Terminal

This photo is me with my latest side effect. A rash. It starts on my face then tapers off as it reaches my knees. It's itchy - I am uncomfortable with it. Yes that is how I will describe it - uncomfortable. There are other words that I could use to describe this condition.


One word I did think about was terminal, this word could be used but it has a dark and final meaning that sends chills up and down the spine. This horror movie effect that has been instilled in us from the likes of Vincent Price and Stephen King. So frightening because it is T-E-R-M-I-N-A-L !
But wait a minute it is just one of the meanings of the word termial. Let's not forget that a terminal is a place where people go to get on an airplane or a bus or a train. They leave their baggage for someone else to deal with and the climb aboard and head off for their destination. You stand in the terminal and wave good bye and cry a tear because it's quite possible you will never see them again. Oh, I guess this could have a dark and final meaning to it also.
How about, terminal - a device for changing the flow of electricity or any moving energy. As the energy moves through the terminal, the switch is moved and the energy is stopped and never will continue it's original path because of the terminal. Gee, that sounds dark and final too. So, let's forget the the word terminal. My rash is just uncomfortable.

I think I need a nick name to acknowledge my new look - Terminal Head ? Flakey Face ? Rash Hole ? I'm open to suggestions.
I'll be back on line next week.

Hung Over

The trial has begun. I am now in the cluches of the best clinical cancer Doctors and nurses that this country has to offer. They want to know when I sleep , wake-up. How much I eat or drink. It is a little intrusive but considering the situation I can put up with that much loss of privacy. The main story here is the drugs. Once a week I'm in the chemo chair for a 2 hour drip of cetuximab and benadryl (to prevent an allergic reaction) Every 3rd week I'm in the chair for 3 hours receiving cetuximab with a chaser of pemetrexed. Dr. Ho the oncologist said that I had no proplem with the first round of chemo so she is not worried about how I'm going to handle this trial. I think she is wringing her hands with glee as she and her collegues watch me boil over in some chemotherapy crescendo. A funny thought from a dungeon scene from any B grade movie. Actually, Dr. Ho really has no mad scientist in her that I can see. I truly believe she is an oncologist so she can help people cure cancer and see colours that they have never seen before. Dr. Ho has been very caring and informative to Jody and I throught our whole time at the cancer clinic.

BIG Thank you !

Monday June 11 was a huge success on all accounts. The Kits auditorium was sold out and everyone had a fabulous time. See, I told you that it was going to be lots of fun. I would like to share some photos from the Friends of Meeks Variety Show.

John Kaplan

Sand and Mike Battie with special guest Art Ross.

Bing Jensen

Ray Roch

Neale Bacon

Charlotte Diamond

Jim Raddysh

Nelson Kaplan


Iain Duncan

Norma McKnight

Mike Battie

Paul Hann

Meeks Family Circus

Side Effect

This is one side effect that no one told me about and one that I never expected. An infection in my arm from having so many needle pokes. Too many blood tests and IV hook ups left me with a swollen and sore left elbow. I called the nurse at the cancer clinic and their advise to me was to have my GP look at it. Dr. Miller fit me in to his busy day on Monday and wanted me to go to the ER to have an ultra sound and/or antibiotics (IV antibiotics? ok, I'm not afraid.) This past Monday was "VGH annual why hurry day". Jody and I checked in the ER at 12:30 and did the first of 3 IV antibiotic treatments then left the ER at 7:00pm. We were assured that it was especially busy in the ER that day and when we returned for the other IV antibiotic treatments we would be fast tracked. We were. We went back on Tuesday and Wednesday and things were much faster. However, on Monday I noticed lots of standing around and Tuesday and Wednesday there seemed to be professional people moving around the hospital. So we got through that with a bottle of horse pills that I need to take 4 times a day. Jody says any day not in a hospital is a good day.
Officially I have volunteered for the chemotherapy trial that I mentioned last week so now I have to go through more tests to see if I actually qualify. Either way, I will begin treatments June 20. Pray that these drugs will do what they are supposed to do against the cancer. Pray also for me as I recover from these drugs and begin the rest of my life.