April 22nd - May 12th / 2024 - WTF Rick - Where is your weekly Blog Entry?
In this post I write about:
- Update on the past two weeks:
- Did you miss me?
- Broken Dreams ;(
- Prostate Biopsy and Blood Work Results
- Response from the Minster of Health regarding the Doctor Shortage
- Canadian Cancer Research - St. Joseph's Hospital London, Ontario
The Great Blog Mystery: Two weeks of Unexplained Silence
April 22 to May 11th - Missing blog entries, can I blame it on writer's block? Nope, not really. In the last week of April, not much took place so I didn't have much to write about - maybe a few sentences but that's about it. Not really an excuse is it! Well, maybe that statement is not completely true. Let's do a review of the highlights:
April 27th - Broken Dreams: Clean out of the Workshops
Our two Weimaraner dogs excitedly announced each volunteer coming to the door, with their tales waging furiously! We have a large dog door in the house that leads into our fully enclosed backyard so that the dogs can come and go as they please. A few volunteers brough their dogs with them too. They all got along great and added some comic relief watching them run and play together jumping over stuff and playing chase me, I have the stick!
Ten hard working volunteers worked 7+ hours playing (working) pickup the sticks, rocks, ladders, tools, cabinets, machinery (some of it very heavy +400 lbs.), paint, insulation, and lost of dust. That's +70 hours of labour in a single day! It was awesome to get all that work done in such a short time pretty exciting to see the interactions of everyone working in a organized fashion to the end goal. I am so grateful for all the help provided! Lunch was good too Michele!
The majority of the heavy lifting and cleanup took place on April 27th, yet there was a second shop that didn't get touched, so Chantal Sloan of Vie Boutique (on Main Street) made arrangements for a second group of volunteers to clean out the second wood/paint shop for May 4th. She made sure it was well organized by inviting a ex-army Major to guide the cleanup. Things happened fast!!
I was grateful for the assistance during the cleanup, but my heart was being torn apart as the work took place. It is very heavy with sorrow over the inevitable course of events. As chronicled in my blog, the limitations imposed by my bone cancer prevent me from lifting anything weighing more than 20 pounds. The consequent fatigue now prohibits me from engaging my passion of crafting intricate cabinetry and delving into innovative designs. The termination of this creative outlet, which used to stir my soul and ignite my imagination, deeply saddens me and leaves an irreplaceable void in my heart.
The picture shows the sign coming down :(
May 7th - Don't Worry Rick - It will only hurt a little
A few days prior to May 7th my mind was preoccupied with the upcoming prostate biopsy procedure. I got call from the doctors office telling me my biopsy was scheduled and to check my email for a document describing the procedure and what to do to get ready for it. What a surprise! The procedure described needles going thru my rectum, piercing the rectum wall and accessing the prostate for the biopsy. Well, there was no way I was going to let that happen! Ouch - and that's the mild version of what I was really thinking. Besides, that's not what the doctor and I agreed upon for doing the biopsy.
So I called the doctors office explaining that the emailed document described a very invasive procedure and I wasn't going to show up for that! The admin assistant said sorry and that they sent the wrong document but they didn't have one for the procedure I was going to have. But, just read the first page and disregard the rest they told me. I was still in a little shock thinking there is no way in hell I would sign up for the not so fun kind procedure. Okay I told the admin assistant. See you May 7th @ 10:30am. Oh by the way Rick, you need someone to drive you. Okay, I said.
My friend Don offered to drive me to Oromocto Hospital (actually he insisted, thinking Michele (my wife) should concentrate on her busines and not worry about me). The drive from Woodstock was very relaxing; Don brought his new very cute 9 week old Shepard, She lays in the back seat, sleeping away and occasionally looks around to see what we are doing. She is so soft! In any case Don drops me off at the hospital and leaves to do some arenes while I get the procedure done.
The procedure was a small hole through the skin and accessing the prostate to take extremely small samples of tissue. They give a local freezing in the area of the skin, wait a few minutes for it to take effect and then freeze the prostate before taking a samples. In my case the doctor took four samples, Those will be sent off to a lab and analyzed to find out what the type of cancer. With that knowledge the doctor can prescribe a smart drug to target the cancer cells specifically or if there isn't a smart drug developed for it, then see if there is a clinical trial that I could qualify for or optionally both avenues could be pursued. I'll know in two weeks! Stay tuned!
Yea, so the procedure was a little uncomfortable and the tool they used to take the samples sounded like a shotgun being cocked. It was surprisingly loud. Afterwards, I was able to walk out of the hospital, a little uncomfortable but nothing that Advil won't take care of.
Healthcare Crisis - Letter to the Health Minister - A Response!
In my previous blog post I showed you a email I sent off to several key people including the Minister of Health Bruce Fitch. Other than my doctor, he was the only one that responded.
He agrees that improvement in the health system is required. But, this is not going to happen quickly. The damage done by not being proactive in replacing doctors that are retiring is taking it's toll. While I was at the Oromocto hospital, I was speaking with others in the waiting room. They also knew of retiring doctors in their area without any replacements for them. It seems that this is a standard practice by the government, wait till the doctor retires and listen to the constituents complain about it and then offer them online services.
In my case, the online avenues he suggested don't meet the complex needs of ongoing critical care patients like myself. The challenges I face in accessing timely and consistent care go beyond the scope of what the temporary solutions and alternative care options outlined in the response can adequately address. While programs like NB Health Link (I am registered), pharmacist care clinics, walk-in clinics, and virtual care services are valuable resources for many individuals, they do not fully meet the comprehensive needs of patients undergoing cancer treatments or managing chronic conditions that require ongoing monitoring, coordination, and specialized care from a family doctor. The complexities of cancer care, including treatment planning, monitoring for side effects, and coordination with specialists, necessitate the continuity and expertise that a family physician provides.
Here is the Hon. Bruce Fitch Response (click on the letter to make it larger):
Constructive comments welcomed!
Choosing the Right Canadian City to Live in if You Have Cancer
Want to be on the cutting edge of Cancer research, have access to the very best diagnostic equipment and laboratories? Then London, Ontario is for you! St. Joseph's hospital has invested tens of millions of dollars in cancer research. Did you know that St. Joseph's hospital was the first in Canada to have an Ultrasound machine? Now you can find them in every hospital!
Here is a 37 minute video of just some of the work being done at St. Joseph's Hospital. If you or a love one has cancer you'll find this very informative.
Final Thoughts:
How the hell are you feeling Rick? The Lupron Depot injections are working for sure! Coupled with that I'm drinking water with a high PH of 11.5 called Kangen water. This helps to change your body environment to be more alkaline. Cancer cells can't survive in an alkaline environment. Want proof that it actually works? My PSA level was 1215 before treatments. The doctor (Dr. Hickey) prescribed Lupron Depot - which is a pretty standard first line of treatment for prostate cancer. He expected that the PSA level would be halved on my next blood test. The best he was hoping for was in the range of 300 to 400 at the very best. Well, the blood work came back with a PSA level of 20! Ya, no shit 20! I was surprised and so was he! That is a really great number and hopefully the next treatment line can get that down to 4 or less.
Damn it Rick - Answer the question!
Let me just say, would you look at that - I am brimming with boundless energy and a positively radiant mind for the past week. But I do seem to be experiencing some occasional days with a little downtime. It's a bit of a mixed bag, you know. On one hand, feeling like a wild tiger ready to pounce can be both a blessing and a curse, as I tend to forget that my mortal body will undoubtedly stage a coup later if I overdo it. While I still find myself getting tired quicker than a tired marathon runner, I've discovered a newfound talent of standing taller for longer stretches without my pelvic and back regions declaring a full-blown revolt. Life's like a rollercoaster ride, isn't it?
Take time for yourself and enjoy your week!
Please consider donating to my Go Fund Me Page, it helps finically to meet on going costs not being able to work and the costs that are associated with this disease.
You can find my Go Fund Me page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/missedallsigns