Digestive Issues

For those of you keeping tract of my issues, I seem to have found the reason for my obstructed small bowel (see previous post for details). I think it was the sprouts we ate in the Vietnamese food last night. The dish I (lemongrass stir fry with vegetables) was very good but it was absolutely loaded with sprouts. Not to go into too much detail, sprouts come out very much the way they go in. Having a food like that that does not break down and is long and stringy makes for a painful obstruction if you eat too many. So in the future I will be more careful to avoid those evil little vegetable blockage-makers.

The picture (by Neil Godfrey) is from a field trip to Utah in 2006.

Surgery Date on Tuesday!

It's been a busy 24 hours around here. The pain in my drain has been slowly getting better over the past few days. I think the nerve pain blocker gabapentin is working to stop the pain. I haven't needed any percoset this morning for the pain and I think I will be able to deal with it until Tuesday when I have my surgery (Yes Tuesday!). I won't go into details about what they plan on doing (I'm not even 100% sure myself what the procedure entails) since it's a very sensitive area to operate on... But suffice it to say I'm happy that I have a surgery date in hand and I can finally look forward to getting this darn drain out. Ya hoo!

I had a scary happening last night in the wee hours of the morning. I woke up at 2:00 with terrible cramping pains in my abdomen. The pain came in waves and it felt like I had to make a trip to the bathroom but of course nothing comes out the bottom end. Nothing was coming out into my ileostomy bag either which is unusual. I spent the next 9 hours huddled on the couch in extreme pain. It felt like that scene in Alien when the creature comes out of the guys stomach. Finally around 11:00am the pain stopped with a gush of stuff into my bag. Apparently I had had a partial blockage of my small intestine. I had heard that this was a possibility with ileostomies but I have been lucky thus far not to have to deal with one. I'm glad its over and I hope to never have another one again. Fingers crossed.

Tuesday's surgery should be a simple in and out of the hosiptal procedure. I should be home that night. I plan on celebrating by sitting in a hot tub and going for a swim (I haven't been able to submerge the drain since I had it put in 8 months ago). Anyone have a hot tub out there? I can bring beer.

Juice Plus+

Penny attended a conference late last year where there was a presentation about Juice Plus+. She was so taken by the concept that she signed up right then and there and after a short period of time agreed to act as a salesperson.

Juice Plus+ is fruits, vegetables and grains that has been condensed into capsule form. It is not meant to be a replacement for fruits and vegetables in your diet but rather to provide a daily source of a wider range of fruits and vegetables, including many that we don't eat (like kale!).

Juice Plus+ is backed by 20+ years of science including many peer reviewed journal articles.

Some of the benefits we've noticed since we began taking Juice Plus+ in November:

• Juice plus seems to have made us crave fruits and vegetables more often. The kids often ask for an apple, pear or orange for DESSERT! Penny and I ensure the fruit bowl is always full.


• My weekly blood counts showed drastic improvement immediately after we started juice plus.


• Trips to the bathroom are regular and easier for everyone (Dan of course is the exception with his ileostomy, it's always easy and regular)

Other claims to fame by the makers of Juice Plus+:

• Kids who take juice plus regularly miss fewer school days due to sickness than those who don't take it.


• Adults have fewer missed work days


• After a year on Juice Plus+ adults and children take less prescription &/or OTC medication


• Largest selling whole food based product in the world


• Most thoroughly researched brand name nutritional product in the world


• Supported by leading health professionals around the world

Published clinical studies show Juice Plus+:

• Provides bioavailable nutrition


• Reduces oxidative stress


• Helps support the immune system


• Helps protect DNA (hello... CANCER ANYONE?)


• Promotes cardiovascular wellness

The things that drew me to the product

• Over the years Canada food guide and USDA Food Pyramid have increased the RDA of fruits and vegetables simply because when we do eat them, they aren't as nutritious as they were 10, 15 or 20 years ago. Mass production, harvesting before ripening, use of pesticides and engineered product for maximum output has severely reduced nutrient content. One for one, an apple you eat today is not as good for you as it was before.


• Juice Plus does not use pesticides, and further tests the product for any over spray from neighboring farms that may occur to ensure pure fruits and vegetables. They harvest all crops at peak ripeness. The fruit or vegetable is juiced within 24 hours and then dehydrated at low temperatures so as to not damage any enzymes.


