Another "weekend" moment

The above photo is from the opening ceremonies... my sister Kelly (middle) and niece Heather (right) represented 2/3 generations participating in the walk..... the flag they carried has the names of all of the people who walked the 60 km.

I continue to be the same - recovering from chemo, with CT scan next week, Sept. 4.

And here is my team (and their fans!)...... emotions are high for me as I think about what they have done in my name.

Weekend to End Breast Cancer

This is my mom and I and these are the same T-shirts that the walkers are wearing right now as they walk in Vancouver's rainy weather. The front says "Her Courage gives us strength" and the back says "I am on Joanne's Team 2007" I guess we are the honorary walkers.....

I am on Day 3 of Chemo (Cytoxin, Myocet), and feel the typical crappy chemo feeling, but nothing unusual, so all is well. The good news is that there is slow improvement in my lungs. My oncologist says my lungs sound much better, that much of the fluid surrounding my lungs is gone. The right lower lung is still collapsed, and I am still on bedrest, oxygen and morphine 24/7, but I also notice an improvement in my breathing, so really, it is good news.

I guess I won't be scanned for a couple of weeks yet..... I will let you know.

Joanne

"Chapters" outing

Well, I made it, thanks to my mom, and a good time was had by all! Although it certainly tired me out, I enjoyed at least an hour wheeling around Chapters, and of course, refreshments via Starbucks.

This week leads up to my next chemo treatment (Thursday) and I am feeling relatively stable. Unfortunately, I still need the oxygen, and I am unable to walk any distance without distress, even with the oxygen. HOWEVER, as long as I use the oxygen, and either stay in my lovely hospital bed, or wheelchair, then I am comfortable and I enjoy my time.

I haven't yet heard about the CT scan, although it should be coming up soon! I'll let you know.

Thanks to all of you faithful blogger responders, it really is a treat for me to see all of you who follow along with my journey. It makes me feel very fortunate to have so many of you in my life.

Joanne

RCMP kids

This is my son (Craig) and my nieces Heather, Laurel and Holly at the RCMP Heritage Centre here in Regina. Kelly and the girls were here in July. They had lots of fun touring around Regina, believe it or not.... went to all kinds of places that a person who lives here never does!

I am doing OK..... am now in the second half (the good half) of the chemo cycle. Some days are better than others, but for the most part I am breathing comfortably. Still have not made it to Chapters or anywhere else..... good thing my bed is in my sunroom.... makes it tolerable to be in bed 24/7 as it is a very lovely space and I might be driven crazy if I was off in some dark bedroom........

Thanks all for your continued support

Joanne

Happy 50th Anniversary to Arnie and Jenny Schweitzer

Last weekend, Gord's sister Laurelle, his brother Bret and he held a tea honoring his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. I was sorry that I was unable to attend, but the photos look wonderful and I think that all their hard work paid off with a nice event. They also had extra special help from their cousin Martha and their aunt Lorraine.

The actual anniversary date is July 26. What an achievement - 50 years of marriage!

RE: Me - I am fine, the blood transfusion worked it's magic and I am breathing easier. Just recovering now from the chemo; it is my goal this week to actually go somewhere on an outing, maybe even just to Chapters. Have wheelchair, will travel. So far I really don't have the energy for it, but I am HOPING !!!

This last photo is of Gord and the kids with their grandparents, they all look beautiful, in my humble opinion!

Blood Transfusion Today

Being a permanent cancer patient means there is always something on the go. Well, my hemoglobin levels took a dive this week, and so I had a very unplanned blood transfusion today. Although it took all day at the cancer clinic, it is really not a difficult procedure, and I am assured that I will be breathing much better virtually immediately.

It was a long day though, so right now, I'm very tired and I can't really tell - hopefully I will wake up tomorrow full of beans and ready for another day. Otherwise, all is well, I feel pretty OK, and the Neupogen is keeping my white blood cells in good shape.

Thanks to all for your continuing support...... Joanne

Weekend to end breast cancer 2007

This is not a pitch for donations.... I know that many of you here have already donated, or you have many other worthy causes which you support.

