As my one-year cancerversary
approaches I've been thinking about what has happened over the past year
and decided to start writing things down. I actually created this blog
prior to starting chemo with the intention of sharing my treatment details, but
never had the energy to follow through....
Although
I didn't realise it at the time the first signs of colon cancer probably
first appeared in 2015, but the first major sign showed up in September
2016. It was the last Sunday in September when I woke up vomiting and
with the runs. I showered and dressed but went straight back to bed. Despite
being fully dressed, having a down duvet and two blankets over me while lying
on a heated mattress, I couldn't keep warm. Then to add to that a temp of
almost 101 and awful stomach cramps on the right-hand side of my belly kept me
in bed all day other than getting up once to have a bowl of chicken noodle soup
with the guys at dinner time. Since I had been to a memorial service for
a family member the day before I figured I had picked up a bug shaking hands or
off the sandwich platter.
I
was lucky enough to be able to get an appointment with Dr. B on Monday. The
fever, vomiting and runs had disappeared overnight but the stomach cramps were
still as strong as before. My stomach was also so distended that I couldn't fit into any of my pants that didn't have an elastic waist. After poking and prodding and some general questions
Dr. B, with some qualms, determined that it was most likely a case of appendicitis and prescribed
Cipro and Metronidazole with instructions to go directly to the hospital if the
stomach pains got worse or if they hadn't started to clear up over the next
three days.
Tuesday morning I had C drive me
down to work and pick me up after as I didn’t want to worry about my appendix blowing while I was driving 120+ kph on the 404. (For those who don’t know me I have a reputation
for speeding. Apparently I inherited it
from my mother. Her maiden name was Bentley. Bentley Motor Sports . I’m sure there is some family connection way
back when. 😊) By
Wednesday I was feeling much better and drove myself to and from work, although my pants still didn't fit 😉. I completed
the round of antibiotics and just carried on my normal life.
Fast forward six or so months and I
started having stomach cramps on the right side every couple of months. They
would last for a day or so and then end. I would think to myself that I should
call Dr. B, but every time I thought to do so it was after hours. And then the shit hit the fan at the
beginning of October, 2017. Cramps
wouldn’t stop, but this time they were higher up and more like labour contractions.
October for me is high stress season.
I have two clients whose year end is September 30th, a third whose busiest
seasons are in October and May, and Thanksgiving weekend (2nd
Monday in October) which is the weekend we close our cottage plus my in-laws
cottage next door. I am not allowed to be sick in October. Add to that the
Celebration of Life for my brother-in-law who sadly passed away on his 75th
birthday in August was being held on October 15th.
In my mind it seemed best that I
wait until after 15th to call Dr. B. so I resolutely started popping
Tylenol to dull the pain. (For those who don’t know me, I don’t normally take drugs
for pain relief I prefer natural sources such as a good Chardonnay or Myers's Planters' Punch 😉. To any grammatacists
reading this I can’t explain the apostrophe usage in that trademark.)
With that plan in mind I arrived at
the cottage on Saturday night, prepared a Thanksgiving turkey dinner on Sunday
for the six of us, managed to scrub down and pack up the cottage by 4 pm on
Monday, made it through the work week, and participated in a very touching celebration
for L on Sunday. First thing Monday I called Dr. B and scheduled an appointment
for Thursday the 19th as it worked best with my work schedule.
