Last week I went to the Mayo Clinic for my weekly treatment. Walking through these doors can be unnerving for many and being that I've walked through them a ton over the last two years, I try to focus on making it positive for others by comforting those on edge.

I've been receiving acupuncture treatment for the last 16 weeks to help with the side effects of coming off the opioids that I was taking for pain related to my cancer. I receive this weekly treatment in the breast cancer clinic as all Integrated Health Services are in this part of the hospital.

As I sat I said hello to a lady sitting next to me, I could sense she was nervous as when she put on a fake smile she blurted out, "I'm just sitting here waiting for the other shoe to drop!" When I heard this I also saw the fear in her eyes and I could tell she was early on in her cancer fight. She shared that she was there to see an oncologist as they had found a lump in her breast. I assumed this had been a recurrence based on her comment about the other shoe dropping, but she went on to tell me that it was her first time at the hospital.

Over the last several years, I've embraced renting a place to live in over owning. There's a peace in not having to worry if something breaks ... and living with cancer can make you not want to commit to anything except the fight! Earlier this year I was given the news ...

If you live long enough, you'll encounter a rough time or two. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging anywhere from job loss to rejection to sickness and anything in-between. No matter how big or small the difficulty is, it can be an all-consuming fight that can ...

Thirty-seven years ago this week, I attended Phantom Ranch at the age of 12. Phantom Ranch is a camp about two hours outside of Chicago in the small town of Mukwonago, WI. This camp was part of the foundation that has guided my life as I spent many summers as a camper, ...

I remember the first time someone said this to me. I was horrified and embarrassed. I felt misunderstood. For a while it caused me to stop talking about my disease. This triggered me to shut down on an emotional level. Ultimately it affected my desire to fight ...

If you follow me, you know the last couple weeks have been rough in regard to how I've been feeling. The great news is that for the third set of scans over the last six months, we've seen an overall decrease in the size of my disease. Twelve days ago, I took my last ...

Recently, I heard a grown man tell a story of near-death when he was a young child at the community pool with his parents and family friends. Just like every other day, he dove in and tried to swim to the top. This time, he found himself in the midst of a sea of adults -- ...

Earlier this year, while I was driving from Jacksonville to Miami to see my Cubs open the 2018 Baseball season up against the Marlins, I took a shot and sent Joel Denver an e-mail to see if I he had a minute to chat. As most of you know, Joel responds quickly -- ...

Since cancer entered my life almost five years ago, I've counseled with over 100 patients and family members of those who "Fight The Beast." I've also had many opportunities to speak with many individuals who are facing tough personal battles -- divorce, job/financial ...

If someone who knew me had to answer the question, "What's JT's thing?" they would say... He loves the Cubs! He likes to work out! He enjoys going on mission trips and helping others! Between my second and third bouts with cancer, I traveled to Haiti with A Door to ...