Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Happy Valentines Day everyone!!
My CT scan was fine. By that I mean it is good news because there has been no change, either shrinking or growing. So it's still good. It's all of those positive vibes all of you send my way.
Unfortunately I have developed this shallow breathing which one specialist diagnosed as bronchial spasms. He has prescribed more medications for this and he'll follow up in a month to see how I'm doing. Morphine (very low dose) has been recommended by other health professional as a tool I could use to ease my breathing. It really would be great to get out of the house and attempt a walk. Right now I'm pretty much housebound but not because of the weather this time.
I'll be staying on my course of oral chemo (Tarceva) until my next visit with my oncologist the middle of March. By then I will have had another CT scan to see how things are shaping up.
Everyone here is fine. Amber just returned to Toronto and she will be moving back to Vancouver sometime in the spring. This makes my heart sing!!! Liz is travelling in India with her boyfriend for three weeks and Stephen is still in town. Hoppy is working himself to the bone. He is so terrific I just can't find words to express my feelings around all he is doing. He could use some help and I hope I can arrange something soon.
I am now going to the Callanish Centre which has the services that I need at the moment. It's a non-profit and the folks there are very knowledgeable and compassionate. You can check them out at www.callanish.org if you're curious. There are a lot of resources available to me and I'm using the ones I feel I need.
I had a lovely visit from my sister-in-law from Toronto. It really lifted my spirits to spend some time with her. Thank you ME.
Many of you have emailed me and I haven't gotten back to you. Please forgive me for not responding but keep the emails coming. I love hearing from folks and I consider myself very lucky to have all of you as friends.
Remember on Friday, "Love the one you'e with." Have some chocolate on me!!
My CT scan was fine. By that I mean it is good news because there has been no change, either shrinking or growing. So it's still good. It's all of those positive vibes all of you send my way.
Unfortunately I have developed this shallow breathing which one specialist diagnosed as bronchial spasms. He has prescribed more medications for this and he'll follow up in a month to see how I'm doing. Morphine (very low dose) has been recommended by other health professional as a tool I could use to ease my breathing. It really would be great to get out of the house and attempt a walk. Right now I'm pretty much housebound but not because of the weather this time.
I'll be staying on my course of oral chemo (Tarceva) until my next visit with my oncologist the middle of March. By then I will have had another CT scan to see how things are shaping up.
Everyone here is fine. Amber just returned to Toronto and she will be moving back to Vancouver sometime in the spring. This makes my heart sing!!! Liz is travelling in India with her boyfriend for three weeks and Stephen is still in town. Hoppy is working himself to the bone. He is so terrific I just can't find words to express my feelings around all he is doing. He could use some help and I hope I can arrange something soon.
I am now going to the Callanish Centre which has the services that I need at the moment. It's a non-profit and the folks there are very knowledgeable and compassionate. You can check them out at www.callanish.org if you're curious. There are a lot of resources available to me and I'm using the ones I feel I need.
I had a lovely visit from my sister-in-law from Toronto. It really lifted my spirits to spend some time with her. Thank you ME.
Many of you have emailed me and I haven't gotten back to you. Please forgive me for not responding but keep the emails coming. I love hearing from folks and I consider myself very lucky to have all of you as friends.
Remember on Friday, "Love the one you'e with." Have some chocolate on me!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Since I last wrote, I have had many ups and downs. The brachytherapy went well but it konked me out for a few days. Then I got the flu and that made me pretty miserable. I seem to keep getting lung infections and they are no fun. One day I feel terrific and go, "yeah! the chemo is working" and then I get slowed down by another infection. The road is a bumpy one.
I now have home oxygen and use it all through the night. I have canisters that are portable and allow me to get out of the house. I really don't like being hooked up to these devices but I am getting accustomed to it now.
I have a stationary bike at home and am trying to do some exercise every day to build up some strength. So far so good. I use my oxygen when I am on the bike and sometimes while doing things around the house which is not much these days.
Next week I get another CT scan to see if the cancer has shrunk any more. To date all the tests indicate that there hasn't been any growth and so the cancer is contained. That's good news for me. Let's hope that there will be good news in February.
I really appreciate all my friends who come by to visit. It makes such a difference to my well-being. Thank you one and all. I appreciate the calls as well but sometimes my voice is so bad I can't talk so if I don't come to the phone when you call, I'll get back to you later.
The photos which accompany this are of our house in the snow at Xmas, and an angel doll that my friend Jane made for me.
I now have home oxygen and use it all through the night. I have canisters that are portable and allow me to get out of the house. I really don't like being hooked up to these devices but I am getting accustomed to it now.
I have a stationary bike at home and am trying to do some exercise every day to build up some strength. So far so good. I use my oxygen when I am on the bike and sometimes while doing things around the house which is not much these days.
Next week I get another CT scan to see if the cancer has shrunk any more. To date all the tests indicate that there hasn't been any growth and so the cancer is contained. That's good news for me. Let's hope that there will be good news in February.
I really appreciate all my friends who come by to visit. It makes such a difference to my well-being. Thank you one and all. I appreciate the calls as well but sometimes my voice is so bad I can't talk so if I don't come to the phone when you call, I'll get back to you later.
The photos which accompany this are of our house in the snow at Xmas, and an angel doll that my friend Jane made for me.
December 2008
I guess you've heard how cold it is has been here in Vantown. I have really become acclimatized to our warmer weather and it's taking a bit to adjust to the cold . I'm a little nervous to go out walking because of my poor depth perception. Don't want to fall on the ice.
I had some good news last month. The mass behind my eye has shrunk considerably, so yeah! The downside is that my eyesight in that eye most likely won't return because of the effects of the radiation. I'm just grateful that the mass has shrunk. I can adjust to having only one eye.
I have another bronchoscophy to check and see if there is any blockage on my right bronchial tube. If so, they will use a tiny radiation wire and blast away any cancer cells there to make my breathing easier. I'm a little nervous about it but I've had the procedure before and it is quite tolerable. Wish me luck.
I had some good news last month. The mass behind my eye has shrunk considerably, so yeah! The downside is that my eyesight in that eye most likely won't return because of the effects of the radiation. I'm just grateful that the mass has shrunk. I can adjust to having only one eye.
I have another bronchoscophy to check and see if there is any blockage on my right bronchial tube. If so, they will use a tiny radiation wire and blast away any cancer cells there to make my breathing easier. I'm a little nervous about it but I've had the procedure before and it is quite tolerable. Wish me luck.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
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