• This company's mission statement: To build a stable and lasting company that will help as many people as possible realize their dreams. - this says a lot.

Basically this has become Penny's passion. She wants to see everyone she knows benefit from this amazing product. If you can take 12 minutes, visit Penny's website and click on the "Watch the Video" link. The video is a great summary of what Juice Plus+ is and how it's made.

Questions/more information contact Penny

403-217-4634

Dan-Pen@telus.net

http://www.tuttjuiceplus.com/

Some other information about Juice Plus+ from their website:

The Juice Plus+ concept:

Powerful, whole food based nutrition in a convenient capsule

Vegetable gardens. Fruit orchards. They give us nature's bounty and provide the foundation for healthy living and good nutrition. The latest dietary guidelines and clinical research consistently emphasize that people need to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve their chances of living long and healthy lives. And scientists learn more every day about the nutritional power packed into every tomato, cranberry, and piece of broccoli. Antioxidants. Phytonutrients. Vitamins. Fiber. And more.

Juice Plus+ provides whole food nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables, and grains in convenient and inexpensive capsule form. Juice Plus+ Orchard Blend contains seven of the most nutritious fruits around: apples, oranges, pineapple, cranberries, peaches, acerola cherries, and papaya. Juice Plus+ Garden Blend contains ten nutrient-dense vegetables and grains: carrots, parsley, beets, kale, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, rice bran, and oat bran.
Taking Juice Plus+ capsules every day provides the nutritional foundation we so desperately need - and that is so lacking in our diets today. It's a simple, smart solution you can really count on - because it's backed by clinical research.

Juice Plus is not:

Juice Plus+ is not a substitute for eating fruits and vegetables.
Everyone should eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every day, at least 7-13 servings according to the USDA food pyramid at www.MyPyramid.gov. Juice Plus+ provides whole food based nutrition from 17 fruits, vegetables, and grains, because we often do not get nearly enough of the real thing every day.

Juice Plus+ is not a medicine, treatment, or cure for any disease or condition.
Many of the healthful benefits of taking Juice Plus+ have been demonstrated in clinical research conducted by investigators at leading hospitals and universities around the world, and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Juice Plus+ is not a multivitamin.
Juice Plus+ contains a much wider variety of naturally occurring vitamins - along with other antioxidants and phytonutrients - than traditional vitamin supplements.

Juice Plus+ is not a multi-level marketing (MLM) program.
Juice Plus+ is a product offered directly from the manufacturer to the consumer through a network of independent representatives. While anyone is welcome to become a Juice Plus+ representative, the vast majority of the people who buy and use Juice Plus+ are simply customers.

Setback...

Barbie and the Three Musketeers, originally uploaded by DPC Tutt.

Carly suggested we make Barbie and the Three Musketeer masks (she's watched the movie lots lately and says she wants to be a musketeer when she grows up) this afternoon so we did. They turned out pretty well and we had lots of fun doing musketeer training (lead by Carly of course).

Penny and I spent the day at the hospital yesterday. We had appointments scheduled with both my medical oncologist and my colorectal surgeon. They went well but I have drain issues that need to be addressed.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I've been having lots of pain with my drain. We initially thought it was just an infection but the antibiotics I tried (Cipro and Avelox) which have worked in the past, didn't seem to stop the acute pain. When I met with the Drs. they were both quite alarmed at the pain level and the decision was made to take the drain out soon and try and have some repair-the-colon-hole surgery ASAP. That also means I didn't get chemo today (my blood levels were borderline too low anyways). I can't say I'm too sad about that but it means following surgery my treatments will continue until the end of March at least, if not longer.

I was supposed to hear back from my colorectal guy today but apparently he's been very busy (it's a surgery day for him). He didn't even answer my page. He did allude yesterday to the fact that I may be able to have the repair surgery this week if he can squeeze it in. I sure hope it works out that way and I sure hope he calls me tonight with a plan. It's frustrating being in limbo having no concrete idea of what's going on. Until that happens I'll be sitting at home popping antibiotics and pain killers waiting for the call. I'll update again when I know more.

Craig Ferguson

For my Birthday/Christmas Penny got me some tickets to go and see Craig Ferguson (a comedian who hosts the late show after Letterman) tonight at the Jubilee. I'm looking forward to the night out. Hopefully he's as funny live as he is on tv.

