Geoff Nyssen

Onwards and Upwards No. 26

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

I hope you had a very merry Christmas and enjoyed your New Years festivities.   I have had a blast camping on the Rosebud (Victoria) foreshore and beach with Sarah and the kids, several of my brothers, sisters (inlaw) and my beautiful nieces. It is made extra special as I grew up here, living opposite the beach between the ages of 4 to 7.  I recall the long summers where I would follow my older brothers around like a bad smell (rather like a little kid following his idols) as they got up to all kinds of mischief. As I watched their mischief, I watched and I learned.

It was here, with my brothers, that I first rode a bike then slowly improved by going over jumps, doing mono’s and riding with no hands.  I learnt how to swim, first in the pool, then at the beach. At the beach, I had to be able to swim out to the boating ‘nav poles’ (roughly 400m) if I was to be good enough to keep up with my brothers. With practice, I did. Another challenge was to pick up animals with out getting bitten. I learnt how to catch crabs and blue tongue lizards with my bare hands. But I still cannot bring myself to pick up a huntsman spider with bare hands. I have to use a towel to pick up those little buggers. I’ll happily leave that one to my brothers.

As I reminisce, I see that I was always learning. Back then, my learning came every time I hung out with my brothers. Now, I find that I have to seek out the opportunity to learn. I have to work hard to be as inquisitive as I was when I was a 6 year old, because if I am not inquisitive, the learning opportunity will pass right by me without me even recognising it. It is so easy to miss the opportunity. So what do I do to learn?  I sit back and observe. I ask questions. I read. I try to be inquisitive. I want to learn so I can continue along a path of self improvement, and so that I can continue to be challenged.

What do you do to remain inquisitive and to keep learning?  Whatever it is, take it into hyperdrive and enjoy.  All the best for 2016!

Take care

Geoff

Onwards and Upwards No. 25

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

For me, everything has been pretty quiet on the health front. It has been really nice to share time with my friends and family where I am not ridiculously inundated with Dr’s appointments or treatments. The truth is, I am feeling quite well and am looking forward to a normal Christmas with Sarah and the kids!  Yay for us! Given I have no juicy news, I thought I should pick up on where my last update left off and (hopefully) inspire some serious thought about bucket lists.

As I suggested in my last update, a bucket list isn’t the list that is compiled when contemplating death. Rather it is the list that you compile to inspire living!  It is a list of your biggest wants and dreams. Importantly, it is a list to be implemented within a defined timeframe. For me that timeframe is 5 years. When I complete everything on my current bucket list, then I will generate another!

To some, key to a meaningful bucket list is about living big. To others it is living a fulfilling existence.  Being connected with friends and family was key to my bucket list. Recently, I have read many articles about longevity of life. They all acknowledge the importance of healthy life choices including diet.  However, many conclude that being socially connected was the biggest contributor to long life. I read that a study completed at the University of California found that “those with close social ties and unhealthful lifestyles actually lived longer than those with poor social ties but more health-promoting habits. Of course, those who lived healthfully and had strong social ties lived the longest.”  So I consider this as I compiled my bucket list for the next 5 years. Here are a few of my ‘Must Do’ items:

• Like most, I want to travel more. Importantly, my travel isn’t only about seeing fab places, it is more about who I am doing it with. For me, the Pacific Islands, Bali, England, Netherlands, and many destinations in Australia all have one thing in common.  I intend to travel to these locations to connect with friends who are currently there, going to be there, or joining me on the journey there. There really is nothing better than sharing the best travel experiences with those you love.
• Every time I send out an update or deliver a presentation, I receive supportive comments and feedback.  I give you a snapshot into my life, and I often receive the same back from you.  It is an exchange that I get a lot of energy from. I want to expand this exchange and share stories as far and wide as I can.  So for my bucket list, I want to continue my updates and increase my readership. 1000 Facebook likes on a single post would be amazing. I want deliver a presentation to an audience of over 1000 people. Delivering a TED talk would be a dream. I want to publish a book. Someone buying a copy would be an honour!!
• I aspire to be a good dad. Over the next 5 years I want to be routinely present where I can walk my kids to and / or from school at least 600 times and I want to participate in school based activities at least 60 times whether that be helping in the class or on excursion, or just doing canteen duty. I feel fortunate being able to participate in these simple tasks. Not many dads get to do it. It is rewarding as I engage with my kids in their environment.  I also aspire to be a good husband. I am in discussion with Sarah over how achievable that is :).
• I want to give back to institutions that have supported me. I want to raise $100k for one or more charities. I want to help 1500 people to donate blood and I want to be responsible for one person being matched as a stem cell donor. These things save lives.
• I want spontaneity, fun and excitement. I want that for me and those with me.  My brother Jerome recently had his bucks party in Queenstown, NZ. Ten guys did bungy jumping, a canyon swing, jet boating and luge.  We acted like irresponsible and immature idiots and laughed the whole time whilst doing it.  With these items now crossed off the list, I want more.  Others include sky diving, diving with whale sharks and manta rays, dancing with Ellen on the Ellen de Generous show, playing basketball with an NBA basketball player (current or not).

So there you have it. I choose life and living. What do you choose.  What’s at the top of your bucket list.  I would love to hear your ideas.

Take care

Geoff

Onwards and Upwards No. 24

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

It’s been a while so I thought I would update you on my recent results.  A couple of weeks ago I had another Bone Marrow Biopsy and my results indicate that the cancer is progressing.  It has gone from 1.5 to 3.5% in my bone marrow in my pelvis.  Whilst I would much prefer to see it going down, the fact that it is progressing slowly is a bit of a win.  What’s even better is that I feel healthy and well.  Sure I have fatigue to manage, but I don’t have many aches and pains!!   Also, given the slow progression, I don’t have to go back onto the hard core chemotherapy for a while.  This will be reassessed after Christmas following my next bone marrow biopsy.  Bring on a (relatively) drug free Christmas and let’s hope the cancer numbers stay stable.

