6 weeks of misery...

6 weeks of misery is what Dave wanted today's post titled.

We went to the LRCP today for blood tests and to meet with his oncologist again to discuss the results of Sunday's cat scan. This is the halfway point of the treatment. There was a lot of the usual waiting around. Fill out the weekly survey of how Dave's feeling, wait in line to check-in, sit and wait for the pager to go off to go get his blood taken, sit and wait some more for the pager to go off again to meet with a nurse to get weighed and discuss any issues/concerns we have before we meet the doctor, then wait some more to actually see the doctor.

The doctor asked a few questions about how Dave was feeling and about the ongoing issues with the feeding tube, and  went on to discuss Sunday's catscan. He said it showed mixed results. Although some parts of the tumor decreased, other parts didn't change or increased, and the lesion on his liver has increased about 20%. We had already kind of decided that we didn't want to continue with chemo given that it isn't a cure and it's so hard on Dave's body. (All four doctors we've seen have been very clear that treatment was just to buy a few more months. And I gotta say they're a few lousy months of treatment.) We had been praying for clear guidance as to whether or not to continue with the chemo at this point. Well the doctor made it pretty clear after discussing the results he said he would recommend stopping chemo at this point because the results are not good enough to warrant continuing with it. (It's basically doing more harm than good.) They also removed the PICC line today, as it's no longer necessary.

We took it in stride but Dave was very disappointed when we got home. Not that we were stopping chemo - as we had already discussed that. But it was just so discouraging to go through all of side effects - exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills/shakes, hair loss, skin rashes, mouth sores, neuropathy, chemo fog, for 6 weeks, for little to no results. They are going to set up an appointment to see the radiation oncologist again. (They said it might be required in the future to make swallowing easier.) We would like to review all our options there but will keep the appointment as we would like to have the option to have another catscan in the future to see how things are progressing.

On a positive note I spoke with a woman today about somebody else that was given a limited time frame and who switched to the raw living diet and is a huge advocate now - many years later. I emailed a local organic farm yesterday, briefly gave them our story and asked if it would be possible to order a bulk order of organic carrots at a discount. (I figured carrots are fairly easy to store and they might not mind selling me a huge order.) They were awesome and got back to me right away and said that they don't normally sell to the public but would make an exception and would sell them to me at the wholesale price (which is 40% less than what we're paying now). She said they'd even deliver them for free as they come to London anyway on Wednesdays! So, I'm going to order about 400 lbs. Yep. You read that right - 400 lbs which is about 2 months worth. We're going to store them in my parents cold cellar. (They only live a few minutes away from us.) Anyway, it was the woman I spoke with at this farm that told me about a customer who used the raw living diet to cure their terminal illness as well. They also sell wheat grass there! (I might order some of that too if I don't have it growing by then!)

Tomorrow morning Dave and a friend are going to pickup a hydroponic unit we've been looking at for growing our wheatgrass. (You can grow it in soil, but I just think hydroponically will be easier/cleaner than soil, and it seems like a pretty mindless system. The easier the better!) We need to make room in our laundry room for it as it needs water and a drain. And I will pester my brother to come help install it! (Sorry Nick.)

After being initially bummed out Dave is feeling a lot better this evening. The bottom line is that we were told and understood that chemo wasn't a cure, and so can now move forward without it and not have to second guess ourselves. Dave should quickly start to feel better as his body heals from the side effects of chemotherapy, and now the raw living food diet, + wheatgrass can help the healing begin. We are leaving this in God's hands, as that's where the healing has to come from.

This evening we're enjoying the fireplace. (We're not the only ones. The dog always loves to crash in front of the fireplace when the fire is roaring!)

Thank you again everybody for your continued support, prayers, and genuine desire to help out.

Val

Valentine's Day

Thanks everybody for your concern and love. We feel very blessed that so many people care and are praying hard! 

Dave's health seems to be steadily improving over the last few days. The side effects from chemo don't seem to be as bad right now. The neuropathy (pain in hands & especially his feet) seems to be completely gone today, as well as the mouth sores that were starting up. (I've been massaging his hands and feet with a blend of arnica oil that a new friend from from CHI (Creative Health Institute) sent us home with. Thanks Na!)

Yesterday he went to the Woodworking Show at the fairgrounds with a friend. (Said it wasn't that great but it was good to be out, and out with a friend!) Dave still really tires very quickly. (He just hits a wall and can't help but fall asleep whether he wants to or not.)

