My neighbour just soiled the street..............

Back from Calgary. Wow the Tom Baker Clinic is a series of mazes. And as it was my first time there I got sent all over the place to get registered, my card etc. With an 8:20 appointment they were only 20 minutes late, yeah I'm sensitive to this sort of thing after how many appointments I've had in my life. So meet with a nurse and go over things. Then meet with one doctor and we discuss more things. They explain the procedure to me which is a little different from what I had been thinking. They actually run the chemo drug through a vein on the inner, upper area of my thigh. They put a tourniquet at the top of my shoulder to make sure it doesn't go into my torso and therein lies their concern.

The above photo doesn't show it but I have a massive tumor about the side of a toonie and it protrudes about 15 mm about 3" below my shoulder. If there isn't enough room for the tourniquet they can't do the surgery.

The surgeon himself now comes in and we talk more, side effects, complications etc. They both leave to make a decision.

Honestly I think the worse 10 minutes of my life. If they say no, is this a death sentence for me? Do I have to start thinking again about amputation? I felt alone, dark and empty. I'm staring at that one tumor and cursing it when the other 100 or so are all below my elbow.

They return and I'm not good at reading faces and this surgeon should play poker really!

They decide to go ahead. Insert tears here (really). The surgery can do wonders. 35% of the time total cure. 35% remission and only in about 10% of the cases does nothing happen. Sorry I don't remember what the other 20% is, partial remission?

But at the very least there is hope and sometimes that is all you have to give you a reason to go on in life.

No definite date for when it will be done, just "in May".

So right now I'm pretty well on cloud nine as they say.

Now, as I like to add my "truth is stranger than fiction" to my posts, here is todays.

So I'm getting fuel for my rental car before I go back to the airport. As I'm fueling it the ground starts to shake and up pulls..................a red C6 Z06! The driver gets out and we talk a bit and I notice he has a Davenport sticker on the trunk window. I mention to him that I also have a C6 Z06 and it is hopefully going to Davenport for camshafts and a retune.

It turns out that the driver is Shannon the tuner from Davenport! He is just setting the clutch on the car before the final dyno runs. He pops the hood so I can take a dekko (favorite word) and I talk to him about my cars situation and the goal of 54 more RWHP and if he thinks he can do it. Again, like Steve, the fuel supply may be the issue.

Now in a city with a population of 1 million people what are the odds of that I ask you?

Surely this has got to be a sign that I should be getting the car done...........

Anyway time for exercise once again.

So for all those sending me prayers and hopeful thoughts, my thanks and it looks like for this stage they've been answered!

Cheers,

Garry
 
Now that is some interesting news. Those minutes of waiting are excruciating.

The gas station meet up has to be a sign.

Thanks for the update Garry and as always thoughts with you and your family.
 
Like Murray says Garry,seeing the C6 could be a sign of better things to come. Hopefully by the time May rolls around,so will springtime weather. One can only hope for all concerned,the news the doctors told you yesterday lifts you up some. I certainly read it as positive. If you’re here in May for a few days,we’ll make more solid plans to meet up.
 
What a journey! I'm so glad to hear the treatment #4 will be going through Garry! Great news in deed! That other 20% that you couldn't remember is whether your car will make an additional 54 rwhp or 75 rwhp. :D
I for one am glad you put up the pictures as it gives us a visual idea of what you deal with day in and day out and how much more impressive your attitude is. Thank you for keeping us in the loop!
 
Garry we're all in this cruise together with you. You know you have my full support from the heart and prayers. I can't add anything more to what has been already said by the guys. And, to be honest, the pics say more than words what you have been living through.
 
Jenski~Z06 said:
How are you doing Garry ?

Thinking about you and hoping all is well....sending healing thoughts your way :)
Click to expand...

Good morning Jenny,

I'm actually feeling OK. I mean the arm sucks but that is just part of my life and I have to live the rest of it while this moves along.

So currently trying to survive my son and three of his friends who were over for a sleepover last night, XBox'ing, hide and seek (yes at 13 still) and watching sort of rude movies on YouTube (The Brothers Grimsby). Lots of yelling and shouting but overall a good group of boys, all good students, polite, they clean up after themselves and have the TV room and kitchen policed up which I appreciate. Plus my son knows he would be faced with cleaning it up himself so he tends to make sure they all pitch in. They made their own supper (subs) and I made breakfast (scrambled eggs and fried salami).

