Long time no post !

I've just realized that it has been a while since I posted an update . The reason is a very simple and positive one....there is nothing to write about ....and that's a good thing ! Mum is well , her nausea seems to be under control, she's in no pain and for the first time in ages , she's feeling more like her old self .

My life,as a result,has settled into a semblance of a predictable routine and so far,everything seems to be calm. It's good to not feel that nagging concern .

It's cold, snowy and wintry here ....this is the time of year that feels like we are in one big bunker . Too cold to go outside , not enough daylight , freezing temperatures and just horrible . As I write this, I am hibernating inside our local coffee shop with a hot Latte and a toasted cheese sandwich for lunch feeling a bit like a Polar explorer ...I could step outside into the snowy wilds of Oakville but it feels far too much like an adventure . Best to stay tucked up and warm inside !

This is what we need !

Finally nausea may be relieved

Mum had her endoscopy today . Fortunately she slept through the whole event . When she woke up in the recovery room , she apparently asked the nurse when was it going to start ! She was completely zonked and a bit shivery afterwards which is hardly surprising as she was given a drug called Versed ( a heavy-duty sedative ) and extra Fentanyl . When she returned to the hotel, she had some pain in her legs and took Oxycodone . Consequently, she is sound asleep and I doubt she will wake up again until the morning . She managed to have a little soup before crashing and hopefully she will not have any problems as a result of the procedure.

Mums endoscopy showed that it is most likely that she has something called "Gastroparesis" which is an abnormal function of the muscles of the stomach. Her gastroenterology doctor, Dr Schiff explained that the stomach muscles have to work properly to propel food from the stomach and into the small intestine. If the muscles or the nerves that control the muscles are not working normally, food remains in the stomach longer potentially causing nausea. This is often seen in people with diabetes or as a side effect of narcotics which slows everything down .

Hmmmm ...... it's quite ironic that the very thing that makes mum virtually pain-free has other side effects that can be almost as distressing . Mums painkillers work very well for her. She is alert and active ..... I've never noticed anything that might make her think twce about taking them . Hopefully, this particular problem can be resolved now .

Mum has been prescribed metaclopromide (Reglan) which has the effect of speeding up digestion, which in turn, prevents acid from staying in the stomach too long. This will hopefully take care of the nausea and will increase her appetite.

Amazing ..... it was 64F this morning in Buffalo . WOW .....hard to believe such mild temps in January . Not that we really notice as it's been three straight days in the hospital . We have'nt been outside once. We are both looking forward to picking up Colin from school and going HOME !

Hilary makes a come-back !

Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House

Gloria Steinam - New York Times January 8th 2007

Mum and I have been watching CNN and fascinated by the unfolding drama in New Hampshire. It's incredible to think that America might finally elect a female president.I don't really have a full understanding of the whole process. The election campaign is vastly complex with huge campaigns raising hundreds of millions of dollars to fight for political ascendancy.

All this confusion makes me feel quite positive about our paliamentary system in Canada and our rather "grey" politics. Despite the wonderful healthcare that mum has received here in the U.S, she is still determined to get her Canadian residency.

Americans seem to view the world through the prism of their own isolation. You would hardly know there is a major political change looming in this country and a need for urgent national debate on healthcare . Britany Speers, Paris Hilton and the rest of the vacuous celebs fill the airwaves. I can only speculate that at best there is a widespread denial of the scope of the healthcare crisis or at worst a callous rejection of the sacrifices required to make a change.

I know I'm back on my same old soap-box but how do you explain 47 million people in America with no healthcare insurance ?

Dr Craig Hildreth ponders the same question more eloquently on his excellent blog The Cheerful Oncologist

"As scientists continue to assiduously unlock the secrets of disabling and killing the malignant cells that cause cancer, and as these secrets are transformed into promising medicines, the irony of the uninsured patient hangs in the air like the stench from a rotting carcass. Do we continue to hold our noses, or do we roll up our sleeves and dispose of the source of our revulsion?"

New Year and back in Buffalo

It's been a long couple of days with one more day tomorrow at Roswell for the upper GI endoscopy. There's a lot of waiting around, filling out forms, blood tests etc. Everyone is so friendly though that the time passes quickly.

Around lunchtime in the lobby , Roswell has musicians perform from the community. Today we had a singer and a guitar player. Often, the musicians are excellent and it adds a lovely atmosphere to the whole hospital .

The waiting rooms were sad today ....a young mother with pancreatic cancer and several younger black breast cancer patients (37% of Buffalo's population is African American). Breast cancer in African-American women is a far less common disease than in white women but when it occurs, it is more aggressive and harder to treat.To see young women in their twenties and thirties coping with cancer is particularly sobering.

The results of the CT scan and bone scans were good.In particular the bone scan was very encouraging as it shows "no progression of disease within the bone".Dr O'Conner ordered some extra X-rays of mums hips and both femurs(thigh bone.This is the "problem" area and the one that causes most pain aside from her back.Dr O'Conner suggested we get a more precise X-ray of this specific area as a baseline so that mum can be monitored more closely.

Her spine is looking relatively stable.The bone scan shows most activity in her lower thoracic spine (upper back ) and sacrum (tailbone).At the moment there's no talk of any further radiation and apart from her regular monthly check ups,mum will not have any major appointments for the next three months which is a big relief and means any plans for travel can go ahead.

Mum is really enjoying this time.The trip to Mexico and the sunshine seems to have helped tremendously.Apart from the nausea,she is feeling very well.Her hair is starting to grow back and she is more active.She's got a trip planned to the theatre in Toronto later this month with Doug and quite a few dates with friends.It feels more normal and settled and even the trips to the hospital feel almost routine.