We went to church this morning and left early for Dave's catscan. You can't have anything to eat or drink the 4 hours before, so we got up early this morning so Dave could eat breakfast. When you're there, you have to drink iodine I believe, then swallow some kind of paste, and they inject you with a dye as well. When he came out he said he just felt like a toxic soup when you add all that stuff to the chemotherapy. This afternoon he felt OK until about 6:30 and then he starting getting pain in his chest a few inches away from the feeding tube site. It comes and goes but can be very painful. They don't seem to know what's causing it, but maybe today's catscan will help answer that. (We will see his oncologist on Wednesday to discuss the results.)

Today as you all know was Valentine's Day. Dave & I have rarely fallen for the commercial aspect of the holiday and don't buy gifts for each other. And although I enjoy a night out at a restaurant as much as the next person, we've tried to avoid restaurants on Valentine's Day because they're always far too busy to really be enjoyable. I always enjoy flowers, no matter what the occasion - and that's what my sweetie got for me today! (He had them hidden somewhere and snuck them on the table for breakfast. We got up so early this morning, that I didn't notice them right beside me for 2 or 3 minutes. He ate breakfast and I went back to bed!)

Tomorrow is 'Family Day'. We usually visit family in Ottawa this weekend for Winterlude and to skate the Rideau Canal. It didn't work out this year, but we're looking forward to it again next year! This long weekend I'll just be enjoying an extra day off work!

Take care all!

Val

Olympics!

Hi everybody.

I forgot to mention that Dave has an appointment for a cat scan on Sunday morning. Then we have an appointment at the LRCP on Wednesday with the medical oncologist to discuss the results, as well as the usual blood tests etc... We're praying that the mass has shrunk significantly, making all these side effects of chemotherapy worth it.

Dave was feeling a little better overall today. The side effects are all still there, but didn't seem to be as overwhelming. We've been watching the Olympic opening ceremonies this evening. (So tragic to hear about the 21 year old Georgian luger that died on a practice run today.) Dave was able to go out and watch the Clarke Road SS boys semi-final basketball playoff game earlier today as well. (He really wanted to go see that.)

I'm happy for the long weekend and have a lot to do with starting sprouts etc...

(FYI. Dave's still been getting his wheatgrass juice since we've been home. I was able to purchase it still growing in small flats from an organic health food store here in town. I've been juicing it everyday for him. I hope to start some seeds growing myself this weekend, but it's been handy to be able to get some in the interim.)

We are keeping the faith and staying positive! If anybody has any DVD's of the old series 'Fawlty Towers' we'd appreciate borrowing them. Laughter is supposed to boost the immune system. Dave used to love watching that British series on tv years ago and laughing certainly won't hurt!

Take care!

Val

Side effects continue

Well we're settling in back home.

Dave had a rough day yesterday.

He went to LRCP for his weekly blood test and to replace the 5-FU bottle. He discussed his latest side effects - neuropathy (pain in his feet & hands caused by the drugs stripping the protective covering from nerve endings), as well mouth sores he's starting to get. (They gave him a prescription for mouth wash to rinse with 4 times/day.) They reduced the 5-FU amount by 30% for this week because of these side effects.

He still has a pain a few inches from the feeding tube but nobody seems to know what that's from. He went down to the radiology department (where they put in the feeding tube) for them to look at it. They cauterized the area around his tube to help some pain at the site. (It's like having a constant cut that doesn't heal and so is often painful there as well.) They don't believe the pain he's feeling a few inches from the tube has anything to do with the feeding tube, or even the suture anchor that is still stuck in his chest. (Click here to read about that story.)

The cancer clinic also did a swab at the site of the feeding tube yesterday. They called me this afternoon and it shows that there is a bit of an infection starting, so now he's also on an antibiotic for 7 days.

This all just seems to be a big headache for Dave and he's not even using the feeding tube. He has been able to eat OK and hasn't been using it for over a month now. (We're very thankful that he hasn't had to deal with the noise and aggravation of the feeding pump on top of all the chemo side effects.)

So yesterday wasn't a great day for Dave. He was exhausted and obviously in pain later in the evening. He's not really taking any pain meds though and just doesn't want to. (He has taken the occasional Tylenol 3, but usually at my pushing when I see that he's really obviously in pain from the neuropathy and the pain in his chest.) He says the neuropathy is like walking on glass.

