Tuesday 26 June 2012
The Thing is gone
This is just a quick update to let you know that the crisis is not only past, but that I am actually feeling better and more positive than I was a week ago before the crisis. Thanks to those of you who expressed your concern and support. It was and is greatly appreciated.
Saturday 23 June 2012
The Thing is back
I am not at all pleased to tell you that the Thing is back. The "Thing". The other c-word. Not the cancer - relax and thank Goodness. The Thing; the CATHETER !! AARGH!
I had been doing extremely well with the incontinence story. Too well as it happens. Over the last few days I had been experiencing increasing difficulty voiding - that means peeing for you non-medical types. This came to a head, you could say, yesterday and I went off to the emergency room. I will spare you the details, but the short of it was that the hospital called in the surgeon and I have come back home condemned to wearing the Thing for thirty-six hours. After that we'll just have to see how it goes.
I had been doing extremely well with the incontinence story. Too well as it happens. Over the last few days I had been experiencing increasing difficulty voiding - that means peeing for you non-medical types. This came to a head, you could say, yesterday and I went off to the emergency room. I will spare you the details, but the short of it was that the hospital called in the surgeon and I have come back home condemned to wearing the Thing for thirty-six hours. After that we'll just have to see how it goes.
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Jonty, Bok Supporter
Mark sent me this photo of Jonty today by email. I think it was taken Saturday. We all got together to (1) watch SA beat England after they gave us a big scare in the first 20 minutes of the second half and (2) to log and bale a tree that toppled over in our back yard the previous week.
 |
| Manitoba Maple |
 |
| Jonty, Claire, Ingrid |
Jonty and Claire had a great time entertaining each other as usual. (Geoff in the background)
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| Caitlyn |
Caitlyn spent a lot of time getting to know Aunty Judith.
Saturday 2 June 2012
Post-surgery: Sobering but good news
On Thursday I had a follow-up appointment with the urologist who did
the surgery on my prostate to hear the pathologist's report. The
excellent news was that there was no evidence of cancer beyond the
prostate which had been removed; the margins and lymph nodes were all
clear. This means that I do not need any further treatment as a result
of the prostate cancer. In particular, I do not need any follow-up
radiation or chemo. I am so grateful.
The sobering news was that the nature of the cancer found in both
lobes of the prostate was of the more aggressive type that we thought,
from the biopsy, was only in one lobe, and that it had spread to the
outer "peel" of the prostate, getting ready, as it were, to leap into
metastasis. You could say that I had the surgery in the nick of time.
With 20/20 hindsight we now know that we made the right decision to
have a prostatectomy and to have it sooner rather than later. After
Ingrid and I left the doctor's rooms we went to celebrate together at a local
Indian restaurant that we love. He makes the most delicious Lamb
Korma.
Thank you to all my family and friends, and colleagues, for your
wonderful support. I have never felt alone throughout this experience.
I also have a lot of respect and appreciation for my urologist, Dr
Morrie Liquornik. I am aware of the privilege that is mine for living
in a First World country like Canada with such a good health-care
system.
the surgery on my prostate to hear the pathologist's report. The
excellent news was that there was no evidence of cancer beyond the
prostate which had been removed; the margins and lymph nodes were all
clear. This means that I do not need any further treatment as a result
of the prostate cancer. In particular, I do not need any follow-up
radiation or chemo. I am so grateful.
The sobering news was that the nature of the cancer found in both
lobes of the prostate was of the more aggressive type that we thought,
from the biopsy, was only in one lobe, and that it had spread to the
outer "peel" of the prostate, getting ready, as it were, to leap into
metastasis. You could say that I had the surgery in the nick of time.
With 20/20 hindsight we now know that we made the right decision to
have a prostatectomy and to have it sooner rather than later. After
Ingrid and I left the doctor's rooms we went to celebrate together at a local
Indian restaurant that we love. He makes the most delicious Lamb
Korma.
Thank you to all my family and friends, and colleagues, for your
wonderful support. I have never felt alone throughout this experience.
I also have a lot of respect and appreciation for my urologist, Dr
Morrie Liquornik. I am aware of the privilege that is mine for living
in a First World country like Canada with such a good health-care
system.
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