23. Subtitle change and Prairie Winter

Notice a change in the subtitle of my blog.  It no longer reads:  musings etc.  It now reads: Building a community of people who care about cancer reduction.  This better reflects what I am trying to accomplish.  It is not just about me.  It probably never was, just did not realize it sooner.  The way I see the progression of my blog is like this:  I am a conduit for the message and info and you, the reader, are the sender of the message.  Make no mistake about it: your sending forth the message is crucial to the success of this blog.  I am not on social media, so I rely on you.  I can not thank you enough for your concern and participation!!!😍

It has been a long, brutally cold winter with lots of snow.  This is excellent for the farming community!  Renewed optimism prevails!

Dag allemaal!  Jullie hebben ook "flinke" stormen achter de rug met veel blikschade.  Amai!  Dat was t'een en t'ander!!  Wij zitten nog altijd in de diepvries en hebben ook regelmatig wat sneeuw erbij.  De boeren zien optimistisch het nieuwe zaaiseizoen tegemoet.  Hartelijke groeten aan iedereen!

Speciale "bisou" voor Annemie die nu ook volgt!  Danku!  Toffe foto van jou en Tinneke!!  Daaag!

Dave "schept" de sneeuw!  Werk in overvloed dit jaar!  Dave also does snow removal for neighbours, friends and family.  Awesome or what?

Next post:  mid-week  I have more info on Fit and screening

 

22 Chemo Ukraine

During chemo treatments at the clinic, I really enjoy talking to other chemo patients.  Time passes more quickly then, and frankly, I am a nosy kind of woman.  😏 I want to hear what brought them there.   Not everyone wants to talk however.  Totally understandable.  One such person was a lady of about 40 years, not much older than my son.  Other than chitchatting with her attending nurse, she just wanted to sleep.  But sitting in the chair next to me I could not help to overhear some of the chitchat.  This lady looked pale and frail but her face just beamed when she talked about her children.  They were obviously her pride and joy!  Turned out that exactly one year ago, in February 2021, she and her husband, spent some time in Ukraine, adopted 3 beautiful Ukrainian siblings from an orphanage and brought them home to Saskatchewan.  What an awesome thing to do!  Not one, or two, but three, and all siblings.  Wow!  I often wonder what it would be like to undergo cancer treatments when you are young, need to make a living and have young children to care for.  I don't have to worry about all that.  I count myself blessed that way.  I know that some of you pray for my wellbeing and I thank you for it.  Please send a little prayer in the direction of this brave lady and also for the Ukrainian people in general. Thank you very much!!!💗  Who knew what would happen one year later?

Upcoming:  a post on colonoscopies mid next week and possibly a small post tomorrow.  Till then.  Take care!

21. Chemo FIT Part 3 Screening Program

Chemo   FIT Part 3

The Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer

Let me begin by saying that if it hadn't been for the Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer I would really be up "Schitt's Creek" by now.  Their FIT program detected the blood in my stool.  Hurrah!  Having said that the program has it's limitations and, you, the public need to be informed about this.

1.  It only screens people aged 50 to 74.  Knowing that the prevalence of cancer increases as we get older, where does it leave our elderly and what about the younger than 50 crowd?  These days there is a trend of more and more younger people being diagnosed.  It could be your adult child.

2.  It screens only every two years.  There was a 2-year interval between when I was diagnosed last year in 2021 and my previous test in 2019.  Two years is fine if you don't have cancer; not so fine if you do.  I can attest to that.  And so can my friend Karen, and Peggy, and so on, and so on.  The two year interval leads you to believe that everything is fine when, in our case, it was not.  It gives you a false sense of security.

3.  There was never any mention anywhere that you have an option to be screened yearly in consultation and collaboration with your doctor.  Some doctors may not be aware of this also.  Is the screening program aiming to be a monopoly?

4.  And I would like to know:  At what stage of colorectal cancer does the FIT  start picking up these invisible traces of blood in the stool?  I have asked some people in the cancer industry and no one seems to know.  What's up with that?  Perhaps they don't know it themselves or perhaps I am asking the wrong people?  As far as I can tell from talking with other patients I have yet to come across a patient in the clinic who had an "iddy biddy" bit of colorectal cancer.  The screening program keeps harping in their website and elsewhere about early detection.  Stage 3 and 4 colorectal cancer can hardly be described as being "early".  But I don't claim to know everything of course.  So if anyone could shed some light on this it would be MUCH appreciated! 

Having said all that, cancer is an industry.  It employs a lot of people.  800 plus people work for Saskcancer.  I am not clear on what departments that all entails.  But just look at this: 800 plus people making a conservative $40,000/yr.  That's at least $32,000,000 on wages alone.  I have no qualms about the care I am receiving at the cancer clinic.  It is excellent and very efficient.  But it makes me wonder how much of the total budget goes to actual prevention?

So, my last FIT test in 2021 came back positive and I was scheduled to undergo a colonoscopy about 4 weeks later.....

Again I would like you to pass on my blog site to family and friends and anyone and their dog who could even remotely be interested in this!!  Thank you and take care!

 Thank you to Margaret who is following also!  Yeah Margaret!!!

More info on FIT and screening mid-week!

20. Chemo FIT Part 2 What went wrong

Chemo   FIT Part 2 

What went wrong in my case.

The following are my husband's and my record of having FIT done: 

                 Irm               My   Husband

2012: no FIT done / FIT  through program

2014: no FIT done /  FIT  through program 

2016 : FIT program/ FIT  through family doctor 

2017: no FIT        /    FIT through family doctor

2019:  FIT program/ FIT through program

2020:  no FIT done/  FIT through doctor

2021:  FIT program/  no FIT done

2022:      chemo  /      FIT through program

At first, I was not aware of the program.  I can't recall getting a FIT kit in the mail in 2012 and 2014.  I probably did because that is what my records show at the Screening program, but I have no recollection of that.  Neither do I recall participating in 2016 and maybe vaguely in 2019.  I also had no idea that my husband was checked on a regular/yearly basis.  And I definitely did not know that at times his family doctor was involved.

My mistakes were that after I did become somewhat aware of the program, I frankly did not take it very seriously.  After all, colorectal cancer does not run in our family!    So I thought I was immune to this.  Also, when I received the kit in the mail, it sat on the shelf for a very loooong time, much to my detriment.  And I am ashamed to say that I  came close to pitching it into the garbage.  I acted much like a large part of the population.  I am no different in that regard.   What saved my bacon was that a friend who used to work for the company that mails out these kits had put a little note in it for me.  She could have lost her minimum-wage job over this.  But because of her note I did not throw it out.  She may very well have saved my life.  Funny how a little gesture like that can make all the difference!  And another mistake was that our long-time family doctor retired in 2012.  Dave found an excellent physician right away and I have been struggling for the last 10 years.  When I did find someone good, she ended up moving to Toronto.  So I moved from doctor to doctor for a while.   I think that last fall I finally found a "keeper".  I am hoping with all my heart that she will stay!

More info on FIT and screening mid-week

19. Chemo FIT- Part 1 In General

Get Serious about Getting FIT

 The FIT I am talking about here has nothing to do with going to the gym and everything to do with having or maintaining a healthy "plumbing system".  FIT stands for Fecal Immunochemical Test.  This test detects blood in your stool That Is NOT Visible To The Naked Eye, i.o.w. you could be having this right now and not be even remotely aware that this is happening to you, unless you have the FIT done.

Lucky for us, the government decided to implement a country-wide testing program to specifically target the population age 50 to 74, a high-risk group. In our province, a special program was formed called the "Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer".  It was fully operational by about 2012.  As a citizen of this province, possessing a valid Health Card, and being between 50 to 74 years old, you are Automatically Enrolled in the program.  A testing kit is sent in the mail Every Two Years, Free of Charge!  Isn't that wonderful: a freebie sent by the government!  That alone should be an incentive to use it!  The kit comes complete with paraphernalia and instructions on how to use it.  Straightforward.  It does have an expiry date and needs to be sent to the lab right away, either you drop it off at a lab or send it back in the mail in a special envelope.  Dropping it off in an outdoor mailbox at minus 30 C is not a good idea.  The mailing part, no doubt, could be a hindrance to people living in remote areas and up north. 

Other than being squeamish about mucking with your own stool, there are NO SIDE EFFECTS to this test.  What I would give right now to have NO SIDE EFFECTS!!

Don't forget that to qualify for getting the kit send home to you, you have to have a valid provincial health card and an up-to-date address!

18. Chemo Good news!

18.  Chemo  Good news!

Normally, today being Monday, this would be the start of another chemo week, where I would go see Lani, my home-care nurse, who would take the necessary blood samples for lab work and check my Picc line.  However, due to the recent a-fib scare, treatment number 8 is put on hold until my oncologist is back from vacation.  So, much to my relief, I get a 2 week break (that is a full chemo cycle)!  This gives my body a chance to recover and adjust the platelet, red and white blood cell count.  Relief, relief, relief!!!

But wait....  there is more....   SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance - automobile division (for our international readers) 😉) has delivered what they promised:  they sent me a renewed 5 year driver's licence and reused my old photo for photo iD!  What a relief also!  Hurrah for the good people working at SGI!  Thank You!  (refer back to post nr. 9  chemo hair: about losing hair)

Also a big "bisou" to the 4 people who "follow" me on my blog and especially Jenn who started this!  Of course I would like to have a lot more readers/followers/subscribers so I encourage you to push some buttons way on the bottom of my blog and/or subscribe to my blog on the subscription gadget.  I will not ask you for money I promise 😊and it does not show up where you live.  You cannot reach the "follow" or "subscription" buttons on your mobile device unless you change to the web version on your mobile device.  I would not ask you to do this except that I would like to instigate a bit of change and here it is:  I CAN NOT DO THIS WITHOUT READERS LIKE YOU TO BACK ME UP!  Sorry for the shouting!

Lastly   For quite some time now I have been working on A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.  I have e-mailed and talked to tons of people working in the "cancer industry".  In Wednesday's post I will give info on how to prevent colorectal cancer, what I think went wrong in my case and how you have a better chance learning from my mistakes to avoid getting colorectal cancer.  So please be there and pass that post on to anyone who could possibly benefit from that.  Thanks   Take care! 

Oh and Happy Family Day!  👪

17. Chemo No sweat Co-Ed

I have had a rough couple of weeks lately.  I need some cheering up before heading into the next treatment.  So I found an anecdote buried among the cobwebs in my mind.  True story.  I call it:

No sweat   Co-Ed

When I was in my mid twenties I worked as a dental therapist in a town on the Canadian prairies.  I had made some friends there, about the same age.  One Saturday, a young man from our little group invited myself, a female friend and two male acquaintances to a party at his folks place.  The parents were conveniently out of town.  Would we come?  Of course we would!  Not much else going on in this town on a weekend. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted, toured the premises and inspected several shiny new vehicles.  After that we were ushered into the house where a generous amount of snacks and beverages were waiting.  We watched some TV on a super-sized screen and played some card games.  But soon that also lost some of its appeal.  The host informed us that they had a sauna.  Would we be interested in seeing their sauna?  Of course we would!  Nine thirty was much too soon to call it a night and go home.  So the 5 of us filed into the cubicle, which conveniently, had been warmed up already?  "Boy it is hot in here!"  "No kidding!"  The host quickly suggested that we should remove all  clothing.  This was a sauna after all.  Some snickering, some shy sideways glances, but little by little off came the clothes, till we were all sitting on the benches in our birthday suits.  From that moment on things could have easily gotten out of hand, with the booze and hormones and all, if it weren't that, unbeknownst to the 4 of us, the host had an inquisitive preteen sister.  Suddenly the sauna door swung open and this nosy little thing stuck her head inside.  Her eyes grew like saucers at the sight of the 5 naked people.  Coming to her senses, she shrieked: "I am going to tell Mom and Dad!"  Assuming that the parents were right around the corner, a disturbed hornets' nest doesn't even come close to describing the commotion that ensued next.  It's a wonder everyone ended up wearing the appropriate underwear and clothing! (Imagine Flight of the Bumble Bee music in background)

Well, we never did hear anything about the episode afterwards and soon it would have been all but forgotten, if it weren't for the fact that,..... some time later, ....., my female friend,..... decided to join the Grey Nuns!

16.  Chemo   Dag Allemaal

Heb chemo nummer 7 achter de rug.  Maar heb deze keer ook last gehad van een hartkwaal, atrial fibrillation, genoemd en ben in het ziekenhuis beland.  Gelukkig is dat allemaal nog goed afgelopen en heb ik daar nu medicijnen voor.  Fijn te horen dat  Lutgart, Mieke van Erik en Marc van Annemie het goed stellen na hun ervaring met chemo en zo.  Dat geeft me hoop en moed.  Groetjes aan iedereen!  Tot later!

15. Chemo Thing 1 and Thing 2

Just when I thought I had a fairly decent grip on Thing 1, sure enough,  along came Thing 2.    Diagnosed with having atrial fibrillation (rapid and irregular heartbeat) after an Electrocardiogram (ECG), I ended up having to go to Emergency, where thankfully, I got admitted very quickly.  The staff injected me time after time and had me swallow pills and more pills, you name it, for 2 days to no avail.  Then finally, yesterday, the cardiologist decided that if my situation hadn't improved by this very morning, they were going to use the paddles on me and "let 'r rip." 💥😟 Needless to say  I was a teeny bit worried last night and cried.  But lo and behold, somehow during the night, miraculously, the meds kicked in and I awoke feeling refreshed and relieved with a heart that was beating like normal again. 💓 Apart from the health scare, I enjoyed my all-inclusive stay-cation courtesy of the Regina General Hospital:  the staff was wonderful and the food was honestly great!  Given a choice however, I would prefer to dip my tootsies into warm, beachy sand with a cerveza in one hand.  Now, can anyone tell me if there is such a thing as Thing 3?

When I am down I like to listen to  Dieu  / God (where are you?) by "Boom" Desjardins: beautiful, haunting song for when you want to have a good cry You can't beat those natural painkillers! 

14. What Gwen found

This is what my friend Gwen found on her driveway this Valentine's Day morning!  We are both baffled but delighted!   👏👏👏  Kudos to the creator!!!

13. Chemo Valentine's Day

Our grandson's Valentine's Day card arrived by snail mail last week.  What a nice surprise!  So I wanted to post something about the day but did not know what.  Then a most unusual Valentine's Day from the past came to mind.

Before being a French Immersion teacher I updated my language skills by taking an Intensive French immersion course at the U of S.  It was about this time of the year. The course ended on Valentine's Day.  One of the class mates was non other than Peter MacKinnon, who was president of the U of S at the time.  All throughout the 2 week-long course Peter had been his sober, reserved, composed lawyerly self.  To wrap up the course we had been practicing the energetic French love song "Je t'aime comme un fou" / I love you like a fool (but you don't give a ....) by Robert Charlebois.  Toward the end of our last class, and without provocation, all of a sudden Peter jumped up and began to dance and twirl around the classroom like a possessed wind-up toy while belting out the song at full volume.  We were all stunned at this spontaneous outburst, but quickly jumped in as well.  A joyous end to a pleasant, but challenging educational session! 

So, I propose you grab your partner, your hamster or a broomstick and dance to    Je t'aime comme un fou / I love you like a fool (but you don't give a ...hoot?) by Robert Charlebois  A verry peppy tune.  Don't let the language scare you off 😊 Happy Valentine's Day!!!  💗

12. Chemo Detoxing

The week that I am not on chemo, I try to detox as much as I can.  I drink fennel and dandelion tea and I've concocted a detox soup recipe.  It contains mainly leeks, onions and garlic as well as other ingredients.  The leeks are not cheap, but are definitely worth using.  Rinse well because they may hide dirt inside their stalks!  Leeks and onions are supposed to help with detox.

                        As LONG as Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 smaller leek stalks, rinsed and chopped
• 2 medium sized onions, chopped also
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup of quinoa, rinsed
• 1/4 cup of buckwheat groats, rinsed
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup of cooked ham or other meat
• 2 TBsp of beef stock powder
• water 
• salt and pepper to taste 

You will need: a large soup pot, measuring tools, spatula, knife.

Put all of the above ingredients in the soup pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for about 15 min and then reduce to simmer for about 1 hour.  Stir once in a while.  Turn off the heat and serve.

You could use rice instead or add it.  And also potato pieces.  But I don't think the recipe needs it.  I add the quinoa and buckwheat mainly for added protein and fiber.  Makes 6 to 7servings.  Enjoy!

I chose to call it As LONG as because as long as it has Leeks, ONions and Garlic in it, it should be (but I am not a dietician!) a detoxing soup! 😎

 

11. What my chemo treatment is like

Just finished treatment nr 7 and it is getting harder to tolerate the side effects.  I have had a rough couple of days.  Makes the previous treatments feel like a picnic.

Week 1 of chemo treatment is as follows:

On Monday, the day before chemo, I get bloodwork done to check the levels of platelets, red and white blood cells.  If the levels are satisfactory, treatment is "on".  Well, my levels were low, but the oncologist gave the green light anyway.  Next I have a Covid screening and Monday nights I start taking a laxative every night for the rest of treatment week.

Tuesday morning, I prepare my chemo bag to take to the clinic.  It contains: a book, my iD, iPhone, lunch, snacks and water bottle, mittens and the holder for the infusor bottle.  Upon arrival my weight, BP and oxygen levels get checked.  I walk into the clinic hall to my assigned seat.  There are roughly 25 plus seats and there is constant patient turn-over, reminding of being in a busy airport terminal.  A bit of chit-chat with the assigned nursing staff and then treatment begins by giving me anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medication intravenously.  That takes about 1/2 hour.  If it is close to lunch, time to quickly gobble down my lunch so I will not get sick.  That hasn't happened yet, knock on wood!  The chemo drugs take about 2 hours to drip into my arm through an IV line called a Picc line.  When that is done there is some saline flushing going on and I get hooked up to the infusor bottle that hangs around my neck and will be automatically dispensing more chemo drugs into my body for another 48 hours.  I go home tethered to this infusor bottle.  It replaces a further 2 day in-hospital stay.  Toward the end of chemo the dreaded neuropathy starts kicking in.  Neuropathy is a common side effect of the treatment that I am on.  It is characterized by numbness or tingling of the fingers and toes and can sometimes be painful and feel like a burning sensation, which may be severe.  Lucky for me it has not gone to that extreme yet except that I have neuropathy in my face in addition to my fingers and toes: the tip of my nose gets extremely cold and then sore; it hurts to cry (feels like tiny needle pricks behind my eye balls when I do, so I Don't, I just grit my teeth instead) and the first couple of bites in any meal also upset either glands or muscles in my lower jaw.  There are other side effects as well such as  muscle cramps and lately, extreme fatigue due low red blood cells.

Week 2 is detox week.  In general the neuropathy gradually diminishes over time.  I try to detoxify as much as I can by constantly drinking water or weak tea. And by eating a healthy, fiber-rich diet.  And by sleeping as much as I can.  Today is Sunday and I am able to type this post, which I would not have been able to do yesterday!!  Hurrah for small miracles.!!!

