12 March 2019.
Back to the microwave.
OK kids, I've been diagnosed with cancer at the base of the tongue in my throat. Not a good thing, but every medico I've spoken to has been extremely positive and told me it is totally curable with treatment.
I'm not shopping for sympathy, but I'm not much of a talker about private stuff (much to Suzanne's dismay) so I'm writing this the keep family and friends up to date, and save you all a bunch of phone calls and emails. Maybe this will also help out someone who might go through the same thing somewhere down the track. It's always good to get the story from the horse's mouth, even if his tongue is a bit munted. 😃
Wow, I was really tired yesterday. I got a bit done around the house and tidied the garage / workshop, but rested frequently. I was thinking that the treatment was starting to knock me about. Then I realised that we had peeps over Sunday night and I had a late one, then got up at 3 am to watch Moto GP. That might be why I'm tired. I am a real goose sometimes.
Today was a sample of what we'll be up to for the next few months. Three and a half hours of driving, radiography, and a meeting with the Doctor for a treatment update.
Because we have to attend the meeting Vader couldn't come, so he visited Grandma (Marie, Suzanne's Mum) for the day. He loves Grandma, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Grandma has a soft spot for Vader as well.
We rocked into Radiography where I had to face "The Mask" again. Today was much better, and the mask has now been downgraded again and will be called "The mask of discomfort" going forward. It's still not great, but a whole lot better than last week. A few more turnarounds and hopefully I will cope a lot better. Again, the nurses were bloody amazing. Thanks girls.
After the microwave we had a treatment meeting with Tristan, Professor Sidney's off sider. It's early days so there wasn't much to discuss, but he showed us the PET scans (Bloody amazing stuff) and explained how they direct and control the radiation to different parts of the area being treated. It really does stun me what these guys can do. Unfortunately they found a little cancer in the lymph nodes in my neck, but Tristan sad he isn't concerned, and that they can deal with it. This was again followed by the talk about side effects - You'll feel OK for a few weeks, The third week you'll feel tired. After that he next four weeks will be bloody awful. Hmmm.
As an aside, I've had Mycosis Fungoides (a type of rare blood cancer) for about 30 years. We asked Tristan if the Chemo would affect this at all. He just said "We don't know, but it will be interesting to see what happens." How do you spell Guinea Pig?
You can read a bit about MF here: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/mycosis-fungoides/
Next was a blood test. I have to have one every week the day before Chemo so they can assess what's happening in there. My nurse today, Georgia, was a true angel. I can honestly say the the swab before the needle was more uncomfortable that he actual needle. Thanks Georgia.
In short, today was a walk in the park.
Tomorrow is big though. Because I missed out on Radio yesterday I have to have two treatments tomorrow. We'll be leaving home about seven, have a meeting with Grace the Oncologist, have a dose of radio followed by a meeting with a Nutritionist, then the three hour chemo infusion, followed by another dose of radio. We should be home by about five I reckon.
It was good to get home today. I'm really glad we live in Cockatoo. It is very therapeutic sitting outside a watching these guys. We had a Red Wattle Bird visit yesterday. I think it was his first time. He hung around the Banksia for ages, and had a good bath in the bid bath.
And I love our Sulphur Crested Cockatoos.
But sometimes they are a bit scary. 😊
Back to the microwave.
OK kids, I've been diagnosed with cancer at the base of the tongue in my throat. Not a good thing, but every medico I've spoken to has been extremely positive and told me it is totally curable with treatment.
I'm not shopping for sympathy, but I'm not much of a talker about private stuff (much to Suzanne's dismay) so I'm writing this the keep family and friends up to date, and save you all a bunch of phone calls and emails. Maybe this will also help out someone who might go through the same thing somewhere down the track. It's always good to get the story from the horse's mouth, even if his tongue is a bit munted. 😃
Wow, I was really tired yesterday. I got a bit done around the house and tidied the garage / workshop, but rested frequently. I was thinking that the treatment was starting to knock me about. Then I realised that we had peeps over Sunday night and I had a late one, then got up at 3 am to watch Moto GP. That might be why I'm tired. I am a real goose sometimes.
Today was a sample of what we'll be up to for the next few months. Three and a half hours of driving, radiography, and a meeting with the Doctor for a treatment update.
Because we have to attend the meeting Vader couldn't come, so he visited Grandma (Marie, Suzanne's Mum) for the day. He loves Grandma, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Grandma has a soft spot for Vader as well.
We rocked into Radiography where I had to face "The Mask" again. Today was much better, and the mask has now been downgraded again and will be called "The mask of discomfort" going forward. It's still not great, but a whole lot better than last week. A few more turnarounds and hopefully I will cope a lot better. Again, the nurses were bloody amazing. Thanks girls.
After the microwave we had a treatment meeting with Tristan, Professor Sidney's off sider. It's early days so there wasn't much to discuss, but he showed us the PET scans (Bloody amazing stuff) and explained how they direct and control the radiation to different parts of the area being treated. It really does stun me what these guys can do. Unfortunately they found a little cancer in the lymph nodes in my neck, but Tristan sad he isn't concerned, and that they can deal with it. This was again followed by the talk about side effects - You'll feel OK for a few weeks, The third week you'll feel tired. After that he next four weeks will be bloody awful. Hmmm.
As an aside, I've had Mycosis Fungoides (a type of rare blood cancer) for about 30 years. We asked Tristan if the Chemo would affect this at all. He just said "We don't know, but it will be interesting to see what happens." How do you spell Guinea Pig?
You can read a bit about MF here: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/mycosis-fungoides/
Next was a blood test. I have to have one every week the day before Chemo so they can assess what's happening in there. My nurse today, Georgia, was a true angel. I can honestly say the the swab before the needle was more uncomfortable that he actual needle. Thanks Georgia.
In short, today was a walk in the park.
Tomorrow is big though. Because I missed out on Radio yesterday I have to have two treatments tomorrow. We'll be leaving home about seven, have a meeting with Grace the Oncologist, have a dose of radio followed by a meeting with a Nutritionist, then the three hour chemo infusion, followed by another dose of radio. We should be home by about five I reckon.
It was good to get home today. I'm really glad we live in Cockatoo. It is very therapeutic sitting outside a watching these guys. We had a Red Wattle Bird visit yesterday. I think it was his first time. He hung around the Banksia for ages, and had a good bath in the bid bath.
Red Wattle Bird. He's actually very green / yellow underneath.
I stole this photo from Wiki because I didn't get a pic.
One of our favourites. A male king parrot.
We'd love to see more of these.
And I love our Sulphur Crested Cockatoos.
But sometimes they are a bit scary. 😊
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo on the roof.
And sometimes a bit funny.
Peering over the gutter waiting for food.
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