Tag: Gamma Knife

What Surviving 3 Brain Tumors Taught Me About Health

First, they said I’d never ride again. Then they said I’d never compete again. Then they said I’d never win again. I didn’t believe them. I was right.

Let me back up. I’m a professional BMX athlete, which means I compete in freestyle BMX bike riding events where we do tricks like backflips, spins and tail whips. When I was in my 20s – not long after I had won a major professional competition and competed in the X-Games, the most elite of extreme sports competitions – I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This tumor, known as a meningioma, took up almost the entire left side of my head. I went from feeling on top of the world to feeling like the world was on top of me. A team of surgeons opened my skull and cut out the tumor. The surgery was intense and the recovery was tough, but fortunately, I was back on my bike just over a month later.

[See: Exercising After You’ve Gone Under (the Knife, That Is).]

The experience changed me, but not as significantly as you might expect. I thought of my brain tumor as a short pause in an otherwise normal life; not much different than the sort of bumps I went over on the BMX course. I went back to training, traveling and competing. I was your basic 20-something kid: I rode hard during the day, and ate, drank and stayed out late with my buddies at night. Life goes on, right?

Wrong. Two years after making a full recovery from surgery, I was traveling in India when I found out I had two more brain tumors. The news hit me hard. I knew I was lucky to have come out of the first diagnosis and surgery with little more than a scar on my scalp. With this second diagnosis, I started to worry that my luck was running out.

That was when I knew it was time to make some changes. While I had probably known all along deep down that I couldn’t fuel my dreams on 42-ounce sodas and microwaved burritos, the return of my tumors made me realize how precious good health really is. It gave me the motivation to take a serious look at my life and lifestyle and to reconsider my choices.

I started with my most pressing issues, which, quite literally, were the brain tumors pressing on my skull. My intense desire to beat the tumors and get on with my life almost matched my desire not to live through another craniotomy. I believed that there had to be another way to fix the tumors, so I sat at my computer searching the web until I found something that seemed like it might be an alternative: Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a way to treat the brain tumors without having to cut the skull open. I soon found a doctor who would perform the procedure, which involves directing a high dose of irradiation through the intact skull to control the tumors. The radiation works to make the tumors disappear, shrink or stop growing.

Next, I focused on revamping my diet. Now, the sodas, beer, and fast food are out, and real, whole foods are in. I try to eat organic whenever possible. I’ve cut way back on sugar and I drink a lot of water. One of the things that surprised me when I changed my diet was that eating healthy really isn’t that complicated. Staying away from packaged and processed foods and eating organic when I can are small changes that made a big difference – at least for me. I now have more energy and fewer midday energy crashes, which means I can train harder and longer. My digestive issues have gone away. I heal faster and get sick less often. I’ve also found that my mood is more stable, which helps me focus my mind and block out anxiety and fear.

[See: 10 Ways to Break a Bad Mood.]

Finally, I made important changes to how I view and use my brain. I started to use breathing and visualization techniques when I’m practicing and competing. For example, before a competition, I run through the moves I want to do in my mind, picturing what it would look like if I accomplished them perfectly. Then, I focus on my breathing, telling myself to take nice, slow, deep breaths. This routine, which I perform over and over, keeps my energy up and my heart rate down, and also lets me really be in the moment. To be honest, though, these rituals don’t always work. But even then, I just take the hit and get back up on my bike and try again. If brain tumors weren’t enough to knock me out of the race, then an occasional fall off my bike isn’t going to stop me either.

Taking better care of my body and my mind is paying off: I recently competed at the FISE World Series in Osijek, Croatia, where I had hoped to make it to the top 12. (I didn’t set my goal higher since it was my first big event since I had ACL surgery in November 2015.) At the competition, I didn’t stress about being back in the spotlight and instead visualized myself succeeding at each stage of the competition and made sure I kept breathing. I made it through qualifiers, then through semifinals and hit my goal of being in the top 12 finalists. Then, I took third place.

Since my second diagnosis, I’ve learned that fear is something that exists in our minds. If you focus on a goal rather than on the fear, you can accomplish anything. Mental focus is important for success, and how we fuel our bodies impacts how we think and feel. Since I started paying more attention to my mind and my body, I find it’s easier to deal with stress and anxiety. I can pick myself up, take a step back and then figure out the best way to keep pushing ahead.

[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or Race.]

Whether it’s a health scare, a relationship that has gone bad or career setback, eventually, we all get knocked down. The trick is to get back up, learn from it and keep going. You don’t need a frightening diagnosis to change your life for the better. The only second chance you need is the one you give yourself.

-Josh P.

Choices

Just got off the phone with Tuft’s Medical Center in Boston, where I had Gamma Knife Radiosurgery treatment in 2012, and this is the new challenge I face…

The 2 newer brain tumors that were treated on the left side of my brain via Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in 2012, near the middle of my brain, was shrinking for 1-2 years and is now stable (good news).

