Tim Simpkins: Update 2/7/01

Hello, Friends

As an ex-runner now, I wish everyone fine racing this weekend at Bowlegs 5K and other races. Start conservatively and push hard after 2/3 of your race. I look forward to joining you fitness fiends this fall!

Last night I slept the best in the week  I"ve been here. 12 hour liquid nutrition IV really lessened my fatigue today. I feel much better right now, enough to have just issued Tim Unger a challenge to battle me for next year's (2002) Grand Prix Championship!

My ankles are very fat and swollen from many IV's. Sometimes 3-5 IV's are in me at same time (nutrition bottle, dehydration bottle, chelation, and other therapies). Last night I added morphine (had stopped for 4 days) to doctor's list of 4-6 pain medicines I take. Amazing! I have had no real stomach pain since 6:30 P.M. last night. Today every 3 1/2 to 4 hours I swallow 2 teaspoons of morphine just when I feel my stomach starting to feel slightly strange. I hate all pain medicines. I am no "druggie!" But if I don't reduce pain the major therapies cannot be done.

Persistence is my favorite word. I often use it in reference to our training, our racing, and to just about everything in life and in how to be successful in all we do. Persistence usually pays off. Yesterday my brother Mark and I spent 7 hours (yes, indeed!) chasing doctors, nurses, and various staffers simply to get my $82.00 bottle! of liquid IV nutrition put in me. Everybody kept saying it's coming. All day my fatigue worsened. After 2 hours of this "liquid gold" my energy returned. Today so far I feel best I have felt in a week! Friends, always persist. Successful racing (and living) requires consistent effort!

I am staying optimistic. Your support and encouragement really help me keep believing. Your fine e-mails, phone calls, letters, and prayers definitely help me battle my lung/liver cancer. Thanks so very much for forgiving me for corrupting Tallahassee streets with weird running outfits!

I attempted on Monday the aggressive blood-filtering treatment and blood glucose-lowering treatment. These involved IV's, electrodes, nose oxygen tubes, heart-rate blood pressure gauges, and other hook-ups. I was nervous but ready. No way! After 5 minutes stomach pain had me wiggling in intense agony. I kept screaming "Stop, Stop, stomach is killing me!" It took doctor 5 min. to unplug me. The pain was the most agonizing I' felt with cancer. Tomorrow I try these therapies again. I pray my energy and stomach cooperate.

I cannot learn Spanish because I have no time. Pacific Ocean with actual dolphins and whales lay 1/4 mile away. But fatigue and pain and treatments consume my day. All day long I take their supplements. I tolerate 2-3 enemas daily. IV's are given every couple hours. I enjoy your e-mails and trying to answer them. My brother and I engage constantly in talks with doctors/nurses about my case. Daily I am becoming a very active participant in my cancer case. Hey, it is my life after all.

Friends, I applaud your motivation to keep running. Please, never stop! After 45 days off from running, I now miss it quite a lot. Despite work and time restraints you have, you must run and exercise. Regular, vigorous exercise keeps us feeling alive and brings much quality to our lives. Doctors here say my running is really helping me battle my cancer, gives me much stamina. Run, Friends, Run! Please!!

"Timid Tim"

Send your best to Tim at:
1701 West Pensacola, Apt. 132
Tallahassee, FL. 32304
atck18@nettally.com