Chemo 'N Me

Meg and I are currently installed in room 536 at the BC Cancer Agency, and all is going well. I was the subject of a battery of tests upon arriving here that were mainly designed to make sure that the lymphoma is residing only in my brain. My eyes received an all-clear examination from an opthamologist, I was the lucky recipient of a clear report on a (not so-unpleasant) spinal tap, and we're waiting to hear the results from a (more-so unpleasant) bone marrow biopsy, but they don't expect to find anything there either. They've also taken litres of blood from me, xrays, dentistry, and various other bodily products. Despite all of this, my stay here has been great. The facility and staff here are truly world class, and again, I am receiving top quality care. My room looks out over a landscaped rooftop patio and is adjacent to a family lounge complete with television and computer, board games, piano, and comfortable furniture. The rooms are shared, but I've been lucky enough to have mine to myself for the majority of my stay. Meghan and other visitors are welcome to 

come and go as they please, and Meg has been staying here with me quite comfortably. 

Meg and I on the rooftop patio 

This is what my chemo regime looks like: After arriving, they hook me up to a pre-hydration IV which is designed to get my kidneys running well and bring the alkalinity of my system up. My body needs to maintain a pH of 7.5 for the chemicals that they use to work. After 4 hours of this, they hook me up to a high dosage of "Golden Goodness" (Methotrexate). This drug is the main smasher of my chemotherapy. It is effective in crossing the "blood brain barrier" which prevents most drugs from being able to target brain tissues. It targets cells which multiply quickly (like cancer cells). I get the gold for four hours, and then it's post-hydration for 20 hours, continuing with the maintenance of alkalinity of my system. Throughout, I get preventative anti-nauseants. After the 20 hours of post-hydration, I get several doses of a "rescue" chemical through IV called Leucovorin which binds to the Methotrexate and helps me get it out of my system. They monitor the Methotrexate in my blood, and when it's down to an acceptable level, then I'm done. I am also receiving a #2 punch today in the form of a drug called Rituximab. This drug is less effective in crossing the "blood brain barrier", but has still proven valuable in treatments, and has minimal side effects for most people. So I'll be double fisting it today, and if my Methotrexate levels are good, should be out of here tomorrow!

 My nurse Jodi hooking up the golden goodness. . .

My body seems to be handling the chemo very well so far. Truth be told, I feel fine. I've had no nausea, my appetite is good, and my spirits are great. I've been told that I may lose hair as time goes by, that fatigue will be an issue, and that I may get some mouth pain/sores, but for the moment, all is well.

 

SMASH it!

Meg and I can't thank you all enough for the continued love and support. We really appreciate all of the emails, phone calls, blog comments, prayers, care packages, and positive energy. The outpouring of energy has been truly overwhelming, and we hope to get back to each one of you in our own way over time. I must acknowledge here the contributions of some specific people over the past few weeks. While so many people have helped Meghan, myself, and our families out, I need to point out the contributions that Deb Higgins, Brianna McGuire, Mike Callan, and Liz Pelton have made.

Deb has been our communications wizard and our lifeline to Whitehorse. Deb and her partner Pete are busy individuals with a 3 year old and crawling infant who have taken on our cat Kitty and (high-maintenance) dog Carl. They also spearheaded the creation of this blog, and have been invaluable emotional and logistical supports. 

Darling Deb

Meghan's sister Brianna is currently 7 months pregnant and works full-time as an Occupational Therapist in Ontario. She flew here to Vancouver and stayed with us during some of our most stressful times before, during, and after surgery. Brianna has two kids that her husband Graham was left to care for during this time, and while she was here, Brianna was like an external brain to us: she dealt with paperwork, medical research, doctors, massage, coffees, job issues, house issues, and basically knew exactly what we needed before we did. She's an amazing woman, and I don't know what we would have done without her.

Saint Brianna

My brother Mike currently works with the Canadian International Development Agency and lives in Khartoum, Sudan with his partner Liz. Both Mike and Liz flew to Vancouver before my surgery, and have been here ever since. It was hard to have to see Liz leave yesterday, but Mike will be here until early next week. This team has really taken care of us over the past little while. They've been invaluable in helping set up our apartment, facilitating our continued medical needs, nurturing our souls, and providing moments of lightness.

Team Mike and Liz

Of course, countless others have offered supports in various ways, and our love goes out to all of you. The light that surrounds us is beautiful. In other news, my most current oncologist is actually encouraging me to get out and do the things I love, and has given me the blessing to participate in a short hunting trip during our time in the Yukon in a couple of weeks. Please keep your fingers crossed for me that I'm feeling up to it! We'll keep you posted. . .