Today he seems to be better. A friend drove him to Costco (thanks Bill!) to buy a Vitamix blender which we need for his new raw living food diet. (I've been borrowing a friend's for the past few days - thanks Barb!) I can tell he's feeling better because he's laughing at 'Blazing Saddles' on tv this evening and hasn't fallen asleep!

Thank you all for your concern and prayers.

I also wanted to mention for those of you that want to help out with food, my biggest issue right now is finding and stocking enough organic carrots. I go through well over 6 lbs of carrots every day. If you see some and want to drop some off it would be appreciated. (In addition to beating cancer, Dave's eyesight is going to be awesome after all that carrot juice!) Please don't feel obliged, I just know that a lot of people would like to help out and that just came to mind.

Much love.

Val

Always good to be home!

Just wanted to drop a quick line to let everybody know that we got home safely.

We've learned a lot, and there's still a lot more to learn but we believe that we're on the right track with this - 'raw living foods' to treat Dave's cancer. While I think of it I do want to thank everybody that has dropped off soups and meals. They have been tremendously appreciated, but going forward Dave won't be 'allowed' to eat them.

At this point Dave still isn't feeling great. The side effects of chemotherapy are still coming on strong. He doesn't have much energy, has headaches, his neuropathy (nerve pain in hands & feet) is better then it was last week but is still there, his teeth are bothering him, and he feels pain in his mouth and throat as well. To top it all off, he still has pain from his feeding tube. :(   On a positive note, he looks healthier now then he did a week ago. (His face was a little ashen and he was getting a kind of rash spots around his face & neck. I've noticed that since spending a week on living foods, the spots have gone away, and his face looks healthier.)

His spirits are still up and he is looking forward to a break in his chemo coming up in a week. Tomorrow morning he goes into the London Regional Cancer Center for his weekly blood test and to change the 5-FU chemo bottle. He has one more week, and then he'll have a break while they do another catscan and review.

Thank you everybody for your thoughts & prayers. We've been praying daily for God's continued guidance and are feeling very positive at this point.

Val

Right place, right path

Hi y'all! We're less than 2 hours from the border and yet they don't speak Canadian here, eh? We've been here 3 days and feel very at home. Creative Health Institute is a very homey place and is run by staff and interns who have been healed here, totally believe in the place, and who love it here. We can't say enough about it. (I could go without the 'Green Energy Soup' but other than that, it's awesome!) Everybody here is very caring, staff and guests alike, and it's good for the soul.

I have been off coffee (haven't had a cup since Wednesday morning) and am feeling much better now than I did on Thursday. (I've had a green tea once or twice a day, which still has a little caffeine in it.) I'm very thankful as it's hard to absorb any information when all you want to do is lay in bed and with a caffeine hangover. Dave was feeling quite well until last night. He started getting pain in his hands & feet especially. It's another side effect of chemotherapy and is called neuropathy. (One of the many side effects listed in the chemotherapy booklet sent home with us from the London Regional Cancer Program.) Today was a bad day for Dave. He can hardly walk because his feet hurt so much. Also, he still has pain from his feeding tube and the granulation tissue from that. (Granulation tissue is an overgrowth of healing tissue that has only a very thin lining of skin, and can be painful.) 

Today was a nice sunny day here, and our room faces south, so Dave sat in the sun a lot to get some Vitamin D and it was toasty warm for him.

We've been learning how to prepare a few things so far. We've had some 'cooking' classes - except without the cooking, as raw living food isn't cooked. (Again this is all fresh organic food, and no meat, fish, or dairy.) Yesterday we learned how to make almond milk, nut cheese, mock salmon, & chocolate mousse. All very interesting and very tasty. Today for dinner we had 'spaghetti', which was actually zucchini 'noodles'. (Fresh zucchini that is put through a spiral cutter of some sort.) and 'massaged' with some olive oil & spices. The sauce is made from fresh tomatoes and sundried tomatoes pureed, and spices added and warmed but not cooked. (We didn't make the food today - the interns did. But I asked lots of questions. Plus they send us home with all of their recipes.) Dinner was lovely and of course there was fresh salad and dressing. Everything here is very strictly ORGANIC, ORGANIC, ORGANIC. This is a learning institute, and they encourage sharing any information we receive here. We're being sent home with all their recipes. On Monday we'll be shown how to dehydrate and make things like flax crackers and kale chips which are supposed to be really good. 

