Judith, Ingrid and I went to see the oncologist, Dr. Zibdawi, yesterday (Monday) afternoon. He gave us the results of the last round of tests. The Gallium scan was still negative - as it had been the previous occasion- which was very good news. The CT scan was also unchanged from the previous occasion other than 2 cysts which showed up. Given the Gallium scan being negative and the cysts being very common in young women, Dr. Zibdawi is confident that these are benign - not cancerous. He has called for an ultra-sound for the cysts - normal procedure, and told Judith to come back for a follow-up visit in six months.
When asked by Ingrid if Judith could call herself a "cancer survivor" at this point, his response was, "Absolutely!"
I wish to thank all of you, family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, for your support and prayers ever since Judith was told of her diagnosis back in May. May God bless you all and keep you in that peace that only his love and protection can bring.
Terry and all the McCann family.
Tuesday, 19 December 2006
Monday, 18 December 2006
Kevin Minnie, an old friend, seriously ill
Kevin Minnie and his wife, Cynthia, are old family friends going back to the 1980's. I received the following email from an even older friend, Des Lange, concerning Kevin's health.
From: Desmond Lange
To: kwamccann@gmail.com
Date: 13-Dec-2006 16:09
Subject: News on Kevin Minnie
Hi Terry + Ingrid + all,
Thanks for the consistent news. Pat Prinsloo contacted
us about the sad loss of your mom, Ingrid. We are
sorry that we were not in touch with you at the time
and pray that you and the family have all the love and
support you need as you go through this experience. It
is good to hear the progress on Judith’s condition,
praying that she continues to grow from strength to
strength.
Right now we find ourselves frantically trying to
contact a whole lot of our old friends to reconnect
and pass on the news about Kevin Minnie. We heard
today that he had surgery to remove half of his kidney
last Saturday including two large cancerous tumors. He
is in ICU at the Linksfield Clinic at present.
Apparently, they thought they were going to lose him
yesterday. Today he is slightly better, though heart
rate is racing at 160 and blood pressure is way up. He
has been in and out for treatment through most of the
year.
Please join the prayers for his recovery and healing
and also for comfort and protection for Cynthia and
the girls.
Will keep you posted.
Love from Des and Steph.
From: Desmond Lange
Date: 13-Dec-2006 16:09
Subject: News on Kevin Minnie
Hi Terry + Ingrid + all,
Thanks for the consistent news. Pat Prinsloo contacted
us about the sad loss of your mom, Ingrid. We are
sorry that we were not in touch with you at the time
and pray that you and the family have all the love and
support you need as you go through this experience. It
is good to hear the progress on Judith’s condition,
praying that she continues to grow from strength to
strength.
Right now we find ourselves frantically trying to
contact a whole lot of our old friends to reconnect
and pass on the news about Kevin Minnie. We heard
today that he had surgery to remove half of his kidney
last Saturday including two large cancerous tumors. He
is in ICU at the Linksfield Clinic at present.
Apparently, they thought they were going to lose him
yesterday. Today he is slightly better, though heart
rate is racing at 160 and blood pressure is way up. He
has been in and out for treatment through most of the
year.
Please join the prayers for his recovery and healing
and also for comfort and protection for Cynthia and
the girls.
Will keep you posted.
Love from Des and Steph.
Sunday, 17 December 2006
Sinterklaas 2006
Last Sunday, 10 December, the whole family and significant others got together to celebrate Sinterklaas - the affectionate Dutch name for Saint Nicholas. Even Stephen made the pilgrimage by bus from Kingston - 300km east of Toronto. This is the first time since coming to Canada 8 years ago that the whole family has been together for this celebration of gift giving. Judith's boyfriend, Mark, came last year, but for Luisa and Geoff this was a rite of passage with the requisite singing, in unpronounceable and incomprehensible Dutch, of kiddies' songs about Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten. Check out the Sinterklaas photo album.
On Monday 11th, Judith went for her CT scan and blood test. This was uneventful other than that she nearly puked while the scan was going on. After fasting for 4 hours you are given this stuff to drink... Anyway.
Tomorrow afternoon (Monday) is the appointment with the oncologist who will give us the results of this latest round of tests done since the chemo-therapy came to an end. We are praying for good news.
On Thursday Ingrid, Judith and I fly off to Holland to spend Christmas with her two brothers and other family there, and then to Scotland for New Year with her oldest brother and his family. Much anticipation...
Sunday, 3 December 2006
Belated update on Sean
A couple of you have asked about Sean and Whistler and I realised that this change of plan went unnoticed and unannounced with all the other major events that have been going on.
The day before Sean was going to hand in his notice - something he felt rather ambivalent about - he phoned his prospective employer in Whistler who had promised him a position and discovered that Sean would not have the job after all. He and I discussed this turn of events a few days later and took the view that this was not necessarily such a bad thing. For one thing, it would enable him to finalise his co-op requirements for completion of his college studies. "Co-op" is a period of employment, typically six months, in the industry of your major college course, and is a requirement for certification. So...., Sean is still at home with us and expects to be in Ontario through until the beginning of summer - May/June. Anything beyond that is simply crystal ball gazing..
Judith has a CT Scan Monday 11th, and an appointment with the oncologist on Monday 18th. We are praying and expecting that everything should indicate no more cancer. Meanwhile she is impatient for her hair to return. There are some brown strands but they are still few and far between...
