David "POOH" Maddan

9/19/08

GOOD NEWS today! I got the results back from my bone marrow biopsy and I am in remission with the Leukemia. That being said I still have what I would call some maintenance chemotherapy until the Bone Marrow Transplant, which is to be determined next Friday when I go and visit the specialist. At that time I will find out possible matches starting with my siblings.

I have also finished half of my treatments for Cyberknife to remove the tumors in my lungs from osteosarcoma. Things are going well with the treatment but I will know more about the results in a few weeks. If you have a chance, check this technology out...google “cyberknife” it is the future of many cancer treatment in regards to removing tumors versus surgery.

Crow Canyon Families I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and kind sentiments!! I will keep the website updated as soon as I know more.

“If you get confused, just listen to the music play”
Jerry Garcia

DAM

8/19/008

Sorry it has been so long since I last updated the website, I have frankly been so busy with living life, enjoying spending time with loved ones and just screwing around.

I figured now is the best time that any to get everyone caught up on things. Bear with me because this may be a little long-winded. So here we go: Since being in remission with osteosarcoma since November of 2006, I had gotten back to the business of living, rehabed my leg, went from crutches to a cane, to pretty much nothing at all this last summer.

In August of 2007 my monthly scans showed that the cancer had relapsed and there was mets in my lungs. So in October of 2007, and then November I had my left and right lungs operated on respectively to remove the mets in each lung. From November until April I was being seen monthly to monitor my progress and waiting for there to be signs of some measurable growth so I could be enrolled in a clinical trial in hopes of eradicating the osteosarcoma all together. While doing a baseline test for the study, they discovered I had low blood platelets, making me ineligible for the treatment.

Wanting to follow up on the new findings, my doctors ordered a bone marrow biopsy, which showed that I had developed AML or Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. This development was a secondary cancer developed because of the use of previous chemotherapy for my treatment of osteosarcoma.

So with all of that I started treatment for the AML August 4th and have been at Stanford since then. I am hoping to put the AML in remission soon and have a bone marrow transplant in the following weeks. The reason I have to stay in the hospital so long is that if I get an infection/ fever that they can deal with it immediately.

So for the time being I am having loads of visitors come by to keep my occupied and well entertained. Thank you all for your love and support and I apologize to the many whom I kept in the dark about the new diagnosis, I meant no harm I just would rather give the gift of laughter over worry. I will keep the site updated as things progress. Thanks you all for your love and support!!

“My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging”
-Hank Aaron-

-DAM-

5/4/07

All I have to say is GO WARRIORS!!! It has been a long time coming for the greatest basketball team in the Golden State. They are on a roll and they are in my opinion the most exciting team in basketball. I attended game 4 of the opening series versus the Mavs....and I have to say of all of the Warriors games I have ever been to it was loudest I have ever experienced at the Arena. Needless to say the environment in the bay area is electric!

Recently I have been resuming life; I moved into an apartment with a college buddy of mine in Walnut Creek and started coaching a summer league swim team for the summer. It is great to be back in California after a 3 week vacation (from my vacation) visiting my brother and his wife in North Carolina.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

I have been having a great time traveling around seeing friends. I just got back from the New York and Boston and am just now having the feeling return in my fingers. Needless to say it was a little chilly in Boston when I was there (more like -11 with the wind chill factor-in the daytime!!!). I am starting to feel for my sister and brother in law who endure harsh winters in the North Pole(actually Fort Mcmurray, Alberta) .

My next adventure is in less than three weeks away; I’m headed out to North Carolina to see my Brother and Sister in law for a few weeks. From now until then I am just trying to swim and work out as much as possible. For now just getting around with the use of a cane and soon I hope to be back to walking on my own.

DAM

It has been three months since I finished up chemotherapy and I am feeling pretty fantastic; just traveling around a lot, reconnecting with friends and having a blast doing it. I am getting ready in to travel to the east coast in a couple of weeks for a friends wedding in New York and then off to Boston for a few more days to see some other friends of mine.

As you can see I am now a blonde trying to solve the time old question of who actually has more fun redheads or blondes....I guess I am in-fact a natural redhead stuck in a blondes body, but I am convinced I can decipher an answer for prosperities sake....for the people.

Physical therapy is going really well, I am walking around with one crutch and will soon be going to a cane and then soon walking again. With all of that, life is good....no complaints...besides they should bring back the original cartoon line up for weekday mornings....G.I Joe, Transformers, and maybe a little Voltron to boot. In a perfect world, in a perfect world.

I hope everyone is well.

DAM

1/9/07

Happy New Year! It’s a good one thus far...just trying to stay out of trouble mostly. My rehab is going well...just slow going but I am driving my car again and having way too much doing it...it is like I am 16 again. Outside of that just, I am living the dream!