Whilst I have been busy with home life and work, I have made time for a few other things that I am passionate about.  I have continued to support several charities (Australian Bone Marrow Donation Registry, Lymphoma Australia and Myeloma Australia) by either fundraising, raising awareness or by providing support. This has been very fulfilling.  I have also taken the opportunity to speak about my recent experiences and learnings by delivering several presentations.  I have spoken of how to become empowered in times of adversity, the value of giving back to charities, and the importance of acting now to live deliberately by setting and striving towards your goals.   I have shared my experiences in the hope that others hear my messages and become inspired to implement change towards an improved life.

When living with a terminal disease, time becomes important. Whilst I believe I will live until I am 80, I have decided that I will live as though I only have 5 years left.  It has been suggested to me that nobody knows when we will die, and that any of us can go at any time. On this basis, we should all live as though we only have 5 years left.  So what have I done??  I have written out a bucket list for the next 5 years. I want to make the next 5 years fruitful.  Then in five years time, when I have completed my current bucket list, I will write another bucket list and achieve more. I encourage you to do the same.

Time is of the essence. My fab kineasiologist, Nanette Abbott, recently introduced me to this quote taken from a book by Lisa Messenger; If you want to know the value of one year, ask a student who failed a course; If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby; If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet; If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus; If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who escaped a car accident; If you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal at the Olympics; and then it was added If you want to know what an hour is worth, just ask a wife who can’t make it to a car crash in time to say goodbye to her husband.

I feel fortunate that I have time to create and fulfil my bucket list. Act now.

Take care

Geoff

Onwards and Upwards No. 23

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well.

So the last week has been eventful.  Last Tuesday, I had a hemi-thyroidectomy.  My doctors decided to take half of my thyroid out as they had found a tumour in the right side and they couldn’t confirm whether it was cancerous or not until it had been removed.  By all accounts the operation went very well, and unfortunately for some, the surgeons hands were sure and steady and my vocal cords remain intact.  Suffice to say I can still talk the leg off a wooden chair, I can talk with a mouth full of marbles underwater, I retain my affinity for verbal diarrhoea.  Everyone’s a winner!!

The winning continued this week as it was confirmed that the tumour removed was benign.  My immediate query to the Dr was whether I required the surgery at all.  He did reassure me that removing the tumour was a positive step forward as benign tumours can turn malignant.  Winner!  So now I can relax my way into the weekend as the scar settles down, and my focus returns to Cancer No. 1.  I never thought I would be happy to only have one cancer.

When I first confronted the challenge of a second cancer, I was put into a bit of a spin.  I felt I was losing the wellness race, and that control was being wrestled from me.  I reflected on what I had learnt from being diagnosed with cancer 1. There were several key steps that I had to implement for me to reestablish control.

1. Establish a strong foundation of knowledge relating to the challenge
2. Reconfirm my focus areas so I can limit how far I share my energy
3. Continue to work towards my big goals by taking small steps
4. Seek assistance from those around me that would support me achieving my goals (including family, healing team, doctors, etc).

Winner!

Once I had retraced these steps, I found I knew what I had to do to continue to move forward in a positive manner towards my ultimate goals.  I had control.

Have a great weekend.

Take care

Geoff

Onwards and Upwards No. 22

Hello my healing team,

I hope this update finds you well!!

In my last update, I let you know that they have found a Hurthle Cell Tumour in my Thyroid.  They were planning to remove my thyroid in October. However, given this is a nasty type of thyroid cancer that I am not particularly fond of, I have wrangled, pushed, negotiated and finally insisted that my surgeon remove my thyroid ASAP.  Just before I threw my toys from the pram and had a tantrum, he caved in, so I will have half of my thyroid removed next Tuesday 22 September. As I understand it, this is a pretty straight forward operation. The main risk is that they accidentally cut my vocal cord which would mean I can’t speak. But hey, Sarah would enjoy the peace and quiet!  Thankfully, I will only be in hospital for one night, then I will be home for two weeks recovering.  So don’t be shy about dropping in over that time.  I will welcome the company. Please remember that I now only eat 90% dark chocolate.

Over the past 18 months, people often compliment me on my positive disposition. Positivity comes down to my mindset and my mindset is represented by the way I articulate my thoughts. It is represented by the words I use. So I ask you………What’s in a word??  There are a couple of select words that by either using them, or not using them, I live positivity. I will share with you my thoughts on a couple.

CAN’T.  My mum always said, “there is no such thing as Can’t”. So I work to live it.  If I am struggling with a challenge, I remind myself that there is no such thing as can’t. Therefore, I can!

BUT.  Using the word BUT shows either indecision or can inject negativity.  For example, I would go the the Blood Bank and give blood, BUT I don’t have the time. The first step to moving forward is the point when you make a decision. If you make a decision, there is no place for the word BUT.

WILL. Instead of using words like, I might, I should, I could or I would, I say I WILL. It clearly demonstrates my intent to myself and those around me. It is my demonstration of commitment. I WILL beat this disease.

So……..

If you want to move forward…..

If you want to implement change…..

If you want to make a commitment and stick to it…..

If you want to set a clear intentions for yourself and demonstrate to everyone around you what you want…………….then consider the words you use.  It is the difference between doing and considering, certainty and ambivalence, living success and wishing for it.

Have a great weekend.

Take care

Geoff