Monday, November 21, 2022

I had my appointment at our local Cancer Clinic this morning and learned a lot about the process ahead of me. There are a lot of variables but they will be answered in the coming weeks. The doctor I saw today isn’t a dedicated oncologist (we don’t have one in Powell River) but she has been managing the Clinic here for a long time. She went over my pathology report and we know more about what was said in it and why we are where we are today.

Ever the optimist, I expected to be told I’d be on a pill form of chemo and that would be the end of it. Sadly that won’t be the case. I will require chemo for probably 3-4 months (one of those things we don’t have an answer for) and there is the possibility of radiation treatment at the end of the chemo. I was unprepared for this information, although I knew it was a possibility.

But to get this all started she has referred me to the Cancer Clinic in Vancouver but warned me I might wait as long as six weeks for an appointment. The Vancouver clinic will determine the mix of chemo that is recommended and pass that information back to the doctor in our local Cancer Clinic (it will be our “old” family doctor that carries out the IV prescriptions). In the meantime I’ll have a full body CT scan, an echocardiogram and a bone scan. With the exception of the bone scan everything will be done in Powell River; the bone scan will be in Comox. She expects these will all be done by the time I see the Vancouver Cancer Clinic so there will be no delay in starting treatments after they get the prescribe course of meds.

The doctor says I should keep myself busy doing the things I’m interested in. Although there were a lot of things I could (and probably should) be doing I’ve spent a lot of my day with my Diamond Dots. Yesterday I started walking on the treadmill as the weather doesn’t really cooperate with a walk on the track. I’m doing a mile and a half which is about six laps around the track. It feels good to be walking and the treadmill doesn’t hurt me at all but it isn’t as pleasant as a walk in the fresh air.

We made a couple of stops on the way home this morning. We got several Christmas packages in the mail and I picked up a new book at the library. Between finishing up my Christmas parcels, reading, walking and a few stitch-related projects my days will be full.

Friday, November 18, 2022

My original plan was to wait for the Cancer Clinic to call me regarding an appointment. It was taking so much longer than I anticipated so Plan B was to call them three weeks after my last surgeon’s appointment, which would have been Monday. But yesterday I was impatient so I called the Cancer Clinic to see where I was on their list – sadly they hadn’t even received my referral. This annoyed me because I had previously called the surgeon’s office to be sure all the paperwork had gone through. The Clinic told me to call the surgeon’s office again, which I did. The surgeon’s receptionist told me that they would send the referral over again, and that they had been talking to the Clinic in the meantime regarding it.

I decided to wait a bit and call the surgeon’s office again just be confirm that it had been sent and that the Clinic had received it. The website said the office was open until 5:30 but when I called at 4:05 their message said they closed at four, so I had missed them and they wouldn’t be open again until Monday.

This morning I called the Cancer Clinic to confirm they had the paperwork. They had it but the doctor hadn’t yet seen it. Not long later they called me and booked my appointment for Monday morning at nine. I’m glad to be getting this next step started.

We enjoyed the sunshine today after about three days of being socked in with fog. There were no planes in or out for a few days and we were really tired of hearing the ferries sounding their fog horns every few minutes. We took advantage of the sunshine and got out for a walk – I’m up to six laps for the first time today.

I’ve been trying to get everything sorted for my 12 Days parcel. Just when I thought I had it all collected (except for the few things I have to finish) one of my ideas was a failure so I had to come up with something else. I found another project but that too didn’t turn out as I wanted so I’ve started on a third and final idea. If this one doesn’t work we may be down to 11 Days.

We thought once I heard from the Cancer Clinic we would try to get across to Texada but we decided not to go. Probably just as well as I’m going to try to get most, if not everything, wrapped for the mail just in case I have a bit of down-time after my appointment.

Monday, November 14, 2022

Ken asked me the other night if I had stopped sending out my messages and I can understand why he might think that. My last message to you was just before my surgery.

I have recovered quite well from the surgery. In the first few days I was so happy to have Kathryn here to get us started off on the right foot. I had half of my staples out before she left and by the time I had the last of them out I was able to manage without the bandages. That being said I’ve been glued together with small strips that I was told would drop off on their own. I don’t know how many I originally had but I have eight left, some of them hanging by only a thread.

I’m capable of dressing myself and I can almost get my two layers of sweaters on when we go out for a walk. In fact it is often hard to remember that when I’m dressing I’m supposed to be putting my right arm in first, followed by my left and the opposite to take something off. We’ve been out walking on the track – a nice smooth surface – and we’re up to five laps. My exercises are going well and I have good movement in my left arm.

So what have I been doing to fill my days? I received a Diamond Dots kit for my birthday and it was easy enough to do with just my right hand. I progressed from that to some small embroidery projects and I’ve even done a bit of sewing. To be honest though, I’m spending a lot of time on my iPad – playing games, making puzzles and watching my African safaris. I’ve done some reading as well – both “real” books and on my Kindle.

I’m still staying home unless I need to go out for an appointment or our walks so I’ve had to do most of my Christmas shopping online. We are getting lots of packages delivered, sometimes two or three a day. Most of my favourite craft fairs are on this coming weekend but I’m going to avoid them.

We were happy to have Christy here for the weekend but she was quite ill with a cold and flu. She spent all day in bed on Saturday and I was glad she was here as I’m sure she wouldn’t have managed that uninterrupted rest had she been at home. She’s still not feeling up to par but hopefully she’ll give herself enough time to completely recover before she goes back to work.

I didn’t plan to resume my Journal until I’d heard from the Cancer Clinic as to what my options are for treatment. I’m hoping that since I’m writing now the universe will hear and the Clinic will call me tomorrow.