11/07/2024
I’ve had a lot of different fights in my life ranging from actual physical fights, competition, and life. I rarely lose. Well, a new fight has begun and I don’t intend on losing this time either.
I’ve recently been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. I’ve had a few doctor appointments over the last couple weeks and have had snippets of good news but there are still unknowns to be looked into for the big picture.
I honestly believe that God has a reason for everything and whether you like it or not that reason isn’t a bad reason. I know it has definitely made me get my act together in how healthy I eat . I thought I couldn’t love my wife and family any more than I already do, but oh man, this shows you a whole other level of love and appreciation. It changes your attitude toward a lot of the worries of life and makes them not so bad because there are worse things in the world that could happen. There is a good reason or reasons that I will be going through this and I will find and do every one of them.
My God is bigger than cancer.
I will continue to tattoo as long as I have the strength and the doctors haven’t told me I have to stay away from people. The only thing I ask for is patience and understanding. I don’t know yet what kind of treatment I will be going through but there may be days that I have to cancel a tattoo appointment days or a day before or even the morning of. I’m sorry if this happens.
Those of you who have paid a deposit for a five hour session we may need to modify it to a two or three hour session but the price will be adjusted accordingly.
I totally understand those of you who may not want to wait for a reschedule and get it if you end up having another artist do it. I only ask that you possibly give my other two artists in my shop a chance to take care of you, Missy McGillicuddy and Glenn Meurs Tattooer. They are incredible artists and good people. They wouldn’t be in my shop if they weren’t. If you don’t choose to go through one of them please talk to us about other artists we would trust to do work and maybe we can recommend someone. I just don’t want anyone to have a bad experience.
I’m very inspired by some of my friends and clients who have their own cancer survival stories. One friend had some type of stage 5 lung cancer. I didn’t even know there was such a thing. He should have died. Today he may only have half of each lung but he still enjoys time with his wife, hunts, fishes, and works 20 years later. Another client had bone cancer and a few months to live. He’s now one of the coolest guys I know, cancer free, has a pretty awesome life and is built like a brick house. On the funny side one of my clients beat stage 4 throat cancer and now because of treatment has the bushy hair of a teenager and another client who beat breast cancer has more hair and curlier than ever. Maybe I’ll lose this back hair and get back a full head of hair I haven’t had since college. LOL.
I will try to be good about providing updates. I’ve always been the guy who takes care of everyone else, that’s my job. There’s so much unknown right now as far as costs and expenses so I may grudgingly create a gofundme. I never thought I would but I am in survival mode and will still try to take care of my wife and family as much as possible however possible.
You all have no idea how much I appreciate you. I would not be able to live this dream tattoo life without you and I thank you so much. So many times I’ve talked with clients about them needing their ink therapy. Something you may not know is that in letting me tattoo you, you have been my therapy too. Thank you for that. I love you all.
Dear cancer, you better get YOUR affairs in order cuz this fight isn’t going to go the way you thought it was.
