Captain's Log - Dec 2007

Hello all and welcome to the last blog entry for 2007. HiHo HiHo its off for the last chemo I go. Anyway that’s what I hope & I just got a call saying I am booked at the poison kitchen on the 27th for cycle 6 of what I hope & trust will be my final chemo.
I have been bad in updating the site but here it is and sorry if I have had you in limbo with no further news. But don’t despair here is the update. If you want to flick me a mail or organize a game of golf douglas@balamanzi.co.za . Cycling appointments will follow shortly.

Then on the 27th or 28th we head off to Maanskynbaai between Hermanus & Stanford for 2 weeks where I can recover and we can just chill. It is the boathouse and friends of ours offered it to me and I have decided to just clutch out and head down there. Its on the waters edge and away from the crowds. I will just head back to town on the 3rd Jan for my little Gemzar Chemo session and then head straight back till the 11th. I am quite apprehensive regarding this cycle as the last double dose I had knocked me flat for almost 5 days and know I know what all the fuss about chemo is about. It is really unpleasant with this weird sensation. The only thing is that if it makes me feel like that imagine what it is doing to the cancer which it targets and is aimed at. It must be almost gone as I wouldn’t hang around if someone was tossing that shit at me !
Enough about the chemo.
Attached are some pics of the spot with us there having spent the long weekend there and yesterday when Mark & Melissa our friends whose spot it is offered it I could not refuse the offer. Whats great is that we can go down there and just space out and take it easy. I am going to quickly squeeze in some golf games between now and the treatment.
There is also a pic of me and oliver with an amazing sunset at home in Stellenbosch from a week or so ago.
The family continue to flourish and do well with Ella on the verge of crawling and Oliver getting all amped and ready for Xmas with much excitement and anticipation of the pending visit from Father Christmas. Any threat to him that Father Christmas is watching when he is up to mischief leads to a very quick change in attitude. We will just stay put for Christmas at home and then head off to the beach.

To all you bloggers out there I wish you the best for Xmas and look forward to giving updates in the new year with more good news and updates on the captains log. Talking of the captains log - what is the difference between the starship enterprise & a roll of loo paper ? They both circle Uranus looking for klingons !

On that note I shut my log and say bye to you , 2007 and the cancer ! Good riddance to the latter.
See you again in 2008.

Steven Siegal

Hi All

Well we past half way & all continues to go well , Sort of if you take it that Chemo is working, forget about the fact that 2 days disappeared off the face of the planet last week, it all bodes well as the mind change I have is great knowing that there is no gain with no pain. Am happy to deal with it knowing that the bad guys are taking a dive like in a true Steven Siegal Movie. The whole thing actually follows a script like that pretty well. Starts off with the perfect scenario, then the bad guys pitch up uninvited and all gung ho then the odds seem stacked in their favour and then Steven Arrives like Chemo, he don’t say much but he sort of throws the apple cart over and slowly but surely just annihilates the whole lot. Not saying much but everything and everyone taking a couple of claps and bashes. It’s a stressfull and challenging time while all this transpires, there are the up and good times, there are the rough times and the times when you just eat your porcorn times. It swings from good to bad and all along you have this flicker of hope and you know there is chance that they can pull it off. So you keep a grip on plot and it all pans out. Then in the end he and Bruce Willis light up the stuyvesants and off they go. There are some cameo roles played by the adoring wife, the cute & disobedient sons and the loving and beautiful daughters well as the sawn off shotgun (glyco nutrients) the supportive friends and everyones little idiosyncrasies and all the extras.
Only difference is that I wont fire up any Stuyvesant when over, and I will try not swear on the blog ! And all sequels have already been shelved.
I had another diesel (chemo) dose today so we hope and trust all is going according to the Script. Now don’t tell me you havn’t watched a Bruce Willis or Steven Siegal movie in the last 6 months!

