Sorry cancer but I'm busy. Just leave a message at the beep!

When I found out I had cancer the first thing I did was quit everything, including coaching for 24 hours. Cancer made me feel like I could do nothing but be 'cancer guy'! Why? Because I kept reading about people who had to step away because of cancer.

Philadelphia Flyers coach, Roger Neilson, took a leave of absence while he fought bone cancer.

A high school coach from Newfoundland stepped away for a year with lymphoma.

NFL coach, Chuck Pagano, had a replacement while he fought leukemia. 

Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles battled the cancer, Terrell Owens, and made it to a Super Bowl. Sorry TO, I'm just kidding. I felt a moment of brevity was needed.

Cancer has caused me to miss a single practice and I have no intention to give it a chance to get in my way of living a happy life. I haven't missed a day of work or time with my family nor do I intend to let it. However, cancer was used as an excuse for leaving Homesense while my wife looked at cushions for an hour. Thanks cancer!

Cancer does not come with a rule book which is both a good and bad thing. How am I supposed to act and what should I do? My sense of humor has been active in the fight and I ask my friends and coworkers to do the same.

Me: My doctor is saying the only thing that could save me is a large order from you.

Customer: It'll be sad to see you go so young.

I feel like to "fit in" I should be looking sad, walking slowly and sitting at home. Screw that! When I go to the cancer centre I always go in with a huge smile and a skip in my step. Cancer will NOT ruin my day. I try to do the same thing on chemo days:

      2:00 Chemotherapy

      5:30 Pickup Rebecca and have dinner

      6:45 U17 Practice

      9:00 Walk dog for half an hour

      10:00 Gym and workout for 90 minutes

I've decided to keep active and do everything I can to be me. That includes being sarcastic, yelling, cursing, coaching, never sitting still, joking, having fun, hanging with family and working. Every now and then I remember I have cancer and I feel a little down but then I shake my head or I get an email or message from someone, often a former player, about something from the past and I laugh, smile or tear up and I'm my regular dickhead self again. Thanks Flynn for the most recent "Paul was a knob story." Yes, I realize I can be a dick from time to time...ok, most of the time.

Cancer has been a great learning experience. I've discovered there are a lot of people who care about me, I might be stronger than I thought, cancer isn't who I am but something I have, teams remain strong even twenty years after you've been together and at Brantford General Hospital they will NOT give you a picture of your testicles during a scrotal ultrasound but if I was pregnant I could have all the pictures I want! Double standard! Also, the technician will look uncomfortable for the duration of your visit after being asked for a picture of the scrotal ultrasound.

We are three weeks away from the end of our season, a season that I have battled cancer every day but I have not allowed it to cause me to miss a game and all but one practice. I've come to believe that I'm going to beat it by focusing on getting through a season at a time because to miss a game or practice because I let cancer beat me would just piss me off! In three weeks I'll be undefeated as a coach fighting cancer, 1-0! See you next season.

"Our Lady of Victory...PRAY FOR US!" Notre Dame Football

#shitkickcancer

Syracuse Men's Basketball, Jim Boeheim, beat prostate cancer just like I plan on doing!