We have been very encouraged and feel positive that this is what we need to do to get Dave on the path to healing. Dave drinks a ton of carrot raspberry juice all day as part of his cancer diet here. We have lots to learn but basically we're building up his immune system and trying to keep any toxins out of his body by only eating organic. I have lots to do at home to restock our kitchen and source all organic products.

Today Dave slept most of the day, getting up to get his wheatgrass shots, and meals. He really is having a lot of pain in his hands and feet and we ask that you pray for this. Tomorrow is Sunday and there is a speaker here in the morning, but Dave would like to head into a nearby city (Coldwater) to go to church in the morning. Also, if he feels up to it, we've been invited to somebody's home nearby to watch the Superbowl. The way Dave felt today, he wouldn't have been up to going, so we hope he feels better tomorrow.

Thanks everybody for praying. We know in our hearts that we're in the right place, and now on the right path.

When we get back home to London, I'll need to contact the nurse at St. Joe's Hospital that told us her story, wrote down the website on a piece of paper for me, and insisted we look into this place.

God is good.

Much love,

Val

Detox

We're here safe and sound! We had a very easy drive and no hassles crossing the border.

I'll back up a little to Wednesday morning. We were a little concerned about leaving because Dave was really feeling crappy, and having difficulty keeping anything down. He went in to LRCP for his weekly blood tests and 5-FU bottle change and he told them he was doing much worse with nausea and vomiting. They said it was the Cisplatin chemo drug he was given last Wednesday and not surprising. They gave him some fluids and anti-nausea meds intravenously, and sent him home with some new anti-nausea pills. These seem to be working very well for him. He was able to eat some lunch when he got home and felt fine for the whole drive and was actually quite hungry again.

We arrived at about 6:30 pm last night and immediately felt welcomed. It has a camp like atmosphere. (I mean that in a good way.) There are 10 guests, 1 'leader', and quite a few interns behind the scene that do all the cleanup and cooking, juicing and growing of wheatgrass & sprouts etc. This is a non-profit organization and the people here are good and absolutely love what they're doing. (The price is very reasonable compared to other similar places because they have unpaid interns doing the work here.)

So we started detox. (The rest of the group had already started a day earlier.) Dave is feeling very good. (I can tell because he's being silly and trying to make me smile a lot. Lately it's been hard for him to be silly when he's feeling like crap.) So, Dave is feeling good, but I've been feeling awful as the day progressed. I usually have 3 small cups of coffee a day and only had one on Wednesday morning. So, by this afternoon I was feeling pretty bad. I've had a headache and am very sensitive to smells - which make me feel worse.

By dinner time I could barely bring myself to look at what they were serving let alone eat it. (Detox food is very unappealing unfortunately - 'Green Energy Soup' isn't cutting it for me.) Tomorrow everybody (except Dave & 1 other cancer patient here) will transition over to regular meals. I honestly felt so bad I was crying after dinner and the caffeine withdrawl just made me nauseous. (FYI. Dave and the other guests are doing well.) Dave spoke with the leader and then we both met with him and he said that it's the caffeine, but now isn't necessarily a good time for ME to detox. He said it's more important for me to to stay strong for Dave and said that I could carry on with the detox diet if I wanted, but not to feel obliged to. He got me a green tea (which has caffeine) and had one of the girls in the kitchen make me a gorgeous salad. (Unfortunately I was really feeling so crappy, that I ate 2 bites and couldn't eat any more.) The green tea did help a bit, and I'm feeling somewhat better now.

Anyway, enough about me. Dave & I are feeling very good about being here. (I was feeling pretty emotional a few hours ago, but that was from lack of caffeine.) There is another cancer patient seeking help here as well. It is very good to share experiences. (She's been fighting since 2004 and only recently heard about raw food diets to fight cancer. She said she really wishes she'd found out years ago. She is also only able to stay for 6 days.) Also our leader had stage 4 throat cancer 5 years ago and totally understands where Dave is at.  He didn't find out about this for a year and half later and wishes he'd started sooner.

Today we went out to the greenhouse where they grow their wheatgrass and bean sprouts. (Dave had to turn around and walk out as the smell made him nauseous. It did smell a little 'farm-like' because they do indoor composting with red wiggler worms in there as well.) We each started soaking some of our own 'sprouts' in a couple of jars. Tomorrow we have to go back a few times and rinse and drain them or something. This evening there was a 'Russian bayna' outside, which is some kind of sauna. I had initially planned on going, but just didn't feel up to it at the time. Dave didn't go as we didn't think it would be a good idea for him.