DAM

In the words of Jerry..."What a long strange trip it's been".......

I received great news yesterday. I received a bill of good health from my doctors so needless to say it was a good birthday! Yep the the big 2-7, it is crazy to think where the last year went, but it is good to be here so I'll take it. For now just some more PT for me and uping the swimming yards, outside of that just trying to stay out of trouble. I wish everyone a great holiday season!

"Worrying is like a rocking chair: it will give you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere."

Be well
DAM

Orange State: Fear of a Poohstrong Nation!
The Dishes are Done! Well The day has finally arrived. Done at last with this whole 14th month process.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone, for their prayers and well wishes. They have all have meant so much to me during the treatment. I just want to thank the Poohstrong Nation for the hundreds of emails, letters, cards, trinkets, beanies and an onslaught of other gifts. I guess I will spend the near future re-habing my leg and getting back into reasonable shape and trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.....I’ll keep you updated... see life apparently starts for some at 26.

Two more Weeks, Two More Weeks!

Hey Everybody, I know it has been a while since I last updated the site, but I finally thought of something interesting to say. Well before my ADD kicked in I did.
Now that I have the website problems all figured out I will be better about giving the good news. First off for those that don't already now my Lung Surgery was a success and everything that was removed was non-tomourous. So at this point I have Four more rounds of Chemotherapy left and then hopefully done forever.

For now I am doing as much Physical Therapy as I can, spending time riding the stationary bike, and swimming.

I want to take the time to Thank the Andersen Boys, Mathew Maxwell and a whole number of swimmers that participated in a fundraising drive at the VSA championships this last August. Thank You to Aquatics times.com as well for a nice article. The support has been overwhelming...Thanks again.

DAM

Hey everybody I am back posting again after some trouble with the web hosting service, they seem to be more trouble than they are worth. Good news from the Maddan camp: the lung surgery was a success and I am just recovering for the next couple of weeks at home. I should be starting my last 6 rounds of chemo in the next few weeks so it is definately good news. It is roughly 10 weeks of treatment if everything goes well so I am looking to be finished in October.

For those of you that followed the Tour de France this year you obviously have heard about the doping scandals that continue to overshadow cycling. I spent a little time this morning watching the press conference for Floyd Landis to address his doping allegations to the media. If Floyd says he didn't do, I believe he didn't do it. I am thinking this whole thing will turn out to be a huge French mistake like capri pants.

Be Well.

Happy July! Well it is finally July so as you know we are well into summer if you didn't know from the warm weather and sunshine, unless you are in the northeast part of the country right now trying to stay dry.

I am doing well just waiting on Lung Surgery scheduled for the 14th of this month. I should have a couple of weeks of recovery after the procedure and then the final 6 rounds of chemotherapy to follow. I am finally starting to feel like I am on the downhill of this long 10 month process that I have been going through. I am not exactly out of the woods yet but it feels good to know that I only have 10 weeks of chemo following surgey. So until then I am following the world cup closely and excited the Tour de France started today. The field of riders as of late has developed into one that looks to favor another american victor due to a recent spanish doping ring being uncovered. I am pulling for our local boy Levi Leipheimer who lives and trains in Santa Rosa California, riding for team Gerolsteiner.

Please continue sending pictures if you have any you think are worth sending, I seem to update the Picture Gallery the most. Take care this holiday weeked and designate a driver over the holiday. You never know where the CHP is going to be.

Hey everybody I just wanted to drop a quick update because I will know more in another couple of days. I am just continuing with treatment, it looks like I have about 12 more weeks of chemo to go but I will know more next week about the surgery on my lungs to remove some crap in there so I will update the site soon.

Until then make sure you get plenty of rest, eat plenty of green veggies.....No disco dancing!

"Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances."
--Benjamin Franklin--

Hey party people, well I guess it has been a little over a month since I last updated so I figured it is about time. I am doing pretty well beside that whole chemo thing, just relaxing continuing to receive chemotherapy and doing physical therapy to restore the strength in my leg. Things are going well and I am sticking fairly close to the schedule which if I stay on track I should be done with treatment in late August/early September. For the time in between my last few treatments, I have been keeping busy with the usual you know: partying with models from Milan, jetsettng in Vegas for VIP weekends and eating cookies. I am also enjoying the art of the nap these days.

I want to say hello to all the friends and well wishers for the posts in the guest book, I do check it about daily although sometimes I am terrible about returning emails, but I appreciate the love. Oh and I must also say hello to the mighty Crow Canyon Sea Lions who start there summer season pretty soon here. I miss all of you guys, especially Dan and Ethan, good luck to all the kiddos this season!