There are now 2 new masses on the right side of my brain the size of peas (from residual cell growth), opposite of where the original surgery in 2010 was performed. My options are to follow it and see if it changes in growth with an MRI no sooner than 6 months, Gamma Knife radiosurgery, or full on open cranial surgery. 

It took 7 years for these new growths to accumulate, which would have been dramatically sooner had I not changed my diet and cut out 95% of sugar, alcohol, and other crap food-like products. 

It’s times like these that challenge our beliefs and our strength, mentally, the most. It’s also the most important time to practice positive thinking and manifesting the outcome and life we want. It’s easy to do so when times are “good” but it matters most when times are “bad”.

I have practiced a positive mindset and not giving into fear for the last 2 years so much that it shows in my riding now and in my everyday life. This challenge is no different. The way I see it is I can feel sorry for myself and give into fear, or I can stay confident and push forward like I have always done with obstacles in life I have to overcome to get where I want to be.

I believe these obstacles are thrown my way because I do have the strength to deal with and overcome them, and show you all that you can too. We all possess the strength within our minds to do and think whatever we want, and I want to continue to show you all this by living my message to the fullest. If anything, this is just more motivation and fuel for my goals with my BMX career and life in general. 💚✌️

📸 by: @bcookmedia 

-Josh P.

A New Trick For Brain Tumor Survivor & Pro BMX Rider, Josh Perry

July 21, 2016

“My experience led me to become a Holistic Health Coach – focusing on nutrition as the path to better health and well-being”

Thrilling ups and downs, rapid turns and hard crashes are all part of life. Sometimes things take a smooth, predictable approach and other times you get caught in a tailspin from out of nowhere that slams you hard on the concrete. It’s not really about how hard you fall, but more about how quickly you are willing to get up and take another shot. Just ask Josh Perry…

Today Josh is a happy, healthy 27-year-old man with his whole life ahead of him. Six years ago, shortly after achieving a lifelong goal of becoming a professional BMX athlete, he received his first brain tumor diagnosis.

Josh had a meningioma, a benign tumor that caused intense headaches and significantly impaired vision. His tumor was successfully removed through an open craniotomy, an invasive surgical procedure that requires an opening of the skull. His recovery was slow but complete and within two months Josh was back on the BMX circuit. He felt he’d been given a second chance and took advantage of every opportunity to compete, travel, perform and give back to the community.

Two years later during his yearly check-up, an MRI showed two new tumors at the original cancer site. Josh felt his world grind to a halt for the second time. The optimism he’d built following his first diagnosis, surgery and recovery were squashed. Josh knew that there had to be an alternative to invasive brain surgery and after the harsh reality of a second diagnosis set in, he committed to finding another way. Following extensive Internet research and discussions with his surgeon, Josh learned about and decided on Gamma Knife® radiosurgery. With this non-invasive approach, beams of radiation are precisely delivered to specific areas of the brain without surgically entering the skull.

“The kind of SRS that I had is called Gamma Knife and it can be used treat areas deep areas of the brain or areas that are close to critical parts of the brain that control the spinal cord and our ability to see and hear.”

One week after Gamma Knife radiosurgery Josh was once again at the helm of his BMX bike. He reported the procedure to be painless and similar to getting an MRI, only shorter. In addition to continuing to compete on the BMX circuit, Josh is channeling his experiences and his newly earned certification as a holistic health coach towards broad-scale health awareness programs and campaigns.

As one of a handful of people to have survived three separate brain tumors, Josh believes it is his mission to help educate people with brain tumors about their options. Nearly 78,000 new cases of primary brain tumors (including cancerous and non-cancerous tumors) were diagnosed last year, and nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. alone are living with primary brain and central nervous system tumors.

Check out Josh’s blog Daily Brainstorms to read more about his story, see some cool BMX videos and read about his newfound love for sauerkraut and kombucha.

Tips from Josh: never take your life or health for granted

  • Despite the challenges of my brain tumor experience, it taught me an invaluable lesson: Just because I am young and athletic doesn’t mean nothing bad can’t happen to me. Life and health are precious and you can’t take them for granted. This new mindset led me to think more and more about healthy living, and more specifically, healthy life choices, healthy nutrition and a positive mental attitude.
  • In February 2014, I enrolled in the world’s largest nutrition program, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. A year later, I completed the program to earn a certification as a Holistic Health Coach, enabling me to help others achieve their goals to improve and maintain their health and wellbeing.
  • I want to live the life I dreamed of while helping others to do the same and to become as healthy as possible. I also wanted to show others I’m no different than them – in the sense that we all possess the power to overcome adversity in our lives. I am living proof that anyone can achieve their goals when they put their minds to it, nourish their body and think positively.

-Josh P.

How Stereotactic Radiosurgery Saved My Life

I had the recent opportunity to share my story in my local home paper, The Cape Cod Times! This is so special to me and I am excited to share with all of you.

