Hi!
This is for my very good friend and pal Geoff Best and to my cousin Harvey Wrightman. I have taken a big step to overcome my snoring problem and sleep apnoea. For those who suffer from these two ailments please visit the following web site: http://www.aveosleep.ca/ . I have purchased a small plastic device from Ethics International and Business Trade which seems to have solved my two sleeping problems.
For $149 plus tax and shipping and handling I purchased an AveoTSD and have been using it for the past two nights. It has taken some getting used to but, it seems to be working. I will keep you informed as the days turn to weeks turn to months etc.
Since the Trachea Tube was removed several weeks ago, my sleep apnoea problem has become worse. Dolores became very concerned and asked me to see my Doctor about it. Earlier this year while I was visiting Dr. Jason Boxtart, we talked about sleep apnoea and he gave me the web site shown above. I procrastinated as usual and did nothing until this past week.
For any and all of you who suffer from snoring and sleep apnoea, I urge you to visit the web site.
Talk to you all later.
Rick (Oh Silent Night)
http://www.aveosleep.ca/
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Labour Day Weekend
Good evening everyone,
It's the end of summer and the kids head back to school on Tuesday, watch out for heavier traffic on Tuesday and be careful in the school zones. In B.C. the speed limit in school zones is 30 Km's and the fine for speeding starts at $176.
I've had a good week. I still have a sore throat and it is painful to swallow. Eating is not my favourite pass time these days. I find that I just have to grin and bear it. I am taking 6 cans of Tube Food a day through my J-tube. I have stopped loosing weight and I am holding fairly steady at 175 lbs.
The weather here this week was mostly cloudy with a lot of rain. When its sunny this is a beautiful area of the Province. Everyone hopes for some warm sunny weather next week so the vegetable garden will mature and the potatoes, carrots, turnips, squash and zoocini will ripen up. Tomorrow the meat chickens will be slaughtered and processed. It is an all day job and everyone has a job to do. It will be my first time.
More to follow next week.
Bye for now,
Rick
It's the end of summer and the kids head back to school on Tuesday, watch out for heavier traffic on Tuesday and be careful in the school zones. In B.C. the speed limit in school zones is 30 Km's and the fine for speeding starts at $176.
I've had a good week. I still have a sore throat and it is painful to swallow. Eating is not my favourite pass time these days. I find that I just have to grin and bear it. I am taking 6 cans of Tube Food a day through my J-tube. I have stopped loosing weight and I am holding fairly steady at 175 lbs.
The weather here this week was mostly cloudy with a lot of rain. When its sunny this is a beautiful area of the Province. Everyone hopes for some warm sunny weather next week so the vegetable garden will mature and the potatoes, carrots, turnips, squash and zoocini will ripen up. Tomorrow the meat chickens will be slaughtered and processed. It is an all day job and everyone has a job to do. It will be my first time.
More to follow next week.
Bye for now,
Rick
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Getting better by the day
Hi, hello, how are you,
Here I am on Sunday evening at 5:40 PM, PDT. It has been a good week for me. I am regaining some of my strength and endurance. On the down side, I have not been able to stop loosing weight. At the last weigh in last night, I was wavering between 173 and 174 lbs. My throat continues to be sore especially first thing in the morning and while I'm eating. Some days it is better than others.
I saw Dr. Campbell on Wednesday this past week and she does not want me to have the food tube removed prematurely. I see her again on Wed. Sept. 3 and we'll make the decision then based on my weight at that time. I am back to taking my tube food through the J-tube because for some reason my throat has started to react negatively to the liquid food.
I have kicked the Fentanyl patch and I take liquid T-3 before meals and Sufentenil immediately before meals. I hope that the sore throat will clear up during the coming week. I am tired of it. I am back to driving my car and that gives me mobility which I enjoy.
Dolores and I picked and shucked sweet peas yesterday. Grand mother Brown Blanched them, put them in cold water and put them in Freezer bags for future use. We bought a case of B.C. peaches and will can them to morrow. Today the three of us made 35 pints of anti-pasto. A big job, lots of cutting and mixing, boiling. packing in jars and then into the caner for 20 minutes. It will be so good on cold winter nights and around Christmas. Tomorrow we'll pick more peas and Tay berries.
Next weekend, the 25 meat birds, chickens, become freezer guests. It will be a family production. Dolores and Milton dispatch the birds, douse them in warm/hot water, I will defeather them and Grandma will gut them. It is one of the bigger fall jobs. The new laying hens are still growing and will start laying toward the end of October. It is something to see the difference in growing rates between the meat birds and the layers. The meat birds are always bigger and by next weekend will weigh between 7 and 8 lbs. while the layers are about 2 lbs.
That's it for now and as my mother used to say, I must be off. I'll report again later in the week.
Bye for now,
Rick
Here I am on Sunday evening at 5:40 PM, PDT. It has been a good week for me. I am regaining some of my strength and endurance. On the down side, I have not been able to stop loosing weight. At the last weigh in last night, I was wavering between 173 and 174 lbs. My throat continues to be sore especially first thing in the morning and while I'm eating. Some days it is better than others.
I saw Dr. Campbell on Wednesday this past week and she does not want me to have the food tube removed prematurely. I see her again on Wed. Sept. 3 and we'll make the decision then based on my weight at that time. I am back to taking my tube food through the J-tube because for some reason my throat has started to react negatively to the liquid food.
I have kicked the Fentanyl patch and I take liquid T-3 before meals and Sufentenil immediately before meals. I hope that the sore throat will clear up during the coming week. I am tired of it. I am back to driving my car and that gives me mobility which I enjoy.
Dolores and I picked and shucked sweet peas yesterday. Grand mother Brown Blanched them, put them in cold water and put them in Freezer bags for future use. We bought a case of B.C. peaches and will can them to morrow. Today the three of us made 35 pints of anti-pasto. A big job, lots of cutting and mixing, boiling. packing in jars and then into the caner for 20 minutes. It will be so good on cold winter nights and around Christmas. Tomorrow we'll pick more peas and Tay berries.
Next weekend, the 25 meat birds, chickens, become freezer guests. It will be a family production. Dolores and Milton dispatch the birds, douse them in warm/hot water, I will defeather them and Grandma will gut them. It is one of the bigger fall jobs. The new laying hens are still growing and will start laying toward the end of October. It is something to see the difference in growing rates between the meat birds and the layers. The meat birds are always bigger and by next weekend will weigh between 7 and 8 lbs. while the layers are about 2 lbs.
That's it for now and as my mother used to say, I must be off. I'll report again later in the week.
Bye for now,
Rick
Monday, August 18, 2008
Quality recovery time
Hi all,
It's been sunny and hot here at Fort Fraser. The day time highs have been 28 to 30 C every day and the nights cool down significantly. Today it is overcast and drizzling. I have good news, I am feeling much better these days and the only complaint is the continuing soreness in my throat. Every day I seem to be getting to feel like my old self and yesterday I went for a ride on my bike. Zounds, that doesn't sound like much but, to me a was a huge break through. I rode about six Km's in total over the fields and then down the mile long driveway and back. It was exhilarating.
This is canning season and Grandmother Martha Brown, age 91, has been busy making jams, jellies and fruit juices. I being the anxious helper have been watching closely and have learned a great deal hanging around the kitchen with her. She is a marvellous woman and we enjoy each others company.
The garden has been really slow in coming this year but, the broccoli and Cauliflower are ripe and she has frozen quite a bit of both. The peas are coming and Dolores and I will be picking them on the weekend. The berries, raspberry, Tay berries, yellow raspberries, white and black currents have been bountiful this year. If you know anyone who wants to come and pick for free, call me at 250-567-9516 but, you better hurry. The Saskatoon berries are a dismal failure this year. High winds in the spring blew most of the blossoms off the bushes. The potatoes and the carrots look to be coming along well, the turnips are another disappointment. There are ample salad greens and the greenhouse tomatoes and peppers are just now ripening.