Well, I gotta get some sleep. The mornings start early around here - 6:30 they get you up to do exercises. Yikes!

Thank you everybody for your prayers, general concern and your comments. Thanks for checking in.

Val

Groundhog Day

From what I understand both Wiarton Willy and Punxsutawney Phil saw their shadows today and predicted 6 more weeks of winter. Drag. It's been a pretty mild winter, but we could sure use some spring right about now.

Our plans are still a go for tomorrow. Dave will have his blood tests and chemo bottle change tomorrow morning, and then we'll head out tomorrow after lunch. Dave really isn't feeling well lately so we're hoping he endures the 4+ hour drive without too many problems. For those of you that are just tuning in, we're heading to the Creative Health Institute in Michigan. (www.creativehealthinstitute.com) We'll stay there for a week and they'll start Dave on a cancer-fighting diet. They'll also educate & train us how to carry on with it when we're home. They would like us to stay for 2 weeks but unfortunately 6 days is all we can do right now with Dave's chemo schedule. We feel the sooner we can start the better, and 6 days is better than nothing right now.

Cale is at home and we have a few different friends that have generously offered to take turns taking in Brady, which is awesome! (Thank you so much you guys! We really appreciate it. We're happy that he doesn't need to be kenneled and can hang out with his buddies Sky, Beau, & Bear!) We're hoping for a good travel day and an easy trip across the border. We really hope Dave starts feeling better. He is nauseous a lot, and just feels like he's going to be sick constantly. He's really lost his appetite. He's still eating but kind of against his will. (He's doing it because he knows he has to, not because he's hungry.) He started using his feeding tube again today for supplemental nutrition. (Unfortunately even the smell of that makes him feel sick.) He ate dinner, but said it tasted metallic. I read that using plastic cutlery can help with that, so we'll be trying that next. I feel so bad for him as he obviously just feels awful.

He still feels well enough to check out hockey games. (On tv - he's avoiding arena's anymore.) Dave's main concern about going to Michigan is ensuring that he'll still get to watch the superbowl on Sunday afternoon!

 I've had to promise that someway, somehow, we'll find a tv! (It's the states - it has to be on everywhere!)

Anyway, I have to pack so it's another short post today. I'm not sure about internet access there, so don't panic if you don't see a post while we're gone! FYI. We can both receive unlimited text messages in the States, and I added a temporary add-on to Dave's cellphone so he can send 1000 text messages from the States. So for those of you that text - feel free to send messages, and we'll probably respond in the evenings. (They said they get decent cell service there, so hopefully that's the case.)

Thanks for checking in, and please pray for Dave's strength to be renewed and that he just feels better.

Dave would like to encourage people to leave comments. We know that lots of people are checking in and it's just so nice to read your comments!

Val

Short update

Well, we were able to make it up north this weekend to spend some time at a cottage with friends! (Yeah! Thanks guys!)

Dave was feeling well on Friday and Saturday, and slept well the first night. Saturday was cold but still a beautiful day for skiing. (Dave wanted to ski, but thought that it probably wasn't a good idea. He gets cold very quickly, and tires easily - both from the chemo.) Saturday afternoon Dave started to feel a little off, and then just didn't feel great the rest of the weekend. Unfortunately the chemo can just knock him down sometimes. It was still a good time with friends and he was glad to be there, even when he wasn't feeling as well. It was good to get away, but I know he wishes that he could have been out skiing or even just be able to spend more time outside.

We know that some days he'll feel well and some days he won't. (We just prefer the good days is all!)

We're hoping tomorrow's a better day. Thanks for your prayers!

(I know it's short today. Just thought we'd let you know we were able to make it away for the weekend.)

Val

Weekend North

Just a short FYI today.

Dave's feeling pretty good considering the dose of chemo he received yesterday. And he says he's been sleeping a little better which helps a lot. 

If he still feels good tomorrow afternoon, we're planning on heading up north for the weekend to stay at a cottage with friends. I plan on skiing and Dave will hang out by a fireplace.