By Josh Perry

Posted Dec 12, 2016, at 2:01 AM

Eight years ago, at the age of 18, I reached my goal as a professional BMX athlete. I had won my first pro contest, I had ridden in the X-games for the first time, I was approaching my third year as a professional on the Dew Tour, and I felt as though I was on top of the world. And then my world turned upside down.

I hit my head while riding one day and had to get an MRI, which revealed a benign, meningioma brain tumor that had invaded the left side of my brain. It was growing into my brain from a layer of my skull called the meninges and it was pushing down on my optic nerve. As it turns out, the tumor was the cause of the debilitating headaches – which my doctors and I thought were migraines – that I had been suffering from for some time. In the spring of 2010, I had to have my skull cut open to remove it. The six-hour surgery was successful, and five weeks later I was well enough to get back on my bike. And for almost two years, my life was back to normal.

In the fall of 2012, though, I faced a setback. An MRI showed two tumors the size of blueberries growing back. Because they were located in a very dangerous spot close to my main artery, surgery would have been too risky. I knew there had to be an alternative, and after the harsh reality of what I was facing set in, I made it my new goal to find another way. Through research and close consultations with my surgeon, I learned about a form of radiotherapy called stereotactic radiosurgery.

This cutting-edge technology – the concept for which was developed nearly 50 years ago and which has treated more than one million patients afflicted with brain tumors, vascular malformations and functional disorders – has a high success rate for tumors like mine. In this approach, beams of radiation are focused precisely on small targets in the brain, which means that the beams converge on the diseased tissue or tumor without harming healthy tissue around it.

I decided to go for it. In my case, the treatment, which was silent and practically painless, involved a machine that looks similar to an MRI machine and involved three sessions at 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes. No time in the hospital, no side effects of note, I was back on my bike in a week, and I felt like nothing ever happened. A follow-up MRI scan in November 2013 showed a slight decrease in one of the tumors. The following year’s MRI showed even better news, with both tumors now decreasing. Subsequent MRIs have continued to show progress, and while I may never be tumor free, the treatment I received not only means I am alive, but that I can keep on living the life I want to live.

 If I had been diagnosed with this condition 20 years ago, I probably would not be alive today. Instead, I am living a physically, mentally and spiritually fulfilling life because of the innovative advances in medical technology.

Radiotherapy’s reach and effectiveness have grown by leaps and bounds, and it can now be delivered with previously unimaginable precision, reducing side effects while minimizing the time patients like me spend undergoing the procedure. As a result, radiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for tumors of all types, both cancerous and noncancerous.

I am a true believer in the power of positive thinking, and I would say my journey is the epitome – literally and figuratively – of the theory of “mind over matter.”

Josh Perry, formerly of Dennis, lives in Cary, North Carolina.

-Josh P.

The MRI That Saved My Life

 

The MRI That Saved My Life

Josh Perry, Pro BMX Rider

It is said—mostly to scare young riders into taking appropriate safety precautions—that the likelihood that a motorcycle rider will have an accident is 100 percent.

In my career as a professional bicycle motocross (BMX) bike rider, I can tell you that not only is there a 100 percent chance you will fall sometimes, but there is almost a 100 percent chance that you will fall every time you ride. Sometimes, though, falling can be a good thing. It was only after a serious slam that I received the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that detected a brain tumor and saved my life.

I grew up in Massachusetts, where I first started riding bikes with my friends. We used bikes for more than just transportation, and soon I was learning how to do jumps and other tricks. By the time I was 17 years old, I had grown comfortable doing backflips out of quarter pipes and over box jumps. I needed to be closer to the best riders to continue to progress in the sport, so I relocated to Greenville, North Carolina, where I had access to the best BMX training facilities.

No matter how good you are, you always fall. At 17, you can bounce back from a fall that would take you out for weeks at age 37. Constantly being plagued by minor injuries forces you to learn to be in touch with your body—for example, knowing whether you have to favor one leg over the other to absorb the impact of a jump. When I started having migraines, it was only natural that I would attribute them to riding However, I didn’t know how to compensate for this degree of pain.

In October 2009, the headaches became severe. I am not a medical professional, but I had done some research and decided I would need an MRI or a computed tomography (CT) scan to determine the cause of my headaches. Unfortunately, the doctors told me multiple times that I did not need a scan and gave me painkillers instead. I knew they were merely a mask and that my body couldn’t handle the drugs, so I never took them.

I had to take many days off because of the pain, but I never stopped riding. That all changed in March 2010, when I hit my head and was knocked unconscious. It turns out that I really did need an MRI, which I finally got, only much later than I wanted it.

The MRI results showed one benign meningioma tumor taking up the entire left portion of my brain. Bingo! Now I knew why I was getting those headaches. Upon receiving the diagnosis, I was afraid. The doctors explained to me that if I wanted to live, I would have to undergo surgery. Later, I would find out that if I had been given an MRI a year earlier, my doctors could have performed gamma knife radiosurgery instead of a much more invasive surgery.

