More good news

Where to begin? The past two weeks has seen us soaring back to great heights. Meg's last update filled you in on the new member of our team, Finley, and in addition to this great event, we also got a few other pieces of good news. Firstly, I've been feeling great since my last treatment. Our time in hospital was much easier for round four. Some anti-nausea medication helped me eat a lot better, and since getting out, my appetite has returned to pre-treatment levels. While still in hospital, I got a call from the coordinator of the Natural Resources Law Enforcement college program I took last year at Fleming College in Ontario. His name is Mark, and he let me know that this year's class had organized a fundraising "Smash It" pub in honour of Meg and I. I don't know if most of you remember what it was like to be in college or university, but I do, and the amount of money they raised was especially impressive considering the usually minor amount of wiggle room in the average student's budget. A silent auction and the sale of "Smash it" T-shirts helped raise the funds. Cheers.

NRLE Pub at Fleming College

Our doctor provided us with some information during the last treatment that we took with cautious optimism. My latest MRI shows that all of my smaller tumours are now "Unmeasurable". The chemo seems to be doing its job. The larger tumour that was operated on when this all began now measures at 1.2 cm. Without a comparable MRI to compare this latest one to, it's hard to say what exactly is happening to this tumour, but we're hoping that it's going the way of the others. My next MRI is scheduled for November 9th, and we'll be able to compare the images to my most recent scan. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Another piece of great news that we received last week came from up North. I got a call from the Yukon Department of Environment offering me a Conservation Officer position based out of Whitehorse. I interviewed for this position when we were back home a few weeks ago. It's a term position that will last seven months, and they'd like me to start sometime in the new year, whenever my treatments are finished and I feel ready to go back to work. This is a job that I've been working towards for the last few years, and I feel extremely lucky and grateful that it's worked out the way it has. I'll need to see all of your fishing licenses please.

The past week has been a great balance of activity and rest. After getting out of hospital, we settled back into the apartment for a couple of days before picking up our friend Shawn from the airport and heading out to do some fishing on the beautiful Vedder River, about an hour from Vancouver. It felt amazingly good to walk on some uneven ground, get a little wet, and focus on something as simple as a foam float for the day. No salmon were to be had, and rain blew out the river making it unfishable on our second day, but getting out of town, good company, and our second dose of real fall made it a trip to remember. Meg and I said goodbye to Shawn on Friday, and I got the chance to watch the Leafs and Canucks play here in Vancouver with an old friend of my brother's on Saturday. Who knew that Vancouverites hated Toronto so much?

 

Shawn in pursuit of Coho

Meg's eye on her float

Nice legs, buddy. . .

Maybe it's the rain. Our day today was spent watching it teem down outside our apartment, catching up on some sleep, and getting back in touch with family and friends (we're doing our best!). My brother Shawn arrives on Monday and will be here to help us out during treatment number five. Thank goodness for family and friends. Our hope is to make one last visit to Whitehorse next week before Meg's pregnancy hits the magic 36-week-no-fly mark. Then it's the homestretch for both of us. Both Meg and the baby are doing great. The little one keeps kicking it's morse code messages of love. I'm halfway there folks - thanks for all of your continued support.