Walsh 'feels good' after treatment
By Larry Mahoney, Of the NEWS Staff

University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh was feeling a little "queasy''
but he said he felt "much better'' than he did a couple of days ago.

Walsh, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer in June, returned to work and
had a meeting with his new players on Monday in Orono followed by his team's
mandatory three-mile run and team meeting Tuesday.

Walsh has just completed the first of two 20-day immunotherapy cycles at the
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA and returned home over the
weekend. He will begin his second and final 20-day cycle late this month or
early next month.

Following the second cycle, tests will be conducted to see if the
immunotherapy has eliminated or shrunk the tumors.

"It's so nice to be back. I feel good. My jump is back,'' said Walsh.
"Everything has gone well.''

His 20-day cycles were comprised of three intravenous drips per day for five
days; a 10-day recovery period and another five days of intravenous drips.

The medication from the drips is designed to shock the immune system into
destroying the remaining cancerous tumors under his breastplate.

Walsh was forewarned about the side effects and said "it was as tough as
they said it would be.

"After every dose, I got a terrible case of the chills and they had to put
hot blankets over me,'' said Walsh who also later spiked a fever of 102 and
had his heart rate jump to 162 beats per minute for an hour and a half.

A resting heart rate averages 60 to 80 beats a minute.

Vomiting, fatigue and dry, itchy skin were among the other side effects he
suffered.

He said the first day after the first five-day cycle had concluded, he took
a very brief walk in the backyard of actor Kurt Russell and his longtime
girlfriend, actress Goldie Hawn. Walsh and his wife, Lynne, stayed at their
home.

The second day, he walked for 12 minutes and, by the fifth day, he went for
a one-hour walk. The next day he played golf with Russell and former Bear
Bob Corkum, who will start his second season for the Los Angeles Kings later
this week.

"It's amazing how quickly you recover and regain your strength. That's
encouraging,'' said Walsh.

Walsh said Russell and Hawn have been "wonderful to us.''

Russell, who lists Rangeley as his hometown and still has relatives there,
met Walsh during the NCAA Frozen Four in Anaheim, Calif., in 1999. Walsh
invited Russell and Hawn's son, Wyatt, a goaltender, and a friend of his
(Gavin Scott) to participate in their practice session before Maine's title
win over New Hampshire.

One of Walsh's first orders of business was the meeting with his newcomers
and he said it went "very well.

"I told them what it means to be a hockey player at Maine. I wanted them to
know there are certain behavioral standards,'' said Walsh who added that his
excitement about being back coupled with the completion of his first
treatment cycle behind him made the meeting a special one for him.

"It was one of the most rewarding speeches I have ever given because it felt
so good to be talking to a team again,'' said Walsh who also outlined his
situation and treatment schedule for his players.

Colin Shields, a freshman forward from Glasgow, Scotland, said he was
surprised how upbeat Walsh was considering his ordeal. He said the meeting
was "really positive'' and inspirational.

"He told us what he was going through and how he was going to fight it and
be stronger than ever. He was so enthusiastic,'' Shields said. "His desire
to win is so great. He gives you that hunger to succeed even more. You
realize that everything can be taken away so you want to seize each day and
improve.''

Walsh added, "If, in a small way, what I'm going through will help toughen
up our team, that's great.''

Walsh said his doctors have told him to "stay active'' and that certainly
won't be a problem for him.

"My golf clubs are ready,'' said Walsh who is looking forward to working
with what will be a youthful Maine team this season.

The Bears will start dry-land training today and take the ice on Sept. 24.

"September is always the best time of year in hockey. It's an exciting time.
The freshmen are here. They're all excited and you get caught up in it,''
said Walsh. "We've got so many newcomers and I'm also looking forward to
seeing the [veteran] players I expect to take big steps this year.''

The team will run in Sunday's 5K Terry Fox Run in Bangor designed to raise
money for cancer research. Walsh said he won't be able to attend due to a
previous commitment.