Now, they are beginning to come, .... questions that I don't know where to go for the answers.
Through all of this, since the blockage was discovered in November, I have had a taste or smell in my mouth, or nose, that I can only describe as the taste or smell of wet newspaper. I hoped that after the surgery, this would go away, but that hasn't happened. I wonder if it is on my breath, ... if others can smell cancer in me. What is causing this, where is it coming from, will it ever go away, does it mean that the cancer is somewhere else?
One of the questions I was asked by each doctor that I saw since November was, "Are you having any flushing?", ... this is a symptom of the carcinoid tumor. My answer always was ... NO. However, recently, including this evening, I am having episodes of flushing, ... something like hot flashes, but more like warm flushes. Why am I having them now? Does this mean that the cancer is somewhere else? Will I always worry about every possible new symptom?
To-night I had a slight fever, ... does this go with cancer cells still being in my body? It could be the beginning of a cold, another bout of diverticulitis, ... but my first thought now will be, ... is the cancer growing somewhere else in my body?
My life has changed. The things I once was concerned about matter not at all compared to the place I now am. Even though following surgery, my surgeon said that all was well, ... is it really? I want to stay optimistic and I have been doing really well, ... but not to-night.
I want to feel like I did 20 years ago, ... invincible. Coming into the "Golden Years" is not fun, ... aches and pains, unsteady legs, changes in heart rhythms, medications, .... however, I would be happy with just that instead of the wondering I live with now, everyday. If there wasn't the bad taste, the flushing, unexplained fevers, ... I might be able to forget that the cells are still there and no matter how slow they are supposed to grow, they are still growing.
Maybe tomorrow will bring something good to occupy my mind, ... I must not become preoccupied with this thing, .... that only aids it in it's growth.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A FEW THINGS
The 4 walnut halves did matter. The collection went fine, 3 days later.
I also have started back strengthening exercises with my favourite Physio-therapist in preparation for the hip surgery. I was amazed at the results of one session which was simply some traction for my lower back. My stride was longer, the pain was considerably less and the results have stayed with me since that treatment. I have 2 more sessions with the same treatment next week and look forward to getting into the garden.
My neighbour Denise, has raked all my gardens, ... I have them around the perimeter of the yard and at the side and front of the house. She has transplanted, moved shrubs, and cleaned out all weeds, ... it now looks "do-able" by me. I am changing many of the perennials that need much care, to hosta, ferns and some new sod. I also am changing a flagstone deck, full of weeds to a wooden, no care deck of the same size. I have hope again. To-day I bought a beautiful peach iris, and a Jacob's Ladder. I wish I knew how to add pictures to this and I would add them here, ... The garden is the prettiest in Spring.
My visit with the surgeon for my 6 weeks check-up went well, ... however, he wants to do another CAT-scan of the liver very soon, ... I hope this brings good news. If it is not good news, I am up for removing part of the liver that appears to still have cancer. I am still in my optimistic stage of all of this. I am reading an interesting book by Elizabeth Berg called, Never Change. The story is about a visiting nurse and her patients among whom there are cancer patients. I am encouraged by what I read, even though this is fiction, ... especially about attitude and how it affects the outcome of cancer.
My attitudes so far is good, ... and I feel well, .. and plan to stay that way.
I also have started back strengthening exercises with my favourite Physio-therapist in preparation for the hip surgery. I was amazed at the results of one session which was simply some traction for my lower back. My stride was longer, the pain was considerably less and the results have stayed with me since that treatment. I have 2 more sessions with the same treatment next week and look forward to getting into the garden.
My neighbour Denise, has raked all my gardens, ... I have them around the perimeter of the yard and at the side and front of the house. She has transplanted, moved shrubs, and cleaned out all weeds, ... it now looks "do-able" by me. I am changing many of the perennials that need much care, to hosta, ferns and some new sod. I also am changing a flagstone deck, full of weeds to a wooden, no care deck of the same size. I have hope again. To-day I bought a beautiful peach iris, and a Jacob's Ladder. I wish I knew how to add pictures to this and I would add them here, ... The garden is the prettiest in Spring.
My visit with the surgeon for my 6 weeks check-up went well, ... however, he wants to do another CAT-scan of the liver very soon, ... I hope this brings good news. If it is not good news, I am up for removing part of the liver that appears to still have cancer. I am still in my optimistic stage of all of this. I am reading an interesting book by Elizabeth Berg called, Never Change. The story is about a visiting nurse and her patients among whom there are cancer patients. I am encouraged by what I read, even though this is fiction, ... especially about attitude and how it affects the outcome of cancer.
My attitudes so far is good, ... and I feel well, .. and plan to stay that way.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ha Ha
The only hope we have of surviving things we wish we didn't have to deal with at all, is to be able to find humour in them.
I require another 24 hour urine collection. I had the first collection prior to surgery while I was also in the middle of a prolonged period of diarrhea. That I hope I never have to repeat, ... and did require, keeping one's sense of humour. To execute this test, means that every drop must be caught from the second time one has to go in the morning, through the night, until the first one the following morning, and not one time can be missed.
To-day being Monday, and knowing that I cannot eat bananas, pineapple, plums or eggplant for 3 or 4 days prior to this collection, I was prepared when I picked up my bright orange, 3 litre container to get right at things in the morning, ... I had even cancelled a lunch with friends to give this my full and undivided attention. I had had none of the above, ... but, .... I had forgotten walnuts. Last night, mixed in with a small palmful of mixed nuts, there were no more than 4 walnut halves, which I ate. I now have a call in to the Oncology Clinic to see if 4 walnut halves will make a difference. This is important because, the requisition for this test says "Please do Now!".
