Its been just over a month since we were hit with the news, and given that I'm waiting for Gaye to get ready so that we can leave for Sydney for the weekend (I'm off to the Rugby, and then we're both going to Priscilla etc at the Sydney Casino on Sunday), I thought I'd reflect on how I am with all this.
Good, really.
Sometime in the next week or so we'll settle in for the long run of chemo that will give us the best indication of my medium and long term future. In the meantime, I have a sneaking suspicion that my unsuitability for surgery will be a blessing. I've been such a whooser over the small stent in my gut that I suspect that the major pain and inconvenience that the Whipples would have bought would have been beyond me (easy to say from where I'm sitting!).
Gaye and I are both resolved to see this through successfully, and we both understand that the solution is only partly medical, and that the major part is psychological/spritual (in the non-religious sense) . Lucky for the pragmatist in both of us, there are many exemplars for success, such as Ian Gawler. We have started to make the nutritional changes necessary, and I am as fit as I have been for a while - not quite injury-free, but........ Oh, and I've lost a total of 8 kilos, but I'm holding where I am.
I still need to track down more information on the implications of the spread of the cancer to the lymph nodes - I have no idea how that works yet, but I have booked an appointment with the oncologist week after next to have a very detailed discussion.
I have received a couple of very good pieces of advice over the time, but perhaps the best is from an in-remission cancer sufferer I was put in touch with by friends. She said: "Don't pay much attention to other people's cancer stories. Every case is different. Your cancer and your circumstances are yours alone. If you listen to them, the positive ones will make you fly, while the negative ones will bring you crashing down! And that's not good for you. Neither is it ever an accurate reflection of what will happen to you!" So now, I don't log onto the cancer web-groups as often, and I just skim through the emails I get. All in the name of sanity.
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3 comments:
Attaboy Tony. Your attitude and strength is so evident - it shines through in all that you write. We could all learn from that. As always, our best to you & Gaye
Tony, finding information on the net can be difficult and it is rarely accurate. Here is the link to an authorative site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed
A lot of it is in medico speak, but there also is a lot of plain english. Hopefully it will help you to know what questions to ask your oncologist.
I am familiar with the topic and issues so if I can clarify something ask away and I will try and provide an honest answer, and if I do not know I say so.
cheers
bruce white
Dear Tony,
received the news from Eric and read your blog. Although we are very far away it feels you and your family are close. I wish you all the strengh inthe next months because it will be hard times ahead. But with your spirit and support I know you will get through it. Thinking of you here in Holland.
Veel liefs Renee
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