I had surgery on April 16, 2010. The procedure that was supposed to last 4.5 hours actually lasted for six because the tumor was located near the main artery and my optic nerve, in the area that controls motor skills. Fortunately, the surgeon did a superb job.

To this day, medical imaging remains essential to my quality of life.

Six months after the initial surgery, an MRI showed that two areas of the tumor had started growing back. In November 2012, I underwent gamma knife radiosurgery. Six months after that, another MRI showed that the tumors were stable. In November 2013, an MRI showed that one of the tumors was slightly decreasing in size, and by October of the following year, both were shrinking. Today, I continue to live with two brain tumors and undergo annual scans; most important, I feel good and am back on my bike.

People often ask me whether being diagnosed with brain tumors is the worst thing that has happened in my life. It was certainly one of the most shocking and scary experiences, but not the worst. To the contrary, in some ways, it was one of the best things that could have happened to me because it taught me to be more in tune with my body. As a result, I am now healthier than I have ever been. I just wish I’d had a scan earlier.

At the time of my diagnosis, I appeared to be the pinnacle of health and wellness, but medical imaging helped my doctors detect the invisible. Thanks to the benefits of medical innovation, I have a new lease on life and am able to compete at the highest level in my sport. People should not have to face a catastrophe to get the right scan at the right time.

-Josh P.

Fox News Radio Interview

Back in March, FOX News Radio gave me the opportunity to share my story of overcoming multiple brain tumors and returning to BMX riding, which is more than a sport to me. It’s my passion, freedom, love and it has saved my life in more than one way.

I documented my experience via video, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/NNlQzomuuF0

For the official FOX News Radio version (5 minutes), check it out here:

http://radio.foxnews.com/2016/05/11/extraordinary-bmx-extreme-biker-josh-perry-changes-a-death-sentence-into-his-destiny/

Here is an outline of the interview…Enjoy! 🙂

▪ (0:25) Falling in love with BMX

▪ (0:46) BMX as a career

▪ (1:15) 17 years old and moves to Greenville, NC

▪ (2:02) Self motivation

▪ (2:40) Brain tumor diagnosis at 21 years old

▪ (3:28) Day in my life with headaches from the tumor

▪ (4:20) The day I was diagnosed with a brain tumor

▪ (5:35) “BMX saved your life?”

▪ (6:05) The trick I crashed and that saved my life- “Flair Whip”

▪ (7:05) Back to BMX after brain surgery

▪ (8:21) Physical and emotional changes in my life (Brain surgery, Gamma Knife radio surgery, and emotions)

▪ (9:15) Having to except death

▪ (11:20) Back to BMX after 1 week from Gamma Knife radio surgery

▪ (12:04) “Our genes are not our destiny”

▪ (14:00) Holistic Health Coach

▪ (15:45) We are children of God, which makes us creators, too. We can do what we want if we set our minds to it.

▪ (16:10) Follow me on social media & my blog. (@JoshPerryBMX / www.DailyBrainstorms.com

▪ (16:35) Google is an amazing tool

▪ (16:58) Kombucha

▪ (17:18) Follow your dreams “Take a risk at something you love and fail rather than always wondering what if”

-Josh P.

Transcend

Welcome back, fellow brainstormers!

I am honored to continue sharing my story with all of you! If you missed part 1 or part 2, please make sure to check those out first. 🙂

By now you probably know where this article will be taking us- radiation for 2 new tumors in my skull. I left off talking about returning from the Bahamas in September of 2012 for a birthday cruise with Charlotte. The month of November would be a very hectic, yet rewarding, month leading into radiation treatments for the 2 new tumors in my brain.

I was stoked to start the month off by winning the Trans Jam pro park contest stop of Greenville, NC along with street best trick and pro park overall champion! I was more stoked to collect some custom made trophies from one of my BMX idols, Mike Laird! Best of all, both Charlotte and my mom were there to see me ride and celebrate.

A few days later I would be back on a long flight to India along with my buddy Nick Digeroloma. We were heading back with Scott Wirch and Spencer Bass to do another week of demos for a company called “Thumbs Up” that’s owned by Coca Cola Inc. The first trip to India was wild and I was grateful to get the opportunity to check it out again. Due to food poisoning or some type of bacterial infection from the previous trip, I was very reluctant and cautious to eating any sort of food. I thankfully made it out fine this go around. I will have to write a separate article dedicated to both of my wild India adventures.

