Lazy Summer Afternoon

What are you doing on a Sunday afternoon?  Are you having a nap, visiting, reading or just keeping cool?  The past three weeks have been so very hot here in Calgary.  Mind you, I am not complaining after the long winter we had and then the wet, cool spring.  The flooding in the eastern prairies was horrible.  Hard to imagine battling that surge of water two years in a row.  Here in, the city of Calgary, if there was any flooding it was minimal.

We now are residing in our third floor condo, up the hill from the river so trusting we will not flood.(ever) but never say never!!!!!!  We are all moved in, now comes the relocating and organization of how we want things to be for awhile.  My sister Donna and brother-in-law Murray were here for a week.  Donna's goal was to get pictures hung.  She and Murray did an amazing job.  Fortunately, she didn't find them all!!!!!  Sometimes less is more.  The pictures did make things feel way more comfy and homey.  Thanks guys.

July 5 saw us out in Cochrane for our niece Jody's wedding to Jason Ferguson.  It was fun and special to share in their day.  Donna and Murray left for home and my mom came to stay with us for a week.  My brother David and our sister in law Betty were over at different times, on a few days, but had "in law accommodation."  The room that I call my office has our wall bed in it so we are still set up for overnight company.

We are getting use to condo living.  It is different from what we know but a change is as good as a rest so the saying goes.  Once the house sale was settled and we drove by I was much more settled.  I loved how the buyers had a swing out on the front patio and chairs and table and umbrella on the back deck.  There were flower pots lined up by the garage so I thought "good someone to care for the yard and enjoy it."  Now, you gotta realize I wasn't stalking the house or them!!!        but     you can see a lot when you know where to look  =} .  There were even ladders on the outside hangers Bob had put up and used!!!!   Cough, cough, we are looking after our neighbor's house next to our old Elgin house so we will pop over tonight to check the house out for Bob and Michelle (their house, not their new neighbors).

To me living in the condo is like being at a resort.  We overlook the fountain park so it is pretty much a block across the park to the boulevard.  We have some nice, getting to be 3 storey tall, trees in front.  During the day we can hear and watch kids playing in the fountain, in the playground and shooting hoops.  Families have picnics and it is a really neat atmosphere.  Kinda like the times we use to spent at Clear Lake minus the campfires.  The ice cream truck even happens by regularly.  

Bob is on his final week of this course of chemo.  He has had a fair bit more pain lately, mostly in the one hip.  It seems somewhat better right now but Bob is using his walking stick a lot.   Bob now says that the hip feels it is bruised--not black and blue though.  Altho last week we took mom up to see Mike and Cori and kids and guess what grandpa did??  He went down the waterslide with Maksim.  We are really hoping that is the cause of the sore hip.  Bob's blood sugar seems to be staying higher for a longer time  on the dex days.  Bob bought a new tester that connects to the computer through a usb port.  Bob is checking more often and will have a better record to share with our GP.  It mostly comes to doing enough activityso today we went shopping,   Ahhh come on that is walking!!!!!!
On July 30 Bob will have a PET scan and see Dr. Bahlis afterwards.  It will be interesting to hear what he has to say about my dear hubby.  I promise to do a short post afterwards.

Enjoy a new week of summer before it is gone.

Changes

We made our trip to Niagra Falls and had a lovely Easter celebration with dad and Reta and their church family.  It truly was a blessed time.  So good to spend that time with the two of them.  Dad had celebrated his 91st birthday in Feb. so this was once again a cause to celebrate.  Dad has now had the cataracts done in both eyes so should be good to drive a few more kilometers.

Bob did well on the trip and saw the oncologist on May 7.  The doctors were very pleased with the first month on the new drug combo.  The cancer has slowed down and the markers that the doctors follow have recovered reasonably well.  Dr. Nehri who is also a myeloma research scientist, oncologist and the wife of Dr. Bahlis sees Bob most times now.  Bob is atypical so both of the docs watch his results and consult about what should happen.  Dr. Nehri has another drug ready to use when this combination fails.  She also thinks that in the next eighteen months another new drug for multiple myeloma will come on line.  That will put Bob two years down the multiple myeloma road and then we will see what comes next.  Bob would like to continue working for two more years.  He really likes what he does and the folks at Exploron have been very good to him.

