OUR PROFESSIONAL FRIENDS

Jan 30/10

The past week has been a pleasant one with walks to and from my treatments every weekday.  We were able do those walks in the middle of the day, as all the appointments were at “decent” hours.  Not so much for next week with a couple of them late in the day.

We meet with my doctor every Monday to evaluate my symptoms and talk about some of the things to expect over the next few weeks and months.  His first name is Francois, he is from Montreal and he has a heavy French accent that is challenging to understand.  He is a very nice man, very direct in his approach and is well-respected by the staff.  He will be on vacation for the next two weeks so we will be meeting with one of his colleagues and it will be interesting to get another opinion on my progress.

I am getting to know the 8 radiation therapists quite well after 19 treatments.  The routine is for at least 2 and sometimes 3 therapists to get me positioned correctly on the table and they are very careful to check and confirm all the measurements.  They put marks on me with felt pens and line them up with the laser beams.  We’ve had lots of jokes about connecting the dots on my skin and prodding me like a turkey that is going into the oven.

A picture of "my" machine and the bed I lay on

The patients that we’ve met in the waiting room this past week have mostly been men who are getting head and throat radiation as well as chemotherapy.  They really suffer from side effects of extreme fatigue, confusion and disorientation and rely heavily on their caregivers who are usually family members.  We are all very thankful that the staff at the Interior Cancer Centre are such kind, compassionate and competent professionals.

A SCHEDULED LIFE

Jan 24/10

We are definitely in a routine these days that is very reminiscent of our old work life.  We go to my treatments each day from Monday to Friday and have the weekend off to catch up with chores and other things.  We find that it is easier to set a weekly schedule for activities like laundry and house cleaning.  If we don’t, we lose track of the last time that something was done.

We’re walking more than ever and still doing weight workouts 3 or 4 times a week.  It’s making a difference in our overall health and fitness but we’re not fading away into stick people.  Perhaps the excellent gourmet food that Stuart continues to prepare on a daily basis plays a role.  We certainly haven’t felt the need for restaurant food.

I have assurances from my doctor that there shouldn’t be any need for me to stay around for too long after my treatments, so we are doing research on where we want to go in March.  We are interested in going to Arizona as the weather will be the warmest there and locations in the Phoenix/Tucson area seems like a good place to start.  We will probably visit Yuma along the way as it is the most famous Snowbird destination in the state.

So another two weeks plus one day of treatment and then we can focus on serious planning for heading down the road.  We are in the condo until Feb 28 which gives us plenty of time to prepare.

TODAY IS A GIFT

Jan 17/10

Another week has quickly gone by and it was a good one in so many ways.  The weather was really mild with some rain and all the snow is long gone.  We’ve walked to 4 out of 5 of my appointments and have enjoyed having a purpose for our exercise.  The treatments are going well and I’m not having any side effects at all.  We are still meeting new people there most days and seeing a few regulars as well.

We went out to our trailer that we’re storing in Winfield to do a quick check up and pick up a few things.  The yard that it’s in was a bit muddy as the snow had just melted and we’re hoping that it will be drier when it’s time to tow it out of there.  It was a nostalgic feeling to go inside and remember that it is our “true” home and we will be very happy when it’s time to return to that lifestyle.

However, we are learning how to really live in the present and focus on what is happening now.  Each day offers new experiences and appreciating “the now” is so much more enjoyable than reminiscing about the past or anticipating a future that is unknowable.

Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  And today?  

Today is a gift.  That's why we call it the present.  ~Babatunde Olatunji

We treated ourselves to a movie this weekend and saw “Avatar” in 3D.  It was an amazing visual extravaganza with a decent story line that kept your attention the whole time.  We would highly recommend it.

THE WAIT IS OVER

Jan 10/10

Who would ever think that someone was looking forward to starting medical treatments?  Well, we’ve been waiting for this for months now and I was quite excited to get started last Monday.  My doctor has recommended 25 radiation treatments that are administered once a day from Monday to Friday so I will be done on February 8.

The whole process is fascinating as there is a lot of science, doctors and therapists and a big machine behind it all.  The patient (that’s me) gets positioned on a table and is lined up to a pre-determined spot using measurements from skin tattoos, laser beams and computer images.  Once in position, a big lens directs the beam at different widths and different lengths of time to one side of the target area.  This is repeated from the other side and then you’re done.  My radiation beams are about 15, 4 and 1 second in duration so I’m only being treated for a short while.

http://www.beasurvivor.com/video/mov28a.html

if this doesn't play, try going in this way:

http://www.beasurvivor.com/ch063.htm

There are 3 radiation units operational in Kelowna right now and they are treating people every 12 minutes for 10 hours a day.  That’s about 150 people per day and they are from all walks of life.  We’ve met people from Prince George, Kelowna, Westbank and Christina Lake this past week and may see some of them in the next few weeks.  It has been humbling to realize how fortunate I am when I see the struggles and challenges of others who are here, some of them back for second and third treatments.

I have no side effects from the treatment yet so we are walking and working out daily.  The evidence of all the Christmas goodies has already disappeared which is a good feeling.

We’ve added jigsaw puzzles to our indoor activities and we have really enjoyed working on them.  I never did puzzles before and it can be both addictive and frustrating, but such a feeling of accomplishment as it gets filled in.  Here’s a photo of our current puzzle:

So it’s back to the routine again tomorrow—almost like having a job.

ELEPHANTS IN THE ATTIC

Jan 2/10

I’d like to say that we had a quiet week but that is only half true.  Our activities were quiet in that we went for walks every day, did workouts in the fitness room, read a few books, started and finished a jigsaw puzzle and watched all the Star Trek movies.  The part that wasn’t so quiet was people who moved into the condos beside and above us for the Christmas week.

I first noticed a thumping sound above our living room followed by metallic screeching and scraping.  My first thought was “we have elephants in the attic” but then realized that it was people walking about and sliding chairs on their floor.  When we first moved into the condo, we didn’t hear any sounds around us and were impressed with the sound-proof concrete structure.  Now we know that not everything is concrete as the sounds do travel between floors.

Fortunately for us, the people moved out on New Year’s Day and we have our peace and quiet back again.

We continually get treated by the antics of the birds that live here on the waterfront and in the marsh.  The Canada geese frequently make a morning flight from the water’s edge to fields east of town for breakfast.  They fly at our level (120 feet up) and very close to the building, honking as they go.  A few days ago we had 2 eagles diving and lunging at each other in front of our window.  They were so close that we could see their talons extended as they went on the attack.  Then an osprey joined the battle and it was quite a sight.  No one got hurt and they gave up the fight fairly quickly—it must take a lot of energy for those battles.

The New Year and new decade have begun and we’re all rested up and looking forward to meeting any challenges that come our way.

View from Knox Mtn (our place 2nd highrise from right)

Brandt's Creek Walkway