Down Some Pills, Up Some Hope

Penny and I saw the pain doctor yesterday in clinic and got a real plan together on how to manage my pain. As a result today is my first pain-free day in weeks. I am a little zonked though but that didn't stop me from volunteering in Carly's class today and running some errands. My next pain medication which we are phasing into over the next few weeks is, believe it or not, methadone! Billed as having all the pain control of other morphine based pain killers with none (or much less) of the getting high feeling. It will be a bit of trial-and-error over the next few weeks as we phase in the methadone and phase out the fentanyl/percoset. The end result should be good pain control with no snowed over, sleepy, high feeling. Can't wait!

Westjet Christmas Cheer

You should check out this years Westjet Christmas video. Pretty cool.

I'm having radiation on my shoulder and back this afternoon. Then I'm back to get another fraction on my back again next Monday. No chemo until after that at least. yay!

The Latest CT and Bone Scan Results

Penny and I saw my oncologist on Monday to review my latest bone scan and CT scan results. Overall the results were disappointing but I'm feeling good so our spirits are high.

The bone scan showed 3 bone mets: 

• One in my right hip (treated with radiation in September and looking smaller than on my last scan)
• One on my T8 vertebrae (treated with radiation in September and looking like only half of it shrunk. Looking into another radiation treatment for this guy soon)
• One new one on the head of my left humorous (shoulder). This one is new and corresponds with some subtle pain and loss of strength I've been feeling there lately.

The CT scan showed new developments in a number of areas:

• All the mets in my lungs have grown subtly. The biggest one in the right upper lobe previously measured 3.2x3.2 cm and now measures 4.0x4.7cm.
• There is an enlarged lymph node in the pre tracheal area (in my chest right near where the trachea divides into 2 branches) that measures 3.4x3.6cm. It previously measured 1.1x1.8cm. This is almost certainly a metastasis.
• There are no liver mets (still! - awesome!)
• There are 2 new mets in my Pancreas. I know. Pancreas? WTF. The Dr is convinced these are colon cancer mets and not primary pancreatic cancer. She also said not to expect any major physical symptoms from these. Good news I guess...

Going forward the plan is to consult the radiation Dr on Monday the 9th and hopefully have radiation on my back and maybe my shoulder that week. I would restart chemo following that sometime, probably on single agent irinotecan for a change. It seems I have had enough cancer progress on my current regimen of chemo (5Fu + Bevacizumab) to warrant trying something else. I've done irinotecan before but not in a few years so maybe it will work better now with renewed vigour! 

Also going to see the pain Dr. Tuesday December 10 to get better help in living with the pain from the bone mets.

Mostly not great news but at least I'll be off chemo for a few weeks and maybe the radiation on my back will work better this time.

Halloween in Sidney!

October 31 we flew out to Sidney for a halloween treat and to meet up with Andy, Nicky and Harry from New Zealand. It was a chance for the New Zealanders to experience a North American Halloween and a good excuse for the Calgarians to trade a snowy cold October 31 for a mild wet on in Sidney. The whole trip would end in a huge surprise for the kids.





























Reading with Granny

Feed me Grandad!

Andrew, Harry and Carly as 2 Draculas and Katy Perry

Everyone dressed up for Halloween
 

Big bon fire at the Fire Hall in North Sidney

More dressed up craziness

Psycho Doctor Andy

Penny having a wee splash of wine.

Andy and Nicky on the beach. In November!

Mum in the kitchen

 The lovely ladies

Good times with Grandad

Hanging out with his big sister

Andy and Nicky

Granny and Bradley

 Penny and Andy

 All the peoples.

Carly and Granny off to the orchestra

Andy's successful beach erection

Passing storm. Island view beach.

 bath time with Dad

 Bath smiles

Blindfolded piggy-back

Bruce, Nicky, Andy, Nicky #2 and Harry

It's all about the pumpkin for Brad

Dan and Harry carving it up

 Andrew and Harry getting their scare on.

2 fully grown men dressed up

 Katy Perry

 3 halloweeners and a hot dog.

 Everyone at the fire hall for the halloween party

 Harry, Andy and Nicky

 Carly and her little brother.

Carly holding a leaf insect at the bug zoo in Victoria.

 Matt, Nicky, Dan and Andy

Harry, Matt and Carly

 At the ocean discovery centre, Sidney BC

Andrew and the octopus

Piggy-backs.