Dolores' son David has finished the haying with a bumper crop, approximately 775 to 800 bales most of which weigh 1400 lbs with some at 1200lbs. The new baler is able to squeeze out 1400 lb bales while the old baler produces 1200 lb. bales. There is ample feed for the up coming winter. David is now in the process of transporting the hay to hay yard, a monumental task since the bale wagons can only carry 13 bales per trip. You do the math, its a lot of trips and this is a big farm with lots of hills and valleys
I plan to stay at the farm for the foreseeable future. Dolores and I would like to make a life for ourselves together. We have to sit down and do the economics and decide what to do with my home on Pilot Street. I think renting it out makes lots of sense. We'll see and those plans will be the subject of a future Blog entry.
Stay with me folks, I plan to post here for some time to come. Bye for now,
Recovering Rick
It's been sunny and hot here at Fort Fraser. The day time highs have been 28 to 30 C every day and the nights cool down significantly. Today it is overcast and drizzling. I have good news, I am feeling much better these days and the only complaint is the continuing soreness in my throat. Every day I seem to be getting to feel like my old self and yesterday I went for a ride on my bike. Zounds, that doesn't sound like much but, to me a was a huge break through. I rode about six Km's in total over the fields and then down the mile long driveway and back. It was exhilarating.
This is canning season and Grandmother Martha Brown, age 91, has been busy making jams, jellies and fruit juices. I being the anxious helper have been watching closely and have learned a great deal hanging around the kitchen with her. She is a marvellous woman and we enjoy each others company.
The garden has been really slow in coming this year but, the broccoli and Cauliflower are ripe and she has frozen quite a bit of both. The peas are coming and Dolores and I will be picking them on the weekend. The berries, raspberry, Tay berries, yellow raspberries, white and black currents have been bountiful this year. If you know anyone who wants to come and pick for free, call me at 250-567-9516 but, you better hurry. The Saskatoon berries are a dismal failure this year. High winds in the spring blew most of the blossoms off the bushes. The potatoes and the carrots look to be coming along well, the turnips are another disappointment. There are ample salad greens and the greenhouse tomatoes and peppers are just now ripening.
Dolores' son David has finished the haying with a bumper crop, approximately 775 to 800 bales most of which weigh 1400 lbs with some at 1200lbs. The new baler is able to squeeze out 1400 lb bales while the old baler produces 1200 lb. bales. There is ample feed for the up coming winter. David is now in the process of transporting the hay to hay yard, a monumental task since the bale wagons can only carry 13 bales per trip. You do the math, its a lot of trips and this is a big farm with lots of hills and valleys
I plan to stay at the farm for the foreseeable future. Dolores and I would like to make a life for ourselves together. We have to sit down and do the economics and decide what to do with my home on Pilot Street. I think renting it out makes lots of sense. We'll see and those plans will be the subject of a future Blog entry.
Stay with me folks, I plan to post here for some time to come. Bye for now,
Recovering Rick
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The long way home
Howdy folks,
I'm back in Fort Fraser and have just finished enjoying a lucious ham caserole dinner. The trip home was eventful and began yesterday afternoon after my appointment with Dr. Leong ended. The B.C. Air Ambulance service was called and we were told that the Ambulance to take me to the airport was en route. Sure enough it arrived 15 minutes later. I was loaded in and strapped on to a gurney the engine was running and the driver was notified that the air ambulance I was scheduled to take was diverted to another centre and I was bumped.
Brock had already left for home and I had to call him to come back for me. As we were leaving the hospital he called the Air Ambulance Dispatch and we were told to hold at the hospital because another ambulance was on the way to pick me up. We turned around and went back into the waiting room and sat. 1/2 an hour later we were told that I had once again been bumped.
I spent an enjoyable evening with Brock revelling in the fact that I am in the clear and the cancer is gone. We ate together and watched some TV and I called some friends in the Vancouver area to give them the news first hand. I had a fitfull sleep and tassed and turned all night. Brock woke me up at 7:30 to say the ambulance was on the way & would be there in 1/2 and hour. Well, that 1/2 turned into 1 1/2 hours and I had all but given up on an early flight back.
The ambulance arrived around 9:00 ish and off we go to YVR. It took an hour to get there and the plane was waiting for us. There was one other passenger on a gurney and as a result I had to be on a gurney because of the configuration of the Beach Craft 18. It really is a flying ICU. My medic was an ALC (Advanced Life Support) and that gave me great comfort. Soon after take off as we were climbing to our 24,000 foot cruising altitude I started to cough. I had to Reiki myself to calm down and I fell asleep for the rest of the 65 minute flight to Prince George. I was then transfered to a regular ambulance and transported to Vanderhoof.
Dolores was waiting for me along with Dr. Sean Ebert. Dr. Ebert removed the trachea tube and stitched the hole shut but, only after three failed attempts to bandage the trachea hole. Every time I coughed I blew the bandages off. I am so pleased that the tube has been removed and the pain in my throat is subsiding by the hour. I am able to swallow my food much better and with less pain. What a relieve. The coughing has lessened as well.
That's it. I'm now entering the last stage of my recovery and that is to regain my strength and stamina. It will be fun to do it. And the best news I am cancer free.
Stay tuned and I will update you with periodic accounts of how I am doing.
I want to say thank-you to you all for showing your support during the last 4 and 1/2 months. It was extremely important to me and without your support faith and prayers who knows where I would be today. My friend Pauline Viverette (Spranghill66) said it best "The Devil should have taken you when he had the chance because he won't get another one". Thank-you Pauline and everybody else.
Love to all,
Rick now Lumpfree.
I'm back in Fort Fraser and have just finished enjoying a lucious ham caserole dinner. The trip home was eventful and began yesterday afternoon after my appointment with Dr. Leong ended. The B.C. Air Ambulance service was called and we were told that the Ambulance to take me to the airport was en route. Sure enough it arrived 15 minutes later. I was loaded in and strapped on to a gurney the engine was running and the driver was notified that the air ambulance I was scheduled to take was diverted to another centre and I was bumped.
Brock had already left for home and I had to call him to come back for me. As we were leaving the hospital he called the Air Ambulance Dispatch and we were told to hold at the hospital because another ambulance was on the way to pick me up. We turned around and went back into the waiting room and sat. 1/2 an hour later we were told that I had once again been bumped.
I spent an enjoyable evening with Brock revelling in the fact that I am in the clear and the cancer is gone. We ate together and watched some TV and I called some friends in the Vancouver area to give them the news first hand. I had a fitfull sleep and tassed and turned all night. Brock woke me up at 7:30 to say the ambulance was on the way & would be there in 1/2 and hour. Well, that 1/2 turned into 1 1/2 hours and I had all but given up on an early flight back.
The ambulance arrived around 9:00 ish and off we go to YVR. It took an hour to get there and the plane was waiting for us. There was one other passenger on a gurney and as a result I had to be on a gurney because of the configuration of the Beach Craft 18. It really is a flying ICU. My medic was an ALC (Advanced Life Support) and that gave me great comfort. Soon after take off as we were climbing to our 24,000 foot cruising altitude I started to cough. I had to Reiki myself to calm down and I fell asleep for the rest of the 65 minute flight to Prince George. I was then transfered to a regular ambulance and transported to Vanderhoof.
Dolores was waiting for me along with Dr. Sean Ebert. Dr. Ebert removed the trachea tube and stitched the hole shut but, only after three failed attempts to bandage the trachea hole. Every time I coughed I blew the bandages off. I am so pleased that the tube has been removed and the pain in my throat is subsiding by the hour. I am able to swallow my food much better and with less pain. What a relieve. The coughing has lessened as well.
That's it. I'm now entering the last stage of my recovery and that is to regain my strength and stamina. It will be fun to do it. And the best news I am cancer free.
Stay tuned and I will update you with periodic accounts of how I am doing.
I want to say thank-you to you all for showing your support during the last 4 and 1/2 months. It was extremely important to me and without your support faith and prayers who knows where I would be today. My friend Pauline Viverette (Spranghill66) said it best "The Devil should have taken you when he had the chance because he won't get another one". Thank-you Pauline and everybody else.
Love to all,
Rick now Lumpfree.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
A new beginning
Whopeee,
I'm in Vancouver and had my appointment with Dr. Anderson, the Surgeon, yesterday. He gave me a clean bill of health and surgery is not required. He wants me to see Dr, Filitov in PG every second month for the next year. Yahoo! That's really good news. He also wants Dr. Filatov to remove the Trachea tube when I get home.
I saw Dr. Leong today at 2:20 and he listened to what I had to say since the last time I saw him in June. Dr. Leong did not scope me but he did examine me. He also thinks its a good idea to see Dr. Filitov every two months. He feels the sore throat is a combination of my excessive coughing and the Trachea tube. He wants me to have the trachea tube removed when I get home. He also wants me to start drinking my tube food instead of using the G-tube. I should try it for a two week period and if all goes well, have it taken out.
So, from this point it appears that I am on my way to a full recovery. How sweet is that? Now I have to regain my strength and stamina. It's been a long battle and I hope its over. So, as you can see, I appear to be out of the woods.
Keep watching the Blog for more updates as I continue to recover.
By for now,
Lumpfree ( that sounds so nice)
P.S. Last night I stayed the Vancouver Lodge, The Jean Barker Pavilion, part of the Vancouver Cancer Clinic, last night and I'm now at Brocks house. The lodge was $38 for the night plus three squares.
Today, I was to take an ambulance from the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic to Vancouver airport then take the air ambulance to Vanderhoof this afternoon, But I was bumped, not once but twice so here I sit. I may go home tomorrow or Thursday. I hope its tomorrow.
I'm in Vancouver and had my appointment with Dr. Anderson, the Surgeon, yesterday. He gave me a clean bill of health and surgery is not required. He wants me to see Dr, Filitov in PG every second month for the next year. Yahoo! That's really good news. He also wants Dr. Filatov to remove the Trachea tube when I get home.
I saw Dr. Leong today at 2:20 and he listened to what I had to say since the last time I saw him in June. Dr. Leong did not scope me but he did examine me. He also thinks its a good idea to see Dr. Filitov every two months. He feels the sore throat is a combination of my excessive coughing and the Trachea tube. He wants me to have the trachea tube removed when I get home. He also wants me to start drinking my tube food instead of using the G-tube. I should try it for a two week period and if all goes well, have it taken out.
So, from this point it appears that I am on my way to a full recovery. How sweet is that? Now I have to regain my strength and stamina. It's been a long battle and I hope its over. So, as you can see, I appear to be out of the woods.
Keep watching the Blog for more updates as I continue to recover.
By for now,
Lumpfree ( that sounds so nice)
P.S. Last night I stayed the Vancouver Lodge, The Jean Barker Pavilion, part of the Vancouver Cancer Clinic, last night and I'm now at Brocks house. The lodge was $38 for the night plus three squares.
Today, I was to take an ambulance from the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic to Vancouver airport then take the air ambulance to Vanderhoof this afternoon, But I was bumped, not once but twice so here I sit. I may go home tomorrow or Thursday. I hope its tomorrow.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
On my way
Good evening all,
It's just about 6:00 PDT and I'm packed, fed and waiting for Milton to drive me into hospital in Vanderhoof. It has been a really crummy day here with a howling west wind, driving rain all day and most of last night and we reached a high of only 11.4 C (about 52 F for those of you in the US). Chilly for the 10th of August that's for sure. I lit a fire in the huge River Rock fire place in the living room about 3:00 o'clock this afternoon and it took took the chill out of the air.
I can't remember if I mentioned that Dolores took me through a session of "Thought Feild Therapy" on Friday night. Some of you may associate this with "Tapping". The purpose was to rid me of my fear and anxiety of the proceedure where the Doctor puts the long scope up through my nose and down into my throat. I am sure to undergo this proceedure both at Dr. Andersons office on tomorrow afternoon and again on Tuesday when I see Dr. Leong.