I talk about the glyco nutrients cos since starting on them about 3 weeks ago my blood counts which have struggled and have progressively or accumulatively been diminishing as each cycle come and goes have all of a sudden gone up dramatically. It is really great and I can honestly feel how my systems are regenerating from one day to another. Honestly feel its doing the stuff. Then again I have been advised to take 36 scoops a day where normally it is 1 – 2 scoops a day for those of you not in the move industry like me and Steve.

We have shelved all plans to go away fro the festive season and will just be taking it easy here in the Boland so if anyone is down here feel free to pop in should you wish. I will probally be getting some diesel between Xmas & new year so will just take it easy at home.

That’s is for now we hope you enjoying the movie and enjoy the silly season starting soon with Christmas parties and the long days to enjoy.

X Douglas

Bittersweet

Yesterday as mentioned was the big day and what a big day it was. First I had my comprehensive CT scan and then the follow up with Sean my oncologist to see how the treatment and cancer were doing. After the initial greets and trivia he cut right to the chase and said that the Lung lesions were much smaller and some appear to have dissapeared !, but that it appeared there was no improvement in the lymph node tumors / lesions. He said he wasn’t happy with the radiologists report and asked if we could wait 20 minutes while he went through to clarify some things. 40 nerve racking minutes later he returned with a huge grin on his face and spilt the beans that they had made a stuff up on the interpretation of the scan. In actual fact the radiologist had not even compared the 2 scans but had compared the new one to the previous written report ! Not to the previous scan from 12 weeks ago.

So after Sean had the idiot superimpose the new scan on the old one the feedback was totally different. That was that the lymph node lesions are also smaller and backtracking. Sean later told me that the initial report cited a new tumor which was rubbish as well as the false info that it was static and no change was evident.

So the outcome from yesterday is very favourable and the treatment due to its success is continued as is. The other indicators although not as important as the results form the scan are also good with the blood tumor markers showing a decline and the blood count being very good when it was rock bottom at the same time last week. My white blood cell counts was 1,8 - minimum should be 4 and the platelet count which was 37 and should be a minimum of 140. This means the immune system was up on blocks and if I started bleeding I would have had big trouble stopping it with hardly any platelets. Yesterday they were at 7 and 325 respectively. Even the oncology nurses couldn’t believe how the platelets had jumped. So for me and Wilmien it was the news we wanted and we were both euphoric with the news. Interestingly Sean said that if the tumors disappear altogether so soon or too quickly it can be a worrying sign so the fact that we are making good steady progress is top news. Good thing he is so thorough and does not leave anything to chance. Had he taken the report from the radiologist as fact I probally would have been in a heap of despair and the treatment which is working well would have been changed. I asked if I should go past the radiologist and give him a piece of me mind, all he said was that I could have what was left after he had already taken upon himself to have a go at him ! Nice to know that he is that good and thorough ! Amazing too how the staff at the oncology centre also root for you and were awaiting the results and the joy they share with you on such positive news !

I was then sent through to the chemo room where I had my double dose of chemo (roundup and diesel). My hair is thinning but I have no more weight loss and am feeling really good with no pain and discomfort. Am just taking it easy while affording myself the time and rest to recuperate and march to what I hope and trust will be remission. While yesterday was a nervous day with the result we were hoping for we remain modest in our approach to this challenge and take one step at a time.

I have used bittersweet as my title with the sad news from Friday of the untimely death of Gareth Bradbury in a car crash which has now also claimed the life of his and Adri’s 7 month old daughter Mikaela. Our thoughts & prayers go out to Adri & daughter Cammy who are recovering in hospital. We wish them a speedy recovery and wish to tell them they are not alone. They were so supportive of me & Wilmien and have now had this tragedy beset them. We wish them well and look forward to seeing them.

Amazing how one can never take anything for granted and how much we can all just be grateful for ! Live each day to its fullest and embrace everything that we can and live a full life.

Well with my positive news I bid yee farewell, I will be shaving my kop today as it really is getting rather thin and stringy. I continue with my partially revised diet and have now hit the glyco - nutrients which are all the buzz and judging by my bloods response may be what we need to take the battle on.