I just want to honor my "team", the 2006 version is shown above - my sister in law, Karen, my brother Darry, neice Heather Sherlock (then age 12) and my sister Kelly. This year, they are joined by my brother-in-law Gary and by my neice Holly.

I am humbled and astounded that they are willing to make the effort both to raise the large sum of donations required ($2000/pp) as well as making that long long walk, rain or shine.

Please read their stories at the Joanne's team pages of the walk...... http://www.endcancer.ca/site/TR?team_id=24796&pg=team&fr_id=1203 I know they inspire and touch me.... and if by chance you have not made a donation, I think the grown-ups are doing fine, but the girls are a little behind.

Thanks you to Holly, Heather, Kelly, Gary, Darryl, Karen. You are heroes to me.

Joanne

P.S. Day #3, Round #3 of chemo, a feel lousy, but sentimental and sappy sort of day!

To the birds

About a month ago, Dad and Brian put up this bird feeder just outside the window beside my bed in the sunroom. Mom keeps it stocked and because this particular window does not see any direct sunlight, I can watch the birds all day. Brian made this bird feeder several years ago, a primitive, but very enjoyable result. And I have enjoyed this, and we've tried to identify a few birds, etc.....

But of late, the bird feeder has become a big source of stress. The squirrels (whom I previously admired) are really just little scavenger piglets, who have no fear of anything, animal, human or otherwise. They make their way up that skinny pole, wedge their "pleasantly plump" carcas onto the shelf of the house, and commence to stuff their little faces with as much bird seed as possible until we manage to chase them off, no small feat. And while the little birds scrap with each other, it's at least a fair fight, not so with Mr. Squirrel, nothing can stop him. AND, we now have a larger black bird who spend a few days perched on top, but has since figured out how to hunch on the lower shelf and help himself, also scaring all the little birdies.

Sheesh, and I imagined a peaceful nature scene, I think I am really more suited to indoor nature, the realities of the out-of-doors never cease to raise my blood pressure.

Anyway...... it's Day 1 of Cycle 3 of chemo. Time for me to hunker down and get through, and this usually lasts through to about Day 5 - at which time I start getting Neupogen shots for my white counts, causing a bit more pain, etc.... Anyway, I will not likely be available. My usual survival strategy is to nap in between eating and sleeping. However, I will emerge, after a few days, hopefully unscathed, and I will check in next week.

My continued thanks for your lovely and thoughtful and beautiful responses on my blog, I hope no one feels obliged to leave a comment. However, I must tell you how much it lifts my spirits and my heart to read your kind thoughts.

Love to all, Joanne

Summer at 26 Selkirk Crescent

You can't really see much of the new (Beautiful) aggragate concrete driveway in this photo, but you can see the beautiful flowers that my mom planted for us, and although the yard is still recovering from the sewer line damage last fall, it looks pretty inviting out there!

Not much to report for me. I have been having pesky fevers that hover around the "threshold fever" and this creates stress and uncertainty and a lot of calls to my medical team, but so far, I have remained out of hospital and doing OK. I am still fairly weak, and my energy level is so low it is hard to describe. Even short phone calls tire me out, but I am managing those not too bad, so if anyone would like to talk for a short time, I think I can manage that (depending on the day). Visits are still mostly not an option, although a few family members visit, that is my limit at the moment.

Still very happy to hear from everyone either through email, this blog or by snail mail. I appreciate your continued good thoughts and prayers.

Joanne - Look (below) at our "crop"!!!

Michelle's favourite friends........

Well, if any of you have been around Michelle in the past couple of months, it is a fair bet to guess that you have heard about Adam. So, here is a photo.... above are Adam, Michelle and Heidi, sitting in our sunroom here in Regina.

Things are pretty calm right now around here. Everyone is back from California, and they all had a great time. Michelle was a little sick, and she had a bit of a rough journey home, but otherwise, they are all so glad they got to go to the wedding.

I am about the same... The first (and worst) week of chemo round #2 is over, and I'm heading into the "good week", so that is very good, from my perspective. My breathing is roughly the same, the right lung is still collapsed and still surrounded with fluid, so I continue to manage the pain with morphine and the breathing with oxygen and by a very sedentary lifestyle. (this translates easily as I am basically spending 24/7 in my hospital bed.... what a gift that is.... is is adjustable so I can always get it into a comfortable position. My temperature has been normal (yippeeeeeeee) and my appetite and overall "how do I feel" is good.

