Hi everyone, just a really quick update. Talked to mom this morning and altho it sounds "boring" (haha ya RIGHT) to say, everything is exactly the same! Isn't that wonderful?? Dad continues to do amazingly well with very little change to the minimal side affects he is having to the chemo and radiation. He had his chemo bag changed yesterday and his blood counts are doing beautifully!
One thing to keep in the front of your mind while praying is that this tumour will shrink. After all, this is what dad is going through the chemo and radiation for! The goal is to have the tumour shrivel up (lovely technical term!) so that the second operation will allow them to remove it without damage to his bladder, and to reconnect the bowel.
Once again, thank you to everyone who is dedicated to driving mom and dad 5 days/week to Sunnybrook. This gift of time and energy is so greatly appreciated. Also, thank you to all of you who are being so considerate by being aware of feeling ill and saying that you're not able to drive or visit. This is so important right now to keep dad healthy.
Blessings to you all!
~Joy
Friday, February 23, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
News for the Crew
hello all,
Just a quick update. There is no appointment today due to umm I forget what Ontario calls it but in Alberta it would be family day (we don't get one in BC).
Joy and Dan and the kids were in to see mom and dad on the weekend. It was just a short visit as Joy still had her cold and waited in the car. But even though it was should mom and dad both appreciated them stopping in on their way by!
Just talked to mom and dad. Dad went for a walk today... covered about a block! He's actually enjoying that the doctor has told him to be more active. The other day he even did laundry and vaccuumed the house. I think that he is enjoying being able to get back to doing stuff... it's easier not to be bored! But yeah that's about it!
Thanks again to friends and family for visits, chauffeuring, food phone calls... and most of all your prayers! Isn't God great!?!?!
Amy -- for the crew!
Just a quick update. There is no appointment today due to umm I forget what Ontario calls it but in Alberta it would be family day (we don't get one in BC).
Joy and Dan and the kids were in to see mom and dad on the weekend. It was just a short visit as Joy still had her cold and waited in the car. But even though it was should mom and dad both appreciated them stopping in on their way by!
Just talked to mom and dad. Dad went for a walk today... covered about a block! He's actually enjoying that the doctor has told him to be more active. The other day he even did laundry and vaccuumed the house. I think that he is enjoying being able to get back to doing stuff... it's easier not to be bored! But yeah that's about it!
Thanks again to friends and family for visits, chauffeuring, food phone calls... and most of all your prayers! Isn't God great!?!?!
Amy -- for the crew!
Friday, February 16, 2007
YAY GOD!!!
Well Joy always seem to be able to get to this whole posting thing first... could be the whole time difference thing!!!
Amy
As i (Joy) write this to you i'm sitting in my livingroom wrapped up in a blanket with the sunshining and i'm feeling kind of like a cat. I hope you all are surviving this cold snap in Ontario. After the mild beginning to the winter this reminds us that we do indeed live in Canada.
I talked with mom and dad this morning and everything appears to be going very well. Dad had his chemo bag changed yesterday and had the obligatory blood tests. His white blood cell count and hemoglobin are doing wonderfully! YEAH GOD! His weight is also holding well. The metalic taste that he was having in the first weeks of chemo is not happening as much. This is so much more than we could ask for. I'm sure, that like us many of you have had friends or family members go through chemotherapy and have seen first hand the many devistating side affects that can happen. These minimal side affects are truly a gift from God.
Mom was saying how wonderful the roads have been driving back and forth from Sunnybrook every day. With the winter season in full swing you know what a miracle this is.
The half way mark is almost upon us for the chemo and radiation!! Isn't that exciting? Continue in your prayers, THEY ARE WORKING!!
On a sad note, Janie and I have both come down with killer colds in the last 24 hours so it appears that our visit to mom and dad won't be happening. This is of course quite disappointing to me, but God knows best. It sure is hard to not say "well it's just a cold".. so i have to take my own advice that I've given all of you, and stay away until I'm better for the sake of dad's health.
:(
~Joy
Amy
As i (Joy) write this to you i'm sitting in my livingroom wrapped up in a blanket with the sunshining and i'm feeling kind of like a cat. I hope you all are surviving this cold snap in Ontario. After the mild beginning to the winter this reminds us that we do indeed live in Canada.
I talked with mom and dad this morning and everything appears to be going very well. Dad had his chemo bag changed yesterday and had the obligatory blood tests. His white blood cell count and hemoglobin are doing wonderfully! YEAH GOD! His weight is also holding well. The metalic taste that he was having in the first weeks of chemo is not happening as much. This is so much more than we could ask for. I'm sure, that like us many of you have had friends or family members go through chemotherapy and have seen first hand the many devistating side affects that can happen. These minimal side affects are truly a gift from God.
Mom was saying how wonderful the roads have been driving back and forth from Sunnybrook every day. With the winter season in full swing you know what a miracle this is.
