this is me.....

oh yeah this is awesome...now I have my own blog in addition to my myspace page www.myspace.com/mixedn8 ......My Name is Nate Barrell. I am 31 years old and live in Sacramento, CA. I am the single parent of an 8 year old daughter named Maritza and a 4 year old Shiz-Tzu named Nena. Currently I am courageously and bravely battling the Stage 4 Metastatic Colon Cancer that I was diagnosed with in January 2006. I have received all of my treatment and care at the Kaiser Permanente Hospital located at the South Sacramento location. They have been awesome thus far in handling my situation and making sure that I receive the proper treatment that I need, and I am quite fond of the helpful staff that ensure my visits run as smooth as possible. Upon initial diagnosis I had many questions regarding my future, health, and treatment so I made a decision to find out all I can to beat this thing despite the tremendous odds against me that say I have an 8% percent chance of surviving 5 years even with treatment. My research has included bombarding my oncologist with numerous questions, consulting with a very well respected nationally known oncologist at the University of San Francisco, internet research including but not limited to many visits to the American Cancer Society and Colon Cancer Alliance websites. I have attended a conference put on by the Colon Cancer Alliance that included presentations by several oncologists and others that specialize in the field of cancer. I try to share the information I find with family, friends, coworkers, acquaitances, myspace friends, colon cancer alliance buddies, and anybody else who is interested in the information that I have to share and I am always more than welcome to share my own personal story.

Living with and having cancer, especially in such a serious case as mine is extremely frightening as it affects daily life and affect future plans, dreams, goals, and aspirations. Indeed the chemotherapy involved in the fight is somewhat of a beast all in itself. Side effects I experience regularly include: Neuropathy(loss of sensation in hands and feet), bloody noses, lethargy, blood from my "tail pipe", heartburn, loss of appetite related to nausea. Most of the side effects are temporary and only last during my chemo week but the neuropathy caused by exposure to Oxaliplatin remains permanent so far even though I have been off that stuff for a good 6 months or so.

well thats me in a nutshell for now......thank you in advance to any and all potential readers of this blog......support cancer fighters by wearing a yellow LIVESTRONG bracelet or support me by wearing a SuperNate "N" t-tshirt available for purchase at the following link: http://www.cafepress.com/mixedn8 .... a wonderful friend created this store for me so I can get a lil extra $$ to help me through my struggle because prayers alone cant keep the bills paid.....if you happen to make a purchase please take a picture of yourself with the item and email it to me or post it so that I can see it and save it......it would mean the world to me.........

much love

Nate