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

Thanks everyone for sharing. I have read and reread these posts and have the utmost of respect for you Garry and Murray. As Riley said we are on this car forum and your posts have "brought it home" for me in so many ways.
We hide our emotions and fears and it's not because we want to act tough but we don't want to burden our loved ones or friends. It is great to see the openness that you have shown. We all have our concerns, issues and stories to share and at times we will share.
From these posts I see strength in your words. Even if you don't believe, God bless and stay strong.
Oh yeah, medium on the coat!
 
Gentlemen,

Thank you for your heartfelt posts here. I quietly read and absorb this information and although I don't usually post up, I do appreciate your courage.

This past summer we lost a very important member of the family to cancer. My wife's uncle Ray was 60 years old in September of 2016 when he was packaged out from Nexen. He wasn't sure that he was quite ready to retire, but decided that he would like to take a couple of months off to do some hunting and scratch a fine buck and a bull moose off his bucket list. While traversing the woods with his new Tikka T3 in hand and his best hunting pal, he twisted his ankle and fell, hurting his back. His doctor told him it was a slipped disc, and that he needed to rest. After four weeks in bed, he was still in a great deal of pain and was having a lot of difficulty walking. He elected to spend his own money to get an MRI to try to find out some results instead of waiting for the reluctant doctor to get something done. He was brought back into the hospital when they found a tumor on his spine. Further testing found that the cancer had spread to his lungs. He was given three to six months.

We visited him every week in the hospital, and it was very difficult watching him slip away. Trying to explain to our five-year-old son what was going on and what was going to happen was hard too. I took a lot of new responsibilities in helping him and his wife to finalize some things that needed to be taken care of such as his property in Ontario, his truck, and his guns and ammunition. I am still that man-on-call when BettyAnn needs things done around the house that just need a man to do.

Once we got him moved to a hostel, it was short time. I got the call early in the morning on June 22, and I pulled the boy out of daycare and my wife out of work, and we spent all day with his family at his bedside. In the evening I had to leave to take the boy home, and I will never forget standing there at his bed with my hand on his, so overwhelmed that I couldn't even speak. I knew it would be the last time I would see him or speak to him, and I couldn't make a sound.

The next morning, I wrote this:

Goodbye Raymond C. Adams.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your family. You taught me that nothing is more important than surrounding ourselves with family and friends, not just during the holidays, but any time that we can.

You were the first person on my wife's side of the family to give me that firm handshake - the one where you hold my hand a little bit tighter for a little bit longer, and glare into my soul to ensure that there would be no way that I would ever do anything to hurt this precious young girl.

You were a big part of our decision to move to Calgary, and I am very thankful for that choice. Family has never meant as much to me as it does since you gave the word definition and meaning.

You were there for our wedding. You were there when our son was born. You were there when we needed a night out.

To raise a glass of home-made beer, and to see your eyes light up when I bring turkey and gravy. To fight with you over who gets the last biscuit, and then both give in and let Drew take it instead. That silly paper crown is going to be extra special to me now, but I will be there to wear it with pride because of you.


Thanks to everyone here who has the courage to share their stories.
 
While I had no need to cry this morning God knows I always feel a sense of relief afterward. You describe this so well with so few words, how much and special this relationship was to you and may we all draw strength from it to help us with similar challenges we may find ourselves facing.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to hug my son....................

Thanks for sharing this.

Garry
 
Jeremiad, very emotional story. Thanks for sharing it.

Kevin B, hope all is well with you too. Stay positive and thanks for speaking up.
 
Jeremiad said:
Gentlemen,
Thank you for your heartfelt posts here. I quietly read and absorb this information and although I don't usually post up, I do appreciate your courage ... Thanks to everyone here who has the courage to share their stories.
Click to expand...

Often think ... where is Jeremiad?
... as you are the first of CCF members for me to meet in person (Ponoka Run from Airdrie 2017)
Your words are heartfelt and I am very sorry for yours and your family's loss.
... personally reminiscent for me in a similar way, at this very near-to-exact time 8 years ago,
when my family began the coping process following the last of "90 days notice" and the passing of my Dad...

Garry, this is what I mean, along with any mention from others in this thread of yours,
that without purpose you are bringing light and inspiration to many ... and you are a treasure and a pillar of strength.
You share with your journey and your off-the-path experiences.
You know we are part of your team as you find the best in fortune, great happiness and of course, resolve.
 
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Good afternoon,

So an interesting week. Oddly both my Edmonton and Grande Prairie treatments ended up in the same week and one day after the other.

Not much is changing that I can see. I have one tumor toward my shoulder that I would have to say beyond a doubt has been getting bigger but of the rest of my arm that I don't see either any new tumors or see that any of the 30 or so tumors are getting larger so I'm not sure what is going on.

Edmonton was its usual trip, hit all the Value Villages and book stores - no Corvette clothing this time!

The treatment was a bit more painful this time, I'm not sure why. I was happy it was done a bit earlier so that I was on the road more quickly. The side effects hit about 4 hours later and when I got home it really swung into high gear. I was smart enough to have my gf increase the house temperature by 4 degrees in preparation for the onset of the chills. That happened along with almost reliving every single injection that i had that day, lets say my arm was not in good shape!

The next day off to GP and the treatment there.

So I have one more treatment coming up and then on March 7th another combo PET/CT scan to see how things are doing.