That's it! The news this week is very "ordinary" and that is very WELCOME.

Joanne

Here is my lovely family enjoying my cousin Sean and Molly's beautiful wedding at Carmel-by-the-sea, California. Darryl has been sending Mom and I photos, and we have been enjoying watching events unfold by photo! It looks like it was a truly happy and wonderful event. They were married on 7-7-07, but it doesn't look like they need extra luck to enjoy a long and happy life together, I think they have what it takes right now!

Michelle flies back to Winnipeg to get back to her job (lifeguard at Fun Mountain water park). Gord and the boys are headed with Peggy and her kids to spend a couple of days in San Francisco. My boys will then head straight back to Regina. I'm so glad that they've had this wonderful holiday and were able to spend more family time together with the extended family. We all feel a tremendous amount of support from these loving relatives.

As for me, it is Day #4 of my second chemo cycle of Myocet and Cytoxin. I should feel less of the effects of that in a day or two.... Starting Monday, I will be receiving shots of "Neupogen" to stimulate my white blood cell production..... this should prevent me landing in the hopsital again with low blood counts.... and it will make me less susceptible to every little germ or bug around. Good news.

I feel about the same, the shortness of breath and pain from my collapsed lung is about the same, but my homecare team is really helping me get my medication schedule sorted out so that it is as best it can be. I do not feel worse, which I choose to take as a good sign, but I am still not mobile, need to use the oxygen, my wheelchair, and my hospital bed to keep me breathing in comfort.

However, I am getting used to this new reality. It really is a miracle how adaptive we all are, when circumstances leave us no choice. This has been a very difficult transition to make for me, physically and emotionally, and I am grateful to all of you for being so supportive, and respecting my needs at this time.

Cheers for now - Joanne

"What can we do to help? "

It has most certainly been the most stressful, trying month of my life. And a great big thank you to all of you wonderful supporters who have been asking "What can I do?". For the most part you have been given a non-answer. We were so caught up in trying to get through each day, that I, for my myself, could not concentrate or imagine what another day might be like, and what might help.

Just so you know, I am completely grateful for all the support we have received; we need no other "thing". For those that wish, please know that everything you have done is "good enough"... we feel blessed and lucky and loved.

However, we keep being asked, So.......... I thought I'd give a little status update.

Gord and the kids have gone to a family wedding in California. And, in case that seems strange or selfish to you, please be generous in your thoughts about Gord and the kids. They are under tremendous stress, and it was my request that they go, enjoy and learn to be a strong family unit in a happy setting, even when times are difficult, while I can still enjoy from my comfortable bed.

My wonderful mother is for all intents and purposes my main caretaker. She is now with me virtually 24/7 and she helps me with all the day to day things I can't manage as well as being a huge emotional support that I just lean on shamelessly. My dad keeps the homefires burning, and also runs all manner of errands, and he sits with me when my mom is not around. That is going well, and at the moment, my mother does not want help for herself or anyone. Not just yet anyway.

At the moment, the truth is, that I am not physically or emotionally able for real visiting. The best I can offer anyone who wants to come to Regina anyway, is short (i.e. 30 minutes) of visiting me lying in a bed. And we are not in any way able extend the hospitality that we orinarily enjoy sharing with you, our friends and family. We cannot have anyone staying at our home. I hope this improves, but right now, it is the truth.

Anyway, thanks to my Aunt Lorna Mae who had this excellent suggestion: If you want to do something for me, please go and donate some blood. I had 2 units given to me this past hospitalization and they have helped me to feel so much better. I expect I will need it again. If you would like to do something concrete, please consider this. It will help me and many other people. And since, at this exact time, there is nothing physical that I need, it would be an ideal way to help in this way.

Especially all you B+ types (that is me)...... a rarer kind (just like me)............

Thanks friends, for considering this unique way to show support of me.

At home again

I am back at home again, and hopefully it "sticks".

