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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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn