Home Stretch

I’m just back from the chemo clinic after starting my final treatment cycle. My platelet count is still low so I received a reduced dose. I’m on the oral chemo for two more weeks and then I’m done! Yeah! A little too early to celebrate but it feels good to be on the home stretch.

While you wouldn’t expect it, this stage of recovery presents its own share of problems and issues. In the words of Sam Donaldson… “A cancer diagnosis leaves you feeling sad and scared, overwhelmed and isolated. Treatment can leave you physically devastated… Picking up the pieces during and after recovery presents its own set of physical, emotional, and social challenges.”

I became aware of this first-hand after my first round of surgery and chemo a few years back. I found the period immediately after chemo to be a time of great relief and gladness, but it also had its own challenges. Susan Nessim and Judith Ellis have written a great book called “Can Survive: Reclaiming Your Life After Cancer” . In it they talk about the particular challenges commonly experienced by cancer survivors once the treatment is over. The overall theme of the book is around making the transition from being a patient to a survivor, from being a person with cancer to a person with a history of cancer. A couple of excerpts…

“On leaving the hospital or outpatient clinic, recovering cancer patients are faced with a bumpy transition period as they learn to adjust to life without the intensive medical support they received during treatment. During this particularly vulnerable time, survivors encounter unanticipated difficulties, such as anxiety over ending treatments, fear of recurrence, and a variety of other problems of adjustment… In addition, some must learn to adapt to chronic pain or the loss of a body part, while others are at risk for long-term complications of treatment.”

“As they reenter the mainstream, recovered patients must frequently contend with such formidable cancer related obstacles as employment and insurance discrimination, altered family relationships, loss of friends, and, for some, loss of fertility. In short, cancer creates lifelong physical. Emotional, and psychological changes…”

Chapters that really spoke to me included:

• Making the Transition to the Well World
  
• The Emotional Aftermath
  
• Moving Beyond the Fear of a Recurrence
• When the Resume Includes Cancer

I’ll reflect a little more on some of these challenges over the next couple of weeks.

BTW… The local community newspaper did a short story on me and my blog last week. Here’s the link… “Minister Battles Cancer”

TTFN… Rob; in Vancouver

“The road to recovery can be pitted with potholes?” Susan Nessim

Sweet Hour of Prayer

There’s a great scene in the Lucy Maude Montgomery classic “Anne of Green Gables” where Marilla is teaching Anne how to pray after she and her brother Matthew have taken her in.

Marilla decided that Anne's religious training must be begun at once. Plainly there was no time to be lost.

"You must say your prayers while you are under my roof, Anne."

"I'd do anything to oblige you. But you'll have to tell me what to say for this once. After I get into bed I'll imagine out a real nice prayer to say always. I believe that it will be quite interesting, now that I come to think of it."

"Why, of course, if you want me to," assented Anne cheerfully.

"You must kneel down," said Marilla in embarrassment.

Anne knelt at Marilla's knee and looked up gravely. "Why must people kneel down to pray?" If I really wanted to pray I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd go out into a great big field all alone or into the deep, deep, woods, and I'd look up into the sky--up--up--up--into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just FEEL a prayer. Well, I'm ready. What am I to say?"…

… "You're old enough to pray for yourself, Anne," she said finally. "Just thank God for your blessings and ask Him humbly for the things you want."

I’ve always chuckled at Marilla’s description of prayer. It reminds me a little of an old Flip Wilson quip… “Hey you all, I’m gonna pray now. Anybody want anything?” Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out the way we want.

"Just thank God for your blessings and ask Him humbly for the things you want.."

Sunday blessings... Rob; in Vancouver

“Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means for getting something for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God.” Oswald Chambers

Amazing Grace - Elvis Presley

A fitting closing to a week that has been filled with the sounds and images of Elvis. Gospel was always his first love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3XdXEJEI4E
Peace and Blessings... Rob
Rob
"I don't know why she had to go so young. But it made me think about death. I don't feel I'll live a long life. That's why I have to get what I can from every day." Elvis

Rock Idol Elvis Presley Dies at 42

By Larry Rohter and Tom Zito
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, August 17, 1977
Elvis Presley, who revolutionized American popular music with his earthy singing style and became a hero to two generations of rock 'n' roll fans, died yesterday in Memphis, Tenn. He was 42...

I was a just 19 year old college kid working in a forestry camp in Nordegg, Alberta on the day that Elvis died. Our crew marked the occasion with a roadtrip into Rocky Mtn. House and an evening at the Mount View Hotel Pub. It’s pretty hard to believe that was 30 years ago!

He was 42… Elvis’s career was really launched with the release of “Heartbreak Hotel” in January 1956. He had a run of about 21 years and left a lot of great music. While he is mostly remembered as the “King of Rock’n Roll” we all know he faired very well in the gospel genre too!!

