Doing great!

Steve has completed 4 weeks of radiation, 2.5 weeks left to go.  Steve is showing no effects from the radiation, however he has had some side effects from the hormone treatment. The most tiring thing is driving back and forth to Ottawa every day.  Hopefully, when this treatment is done he will get the all clear.  Now that would be nice news!

Steve starts his treatment!

We went into Ottawa Friday for Steve's consultation for his radiation treatment.  When we were almost finished they asked Steve if he was ready to start.  So away he went for his first treatment.  We head back tomorrow for six and half weeks of radiation.   It will be tiring everyday, but it will be good to put it behind us.  So far Steve has been tolerating his hormone treatment, so I am hopeful that he tolerates the radiation as well.  We should be able to put the car on cruise to get us there as we have made hundreds of trips over the years.  Let's hope retirement has less issues!

Good news for me!

I couldn't quit smiling as I left my doctor's appointment on Monday.  I had just heard that my breathing test was holding status quo, rock solid, which is unusual, most see a steady decline.  He could not explain why some patients decline, while patients like myself  level off.  I said maybe it is lifestyle?  He said he would keep me on his roster in case anything changed, but he was discharging me from the clinic.  Yippee yahoo!  Has I was leaving the hospital I ran into Dr. Atkins.  I hadn't seen him since he discharged me from medical daycare 5 years ago, after my bone marrow transplant.  He called me by name and that felt really good.  Good Day!

Back to reality!

Well the wedding was wonderful!  Everything went off without a hitch.  Jessica was a beautiful bride and Cam a handsome groom.   However, back to reality.  Steve's appointment in September confirmed that the prostate cancer was still in existence.   Not the news we expected to hear.  We were hopeful that the removal of the prostate through surgery would eliminate the cancer.   He has started hormone therapy  and in another week he will start radiation therapy.  Today he had his CT and tattooing for the radiation.  We will soon be spending a lot of time at the cancer clinic.  Not the happiest place I have every spent time.

Happy Times!

Our daughter's wedding is in 5 days!  We are so excited to see our daughter marry a wonderful man and are excited for them to start their lives together.  Steve is feeling really well and it will be wonderful to see him walk Jess down the aisle.   I am so thankful that I have been given a 2nd chance at life and that I get the opportunity to see my daughter get married.  I know just how blessed I am!  Life takes such wild twists and turns and we never now what is ahead for us.   While in the church today preparing for the wedding I took the time to thank God for giving me more time with my family and for allowing me to see my daughter get married.   This weekend is going to be exciting and fun! 

Feeling Good!

I had my 4 month check up last week and I am doing great!  Dr. A said I was their poster child!  Steve is also doing really well, starting to get his physical strength back.   Just in time for our daughter's wedding in 11 days.  It is such an exciting time for us.   We are both thrilled to be feeling so well and will be able to truly enjoy ourselves.  Let's pray for great weather and an excellent day for everyone!  Kurtis (our son) will be home next week for the wedding and for the Spencerville fair.  Life has its hurdles, but it also has its many blessings, we just have to focus on the blessings!

Couples cancer!

Couples cancer - okay I agree that sounds strange, however I know far too many couples that have both been impacted by cancer.  Could it be because they both have been exposed to the same environmental impacts?   Maybe one persons radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments can actually affect their partner? Who knows!  When I got cancer I thought okay 1 in 3, well that should be it for my little family of 4, then my husband was diagnosed.  So 2 out 4, the odds are getting worse or your chance of getting cancer is getting better!  Prevention is still key, it most likely saved my husbands life.  Life is tough, but it is worth fighting for!

Very fast

We were advised by the urologist April 26th that Steve had Prostate Cancer.  Within weeks Steve saw doctors and technicians, by early May he had an appointment with the Prostate oncologist and within a week of that he had MRI's, bone scans, radiologist appointment and prostate educational seminar.  It was all very quick leading up to his surgery on May 31st, just over 1 month.   You tend to hear horror stories about our medical system, however I must say that both myself and Steve have obtained first class care from everyone involved.  Very fast!

Crap Shoot

My wonderful husband is recovering really well from his prostatectomy on May 31st. They removed some lymph nodes and tissue as the tumour was outside the capsule of the prostate.   The nodes and tissue came back clear, however the tumour was rated a 9 on the Gleason scale (aggressive) so they are recommending radiation treatment.  This is a big decision, kinda of a crap shoot, if no cancer cells moved outside the area then radiation would not be necessary, however the big question is what if they did?  Radiation has very damaging affects.   Steve will make a decision in the fall once everything has healed from the surgery.   Meantime he is doing great!