The process requires that assess the level of my fear and anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10 and then we proceed to tap various parts of the body while thinking about the fear. After the first session I had reduced my fear level from a high 8 to 6. We then discussed what bothers me the most and then proceeded to repeat the tapping. After the 2nd pass through my fear level was reduced to 0.
There is place on our chest which is called the sore point. It is located on the right hand side of the chest above the breast. We spent about 5 to 10 seconds rubbing the sore spot each time we did the tapping. After the 2nd session of tapping the sore spot was gone. This indicates that I will be able to undergo the proceedure with much less discomfort. The proof will be seen tomorrow and Tuesday. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Departure time is near. I'll be back here in Fort Fraser late Tuesday evening or sometime on Wednesday. I'll provide full details of the visit at that time. Bye for now.
Lumpy on the move
It's just about 6:00 PDT and I'm packed, fed and waiting for Milton to drive me into hospital in Vanderhoof. It has been a really crummy day here with a howling west wind, driving rain all day and most of last night and we reached a high of only 11.4 C (about 52 F for those of you in the US). Chilly for the 10th of August that's for sure. I lit a fire in the huge River Rock fire place in the living room about 3:00 o'clock this afternoon and it took took the chill out of the air.
I can't remember if I mentioned that Dolores took me through a session of "Thought Feild Therapy" on Friday night. Some of you may associate this with "Tapping". The purpose was to rid me of my fear and anxiety of the proceedure where the Doctor puts the long scope up through my nose and down into my throat. I am sure to undergo this proceedure both at Dr. Andersons office on tomorrow afternoon and again on Tuesday when I see Dr. Leong.
The process requires that assess the level of my fear and anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10 and then we proceed to tap various parts of the body while thinking about the fear. After the first session I had reduced my fear level from a high 8 to 6. We then discussed what bothers me the most and then proceeded to repeat the tapping. After the 2nd pass through my fear level was reduced to 0.
There is place on our chest which is called the sore point. It is located on the right hand side of the chest above the breast. We spent about 5 to 10 seconds rubbing the sore spot each time we did the tapping. After the 2nd session of tapping the sore spot was gone. This indicates that I will be able to undergo the proceedure with much less discomfort. The proof will be seen tomorrow and Tuesday. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Departure time is near. I'll be back here in Fort Fraser late Tuesday evening or sometime on Wednesday. I'll provide full details of the visit at that time. Bye for now.
Lumpy on the move
Friday, August 8, 2008
Vancouver trip
Good evening everyone,
A quick up date on what's happening with my trip to Vancouver to have my post radiation check ups. But first some background. On Tuesday Aug. 5, I went into the Vanderhoof Hospital (St. John Hospital) to meet Dr. Suzanne Campbell the resident Oncologist there. We went over my history and what was next in my treatment schedule. I mentioned my appointments on the 11th and 12th in Vancouver. I also said that I was going to postpone the trip until a later date because of my current physical condition. She declared me to be unfit to take the Northern Health bus to Vancouver and back. Next she said that she would look into having me booked on and air ambulance to & from Vanderhoof and Vancouver.
On Thursday this week ( Aug. 8), the Hospital in Vanderhoof called me to say that the air ambulance to and from PG/Vancouver has been confirmed. I am to check into St. John Hospital here in Vanderhoof Sunday evening and be taken air ambulance to Vancouver Monday morning. The air ambulance will likely land in Vanderhoof rather than PG. In either event I will be transported to the appropriate airport by ambulance.
From Vancouver airport I'll be taken directly to Dr. Anderson's office and then I'll stay the night at the Jean Seabar Vancouver Lodge which is part of the Vancouver Cancer Clinic. Brock will pick me up Tuesday morning and take to the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic. The hospital has now told me that Dr. Leong, my Radiation Oncologist, is going to have to arrange for the Air ambulance from Vancouver back to PG. Dr. Campbell in Vanderhoof is liaising with Dr. Leong so that this becomes a reality. Either Brock or and Ambulance will return me to the Vancouver Airport when I'm finished at Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic for the return flight. I'll be taken back to St, Johns where I'll either be discharged then and there or I'll stay the night and be discharged on Wednesday Morning.