I think I flew back to the states on the day before or the day of my birthday. I know I had flown back from Saudi Arabia the year prior on my birthday. That year I actually walked into my house, with 3 minutes left on my birthday, to a house full of candles, a cake, and Charlotte waiting for me wrapped in a bow. She may not like me sharing that part but I don’t care, I absolutely loved it! I was beyond happy to come home to this. Even though I forgot my keys and the door was locked, sort of ruining her surprise, I still thoroughly enjoyed the gesture. It was the best way to return to America for the last 3 minutes of my birthday. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

This year’s birthday would go a bit different. Char had planned a surprise birthday party at my favorite sushi joint in Greenville- Japan Inn. We were guided into the party room where we would be greeted by all our close friends that were in town, an amazing ice cream Reese’s cake, and SUSHI!

The next day we would start the 12-hour drive to my dad and step mothers house on Cape Cod, MA. I was born and raised on Cape Cod until I made the move to Pro Town USA, Greenville, NC,  when I was about 17. We wanted to get there in time for Thanksgiving (the following day), chill with my dads side of the family, and check out the Cape a bit.

I had also planned a day trip with Charlotte, Brandon, and Craig (who happened to have moved from Greenville to Maine recently) to meet up with Liam and Scott Criv. I wanted to film an edit and shoot some photos at Rye Airfield Skatepark in Rye, NH. Rye has always been one of my favorite places to ride in New England. I made trips there as much as possible with friends once I got my license.

I was determined to have some content come out while I was in recovery. I didn’t want to be known as the rider that got brain tumors, twice, and wasn’t going to ride anymore. I wanted to have something to let people know I wasn’t going anywhere and would get past this and ride again. Liam did an awesome job on the video and I was stoked to get some dialed shots from Scott. Big shout out to Beau at Rye Airfield for always supporting me at Rye!

The next day, Charlotte and I left for Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Brandon let us stay with him and his chick Marian right outside of Boston. We left their place real early the next morning. We drove and parked at the public train parking lot and took the T into the city. I used to do that when I was younger and it was always pretty fun!

We checked into the hospital to get my blood work and paper work done. Dr. Julian Wu explained how Gamma Knife radiation works and the possible side-effects, along with the success rates. The success rate is about 85%. Elekta did an amazing job with this machine and I can’t thank them enough for all their support! They would follow up with me in the years to come for a few different published interviews and a live Skype meet and greet for their employee Christmas party at their Sweden headquarters!

Lsskell Gamma Knife is a pretty wild technology. Its virtually in-invasive, painless, and the most precise treatment of radiation for tumors with minuscule damage to surrounding tissue.

The next thing on the to do list was confirming my appointment time for the next morning. Apparently once we were finished they also told me to go talk with the Gamma Knife department and learn about the procedure. Charlotte and I both missed that part as we made our way to the Museum of Science

I don’t remember anything else on our minds other than going to the science museum and getting some food! (A great common interest that Char and I share, our love for quality and delicious food!) We were both so excited to go to the museum and nerd out on science. That is something I have always enjoyed sharing with Charlotte, our fascination with science, facts, and nature. She expresses it with her hair stylists skills and mixing colors, and I express it with my passion for holistic nutrition and health.

The next day we would check in around 5-6 am. They got me right in as the first patient that day and started an IV on me. That is when reality really kicked in. Even though I was confident about our decision for Gamma Knife, I was still having to deal with tumors in my skull again and this time going through radiation treatments. I remember sitting in the waiting room talking with Charlotte and her assuring me everything would be ok. She has always been great with making me feel confident and safe in these situations.

They would then attach a frame to my head by anchoring 4 screws into my skull, which the year after my treatment is when they got rid of the frame for an updated technology. I was glad I missed the appointment the day before where they would explain this to me. If I knew about this the night before I probably would have been up searching for photos and videos like the original surgery out of curiosity. (I am told I’m crazy, haha.) They used this for accurate measurements with a sort of bowl they would temporarily attach to the frame. It was like one of that salon hair drying bowls you see an old woman sitting in with hair rollers but with tons of small holes in it. They used the holes to enter in measurement sticks all over my head.

All in all, it was not bad. There was no pain whatsoever. I only got nauseous for a moment when they initially were installing the frame because even though you couldn’t feel the set screws being installed, your head still shook from the procedure and you could hear the drill. Again, I felt nothing because I was numbed up but it was still unpleasant for the short amount of time it took. I usually never get nauseous for this type of situation but it was early, I had an empty stomach, and my emotions were going crazy. After it was finished being installed, the nauseous feeling went right away.

The treatment was done in an MRI type of looking machine. They clipped me into a headboard I was laying down on, via the head frame they had just attached, that took me into the machine. They clip you in with the head frame to assure no movements and absolute precise measurements for treatments. There were 3 sessions of treatments at 15 minutes, 10 minutes, and another 15 minutes. It was painless and silent. Nothing like an MRI. Haha, if you have had an MRI you know what I am talking about.

We drove back to NC right after treatments and I was on the road to recovery. To my surprise, the recovery would only be about 7 days. I basically just had to wait until the incisions from the frame healed as long as I felt fine. I was back on my bike in about a week and felt like nothing ever happened.

