Grey Cup

Good thing Darryl and Dad were on hand in Toronto to guard the cup before it's fate was sealed and it heads BACK TO SASKATCHEWAN!

It wasn't a pretty game, but the Riders won, and all of Saskatchewan has gone nuts. It is very fun to be around all the excitement.

Go Riders Go !!!

This child is no relation to me, but rest assured, I have photos (similar) of all of my kids in Rider Gear, sadly, they were all taken in the dinosaur age of FILM, and PAPER...... hence I'm not sure how to get them posted.....

Anyway, you get the point, this is kinda how we do it here in Saskatchewan.... we are crazy for our pro football team, even when they are not winning (which is usual), but we really go nuts when they, say get in the play-offs (you should know that 3/4 teams get into the play-offs)...... Glory of all Glories, we won the west this year, and on Sunday will play for the National title, the Grey Cup......

It's exciting to be in Regina right now (really, I'm not kidding), the entire city (well, I'm guessing it is the entire province) is on fire with Rider Green........ The game is in Toronto...... my dad and Darryl are actually THERE (Hello boys, hope you are having fun!) It's a BIG DEAL around here.

Joanne

P.S. on me..... I'm doing OK, I won't be attending any Grey Cup parties, but I am recovering from the last round of chemo, which kind of knocked me back a bit. Still working with the back and shoulder pain .... I begin massage therapy Monday and am hoping that will help. I think I spend too much time in bed, although that is just the reality at the moment. Anyway, I'm hanging in there.........

Beauty

I received this beautiful orchid plant back for my birthday October 19 (which is when this photo was taken). Amazingly, it is still alive, fresh, unwilted, and every one of those little buds you see has blossomed into another beautiful bloom. Just amazing. I received it from my Aunt Lorna Mae and Uncle Tom, and I am especially thinking of them and all of their family this weekend.

It is a cold, snowy, grey day here, not what could really be consdered beautiful, but I find that these days, when I wake up, almost every day looks beautiful to me, maybe that is one good thing about being in somewhat rough conditions.

I did have chemo on Friday (good news, I recovered from the pnuemonia enough to go ahead)..... it was my 8th of that drug mix, and likely the last, as a body can only stand so much of the one drug. It's a little scary for me as I am at least staying stable on this one..... fear of the unknown is always hard to cope with. However, I always know that no matter what, there will be beauty to see in every circumstances.

Best wishes to all of you - I'll be laying low for awhile, just the usual post-chemo recovery, and I am sad to report that I am still trying to manage a very painful back and shoulder. I begin massage therapy on Monday, and am hoping that will help or at least find what might be exaggerating the pain I've been having in that area all along.

Here's to the beauty all around us, and in each of us. Joanne

Doing Well

This was me, from several weeks ago, when Mom and I were making pesto from the basil we grew in our front yard! I was all delighted to be up "cooking", but unfortunately, the trend did not continue, as you all know, I've had a few challenging weeks lately.

Anyway, I am doing pretty well now, recovering from the pneumonia. I am still quite tired but mostly I feel pretty OK, and the pain I was having is now under much better control, I'm taking more morphine now, and it seems to be doing the trick !

Good news from the whole pneumonia/hospitalization thing - the scans showed that the disease is still stable! Also, when I was sent to ultrasound to drain the fluid in my lungs (to see if it was infected), there was not even enough fluid there for them to drain! Considering that a few months ago I had a massive pleural effusion going on there, it really shows the success of the chemo I have been on. I'd be even happier if I was able to be up and around more, doing more "normal" things, but I must say that once I accept the limits of my fatigue and breathing, life is really very good.

Michelle and Craig are coming home this weekend for the long weekend, and we are excited to be seeing them again, looking forward to a nice family weekend.

Best wishes to all of you, and thank you for your continued interest in me and my well-being!

Joanne

Happy 16th Birthday Brian

Gord and Brian are headed out to the last "Riders" game of the season. It's a "Brisk" prairie day today, hence the numerous layers of clothing!

And yes, it is hard to believe that my "baby" turns 16 today. I am so proud and grateful to see what a really wonderful young man he is turning into. He is intelligent and thoughtful and he is coping very very well with the stressful circumstances life has already thrown his way. He also has a very quiet and almost dignified way about him, which he definitely did NOT get from me, but it is very rewarding to observe anyway!

I'm very grateful to be home from the hospital on his birthday, an unexpected gift for me !!!

Cheers to all, and thanks for all the good wishes!