The half way mark is almost upon us for the chemo and radiation!! Isn't that exciting? Continue in your prayers, THEY ARE WORKING!!
On a sad note, Janie and I have both come down with killer colds in the last 24 hours so it appears that our visit to mom and dad won't be happening. This is of course quite disappointing to me, but God knows best. It sure is hard to not say "well it's just a cold".. so i have to take my own advice that I've given all of you, and stay away until I'm better for the sake of dad's health.
:(
~Joy
Monday, February 12, 2007
no news it good news?
From Joy...
I hope you all have had a wonderful Lord's Day celebrating with your families. We were blessed this weekend with all 3 kids going to a winter camp with church. We went there this morning and were blessed by all the kids leading the service. It is such a blessing to watch children worship and serve!
I talked to mom and dad this afternoon and was surprised to hear they were sitting at Dagmar ski resort watching the skiers. Dad is still experiencing very few side affects aside from tiredness and the funny taste in his mouth. This is such a wonderful answer to prayer!
Dan, the kids and myself are hoping to beable to visit Dad and Mom next weekend provided that we're all healthy. So prayers for the health of all of is much appreciated.
A special thank you to all of you who are helping out in such pracitical and profound ways. The hours spent driving, preparing meals, phonecalls and notes are such an encouragement to our spirits.
Bless you! ~Joy
I hope you all have had a wonderful Lord's Day celebrating with your families. We were blessed this weekend with all 3 kids going to a winter camp with church. We went there this morning and were blessed by all the kids leading the service. It is such a blessing to watch children worship and serve!
I talked to mom and dad this afternoon and was surprised to hear they were sitting at Dagmar ski resort watching the skiers. Dad is still experiencing very few side affects aside from tiredness and the funny taste in his mouth. This is such a wonderful answer to prayer!
Dan, the kids and myself are hoping to beable to visit Dad and Mom next weekend provided that we're all healthy. So prayers for the health of all of is much appreciated.
A special thank you to all of you who are helping out in such pracitical and profound ways. The hours spent driving, preparing meals, phonecalls and notes are such an encouragement to our spirits.
Bless you! ~Joy
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Week 2 Chemo Starts
Good Morning All!
Dad is doing good this morning. He said he was less uncomfortable after the radiation treatment than he was on Monday so that's good! Today he will receive his next chemo bag that will last him another week. He will also have his blood checked to keep an eye on his white bloodcell count and his platelet count.
This is a good time to talk to all of you about infection. If you're schedueled to drive, or coming over for a visit please pay special attention to your health. If you've had a cold, or a virus, or someone in your family has been sick please keep in mind that passing this onto Dad can be very serious. Chemotherapy lowers your immune system, and Dad getting an infection now could be very dangerous. Not only could he get very seriously ill, it could delay his chemo and radiation treatment. So one way that you can help Dad is to keep these things in mind when you're going to be around him, and also using the best thing out there, washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer like Purrel.
Thank you so much for your prayers and acts of service to our family and continue on in your prayers!
Please also add our friends the MacDonald's to your prayers right now as Doc is in the hospital right now. Blessings, Joy
Dad is doing good this morning. He said he was less uncomfortable after the radiation treatment than he was on Monday so that's good! Today he will receive his next chemo bag that will last him another week. He will also have his blood checked to keep an eye on his white bloodcell count and his platelet count.
This is a good time to talk to all of you about infection. If you're schedueled to drive, or coming over for a visit please pay special attention to your health. If you've had a cold, or a virus, or someone in your family has been sick please keep in mind that passing this onto Dad can be very serious. Chemotherapy lowers your immune system, and Dad getting an infection now could be very dangerous. Not only could he get very seriously ill, it could delay his chemo and radiation treatment. So one way that you can help Dad is to keep these things in mind when you're going to be around him, and also using the best thing out there, washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer like Purrel.
Thank you so much for your prayers and acts of service to our family and continue on in your prayers!
Please also add our friends the MacDonald's to your prayers right now as Doc is in the hospital right now. Blessings, Joy
Monday, February 5, 2007
Look...
A pretty picture and pretty colours! I figured out how to get both there! I'm learning this blog thing!~A
Monday Report... Tuesday if you're in ON
Hello again,
Dad's treatment tonight went well. Fast and easy but he is having some back pain (from the board that he has to lay on for the treatment). It wasn't too bad by the end of last week but he figures that the two days off of treatments because of the weekend may be what's making it hurt again.
They got to the hospital early and it seems that the staff at the hospital will take you as soon as you get there if they can so mom was saying tonight they were on their way out of the hospital, done the treatment, when dad's appointment was supposed to start! Seeing they are evening appointments and the trip to and from the hospital is about 45 min it helpful to gain any time!
Please contunie to pray for the following:
- Safe travel - dad, mom and the chauffuer of the evening have been very blessed so far with good clear roads!
- Dad's back not to be as painful
- good rest for both mom and dad.