Tomorrow mid-day he has another appointment to have his feeding tube site looked at as he still seems to be having unnecessary pain from it. We've also asked the doctor to switch the tube from a GJ to a G tube - which just means the tube will empty into his stomach instead of his small intestine. I don't think I've mentioned this here, but Dave actually hasn't been using the feeding tube for more than a few weeks now. He's been able to eat enough on his own to pretty much keep his weight up. (They put him on the feeding tube early on as he was losing weight because of his difficulty swallowing. Also people often lose weight on chemo because they don't have an appetite.) He can use the tube for supplemental feeding and it would just be easier if it were in his stomach. You can basically do the feeding faster through a G tube than a GJ tube. (Put it this way - he'd be more likely to use it for supplemental feeding if it didn't take so long to do. He was on it for 12 hours a day when he started with it. The pump is noisy and he couldn't sleep well with it running. It was just very frustrating for him and once he found that he could eat a little more and do OK without it, there was no going back.) We don't want it removed entirely, but just want it to be a little more convenient to use.

Hopefully that isn't a big deal and goes smoothly tomorrow. (It's not supposed to be a problem at all. They apparently just pull the old tube out and put a new different tube in.) And we hope they can figure out what the pain is from. (Dave still thinks it's from the suture pin that the VON nurse impaled him with.)

Also, we've pretty much finalized our trip next week to this wellness centre in Michigan. (www.creativehealthinstitute.com) Cale will be home with Brady. We'll be going between his chemo treatments on Wednesdays. We really aren't entirely sure what to expect but do have a good feeling about this. I know you stay there, they feed you, and teach you how to prepare your own 'Raw Living Food' (vegetarian) diet. They also supply wheatgrass juice throughout the day. Dave will be on a cancer diet, and I will be on a general detox diet. (My only vice is my morning coffee. I might have to sneak out to a coffee shop every morning or smuggle in some instant coffee!) They also show you how to grow & juice your own wheat grass and send you home with some trays, soil, & seeds. 

Well, we're crossing our fingers that tomorrow is another good day for Dave and we'll be able to take off for the weekend!

Val

Round 2

Today was the first day of  'cycle 2' in Dave's chemotherapy regime. It was a full day, but it went by quickly.

They did his weekly bloodwork and said everything looked good there. Then we spoke with our nurse to discuss any side effects and concerns and then we spoke with the oncologist. (His regular oncologist, Dr. Dingle, was away and we saw Dr Parent instead.) We asked for the results of his brain and bone scan and she went to get them. She came back and said, "OK. Well the brain scan found a brain, so you're good there. Nothing to worry about." Woohoo! She said the bone scan showed a 'non-specific lesion in his L3' (third lumbar vertabrae) which apparently doesn't necessarily mean anything. Bone scans will show everything and all damage he's had over time. He's had lower back injuries and back problems going back a number of years ago and it's likely related to that. At this point we're not concerned about it.

Next we waited for an opening in the chemo suite and a friend showed up to visit briefly with a HUMONGOUS happy face mylar balloon, a devotional, and some goodies for Dave. This balloon was seriously huge and quickly cheered up our little corner in the chemo suite. Thanks Jeannie! (We brought it home, and our dog Brady was terrified of the thing! We have it floating around in the living room now and he seems to be getting used to it. He periodically just looks up at it, but doesn't seem afraid of it anymore.)

The LRCP has pagers that they give you to to let you know they're ready for you. That way you can wander through the atrium, visit the library, check out the fish tank, or go to the Tim Horton's on site. It's convenient. The chemo suite itself has portable dvd players and headphones to use if you like. You can bring your own movies, or choose from their small (very small) assortment of movies. Dave watched a western, and then read the paper. I made some phone calls, and read.

After treatment we picked up Dave's anti-nausea meds from the pharmacy and then headed on our way. (There are 2 anti-nausea meds that he has to take for 3 days, and then after that he can take some as needed.)

Dave says the drugs give him a chemical, kind of toxic feeling. He felt pretty good the rest of the day and has had a good appetite, but is just now starting to feel a little nauseous. He also has to drink a ton of water to reduce the side effects over the next few days, so I don't think he'll get a great sleep tonight. But, you never know!

Thanks for checking in and for caring!  :)

Val

It's gone

Well, today was the day we've been dreading a little and were starting to think it might be avoidable at this point in time. We were told that hair falls out from chemo at the 2 to 3 week point - but sometimes it doesn't at all. Well, today was Day 21, and Dave noticed some hair he left behind on the phone late in the morning. It was a little upsetting for Dave at first, but he seems to have come to terms with it quickly.