OK back to the atypical patient, Bob.  The protein numbers and the ratios have always been very low even when the lesions (tumors) show on his bones.  The plasma in the marrow was also low so the thinking is that the cancer shows itself more on the outer side of the bone rather than in the marrow.  Hence the PET scans and MRIs are how to track the cancer more accurately.  When these three months are up, I believe he will getting the imagery done again.  I like the fact that Bob is monitored carefully.  God knew that we  needed to be in Calgary for several reasons.  We have amazing medical people caring for Bob.

When we returned from Ontario we were thinking that we should BEGIN to consider moving into a condo.  This would be a no outside maintenance and a one level dwelling.  Bob's thinking is that it would be better to make the move before it became something we had to do.  One day my hubby was in the bank and decided to see how we should plan to go about this purchase.  The major thing that stuck in his head, from what the banker said, was that it would be best to buy while we are still having an income.  Long story short we own and are in possession of a two bedroom condo in the Prestwick part of McKenzie Towne.  It is only a block to Tim and Barbie's house and all the gardening and handyman projects that we may choose to do.

Our new address is   303-25 Prestwick Drive  T2Z 4Z1.  We don't live there yet but it is ours and we will slowly begin living over there in the next two weeks or so.  Our house is now for sale along with a lot of furniture.  Our white kitchen table, chairs and china cabinet, couch, bedroom furniture will be for sale after the house sells.  The only piece of furniture that I am attached to is Bob's roll top desk.  We also have a Smart Car and a Freestar van for sale!!!!!  Pray that we will be patient in waiting for the Lord to sell our things for us.

Lost my train of thoughts so will end for now and trust you will enjoy hearing....the rest of the story......

Aftermath

This has been a whirlwind of a week.  It seemed like a lot to take in during the week.  Bob and I have both had a million ideas and speculations and theorizations  coursing through our brains and then between us.
The decision that we made, thanks to your prayers, was not to have the stem cell transplant, even though Bob is 65.  For us and for right now in our life we believe that to be the best decision.  Bob is already forty eight hours into the protocol of the new drug along with the dex.(Now 36hrs)  Seems like once a decision is made things move very quickly.

Dr. Bahlis has sorta, kinda said if Bob is in good health he would still do the transplant to say 67.  The Dr.'s plan is to wait until this drug fails.  Perhaps it won't!!!!!  We asked if there were new drugs coming and we were told yes in the next couple of years at least two more will come on test.

Oh Bob didn't have a spinal tap.  Wrong terms, he had a bone marrow aspiration and just from a watching perspective it hurts!!!!!  All the tests that were carried out this week, we will get the bottom line on them, on May 7---next visit to the oncologist.  That will be three weeks in to this protocol.

So far the reaction to the drug hasn't been as horrible as we thought it might be.  I truly believe that our merciful God has heard the many prayers that have been said on Bob's behalf.  Thank you.   Bob gets a really bad headache within the first hour but he takes the chemo at supper time so we are at home.  Dizziness and being unsteady on his feet also happens.  Walking stick is handy.  Bob gets really red---like a bad sun burn but that doesn't last the whole day.  He went to work today and by mid afternoon was very tired.  The tiredness has been ongoing, however this time it seems a bit more pronounced.-------So all in all not bad at this point.(Says me).

Spring is more or less here, warm one day snow the next.  I can hardly wait to get my yard cleaned up and start seeing some green while we enjoy a cup of coffee outside.

It looks like Bob will be able to manage our trip.  Altho he has a plugged ear, which has been plugged for several weeks and Bob can't seem to "fix" it.  He sees our family doc tomorrow.  Hopefully Dr. G. will be able to do something for the ear.  We hope that the plugged ear won't bother Bob when we fly---as in pain!!!  Oh yes, we are off to Niagra Falls to spend Easter with dad Hildebrand and Reta.  We are looking forward to the trip and change of venue for a bit.