After my kudos to our health care system, I can safely give my one current big beef, which is the entire ER system. Doesn't matter where I live or which one I go to, they are all a big nightmare, and at all costs I would like to stay out of them. Hopefully my temperature cooperates.

I will write more as I am able. Right now my fatigue level is high, my pain is managed, and my breathing is much better managed as well. I am quite comfortable, but I am also emotional and overwhelmed, and I still feel like I don't know what will happen next.

My next chemo treatment is this Thursday and so I will be gathering my emotional and physical resources to get through that. Right now I am not very capable of doing much by way of visiting or talking to people. I hope that I find that that energy returns to me, but in the meantime, I'd like to express my appreciation for your continued warm and loving responses here on this blog. I will appreciate it if you continue to communicate in that way.

For a more private message, my email address is jschweitzer@sasktel.net. I am not at the computer regularly, but will do my best to keep up.

Joanne Update...

Hello,

Gord is back in Winnipeg today, helping Craig move out of his apartment and return back to Regina for the summer. In his place, Joanne asked me to post a message on her blog. For those of you that don’t know me, I am Joanne’s brother, Darryl.

Joanne is still in the hospital but I am glad to report that she is stable and improving. She has had a tough few days but her blood counts are improving, her pain is being managed and her fever is under control. Assuming that she remains stable, she will likely be able to return home in the next few days.

Her spirit and determination are as remarkable as ever!

She says the food is fine and she is kept well stocked with dark chocolate, not to mention her daily venti, extra hot, no foam, 2% latte.

On behalf of her family, thanks to all of you for your ongoing support.

Hacker Darryl

Joanne moved to hospital

June 25, 2007

Hi I've hacked into this blog to provide an update on Joanne's condition.

Today Joanne was admitted to the oncology ward at Pasqua Hospital. She is having some problems with intermittent fever and to be safe she has been admitted and is on I.V. antibiotics.

She is still in pain as the plural effusion has increased again but they are medicating the pain. She is resting comfortably in a private room but visiting privileges are limited.

Joanne's hemoglobin is very low so she is getting a blood transfusion either later today or tomorrow.

For now we will both be away from the house during the day and at the hospital in the evening so we won't be answering the phone. Please correspond with us using this blog.

Hacker Gord.

A week of changes can change your life!

This is my new view, and I am lucky that I have such a beautiful sunroom to have such a good view in!

Well, I will try to keep this brief, but it has been a very incredible sort of week. Surreal, really,

So, at last post I had a pleural effusion drained and was recovering.

Well, something went sour with the pleural effusion drainage and a small part of my right lung collapsed. The drainage was malignant, which is just means that there is now an easy vechicle fo the spread of cancer elsewhere as fluid tends to move around. I still have fluid on my lungs but the prioirity was to do chemo immediately to try to improve the situation in the lungs.

Due to the pain of the lung collapse, I have been started on a morphine program. And due to the shortness of breath increasing and becoming worse (lung collaspse), I am now on Oxygen all the time and at home.

Today a hospital bed arrived, so I can sleep in a better position for my lungs. Also, we received a shower chair and a wheelchair. Oh and Homecare is providing me with anything we need.

I have suddenly moved from being independent to being not terrible mobile. And I am supposed to view this reduced mobility as saving my energy for things I really want to do. So, that's the view I am trying to take.

My fellow cruisers - Karen and Kelly, came here this week, and they are helping to get all this equipment settled and to make it as nice as possible for me. Mom has been here 24/7 since Gord is out of town at a course. I feel very supported as I travel this challenging path.

This has all been very unexpected and so it is actually difficult to comment on with any form of wisdom. We just keep getting through each day and are not looking too far ahead. My friend

Janice is bringing Michelle home for a visit next week, and Gord will get Craig after exams, it will be quite an adjustment for them to see me too.

THE one reflection I do have this week is the excellent care we have received from our much maligned "system". We have been treated with dignity and respect and with kindness... and SPEED.... I cannot imagine getting better service than we have had this week. It has been unbelievable and true cause for thanks.

Best wishes to all..... Joanne

"Progression" and "Pleural Effusion"... two bad news words for a gal with Stage IV cancer.

