GETTING BACK ON TRACK

I am off to Rome tomorrow afternoon so this will be quick. I am back on cloud nine this afternoon. I met with Dr. Reaume, my oncologist, today and he reports that the fluid in my lungs has abated. There are no new tumours, and no additional growths. All is stable. It seems the new protocol of two weeks taking Sutent with one week off is working. This may be the balance for me. I am handling it well. However, I am always happy when the 13th and 14th day come around and I know I can take a week off. I do notice a definite lack of energy and suffer some diarrhea during these latter days of the treatment. However it is manageable, and I am able to do most activities without undue stress. My appetite lessens as well, which is actually good. It helps to keep my weight in check. The earlier symptoms of sensitive hands and feet, as well as the mouth soreness I experienced when I first started on Sutent have all but disappeared. I am happy with the outcomes. I’ll meet with Dr Reaume again in December. When I was first diagnosed with Matastized Renal Cancer, Dr. Reaume was the oncologist to whom I was referred. He introduced me to Dr. Moretto and put her in charge of my care. Alas, as I reported, she has left the Cancer Centre to work at McMaster. Dr Reaume has now assumed full responsibility rather than just oversight of my treatment. He is an energetic and enthusiastic oncologist, very personable and a leader in his field. I feel very fortunate. Just a note to say, I welcome any and all who come across this blog to make comments and send them to me, if you so wish. I’d like to hear about other cancer journeys. Maybe you can coach and assist me as I travel mine.

A Step Backwards

Met with my oncologist, Dr. Moretto, Friday, Jul 26th. The news was not good, at least not as encouraging as my previous visits. The current protocol of one week on SUTENT and one week off is not working as it should. I have developed a new tumour in the pleura and three others have either doubled or almost doubled in size. This probably explains my increased shortness of breath and increased tiredness of late. She also did not like the condition of my feet. Of course, her comments were probably in part due to the sliced heel occurred when I removed a large section of it when I fell and landed on a sharply pointed rock.I did a neat slicing job lowering my height on the left side by a quarter inch. My feet are heavily callused (she jokingly suggested I need to get Peggy to file them more often) and I have extensive swelling in the ankle and lower leg, especially when I am taking the SUTENT. Needless to say she made a strong recommendation that I consult a good podiatrist and stay off my feet, at least be more gentle with them until these problems have been cleared. For a guy who likes to walk/hike five to ten kilometres five days a week, this was heavy news, not to say what the inactivity may do to my waistline. She suggested substituting swimming not realizing I really only enjoy little water in my scotch. Good news. The CT scans showed that my kidney was clear and showed no reoccurrence of the cancer. If only we could chase the beast from my lungs and chest. So what now? I am back to a previous protocol of two weeks on and one week off. I am not particularly pleased with this. The problem I have with SUTENT is that by the end of the week on, my energy levels become very low. I have often remarked that out of 14 days , I give away four to five. My concern with the two weeks of taking SUTENT is that I may end up with more low energy days and increased need to take diarrhea pills.(diarrhea is a an annoying side effect of taking SUTENT.) I'll manage. My experience in life to date has taught me to be adaptable, but I do not need to like it. The Ottawa Hospital Foundation has a programme whereby patients can nominated staff (doctors, nurses, orderlies, volunteers, etc.) for a Guardian Angel pin. I consider Dr. Moretto to be my Guardian Angel. Despite the message she had to convey, she communicated it well, showing compassion, concern and respect. I appreciate her greatly and I will miss her as she moves on to another position at McMaster in Hamilton. My last appointment with her be the end of Aug. Change has been a constant in my life and I am already wondering who will be my next Guardian Angel. I must go now. I am busy planning our trip to Italy and Portugal in October. Be happy all!

March 8, 2013

ANXIETY LEVEL LOWERED

I need not have allowed myself to get anxious. Pegs and I met with Dr. Reaume, Dr. Moretto’s supervisor (she is on holiday) and he like her gave us good news. All is stable. The growth I talked about in my last note has actually been there since they first found the matatisized renal cancer in the lungs. For some reason they had not focussed on it until I happened to feel it after scratching my breast a couple of weeks back. Apparently it has been in all the CT scans from day one, but they were more focussed on the lungs where there was a sudden rapid spread of lesions. 

A review of the previous scans compared with the one I had earlier this week show the growth is stable. There has been no increase in size nor has there been a spread to other areas of the breast. It is not a new cancer forming, therefore, no change in the current treatment protocol is required. In short, they say not to worry, all is under control, continue with my plans. The tumours in the lungs are stable as well. No new ones have appeared and there seems to be further reduction in their size, albeit small. 

I am happy and keen now to proceed with travel plans as I mentioned in my last message. Today we are busy scrambling to get organized and hope to take off Sunday or Monday on the first leg to Florida. 

That is all for now. I’ll check in later to let you know how the travel is going and what other adventures we dream up. Must keep going. We still have a lot on our bucket list and there is no time to waste.

