Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health…..
 

Engine, trans, rear gears, shocks, will all be scrutinized during the off season. Guys, how bout a health check up ? Are you visiting the doctor at least once a year for blood work ? Are you getting the minimum of TWO dental cleanings per year. A HEALTHY heart starts with your teeth. When you turn 45 it’s a good idea to get that FIRST COLONOSCOPY ….it’s not the COLONOSCOPY that you fear, it’s the prep work the night before. It’s always a good time of the year to get that PROSTATE checked out ….LOL !!!!!!!!!!! I have quite a few friends who are long time smokers. Did you know that for 150 bucks you can get a cat scan screening for lung cancer ? A little preventative maintenance can go a long way …..And for the WOMEN racers , do you think I forgot about you ??? don’t put it off another year, please get the Mammogram …..We can’t race without you '!!!!!!!!

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

If you look at the number of threads on here about people struggling with health issues or that we have lost in the past couple of years taking care of your health is a no brainer.

If YOU aren't in good health, doesn't matter how good your race car is prepared. Think about that for a minute??

I know that I am no longer an active racer, but I do get to go to races and help my friends. That is just as much fun for me.

I just talked with my personal doctor on Friday. The results of some minor changes in diet made life very fun again. Yes, I am on a pill for Cholesterol. My Total Cholesterol dropped from 255 to 171. My LDL (which is the bad stuff) went from 169 to 103. ALL other numbers are in very good shape, so I can be as active as I want to be next year. I have been given permission to Party like a Rock Star ( in moderation of course).

As a point of reference - I will be 73 on the 9th of this month.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

MJ,
Well said my brother. There but for the grace of God go I. Or, as one of my oncologists told me a month ago, "A few years ago, as healthy as you are otherwise, and as good as your habits are, I wouldn't have been able to help you."


I'm getting the second chance, a second chance that too many haven't gotten, and too many still won't get. But if I had kept waiting.....and still, I waited way too long, stupidly, foolishly. I just went through thirty-five radiation treatments, on my neck, throat, and mouth. Five days a week, seven straight weeks. I've lost seventy pounds. I can barely taste food, and what I can taste, tastes terrible. I've had several chemo treatments. I will be MONTHS, even YEARS recovering from this.



I spent Thanksgiving home, too sick and tired to travel to see family. I'm sitting here, when I should be packing and loading the truck for the PRI Show, I'm not going, for the first time this century, actually more than 27 years. I'm not even sure that I'll be able to enjoy Christmas gatherings and dinners. And mostly because of my own stupidity, because this could have been easier, and been over a lot sooner.



I still have half a dozen follow up visits, and scans, and we're not even going to be sure that I'm okay for a couple of months. But God has blessed me, my prognosis is great.



We've lost too many already, because we're not taking advantage of early detection, we're not taking care of ourselves, and we're not paying attention. WE convince ourselves. I know. I did it. I knew something was wrong. I convinced myself nothing was wrong. It didn't show up overnight. It never really does.





So far, I'm fortunate, as bad as this treatment and recovery has been. I'm grateful to my God, my family, and my doctors. I didn't post this because I want sympathy. We had decided NOT to post this, and to keep this a private matter. I don't LIKE posting this, it's not something that I wanted to talk about. Honestly, I'd MUCH rather that no one else ever knew. But I'm sitting here watching and counting members of my racing family that I will never see on this Earth again, because they weren't as fortunate, or didn't go get checked. It doesn't have to be that way. Don't LET it be that way.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Agreed 100%. I’m a survivor of lymphoma. 1998. Didn’t even smoke my pipe back then. Beat it. Forever grateful.
But yes, I too am trying to cut back on my pipe, and I’ve reserved myself to put the embarrassment of a colonoscopy behind me and just go get the rotor rooter done this winter!

Kp

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Alan, thank you for sharing. Thank God you are getting a second chance. I pray that life will get better for you and your family. That is all I will say and I totally respect your reasoning for privacy.

Kevin, a survivor is a very cool place to be.

God Bless both of you.