Joanne

Home From the Hospital

I wasn't expecting to be discharged before the weekend, however, my blood counts rebounded and my fever has been eliminated, so here I am back at home! While in hosptial I received a couple more units of blood, as well as the IV antibiotic, and I will continue with oral antibiotics for several days.

My next chemo will be pushed back by a week to give me extra recovery time, so I get a little bonus "break" from the chemo grind.

Not much else..... I'll be resting lots and laying low while I recover from this latest little bump in the road !!!

Joanne

November 1, 2007

Hacker Gord is back with a new message from Joanne.

Joanne went back to hospital on Tuesday night with an elevated temperature. After a night of waiting in an isolation room she was admitted to the Cancer ward at Pasqua Hospital on Halloween morning. After several tests and several more hours of anxious waiting, we finally found out that she has pneumonia. Luckily it was caught and treated early (even before it was known exactly what it was). There are only a couple of small spots so things aren't as bad as they could be. She is resting well and hopes to be home soon. Unfortunately she will have to stay in hospital for at least a few days.

Thanks to Eileen for all her help.

Hacker Gord

Every once in awhile there is a tiny snag.....

Hello to all, and thanks to all of you for your continued support. I always get a thrill when I realize how many of you are out there checking in on me !!!!

I'm just now getting through the "worst" days post chemo (I had Myocet/Cytoxin #7 last Friday). I've begun the GSCF shots (Neupogen) and generally the remainder of the cycle goes smoothly.

However, I have hit a bit of a snag this week. For the past week or so I have been struggling with extra pain in the area of my collapsed lung. I've been trying various things to get it under control, but it hasn't really been working, and unfortunately, I was not aggresssive enough with my morphine. So I had a little pain crisis of sorts this week, and have really had to get back on track to get on top of that pain.

There is nothing (additionally) wrong with me, and in fact, my scans and physical exam in my lungs are good. But I still have pain, and so I have been getting help from my homecare nurse and my doctor. Hence, you may have noticed (both on this blog and in "person") that I have been sort of quiet. (Pain really sucks) But, I am getting on track - this basically means that I have to take more morphine. I am improving, and I'm hoping that we'll have this all sorted out in the next week or two...... At any rate, it is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT....... Every day of living and managing a dynamic and life threatening diseasae can bring new challenges, that's all..... sometimes it's easy to forget that!

Otherwise, my family is also "stable" !!! Michelle and Craig are thick into mid-terms and assignments.... Brian continues to do well in Grade 11. Gord is taking some courses for the next little while, but he also continues to enjoy his job here in Regina. And my mom and dad help keep our operation running, I'm not just sure what things would be like without them, but since we do have that amazing level of support and love, we are able to just keep on living, and living pretty darn well too!

Cheers to all! Joanne

Stable !!

Well, the results from my most recent CT scan (Tuesday) show that there has been no significant change since the previous scan. Given it was only a 6-week interval, rather than the usual 3 months, my oncologist considers this a very good result. Also, my lungs are sounding improved and there is some evidence of functional improvement. He was very happy with this results.

So, while of course I would rather see continued shrinkage, "stable" is also very good news. In fact, my oncologist suggests that we may not see further shrinkage from this drug, and that continued stability is a good outcome. I am also glad that the cancer continues to be limited to my lungs and internal lymph nodes, there is no evidence of any further spread. I'm not sure how significant that really is, but it makes ME happy.

My heart is also still in good shape and so I will have two more treatments of the Myocet + Cytoxin and then there will be a discussion as to what to do next. It will likely be a switch to a different chemo drug (Navelbine was mentioned), but we will know more at that time....

The chemo room was full today, and since I did not have a treatment booked (pending results of scans) I have a day or two "off" and will return for my next treatment as soon as they can fit me in.

Thank you so much to all my friends and family, and acquaintances and colleagues who continue to check in on me through this blog. And for all of you who continue to think about and pray for me and my family, your warm thoughts are appreciated and it helps me to stay strong and to keep my hope strong.

Cheers to all - Joanne

Thanksgiving

Well, I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We certainly did. Both Michelle and Craig were home for the weekend, and we had a wonderful time together as a family again. My mom cooked a spectacular meal, which was enjoyed by us as well as my Aunt, Peggy and 3 of her kids. My grandfather was also well enough to attend, which was really amazing and wonderful. Unfortunately, I am the one who didn't make it to thanksgiving dinner.... that day I had a lot of bone pain (side effect of the Neupogen shots) and I just wasn't able to get enough morphine in me to be able to move comfortably AND be lucid. Anyway, that was small detail, I still enjoyed the entire weekend.

