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A tweak to upcoming events

A goose at St. Vital Park

A fine Friday for a walk in the park while keeping our distance from everyone. It was actually quite busy as one might expect on one of the first warmer “spring” (?) days. Groups of people sitting in lawn chairs at least 10′ apart is an odd sight as we adjust to the current situation. Folks were friendly, but generally switched to the other side of the road when passing.

Anyway, the updates. Shirley contacted the oncology nurse this morning to confirm that she would not be able to be with me for treatments or in person Dr. visits as per a posting on the CancerCare web site. Sure enough, just patients, no visitors or support people.

To protect the safety of patients and staff, CancerCare Manitoba must limit the number of people in the building.

Effective March 25, 2020, we are tightening our risk reduction measures. Support persons/escorts will not be allowed to accompany patients for visits except in exceptional circumstances. Pediatric patients are allowed only one parent/caregiver to be present at the appointment.You can use your personal cell phone to include another person in your appointment.

And while that was happening the nurse informed us that instead of a blood test & Dr. visit on Monday and chemo on Tuesday that it would be chemo on Monday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and again on Tuesday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. So, two long days in the chair hooked to an IV. And, by the way the volunteers who bring you snacks, beverages and soup for lunch won’t be there either. Thanks to my wonderful wife Shirley, I’ll be traveling with a substantial care pack to get me through the day.

Subsequent treatments will be faster but, with this first go around with the new drugs they want to go very slow and monitor for any adverse reactions. Of course I’m believing that this will just be two long boring days with no adverse reactions.

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The PET scan and COVID-19

With the hospital complex on lock down things are a little different. While I’ve been to this facility before, only a handful of entrances are open.

I’d been directed to enter at 707 McDermott which is right next to the building that holds the PET scanner. There is a trailer in front of this door but also a large entrance sign with an arrow that seemed to me to indicate you should go around the trailer, which I do. Now I’m in HSC and I’m on my own to navigate through the maze of hallways. I end up over at the CancerCare building and after some phone calls I’ve got a guide assigned and it’s back to the 707 entrance, across a lane to a locked door where I tailgate in as a person is going out.

Now I’m in familiar territory and it’s up the elevator to the 7th floor. Except the elevator is totally locked off. Back in the lobby I meet up with the nurse who escorts me up.

Turns out that bypassing that trailer was my mistake. This is the intake/screening area, which I managed to totally bypass. If I’d gone in there they would have called the PET folks and I would have had a simpler entrance to the facility. Oh well, it was an adventure and a little welcomed extra walking.

After quite a few screening questions, a weigh in, a blood sugar level test and changing into hospital pant I’m placed into a fancy reclining chair and hooked to an IV

Sadly, they won’t use my newly installed port as protocol won’t allow them to be the 1st to test it out. No big deal, just a typical IV in the arm instead.

The hour flies by as the meds circulate through my system and then I’m in the machine. Twenty minutes with my arm over my head. The 1st pass is a CT scan and the longer, slower 2nd pass in the PET scan. Pretty uneventful as you feel nothing. I did get a tickle in my throat and they want you to hold still so there was some pretty serious concentration to suppress that urge. Once I’m set free its back into street clothes and I’m on my way.

Results will be discussed with the doctor on Monday March 30th.

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Pre-PET Scan

Just a photo I took recently that I like. Nothing to do with anything here

Well, tomorrow is the PET scan and I guess I’m a little bored so here’s a trivial update and a little whining.

This testing stuff & COVID-19 is really messing up my workout schedule! I know this is trivial but whatever. Wednesday is normally my outside bike ride with a couple of fellow retirees. One of the guys now has his ride day limited to Tuesdays due to some facility restrictions so we’d planed on shifting our ride to Tuesday. Then the PET scan was scheduled on Tuesday. Then the PET scan was re-scheduled to Wednesday but part of the scan prep is no “strenuous exercise” for the preceding 24 hours. So, no Tuesday or Wednesday riding, and no weight lifting today, so here I am doing this .

Enough of that! On another note the port insertion procedure is healing up well and I’ve added to my scar collection. I’m sure there is a reason why they couldn’t cut on the pre-existing dotted line, just above the current incision bandage. :-). The one up on the neck is net new. Somehow last time then didn’t cut there, but the incision site seems to have been a lot bigger. Too much detail? I guess we all have some extra time on our hands.

Another pre-scan prep item is no sugar and no carbs so today is back on the Keto diet which is all good. Be safe.

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Port Insertion

7am at Health Science Center and we get our surprise of the day thanks to Covid-19, no visitors in the hospital.

This means that Shirley is stuck in the lobby and I’m on my own. Not a problem for me but for “older” patients I’d think this would be quite distressing not to have someone with them.

7:15 and I’m in the 7th floor waiting room where nobody can sit next to anybody. I’m well positioned to be first in line when they come and get us at 8:30

From the last time I learned that as you leave the waiting room and enter the prep area you are placed in Bed 1, 2, 3 etc as you enter. Bed 1 gets the surgery 1st and then on down the line. So Bed 1 = less waiting.