If any of you are having thoughts about this whole deal, take a read of the thread posted by Jeff Niceswanger.- - Prayers for Brother John. What that family is going through is horrible, especially this time of year.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Alan , a BIG Thank You for your post. I had no idea of your current BATTLE. I have successfully enrolled you in MJ’s prayer list. It’s a long list that includes many current and former racers. The initial purpose of my post was to spread health awareness among the racers. Your courageous post about your health issues reinforced that. If we can get one racer who is on the fence regarding calling a doctor for an appointment, then WE have succeeded. DON’T PUT IT OFF, GUYS !!!! Thank You Alan….Prayers sent…

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Currently undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Have finished three of six infusions (monthly). Trying to keep things as normal as possible.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Great advice!!! Because of the schedule that I have kept over the last many many years, I didn't take the time to take care of things. Over the last 4 years I have had a huge problem with leg pain and walking. It got so bad that from the end of March of this year until August, I could hardly walk at all. August 25th I had my right hip replaced and then, a few weeks ago on November 17th, I had my left hip replaced and am in recovery now with PT 3 times a week. I am finally doing good. The point I am making is that it was my own fault for living in the pain that I was in. You must pay attention to your body signals, especially since a lot of us are seniors. I didn't and lived through hell the past few years that I didn't have to.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Really important message, Michael, thank you. So refreshing to hear this coming from a man because some of y'all sure as hell don't listen to the women in your lives. LOL.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Every year I get a complete physical, blood urine, ekg, chest xray and sonogram of the arteries.

I had my colonoscopy 12 years ago, half way through they woke me up.

they asked me if i wanted an endoscopy, I said yes, as ling as they used a new camera tube.

Thats all i got folks.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

So glad that you shared your input Alicia. A little off topic but I want you to know that I really enjoyed the Draginsights stats that you shared with us prior to the national events. Keep up the good work.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

I would urge you men to do regular breast self-exams, too. We lost a great guy, racer, out here in 2008 (I think), Mark Tallent, to breast cancer. It can happen to anyone. Early detection is the key to a good prognosis.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

My Wife,Crew Chief and Best Friend Linda,starts radiation and chemotherapy next Wednesday twice a day,five days a week for 28 days. This is her 3rd time with breast cancer. Two years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the 2nd time which resulted in a dbl mastectomy.
Every day,every health exam I'm so so thankful everything is great. Linda and I are doing so much together because we both realize,,it won't last for ever. Watch what you eat!!!! Walk or do a little exercise and you'll be amazed at how much better you will feel.
Linda just said to a good friend,,,we needvto get these treatments done January 20th because we have alot of Dragracing to do and friends to see before we can't!!!

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Where is the DOUBLE LIKE button ?? BRAVO to you and Linda ….

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

Thank You to all that have commented on this very important thread. The number of likes throughout this thread is VERY good.

Let's try to achieve the healthiest year possible during 2023. That's my goal and I am sure each of you would love to be a part of that.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

I'm not advertising, however, for those of you who have cancer, or have friends or family, buy Tommy Johnson's Sr's book on cancer. It's out of print, you can find hard copies, or you can get it on the Kindle. Even if you don't agree with what's in it, or your doctor(s) don't, it's worth reading for the inspiration. There's some simple, non controversial stuff in it just for general health to help fight cancer.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

PRAYERS to each for each of you that taking or starting treatments....
I have been going for check ups with my doctor every 6 months the last 4 years or so..
I found out I had high blood pressure,I have it under pretty good control with fairly small dose of medication... my goal was and still is excercise and to lose 25-30 pounds and hope BP would improve enough to not take any meds...
All I like is starting,that is the hardest part... I did at least take my bicycle to several races and rode quite a bit...instead of riding a golf cart

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

As much time as we spend in the sun, regular visits to the dermatologist are a good idea too.

Re: Off season maintenance, don’t forget about your health….
 

I have debated about sharing this info because my friend wasn't a stock or super/stock racer.


My friend died on December 11th of a heart attack and I am totally shocked by this. As far as I knew he was in good health. So even though things look good, please keep up with your check-ups and listen to your body when it talks to you.

Now a little about my friend. He was a track champion, division champion and world champion. He raced for Bardahl for many years and accomplished many great things on and off the track. Including starting and teaching at a school here in the Seattle area.

If you haven't figured it out by now - his name was AL YOUNG. Only 76 years old and taken from us WAY TOO SOON.

Godspeed my friend - I miss you very much.