As I mentioned last week, I was not expecting great news from my CT scan based on the fact that I have been having increased symptoms. The only bit of good (?) news this week is that I was correct!

In fact, my CT scan showed some new spots of cancer in my lungs. Although the drug was holding the existing spots at bay, and no new areas have been affected, this is still NOT GOOD ENOUGH, and a treatment change is in order.

I will begin a new regime tomorrow, Myocet and Cyclophosphmaide. Myocet is an encaspulated version of Adriamycin, a very powerful drug I had way back in 2001. It is a tough chemo, but the encaspulated version is designed to stay in the body longer, and seek out cancer cells, leaving fewer 'normal" cells damaged. We will see. I expect a bit of a tough ride.

Pleural Effusion: fluid has now built up in the pleural cavity (which surrounds the lungs). This is not uncommon with advanced cancer in the lungs. Yesterday I had quite a bit of that fluid drained in a procedure called "thoracentesis". Unfortunately, my procedure did not go as planned, and they were unable to remove all of the fluid, which means I will likely have to have another one sometime soon.

So, it was quite a long, sad day yesterday. We have cancelled our mother daughter cruise which we were to take this weekend, and I will have a DIFFERENT kind of weekend ahead.

SO, that is the update, I wish I had better news to report. As always, we draw strength from the love, good wishes and prayers of our family and friends. The love and kindness shown to us really does help lift us back to our feet so that we can keep moving forward. Thanks you to all our wonderful supportive family and friends.

Joanne

A great photo from Montreal

Isn't this a great photo of my cousins and aunt? Peggy is the beautiful bride.

Lovely Montreal

I just returned from my cousin Peggy and Johnny's wedding in Montreal. And I am ashamed to say I do not have one picture to post, although I did have my handy and compact camera with me. Thank you to my brother Darryl who sent this amazing photo of one of the beautiful stained glass windows in the lovely Montreal Church where my cousin was married.

At any rate, it was a beautiful event, a beautiful couple, and I and my family rejoice with this latest marriage. It was especially gratifying for me to be able physically to attend the event. Although I missed some major action, belly dancing included, I feel lucky to have been present to share in the day and to see so many of my amazing family members.

For me, it is action week.... tomorrow (Wednesday) I have the CT scan that will determine how I am actually doing. Given my own assessment of my physical state, I am pretty sure that the best I can hope for will be a stable situation. I fear I am too symptomatic right now to enjoy any reduction in disease. However, the CT will tell the story, and I meet with my oncologist Monday to determine next steps.....

The reduced dosage of Xeloda has provided relief from pain in my feet, although the skin is cracked and peeling, I think it is improving. So that is a good thing! And, today was my last day of Cycle 6 of the drug, so the next week "off" chemo is a welcome thing too.

As the saying goes, I am "hanging in there".......

Cheers Joanne

ALthough I look bored and morose........

I actually was quite excited about this beautiful flowering plum tree in our front yard. It's exciting for us to be in a more developed yard, I am enjoying the squirrels and birds who also share our yard. However, we have considerable work to do, removing an overgrown elm tree, lifting up the deck, etc....etc..

Right now the major project is the driveway which does NOT look like the photo above...... it has been completely removed and the entire thing is being redone. Thanks to my dad (Jim Condon) he has lined up reliable contractors and is the chief superintendent of the project. If not for my dad we'd probably be living with the crappy temporary stuff for longer than we should, so we are VERY grateful. Our house will look stunning with it's new concrete!

Michelle was home this weekend and we had a quiet and lovely time.

For me, same old, same old.... Round 6 of Xeloda, the side effects do accumulate so I have more challenges than before. I also have a nasty cough which either lingers from my viral infection, or is the cancer raising it's ugly head again. I honestly cannot tell which it is, but my functional ability is quite limited at the moment.

However, as I may have mentioned, I live a life filled with love, and I have many loving family and friends who make it possible for me to enjoy every day as normally as possible. It makes me realize just how lucky I am, although I realize that is going to sound like a ridiculous idea, given my overall circumstances, but it is honestly what I feel.

So cheers to all and I hope you are enjoying spring, my favourite season! Joanne