the chemo savvy hero rides again

Murray Charters wrote:
> Update Nov. 27th. to "Houston, We Have A Problem!!"
> Mornin' All,
> Yesterday was a "chemo" day for me, the tenth infusion of Gemcitabine, the completion of the fifth cycle...
> I turned on CBC NewsWorld as usual at 05:00 AM to check the "weather" and get my daily "personality / mood booster
> shot" as provided by the totally infectious effervescent smile and always upbeat downhome banter of CBC's Colleen
> Jones, a weather / sports personna without equal!
> Colleen is also a World Class Canadian curler, and given this time of year, I should not have been surprised to see a
> stand-in weather person...  but I was... and, just for a second, I may have forgotten that smiling is a choice!
> We are such creatures of habit, or at least I certainly am... I like things to go exactly as I envision they should...
> They don't always... I should know that...
> So, in hind sight, Good Luck Colleen, and don't worry... I'll provide the smile 'til you return...
> We went to the Cancer Clinic at 08:00 AM as scheduled; needle in; necessary blood drawn; off to the nearby Starbucks at
> 08:10... Now, that's more like it... in fact, just as I envisioned... Everything proceeding like clockwork is very comforting...
> We finished our coffees and returned home for the interval between the Lab Test and the scheduled chemo infusion...
> In retrospect, if someone has to have cancer, and has to attend the Cancer Clinic on a regular basis for treatment,
> then who is better equipped than I?  After all, I can see the Clinic from my window, and BC Cancer has a World Class
> reputation... Travel is 7 - 8 blocks and involves less than 15 minutes even in rush hour traffic... There is a covered
> parkade at both portals and parking right next to the elevator, so the weather is not a significant factor...  I have
> no "travel" expenses... and in fact no other cancer related "expenses" per se, because we live in Canada, we have the
> Canadian Health Benefits, and I've been employed in a "Union" environment nearly 40 years and thus enjoy the attendent
> "Union" extended benefits as well...  (the same might be said for my Parkinson's although the World Class Pacific
> Research and Movement Disorder Center involves an additional 10 minutes door to door...)  You might say I'm
> priveleged...
>
> Meanwhile, back at the condo, it's now 30 minutes to "chemo", I've got my coat on, and we're headed for the door when
> the phone rings...  It is the Cancer Clinic calling to advise my Lab work is in, my white blood count is marginal and
> my neutrophils number has dropped to a level that is quite simply too low to consider chemo today...
>
> Dr. Kennecke wishes to advise me that he has decided that we must cancel today's chemo to give my body and, in
> particular, my immune system and my blood, the opportunity that only time provides...  to regroup, recover, restore,
> rebuild, etc...
>
> My next appointment is Dec. 9th. and only then can we reassess and reconsider our "options"...
>
> I thought I was fully prepared for anything, after all, we knew from the onset that there are a "limited" number of
> chemo cycles that any mortal can withstand and that, sooner or later I would, of course, reach that point wherein this
> particular treatment would have to pause or perhaps cease altogether...
>
> I knew that "limited" number would be dictated to the "team" by monitoring my blood counts... Who was more aware than I
> ?? (I keep a log of my ongoing blood work and graph each successive lab report)  I knew from the previous week that my
> blood work was fast approaching critical limits in several areas.  I knew that the Red Blood Cell transfusion was only
> designed to boost flagging hemoglobin levels and diminished Red Blood count...
>
> I simply hadn't envisioned that today I just might get a phone call cancelling my chemo...
>
> Just for a very brief moment I may have forgotten that our cancer modus operendi must always consider the guidelines
> that form the base foundation for Western Medicine...
>
> Quote: When Mayo Clinic's founders began practicing medicine in the late 1800s, these simple words guided them:
> "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered."
>
> Just for a very brief moment I may have again forgotten that smiling is a choice!
>
> Well, that brief moment is history...
>
> We have to prepare ourselves for several Christmas parties...
>
> I'm envisioning dancing with my wife in the company of friends and co-workers... dimmed lights, festive atmosphere,
> everyone smilin'... Ahhhh... the good life...
>
> I'd better get back to work ... What day is it??
>
> Today is Thursday, November 27, 2003, American Thanksgiving Day and Day 331 of the current year, only 28 shopping days
> until Christmas...
>
> I see Jimi Hendrix was born on this day 61 years ago...
>
> Speakin' of smashing guitars... I've got a zillion things to do...
>
> It's 5AM... CBC's on... where's my blueberry juice?? Ahhh, there it is... just as I envisioned...
>
> Remember, do your very best and keep smilin'...
>
> I still am !!
>
> cheers ....... Chemo Savvy (murray)
>
> * * *
>
> read the rest of this thread... "Houston - We Have A Problem..."
> http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Forum71/HTML/008729.html
> http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Forum71/HTML/008729-2.html
> http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Forum71/HTML/008729-3.html
>
> * * *

--
janet paterson
a new voice http://www.janetpaterson.net/
pd: 56-41-37 cd: 56-44-43 tel: 613-256-8340
an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit primarily perky, parky

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