks. I have more to go and then radiation with chemo most likely followed by surgery. I'm 44 year old fighting to beat stage 4 rectal cancer. I staged 4 as I had 2 very small spots show on my liver. No family history. No medical reasons why but here I am wondering what's in store. My son is 15. My wife and I celebrate 20 years in a few weeks. How many more do I get? How do I protect them financially because this **** isn't cheap. The mental stress outweighs the physical pain. Think you're too manly to take the scope? It's the most painless procedure you will ever have. Go get it done.

Some might remember Tommy Johnson SR, father of TJ Jr nitro FC driver. Sr was diagnosed with absolute terminal cancer in August of 99, intestinal. He was told to go home, put your affairs in order, you won't see Christmas. He started doing internet research on alternative cancer treatments. The short version is he "beat" cancer. I bought several of his books and gave them to people over the years, then, the un thinkable happened. My wife was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer and given less than two years to live. We used Tommys book and I am convinced it was responsible, at least in someways for the fact she survived 5.5 years. The book is out of print, maybe resourceful people can find copies on flea bay, or other sites.