I have some grain to deliver this week, hopefully on Friday and it looks like Dad, Uncle John and cousin John are going to load it and haul it for me. The grain is all in hopper bins so there is no shovelling or anything like that but if they can do it without me then it means I get to stay here with my son. The elevator is only 4 miles from the farm too so it is not a long haul. I always am happy when grain gets hauled in as of course that is when you get paid but also then you don't have to worry about it possibly spoiling any more.

I read, exercise and parent. Yesterday was a long discussion about banks, investing etc. My son has an account that I opened for him when he was born and so all the gift money etc. goes in there and after 13 years he had $2200 plus another $1000 at home. So we discussed interest rates, GIC's and so forth and went to the bank and got him a 12 month GIC. I explained to him that while he was getting 0.1% interest on his savings account he could get 1.9% on the GIC. But he also had to be sure that he didn't have a need for the money over the next 12 months or he'd lose the interest and have to pay a penalty to get it out early. Life's lesson's, right? What is the right approach with $3000 works just the same if it is $13,000 or $30,000. So I hope he'll become a wise manager of money.

I'm worried about the spring seeding. With my arm the way it is I worry about keeping it clean, finding a sleeve that it will fit into and of course the date of surgery relative to when seeding happens - both May at this point. I'd like my gf to come with me of course but she also usually operates my 2nd seed drill and so I also need her to stay behind to seed - that will be emotionally better for me to know seeding is still taking place while I am under the knife. Dad has to stay behind to take care of mechanical and logistical things - bringing seed and fertilizer to her.

I talked with my son about how he feels about me having cancer but he doesn't seem to dwell on it. Sure he is aware that it could kill me but I've also told him that it would not be the sort of thing that say the upcoming treatment doesn't work and I die the next day. It could be 6 months or 6 years or longer. So we take it one day at a time, spend the most time with each other that we can and hope that things go my way.

I mean I'd hate to think that I'll get the car cam'ed and tuned and only maybe get one summer to enjoy it after all!!

I give thanks on an ongoing basis for the amazing good fortune that I've had in my life. I think about how, if I'd lived my life differently, I'd be facing unemployment and possibly losing my house. I;ve come to realize over the past month especially that I don't think I'd be able to work my old job even if i wanted to. And if I had a mortgage how I'd be able to pay that. So overall, really, my life is pretty stress free compared to a lot of other folks. Certainly this is the result of planning to live my life this way, I got the outcomes that I wanted and I'm benefitting from that. But it didn't have to have gone that way. Every time I see a homeless person I am struck with the thought "but for the grace of God there go I".

About two months ago while in a Value Village I met a guy who was homeless, was being treated for bone cancer and was $4 short on being able to get winter boots for himself. He approached mom in the parking lot and she came to talk to me and we took him back in and bought him his boots. $20 means nothing to me and hopefully he has warm feet and a bit of warm food with the $16. Sure some people may be the authors of their own misfortune but there are a lot of people with mental health issues, who lose their jobs and have just hit a brick wall. I've ended up with so so much in my life that the least I can do to help others and to not stand in judgement................

So that is how I'm doing this morning!!

I am glad I woke up this morning, my son and gf are with me and I love them so much.

Like I say, I'm the world's luckiest SOB!

Cheers,

Garry
 
Garry, years ago when I used to go to the Toyota Manufacturing facility in Cambridge if we had to go in where they were welding they gave us protective sleeves for our arms. Seems that they went a long way up your arm and I wonder if they might work to keep your arm clean. I would think a safety supply company might have them. Or perhaps cut the arm off a nylon windbreaker and tape up the sleeves and top. You will figure it out.

Just a thought Garry. Great luck with the farming and keeps us up to date with what is happening there, always find those stories very interesting.
 
mother in law had to get protective sleeves and it was a mess with the health system sending the wrong ones many times

Gary you should write a book as your writing style is very easy to read and makes sense

compared to my cumbersome conversation

made my morning enjoyable. Later. Jeff
 
Interesting suggestions guys. The challenge is that they also need to breathe really well. The ulcers need to dry and if they stay moist or if I perspire then that will make things even worse.

