Thursday, October 25, 2012

Working For The Weekend...

Hard to believe I've hit single digits, so to speak. Only eight more radiation treatments to go! One more tomorrow before a couple of days off!
 
Chemotherapy, third and final treatment, is set for next week.
 
Over the course of this entire treatment, I have begun to experience changes in my sight and hearing. My vision is quite blurred when I look at computer screens or read books. I experience frequent but brief stints where there is ringing in my ears. I had a baseline hearing test done prior to treatment, so we'll be able to gauge any changes, but I'm not sure about my vision. So, these issues will be addressed tomorrow when I meet with the chemo doctor in advance of next week's treatment.
 
I met with my radiation oncologist today, Francois Bachand. I find him to be a pretty uplifting young guy. He speaks with clarity and with confidence. He firmly believes the tumour has all but disintegrated.
 
I have developed an infection in my throat, nothing serious at the moment, but Bachand was right on top of it. He is of the opinion this is a contributing factor to "some" of the pain I am experiencing when I eat. As I said to him today, I am looking forward to eating a meal without pain, even if I cannot taste anything. He suggests that is probably a couple of weeks away.
 
SPECIAL FRIENDS...
Thanks to Gregg Drinnan up in Kamloops for mentioning my situation and this blog from time to time. I have all the time in the world for Drinnan, a Manitoba-guy with plenty of Saskatchewan ties as well. He has an amazing hockey mind!
 
Early next month, a book he has been working on will be available; "Sudden Death - The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos". When the team's bus crashed en route to a WHL game in Regina, four players were killed. At the time, I worked in a sales capacity for Imperial 400 Motels across Saskatchewan. One of eight hotels was located in Swift Current. I worked extensively with WHL teams when they had accommodation needs in Saskatchewan. I knew the Broncos' management team, and the coaching staff. Admittedly, I was not close to the players.

In any event, the tragedy hit the community, the province, and the hockey world like a ton of bricks. Drinnan has been working with one of the players from that team, Bob Wilkie, and a motorist, Leesa Culp, who was following the bus at the time of the crash. In fact, it was Wilkie and Culp who approached Drinnan with a manuscript. Details about the book can be found by clicking right here
 
HOCKEY? WHAT HOCKEY...
During this treatment, I sure would have appreciated some NHL hockey over the past few weeks. But, I cannot believe the stubbornness that obviously exists between two groups that have the luxury to be splitting up $3.3 billion!!

I see the owner's point. They currently take 43% of the revenue. But let's not forget...they also pay the EXPENSES! Toss forty bodies on to an airplane from Vancouver to Chicago to Detroit to Toronto and back to Vancouver. There are accommodations costs. And meals. And the player's per diem. And salaries for support staff. I'd love to be able to do the math associated with some of these road trips.

I see the player's point. They have short careers and many of these guys do not make big coin. Forget the "chosen few", the stars making obscene cash. It the "pluggers" I worry about. But, I think they're hands are kinda tied, because they chose to bring Donald Fehr into the mix as there chief negotiator. Politically, how's it going to look if Fehr comes back to the NHLPA and says, "hey, I got you less than you had before you hired me!" 

What a f****** mess!

WISE WORDS...
A nice thought from Bill Wilms, who sent me a note that encouraged me to "fight through the check". Bill is one of the wordsmiths we listen to when Shaw Cable televises WHL games. And I knows he love to tee it up! I sure appreciated his thoughts.

And Mark Holick dropped a line as well. Nice to know I'll see him around and about in the New Year as he is scouting in the area for the Anaheim Ducks. Mark went to elementary school with my sister JoAnn, which seems like a million years ago, before his family moved to Penticton. Since then, he has compiled a solid road map of hockey as a player and coach through the BCHL, AJHL, WHL, AHL and the NHL.

FAMILY TIES...
My folks have been out here in Kelowna for a couple of weeks. They are settled in now and I'm so glad they're here...for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, support. They're here to assist when need be, which I know is really taking some of the pressure off of Gay. The downside for now is that I'm probably not real great company for them.

Secondly, have you seen the weather in Saskatoon these past few days? Thankfully, for the first time in their lives, my folks are reading about it, rather than experiencing it! Sure, it's a tad cool in Kelowna these days and we can now see the snow line on the mountains, but it is much more tolerable than the winter storm that nailed the prairies this week. I hope they see value in spending more time out here in the future!

On a down note, dad and I have watched two 'Rider games together out here, and the football club is 0-2!!

Have a great weekend, everybody!


Countdown...cancer is so limited because:
 
#12: it cannot destroy PEACE.
 
#11: it cannot kill FRIENDSHIP.
 
#10: it cannot suppress MEMORIES.
 
#9: it cannot silence COURAGE.

2 comments:

  1. Good post Over the course of this entire treatment, I have begun to experience changes in my sight and hearing.
    accommodation in Vancouver

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the note. But, your sight and hearing...are the changes for the better?

    ReplyDelete