It was kind of funny timing as Dave was planning on heading into school this afternoon for team pictures. He washed his hair, leaving a bit more behind unfortunately, and headed in to have his picture taken with the hockey team. Then he immediately went out to a barber shop and had them shaved it all off. It's hair, and it'll grow back. We're curious to see how it grows back. I mentioned this in an earlier post that apparently it often grows back curly and a different colour after chemo. Stay tuned! Anyway we've determined that he has a decent noggin and there's no odd bumps or divets on it! Hahaha! It's beginning to grow on me. Our son Cale offered to shave his head in support but Dave said he didn't need to do that. (That's nice though.)

Dave has already noticed that he has to wear a toque or he's feels very cold. He's currently wearing one that a few of his students gave him. It says 'chemo sucks' on it!

and it does.

Despite losing his hair today, it's actually been a pretty good day for Dave. I can tell he's feeling much better today. He's still fighting this cold and yesterday was a bad day as he really wasn't feeling well at all. We kept taking his temperature and it seemed to keep climbing all evening. (When it hits 38°C [100.4°F] we're supposed to call the hospital.) His temperature has normally been around 36° and it was 37.4° when he went to bed last night. But this morning it was dropping again at 37° and is now 35.8°. He said he got a good nights rest last night and felt great when he woke up this morning. Yeah!

Well, today is the end of chemotherapy 'cycle 1'. One down!

Thanks everybody for helping us get through to this point! It's so nice that people just call to check in and say hi, or post a short note. It's really encouraging and I don't know how we'd do it without you!

Tomorrow is the start of 'cycle 2', which means we'll be at LRCP for the better part of the day for blood tests, an oncologist appointment, receive cisplatin and epirubicin intravenously, and then change the bottle on the 5-FU med he does at home. He tells me he'll be wearing his new toque!

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Today is another good day!

Val

Wheatgrass

Sorry we haven't posted much this week. (Dave tells me he likes to check the blog to see how he's doing!)

Another weekend has come and gone. We still have plenty of visitors that come by which is awesome, however Dave occasionally has a hard time staying awake. (I just want to remind visitors not to come by if you're sick, but wait until you're healthy. Chemo affects the immune system and it's harder for Dave to fight off colds/flu.) The main side effect of chemo is fatigue. Dave has gone past the point of being tired, to being exhausted, and just falls asleep whether he wants to or not. (So we apologize to visitors that he's fallen asleep on!) Often he just needs a catnap and he's good to go again, but in general he needs regular naps throughout the day. Unfortunately he still doesn't get a good nights sleep and finds himself awake numerous times through the night.

The past 3 or 4 few days haven't been great for Dave. He also seems to have a lot of  pain at the site of the feeding tube. It felt better for a few days after they cauterized the opening on Monday, but then it started to hurt again. Today was a little better, but in general - he's just not feeling great anymore. He was feeling so good until this past week that it's hard not to get down a little, but I have to say that he bounces back quickly and is usually laughing at something in no time!

We've become very interested in Wheatgrass and/or Barley grass juice. (The first time anybody mentioned it to us was the IV nurse at St Joe's that put in his PICC line. She credits it in part for her husband being alive today after he was diagnosed with inoperable, untreatable bowel cancer and sent home to die. See this post from Jan 4th - click here. Since then we've heard about it repeatedly and are becoming very interested in starting to grow and juice this ourselves. (It takes just over a week to grow from seed to harvest.) You can buy it frozen from health food stores, but it's quite expensive and not as good as the fresh stuff. Yesterday morning a friend (thanks Don!) introduced us to some people that grow it themselves and they showed us how they grow it, and juiced some for Dave & I. (Here is the wikipedia link about wheatgrass.)

The nurse also mentioned a wellness center they went to in the states, and gave me this website, www.creativehealthinstitute.com. This place doesn't sell you anything - they just train you how to eat a vegetarian raw food diet, teach you how to grow & juice wheatgrass and help you to heal your own body. We are considering going to this place for a week. It's in Michigan and is about a 4 hour drive - 90 minute past Detroit. We're still a little undecided as Dave isn't feeling great, and heading to the USA may or may not be a great idea while he's doing chemo. We're just thinking the sooner he starts on this the better. I spoke with them on Thursday and they seem very sincere and genuinely just want to help. Please continue to pray to help us decide. (FYI. Right now Dave isn't on a vegetarian diet as I don't think it's wise to jump in without knowing what you're doing. He has cut back a lot on his meat & carbs and eats them with a lot more fresh fruit & veggies.)

