Life is a Double-Edged Sword

This morning Barbara and I saw Dr Kate who is standing in for Dr Lisa Horvath.  Good news – today’s blood test shows my liver is working normally.  Meanwhile, the CT scan shows the cancer has remained stable over the last two months.  The stagnation means that I am stopping chemotherapy immediately.

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.

Completed Copenhagen Map jigsaw

Selfie on our walk with Caloundra in the background

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.

Mixed Blessings at the Anglican Church, Rylestone

Mixed Blessings outside Rylestone Uniting Church

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.