Welcome!

Laurie had a serious brain lesion that was surgically removed on July 24, 2011. It was uncertain exactly what the disease was and to me, these days were really the fight for her life. After the surgery, Laurie spent two weeks in an Ottawa, Ontario hospital. This period was full of events relating directly to her and to other patients and aspects going on in the hospital during her stay. Laurie came home on Friday, August 5th, 2011. Since being at home, events have settled into a routine but not without the ups and downs of recuperating with a rare brain tumour. Her story is one of hope, struggle, patience and above all, courage. The current update is presented at the top of the page with her day-by-day story presented from the bottom upwards.
This story also has pictures of Laurie. She is a woman of many interests and dimensions. She and I love to travel and September has been our favourite time of year to do so. The trips taken over the past six or seven years have seen us in places like western and central Scotland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Cape Breton, Charlevoix, Ireland and to Newfoundland a couple of times. The first things that Laurie always packs are her plant press, silica gel bags, binoculars, loupe, botany reference books, bird books, hiking books, note books and always a good raincoat. If there is any room left she packs some clothes. You can usually recognize her at the airport because she is one with three or four layers of clothing on.

Friday 14 October 2011

The Silence of Tears

And then there were two. The final two radiation appointments are around the proverbial corner. It has been a long road for Laurie, literally and figuratively. Since the start of her journey on July 22nd, there have been about 36 return trips into Ottawa to reach this point. It would have been a shorter drive to Vancouver for us assuming that serious road detours were not playing against us. Much of the traveling has been relatively peaceful and quiet. We talk; but not a lot. We think about things though. I sometimes ask Laurie what she is thinking about. Her answers are often short.  I don't press her for more information or insight.  She does seem to have interest in pointing out the idiocies taking place in traffic which are numerous and sometimes interesting. Like the time that we were driving north into Ottawa and a car coming onto the south bound 416 (a four lane highway) had stopped and did a U-turn on the highway attempting to go back up the on-ramp. OK - that was interesting. We were glad that we were going in the opposite direction.
 
The twenty-eight radiation sessions have been challenging in several ways. The side-effects become more difficult to deal with as the sessions continue. Her level of energy is quite low and she continues to lose more hair. She has mentioned about getting a wig. She is hopeful that sometime next week her hair will stop falling out and once again begin to grow. The wig comment is taken as light conversation but she is concerned about it.  We have seen her chemotherapy oncologist this past week. He is pleased with her progress and the drugs that she currently takes will end with the last radiation treatment - scheduled for Monday, October 17th. Her chemotherapy drugs cost about $225.00 per day although thanks to employee benefits and some behind the scenes financial contributions we pay only a few cents. Towards the end of November, Laurie will resume her chemotherapy but on a five days per month basis. The dosage may be as much as 2.5 times what she currently takes. The difference is that she takes these pills every day now which makes her uniformly tired. She would likely take the high-dose pills for up to six months; however she will likely be very tired the week the pills are taken.
 
We see her radiation oncologist after her last session. We will find out what the next steps will be. We know, for example, that there will be an MRI taken. I would assume that the future strategy for Laurie's recovery is based on the cancer team's review of blood work and analyses of the various images taken since the first ones were taken in July. For Laurie, she is simply looking forward to not having to make the daily commute into the hospital.  Her surgeon is interested in having a peek at the MRI and a follow-up appointment after that. It is good to know that there are multiple minds involved in Laurie's recovery. It would be good to have a consensus in what her future treatment plan will be with the view of getting her health restored. We continue to ask many questions along the way.
 
And then there were too - too many sleepless nights when only the worst scenarios filled my head. Outwardly, I displayed optimism but alone, at night, my thoughts went from white to black, light to dark and I wondered about the how and why Laurie was struck with brain cancer. I told myself that I would trade places with her, to try and have the courage that she had in her. However, for someone who gets weak-kneed at the sight of a needle, any needle, any where, having enough courage would be a real challenge.
 
For now, Laurie is getting better. Her memory is recovering quite well although short lapses are sometimes apparent. She, and I, are gaining back weight we lost since July. Physically, she is somewhat weakened by the radiation and chemotherapy but this was expected. Her humour has not left her as much as her hair has. She is taking her time in her recovery which is precisely what she has been told to do. She is a good listener. She is a good person and she will be a cancer survivor.
 
Thanks to everyone who have dropped in to the house, sent or brought cards, flowers, food and best wishes to Laurie and myself. We completed that 1,000 piece puzzle recently (actually 1,008 pieces) and had a good time doing it. Laurie's friends seem to span three generations of colleagues, friends and acquaintances. This is something that I have thought about on more than one occasion. The different life experiences of these people - you- have contributed to Laurie's well being and hope for the future. Many of you have wished her courage along her road to recovery which has aided her in ways that I can not say but do feel.
 
Stop for a moment on Monday, October 17th at 13:00 and list for the bell - the sound of happiness, of joy and inevitably, the silence of tears.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment