111. Chemo Biopsy Results

The results are in.  Last week's biopsy (performed by a radiologist with the help of ultrasound equipment here in Regina, no problem) confirms that the growth in my liver close to arteries and bile ducts is indeed cancerous.  My oncologist is referring me back to Saskatoon to the same radiologist who, at the beginning of summer, could not find this growth. (see posts nr 87 and nr 104)   I do not have a lot of confidence in this man, because he and the accompanying ultrasound technician were bickering in front of me about what was left and right on the image.  Also that radiologist told me that the tumor would have to grow again before he could do the Nanoknife procedure.  (It is Nanoknife and not ablation, I was mistaken!)  And that after I had just undergone 12 chemo treatments to shrink it down!  He also told me that I could always go on palliative care.  What kind of response and nonsense is that?  I have asked my oncologist to start looking for an alternative person.   I haven't heard anything back yet.  I may have to go out of province which I am most willing to do, if she finds a professional with a good track record.  I hope your day is going well.  Stay tuned.  Stay well!  SanTeh!

Back in a couple of days when I have found out what will happen next.

110. Chemo Gaetan Benoit

I woke up to the sad news this morning that Gaetan Benoit died about a week ago.

In 1998 I went back to university as a mature student to fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher.  I was in my 40s then.  I surmised that at some point I would have to teach math and since I had been mediocre at it in my younger years, thought it a good idea to upgrade my math skills by pursuing a math minor.  This required taking several math classes, one of which was Euclidean Geometry, a geometry class on steroids and on computer to boot.  At that time I barely knew how to turn on a computer, or how to use any of its programs, or how to save anything on it.  Things I had worked on very hard and for a long time kept disappearing over and over again.  I was out of my league.  So I panicked...big time!!  Luckily the prof allowed us to work together for our final project.  I looked around the classroom: some fellow students were friendly yes, but working together, um, no.  Some downright avoided me like the plague.  And then there was Gaetan, who noticed my panic-stricken face, understood my predicament and without reservation took me under his wing.  There is no doubt in my mind that I passed the course because of his help.  Gaetan was always helping someone.  That's just how he was.  He started working at CBC Regina Radio Canada during his university years and later moved on to CBC Edmonton.

I am very saddened by the news of his death.  He was such a bright light.  It's a big loss for us all and especially for the francophone community.  He died being roughly our son's age, at 43, from inoperable brain cancer. 

Adieu Gaetan!  Merci beaucoup pour tout ton aide!  Que Dieu et les anges te benissent et t'embrassent!  And our sincere condolences to his girlfriend and to the family!

109. Chemo Biopsy Experience

I underwent the liver biopsy two days ago.  It was performed by a radiologist specialized in doing biopsies, under a local anesthetic and with the help of an ultrasound machine.  The growth is in a difficult spot, near arteries and bile ducts.  I had to lay on my side so that the doctor could have access to the location.  He had to work around some ribs.  The anesthetizing and the procedure went well.  But my oh my it was excruciatingly painful afterward every time I inhaled.  It felt like some ribs were fractured.  (They were not I assure you!)  I was not given any pain medication till a good 2 hours after the procedure.  It took 5 hours for the pain to finally disappear.  Luckily I slept reasonably well through the night.  Before the radiologist came into the ultrasound room I had a chance to chat with the technician.  I found out that both Regina hospitals use Canon/Toshiba ultrasound machines and that private Regina Imaging clinics use machines made by GE (General Electric).  In Regina health professionals had no problems detecting the growth on the ultrasound machines, both in hospital and in a private clinic, whereas in Saskatoon it could not be found.  Makes me wonder what brand of machine is being used there?  At any rate, I will have to wait about 2 weeks for the biopsy results.  In the mean time between then and now I may post some more stories.  So stay tuned!  Take care!  SanTeh!

108. Chemo Heads or Tails

This one is dedicated to S.A.  Thank you for all your encouragement!  Bisou!

Manitoba friends were having an anniversary party.  My husband and I  were invited.  So we went, taking our small Beachcomber camper along and we camped in our friends' yard.  It was a great visit and party!  Not in any rush to get home afterward, we decided to make a small side-trip to the International Peace Garden, a 9,5 km2 park located on the Canada-United States border between the province of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota.  It is a lovely park, a symbol of peace between the two countries.  To our chagrin we found no campground nearby.  The closest one we would come across was situated at Oak Lake.  We decided to stay there for the night.  The campground was packed.  We got the last campsite available.  Because our Beachcomber had no shower in it, the weather had been extremely hot and we had been on the road several days by then, being able to shower was something to really look forward to!  Up to that point we had mostly been camping in our own province and had not yet encountered a coin-operated shower as was the case here.  I prepared two "bathing baskets": one for my husband, and one for myself and we emptied our pockets and divided the coins more or less equally.  I hurried to the shower barracks because I wanted to beat the rush.  I was in luck: no line-up yet.  But I no sooner had undressed and people began to line up behind me. I put the coins in the machine and discovered that in my haste I had grabbed my husband's basket.  It did not contain a lot of coins, in fact the coins amounted to roughly 3 minutes of shower time.  It did have a towel but instead of my usual shampoo and luxurious soap had a bottle of Head and Shoulders, a dandruff shampoo.  Oh well I shrugged.  I did not want to leave without being refreshed so I decided to lather up from head to toe with the dandruff shampoo.  I am not in a habit of using this product, so I plead ignorance.  But anyone who does use it will tell you that you do not want to get this shampoo in your eyes: it will sting and burn!  Well, the same goes for any other delicate parts I found out.  I have never danced around in a shower like I did then and there, trying to get this shampoo off my private parts before the money ran out.  Ouch!!  My husband commented afterward that he never had such a relaxing shower being lavender scented and all that.  I couldn't help but think how lush, shiny and dandruff-free my "nether parts" must have been. 😏

Biopsy tomorrow.  Not looking forward to it!  Results may take up to 2 weeks.  Back in about a week. Keep well!  SanTeh! 

 

107. Chemo Possible Biopsy if Biopsy is Possible

I met with my oncologist on Monday and we decided that a biopsy should be done on that liver lesion (see posts nr 87 and 88 Out Damned Spot), if the radiologist decides that indeed this can be done, because the growth is in a difficult spot (close to arteries and bile ducts).  If the biopsy reveals that it is cancer (a fact that hasn't been determined yet) I will be referred to a surgeon in Saskatoon.  If it is not, the cancer clinic will be monitoring me for a while to come.  I just as soon would like it removed either way, but it appears that I will have to be patient.  In any case it does not seem to be growing much.  Thank God!  Also, the oncologist recommends me having another PET scan in a couple of months.  Next week it is time for my monthly lab/bloodwork. I am curious about the CEA level.  Fingers crossed, hopefully it keeps going down (see post nr 97).  I promise that I will keep you posted on any important developments.

I asked the oncologist why there were 2 different results with the ultrasound imaging.  She did not really have a satisfying answer to that.  Come to think about it, she did not reply, avoided answering that question, changed the subject.  Hmmm....

S.A. requested I write about an anecdote that happened when my husband and I went camping pre-pandemic.  I had forgotten about it but she seems to get a kick out of it.  I may do just that in a couple of days if I can "hit the right note". 😄    Bye for now!  Take care!  SanTeh!

106. Chemo Who is Dangerous here?

Mary went to Lloyd recently.  Lloyd is short for Lloydminster, a prairie city straddling Alberta and Saskatchewan, in the middle of the oil-patch.  I doubt that she went for the same reason I was there in 1982: a dental convention!

Some of you who've known me for a long time might remember that I was a dental therapist with the Saskatchewan Dental Therapy Program for a while.  A convention was held at Lloydminster and my team consisting of Helen, my assistant and I, went to it, like all the other teams throughout the province.  Upon our arrival at the hotel, Helen and I checked into our room and got prepared to meet the rest of the participants in the convention room.  When we were finally ready to go, a cowboy in a room ahead of us, was also leaving and heading in the same direction.  He walked ahead of us in the hallway wearing the usual cowboy attire:  stetson hat, duster coat and pointy cowboy boots.  What was less usual was the fact that every time he took a step, the split in the back of his coat opened up and revealed a fully rounded moon, and I am not talking planetary systems here: he wasn't wearing any underwear!  Helen and I chuckled and shook our heads.  Was this normal behavior for the good people of Lloydminster, we wondered?  The cowboy disappeared around a corner and it was then that we stumbled upon a billboard in the hotel lobby announcing:  Tonight's Feature: Nick Danger, Male Stripper!

