Cancer Schmancer

I've got two important things happening this week. Tomorrow is Chemo 5, my second last treatment if all goes as planned. With any luck, I'll also find out the results of the CT scan I had last Thursday. It was an interesting, not unpleasant experience. The barium drink that you prep with is not nearly as bad as I had heard and the procedure itself takes only minutes. It was similar to but much simpler than the MRI I had months ago. Alas, no CD to take home this time, so I can't see the pix myself.
The second thing is the Relay for Life event, a 12-hour relay starting Friday at 7 pm. Our team met last Friday and came up with a name: Cure Seekers in Sneakers. We are 10 women, many of us survivors of various cancers, led by my yoga teacher. I've had lots of generous support pledged from readers of this blog -- thank you all! If anyone would like to add their pledge (it's not too late!), please go to my relay page and follow the directions. I'll be tripping around the track all night with my team mates at Bronte Creek Park, glad to have the chance to raise money for cancer research.

Posted by lynda at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today we learned the pros and cons of radiation treatment and I have decided to go for it. Apparently tomorrow's CT scan is irrelevant for this decision (unless something totally unexpected shows up) and I will have a slightly different scan next month in prep for the treatment to start at the end of July. As a bonus, I'll be getting some small tattoos to guide the radiation people, but Bob says they likely won't be butterflies or anything cool like that.
It will be six weeks of daily treatment with weekends off, with side effects somewhat like chemo, but perhaps not as severe. Frankly, the biggest problem I see with this is the cost of parking at the hospital.
Deciding on the treatment required considerable faith in the unknown, because my cancer is too rare to have shown up in research studies that would clearly support it. On the other hand, there is enough logical related information from other cancers to make me feel it's worth the side effects, both short and long term. And once again, I had a feeling of confidence in the people at PMH. And I have faith in myself.

Posted by lynda at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One of my favourite quotes is "if you're going through hell, keep going." It wasn't exactly hell last week, but I had more than a few dark moments. Things are better now, both physically and mentally, so I am looking forward to the coming week's events. First up is my introduction to the radiation oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital on Wednesday. The next day I'll have a CT scan. Presumably, the radiation expert will consider the results of the scan before advising me on further treatment (or maybe the options are obvious -- who knows?). I don't expect to know the results until the following week, ideally in time for my next visit to Dr. Rosen on Chemo Day 5.
My new roses are doing fine, all except the climber, which is ever so slowly coming to life. Even the rose I moved several weeks ago with Polly and Sally's help is looking very happy in its new spot. Reminds me of another quote: Bloom where you are planted.

Posted by lynda at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My fatigue is very, very real this time and it's a drag. I have been trying to do a few things each day, including my healing course downtown on Thursdays, but I find I hit the wall very suddenly and have to sit or lie down immediately. I reason, however, that my body is using all available energy to battle the cancer, so I need to let it. I have managed to plant my new rose bushes; the rest of the garden will have to take care of itself for a few days.

Posted by lynda at 02:37 PM | Permalink

After many days of silence, I finally have some good news to report: my fourth chemo treatment was done today. It was a little more uncomfortable than the previous ones, but only marginally, and now I feel just a little tired. Well OK, a fair bit tired. It's a beautiful day and I came home and enjoyed the sun with Mom on the deck. She and I have just returned from a delightful week visiting Claire for her graduation from Exotic Animal Training and Management in California. The star student herself will be home here in a few days.
On such a glorious gift of a day, we think fondly of Selwyn, who died yesterday. He greeted every day with a passion and enthusiasm some of us found hard to understand, given the immense physical challenges he faced over several years. Bob and I had the pleasure of a short visit last September and a cheery Hi folks! from him. What a lovely man. I am grateful to have his example of how to live. To Maureen, my dear cousin, much love.

Posted by lynda at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)