Well Wishes

Pitt Meadows Day 2007 was minus one clown and they were concerned enough to tell me about it by sending me this huge card that is signed by people from the festival. A gigantic Get Well card brought gigantic encouragement to me. Thank you people of Pitt Meadows. I also have a drawer full of regular sized Get Well cards with heart felt notes from many people to us.
The word courage is in encouragement for good reason. Thank you friends!
As of this week, August 17, I have missed two chemo treatments because of this skin rash. It's been a bad rash. So bad apparently that all the oncologists who looked at my rash (and were more than a few who saw it) said it is the most progressed that they have seen. I'm special, but not special enough to get any treatment. There was no one at the BCCA that was equipped or experienced enough to give me bandages - I wish I had a photograph of my face when they were telling me this because I'm sure that my overall countenance projected my thoughts which were not nice and definately not recordable. God is a gracious and forgiving God, I say this because of the stroke of divine luck that fell on me over the next few hours. This is what happened. I winced and moaned my way out of the cancer clinic and into the van. Yes, this was the only time Jody has been unable to accompany me to an appointment!! I drove to UBC Hospital emergent care. I parked in the Regent College parking lot & walked like a neanderthal junkie to the hospital. This is about 250 meter trek. The anguish and embarassment I suffered was worth the free parking. Once inside the building they fast tracked me into an isolation room ( I guess I was talking too much ) Within minutes I was seen by a doctor and was introduced to nurse Anne. She was my divine luck. Anne has been a nurse since 1979 and was 10 years in the burn unit where she gained experience in cleaning and bandaging burns in sensitive areas. No one else could have the knowledge and skills to give me the treatment that I needed. Thank God for Anne. That was two weeks ago, things have settled down enough to allow me to walk around the block like a modern man.
I am concerned about missing chemo treatment but the oncologist is not. Her reasoning is quite simple. If the chemo drugs are still producing a rash then they must be still working on the cancer cells. Medical reasoning at it's best.

Road block

I was in the cancer clinic yesterday and showed off my red peeling swollen rash to whoever needed to see it.
The outcome is that we will miss the next round of chemo to deal with the rash before it gets infected. The way we are going to deal with the rash is cover the area with burn dressing and have a home care nurse change it daily. I’m disappointed that we need to interrupt the chemo regime but if an infection starts in me the chemo is stopped so better interrupt than stop. I’m wearing burn dressing now and there is some relief – much better. We are praying for quick healing and a continuation of treatment.

Rounding the Curve

Can you see the smile on my face? Can you sense the joy in my heart? The tumours are shrinking! This is news gleaned from the CT scan taken last week. Dr. Ho gave us an overview of the images and a rundown of the numbers as she inserted a sincere and subtle “Thank God.” I had three tumours in my head. Now, the scan shows one tiny mass behind my eye and a larger mass filling my whole skull. (I hope the big one is my brain) This is the result of the 5 radiation treatments I had back in April – radiation has been active in my head all this time. The chemotherapy drugs are doing their work too. The lung tumour is breaking up and of the 3 lesions in my liver 2 are specks and one is smaller. Our Chemo Capers are rounding a bend.
Now I need to stay in the healing mode as we see how God’s work continues to amaze us.
Negotiating this curve on our journey can be like taking corners on a motorcycle. When you are riding into a curve, reduce your speed before starting to lean into the turn. Then give it throttle as you are coming out of the bend. Timing is key. When you lean and begin to accelerate will determine if you come out of the corner with a thrill or a spill. Spinning rubber with tires down or shooting sparks with your feet up.
My point is –it is time to give glory to God and stay focused on the healing mode.
Looking at the big picture – it just doesn’t seem fair. Why do I have to deal with a terminal disease like lung cancer? It is not fair that I live my life with a wonderful wife, a fantastic family and loads of supportive friends.
It is not about being fair. Like in a hockey game. The game would be fair if you gave each team their own puck before you blew the whistle to start the game. Kind of stupid but fair.

I have been given all this as my life to live with Him who gave it to me.