Anguish!

Well my mouth biopsy came back negative - great news! However, my husband was not so fortunate.  A prostate biopsy came back positive for aggressive prostate cancer.  Why?  Causes of prostate cancer are not defined.  There is no history in my husband's family and he had absolutely NO symptons.  I had insisted he go for a routine check-up.  Now we wait!  The doctor is referring us to a specialist, but told us an immediate prostatectomy was required.  Learning the news made it a tough weekend on everyone.  We now have another fight on our hands!

Waiting

I had a biopsy taken off the roof of my mouth yesterday.  A white patch, not too large and I am not sure how long it had been there.   I was aware of it, however I didn't really take a close look at it.  I could feel it with my tongue, has it was slightly raised.  Now I wait.  It could take 3 to 4 weeks to get the results back.  My fear is all the chemotherapy I had.   I am hopeful that they cut out what was there and that will be the end of it.  The cutting sensation was really weird, I could hear it, like cutting frozen meat.  Yikes, didn't hurt, but I didn't like it! 

The goodness of vitamins!

I believe vitamins and minerals are very important to our health, especially if we are not getting what we need from our diet.  Recently, Dr Oz had on a Naturopathic doctor that talked about 4 supplements that fight cancer. They were IP-6, Selenium, Black raspberry and Vitamin D.  There has been a lot of evidence that Vitamin D is very beneficial in fighting cancer.  I believe checking into the other 3 he mentioned could also be of benefit.  Check with your doctor before adding anything to your regimen.
And you can't beat a healthy diet and exercise - they are your best defence!

Just too much of it!

Right now I have two acquaintances struggling with cancer and a third one has lost their life to cancer.  My question is what causes so much of it?  I believe we have to do more to determine the cause.   We need to help prevent some of it, there is too much!  We know that cigarettes cause 1/3 of all cancers and I must say I know smoking is the major cause of some of my acquaintances cancer.   Genetics also plays a role, but what about the rest?  It is great to treat the problem, but we need to start to address the cause.  Hundreds of years of research into drugs and trying to find a cure, but let's start to ask the question how. How did I get this? 

Not many of us?

I spoke to a fellow Multiple Myeloma patient from the Toronto area. We had so many similarities, same age and diagnosed at almost the same time. She had a tandem transplant (2 stem cell transplants) and still has m-protein in her bone marrow. I on the other hand, had a stem cell transplant and an even riskier bone marrow transplant (BMT). I am in complete remission! She advised me they don't do BMT's any longer because of the risk of death! Hmmmm, I know I am the only living BMT transplant in Ottawa with Multiple Myeloma and they do monitor me closely. Protocols on cancer treatments change often, maybe the risks out weighed the benefits of BMT's - I am one very lucky lady!

Vitamins

Our bodies require vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Usually we get the vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, however sometimes we just don't eat the right foods.  I like to supplement with vitamins from Jamieson.  I like Jamieson because they are a Canadian company that doesn't use artificial flavours, colours, sugar or preservatives.  My basics inlcude a multi-vitamin, vitamin D and magnesium calcium with vitamin D.  If you are taking prescription medications, check with your doctor to make sure there aren't any negative interactions.

Survivors Group

I spoke to a warm and friendly cancer survivors group today. They were a close knit, joyful group, which was really nice to see. I shared my story about my experience with cancer and why I joined the Canadian Cancer Society to deliver their new course. Your life turns upside down when you face a diagnosis of cancer,the treatments and impacts. Finding a new purpose for life is key in your success. Sometimes that is difficult, but the Canadian Cancer Society's new course Living Well Beyond Cancer helps survivors to get there.

Living Well Beyond Cancer

This past spring I joined the Canadian Cancer Society as a peer support volunteer to facilitate their new program 'Living Well Beyond Cancer'. The course is a program that helps cancer survivors live with chronic problems and lifestyle changes. I facilitated my first course in October and this spring will be doing a 2nd course in the Leeds and Grenville area. This course is beneficial to survivors and caregivers. It touches on diet, exercise, health care, emotions, communications and more. If you are interested in participating contact your local Canadian Cancer Society.

Getting Better!

I am still coughing and congested after a month. I am on my second round of anti-biotics! I need to clear this infection before I jet away to Hawaii!  Yes, Hawaii, another trip that I can check off my bucket list. The doctor said that the anti-biotics will help during my flight, as you pick up so many viruses on the airplane!  The doc checked my immunoglobin (immune system) and my numbers are just below normal, that did make me feel better.  I get very concerned about my immune system and picking up infections.  Chemotherapy and radiation destroys your immune system, plus countless other things!