UPDATE

February 25, 2013

This is a brief update as it has been a long time since I have entered anything on the Blog. The reason for my neglect has been mainly because there has not been much to report. At least not until recently. I saw my oncologist last Friday. She reported all appeared well. My blood work is stable and there is nothing to be concern there. You will recall that I was having trouble with maintaining a high platelet count, but that seems to be okay now. However, I am going to have to undergo further tests, specifically a mammogram, for  a lump that has developed in my left breast. This has been scheduled for this coming Thursday. New challenges ahead?? 

Despite this recent development, I still feel great. I am handling the side effects of my medication well. I am upbeat and enjoying life. 

In the meantime I have undertaken to walk and walk and walk on almost a daily basis. I have always liked hiking and recently the urge to challenge myself more in this endeavour has been growing. As a result I have taken to training 2 to 3 hours a day by pounding the  slushy streets of Ottawa. I am looking forward to doing some hikes in Arizona next month once I get the usual tests out of the way. I hope to hike parts of the Bruce Trail this summer with Peggy and my daughter Kristine. I have even started thinking about adding the trail around Juan de Fuca Straits on the West Coast to my list. Of course the ultimate would be to stroll (?) the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It is still in the back of my mind. We'll see. To encourage me to maintain the momentum I have joined the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Rideau Valley Trail Association. Now all I need to see is Spring to come early.

Oh! I should mention that I want to throw in some biking in between hikes? There are quite a few biking tours in Europe that are enticing, and of course there is a week’s ride that we are planning with cousins in Pennsylvania in June. 

Looking back at what I have written, I’d better go take my daily nap. I’m tired!

IT IS GOING TO BE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

IT IS GOING TO BE A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Dec 21, 2012

I know it has been a long time since I last wrote and I apologize. I have already had a few snide comments on my lack of news. 

I visited my oncologist, Dr. Patricia Moretto, Dec 7 and was greeted with big smiles. The previous week’s  CT scans of the chest revealed that the tumours were shrinking and no new ones had appeared. The scans of the kidney  were clear and the blood work was good with the platelet count growing. It appears that we have found the right balance for the drug regime --- one week on Sutent and one week off. 

On one hand I am thrilled at this news but on the other, the consequence is that Dr. Moretto now only wants to see me every three months instead of every six weeks. (I like her smiles.) All kidding aside, I am very pleased with these results. Changing to the new schedule of visits will give us more flexibility in managing our lives without the interference of medical appointments and tests.

The one week on and one week off has certainly helped me to adapt to the drug’s side effects. I still suffer loss of energy as the end of the on week  approaches, but I am not as wiped out as I was on the previous protocol of four weeks on and two off. I am also regaining some of my taste which means I will have to watch my food intake again. I think I am destined to always fight the weight battle.

Anyway, now that we have more freedom, we have started to plan some travel in the New Year once Peggy has finished with her cross country skiing activities. (I may try snow shoeing!) We are thinking of an extended trip to Arizona to hike and to Mexico to visit Peg’s brother who bought a house in Ajijic. We are also tossing around the idea of walking “The Camino” in the fall.

I am upbeat entering the New Year and look forward to exciting times traveling, biking, hiking and exploring cottage territory with friends and family. I’ll write again in the New Year. In the meantime stay healthy, be happy and have a very Merry Christmas.

QUICK UPDATE SEP 21

QUICK UPDATE

Sep 21, 2012

I am thrilled. We just completed our ride to Merrickville and back. On the way there I managed 41Ks before succumbing to fierce 33 kpm headwinds that made it feel like 80K. However today on the way back I made it all the way, 63.3K,  averaging 22 kpm in the RAIN! Fortunately there was little if any wind to interfere with our forward progress. This is the longest biking trip I have done in just two days. I feel great and wonder why I had to wait until I got sick to force myself to do it. I wonder how long it will take to get ready for the Tour de France? (Just joking. I couldn’t afford the support team.)

HEY! THE SUTENT APPEARS TO BE DOING ITS JOB

Sep 18, 2012

The news remains good. The results from last week’s CAT scan are marvellous, although the blood work does show that the drug is playing havoc with my platelets. (Needless to say I need to be careful about skinning my knees and chopping onions in the kitchen.) The CAT scans show no new growths and the ones that I do have continue to shrink in size. This pleases me greatly. 

Because they are concerned about the platelets they will be adjusting my treatment cycle once again to see whether they can find a balance to tumour-reduction and prevention with less of an impact on the platelets. I will now be one week on SUTENT and one week off. Keep your fingers crossed.

My energy levels vary but I still keep pushing and take short naps as required. At least now I have a justifiable excuse for doing so. Tomorrow I am going to test my endurance by biking from Ottawa to Merrickville, approximately 65K, spend the night and then bike back the next day. I don’t seriously believe I will be able to do the complete 65K, but I hope to manage at least half way each day before I need to ride in the trail car. I would like to do a boat and bike ride in either Europe of Croatia next year. (Any takers?) I will just need to work around my medical appointments.

We have decided to return to White Fish Falls for Thanksgiving and to close up the cottage until next year. Then it is a quick trip to Detroit with stops, hopefully, to see friends and family in London and Burlington.

Life continues to be good and I am having fun. Love to you all.