Cycle 54

I got dosed up with #54 yesterday. I'm feeling pretty good all things considered. I haven't got around to posting pictures from the island and disneyland yet but I hope to get to that soon.

I'm constantly amazed at all the help (financial and otherwise) we continue to receive. It's great to have friends like you. I hope to have the opportunity to repay the favour, just hopefully not with cancer as the cause.

And lastly to my friends at Encana that have been laid off. I'm thinking about you today. While it's not the best situation, I suggest you find something fun to do with your spouse and/or kids; banana pancakes on tuesday morning, friday matinees and morning swims are all highly recommended by this (mostly) stay-at-home papa.

Election Sign

Best modification of an election sign ever. See below for the other side of the sign which was un-enhanced.

Cycle 53

That sucked. I hate chemo. It's been a week and I'm just beginning to be able to function. I'm having trouble again with my pain meds. Vomiting and diarrhea + no desire to eat or drink means I don't take enough which translates into pain and emotional withdrawal terribleness. My poor family has to live with a sobbing useless lump of shite for a week. It must be hard to watch. I'm trying the fentanyl patch this week to see if that helps with regulating the pain medication. I've heard good things so we'll see if it works. I'm craving broccoli and sour candy and sushi so I'm off to find some combination of those for supper tonight.

Again, if you texted or emailed and I didn't reply it's because I had the IQ of wet mop for the last week.

Help.

The past 6 weeks has been less than ideal for me. And if it's bad for me, it's hard for Penny and the kids too. In these past 6 weeks I've dealt with more pain than anyone would like, been hospitalized a couple of times, had terrible chemotherapy and radiation side effects, and suffered from withdrawal symptoms and depression. But through all the shit, we've had a tremendous network of friends and family providing support. That support takes many forms. We had a team of parents from school bring meals, had people from work send money and gifts, had both our families help with child care, house chores, painting, construction, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and gardening, had friends distract us with food and good company, and had neighbours help with gardening and cleaning, and just about everyone, near and far, has checked up on us and offered help. This cancer thing sucks, but it would be downright unbearable without the amazing support network we have. We simply wouldn't be able to do it without you.

So, to all of you who have helped out in some way over the past few weeks, we offer our most sincere thanks.

Dan and Penny

Terry Fox Run

This is Carly's sticker from her Terry Fox run last week. Awesome.

Brad and Penny on t.v.

Here is the link to Brads television debut. Happy watching!

Bradley on tv

If you're in Calgary, watch for Bradley on CTV news at 6 on Monday for a story about Baby Gourmet baby food. Tara Nelson and her cameraman Jim stopped by to get some footage of the little kid scarfing food for a story Tara is working on. Brad was confused why it was so quiet while he was eating but he did well.

Dan and Matt: sailing Trip 2013

Last weekend I headed out to Vancouver for a couple of nights sailing with my brother Matt. In what has become an annual trip we combine a few things we both love for a weekend of fun: Sailing, beer and good food. Matt's boat is kept at Britannia Beach in Howe Sound, which is about 15 minutes south of Squamish. We departed from there on Friday afternoon and came back on Sunday afternoon. We stopped at New Brighton on the west end of Gambier Island the first night after a great day of sailing. That day we saw a HUGE log barge dump its goods into the water at the sawmill across the water and visited Matt's friend Sterling who lives on Gambier. Saturday we didn't have much wind so we motored out past Gibsons and around Keats and Bowen islands. It was a cloudy day but with no wind it was nice and warm. We spent Saturday night in Halkett Bay at the far east end of Gambier. Sunday morning we awoke to a heavy fog and calm weather. But as soon as we motored out of the bay towards Lions Bay we picked up a good southerly blow that took us all the way back to Britannia. We flew the spinnaker the entire way and had a blast. We had a few issues with gybing and lowering the sail but that didn't stop us from having a great day and a great trip. Thanks a bunch Matt for the fun weekend!

A map of out route

An old truck overgrown with blackberry vines

A view from the Squamish ATV club deck up a logging road

Massive log barge getting ready to dump its load

A seal

Our first night was spent here tied up at New Brighton on Gambier Island

Foggy morning at Halkett Bay (night 2)

Running downwind flying the spinnaker. Fun sailing.

Matt at the Helm of the Red Rebel

A long exposure of some old piles at Britannia Beach

Fog in the Trees

An old Deer. In Salmon Arm on the drive back to Calgary