We are all very saddened to hear of the death of my cousin Patricia's husband, John Sinclair. One of Patricia's aunt's also died recently (as it happens this is also the mother of one of my friends and fellow book club member, Michelle) My heart goes out to Pat, Michelle and their families as they cope with these deaths.

Things are stable with me. On Thursday I have the MUGA (heart) scan, next week is the CT. The worst of the "chemo" crap side effects are mostly over, and I feel pretty decent.

Scans coming up

Well, I just found out about the upcoming appointments, so I thought I would share them here....

MUGA (Heart) Scan - October 11

CT Scan - October 16

The results of these scans will determine my next treatments......

I'm hanging in at the moment, feeling OK as long as I don't try to do too much. Althought forward progress is slow, I am NOT GETTING WORSE, which is actually quite a good feeling! I am passing the time by reading, needlework, "Emailing", and keeping in touch on the computer. And, my great family helps me pass the time with movies, other TV shows, lattes and other treats. All in all, I am doing OK, and I will check in as soon as I can with any other news!

Chemo today .....

Well, I went in for my 6th treatment of Myocet + Cytoxin, and I have a couple of hours before the side effects start setting in. I have been on chemo now for most of the past 18 months. What this means is that my body takes a little longer each time to recover from the "assault" ... it isn't that each treatment makes me sicker, just that my body isn't as able to respond and it takes longer and longer each round..... So, based on my other cycles, I would predict that I will not be back at the computer for awhile !!!! I will try not to let it go 2 weeks again, like i did last time..........

I had a good check-up. My oncologist says my lungs sound excellent (his exact words), and there is no additional fluid that he can detect. I was delighted to hear this, since I've actually been coughing quite a bit lately, of course I was worrying a little.... but it appears that my lungs still sound to be in good shape.

After this chemo cycle, I will have more scans - a CT scan to check the disease progression, and a MUGA scan (to check for heart damage, a possible side effect of the type of chemo I am on). After these scans he will decide what is next, but it will likely be another 2 rounds before switching to a different drug....

That's all the news for now. Otherwise, everyone in the family is well and coping pretty well right now. Cheers to all.

Joanne

Not much new !

No news is good news - I've just gotten through the tougher parts of my 5th cycle of this newest round of chemo (Myocet + Cytoxin), and am back to feeling OK. I had a blood transfusion on Monday as my hemoglobin had again dropped too low (common with chemo), and so my blood counts should now be in good shape for the next little while.

I still seem to need the oxygen, the morphine, the wheelchair and the bedrest, but as long as I do all of these I actually manage very well, and feel quite well on a day-to-day basis. Thank goodness for my mom and my family, because they manage to see that I have the best life I can from my little world !!!!!! My mom continues to be here with me whenever Gord or Brian are away from the house.

So, all in all, things are stable and that is great !!!!

CT Scan Results

Well, it is pretty good news. The CT scan showed an excellent partial result - what this means is that the cancer is not gone (that would be in the miracle category), but it is reduced from what it was back in June. Some of the spots have disappeared completely. And most of the rest of them are smaller than they were. The largest nodule in my lungs was 1.3 cm x 1.4 cm....it is now 0.9 cm x 0.8 cm. Also the mediastinel nodes are reduced in size. And, finally, there is no new cancer, no further spread. My liver, abdomen and bones (in that area) are clean.

I still have fluid surrounding my lungs, but it is greatly reduced. And my lower right lung is still collapsed.

So, today I am filled with gratitude. Chemo has been successful, and it will continue, likely for four more treatments with this particular drug combo, then perhaps with a new combo. Of course, with this disease, things can change on a dime, and there are no guarantees, but for today, the result is very good, and we are very happy and very grateful.

I had a chemo treatment today, so will now hunker down to get through the next few days. But it is all worth it when the treatment is working and giving me more time. What a great gift.

Thanks to all for your continued love and support. Maybe those prayers are working, so keep those up too. if it is not too much trouble !!!!!!

Joanne

Checking In.....

Happy days are here in Regina. For the non-Canadians, our long suffering football team (Saskatchewan Roughriders) are having a #1 season for the first time in about 30 years........ Above are my niece and nephew, Kate and Niall when they attended Sunday's football game here in Regina.

No news yet for me. I had the CT scan yesterday and it went very smoothly actually. I will find out the results tomorrow when I go in for my next chemo treatment. I will post about it as soon as I can.

Cheers to all. Go Riders Go....... Joanne

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!