End of sumner is near

Good Day

Well as they say - all good things must come to an end - and that includes summer.  For you out there travel this weekend be safe and mindful of others on the road or water.  Since the kids are back to school next week - try not to celebrate to much while they are around and they may do the same. 




So to help wrap the summer up I thought a good knee slapper was in order.   Enjoy.........


What a great couple of months it has been.  Went by way way to fast.  Most people go on a weekly cycle of doing things.  Well with all the stuff I have on the go - we are organized on a 2 week cycle - so I feel as though we only got HALF the time.  Though seemingly short was splendid and full of a great amount of joy. 

Now that summer is leaving - what is next for J and T you may wonder.

Pumpkins in the Garden and some watermelon
In the spring we planted a pumpkin plant which went mutant on us.  The thing grew well beyond the fence and even hid the wheel barrow leaned up against the shed.  Right now we are nurturing 2 pumpkins.  Both just a bit bigger then a basketball.  Will post some picks next week for y'all to check out.  Considering they have about a month to go should be very nice for seeds and carving.  And in the middle of this massive 20ft+ monster of a vine sits the watermelon plant.  5 just bigger then a softball melons sit there. Hope there are enough growing days left for them to mature properly.  But they have both done their job.  Fill in the garden are so we are not looking at a bunch of weeds.  Next year will be a great variety of vegetables.  Going to start planning soon.  Tips appreciated as I have never planted anything and can barely grow weeds.  (as in the pest plants not the smokey smoke type)
 


Upcoming consult and Tests

Busy couple of weeks coming up with treatments and such.  Meet with the Oncologist next Tuesday to discuss the Surgeons consult and get his opinion.  Really looking forward to this.  Will help with understanding timelines of what is about to happen.  Then Treatment on Wednesday, Ultrasound on Thursday and my MRI on the 13th.    Yeah 2 weeks till on the tests are done and then the next step - Surgery.  So close. 

Before surgery though - we are taking a quick trip.  Made possible with the help of a good friend. Thank you Scott for helping to make this upcoming trip possible.

Dallas and Vegas  - Grizwalds not invited

End of October off to Dallas for an extended weekend.  Visit with the Bidans for abit and Cousin Kathy and Fam.  Oh and cant forget a tour of Southfork when in that region.  For those who are unsure - Yes the ranch in the TV show Dallas.  Teresa schooled me. 
From Dallas we are headed to Vegas baby.  Never been and really pumped.  Going to party it up with a great bunch of friends from back in KW.  More details to follow.

Had a great couple of months and amazing things on the horizon. 

Keep on smilin everyone.  Cause if my record'n of this journey over the past 18+ months is not reason to have hope for better days ahead....... boy oh boy......  a smile will always cheer you up and give hope to another. 



Jtee

and let there be light

Hello whopper of a Wednesday, I see you met terrific Tuesday and had to show'em up.

Where to start?
How about a silly joke:

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Got
Got who?
Got some good news for U.

Well,  met with the surgeon today and was blown off my feet.  The discussion was much more then expected and for the first time there was optimism expressed on the situation.  The MRI results are going to be sent to the liver doc for review, though he is not really concerned as the spots have shrunken to near non existence.  He is going to order a specific ultra sound and maybe another MRI so he can determine exactly what the best options are for surgery.  There could be a round of pre-op (love saying those words) radiation, which will be determined after the test results are in.  That will be discussed with my oncologist and his final say so. Surgery itself will be a complete rectal resection leaving me with a permanent colostomy bag. Which is OK, better then the time bomb.  7-10 days in hospital and a couple months recoup / learning.    (no surprises there)  The discussion was not if or perhaps - it was when and will be.  

In summary - the doc turned on that light we have been looking for.  This long, bumpy, windy and unknown tunnel finally has a light.  The Path of hope is becoming reality.


For all the sadness this stupid disease brings - the amount of joy I have today - nothing could touch that.


There is still alot of hard work to do.  I am ready though.
Keep up the prayers, light those candles and send the positive vibes - together a difference is being made.

Cheers everyone - time for a celebratory pint.

Keep smilin

Jtee

MRI thank you - GOT the referral.

Terrific Tuesday to everyone.

No jokes today - just smiles and a quick update.

Some of you may have read, stumbled upon or heard of the Book of Awesome I would like to add my own Chapter:

Getting referred to a specialist.

When someone is sick or battling a life threatening disease there are not always answers available right away.  It may take some time of taking medications or minor procedures before there is head way to have a path outlined for what is next.  Waiting and the unknown can be scary and frustrating at times.  As long as there are little steps of positive progress the wait is worth every second.  Tests, scans and imaging can all be done - then you are stuck waiting for results.  Then something happens,  you get the word from a doctor that gives you some options never available in the past – the referral to the specialist.  The specialist which can help determine what the next steps are, the potential opportunity to be moving on from the disease. What follows those magical words from the doc is an incredible rushing flood of emotions.   Learning that there could be options and a specialist is going to check things out and there is real hope. No other feeling like it. In 1 word – AWESOME!

MRI Results

The results were undecided – the spots on the liver are too small to determine what they are. So that is good and somewhat no so good. Though we are meeting with the surgeon again next week to review my current state and what some options maybe. I am also being referred to a liver specialist so they can determine what options maybe there. Today is the first time this has ever been an option. Treatments will continue as they have been and meeting will happen as they are scheduled. Good things ahead. Still going to be sometime before we really know what the clear path is – but in the mean time a foggy path is better then no path. 

Next date - Aug 13th  (which is a complete surprise)

Cheers everyone - keep smilin - cause I will.

Jtee

This efin disease takes another

When I was first diagnosed my good friend Garry, who sometime later lost his mom to Cancer, said.  "this terrible disease always picks the good ones".  His comment has stuck with me ever since. I know every day people lose their battle with Cancer, and I agree with Garry's statement.

       Since being diagnosed a year and half ago we have lost a family member and 2 others I knew to Cancer all part of this group we call the "good ones".  Then there is another gentleman here in Regina. whom I never met, though through conversations with our close friends - I feel I got to know him over the past year.  Just last week his journey ended and Cancer took another good one from us, at too young an age.  We are saddened and heart broken for the family's loss. 

here is a brief story - which may sound very similar to some of you. 

  This wonderful couple, in their mid thirties, had just enjoyed a vacation and ready to move on with life.  The holiday was to hep coup with being  advised by doctors they would have trouble starting a family.    A tough emotional situation to go through and it took some time. Then but while away he started not feeling well.  Visits to the doctor they were not able to pin point what was wrong right away.  After a battery of testing the diagnosis was an advanced stage 4 Cancer. Treatments would start right away and another challenge faced this couple. 

Daffodils - the flower of hope.

 Teresa and I have been able to relate to their situation since upto that point we have the exact same story and could relate to how they were feeling or going through. Their battle with Cancer had many turns and bumps over the past number of months.   This is where the emotional roller coaster begins - when I learn of someones journey turning for the worse and Cancer taking another good one.    Whether I personally knew them or not.

Feelings of sadness, guilt, anger and heart ache all happen at once.   The Leviathan at Wonderland has nothing on what this roller coaster is like.  There is no 30 second heart bounding drop.  It is days and weeks of ups, downs  twists turns and a few drops.   

In the end we can only celebrate the life that was had and remember the smile.  Hope is one day we can end this maddness and give the big C the boot.

Jtee