10. Sweet Chemo Lani

Lani is back!!  Hurrah!  I missed my before and after chemo-care nurse.  She is very sweet and terrific at her job.  We are so lucky to have her!  Go Lani!!!

Oh yes: the comment section of the blog.  I have tried everything I can to correct this problem to no avail.  By the end of the week a tech person will look into it and hopefully fix it.  Fingers crossed!  I am happy with Blogger in general, but seriously.  I am  blogging so I would get feedback.  Disappointing!  Possibly you may have to subscribe and/or have a Google account before you can comment.  I will keep you "posted". 😊

Tomorrow is the start of chemo session nr 7.  Over the hill!!!  Due to  neuropathy, a side effect of treatment , I won't be able to use my hands for a few days.  But I do have a savory treat in the works for you for by the weekend.  So stay tuned!  And take care!

9. Chemo Hair

It was inevitable: I am losing my hair.  Constantly.  So what is a girl to do?  Some options are:  1.  Shave off what remains, and sport the Jean-Luc Picard style.  Not right now.  It is too cold outside and I am not going to the hairdresser due to Covid.    2. Wear a wig.   A new wig will set you back anywhere from $250-400.  Now I do have a health plan that would cover the cost. (lucky, and grateful me!)  But what if you are short on cash and have no plan?  Then what?  Well, you can loan a cleaned, repurposed wig through the Volunteer Coordinator at the Cancer Clinic.  You do have to phone and set up an appointment with them.  The wigs, new or used, are made with synthetic fibers.  Not an option for me either.   3. Wear a hat, tuque or other head gear.  I am so fortunate.  You see, my sister is handy with needle and thread.  She supplied me with several hats which I embellished a bit.  So I am wearing her hats, or a tuque, when I go out.

Further on the topic

Wouldn't you know it. Good grief! My 5 year driver's licence with photo ID is up for renewal.  I always have to take off my glasses for the photo.  But what about being allowed to wear a hat, pretty please with sugar on it?  I do not want to look like a half-plucked chicken. Nope!  However, there is what you call a medical exemption.  If you can provide the necessary documents from your physician, or in my case my Cancer Clinic ID, SGI can renew the 5 year driver's licence reusing my previous, pre-cancer photo.  And that is just what they did.  Hurrah!  What a relief!!!

Hair  (from the musical) by the Cowsills: You don't know what you've got till its gone!.....

                    Us girls have to stick together!

8. Dag Allemaal

Ik ben heel blij te melden dat ik de halverweg chemo-therapie ben. 6/12   Joepie!!😊😊😊

7. Chemo Half Done!!

With the 6th treatment behind me, I am pleased to have reached the half-way point!  Hurrah!!! 😊 I celebrated by making my favorite sweet buckwheat crepes, a real treat that always reminds me of my grandmother.  Yum!!

Small Sweet Crepes   Gluten-free and high in fiber

Ingredients:                                                                                                      

• 1 cup of buckwheat flour                                            
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of sugar  
• 1/4 cup of powdered milk in 1 1/4 c of water  
• or use 1 1/4 c of (lactose free) milk            
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten 
• sunflower or canola oil                                                                          

You will need:  mixing bowl, smaller skillet, ladle, spatula, measuring tools

Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.   Add the water and the eggs.  Stir well.  Make sure the batter is runny enough to pour.  Heat your skillet to medium-high heat.  Coat  all of the bottom of the skillet with a dollar size bit of oil.   Ladle the batter into it, about 1/3 of a cup.  When tiny pinholes start to appear and the surface has lost the “glossy look”, flip it over with a spatula.  Check for burning.   Markings  should be brown, not black.   Repeat.   Stir the batter before each ladle.

Makes  7 to 8 crepes.  (You can use a non-stick skillet and no oil, in which case there will be no markings.  They will look really pale though.  But they will taste just as good!)