Gotta finish up with a story about my time at the hospital as a volunteer today.   Ready???!!! Well, it was within a half hour of my shift ending and a sweet lady asked if she could go for a walk so I went to ask the nurse and of course she couldn't but would I mind taking Helen for a walk in a wheel chair?  The nurse says "just a short walk, as I know you must be almost done".  Turns out this dear woman hadn't been out of her  room for a while so how could  this just be a short walk so off we went.  I warned Helen that I had recently received speeding tickets so she should hold on tight.  I think that info was like a  747 went right on overhead, anyway away we went and enjoyed looking out windows, seeing the drugstore, cruising by the cafeteria, enjoying the new gift shop.  Yes we really did see a lot of the hospital.  As we head back to Helen's floor I begin to panic which ward did I take her from???  I knew the floor but yikes which ward?  OK, got that one figured out but for the life of me I did not know where Helen's room was or even which wing it was in.  All looked the same to Helen too and she didn't know where her room was....so I told her we were on an adventure.  You have to realize this is the first time I have visited this dear lady.  In the end we had to stop and ask a nurse (not at the main desk that would be well...very humbling) who checked Helen's bracelet and looked on the computer to find Helen's abode.  Wrong wing but now at least we had a room number.  Helen was smiling so it was a great walkabout for her...embarrassing for me, especially if there had been security sent out to find the volunteer who lost a patient---learn something everyday---keep notes !!!!!!

Enjoy your Easter celebrations of our Resurrected Lord.

Deja vu

When Bob came home from the appointment with the oncologist yesterday (April 2) it was deja vu.  I spent today, once again, dealing with the fears and the realities of the horrible cancer that Bob's body is dealing with.  Once again we will both be heading to Tom Baker Cancer Center on Tuesday  April 8.  Bob has been going to all of his appointments on his own for quite some time as all the appointments seemed so routine.
The routine and mundane is changing and not the way we would like.

The results from the PET scan were shared with Bob yesterday.  The course of chemo that Bob has been taking has failed.  There are more tumors or lesions on his bones.  Bob said he didn't ask where, as we kinda know where some tumors may be.  The pain he is experiencing gives it away.  We hoped it was arthritis or nerve pain from the surgery of almost six years ago.  Six years since the initial diagnosis, more than three years more than the original time frame we were given.  Thanks to new drugs and new pairings of drugs over the past five years there is more hope and longevity for multiple myeloma patients.  The one option that was presented is using a new drug called Pomalidomide.  The Dr. needs to contact the drug company to get Bob approved to take this drug.  This  drug is not able to be prescribed yet.  A year ago the FDA granted accelerated approval for patients with multiple myeloma who have received two prior therapies including Revlamid and Velcade and whose disease progressed within sixty days of completing the last therapy.  Bob was still to have another month of Velcade and Dex so the cancer is being refactory!!!!!!

The overgrowth of malignant cells in the bone marrow can weaken the bones especially in the back and ribs causing pain and fractures.  The pain is increasing in Bob's back bringing back the horror of six years ago.  Six years ago we cancelled our Easter trip, a family wedding trip and then I watched as Bob could not handle the pain any longer.  Trusting we won't have to go through all of that again.  The side effects are horrible but they are with each drug.  Many of the side effects are the same as what he has experienced wiith the other drugs.  The main ones are neutropenia, anemia and thrombocylopenia.  I thought these words were very scarey and yeah I googled them.  It will be a while until we will know if this drug is possible for Bob.

The second option is equally frightening.  On Tuesday this is the option that the blood work and spinal tap are in prep for; the stem cell transplant.  The nurse told me once the tests were done we would discuss this option.  You may remember that Bob was rejected for a transplant when first diagnosed.  This was due to the finding that Bob had a heart attack somewhere in all the pain.  Sixty-five is close to the top age that the doctors like to do the transplant.  The thinking is that if the transplant would work for Bob the new drug would still be an option further down the road.

It is now Saturday morning and another test has been added to the Tues. schedule.  Dr. Bahlis wants the echo cardiogram done before the other tests.  Sooooo at seven in the morning we will be at the new hospital in our neighborhood for the echo and then at eight across the city at the lab over at Tom Baker.  Hmmmm I think that I will have to drive!!!!!!

In our newsletter from Sonshine Park Preschool I was the "meet our staff" person for April.  I will quote part of my write up;
 "Moving to Calgary proved to be positive for us in so many ways.  We truly saw God go ahead of us and prepare the way for our life in the city.  We can honestly say that God has given us contentment and peace in the midst of life's struggles......"
I innocently read this to Bob later in the day of April 2.  This was after I  had been so upset and just angry that this cancer was not weakening it's grip on my husband.  I ranted that we are so ill prepared for retiring, how our income on the farm just let us down, how we haven't worked long enough at our present rates to be ok, that we have made poor decisions over the years, blah, blah, blah.  Bob reminded me that we prayed all the time and made the best decisions given whatever our circumstances were at the time.  Then Bob told me we are just like the Israelites.  God cared for them and as we read about their complaining about the manna after the Red Sea parting as well as their other complaints during those forty years we shake our heads wondering why didn't they see God's care.  Bob pointed out to me; 
 "Shirley, just like you wrote in the newsletter, we know God cared for us.  We need to trust Him now and pray for God's best and believe that He wants the best for us."

