At Least My Pills Are Lightweight

Entry 55
September 23, 2011


Jim and I are headed out for an end of summer canoe trip. This time we remembered all of the important cargo... canoes, paddles, pfd, maps, food, rum, even my medication.  The forecast is for beautiful weather until the 28th by which time we have to be back to attend the Winnipeg Jets third pre-season at-home game.

Our route on Day 2 of the trip

And we're home after a fine trip.....

Jim with our canoes

Me in a photo taken by Jim

Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

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The Third ADT Injection Came After the Cruise

Entry 54
September 6, 2011

We are back in town safe and sound. It was a great trip. We've posted photos.

Margaret and I took her mom, Greta, on a cruise to Alaska that started in Vancouver and ended in San Francisco 12 days later. The Alaska part of the cruise was pretty damp and cool but we went prepared. Once we reached Prince Rupert the weather improved and the seas (even west of Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island) stayed quite moderate. We saw lots of marine mammals; Humpback, Fin, Gray, and Orca whales as well as multiple pods of porpoises. While clear skies were at a premium on the Alaskan portion of the inland passage, the blue, grey and white tone on tones were still beautiful set against the mountainous backdrop. 

Very early morning on the 10th Deck as we neared the pier in San Francisco. 

That's Alcatraz in the background. Click on image to enlarge.

After the cruise, we hung out in San Francisco for an additional 3 days, exploring the city and area. We took the 49 Mile Scenic Tour, got up to charming Sonoma and the Napa Valley, wandered down to Cupertino and visited the Stanford University/Palo Alto area. Margaret and I have been to SF twice now in the last two years for multiple days and have really come to appreciate it. I don't know if it is possible to get a bad meal there.

Margaret's mom did very well managing most of the trip from her lightweight transporter wheelchair. All I can say is that if I make it to 92 and have her kind of moxy I will be very pleased. She is quite the lady.

Today I had an appointment with my urologist, Jeff Saranchuk to discuss the results of Friday's blood tests and with Gayle Nikol, the Primary Nurse at the Manitoba Prostate Centre to have my third Zoladex injection.  My PSA levels remain undetectable. 


The next injection in December will be followed by a "drug holiday" of up to one year. There is evidence that the antiandrogen drug that is administered intermittently is as effective as that given continuously. I will still have blood tests and assessments every three to four months for the year. Apparently it takes a while for the PSA to rise. When the PSA reaches a significant level, most likely in whole numbers, the hormone therapy will resume.

Prostate Cancer in the News

Layton's Resolve Will Be Great, His Battle Difficult

NDP Leader Jack Layton is a "very sick man".

Coffee and Prostate Cancer

Coffee linked to lower risk of fatal prostate cancer

This news item is heartening for an appreciator of coffee like me. As with all references to dietary influences on our health, I'm initially slightly distrustful of the statistics and the process used to gather them. In any case, it would appear that the time frame and number of participants in this study are significant.

Prostate Diaries on Twitter

Urologist and PC patient Dr. John Clay McHugh tracks PC research

Colonoscopy for PC Patients - Research

Research indicates that PC patients should also monitor their colons

Kit for Men Diagnosed with PC
From Twitter: prostatediaries john clay mchugh 
Kit will help men with prostate cancer: A new information kit about prostate cancer ...http://bit.ly/j9jqhS

Antibiotic-Resistance & Biopsies

There is an increasing risk that drug-resistant bacteria of many types may infect patients undergoing prostate biopsies.

Omega 3 & Prostate Cancer

High levels of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids in the blood may be associated with an increased risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer.

Jack's News Strikes Home

Entry 53
July 25


I've been enjoying the sunny and mosquito-free summer in Winnipeg. Seven months after my surgery I continue to feel fine. 


Unfortunately, today the popular NDP Leader and Official Opposition in the House of Commons Canada, Jack Layton has announced that he is taking a leave to deal with a new occurrence of cancer. He began radiation treatment for prostate cancer in 2009. This news strikes home. 


Here is his statement:"My battle against prostate cancer is going very well. My PSA levels remain virtually undetectable. However, these tests … also indicate that I have a new, non-prostate cancer that will require further treatment. So, on the advice of my doctors, I am going to focus on treatment and recovery."

We hope Jack Layton has a safe journey back to good health.



Update: Sadly, Jack Layton died on August 22, 2011


Links:
The Jack Layton cancer story at CBC Canada
Send Jack a Message
Public Officials Owe Full Health Disclosure

Contact: hstimson @ shaw.ca

Didn't Want to Think About It

Entry 52
June 15

There’s been positive news on the medical front. My six month visit to the urologist/surgeon revealed that my PSA had dropped to < .01ng/ml. The hormone therapy appears to be stalling the cancer.  