I’m feeling good and as I recall the recovery is not too bad. Last time I was sun tanning in the back yard afterwards. I don’t think that will be happening today.

So, I’m put in Bed 2 and at 8:12 they took Bed 1 so I’m thinking I’m up in 30-40 minutes. Dr Harding is my guy for the procedure.

Mystery revealed! With conscious sedation you are fully awake and talking etc. At the end of the procedure they ask you to get off the OR table and back on the ward bed and you do it! They don’t lift you off! Last time I didn’t remember anything and always wondered how I got off the table.

9:25 and I’m back. So far I remember everything! They say that will go. Wheeled in and up on the OR table. The area is shaved. An ultrasound is done to insure things are good. Then prepped with antiseptic. My head is turned to the left so I don’t see what’s happening. I’m placed on oxygen There is an injection for freezing and some “sleepy” drugs are inserted in IV and then he begins. There are a few sharp pokes and pulls, nothing too crazy. A couple of techs are reviewing my last CT scan. A couple of stitches to hold the port from moving. Some clean up work and they are done. He seems to work crazy fast. I guess you get good doing 8 a day.

10:45 we’re back home and it’s time for a coffee. Still feeling good but the OR drugs are still in play.

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Dates – Updated 2020/03/23

Winter Sunrise

Well the medical system is kicking into high gear and I’ve got a bunch of dates for upcoming events.

  • March 16: MUGA Scan at St. Boniface
  • March 18: Blood work at St. Boniface
  • March 20: Port Insertion at HSC
  • March 25: PET Scan at HSC
  • March 30 & 31: Chemotherapy starts March 30, 2020
  • April 6: First Meeting with the Bone Marrow Transplant folks at HSC CancerCare


A CT scan after Cycle 2 of chemotherapy which would put this test some time after April 21.

Shortly after this CT scan is done, the bone marrow transplant will take place

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Encouragement

Over the last few days I’ve received wonderful support and encouragement via phone calls, emails, texts, and in-person. Also a couple of inspirational videos from some special people, much appreciated. Hope you enjoy them too!

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The Oncologist Visit

So, post blood work, it’s on to the oncologist. We’re greeted by friendly but saddened nurses we’ve worked with before. First Kelly for the initial vital stats and general status questions, then Margret who takes us through the treatment plan and answers a lot of our questions and then Dr. Moltzen who further explains the treatment plan and why it is what it is and clarifies and responds to some additional questions.

So, here is the diagnosis and plan:

  • The growth is a reoccurrence of the 2018 lymphoma
  • It is highly treatable and they are planning for a cure
  • There will be chemotherapy, a different regime than 2018
    • The drugs are not supposed to cause heart damage like in 2018. See MUGA scan on Six Month Followup
    • Hair loss is “sometimes”, last time it was “for sure” 🙂
  • Autologous (I’m the donor) bone marrow transplant
Continue reading “The Oncologist Visit”
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Deja vu, almost

Here I am, back at St. B. getting blood work, 3 pages on the requisition which will mean quite a few tubes. After that it’s on to see the oncologist.

Déjà vu almost because it’s a little too familiar and this time I’ve got a few clues about what lies ahead and I know the nurse and doctor I’ll be working with. But, I’m sure there will be some differences and perhaps a surprise or two ahead. It seems that very little is totally the same the second time around.

Next stop, the oncologist.

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Apparently, the journey in not over just yet.

So, yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening in the ER. I had been feeling a bit of chest pain and after booking an appointment with my doctor he called back and requested that I go to the hospital. Things happen quickly in the ER when you say “chest pain”. In short order I was triaged, had a EKG, blood work, followed shortly by an chest x-ray, which lead to a CT of my chest.

I had really thought and/or hoped that this chest pain, which feels like an exercise induced muscle strain, would turn out to be nothing. Such was not the case.

Continue reading “Apparently, the journey in not over just yet.”
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One Year

Here I am, one year since I got the confirmation that I was cancer free. In remission as the medical folks say or healed as I like to say.

I can still remember the first visit with the oncologist where, amongst other things, she said ” this will be a life altering event”. And of course it was, more that I was expecting and of course I didn’t even know what to expect!

Beyond the physical aspects which thankfully came and went the longer lasting impact has been the mental aspects. Very few, if any days pass where I don’t think about the Cancer experience.

As we’re back at the hospital for a follow-up visit and going up one flight of stairs I remember the first time up these stairs where I was out of breath from the exertion due to the tumor press on my lung. After only 2 chemo treatments I noticed a significant improvement on the stairs and today I can climb them with ease. Thank you Jesus!

These days the on and off battle is in the mind. A few days ago I watched a TV show where a guy about my age who had cancer and was in remission found out it had reoccurred and was dealing with telling his family that he wasn’t going to do chemo again. I was in a funk for about a day as a result even as I tried not to let myself think “what if…”.

Working on staying focused on my Healer and living large. So thankful.