A Better week

Dr. Hugh Tildesley

 On Monday I will start my fourth round of chemo. Round 2 was not enjoyable, I had 10 days of bloating, loss of appetite, which culminated in about a 5-pound weight loss. Not good. I think they gave me the wrong stuff!

This time I sailed through. A few modifications included prolonging my steroids, and being obsessive about my diet. The result was that there were very few symptoms and I regained my weight. My appetite returned and my energy level was fine. Blood work this morning was stable, although for some reason the albumin was not done, this was added and hopefully has risen. Dr. Renouf and Dr. Wong outlined some alternate therapeutic options based on preliminary genetic results; these options will be predicated by my CT scan to be done July 24. These genetic results were to have been ready about a month ago; at least some progress has been made.

We agreed that if I was responding, we would continue with the Folfirinox for the short run.

There is always humour at the Cancer Agency. They still have not figured out how to get results to Dr. Adam White or me. On Monday I will call the head of the lab and suggest my tests are not eligible for MSP funding if they do not report the results. Stay tuned.

Today’s appointment at 0900 started as usual, the nurse called my name. My last name is difficult for some, but Hugh? So far she has called me:

Heaguah

Uggha

Weeyou

The simplified “You”, seems beyond her. Fortunately today I was the only one in the waiting room.

I continue to play golf on Wednesday’s and Sundays. The men’s night tradition is good for my spirits my scores not so. On the golf course things are fine, I’m using a cart and whereas breaking 80 was a goal, breaking 90 is the new reality. Off the course things are dangerous. Men like to be physical. Touching is important. My fellow members have a propensity for coming up behind me and rubbing my shoulders. Nice gesture except sometimes they get my port a cath. I now instinctively cover my right upper chest when greeted from behind, and raise my right fist for those coming straight at me.

This strategy is working; repeat offenders may get the Ali punch to the temple. (Trivia buffs the so called “anchor Punch”, knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965)

Ali vs Liston May 1965

Mini Rant: You may recall my commentary on the recently failed plebiscite for a Greater Vancouver Transit Plan. (Blog July 4).

Translink got a public spanking losing by a margin of 2:1.No publicly elected official has had the guts to take responsibility of this fiasco or to explain the secret use of $7 million to try to sway the public. Now the fall out. The interim CEO, decided to fire 2 Vice Presidents. This was done by that unrelenting plethoric windbag Doug Allen, who will step down August 2, to be replaced by yet another interim CEO!

These guys skipped management 101: first hire the new CEO and let him/her select the management team.

Chappa's Tunnel

On a lighter note we need to think outside the box to get subways built. These Mexican guys can dig about a mile a month without any visible disruption to the surface. There may be some work permit challenges however.

Until the next time……….Cheers