Since Penny is out for the morning I guess I have no excuses not to finish off my little drywalling project in our master bath. I guess I better get to it... Happy Wednesday.

Thirty-Three

The picture above is from when Penny and I were on the Oz experience bus together in Australia in 2001. Ah the days when we were tanned and young...

Sometimes I feel much older than 33 and sometimes much younger. I haven't decided how old I feel yet today. Today I got to sleep in, got to go out for lunch (mmm Burger King!) and judging by the smell of things around here, Carly and Penny are baking a cake. It's a laid back birthday but a good one.

I'm feeling much better now after my latest round of chemo but my butt drain is giving me issues. I think it's out of place and/or infected. I'm back on the antibiotics for now but if things get worse or don't get better I will have to go into emergency and try to see my Dr. (I'm hoping things improve so I can just see him next week at our regularly scheduled appointment). For now though it feels like someone left their car keys in my rectum then gave me a Tabasco sauce enema. Good times.

I have another acquaintance who today is going through the exact same colon surgery that I had. I just want to wish her and her family good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Friday update

Kissing the moose, originally uploaded by DPC Tutt.

This round of chemo seems to be going better than the last. I've been taking more anti-nausea meds than last time which could be the difference. As usual, I can't wait for next week when I know I'll be feeling better. My butt drain has been acting up lately. I've had a little pain when moving around which could mean another infection is moving in. I see my colorectal surgeon (Dr. Buie) in a week or so and I hope he will suggest pulling the darn thing out and seeing what happens. I'm also hoping to talk with him about the possibility of scheduling surgery for reversing my ileostomy. Ideally I would have it scheduled for late May or early June so that I could have the summer to 'recover'. If that were the case and everything went well I could be back at work in September! That would be great. That's all for now. If you have a chance you should check out Jessica Watson's blog. She's the 16-year-old that's attempting to sail by herself around the world non-stop. Yesterday she rounded Cape Horn and posted a few pictures.

Old photos #1

Old photos #1, originally uploaded by DPC Tutt.

I came across some old pictures the other day when we were cleaning out one of our many full storage areas. I figured I'd pull out a few of the oldies-but-goodies and post them here when I have something to write but no picture to go along with it.

I got dosed up again yesterday with a fresh round of chemo cocktail. So far I actually feel pretty good. I know things will get worse soon but then they will get better again after that. Round 8 = 2/3 of the way done! I'm thinking about going to see Avatar this afternoon for something to do to get me out of the house. I hope the 3D doesn't make me sick...

From the CBC online

Updated: Here is Kevin Newman from global national with a story about the same thing.

This is an article I found online today about Colon Cancer screening. It summarizes the subject quite well. The emphasis is on getting information out to the patient so they don't feel so grossed out by discussing colon cancer screening with their doctor. If you're over 50 and you don't have a family history of colon cancer, the first screening step is a test involving a stool sample, not a full on colonoscopy right out of the gate. The colonoscopy only comes in if you have symptoms, a family history, or another bowel disease that raises colon cancer risk. It's worth the read if you have five minutes.

Colon cancer checks show low uptake
The Canadian Press

Home test kits check for the presence of blood in the stool, one screening method for colon cancer. (CBC)

Less than half of Canadians in the targeted age group of 50-plus are getting tested for colorectal cancer, despite a high level of awareness about the benefit of being routinely screened, a national survey suggests. The survey, commissioned by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, polled 3,153 people aged 45 to 74 regarding their understanding and attitudes about getting checked for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of death from cancer in both men and women.
While 95 per cent agreed that detecting colon cancer early greatly improves chances of survival, only 44 per cent of respondents overall said they were up to date with screening.

National guidelines suggest people 50 to 74 should get a stool test at least every two years. The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and fecal immunochemical test (FIT), both performed at home, involve sending a tiny sample of stool in a special kit to a medical laboratory, which checks for microscopic signs of blood in the stool. The presence of blood can indicate one or more malignancy-prone polyps inside the colon, or large bowel.

