Donate to Pancreatic Cancer research

Seeing the overwhelming response to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has left me inspired and determined to find a way to donate to pancreatic cancer.

We recently found out that my Dad's colon cancer diagnosis was incorrect, and he in fact had pancreatic cancer.

Unfortunately, my family is not the first to deal with this disease and will not be the last.

So, I'm issuing my own challenge: Donate to my page and remember my father's memory as well as others who have passed.

Visit the link here.

One impossible year later

It is nearly impossible to put into words how difficult this last year has been.

Yes, I always knew at some point in my life I would have to say goodbye to my father. Never in a million years did I expect to do it at the age of 22, but I guess life isn't fair, is it?

Our year of "firsts" was an up-and-down roller coaster ride which I don't wish upon anyone. It was unique in that we added another member to our family, when my sister got married six weeks after daddy left us.

It broke my heart not seeing my dad there to walk his baby girl down the aisle, but we knew he was there. From the beautiful weather he provided, to the surprise visit from a butterfly, which we can only assume was him making a visit.

Saying goodbye to our Papa Bear

Below is the eulogy I gave last night at my father's funeral.  

Six weeks.

Six weeks represents the short amount of time that we all have had to process the news that my dad, Scott Lofgren, was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately passed away.

Over the last few days, I’ve started to try to process what has happened, and I’m grateful we had those six weeks.  I was able to learn so much about my father in that short span of time and was able to see how he has impacted so many different lives around the world.

My dad was our hero in more way than one. First, stating the obvious, he served his country for 20 years and retired as a Lt. Colonel from the Army.  He was also our family hero, though.  Who else would take care of all the big, disgusting bugs found around our various houses?  Or take care of our car troubles, which let me tell you, my sister and I have had our fair share of car troubles. 

Scott Lofgren Obituary

After an excruciating six-week battle with colon cancer, my father passed away on Friday, May 24, 2013.  His funeral will take place on Thursday, May 30.  His burial date at Arlington National Cemetery is still to be determined.  Below is his obituary.  Please consider visiting the Adams Green Funeral Home for more information about the services.

Scott T. Lofgren was born on December 9, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois to Howard and Elaine Lofgren.  He was a devoted and loving husband to his wife, Arlene and father to his daughters Jennifer and Courtney.

He called farm country, otherwise known as Waterman, home for 18 years of his life before starting the next chapter of his life at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.  Scott graduated in 1977 from West Point where he learned the cores and values that led to a 20-year career in the United States Army as a Signal Corp Officer.  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in October of 1997 to Ashburn, VA which the Lofgren’s have called home since then.

Scott’s Army career took him and his family to Ft Gordon, GA (Signal Corp Basic Course, Ft Hood, Texas (where he was assigned to the 1/16^th  Field Artillery and the 142^nd Signal Bn, and then onto Wright Patterson Air Force Base where he started his Masters at AFIT (Air Force Institute of Technology).  Yongsan, (Seoul) Korea was his next home for three years where he commanded a company.  After Korea he returned to Atlanta to get his Masters in Computer Science from Georgia Tech.  After completing his degree, the Records and Testing Dept in the Admissions Office at West Point would then be his home for the next four years. 

What baseball means to me

"We found a tumor on his brain. We have every reason to believe it is cancer." 

Those two sentences forever changed my life, my family's life and most importantly, my father's life.

A month ago, I started my dream job with MASNsports.com.  After months of searching for the perfect job, I had finally found a job where I would be working in baseball every day.

It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my young-life. Instead it was the first day of the nightmare I've been living ever since.

Cancer. Tumors. Surgery.

How does one even begin to process the above words.  I'll let you in on a little secret ... you can't.

Just four days after he was admitted to the ER, my dad had brain surgery. The neurosurgeon removed a tumor the size of a golf ball. But as we learned, this would be the easy step.

It has been exactly 30 days since my dad was admitted to the hospital and he unfortunately will not be able to come home for another month at the very earliest

The man has had three surgeries in three weeks: Brain surgery and two back surgeries.

He served our country for 20 years as a member of the US Army.  He has continued to soldier on like he's receiving orders from a higher power. It's almost as if God is his commanding officer telling him not to retreat and to continue moving forward. Like the loyal soldier he is, Scott Lofgren is listening to his CO.

Have you ever heard the saying "____ is spreading like wildfire?" Well, now I'm all to familiar with the phrase in a way I never thought it would be applicable.

Derek Jeter out for remainder of postseason

Tragedy struck Saturday night in the Bronx for the second time this season. 

The Yankees lost the heart and soul of their team when Derek Jeter, The Captain, fractured his ankle and will be out for the remainder of the postseason.  Go ahead, watch the video at your own risk, I can't watch it without feeling nauseous. 

What could possibly be said except that this is probably the most devastating injury the Yankees have suffered all season. Sure, they lost Alex Rodriguez for a few weeks to a broken hand and Andy Pettitte to a fractured leg of his own, but neither are Jeter. 

First place Yankees take on suprising first place Nationals

When the season schedules were released earlier in the offseason, who would have ever thought that June 15-17 could be a series to prove a team's legitimacy? 

The schedule showed a three-game series between the Yankees and Nationals.  The Nationals, who are perennial basement dwellers in a division that is normally dominated by the Philadelphia Phillies are shocking the baseball world with their play this season.
  
That's right ladies and gentleman, the Nationals are on top of your National League East, with a 9.5 game lead over the Phillies.  With a 38-23 record, the Nats have the second best record in all of baseball, just behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This also includes the Yankees.  The Yankees sit atop the American League East with 37-25 record after winning nine of their last ten games. 

As I said before, who would have thought both teams would be in first place this late in June.  Let's be honest, many thought the Yankees would be sticking around.  With the Nationals, many including me, believed the team was at least one year away from having winning baseball in the District of Columbia. 

So how are both teams in first place after dealing with devastating injuries? The Nationals have relied on one of their greatest assets: youth, while the Yankees are relying on experience.