This a ‘double-edged sword’ situation as it is wonderful to be
free of chemo again but it is because my cancer has not been reduced
further. Dr Kate explained that for
people with bowel cancer that has gone to the liver: some fade quickly; others live
for a few years or so; and some live for many years. It all depends on the response to the
chemotherapy. My response is at the top
end and the cancer in the liver tends to fossilise, indicating it is largely
dead. However, you can never predict the
outcome.
I am hoping that I will have a year and a half or more of not
needing chemotherapy. I will be
monitored by six weekly consultations with the doctor preceded by a blood
test. I will have a CT scan every three
months. If I feel my health is declining
or when the blood tests and CT scan show that the cancer is growing again, the third
round of chemotherapy will begin.
Restoration and Reunions
Since my previous blog entry, Barbara and I enjoyed ten days at
Golden
Beach, on the Sunshine Coast
in Queensland between rounds 12 and 13 of chemo. It was wonderful to enjoy warm sunshine for
half the time before the much-needed rain set in.
We only used the car twice during our time at the WorldMark
resort, grocery shopping and driving into the hinterland and back down the
Sunshine Coast from Noosa Heads. We enjoyed the Taste Spuds local
café and the salt and pepper calamari at the nearby Power Boat Club. We did a few walks, including into Caloundra. Barbara, with a little help from me,
completed the Copenhagen map jigsaw recently given to us.
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| Completed Copenhagen Map jigsaw |
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| Selfie on our walk with Caloundra in the background |
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| Barbara at Noosa Heads |
A weekend ago (Saturday 30 August to Monday 1 September), we
drove to Rylestone
to attend a Mixed Blessings reunion concert and church service. Barbara sang with this a-cappella group over
ten years ago and has enjoyed continuing friendship with a number of the
group’s members.
We then journeyed on to
Mudgee where we stayed on
Sunday night. On Monday we enjoyed the
excellent Gulgong Pioneers Museum
staffed by volunteers. We then drove on
to Wellington
for lunch, continuing on through Yeoval and Molong to Orange for
afternoon tea. Next we drove to Bathurst and
enjoyed dinner at the home of close friends. We arrived home at 11.30 pm after a great
three day break.
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| Mixed Blessings at the Anglican Church, Rylestone |
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| Mixed Blessings outside Rylestone Uniting Church |
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| Old tools at Gulgong Pioneers Museum |
Tuesday night (2 September), our children and partners hosted
Barbara’s birthday dinner. Barbara received
FaceBook postings, emails including from each of her four siblings and phone
calls. It was an especially delightful
birthday.
So, our life since the last blog entry has been a double-edged
sword, a mixture of good and bad news, happy and sad situations and being
reminded of the finiteness of our life on this wonderful planet.
