Bud and Sue Cancer Fund

Sitting at home on a Friday night, Sue and I watching tv and being a bit bored, then the phone rang, our daughter Gillian was on the line from the Emergency room at the IWK and she told us that she was there with our 8 year old Grandson and that the limp that he recently developed and we were so worried about was not a hip problem, but “ a massive tumour on his brain”, that is when our world fell apart.

Six weeks later it’s my turn. Nolan is at the IWK on Friday evening and is operated on Sunday, seven hours of surgery, the Doctor reports “we got it all, but it is most likely malignant”, but his tumour is all gone!

Friday night six weeks later and Sue and I are at the QE11 Emergency, a CT scan says that I have a brain tumour, and one that does not travel alone, so right after my CT scan of my head they take me right back, give me a cocktail and do a full body scan. I’m on the bed and I’m thinking ‘oh oh this is not a good sign’. I am checked into the hospital and on Saturday, my new best friend, the Neurosurgeon Dr. Sean Barry enters my room to explain what is going to happen to me. The level of care that I received was, except for one nurse, because she was all about her, beyond reproach. Professional, caring and patient centric.

So how your life changes with one word CANCER.

Now no matter what I do, where I go or how well or sick I am I will most likely be a CANCER patient.

Everyone that knows, now looks at me like that and that is no fun at all, I have spent most of my 66 years walking around like I have few cares in the world, until this reared it’s very ugly head!

Early on, before my operation, while still dealing with Nolan some family, friends and neighbours dropped by with some food and gas gift cards. While I was very flattered that others would wish their kindness on us I secretly hoped that this was not something that was necessary. But that first week with Nolan in the IWK, Susan going to Falmouth to take care of our other 5 year old Grandson, us travelling to the IWK everyday and we also had to deal with our 8 year old German Shepard coming down with cancer and her treatments and subsequent passing.

That food, those gift cards, a Godsend and I deeply thank all of those that contributed. 

So now Nolan has finished his 38 radiation treatments, what a brave boy. He has stormed through this showing the determination and resolve that his Mom and Dad have led with. We could not be more proud of all of them and those that so strongly supported them.

Now I have also finished my first round of radiation, one 20 minute session designed to burn out what was left behind from the surgery. Dr. Sean Barry originally stated “I took all I could without putting you in a wheelchair”, thanks Doc!

But there is no guarantee that it is now all gone, and although my PET scan only shows tiny spots in my lymph nodes between my lungs and equally tiny spots on my bowel it is up to my Clinical Oncologist, Dr. Mac Neil to scope my bowel and see if I will require chemo treatments.

So like all cancer patients you are not clear of it until you die of something else.

So the travel, wear and tear on the car, gas, parking, the prescriptions that you have to buy and the time it takes to do stuff, Sue and sometimes a daughter will not let me do most of this stuff alone, so her time away from work, and my inability to work, sometimes, has us back a bit, so we are just looking to catch up.

THANK YOU, we all, love you all.

P.S.
With the prescriptions that I am on getting a good night sleep is very difficult. Often I am awake throughout the early morning hours. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to receive email, text messages at these times, family, friends and neighbours dropping by the hospital or the house just to say ‘Hi  we were thinking about you”, you all lifted my spirits, in ways you don’t know and I hope you never have to.

Bud, Sue, Jennifer, Gillian, Brad, Nolan, Cole, Little Baby Girl due in May, Caitlin, Chris, Little Baby Girl due in March