While I could write a book I'm not sure it would find a wide audience! Back when I was working I was actually a contributing editor for an agricultural publication, maybe this is where my writing style comes from?

I have a compression sleeve that should be arriving one of these days and it looks good, as it has a glovelette and goes up to my shoulder I might order a supply of those so I can go 4 - 5 days before having to do laundry.

What really sucks is when the ulcer does scab over and if I don't give it a really good soaking and am careful when I remove it then the scab gets torn off.

Right now I'm using an old compression sleeve that just goes from my wrist to my elbow and I use folded paper towel to absorb whatever is leaking out - healthcare on the cheap!

I'm lucky since I don't spend my time doing any of that wasteful tillage anymore I don't get anywhere near as dirty as I once did. I just don't want to risk getting any dirt-oil-foreign matter into any of the open ulcers. Who needs to make a bad situation worse.

Please send warm weather. The streets in town are clean but my driveway still has snow that needs to be melted. I'm sure daily Z06 treatments would do me the world of good.

Cheers,

Garry
 
Hello Garry,
I have been away from Calgary for the past 7 days. I've been back for 2 days however, being blessed with a flow work opportunity, I was initially absorbed with my list of to-do's found in our email inbox. Now looking through the Forum and just finding that you have "arrived and departed" from YYC during my selfish enjoyment with travel to Nevada. I am sorry our ducks did not align and quack for our meet & greet during your visit .... important however is knowing that the "purpose" for your visit did take place.
I have high-lighted your words stating a return to YYC "sometime in May". I will now use a "pencil" for all my May appointments until you can be "inked" in the book. When you are here in May, it will be a priority for you to not depart seeing just a Corvette but also shaking hand(s) with many of your CCF friends.
In the meantime, God's Blessings to you and for good fortune.
 
Not a problem. I knew that this trip would be a short one and with not too much free time. Only when I emailed Steve at Davenport to tell him I'd come across Shannon did he tell me that Davenport is right around the corner from the gas station. I never even considered that as a possibility.

A pity that we couldn't make a Z06 inspired gurney to wheel my fat backside into the operating room for moral support.

I'm not sure how far ahead of surgery they need me but it sounds like they will require me to stay for plus or minus 3 days afterward so hopefully that will allow for some visiting opportunities. I'm not sure how mobile I will be or if it will be a case of being bed ridden with my arm kept as elevated as possible but we'll deal with when I face it. It'd be a disappointment not to get some rides in at the time though.

Still unsure about how to get my car to Davenport for the work but if I drive it myself, which might be good to distract me for 8 hours, maybe we can all go for a group cruise. After all, the locals will know which roads are not C6 friendly better than me. After my recent trip the City of Calgary needs to mobilize their pot hole crews - I now understand why the major 3 lane roads have a speed limit of 60 km/hr - you'd wreck your vehicle otherwise!!

Stay tuned for upcoming date information!

Cheers,

Garry
 
I'm hoping your procedure would be right on May 14th, so you can bring the Z down a weeee bit early and come to Ponoka! :D

And to add more to the options list on what to cover your arm with, have you thought of a tensor bandage? This way you're not stuck to a set size, and they are breathable. However, I keep getting the feeling that some good ol' country farm dirt on the arm just might make things better.... at least that is what I think I was taught when I was younger because if I hurt myself falling off a bike, my dad would just tell me to rub some dirt in it and keep going. :D
 
VelocityYellowRules! said:
Not a problem. I knew that this trip would be a short one and with not too much free time. Only when I emailed Steve at Davenport to tell him I'd come across Shannon did he tell me that Davenport is right around the corner from the gas station. I never even considered that as a possibility.

A pity that we couldn't make a Z06 inspired gurney to wheel my fat backside into the operating room for moral support.

I'm not sure how far ahead of surgery they need me but it sounds like they will require me to stay for plus or minus 3 days afterward so hopefully that will allow for some visiting opportunities. I'm not sure how mobile I will be or if it will be a case of being bed ridden with my arm kept as elevated as possible but we'll deal with when I face it. It'd be a disappointment not to get some rides in at the time though.

Still unsure about how to get my car to Davenport for the work but if I drive it myself, which might be good to distract me for 8 hours, maybe we can all go for a group cruise. After all, the locals will know which roads are not C6 friendly better than me. After my recent trip the City of Calgary needs to mobilize their pot hole crews - I now understand why the major 3 lane roads have a speed limit of 60 km/hr - you'd wreck your vehicle otherwise!!