This is too wonderful for words. The Northern Health Bus takes 12 hours each way and I really was afraid of that trip by myself in my current condition. I don't know weather I'm receiving special treatment or weather this service is available to all cancer patients who live outside of Vancouver and have to go there for treatment.
Whatever the case is, I'm scheduled for the trip and I'm happy about it. Tomorrow I'll get myself ready for the trip. I'll have to pack my portable suction unit, my Meds and enough tube food and the paraphernalia to last for the duration of the trip along with clothes and toiletries.
I'll post a short note before I leave but, if not I'll likely be back here by Wednesday next week and I'll update you then. Bye for now,
Rick
A quick up date on what's happening with my trip to Vancouver to have my post radiation check ups. But first some background. On Tuesday Aug. 5, I went into the Vanderhoof Hospital (St. John Hospital) to meet Dr. Suzanne Campbell the resident Oncologist there. We went over my history and what was next in my treatment schedule. I mentioned my appointments on the 11th and 12th in Vancouver. I also said that I was going to postpone the trip until a later date because of my current physical condition. She declared me to be unfit to take the Northern Health bus to Vancouver and back. Next she said that she would look into having me booked on and air ambulance to & from Vanderhoof and Vancouver.
On Thursday this week ( Aug. 8), the Hospital in Vanderhoof called me to say that the air ambulance to and from PG/Vancouver has been confirmed. I am to check into St. John Hospital here in Vanderhoof Sunday evening and be taken air ambulance to Vancouver Monday morning. The air ambulance will likely land in Vanderhoof rather than PG. In either event I will be transported to the appropriate airport by ambulance.
From Vancouver airport I'll be taken directly to Dr. Anderson's office and then I'll stay the night at the Jean Seabar Vancouver Lodge which is part of the Vancouver Cancer Clinic. Brock will pick me up Tuesday morning and take to the Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic. The hospital has now told me that Dr. Leong, my Radiation Oncologist, is going to have to arrange for the Air ambulance from Vancouver back to PG. Dr. Campbell in Vanderhoof is liaising with Dr. Leong so that this becomes a reality. Either Brock or and Ambulance will return me to the Vancouver Airport when I'm finished at Fraser Valley Cancer Clinic for the return flight. I'll be taken back to St, Johns where I'll either be discharged then and there or I'll stay the night and be discharged on Wednesday Morning.
This is too wonderful for words. The Northern Health Bus takes 12 hours each way and I really was afraid of that trip by myself in my current condition. I don't know weather I'm receiving special treatment or weather this service is available to all cancer patients who live outside of Vancouver and have to go there for treatment.
Whatever the case is, I'm scheduled for the trip and I'm happy about it. Tomorrow I'll get myself ready for the trip. I'll have to pack my portable suction unit, my Meds and enough tube food and the paraphernalia to last for the duration of the trip along with clothes and toiletries.
I'll post a short note before I leave but, if not I'll likely be back here by Wednesday next week and I'll update you then. Bye for now,
Rick
Monday, August 4, 2008
Yoski
Hi everyone,
Beautiful and warm today +25C and a nice breeze. David has been out on the tractor all day cutting raking and now he's baling. The weather forecast is for more of the same through Thursday this week. This big log house certainly stays cool in these temperatures.
I had a poor night last night. Coughing and blowing and generally feeling really uncomfortable. I got up at 10:00 AM and Dolores gave me a nebulizer of Saline and Pulmicort. It loosened up the gunk in my lungs and bronchial tubes. I started coughing up phlegm and other stuff for a while and then I was able to sleep until noon.
I woke up with a good appetite and had a large bowl of porridge with blueberries and maple syrup. Shortly after I had a tube feed and the next thing you know I'm outside in the garden reading in the sunshine/shade. Generally, except for the cough, I'm feeling pretty good today.