I took this photo on my day back. I remember how damn good it felt to sprint at this 10-foot quarter pipe and just blast this tuck no hander! That is the thing I have always loved about BMX, the feeling you get while flying in the air; the frustration of not landing a trick and then the gratification when you finally land it; the feeling you get after you slam to the ground from unfathomable heights, for most people, and bounce back up like nothing happened because how determined you are to get the trick; the feeling you get when your focused on something that you know has the risk of seriously hurting yourself, but you don’t think about that because all your thinking about is how awesome it’ll feel to ride away after you pull it; and the feeling you get when you see the clip of something you finally pulled after hours of trying it, sometimes days, or the finished product of a video project. That is why I love BMX!

After I was back on my bike from Gamma Knife, I filmed with Dan Foley for one of my favorite videos that were featured on Vital BMX.

I wanted to film a solid video to let people know I wasn’t going anywhere and I wanted to step up my game, too! I had a checklist of things to film, saving the scariest one for last. I got it all done and some! Foley is amazing at what he does and I was stoked on how the video came out. I was also shooting with Cody York for an ESPN feature at the same time.

Shortly after the video was released Garden of Life, Barleans fish oil and I connected. I was getting more into nutrition and holistic health after radiation. I went to the local Vitamin Shoppe and told them I was looking for clean and organic supplements, Without hesitation, they put me onto Garden of Life and Barleans, and I’m thankful to have found them. I’m also grateful to be a part of such amazing brands that share the same views as I do and for their love and support over the years.

In May, Dan Foley and I filmed a quick interview/riding video for Vital. The video briefly ran through the initial surgery, Gamma Knife, my road to recovery and getting back to normal (riding and mentality wise).

Following the release of the Vital video was Dew Tour Ocean City, MD. I was excited to be invited to compete but also couldn’t shake having flashbacks from the year before. (Read more about why here.) Todd Meyn and I made the drive from Greenville, along with Rob Daren (another BMX legend I look up to and am grateful to call a friend and have ridden so many years with), to Ocean City.

I rode well but I fell in my second run and messed up my bike. (I had to borrow a bike, Morgan Wade’s bike for my third run and I was stoked to do a Superman whip on his bike. Morgan does that trick better than anyone and he’s the reason I learned that trick.) I was just stoked to be riding and have walked away from the contest on my own two feet this time.

I ended the year with a very grateful and hard earned 2nd place at Mirra’s Animal House Goodbye Jam.

Daniel Dher’s had taken over the warehouse for a bit once Dave stopped riding. He would then go on to open up DDASC in Holly Springs, NC but first, he wanted to throw a contest/jam in Dave’s honor. I am so thankful for Dave allowing me to ride his facility all these years. I wouldn’t be the rider I am today if it wasn’t for that opportunity along with him and Mike Laird pushing me on a regular basis.

Now that I look back on 2013, there is so much more I can add in here. Good and bad.

That’ll have to wait until next time.

I am sharing my story to hopefully inspire you to have faith in yourself and have the courage to face any challenge that presents itself. A support group is crucial but at the end of the day, you posses the power to set your mind to accomplishing anything your heart desires.

The way I see it, you have two choices when bad times arise. You can either do the hard thing and face it head on, full of optimism, positivity, and courage. Or, you can take the easy way out and loose hope or give up.

I know some of you out there may have had worse things happen to you, and maybe not so much for others. The same principal still holds true.

Keep your head up. Be strong. Don’t give up! Stay positive and have faith in yourself to beat whatever demon is in your way.

If I can do it, surely you can too!

-Josh P.

Resist – Recover – Ride

Welcome back!

If you haven’t read my previous article, I recommend reading it so that way you’re not completely lost. It’s not needed, as this is a whole separate story on its own, but you may want to at least go back and read the first part after you’re finished with this one. You can also check out this video that sorta sums up my first article.

I left off talking about my surprisingly short recovery back to BMX, never giving up on your dreams, and always following your heart. I do believe we have the power within ourselves to overcome any obstacles in our lives. That being said, I also believe it’s absolutely crucial to have a support system.

I had an enormous amount of support from Charlotte, family, friends, the Athlete Recovery Fund, the BMX community, and so many random people that heard my story and wanted to wish me the best. My mom was nice enough to make some wristbands that say, “Go Big, Fly High Josh Perry”, which was something she has always told me throughout my life, that way people could show their support with proceeds going to ARF for all the good they do for action sports and for me and my family.

This kind of support went a long way for me. It’s what helped fuel my strength to get through the surgery and to make a full recovery. Not only did I want to see myself ride again, I wanted to give back to all those people who showed so much love and support by showing them that they can get past anything, too.