Stay tuned for upcoming date information!

Cheers,

Garry
Click to expand...
In good time Garry and as I said, it will be my schedule that gets "penciled" entries for May and opportunities to meet with you will get the "inking". It will be when you are good to share company, whether it be for a brief escape to a nearby coffee shop or a coffee shop where you may be recuperating. Yes, at the rate snow still flies here in YYC on what we now call January 95th, I might be still using my Sierra in May as potholes and gravel is a task that the City does not prioritize for the sake of a Corvette coming out of hibernation. Regardless, I will remain to keep "in tune" with your updates as May approaches for you. Spence
 
Garry....it is funny what 13 year olds put you through....my little minion is 13 too.

The other day he gave me antlers!!!

Soon yours will be running the farm ... :D

I am amazed at how active you are....stay healthy...don't overdue it.
 

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Jenski~Z06 said:
Garry....it is funny what 13 year olds put you through....my little minion is 13 too.

The other day he gave me antlers!!!

Soon yours will be running the farm ... :D

I am amazed at how active you are....stay healthy...don't overdue it.
Click to expand...
You can bring those on the Cold Lake cruise !! :Biggrin:
 
The Neighbour Who Soiled The Street…Update


Well the garage is warmed up a bit and buddy dropped over to chat…


Did you do anything to the car over the winter?


Yeah got some new drag radials, hope I can get some traction


Any word on your pal across the street?


Weird that you ask, you know my brother in law Bruce?


The guy who works in the gas station in Calgary?


That’s the guy


Well last week he was at work and lo and behold who shows up but the Corvette guy with another guy from Davenport Chev. He knows the guy because he has seen him out walking before when he was here last summer. Positive it was him


He said there seemed to be a lot of conversation back and forth so he turned on the speaker to hear what was being said.


Must have been interesting


Yeah, according to Bruce, Corvette guy is looking for an additional 540 horsepower that will bring the motor up to over 1300


Holy crap, that is insane


That is not all either, last week he called my plough guy to tell him he found his wallet.


He usually has a lot of cash did he scam the cash out of it?


No that is the weird part, he returned the whole thing cash credit cards and all. Wanted nothing in return. How odd is that?


Say have you been down to the hobby shop all the Chrysler die cast stuff is now in the back of the store at 50% off.


What a deal


Yeah and did you see the new display in the window?


Didn’t want to mention that


All Velocity Yellow Corvettes, must be fifty different models


I hope this winter never ends, that way I don’t ever have to take the car out of the garage


Safer that way
 
Black 03 Z06 said:
The Neighbour Who Soiled The Street…Update


Well the garage is warmed up a bit and buddy dropped over to chat…


Did you do anything to the car over the winter?


Yeah got some new drag radials, hope I can get some traction


Any word on your pal across the street?


Weird that you ask, you know my brother in law Bruce?


The guy who works in the gas station in Calgary?


That’s the guy


Well last week he was at work and lo and behold who shows up but the Corvette guy with another guy from Davenport Chev. He knows the guy because he has seen him out walking before when he was here last summer. Positive it was him


He said there seemed to be a lot of conversation back and forth so he turned on the speaker to hear what was being said.


Must have been interesting


Yeah, according to Bruce, Corvette guy is looking for an additional 540 horsepower that will bring the motor up to over 1300


Holy crap, that is insane


That is not all either, last week he called my plough guy to tell him he found his wallet.


He usually has a lot of cash did he scam the cash out of it?


No that is the weird part, he returned the whole thing cash credit cards and all. Wanted nothing in return. How odd is that?


Say have you been down to the hobby shop all the Chrysler die cast stuff is now in the back of the store at 50% off.


What a deal


Yeah and did you see the new display in the window?


Didn’t want to mention that


All Velocity Yellow Corvettes, must be fifty different models


I hope this winter never ends, that way I don’t ever have to take the car out of the garage


Safer that way
Click to expand...

Why did I laugh my head off at this...............and people think that I should write professionally??!! Thanks for prompting my funny bone into action.
 
when you go to Calgary you go right past my place, stop in for a pee

maybe I can be your pilot cat to Calgary let me know Jeff can email the location of my place if you wish
 

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