And just by coincidence I was going through some old computer files today and found an article Mr J wrote on 14 March 2012 - a few days after the horrid weather Ironman day - when the event was moved to the Sunday and was run as a half distance event.
And 4 years after he was given the 10 to 12 week to live diagnosis. The article is not for the faint hearted, but makes some nice Ironman references. I have pasted it below.
For those Ironmen who think they are doing it tough by having it postponed this year, this reminded me of what 'tough' and 'Ironman' is:
Hole in Head
On
or about the 15 Feb 2012, the infected hole in my head was getting worse so we
decided a visit to the hospital was needed. As we have done in the past this
meant a visit to A & E where we seem to get a fast track service. In no time at all I was admitted to a ward
and examined by a large group of learned medical staff. There was a group from
the infectious diseases; they took blood samples from the hole. Then there was
the surgical team who discussed when the infection may have gone, finally a
group of eager students all furiously taking notes. After all note taking and discussion it was
agreed that I should have another MRI.
It
was decided that a Scan was needed for up to date information so off I went to
the scan machine. On my return the medical committee, as we now called it, met
and with due regard to my history of Ironman told me that I could be released
to go and do the Ironman and to return
the week following when they would deal to the hole. It was suggested
that the surgeons would open up the hole, remove some infected bone and replace
with a glass fibre plug. Meanwhile the Bugs group would arrange to intravenous
drip me with an antibiotic for several weeks.
With all this buzzing around in my head we were discharged and set off home to prepare for our trip to Taupo. The days just flashed by and in no time at all we were doing the final pack and setting off for the big Lake. We arranged to be there on the Wed so that we could prepare for the 1st time ironman presentation. This year Verna was to do it with me and in the past we have been very successful as duel presenters, especially since I am getting forgetful these days. As the time went by our friends turned up. There was Jason and Becky, Merle and Peter, Annie and Murray, Doug and Gaye, Danny and Glenn, Peter and Natasha and Grant. Doing the Ironman were the following: Becky, Annie, Doug, Grant, Verna & Tony.
Our 1st timers presentation was scheduled for 1pm on Thursday, it was attended by at least 450 and the gold coin collection for CFS was at least that. I have to say that with Verna presenting with me I was so much more relaxed and we both enjoyed the experience as did all the attendees.
Thursday
evening was the Pasta function and most of our group attended. It was a packed
house and there were more people seated than the function hall ever had before.
An excellent presentation by the local iwi set the scene for the evening and as
usual, the food never did run out. The role down for completed NZ Ironman was
held and Mike Reilly called me up on stage as I had an announcement to
make. I wanted to tell as many people as
I could that this was my last Ironman, I was retiring. There were a number of reasons for this
decision but most important was the continued stress and anxiety I was causing
for my darling wife and our families and friends. What a wonderful 28 years I
have had though and the many wonderful people we have met, I would not have
changed this for anything.
Friday
arrived so soon, as did the weather forecasts. Not good, in fact they were
terrible. Gale, force winds, rain and very cold. This Ironman was prepared with
a contingency plan. If the weather did not improve they would defer the event
to Sunday and half the distances. Sat 4am weather still terrible so plans in
place for a Sunday race. As it turned out the organisation was superb. All
volunteers turned up and the whole event went without a hitch. It should be
noted that NZ Civil Defence declined to give permission for the event to go
ahead on the Saturday
Sunday it was. Whilst all our team gave their best at the event, and I was very proud of their stoic attitudes, I chose to take a more sedate approach to the day. I wanted to enjoy my last Ironman. I took the opportunity to stop at aid stations and thank the volunteers. I even did what I have always wanted to
do. Running back along the Lake Front,
there is a small bar by a boat hire. Every year I have run past there is always
someone in there with a cold bottle of Heineken. This year, on my return to the
finish, I arranged to have a cold beer myself. Managed about a third and it was
nectar.
How
nice it was to be finished in daylight. Meant we could all get our stuff and go
home for a communal meal and wine. All that was left was packing, meeting for
breakfast and off home to the inevitable unpacking and pile of laundry.
We
returned to the A&E on Tuesday morning and discovered that communication
was not as good as it had been. Waited 8 Hours until they found a bed and then
arrange for all the various surgeons to be on deck.
Since
then I get prodded and tested every two hours until it was my turn to go to the
operating theatre. When I came out in ICU my head was dressed in a giant turban. It was the most disturbed night I have ever
had, what with being awoken every two hours I was unable to go to sleep or do
No. 2's. The following morning the surgical team arrived and explained what
they have done.
Tracing
the infected bone tissue and the scull festering, the team had removed it all, the whole scalp, lifted it, cleaned out all the mess and dead bone, turned the scalp around, put it back on backwards and sewn it up covering the big gaps in my head.
The
purpose of this communication is not to continue about my problems but more to
recognise the amazing efforts put in by Verna.
Some
years ago we were feeling very, very happy and contented with our lives. We had
what we considered a wonderful life. I love my wife. And importantly we were surrounded our many friends. Verna was
being very successful with her small Auckland company doing so well and I was feeling very
settled within Telecom developing the future split of the group.
In between living and being happy with our life and work, we were continuing with our fun times of training together and this year we decided to train a little more seriously, Verna wanted to podium. She told me she was tired of my being up there, it was her turn. Which was funny because she had podiumed a few times but I knew she was just trying to motivate me. I do need it. We were happy.
Then,
completely without warning, I developed a tumor in my brain. This affected our lives substantially. With a
very urgent operation for removal it was found the tumour was a Grade 5. The progress from there you would all have
read about. What has not been said has been the contribution made by Verna.
