Moved to tears...

Damn-it.... forgot to publish this.....  Long overdue....  this was scheduled to post on June 16th of last year....




Your network of friends used to be within a 5 mile radius when we were younger. No computers, no internet and only a single home phone, connected by a chord no less, that if it was busy you were out of luck until they were off the phone. The world is a much smaller place now and my network of friends reaches all over the world.

I've been around the world with "my streetboarding family". China, Spain, England, France, Japan and more. We're always having such fun and it's like we have never been apart. Skating and hanging out like we see each other every day

Little background: Streetboarding is most similar to snowboarding. In that you are connected to the board via bindings. You can check out some of Colin's and Christian's edits.

I've known "Bob" (Ismael Calvo) for more about 15 years. He's was a rider for Dimension Streetboards since the beginning (aside from 10 or so years since I have kicked him off the team in Spain...). He call's Chile home but spends a good deal of time traveling and skating with his friends.

I was in San Francisco with Ismael and friends about 1 year ago. Just as I was recovering from another battle of my own. Bob was determined to 5-0 a huge rail and it didn't end well. I have never witnessed a crash this bad, I seriously thought he broke his back. (4th slam in the intro). To this day I'm grateful and amazed that he can walk, let alone skate.

When we are together he is always asking me "what keeps you moving forward". I don't know really, family and friends. I do know that others are in worse situations than me and for that I am grateful.

If I had to describe Bob's skating in just a few words it would be: Dedication and Style. The video below show's you what I mean. I didn't know that Ismael was working on a video until the "coming soon" video came out like a week ago and since it's been released I have probably watched it at least 100 times.

Thanks Bob for continually pushing Streetboarding forward but for the kind and thoughtful ending. It brought tears to my eyes.

Ismael Calvo - Strap In To Live from Colin Horan on Vimeo.

Go Grey in May

Im done. Officially done with 12 months of Chemo.

New Year - New Outlook

Can't believe its a New Year!  Exactly 365 days since my surgery last year.

2015 was a year that challenged me like no other, but here I am, starting my tenth month of chemo. I'm "carpet bombing" my system for 5 days straight then taking 23 days to recover. Just as I'm starting to feel better, with more energy, I start another round. Only 2 more months to go and then I'm officially done. 

Rosicrucian Peace Garden 

I've promised myself to spend a lot more time with family, with friends and just having a more positive outlook on everything. I have my days, like everyone, but I hope to keep my stress level in check and just focus on enjoying each day. 

New Year, new job (still at the Bank) and new outlook. Going to try to enjoy the little things... 

Happy New Year

Long overdue...

This post is a long overdue update and I'm not sure who even checks this blog anymore. I'm doing OK, back at work since July 1st, and currently on my 6 of 12 months chemo cycle. Oh - I'm tired by the way, crazy tired and not working out as much as I want to, but overall I'm fine. Did I mention I'm tired?

In search of skipping rocks

Oh, the challenge I made with Adam to race a half marathon this year....yea, that's not going to happen! Next year, I challenge you to walking casino to casino in Vegas - Deal?

The Silicon Brain Tumor Walk was September 26th. I took Hayden on an early morning walk, around the only lake with water in San Jose, while Dylan, Quinn and a good friend, Adam, volunteered to help set up the event site. After skipping rocks with Hayden, I went to the car and napped (that's how exhausted I've been).

It was good catching up with old friends that I haven't seen in the past few years. One of my Brain Tumor Friends (BTF?) was in the Army stationed in Saudi Arabia when in February 2011 he woke up with a terrible headache and had trouble putting on his belt. He had surgery in Germany and back at Stanford to deal with the standard and ever changing level of care for a (GBM).

2012 Walk in S.F.

Another BTF family was at the walk, Team EveryDayLeftRightLeft, Karyn, who unfortunately was also diagnosed with a GBM 4. We met through our kids soccer team. I encourage you to read her blog here --> www.everydayleft.com

Before the walk they call all of the brain tumor survivors for several pictures up on stage together. This was the first time that I actually said to my
wife that I don't want to go up there. I didn't belong. I've had 5 brain surgeries, radiation, broken neck, been on chemo twice and still struggle with seizures and I just didn't fit in. But, she made me go up on stage.

I'm coming up on 11 years of survival from this disease. I've put in a pretty good fight. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few set backs along the way, yet here I am. I can spend time with my family, travel, skate, work and enjoy all my wonderful tumor and tumor free friends. 

Feeling very fortunate, lucky, in good hands, whatever you call it, I'm grateful.