Sinterklaas
It's time to put out shoes and sing Sinterklaas songs. The whole family sans Stephen will be gathering at our house next Sunday night, singing liedjes (Dutch songs) and having Saint Nicholas himself throw pepernoten (gingernuts) into the sitting room and, hopefully, drop off some presents and chocolate letters. Dutch shades of My Big Fat Greek Wedding with adult children of ex-pats keeping Dutch traditions that their cousins back in Holland wouldn't want to be seen dead doing!!! Ingrid would be happy to let it go but the kids and I won't hear of it.
Zie ginds komt de stoomboot...
Jeroen has worked out how to put pictures onto his blog. You really should check them out :-)
The day before Sean was going to hand in his notice - something he felt rather ambivalent about - he phoned his prospective employer in Whistler who had promised him a position and discovered that Sean would not have the job after all. He and I discussed this turn of events a few days later and took the view that this was not necessarily such a bad thing. For one thing, it would enable him to finalise his co-op requirements for completion of his college studies. "Co-op" is a period of employment, typically six months, in the industry of your major college course, and is a requirement for certification. So...., Sean is still at home with us and expects to be in Ontario through until the beginning of summer - May/June. Anything beyond that is simply crystal ball gazing..
Judith has a CT Scan Monday 11th, and an appointment with the oncologist on Monday 18th. We are praying and expecting that everything should indicate no more cancer. Meanwhile she is impatient for her hair to return. There are some brown strands but they are still few and far between...
Sinterklaas
It's time to put out shoes and sing Sinterklaas songs. The whole family sans Stephen will be gathering at our house next Sunday night, singing liedjes (Dutch songs) and having Saint Nicholas himself throw pepernoten (gingernuts) into the sitting room and, hopefully, drop off some presents and chocolate letters. Dutch shades of My Big Fat Greek Wedding with adult children of ex-pats keeping Dutch traditions that their cousins back in Holland wouldn't want to be seen dead doing!!! Ingrid would be happy to let it go but the kids and I won't hear of it.
Zie ginds komt de stoomboot...
Jeroen has worked out how to put pictures onto his blog. You really should check them out :-)
Wednesday, 29 November 2006
November comes to an end...almost
This has been a most mixed up month with sadness and joy and just the need to go on with life. I have been very busy at work and our preparations for going to Holland and Scotland are taking over the other hours in the day. I have now made a comprehensive todo list because i am afraid that I may forget something important in the next week or so - like buy the presents for my Sinterklaas draw, buy chocolate letters (done!), write a poem, secret Santa, have car serviced (done today), phone my children, phone the dentist, buy Christmas presents- those to be left behind, those to take...etc. etc. I could fill up this blog with my evergrowing, overwhelming, boring lists. I need to do emails too- in fact if you read this blog and you think I owe you an email, you are probably correct. Relax. Your name is on my list.
The death of my Mom has been central to my life in the last few weeks. I was fortunate to be able to be with her in the days before she went into a deep coma and I am very grateful that I made the decision to go then and not wait. She still recognised me and gave me this beautiful smile when she saw me. From then on we were just there with her, around her bed, talking to her and to each other, touching her and creating an atmosphere of family with her. When I said goodbye I felt sad but again grateful that I had been able to spend this time with her. The fact that Judith was having her last chemo was a good reason to be back home.
That went very well. The staff in the ward presented her with a certificate and of course a special surprise was planned at home. While we were still at the hospital one of the nurses brought a gentleman around to speak to Judith and ask her some questions about her experience. It seemed that he had a daughter around Judith's age and that he was starting chemo soon. She told him not to make drastic changes to his life, do as much as he was able especially keep up the exercise - this was the wisdom she was sprouting forth while lounging around on her bed where she had slept most of the day, looking washed out but chirpy...after all this was the last chemo! What a girl!
Now we are waiting for test and scan results and some information from Dr. Zibdawi as to where we go from here.
At work my job of Housing Support Worker is coming to and end and when we arrive back from Scotland I will go full time into my Supervisor position. I am particularly looking forward to that as I will no longer be working in the evenings on a regular basis.
Time to go to bed! Nearly the end of the day. Nearly the end of the year!
All my love.
Ingrid
The death of my Mom has been central to my life in the last few weeks. I was fortunate to be able to be with her in the days before she went into a deep coma and I am very grateful that I made the decision to go then and not wait. She still recognised me and gave me this beautiful smile when she saw me. From then on we were just there with her, around her bed, talking to her and to each other, touching her and creating an atmosphere of family with her. When I said goodbye I felt sad but again grateful that I had been able to spend this time with her. The fact that Judith was having her last chemo was a good reason to be back home.
That went very well. The staff in the ward presented her with a certificate and of course a special surprise was planned at home. While we were still at the hospital one of the nurses brought a gentleman around to speak to Judith and ask her some questions about her experience. It seemed that he had a daughter around Judith's age and that he was starting chemo soon. She told him not to make drastic changes to his life, do as much as he was able especially keep up the exercise - this was the wisdom she was sprouting forth while lounging around on her bed where she had slept most of the day, looking washed out but chirpy...after all this was the last chemo! What a girl!
Now we are waiting for test and scan results and some information from Dr. Zibdawi as to where we go from here.
At work my job of Housing Support Worker is coming to and end and when we arrive back from Scotland I will go full time into my Supervisor position. I am particularly looking forward to that as I will no longer be working in the evenings on a regular basis.
Time to go to bed! Nearly the end of the day. Nearly the end of the year!
All my love.
Ingrid
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