Besides Charlotte being there for me more than anyone, telling my mom she would take great care of me so she didn’t have to worry about me, there was one friend who has always been there for me. Even before the brain tumors. His name, Leigh Ramsdell. Leigh is not only a very close friend of mine and someone I  look up to, but he was also my team manager for Eastern Bikes at the time. Leigh is one of the raddest dudes I know- definitely “good people!”

He printed out some stickers to hand out at the Jomo Pro contest (my first pro contest I won the previous year) to support me. They said, “Resist/Recover/Ride”. Leigh said they accidentally ended up coming out, “Resist/Recovery/Ride”, but it was still awesome!

I was stoked to receive photos from the contest of friends like Drew Bezanson and Brandon Dosch with stickers on their bikes and helmets. Nick even had my last name written in on the back of his shirt with a red sharpie for the contest.

This meant so much to me and cheered me right up about not being able to defend my title. To top it off, Micah Cranz was announcing the contest and he had everyone scream as loud as they could for me before the contest began.

This touched my heart on so many levels and it gave me goose bumps watching. It’s amazing how so many people can put out so much positive energy to someone they may or may not know. Shout out to Micah and all the riders at the contest for their support! I can’t begin to thank everyone enough for the love.

As I mentioned previously, the recovery was not long at all. When I first learned I would have to have surgery I imagined it taking a year for me to get back to my normal life. I even watched youtube videos of brain surgeries and that episode from the movie Saw 4 (I think thats the one) out of curiosity. I don’t know why but for some reason I figured it would a year recovery. I was amazed to learn that the human skull can fuse back together in just 4 weeks! I remember going for that 4 week follow-up so excited, nervous, and confident to ask “can I ride yet?” All I had to do at this point was wait for the swelling to go away, which would just be another week or two.

After making a full recovery I was very motivated, driven, and determined to be better than before! It took me a good bit to feel comfortable again

(something that mentally would go on for the following 2-3 years) but I didn’t let that stop me.

I owe a lot of my riding development, as a pro rider, to riding with guys like Mike Laird, James Foster, Brandon Christie, Kelly Bolton, Todd Meyn, Vince Byron, Drew Bezanson, Ryan Guettler, Daniel Dhers, Nick Digeroloma, and the man himself, Dave Mirra. Those are all guys I still look up to and they would push me on a regular basis to be the best I could be on and off my bike.

I worked my ass off at the gym, riding on the road bike trainer, and learning about nutrition for an athlete! I remember the first day back from a legit session coming home and feeling so light headed, weak, and nauseous from going too hard too soon. I was too excited and didn’t want to feel handicapped.

I would spend so many hours riding Mirra’s  private training facility, “The Animal House”,  on a daily basis. All that negative energy from the tumor was turned into fuel to not let my riding spoil.

In October of 2010, 6 months after my surgery, I made my first Dew-Tour final in Las Vegas! I remember the minute I found out how I amazing it felt. It was my first time to Vegas and I had Charlotte and Todd flying in that night. Once again I felt on top of the world.

I think I qualified 9th or 10th out of the 12 they took to the finals. I was so stoked on that because even though winning is great, its more satisfying to me to be able to accomplish something I set my mind to and in this case it was to make a final. That is why I love projects, on and off the bike, and filming BMX video parts (web or DVD). Video projects are always me setting goals (tricks, gaps, lines) to accomplish. Seeing the final result is always so rewarding to me.

One night while Todd was filming with Guettler to wrap up a video they had been working on, I jumped in while Todd was chilling after each clip. I originally was riding as support to Todd but then Ryan would ask if I had anything I wanted to film while the camera was out. Of course I said yes! It would turn into Todd and I going back to back filming clips while getting each other hyped up. It was my first video back from surgery (all filmed in that night session) and I was so stoked on it!

Fast forward a few years to July of 2011, at a Dew Tour contest in Ocean City, MD, and I would find myself once again scaring everyone. All I remember is following Vince around a curved wall ride out of a 10-foot quarter pipe that dropped off into a 6-foot landing of the step-down. I would come up short, flip over the bars, and hit my head so hard that I instantly got knocked out.

Char was right there in the stands and wasn’t allowed down to me. She was freaking out and didn’t know what to do and called Trish. Trish helped calm her down and got in contact with the medics at the event. The riders said you could hear me snoring. I was later told that my heart stopped beating for a good amount of time.

Char was the first person I saw after waking up from nearly dying once again. I woke up in the ambulance throwing up ( a common side-effect from that type of blow to the head) as I lay on the stretcher. I remember the ambulance ride being so bumpy and what felt like the longest trip ever. I also remember saying to Char, “Charlotte, I’m done riding. I cant handle this anymore.”

Well, we all know that didn’t last long. I was ordered to wait ten days until I could ride again. You better believe on that 10th day I was back on my bike. I went to the local park in Greenville, NC to ride with a good friend of mine and another rider I looked up to as a kid, Scott Wirch.