Arriving at the convention room, we found it already packed with eager, excited co-workers.  The room could only hold 175 people but the women kept on streaming in, pushing and shoving, because no one wanted to miss the featured event.  The ones that had no seat (none were left) were told by management that they had to pretend they were sitting down, iow. they had to crouch.  With the ticking of the clock, the mostly female crowd got more and more excited.  Suddenly the lights dimmed, the music started up and the cowboy, Nick, appeared on stage.  The women who had no seat shot up in the air like arrows, joined by all the women who did have seats.  The crowd went wild laughing, cheering, screaming...

Whenever I tell this story I invariably get asked the question:  were Nick's male attributes "stage worthy"?  I can not honestly answer that because Helen and I were the last ones to enter the room and were quite a ways away from the stage.  All I can say is that if anyone was dangerous, it was not Nick! 😇

Appointment with oncologist on Monday.  She and I have much to discuss, ultrasound results for one!  Back after the appointment.  SanTeh!  Keep healthy and safe!

105. Chemo Got Cancer? (Don't) Blame Yourself!

I admit it: I am guilty of it.  When I hear that someone has lung cancer I automatically think to myself: I wonder if this person was a smoker?  I want to know because I am not, and if this person did smoke and I am not, then it should follow that I should be safe from getting lung cancer.  There is some false security in thinking that way, but security none the less.  Now we all know that some people who never even touched cigarettes do get lung cancer and some others who smoked like chimneys all their lives, do not.  So it is unfair to "blame the victim" to be sure, but  the default is to think that way.  

When the shoe is on the other foot however, I do not like it so much. I do not appreciate it when I am told/asked or implied that I must have colon cancer due to bad eating habits. You see, I tend to think that our eating habits, although not perfect by any means, were quite good even before I was diagnosed.  There are many, many reasons why a person may end up having cancer and for colorectal cancer here are a few:

Also not mentioned are: all sorts of chemicals and food additives, hormone replacement therapy, a certain type of e-coli bacteria, PCBs, etc.  Notice that of the whole list, some, but not that many, pertain to diet.   People ask me if we have changed our diet since my diagnosis and we have, although not  drastically in my opinion.  The 2 most obvious ones are:  trying to increase our fiber intake and try to eat as much home-prepared food as possible.  I will elaborate on our diet in future posts.  I am reading an interesting book on Food at the moment.  I will comment on that at a later date also.

If you have cancer, please go easy on yourself!  If you know anyone who does, please go easy on that person!  Thanks!  SanTeh!

Towards the weekend:  on a lighter note: Mary went to Lloyd recently.  I wonder if she also ran into Nick? 😄😄  (possibly on Friday?)  Doing housework today hah!

104. Chemo Imagine the Imaging

A week ago Monday, I had an ultrasound in the morning and an MRI in the afternoon.  Both were ordered by my oncologist.  As expected, the MRI showed a growth in my liver, same result as on the MRI that I had in spring. No surprise there.  What was surprising was that the recent ultrasound showed a result different from the ultrasound I had in May in Saskatoon.  In Saskatoon, no growth could be detected whereas in Regina last Monday it did show up on the ultrasound.  The same procedure, yet 2 different results.  What am I to make of this?  You could say that the tumor has grown since May.  That is possible, but it does not appear to be the case from reading the reports.  You could also say:  different operators having different interpretations.  In both locations an ultrasound technician was using the equipment and in Saskatoon in addition to the technologist, a radiologist handling the equipment was also involved.  Another possibility, and one that I find most intriguing, is that there could be a difference in results because of using different makes of ultrasound equipment.   "Recent studies have reported variations of up to 30% between different ultrasound machines for tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) a problem that can significantly impact clinical diagnosis, patient management and research studies."   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov  Taken from article called:  Comparison of 2 different ultrasound systems for the evaluation of tissue Doppler velocities in fetuses.  

Whatever the cause may be, this "situation" needs to be checked out by my oncologist because I insist to get rid of the growth in my liver.  I want it removed through ablation as was promised. The radiologist assured me it was possible to cauterize it once he could see it. I don't understand that if they can see it in Regina, that it can not be seen in Saskatoon?  Or does this tumor play hide and seek?  Stay tuned for the follow-up and outcome! 

Lesson learned here:  from now on I will be paying more attention to the type (brand) of equipment that is being used for my imaging and I suggest you do the same.   SanTeh!