My absence from my blog I hope was noticeable and a little worrisome to most of you. What was becoming routine was harder to do each day and even with the expert care of my daughter Brittany I was sliding backwards. Two days from my last treatment of radiation and chemo I collapsed somewhere between the bed and bathroom. Not a big deal in my mind since I've taken hard checks in hockey - as recently as last October I'd like to add - but what lingered was a worrisome ache I soon learned was a kidney stone. Chris drove me to ER - 39 hours later I was in a hospital bed. Oh yeah, I now have blood clots in my chest... seemed that check I got must have been "high sticking to the chest." Did anyone get his number? Eight days later I was out of the hospital. And really other than no longer any kidney stone pain, I had no energy, I was sleep deprived, no appetite, 10 pounds lighter, I basically was a used dish rag wanting to crawl under a rock. Chris and I (oddly on another Friday night) contemplated going back to the hospital which we finally did for six hours - this time the doctors convincing me I was not going to fade away, as my energy seemed just enough to keep me breathing. Well I did find that rock and with a lot of support I slept for 20 hours a day and eventually found my way back to life.
Like a great Canadian Polar Bear waking from hibernation, I've pushed winter behind me and am now feeling better, poising myself for next great adventure.
I don't want to go too far along in my story without stopping to speak of Polar Bears again. Some of you know I am very fond of them and there have been a few anecdotes of polar bear swims on my part to mimic these cold water creatures. My daughter Brittany took on a fund raising challenge up in Canada to raise money for the increasing expenses we are enduring with my illness and her flight to come to Tucson and visit. It was with great humility and thankfulness on my part that Brittany raised enough money to not only fund her trip but she handed us an $800 cheque. Many from Canada stepped forward to help and I honestly have wept in gratitude over this, feeling that the Grace of God is a part of my story where I didn't expect it. Thank you.
The next adventure, round two of chemotherapy, starts next week, three weeks on followed by one week off for 12 weeks. Each week is only once a week, so I hesitate to say, but it sounds like a piece of cake.
Just to give you a wellness update, when I was in the hospital I had lots of tests, and there is no sign of any tumor, although the CA 19-9 tumor marker is still very high in my blood. So it's still there; it's just not forming any tumors.
Like a great Canadian Polar Bear waking from hibernation, I've pushed winter behind me and am now feeling better, poising myself for next great adventure.
I don't want to go too far along in my story without stopping to speak of Polar Bears again. Some of you know I am very fond of them and there have been a few anecdotes of polar bear swims on my part to mimic these cold water creatures. My daughter Brittany took on a fund raising challenge up in Canada to raise money for the increasing expenses we are enduring with my illness and her flight to come to Tucson and visit. It was with great humility and thankfulness on my part that Brittany raised enough money to not only fund her trip but she handed us an $800 cheque. Many from Canada stepped forward to help and I honestly have wept in gratitude over this, feeling that the Grace of God is a part of my story where I didn't expect it. Thank you.
The next adventure, round two of chemotherapy, starts next week, three weeks on followed by one week off for 12 weeks. Each week is only once a week, so I hesitate to say, but it sounds like a piece of cake.
Just to give you a wellness update, when I was in the hospital I had lots of tests, and there is no sign of any tumor, although the CA 19-9 tumor marker is still very high in my blood. So it's still there; it's just not forming any tumors.
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