It was so difficult to handle seeing Charlotte that upset and worried on top of dealing with my head again. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like for her to see me laying there on the ground as my life literally stopped for some time. It’s pretty amazing what we humans will go through for the ones we love and the things we love to do.

Through all my life scaring moments, Char was always with me and supported my passion for BMX.  I will always be grateful for her love, support, patience, and understanding of my long lasting desire to ride my BMX bike. I will always try my best to repay her, as well as pay it forward to the rest of the world for their kindness, love, and support.

The coolest thing about BMX, besides the actual riding  and the people you meet, is the places you get to go. I touched upon Iraq and other countries of the Middle East in my first article. I never thought I would get the chance to ride my bike in India, or any foreign country for the matter, and get paid to do so. I plan on writing articles in the future about my Middle East adventures. For this articles sake, I will only mention India. With good reason, too.

India was not only a wild trip because of the fact I was in India, but it would be where I would yet again find out some devastating news. It was September 2012 when I got back to my hotel room from a demo where I found a message in my e-mail from my mother. She said there was something she needed to talk to me about.  Mom told me about the recent MRI scan I had back in May that showed 2 tumors growing back. They were said to be the size of blueberries and located in a very dangerous spot- close by to the main artery. They were no immediate concern but would have to be dealt with at some point soon.

I was completely devastated by the news and I was starting to go crazy thinking of what to do, why this was happening again, and how could I stop them from growing. That same feeling of fearing for my life came back. This time because I thought for a minute it was cancerous and it would never stop.

I was on a train ride back to the airport, alone, and I remember being so scared and tears running down my face. I couldn’t handle the news or the fact that I was alone on a train in India of all places. I don’t know many people that have been put in this type of situation but it’s an unfathomable feeling to explain.

Even though this situation was not as severe as the initial brain tumor, those same feelings rushed back. After feeling sorry for myself and asking, “why me”, I refused to let the tumors control my happiness. I decided to put my headphones on and envision myself riding. I turned that fear, confusion, and devastation into fuel to get past this challenge and not let the tumors beat me down.

Transcend

[tran·scend]

verb

  1. to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed.
  2. be or go beyond the range of limits of

The meaning of this word holds a lot of value to me. So much, that I named my signature frame from a previous bike sponsor the.

I remember asking Charlotte why this was happening to me. She told me, “God gives his strongest warriors his toughest battles.” I remember still being confused as to why this was happening again, though, and what I was meant to do with these experiences.

I have later come to realize that I’m an example of what we can do when we put our minds to something. We can all overcome adversity, not matter how difficult or scary the obstacle may be. I look back and I am grateful for the brain tumor happening.  It has completely shifted my perspective on life, nutrition, and health. I’m grateful to have overcome it and to now have the ability to share my story with others.

I hope my story inspires you to not only live your life to the fullest but, also to no take anything for granted. As you read the following articles to finish up my story, I hope it changes your awareness of the relationship you have with the food you consume. Also, the quality of that food and how it correlates with your health on so many levels.

Dr. Allan Friedman (my surgeon) recommended looking into radiation as it was in a location too risky for surgery. Because of its location, Dr. Friedman said it was not a guarantee that he would be able to get it all out without harming the artery, which had a whole host of side-effects of its own. Charlotte, once again, was so great and helpful in how to approach this. We came across Elekta’s Gamma Knife Radiation. It was said to be cutting edge technology in radiation/tumor treatments with the highest rates of success and nearly non-invasive.

Before embarking on this wild journey for Gamma Knife radiation, Charlotte and I were getting ready for a cruise to the Bahamas that we had booked for her birthday from the year prior. It was my first cruise and I was so excited. Besides a little motion sickness here and there, we both had a great time. It was definitely a good way to calm me down a bit. I still had my moments of the inability to just sit and relax (anyone who knows me personally understands this). I feel that will never change until I am old and have begun to slow down.

Once we got back from the trip it would be about 2 months until my scheduled treatment. As it got closer to that time, I posted a photo from my “notes” section of my iPhone to Instagram with my upcoming schedule for the month of November.

That month couldn’t have gone better. I won the Trans Jam Contest in Greenville, the best trick for the street discipline and the overall year-end title, it was my birthday on the 20th, and Char and I would have Thanksgiving with my dad’s side of the family on Cape Cod before treatment.

I will end this article with something I believe is crucial for our lives- a positive mindset.

The way you think, the way you act and talk, and the way you view outcomes can have a dramatic effect on how well you overcome a situation when you approach it with a positive attitude.

It’s hard to believe in positivity energy when you’re going through hard times, I know this all too well. But, with a support system of some sorts and doing your best to think in a positive manner, you can get past anything that comes your way.

I hope you are inspired to be strong and positive. I also hope you feel the courage to follow your dreams, no matter what they are. Please, feel free to comment or reach out to my social networks to share your stories and to ask any questions!

Keep an eye out for my next article about my experience with Gamma Knife radiation and the events leading up to it…

-Josh P.