He’s fondly remembered around the world today. Long Live the King!!

Rob; in Vancouver

"I ain't no saint, but I've tried never to do anything that would hurt my family or offend God...I figure all any kid needs is hope and the feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world." Elvis

Crazy Sexy Cancer

Kris Carr and friends have put together an awesome book and documentary on living with cancer. “Crazy Sexy Cancer" airs on The Learning Channel (TLC) on August 29th at 9PM. The book is released on August 27th. The following blurb comes from Kris’s website at http://www.crazysexycancer.com/. There is a very good "trailer" for the film at her site.

“Crazy Sexy Cancer is an irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding her life.

In 2003, 31-year-old actress/photographer Kris Carr was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer. Weeks later she began filming her story. Taking a seemingly tragic situation and turning it into a creative expression, Kris shares her inspirational story of survival with courage, strength, and lots of humor.

With experimental treatment as her only option, Kris became determined to find answers where there were none. She traveled throughout the country interviewing experts in alternative medicine as she tenaciously dove head first into a fascinating and often hilarious holistic world. Along the way, she met other vivacious young women determined to become survivors. Their stories are as poignant and exciting as the women who tell them. As Kris's amazing journey unfolds, she realizes that healing is about truly living rather than fighting.”

TTFN… Rob: in Vancouver

“As women and men with cancer we live every day with a mind bending weight on our shoulders. We tiptoe on the razor-edge of mortality, one hand touching the heavens, the other grabbing the earth. We juggle dying with living while paying the bills, doing the grocery shopping, picking up the kids, changing the oil, fixing that damn leaky pipe." Kris Carr

August Greetings

I took a little break from “blogging” this week. I’m surrendering to my bodies need for more rest during the chemo phase and trying to restore a “normal” sleep pattern during the night. This has left shorter “gaps” between my “naps” during the daytime and cut into the time I have available for writing generally. I’m also beginning to anticipate, with great joy and excitement, a return to work in September. This is drawing my thoughts and energy away from this particular aspect of my life towards a renewed and expanded sense of life in “the future”.

On Sunday I’ll finish my 5th chemo cycle of 6. Yeah!! I have one more cycle to go and it will be all over in 3 weeks. After that I’ll be growing my hair back and shifting into “surveillance and prevention” mode, a state of ongoing monitoring on the one hand and prevention actions related to diet and life-style on the other. I’ll have regular CT Scans every 6 months to monitor the liver. The CT results are reviewed with my surgeon. I’ll also have regular check-ups with my oncologist who will review blood-work and generally keep an eye on things.

I will be posting to “A Cancer Journal” occasionally over the next couple of weeks on themes related to “reclaiming your life after treatment”. After September, I anticipate posting less frequently with general updates as needed and brief reflections on the ongoing journey.

I hope you’re having a great summer!!

Rob; in Vancouver

“May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.” John O'Donohue

Hahaha

Have a laugh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
Rob;

1967 Summer of Love

I was just a 9 year old kid during the summer of 1967, too young to be a hippy. I spent the summer packing rocks, picking blueberries, and swatting blackflies in northern Quebec; enjoying Expo ’67 in Montreal; chilling at the cottage on the St. Lawrence River; and enjoying a bus-trip with my bro to see the Red Sox and visit grandparents in Boston. It was a pretty awesome summer for a 9 year old kid!! We’d spend much of our summer in those days hoofing around the Canadian shield with our geologist father. It made for great family summers and lots of adventures. During the rest of the year we lived in Houghton, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That was pretty cool too!



Summer memories were filled with music from the car or truck radio. Here’s a few of the hits I remember from that wonderful Summer of Love.

• "I'm a Believer" - The Monkees
• "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" - The Royal Guardsmen
• "Winchester Cathedral" - The New Vaudeville Band
• "Georgy Girl" - The Seekers
• “The Beat Goes On" - Sonny and Cher
• "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
• "There's a Kind of Hush" - Herman's Hermits
• “Groovin'" - The Young Rascals
• "Windy" - The Association
• "San Francisco" - Scott McKenzie
• "Can't Take My Eyes off of You" - Frankie Valli
• "Up, Up and Away" - The Fifth Dimension
• "Light My Fire" - The Doors
• "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum
• "White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane
• "All You Need Is Love" - The Beatles

It’s amazing how much music our mind has the capacity to remember!! Just seeing the titles of these songs gets the melodies rolling.

Still groovin'... Rob; in Vancouver

"Love, love, love... love, love, love... love, love, love." The Beatles

San Francisco by Scott McKenzie

Iconic tune from the Summer of Love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijTe7jhjnc0
Enjoy... Rob; in Vancouver

Scared Sacred Trailer

Finding faith in the midst of suffering...

"If ordinary human beings can see their own suffering then perhaps they become aware of the suffering of others."