Goodbye summer, hello our future
So here we are in September. I have been hideously remiss in not posting on here but after my course of BCG (bladder cancer) treatments I couldn't wait to get the hell out of UK, fly to Canada, and spend a few weeks chilling back home.
Well, chilling is hardly an appropriate word here when you think that we spent 5 weeks travelling around visiting family and friends and at one point spent a week by Georgian Bay (Ontario) in rented accommodation in a group of 6 adults and 8 teenagers. Evening meals, in particular, resembled running a restaurant but we oldies shared out the responsibility and somehow managed to emerged unscathed.
Especially as none of us had to get up at 6:00 a.m. to see kids off to school...unlike now that we're all back to reality.
Now, the bladder cancer. Having heard the most terrifying stories from some folks who experienced BCG treatments I approached them, as you know, with some trepidation. However the sum total of my side effects were extreme fatigue. No pain, no fevers, no diddly squat. I am very lucky.
A week ago I went into the hospital for another "poke and peek" to see what if anything had happened up my wee-wee hole since the BCG treatment and my sabbatical in Canada. After my epidural anaesthetic had taken effect once again my numb legs were hoisted into the very undignified stirrups and the procedure began.
As this time the first little mini-camera worked (unlike the previous time when several little mini-cams failed before we found one that performed) the VT monitor was turned a bit so I could watch and I witnessed the entire procedure.
Despite my personal interest in the whole thing, I have to tell you - the interior walls of the human bladder really don't grab your interest like scenes from the latest soap or ballroom dancing prog on TV. Slightly fazed by a small shot of tranquiliser while watching, I frivolously asked the surgeon if he had ever played that "Packman" game on computers whereby the character ate up small segments of the opposing factor.
That's what the action on screen looked like to me, as they were using their miniature hedge-pruners to chop out a couple of remaining cancer spots as well as a few healthy-looking places for biopsy.
So now we wait for histology and my next rendezvous with the delightful Mr Andrews (operating surgeons in the UK, despite having had the Doctor handle for years, revert to "Mister" when appointed to "consultant" - i.e. senior surgeon - status) which takes place October 5th.
I'm lucky. Mr Andrews is such a nice guy - Nigerian, and fascinating with the stories of the medical profession out there - and cares about his patients so, so, much.
Now all I've got to do is get on with my work.
As so many of us say, and most of us believe, OK - we have cancer. But we also have a life.
What do you think?
Love to all
SUZE
Well, chilling is hardly an appropriate word here when you think that we spent 5 weeks travelling around visiting family and friends and at one point spent a week by Georgian Bay (Ontario) in rented accommodation in a group of 6 adults and 8 teenagers. Evening meals, in particular, resembled running a restaurant but we oldies shared out the responsibility and somehow managed to emerged unscathed.
Especially as none of us had to get up at 6:00 a.m. to see kids off to school...unlike now that we're all back to reality.
Now, the bladder cancer. Having heard the most terrifying stories from some folks who experienced BCG treatments I approached them, as you know, with some trepidation. However the sum total of my side effects were extreme fatigue. No pain, no fevers, no diddly squat. I am very lucky.
A week ago I went into the hospital for another "poke and peek" to see what if anything had happened up my wee-wee hole since the BCG treatment and my sabbatical in Canada. After my epidural anaesthetic had taken effect once again my numb legs were hoisted into the very undignified stirrups and the procedure began.
As this time the first little mini-camera worked (unlike the previous time when several little mini-cams failed before we found one that performed) the VT monitor was turned a bit so I could watch and I witnessed the entire procedure.
Despite my personal interest in the whole thing, I have to tell you - the interior walls of the human bladder really don't grab your interest like scenes from the latest soap or ballroom dancing prog on TV. Slightly fazed by a small shot of tranquiliser while watching, I frivolously asked the surgeon if he had ever played that "Packman" game on computers whereby the character ate up small segments of the opposing factor.
That's what the action on screen looked like to me, as they were using their miniature hedge-pruners to chop out a couple of remaining cancer spots as well as a few healthy-looking places for biopsy.
So now we wait for histology and my next rendezvous with the delightful Mr Andrews (operating surgeons in the UK, despite having had the Doctor handle for years, revert to "Mister" when appointed to "consultant" - i.e. senior surgeon - status) which takes place October 5th.
I'm lucky. Mr Andrews is such a nice guy - Nigerian, and fascinating with the stories of the medical profession out there - and cares about his patients so, so, much.
Now all I've got to do is get on with my work.
As so many of us say, and most of us believe, OK - we have cancer. But we also have a life.
What do you think?
Love to all
SUZE
posted by Suzan St Maur @ 7:21 PM
1 Comments:
At 5:48 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Suze,
I really have enjoyed reading your posts and was happy to see your latest one. I'm glad your BCG treatments were not unbearable. Fatigue was alos the only problem I had, and hopefully the medicine will do it's trick and keep away an more tumors.
I like your statement, "OK we have cancer, but we also have a life." I think I will be using that a bit.
Best of luck in your journey.
John W
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