So, the verse from the book of Job came to my mind.  Job tells his wife "You are talking like a foolish woman.  Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10.

We will gird ourselves for what is ahead and pray for God's best.  Should we pass through your thoughts at any time please pray for us as we continue on this journey.
Being in the "hymn culture" as a new believer and for many years after many of the hymns go through my thoughts.   I was a new believer and learned much by teaching Sunday School.  I learned the songs along with the kids. The hymns and songs that I learned are very precious words deep in my brain.  The one  I have been thinking of lately is the one following and  should you know the tune; sing with me, maybe even march about:

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness

All I have to do is follow.

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness

All I have to do is follow.

Strength for today, is mine all the way

And all that I need for tomorrow.

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness

All I have to do is follow.

Lions, lambs, lions, lambs, lions, lions

Today and for the most part,  I gotta say the lions are winning!!!  The weather came in like a lion so to my way of thinking I thought that by now the gentle lambs would be taking over the weather fronts. However, from my window it looks like a regular ole winter storm blowing outside.  The winter snow is still hanging around and now the darkness of that snow is being covered by the whiteness of fresh falling snow and sleet.  I write about the weather in order to have a basis to complain,  mostly about the long never ending winter.  I know, I know all of us are dealing with that no matter where we live across this northern world. 

Wow, what a world we have too.  The Olympics was great entertainment, after the media leaves--most of them anyway, Russia decided to take back territory.  I read historical romance (not that this is romantic) but sheesh seems like a leader of another era did the same thing annexing back the Sudetenland in order to protect German interests.  The books I read, altho being fiction describe vividly what happens in aggression.
May the Lord keep us from another major war.
I am sure most of you have read about the premier of AB. Politics is becoming such a sad state of affairs.  Well,I won't go any further.  Cousin David covers that pretty well.  Hey David, more Canadian content!!!

Right now Bob is at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre having a PET scan.  Simply, Bob is injected with radioactive sugar and then the doctors monitor the circulation of this injection through the body.  Active cells---cancer cells--quickly move  to the sugar.  In this way the doctors can tell where there are tumors growing.  I think that loosely resembles the truth of the test.  This was originally planned for an MRI but when the appointment came the type of test had been changed.  We try not to race ahead of the results but sometimes you can't help it. 
This all makes me uptight and I want to complain about everything.  Life is hard and then you die.  I know all the right things, don't worry, but living through this daily gets to be tough.  Watching Barbie and Tim is hard, walking now with 3 fellow teachers from our school deal with cancer is hard.  The latest only 23 years old.  Visiting these dear old people when I volunteer at the hospital is hard.  Listening to heartbreaking stories of what is happening in the lives of our friends is hard.  One gal told me: for believers in Jesus this life is hell but for those who don't or won't accept Jesus as their personal savior this life is heaven.  Gotta say I am so thankful for the Hope we have in God. 

Thanks for listening to me rant.

Mundane

Yesterday, March 5 was Bob's latest visit with the oncologist.  I have struggled with the previous visit as the numbers were up and more drugs were added and then frustration and discontent and disappointment settle in and that is only me!!!!  Bob has more side effects, is more tired and has been having a lot of pain.  At least the weather has been horrid so it is easier to hunker down and stay sane as most everyone is hunkered down.  However the news yesterday is more encouraging.  Thank you to those of you who continue to pray for us.  Bob's marker numbers have come down by 30% which is great.  We are happy if they hold or go down.  These markers going up not only get our doctors excited, they put us on edge.  WBC is now 4.2, the Kappa/Lambda Free Ratio is now 3.55 (still a little high) but going in the right direction. 
For now Bob will continue on with the same doses and hopefully the markers will go down again.