If eating the walnuts is a real NO NO, I cannot collect until this coming Thursday at the earliest, take it in to the lab on Friday and the results are needed before my first injection on Friday.
With all the indignities that may be ahead of me, ... I'm laughing, ... Ha Ha!!
I require another 24 hour urine collection. I had the first collection prior to surgery while I was also in the middle of a prolonged period of diarrhea. That I hope I never have to repeat, ... and did require, keeping one's sense of humour. To execute this test, means that every drop must be caught from the second time one has to go in the morning, through the night, until the first one the following morning, and not one time can be missed.
To-day being Monday, and knowing that I cannot eat bananas, pineapple, plums or eggplant for 3 or 4 days prior to this collection, I was prepared when I picked up my bright orange, 3 litre container to get right at things in the morning, ... I had even cancelled a lunch with friends to give this my full and undivided attention. I had had none of the above, ... but, .... I had forgotten walnuts. Last night, mixed in with a small palmful of mixed nuts, there were no more than 4 walnut halves, which I ate. I now have a call in to the Oncology Clinic to see if 4 walnut halves will make a difference. This is important because, the requisition for this test says "Please do Now!".
If eating the walnuts is a real NO NO, I cannot collect until this coming Thursday at the earliest, take it in to the lab on Friday and the results are needed before my first injection on Friday.
With all the indignities that may be ahead of me, ... I'm laughing, ... Ha Ha!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Catch Up
It will be hard to catch up here, so much time has passed since my surgery which was apparently a success. My stay in the hospital was good and lasted 7 days for which I am grateful. There was no trouble with the incision or the surgery and my recovery has been just as it should be, and as I am determined to live quite awhile yet, I have rested when I needed to, and moved when I felt like it. Six weeks is the average recovery time, and that will be here in just 4 more days.
Elvin has been wonderful, ... patient, calm, and accommodating. I have had a minimum of stress and that has been a great help in recovering. For 2 weeks after coming home, we had Meals on Wheels, which turned out to be way too much food, as neither of us are eating as we once did. I have lost 20 pounds and intend that it stay lost.
This is a continuing journey still as the 2 spots of cancer in the liver, even though they were "zapped", will always be, "cancer in the liver". This will be monitored yearly and I continue to be very careful what I eat, concentrating on foods that do not stress the liver.
I have my 6 week check-up with the surgeon this coming Thursday, and I begin a monthly needle in the stomach this coming Friday as a means of retarding the growth of any stray cancer cells. This I will supposedly have to have for the rest of my live, ... if the side effects don't finish me first. I may be one of the lucky ones and have only the mildest and most common, which include abdominal discomfort, loose stools, nausea, abdominal gas, .... Wahoo, how lucky could I get. This however is only supposed to last 24 hours, ... once a month, ... for the rest of my life. Sounds as though I will be rigidly planning my activities. Don't get me wrong, ... I am very grateful that the surgeon feels he got everything and my future looks very good, and science has discovered something to retard the growth of cancer cells.
My journey with cancer, will be walking hand in hand with my journey with hip replacement which begins the 30th of this month, with a trip to Toronto for an assessment with Dr. Cameron at the Holland Arthritis Institute in Toronto. Everyone tells me this will be a great success and I will feel like a new person, ... can't wait, ... this new person will be able to walk upstairs, shop, garden, dance, ... all without pain. I hang on to this belief with tight fingers.
It will be an interesting Summer, ... tiring, uncomfortable and I will need to be able to keep as positive as I have been up to this time, ... bear with me.
Elvin has been wonderful, ... patient, calm, and accommodating. I have had a minimum of stress and that has been a great help in recovering. For 2 weeks after coming home, we had Meals on Wheels, which turned out to be way too much food, as neither of us are eating as we once did. I have lost 20 pounds and intend that it stay lost.
This is a continuing journey still as the 2 spots of cancer in the liver, even though they were "zapped", will always be, "cancer in the liver". This will be monitored yearly and I continue to be very careful what I eat, concentrating on foods that do not stress the liver.
I have my 6 week check-up with the surgeon this coming Thursday, and I begin a monthly needle in the stomach this coming Friday as a means of retarding the growth of any stray cancer cells. This I will supposedly have to have for the rest of my live, ... if the side effects don't finish me first. I may be one of the lucky ones and have only the mildest and most common, which include abdominal discomfort, loose stools, nausea, abdominal gas, .... Wahoo, how lucky could I get. This however is only supposed to last 24 hours, ... once a month, ... for the rest of my life. Sounds as though I will be rigidly planning my activities. Don't get me wrong, ... I am very grateful that the surgeon feels he got everything and my future looks very good, and science has discovered something to retard the growth of cancer cells.
My journey with cancer, will be walking hand in hand with my journey with hip replacement which begins the 30th of this month, with a trip to Toronto for an assessment with Dr. Cameron at the Holland Arthritis Institute in Toronto. Everyone tells me this will be a great success and I will feel like a new person, ... can't wait, ... this new person will be able to walk upstairs, shop, garden, dance, ... all without pain. I hang on to this belief with tight fingers.
It will be an interesting Summer, ... tiring, uncomfortable and I will need to be able to keep as positive as I have been up to this time, ... bear with me.
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