My initial response to all of this (raw vegan & wheatgrass) was uncertainty, but in the last 3 weeks our eyes have opened a little. And our prayer life has opened a lot. The reality is that all 3 oncologists we've seen have given Dave a very poor prognosis. I haven't really mentioned this in the blog before, but on December 21st & 24th Dave was told he had 3 months without treatment, and 6 to 18 months with treatment, and to put his affairs in order. I've researched a little further myself and the best 5 year survival rate I've found for Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer is less than 3%. There is no Stage 5. My intention here is not to frighten or depress anybody, but just to clarify that what traditional medicine is offering, is just to buy a little more time at best. We would be foolish not to pursue alternatives.

And this is where our frustration with traditional medicine begins. Despite the fact that they told us Dave's cancer was caused by chronic acid reflux, which is caused by food, they REFUSE to consider diet in the treatment. The reality is that MANY cancers could be prevented by a healthier diet, and it's just not being discussed as a complementary treatment. It makes no sense. If you don't change anything - why would you expect anything to change? I think I've mentioned this previously here, but any hard core cancer survivors that have beaten crappy to no odds from their doctors seem to have a common thread. That thread is a 180 degree change in their diet and often wheatgrass juice has been a factor. We saw a well recommended naturopath last week and we believe we're on the right path here.

I'm going to steal a Mark Twain quote here. "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics." Fortunately for us, statistics exist because there are variables. The variables here are that every cancer is different for every patient, and every patient is different from the next. Dave has a lot in his favour. He is younger than the typical EC patient and otherwise healthy. Despite my complaints we have immediate access to a great Cancer Hospital. Dave has a fantastic attitude and a huge number of friends praying and supporting him. Most importantly he has a renewed faith in Jesus Christ. Thankfully God is in control - not the doctors!

Thank you all for your concern, and for following our journey. I hate to sound like a broken record, but just knowing that so many people care and are praying is a constant morale booster. Thanks so much!

Val

Staying healthy

Hi all.

Just thought we'd touch base. Dave's been doing pretty well the past few days, but is very tired. (To be honest, he's either been out doing something or is so exhausted when I'm home that I just want to let him sleep. So because of this, we haven't shared as much these past few days.) Also, despite the fact that he's tired, he still has insomnia in the evenings.

Yesterday a friend took him to LRCP for his weekly blood test and to change the bottle/pump for the 5-FU chemo med he takes at home. (Thanks Rob!) He also went to a couple of Clarke Road student events in the afternoon and evening.

Today Dave went out to Sharon Creek to walk the dog with Wil in the afternoon. This evening a friend gave Dave 3 tickets to the Knights game. (Thanks Jeff!) He went with his cousin Cory visiting from Korea, and another friend, Logan. Knight's won!

Dave felt a cold coming on over the weekend, and he's still fighting it. We did discuss this today and Dave agrees that he needs to cut back on the amount that he goes out. He still needs to get out for short walks and fresh air, but should cut back on his outings in public places. He's two weeks into chemo and the effects are cumulative. It's a hard balancing act. You want to keep life as normal as usual, and get out while you're feeling well so you don't go stir crazy. But he also needs to focus on staying healthy and ensuring he gets enough rest. Right now Dave is doing well, and we want to ensure he stays well during chemotherapy.

Fortunately Dave enjoys talking on the phone and has plenty of friends so I don't think he'll be bored!

Today I came home to a very clean house courtesy of Clarke Road staff. They pitched in for a cleaning lady! THAT was awesome and very appreciated. She did a great job. Thanks to all of you and to you Jill for organizing this! I'm so happy to not have to clean this weekend! Hahaha! I do find I'm spending a lot of time at different grocery stores lately, buying fresh fruits & veggies, and looking for organic food. And preparing veggie juices in our new juicer. And a lot of time reading. (I'm currently reading "Foods that Fight Cancer".) So having some time where I don't have to clean is wonderful!

We really want to thank everybody for their support and prayers. Please continue to pray for Dave to stay healthy during chemo.

Dave says good luck to you students on your exams next week. Wait, he's rewording it - it's not luck - he's stressing that they need to continue their hard work and it will show in the end. He's proud of all of you.

Take care!

Val