'The message that we're trying to get through with screening is it's a valuable test for you to do on a regular basis as part of a healthy wellness approach and it's not about waiting until you get symptoms.'— Dr. Heather Bryant

"While the number of Canadians getting screened for colon cancer is on the rise, the survey demonstrates the majority of Canadians at risk are still not actually getting checked for colon cancer," said Dr. Heather Bryant, the organization's vice-president for cancer control.
Bryant said physicians often believe patients are reluctant to talk about the risk of colorectal cancer because of embarrassment about discussing a private part of their anatomy and the ick factor of bowel movements. But the survey suggests that the bulk of respondents aren't as negative about the topic as had been assumed.

"For example, only about five per cent of people say they'd be embarrassed to talk to their doctor about the test," she said Wednesday. "Only about 12 per cent of people say, 'Gee, now that you've described this test to me, I think it's a little gross.' So people were actually much more positive about it and accepting.

"However, when they were talking about it being a screening test, they really were thinking if they had symptoms they would go in and get the test," Bryant explained. "And the message that we're trying to get through with screening is it's a valuable test for you to do on a regular basis as part of a healthy wellness approach and it's not about waiting until you get symptoms."

The major symptoms of colon cancer are blood in the stool, a change in bowel movements and abdominal pain.

Checklist for physicals

An estimated 22,000 Canadians were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2009, and the disease kills about 9,100 a year, Canadian Cancer Society statistics show. Only lung cancer causes more deaths from malignancy.

"Studies show screening prevents deaths from colon cancer," Heather Chappell, director of cancer control policy for the society, said in a statement. "Based on 2009 statistics, about 1,500 lives each year could be saved if a greater percentage of Canadians were screened."
Yet the survey found that 60 per cent of respondents did not realize they should be routinely screened before the appearance of any symptoms, while just 29 per cent recalled discussing testing with their doctor.

"Most family docs that I know have a checklist for the tests needed at certain ages, and colon cancer screening is certainly on that list now for many docs," said Dr. Jeff Sisler, a family physician in Winnipeg. "But it's concerning that in this survey patients didn't necessarily recall those kinds of conversations."

"The truth is that there's many different kinds of tests and issues that come up in the course of a checkup," he said. "So colon cancer screening competes with immunizations and diabetes and high cholesterol, mammography and Pap smears.

"There's a whole host of things that need to happen in the half-hour visit, and it's certainly possible that family doctors sometimes don't emphasize it to the extent that patients recall it."
Patient's responsibility

Dr. Anne Doig, president of the Canadian Medical Association, agrees that doctors have a responsibility to raise the subject of colon cancer screening.

"But there's also a responsibility on patients to take that and say, 'If my doctor forgot to tell me, I need to ask.' It's a two-way street."

Doig, a family doctor in Saskatoon, said patients also need to be receptive and act on their doctor's advice. Some patients "shut down" at the mention of colorectal cancer screening, possibly because they erroneously believe that means an automatic colonoscopy — a diagnostic test typically ordered only if a fecal blood test is positive. (Those with a family history of the disease or at high risk due to inflammatory bowel disease may need routine colonoscopies.)

"I can see it happening talking to them in the office. They're really not listening, even though you're saying to them, 'No, no, no. I'm not talking about a scope, I'm talking about you just doing a little stool test."

Bryant stresses that it's important that colorectal cancer be detected at its earliest stages because treatment at that point can be highly successful.

"And so this is one where you have a very simple test, it can be done in the privacy of your own home, and you can actually dramatically change the chances of survival," she said. "We can't say that for every single cancer."

The survey is considered accurate within 2.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Round 7

Walking outside, originally uploaded by DPC Tutt.

I seem to be over the worst of round 7. I think I got a bit of a cold from Andrew which seems to have made things worse. I'm back to feeling pretty normal now although my energy levels are low. After eating very little for four days my appetite is also back. I seem to eat about 5 meals a day now. Today's menu included a scrumptious bacon and egg lunch and a mid afternoon plate of Nachos. Mmmmmm. I think I lost about 5 pounds over the last few days but don't worry, between the egg nog lattes and the late night PB&Js I'll have it back in no time.

Everybody else is doing well here. Andrew is over his cold now which helps the atmosphere. Penny and Carly and I are all sick of being cooped up in the house for the past week (I didn't leave the house for 6 days!) so we're looking forward to a week doing things out and about. I don't know what we'll get up to but I'm sure it will be better than moping around here.