I'd like to apologize to everyone who has been a frequent reader of this blog. I have been derelict in my duty in so far as regular posting here is concerned. May I explain.

As Siddhartha Mukherjee references in his Pulitzer Prize for Non Fiction book The Emperor of All Maladies, when cancer enters the lexicon of you and your family and friends, it’s basically there in perpetuity. Well, I needed a break. I just didn't want to write about it for a while. I just didn't want to think about it. Picture a little kid with his arms folded across his chest with that stubborn, pissed off look saying 'I won't' . That was me.

Back in November (Entry 13) my urologist Dr Jeff Saranchuk said that with a few breaks I should be back paddling my canoe by this spring. I held up my end of the bargain by diligently working my body back into the kind of shape that would allow me to contemplate going on a 2 week wilderness canoe trip. That unconsciously became my goal. I would recommend that process to anyone. It keeps you busy with something you can control, keeps you focused and helps rein in on an active imagination. Nothing new here but it worked for me.

I am passionate about paddling a canoe. Margaret did a good job of explaining the odd creature I become during the mid to late Canadian winter. Pouring over maps, checking out gear, and drying food for the trip is therapeutic for me. I know many of you won't get that, but that’s what turns my crank. Put me in my canoe in a true wilderness setting on the boreal forest of the Canadian Shield and I'm home. You don't have enough fingers and toes to count the times my heart sang as we paddled through the stunning beauty of Woodland Caribou Park. My sincere thanks to friends Danny Williams and Tom Robinson who kept me company on the trip.

And guess what? I came home to the fabulous news that the NHL has returned to Winnipeg. 'The good old hockey game' is back where it belongs in the 'Peg'. My son Tom and I tried unsuccessfully to get a pair of Winnipeg Jets seasons tickets, but hey, relative to some of the things I have learned in the last year - no big deal.

Links
Flow
Our Canoeing Pictures
NHL Returns to Winnipeg


Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

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Canoe Trip Pics

Entry 51
June 12, 2011


Yesterday, we returned from a two week canoe trip to Woodland Caribou Park in Ontario. Thanks to Dan and Tom, I really enjoyed myself.  Just in case PictureTrail is not functioning below, here is the link to our online photo set
Woodland Caribou Trip In June

The canoe trip occurred exactly one year after a similar one with my friend, Hugh, during which I contracted giardia.  The symptoms of giardia led to a physical examination that brought my prostate cancer to light.  This week marks the sixth month since the prostatectomy. Tomorrow is my second ADT injection along with the results of the latest PSA blood test.  Seemingly, none of this has affected my enthusiasm or ability to participate in a good canoe trip.


Contact: hdstimson @ shaw.ca

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Gone Paddling

Entry 50
May 29, 2011


Harry starts dragging out his canoe route maps in February long before the snow and ice melt. His equipment makes its first appearance in March as he fixes leaky mats, checks straps, packs and ropes, and then shops for replacement accessories.  April is his time to think about menus and food preparation. He dehydrates and vacuum packs meats, sauces, fruits and vegetables for days on end. The house smells good from that and the homemade granola in the oven.  A few days before he leaves, he packs things up. All the while, for months, the maps sit out for his frequent consultation.


Fortunately, Harry did not have to pack incontinence pads for this trip. His incontinence lasted only a short while after the catheter removal in December. Would sitting be difficult, we wondered? He paddled on the lakes at Fort Whyte a couple of times to see whether being on a relatively stiff canoe seat for a long stretch of time would cause discomfort. Seems that was no problem either.


These days, Harry shows only one symptom of his ongoing anti-androgen treatment and that is the annoying hot flashes. In anticipation of the heat and perspiration from the hot flashes, particularly at night, he  added a package of handy moist wipes to his trip supplies.


I expect we'll have a humorous and deliberately distorted account of Harry's paddling success from his canoeing buddies, Danny and Tom R. We'll relay that to the blog when they return.


If you would like to follow their progress this is the link to track Harry, Dan and Tom R's canoe trip in Woodland Caribou Park in real time: Harry's Current Trip (real time access expired)

June 2 Update: The weather in Woodland Caribou Park has been bad, preventing the guys from making typical progress.  Here's a weather map from June 2 at 5:30 PM CST. The arrow shows their location right in the middle of a storm.

Click on the image of the map to enlarge it.

- MS


Contact hdstimson @ shaw.ca

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