BUT.................possibly some good news. There was a study at Cambridge University with a new treatment. The population size was small, 25 melanoma patients of which 13 got this lotion. However, it worked in all 13 cases! So the Dr. asked me if I wanted to try it given that the PEMBRO and IL2 injections haven't started to kick in yet. While the other treatment is covered by Alberta Health Care this isn't but bugger that I thought, thus is why we save $$$. SO much for my C8 Zora fund!

Of course the lotion wasn't in stock locally either (if you promise not to laugh it is currently used as an anti-wart lotion!!!!!!) and I even had to go to three places in GP to get it. We (my gf really) put the first treatment on last night. Fairly simple, I wash my arm, she applies the lotion, let it dry for 20 minutes and then 8 hours before I can shower so I do it right before bedtime.

A whole lot of side effects including lymphedema (currently already have some) but it got worse it appears today. My hand is now so swollen that I can't even touch my thumb to my baby finger! And let's not go with what my arm looks like but picture your thigh on you arm and you'll sort of get the picture. Then after 3 to 8 days the arm will look like it has been put in a blast furnace, red, blistered and weeping.............oh and it can cause Herpes - I don't understand this one either.

However if it works this is sort of pretty minor stuff and will go away once the treatment has ended. Not sure how long this will go for, it looks like 12 weeks. The treatment schedule is pretty funny, only the weekdays and not on weekends........possibly those were the clinic hours for the trial and they have to duplicate that??

But for the first time since this started I actually sort of am feeling hopeful that this might be my new lease on life. I know only one treatment has been done and I have a ways to go but feeling hopeful is sort of cool. I'm not sure why they didn't propose this before but I'm excited to be trying it and if it does work maybe hope for other Canadian melanoma patients for whom the standard treatments are not working........

Cheers,

Garry
 
Hi Garry,

Been thinking about you. Sounds like you are into the treatments full swing. Ya some weird side effects from the cream. It is great your Drs are so involved and offering new innovative treatments. Sure seems they are really looking for the solution for you.

Don't give up on the C8 Zora just yet. Your problem is you will need the baddest one they roll out to compete with the performance level you already have. That will cost a few extra bucks but be incredibly worth it I think. I'm sitting on the same fence. I bailed on the ZR1 plan as it is just doesn't feel like enough HP for the money. That's just me though..as it is not worth taking the bath to trade in a perfectly good new Z06 for 100 HP. So like you I'm now sitting back and watching the C8. Maybe we will buy ours together and get a better deal on 2 cars.

Hang in there Garry and know there are lots of CCF guys on your side thinking about you.

Derek
 
Garry, like Derek I have been thinking about you and wondered how you were doing. Sounds like something is promising and hope is relatively inexpensive. Drugs are a whole other story!!

I went to see a specialist about my surgery last Saturday because I am still having issues. She asked if what was done was done as an emergency procedure. This is not sounding good. She said the hospital/surgeon failed to mark where the replacement parts were to have gone. That was not done. So what I have now is a situation that I cannot tend to myself as no matter what I do I need a third hand. Damn. If I was unhappy about it my wife was even more concerned.

So medical news all around and all we can do is hope for the best Garry.

Thoughts with you.:thumbs:
 
"Failed to mark where the replacement parts were to have gone"? That is certainly not the sort of thing you want to find out post-surgery. Can they no x-ray or scan somehow to find them? What a botch up! Our partners should get together. She is my lotion applier and is quite supportive about the whole affair. The 2nd treatment last night, less itchy than the previous night. Nothing showing up yet but I'm thinking maybe two weeks minimum before I start to get worried. I'll ride the thought of it working until then!

Derek, I'm sure with the difference between your current C7 Z06 and a ZR1 you could hurl a whole lotta mods to the Z06 and have a world beater!

A C8 would be such a thrill but unless I'm alive for a couple of years I'd actually have to finance it first and have it paid off by my life insurance when I died!! Still with, if I recall, low production figures, did hear right it would be 2-3000 in the 2018/19 model year they might hold their value well. On the other hand with that few in production I can't imagine getting any deals either, buying two or twenty at once. But I am excited to see what finally arrives as the C8 at the same time as I expect it will be well worth the wait!

I also forgot that 4 weeks after meds my TSH level is finally back in the normal range. Now to rid myself of that pesky 20 lb I gained when my thyroid tanked...............

Cheers,

Garry
 
So an important day. Back from Edmonton late last night. Photos of the arm. 5th Il2 treatment and a full body PET/CT scan. No results from scan yet, the Dr. said he will call me this morning. An important result. If the tumors have not moved from my left arm then we continue treatment. There does seem to be some sign of a FEW of the tumors getting smaller too.

On the other hand, if the cancer has spread to my torso then as far as I know we discontinue the treatment to my arm (no point) and it's game over for me.

A harsh reality!

I know the Dr.'s results do not change anything per se. The cancer has already either spread or not, we just don't know - yet.

I spent a lot of the drive home thinking about camshafts so I hope that was not wasted time!

Fingers crossed..........................
 
Thoughts with you Garry. Will hope for good news.:thumbs:
 
Whether being thoughts of camshafts, treatments and quite frankly anything else...
not one thing is being associated as a waste of time for you Garry.
You are in special prayers for serendipity in your health today and always.
​
 
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You’re in our prayers Garry. The news you have is they are not growing. A positive.
Thinking of Cam shafts for your Z06 is a very wholesome and worthy place to be... a good thing and for your happiness. We know how much time you spend thinking of your family.
Michelle and I plus all the characters on here remain in your corner through this.
 

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