- good strong ammune system - they've really appreciated the phone call recently as it appears there is some sickness going around (It's hit Prince George too) :)
- That the side effects will stay at minamul - Dad's just been tired!
- That mom and dad will contunie to gain confidence in the "home care" end of things!
There's a huge learning curve with processes, precedures, meals etc.
For the Gang ~ Amy
On a side note:It's been amasing to hear how many people of come to the families side in all this! Thank you seems so inadequate but so many times in life words are inadequate... so for lack of words! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!Amy
Dad's treatment tonight went well. Fast and easy but he is having some back pain (from the board that he has to lay on for the treatment). It wasn't too bad by the end of last week but he figures that the two days off of treatments because of the weekend may be what's making it hurt again.
They got to the hospital early and it seems that the staff at the hospital will take you as soon as you get there if they can so mom was saying tonight they were on their way out of the hospital, done the treatment, when dad's appointment was supposed to start! Seeing they are evening appointments and the trip to and from the hospital is about 45 min it helpful to gain any time!
Please contunie to pray for the following:
- Safe travel - dad, mom and the chauffuer of the evening have been very blessed so far with good clear roads!
- Dad's back not to be as painful
- good rest for both mom and dad.
- good strong ammune system - they've really appreciated the phone call recently as it appears there is some sickness going around (It's hit Prince George too) :)
- That the side effects will stay at minamul - Dad's just been tired!
- That mom and dad will contunie to gain confidence in the "home care" end of things!
There's a huge learning curve with processes, precedures, meals etc.
For the Gang ~ Amy
On a side note:It's been amasing to hear how many people of come to the families side in all this! Thank you seems so inadequate but so many times in life words are inadequate... so for lack of words! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!Amy
Week Two Starting
Hi everyone! Just thought i'd give a real quick update. There aren't a whole lot of changes so no news is good news right? On tuesday (chemo bottle to be changed on Wednesday) dad begins his second week of chemo and radiation. He seems to be doing quite well which is a huge answer to prayer. Aside from some tiredness and a metalic taste in his mouth with certain foods he isn't really having any side affects. PTL! \o/
According to most of the info we've read it appears that the side affects would be coming after the second week of treatment. So now is the time to begin praying that side affects will be minimal.
A huge thank you to all who have driven mom and dad to Sunnybrook and those of you who bring meals, the cards, the visits..too many to mention! These loving touches that you bring to our lives are SO appreciated. I don't think there is any way we could ever adequately thank you. Please know that you all are loved and appreciated by all of us. ~Joy
According to most of the info we've read it appears that the side affects would be coming after the second week of treatment. So now is the time to begin praying that side affects will be minimal.
A huge thank you to all who have driven mom and dad to Sunnybrook and those of you who bring meals, the cards, the visits..too many to mention! These loving touches that you bring to our lives are SO appreciated. I don't think there is any way we could ever adequately thank you. Please know that you all are loved and appreciated by all of us. ~Joy
Thursday, February 1, 2007
It's your Birthday.. It's your Birthday!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!
I guess it's time I (Joy) took up my fair share and posted an update. Amy's been doing such a fabulous job it was easy just to sit back and let her do it! :D
We talked to mom and dad quite early this morning (sorry for the wake up call!) In our family there's a silly little tradition of a phonecall in the morning and the traditional singing of "happy birthday to you" sung with glorious morning voices and as on key as we can manage.
Dad is doing well and so is mom, thank you so much for your prayers!!!
He had his second radiation treatment last night and he said that he wasn't as uncomfortable this time afterwards. He has to lay face down on a hard table for 15 minutes and it really seemed to bother his back the first time. Please continue to pray for the requests that Amy mentioned in her last post.
A few to add are:
- our friends Doc and Pat in North Carolina.
- success for mom and dad in learning how to care for the colostomy
If you'd like to learn more about what a PICC line is you can go here to see: http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Linesports/PICCline
Have a blessed day, and remember, you can always leave a birthday message here for dad! ~JOY
I guess it's time I (Joy) took up my fair share and posted an update. Amy's been doing such a fabulous job it was easy just to sit back and let her do it! :D
We talked to mom and dad quite early this morning (sorry for the wake up call!) In our family there's a silly little tradition of a phonecall in the morning and the traditional singing of "happy birthday to you" sung with glorious morning voices and as on key as we can manage.
Dad is doing well and so is mom, thank you so much for your prayers!!!
He had his second radiation treatment last night and he said that he wasn't as uncomfortable this time afterwards. He has to lay face down on a hard table for 15 minutes and it really seemed to bother his back the first time. Please continue to pray for the requests that Amy mentioned in her last post.
A few to add are:
- our friends Doc and Pat in North Carolina.
- success for mom and dad in learning how to care for the colostomy
If you'd like to learn more about what a PICC line is you can go here to see: http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Linesports/PICCline
Have a blessed day, and remember, you can always leave a birthday message here for dad! ~JOY
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