Hello again.
The previous post told our pooch Hagar's story of maybe wanting to drink because we left him precipitously last Thursday about noon to fly to Yellowknife.
Here's how it all happened.
On Wednesday July the 10th I was awakened at 04:30 with a severe pain down at the bottom of my spinal cord on the left side (sacrum area). I knew that it was at or near one of the three tumours on my spinal cord that had gone into remission one year ago at the completion of six intravenous immunotherapy treatments of Nivolumab, July 19, 2018.
I immediately phoned Dr John Walker's office to find that he would not be in Yellowknife in July but Dr Zhu would be, this week in fact. Then Thursday morning at 09:20 I received a call from the Cancer Coordinator in Yellowknife telling me the next day at 09:45 I was to have a CT Scan at the Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife. That meant we had to leave that day, Thursday, by 737 to fly to Yellowknife. It took an hour or so to alert Sandra who immediately came home and we packed and took a cab to the airport, leaving poor little Hagar our pooch totally confused about how life was unfolding (so were we!).
The CT Scan was carried out uneventfully on Friday morning. Then we waited all weekend, waiting for our appointment with Dr Zhu on Monday the 15th at 10:30 to review the CT results (working very hard on Saturday emptying one of our two storage units by taking a load to the dump with friend Bill's help, taking some clothing and toys to a second-hand store, and packing another suitcase to bring back), AND doing meetings and a barbecue Sunday afternoon out at Reid Lake at the Pikes campground.
On Monday Dr Zhu gave us the news we did not want to hear. The tumour attached to my sacrum at the bottom of the spinal cord was indeed growing again, however slowly. We will be allowed to take our vacation in August, but I must begin immunotherapy injections asap.
I just found out this aft that I will be getting the Nivolumab injections in Yellowknife at Stanton Hospital, not in Edmonton at Cross Cancer as we wanted to. That means that Sandra has to take 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 days off work every treatment. She must come as my escort because of my deafness AND now because my memory is so spotty because of chemo-brain.
More later as the saga of davidisstillalive continues! Stay tuned.
Oh my goodness Daddy, this is such sad news but I'm glad it's growing slowly AND that you get to go to Seneca! I just hope your pain doesn't get really bad! ~Lynnie
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynnie. The pain thus far is about the same, doesn't seem to be getting worse with time.
DeleteGlad to know you are on top of the growth though. Maybe this next round will shrink the rest aswell?
ReplyDeleteThanks Shauna. That's what I think too.
DeleteSorry to hear this David. Keep going. I was so hoping that the remission was permanent. You’ll stay in our hopes and prayers.
ReplyDeleteGreg
Thanks Greg. Yes, I was disappointed that remission ended, but I do hope that the next immunotherapy sessions take it back into remission. They may recommend radiation as well.
DeleteHello David: It was good to see you and Sandra however so briefly, but we knew it would be. Now have re read this account and I must tell you the smile and the hope and acceptance in your spirit came forth there, at Fisk's Farm Home at the close of our Convention. I wrote to you this morning. This will be another way to tell you thanks for your example of what we know comes from above, and that is our only Hope and therefore we do have JOY! May yours continue.
ReplyDeleteThanks VERY much Larna. Staying with Bob and Sharon and heading back to Chicago Thursday. I think we are scheduled for Giodano's, right. Can update you further soon.
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