Dr.Ken Has Cancer? (Yup, Appendiceal Carcinoma)

The calm before the storm. 🍪  (Volunteers come around with coffee, juice, and cookies. Ken loves cookies. 😋) Whoo boy. I'm kinda regretting promising authenticity. 😏 Don't let Ken's smiling face fool you, the past week has been he🏒🏒.  (H-E-double-hockey-sticks.)  When I was going through chemo, I affectionately dubbed the first week post-infusion "He 🏒🏒  Week," referring to the brutal training of Navy Seals.  Unfortunately, that label also applies to Ken.  The infusion went well, though the pharmacy was running behind, so we had a late start. Then Mr "My-veins-are-great" decided to allow his veins to play roly-poly-olly, and a second nurse had to insert his IV, since the first one gave up. 🙄 Now, in all fairness, she only tried once; they're supposed to try twice before getting a colleague. Our nurse, I'll call her Sharon (not her real name), was interesting. She also works in the ER at the Royal Alex, which caters to a rough crowd, so pe...

  Waiting for Ken's turn to have his blood drawn at the CCI lab. "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." What's that even supposed to mean? It's true, though a bit trite. 😒 This phrase has been echoing through my mind for the past couple of days as we prepare for Ken's first chemo infusion scheduled for Thursday, the 24th, at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI). We all know there are different seasons in life; some have a distinct beginning and end, while others just fade into and out of being. As the season of chemo begins, the line between before and after is very clear. But let me take you back to our first oncologist appointment before I bore you further with my philosophizing! 🥱 On April 17th, exactly one month after Ken's surgery, we arrived at the Cross and parked in the basement parkade. I drove, as Marigan doesn't enjoy the challenge of the golf-cart-sized parking stalls, and Ken wasn't supposed to be driving yet. (Ha! He drove t...

  Spring is here! Tomorrow is Ken's first appointment with his oncologist at The Cross Cancer Institute. (CCI) 🤔 Marigan will be joining us just as she accompanied me to my appointments, as the first visit is an information overload. I'm so grateful! Ken continues to heal  pretty   well; there's only one spot along his incision that doesn't want to behave. As the Steri-Strips fall off one by one, the slow-mo unveiling reveals a pretty impressive  scar. Below is a photo of NOT KEN! But this individual had the same procedure (CRS-HIPEC)...and posted their photo online, so obviously they are willing to share! (I've kept the photo small for those with weaker tummies. 🤢) Again, THIS IS NOT KEN!  😁 (He looks very similar, but he has more chest hair. 😁 ) Ken purchased the beautiful hydrangea during one of our  excursions to Salisbury Greenhouse, our happy place.  Every time  I look at his scar, I'm reminded of a zipper.  I've been trying to...

  Ha! Or you can just get an overnight pass and not return... 😁 In the 30+ years I've known Ken, I don't recall him ever failing a test...until we received the results of the biopsies Dr. Haase took during his surgery. 🫤 Oh, I know a biopsy is technically a procedure, not really a test per se, but it pops up as a "New Test Result" in the MyHealth app, so I'm calling it a test.🤭 I received an unwelcome surprise when I read the report and realized that while the surgeon had removed all visible cancer, there were more than a few microscopic cells left behind. Dr. Haase called us with the results the evening before Ken received the report and seemed quite put out that she hadn't managed to remove every single cancer cell - I think she took it personally.😊 During our conversation, s he listed some of the places where the margins weren't clear but reminded us that the HIPEC procedure done after his surgery should have nuked any remaining cells. (Adenocarcino...