I am hearing that the orange poohstrong bracelets are making a cultural splash all-over the country from the east coast to the left coast and working its way inland sparking a pandemonium of demand for them. So if you if would like one or some just drop me and email or Matt Wheeler and we will get some out to you.

Be excellent to each other
DAM

Hey everybody it has been a little bit since my last post. I just wanted to say thanks to a number of people for the interesting gifts I have received in the past week. Thanks to the UCSB men's swim team from whom I received a Big West Conference, T-Shirt which I am wearing in the picture above (front and back). Needless to say this has become my favorite thing to wear.
I am also typing this right now on a brand new laptop that was graciously donated to me by some wonderful members of the poohstrong nation....you guys are alright!
Speaking of poohstrong, there has been some bracelets made, approximately 1,100 quality "poohstrong" bracelets. You may have guessed it, they are orange, and if you would like one or some to show your support please email Matt Wheeler and we'll get them mailed to you.
Matt at: matt@matt-ben.com

I want to thank everyone for the continued support, it keeps me entertained to say the least. And to the Porteous Family thank you so much; you guys really shouldn't have, I thought that the sugar-less gum and toothbrushes were plenty! You are a very special family, thank you again.

Lastly I want to thank the Brenner Family (Gabe, Lora, Amanda, Amber, Millie) for taking care of me and ultimately putting up with me, you guys are the best!

March Madness begins today and if you are going to keep track the UCLA Bruins are going all of the way. I don't make the rules I just tell it how it is! Well I guess UC Santa Barbara has failed for another year to make the NCAA tournament; I think the last time the went to the dance was my sophmore year of college....So all of you with your college teams in the tournament damn you! All I ever wanted was a power-house basketball team, is that too much to ask for?

To give you the update, I have begun with chemo again. It looks like I will be at it for several cycles until this fall. I am doing well, I am just doing a lot of physical therapy so I can get back on my feet soon. Thanks for the continued support and the constant messages, I know often times I don't respond in a timely manner to many of them but I appreciate the support.

Lastly I must say thank you to the UCSB Men's team for the conference shirt...I got a real kick out of it....needless to say it made my week!

Be well.
DAM

2/10/06

Even if it was a mistake on the hit from Iran, I really appeciate the support. Thanks Wheels for updating the page! I can finally sit at the computer for a long enough time to do something, so I figured I would say hello.

Good luck to the UCSB Gauchos as they gear up for Big West Conference Meet this next weekend.....Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole,.......Gauchos.....Gauchos! Throw it down!

Take care,
DAM

2/9/06

I know everyone can hardly live without words from the great poohman himself, but unfortunately he is headed back into the hospital again for a minor procedure so I am once again taking the reigns and updating the site here.

After meeting with the oncologist it appears that Pooh will have up to 20 weeks of chemo left before hopefully being through with this whole ordeal. This means he will be undergoing treatment possibly up until August of this year. Given that it is only February, this is quite a long stretch of treatment. I think I speak for us all when I say I hope this will be over for Pooh as soon as possible and he can get on with his life. Keep on posting your support and keep Pooh in your thoughts.

One last note: due to some thoughtless spammers out there i have been forced to include a password requirement to post a message to pooh on the guestbook. I don't have time at the moment to program some fancy little box with squiggly lines through it for a "what does this say?" type of password, so i merely put it down at the bottom of the guestbook page. If the spammers are coming here and typing this stuff in everytime, there isn't much i can do to stop them but keep deleting their posts.

And of course to add to the poohstrong global phenomenon he is receiving hits from such esteemed coutnries as iran. apparently they do more than just protest cartoons over there.

-MOW

1/23/06

To add to the poohstrong global phenomenon the site has now received hits from three more countries that include Great Britian, Argentina and a hit from the European Union.

The reason I haven't updated the site in a while is that I just returned from the hospital a few days ago. What I innitially thought was supposed to be an outpatient procedure to clean up the wound from surgery turned into a 10 day hospital stay. So I hope you understand why I hadn't updated.

As I have learned early on in dealing with all of this, schedules often get thrown out the window and it really becomes a day-to-day, week-by-week sort of thing when finding out what comes next in the treatment cycle. Tenatively, I have an appointment with the oncologist down at Stanford next Tuesday and hopefully I should start my first of what I am hoping is as few rounds of chemo as possible later on in that week. For the time being I am resting and will be starting a little bit of rehab on my leg early next week.

Thanks for all of the mail that I have received lately. I have gotten a kick out of so many of the photos that have come with them. I will get some of them scaned soon and put in the photo gallery. Until then if you want to send me anything I am staying at:

4348 Grace Ct. Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Take care,

DAM

If you would to like to shoot me an email just click the image below
david@poohstrong.com




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