Finding a new Normal...

First and foremost, thank you Mark and Gil. Your thoughts on the switch really hit home. Thinking about the people that are praying for me is incredible and may just be the Switch that I needed to find! Thank you. Worse case, I will go exercise, cause I don't want to get my butt kicked by Mom either. :)

Starting tomorrow, I go into "Boost" Phase of Radiation, which as it is explained to me is the same dose, just more concentrated at the spot where the tumor was/is. This phase lasts Thurs/Fri of this week and all week next week. Then I am done with Radiation. Woo Hoo!!

Beginning March 8th, I begin what I am seeing as a new phase in my life...Post Radiation...

I will have 1 month free of chemo, then start the chemo phase of treatment. That phase will last 6-12 months with MRIs every 8 weeks to check on progress. This leads to the next phase in my life - POST CANCER!!!

So now that I have a switch to refer back to, my thoughts and actions are now beginning to focus on creating a new normal.

But, what is normal? What do I want that to be? In essence, who do I want to be? This is going to be an ongoing process. I realize that my life has to change to some degree and will continue to change as I move through the phases of recovery.

I can tell you that there are some absolutes and principles that are automatic. Here are Talbott's New Living Absolutes and 5 Rules. For my NH Friends, you will see some familiarities.

1. Never Look Back except to Celebrate! Life is forward!
2. Spend more time with my wife, my family, and my friends. This experience has made it perfectly clear how important you all are in my life. I am blessed and I plan to take full advantage of that blessing!
3. Be a productive partner for my business. Get myself healthy so I can get back to work in any capacity that I can! Find a way and Make It Happen!
4. Give back! I have been given so much, I will find a way to give back to others. If I can use this experience to inspire or help another human dealing with pain or disease, then it will all be worth it!
5. Live every moment. Live!
6. Never Forget Absolute #1 or Absolute #5 for that matter :)

Talbott's 5 Personal Rules/Principles

1. I must be the first thing I work on everyday. Are you Green and Growing or Ripe and Rotting?
2. I get strong by making the strong stronger.
3. Anything that adds to or multiplies is good, anything that subtracts from or divides is bad.
4. Multiply yourself by teaching others- Two steps forward, reach back and Pull
5. Enthusiasm is the window to a person's personality!

The funny thing about both sets of these rules and absolutes is that the majority of them were written down by me in 1997 in a document that I have maintained as Talbott's Personal Manual. They have been a simple list of how I wanted to live my life with a number of added principles for how I wanted to run my business. I compiled it a couple months after I got involved with my first small business, Innovative Training Solutions. Now with how my life has changed, the principles have become even more powerful!!!

This list of principles was titled by a quote by an unknown author, but still means alot to me. "A man who can control himself, is more worthy than a man who can control an army" So, Mom, I am using my braincells to beat this Cancer! Braincells and the power of positive thought!

So, as I begin to develop my new Normal, I wanted to share my new outlook with you all. Feel free to keep me honest! Thank you all for your support and inspiration through your prayers, comments, and positive thoughts! Never forget Absolute #1.

As always PEACE OUT!