Dolores and here brother Milton have been picking raspberries all day and making raspberry juice. They've already picked enough berries to make 24 pints of raspberry jam. They also picked enough Tay berries to do 12 pints of Tay berry jam. I do not have the stamina to pick like they do.
Dolores has said that one of the reasons I get so tired so easily is that in addition to recovering from the Radiation poisoning, I also had double pneumonia while I was in ICU at Surrey Memorial and it will take 6 to 8 weeks to recover fully from that. No wonder I feel so out of gas all the time. A piece of good news, my weight has held steady at 83/84 kilos (182/184 lbs.) for the past 5 days. I'm almost skinny. Wish I could ride my bike but, that is out of the question for the time being.
I'm hoping that you are all having an excellent summer. All the best and I talk to you soon.
Rick
Beautiful and warm today +25C and a nice breeze. David has been out on the tractor all day cutting raking and now he's baling. The weather forecast is for more of the same through Thursday this week. This big log house certainly stays cool in these temperatures.
I had a poor night last night. Coughing and blowing and generally feeling really uncomfortable. I got up at 10:00 AM and Dolores gave me a nebulizer of Saline and Pulmicort. It loosened up the gunk in my lungs and bronchial tubes. I started coughing up phlegm and other stuff for a while and then I was able to sleep until noon.
I woke up with a good appetite and had a large bowl of porridge with blueberries and maple syrup. Shortly after I had a tube feed and the next thing you know I'm outside in the garden reading in the sunshine/shade. Generally, except for the cough, I'm feeling pretty good today.
Dolores and here brother Milton have been picking raspberries all day and making raspberry juice. They've already picked enough berries to make 24 pints of raspberry jam. They also picked enough Tay berries to do 12 pints of Tay berry jam. I do not have the stamina to pick like they do.
Dolores has said that one of the reasons I get so tired so easily is that in addition to recovering from the Radiation poisoning, I also had double pneumonia while I was in ICU at Surrey Memorial and it will take 6 to 8 weeks to recover fully from that. No wonder I feel so out of gas all the time. A piece of good news, my weight has held steady at 83/84 kilos (182/184 lbs.) for the past 5 days. I'm almost skinny. Wish I could ride my bike but, that is out of the question for the time being.
I'm hoping that you are all having an excellent summer. All the best and I talk to you soon.
Rick
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Flu bug hits
Good evening all,
Yesterday was the best day I've had since the whole Radiation thing started. I felt really good and seemed to have lots of energy and stamina. I had three squares for the first time in a long time as well as 5 cans of Ensure Plus through my food tube. I don't seem to have the same amount of mucus and phlegm that I have had in recent weeks and the heavy, sticky white saliva has not been nearly so prevalent.
That all changed today, I woke up and was sick to my stomach. I laid down for a bit then had a breakfast food tube (1 1/2 cans). And was back to bed. I woke up coughing and was sick again. But, I had nothing in my stomach either time. It was terrible. I crushed up some anti nauseants and mixed it with jam and swallowed it. I fell asleep in seconds. I woke up feeling better but, I cannot eat. I had another 1 1/2 cans of tube food and as of this moment I'm feeling more like myself. I guess even cancer patients get the flu.
I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow.
Talk to you soon,
Rick
Yesterday was the best day I've had since the whole Radiation thing started. I felt really good and seemed to have lots of energy and stamina. I had three squares for the first time in a long time as well as 5 cans of Ensure Plus through my food tube. I don't seem to have the same amount of mucus and phlegm that I have had in recent weeks and the heavy, sticky white saliva has not been nearly so prevalent.
That all changed today, I woke up and was sick to my stomach. I laid down for a bit then had a breakfast food tube (1 1/2 cans). And was back to bed. I woke up coughing and was sick again. But, I had nothing in my stomach either time. It was terrible. I crushed up some anti nauseants and mixed it with jam and swallowed it. I fell asleep in seconds. I woke up feeling better but, I cannot eat. I had another 1 1/2 cans of tube food and as of this moment I'm feeling more like myself. I guess even cancer patients get the flu.
I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow.
Talk to you soon,
Rick
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