The dexamethazone is the steroid that causes the hyper, no sleeping, agitated side affects and Bob is looking forward to tomorrow when he gets chemo cause the dex also takes the pain away.  Go figure!!!!!  One man's poison.........
Bob is also being slated for an MRI to see what is causing the pain in his back.  The MRI will show if it is arthritis or something else as a PET doesn't show arthritis.

Bob is working, has had to come home early a couple of days but generally "does his time".  Lots of changes on the estate so it makes life interesting for him.  This month my dear Bob is 65, yikes, not sure how that happened.  Seems like only yesterday we were 16.  Bob will start collecting those brown envelopes.  I am not to far behind so we now have bragging rights that between us we have 130 years of experience in life!!!  This is a tough birthday for Bob to reach 65 and not be ready (in any way) to retire.  Soooo he will continue to be off to work for awhile longer---me tooooo!!!  I am thrilled that Bob is turning 65 at one point we didn't think he would make 60.  Each birthday is a gift and needs to be a celebration of some sort.

Our biggest outings this winter have been to Mike and Cori's to spend time with them and their kids.  Mike seems to be doing well in his business.  He finds it very hard to find good help as both of the locations are in very low employment areas.  Such are the challenges!!!  The kids are growing like crazy  and require high energy so we save up for a month or so before we go!!!!!

Tim and Barbie's family also is well and all doing their things.  We don't see them as often any more which means they are all well.  Barbie is looking for a job right now.  They need to take their family vacation and are still planning that and hopefully Barbie will earn some extra money towards that.  Tim and Barbie did make the trip to Ottawa when Tim's dad, Larry was sworn in as a MP.  

Our Quebec kids of course we don't see but have a wee bit of contact through FB.  They are growing older as well!!!

The weather is going to warm up by the weekend as I am struggling with a headache today sooooo on a more creative day I will try and write again and let you all into on our lives..

Happy New Year----2014

 Happy New Year.  Still have a few days left until the Ukrainian new year celebrations!!!!  Yikes 2014 already, hardly seems possible. A new year of life ahead..

 I must be getting older as I now find myself saying "well, I remember back when we were on a telephone party line and had a rotary dial phone".  Blank stares from my teens.  I also remember that in the year 1999 we were all wondering what would happen to us because of  Y2K.  We bought a generator so that we could milk the cows and cool the milk and then tractor the generator  down to the house until the next milking.  So glad that the Y2K came in and we didn't have any upsets---such as; loosing power, loosing our banking, not being able to shop because the cash registers wouldn't work.  In some ways that was only a short time ago and really all the prep is nearly 15 years ago for that event.  This summer we will call Calgary  home for 9 years and have not been farmers for 10.  We are happy being city slickers.  We get to do some house sitting out at the estate where Bob works.  That gives us the quiet that we forget exists away from the city.

Bob is doing well as we head into 2014.  We have more plans and optimism than we have had for a few years.  This past Wed.  Bob had a visit (well, actually an appointment) with the oncologist Dr. Bahlis.  The regime that was started a month ago has brought the markers for cancer down but not as much as the doc would like to see sooooo starting with chemo tomorrow--Jan. 10, the velcade dose will be increased.  If I remember correctly this will mean more neuropathy.  Right now Bob cannot feel his toes but the rest is good!!!( All a matter of perspective).  After tomorrow he will be back to walking on marbles and using the walking stick to help with balance.  Trusting that this will work and the dex will not be increased and they will not add another drug.

Bob keeps on working at his job.  It is ever evolving and including new things.  Bob truly enjoys his job and plans to stay for.................??????we will keep evaluating his health and plus as long as the Co. is ok with the arrangements.

We had really great Christmas celebrations with both of our kids and their families.  We were not all together for Christmas but we got out to Mike and Cori's the weekend before Christmas and then back in time for Christmas Eve and Day with Tim and Barbie.  Truly a fun time.

I received snowshoes for Christmas---very different from the ones from years ago!!!!! I am adding that to my programme this year........already been out   3    times!!!!!! Only once in the "wild" the other two times on soccer fields.  Gotta  do better this year.  Looking back:

                                                  I swam 10 laps
                                  I ran 3 miles
                                  I biked 7 miles
                                  It's been a good year.
                                My former philosophy (I hope)

Bob and I are both working at the healthy heart, and keep the high blood sugar at bay for now.  If you are young..... start now you never know when you won't be able to.
So on that happy note I say adieu and God's blessings for each of you for the life ahead in this new year.