To all who have visited and posted comments a million thanks, I draw strength and courage from it. To the guys who completed the hell & back Mountain Bike race well done and I look forward to taking part again next year.

I will pop a pic on here shortly, until then keep your chins up.

Douglas

November Rain

Well as it rains outside I stand poised at the start of week 3 of cycle 3 which is as I have no doubt you know when I don’t get any chemo. (how is that for literal intro brilliance – watch this space for my book)
Yip this week is happy days while my body recovers which it really needs as last Monday my white blood cell count was pretty low, Sean said he would proceed with the chemo but that I stay at home out of harms way while the immune system is stuck in first gear. As I sit here I can feel that there has been a bit of an improvement which continually gets better but can still feel a bit low on the fighting side. I have had hints of a bit of a cold or flu but no fever which is what I really have to be cautious of. Was told by the Sean that I should just camp out at home and not over exert myself.
So with a heavy heart I have foregone my entry to the Hell & Back mountain bike race and will take it easy at home this coming weekend. Little sad but as it my next one is #10 and I don’t know if the boys will behave in my absence. They are a little ‘loose’ at the best of times ! Anyway I wish them all the best for the race into and out of gamkaskloof a.k.a. The Hell. You remember what Winston Said ? When going through Hell , just keep going ! To me gabbas doing it I am with you in spirit.
I have lost about 2 kg’s which doesn’t sound like much but I can feel that my upper body strength is much less and my belt is one notch tighter with my bum swimming in pants which were usually quite tight at the end of winter. So apart from this and feeling a little flat all is fine, but for my skin which looks like a teenager in the middle of a rough ac-attack. I hope this will pass. Thanks goodness I am not going out clubbing as I would probably be asked for my ID !
I am playing a bit of golf at present and shot for me a little 75 on sat in the trying windy conditions. Was stoked about that and will see if how we did in the club compo ! When I bumped into a friend at golf a week ago he asked if I wanted to play this week. I said sorry no can do, he asked the reason and I said I would be in bed in all likelihood. When he asked how I could be so certain, I confirmed that he had not heard of my challenge. I then told him of it and he laughed and told me it was a shit joke & didn’t believe me (it took some convincing) ! To him I say thanks because with my luck of not losing my hair I appear to be in good health and am so. I think quite a few folks are shocked when they see that there is not evidence of the cancer. To be honest I feel good and strong most of the time and want to portray this. I feel stronger & better now than I have for the last 5 months ! It is an acute disease now very treatable and conquerable. So the last thing you want is sympathy and sad outlook. Give us courage, well wishes, a slap on the back and maybe a good bottle of red wine ! Cos I aint drinking the plonk under the stairs when I do have a glass !
I have also just started using the glyco-nutrients which are all the rage at present for all sorts of ailments. Costs a fortune & tastes like shit. Amazing how anything and everything medically or alternatively used to evict the cancer either tastes like shit or makes you feel like shit. On sat eve I invited my friend and Olivers godfather Paul over, bought some sosaties and some chops, lit the fire and pulled the cork out of the best bottle of red I could get my hands on under the stairs ! Was a gastronomically rewarding experience from the top shelves I must confess ! Tomorrow I will just have my blood tested to see if the white blood cell count has recovered which I have no doubt it has and then next Monday is the big scan day and assessment of how the treatment has been. It will be a big day for which I have to admit I may be anxious but am expecting the best !
I have as yet not asked as to the severity and aggressiveness of what I have nor about my prognosis. I have decided that I don’t want to be drawn into statistics or be dictated to by them. I will rather do my things and get my mind around making a success of where I want to be in the new year ! I hope and trust that that will be clear of the cancer and in remission !!!!!!!!
In the meantime I try be as productive as possible in terms of assisting at home and trying to be productive in terms of BALAMANZI and whats happening there. It amazing that with e-mail, the internet and a cell phone you can be productive but Johan, Brynn, Francois and Grant are my eyes and hands at the office and out in the field. To them I say thanks. I will spend quite a bit of time at the office this week and can be more productive.
To all of you out there thanks for the thoughts and for your visit here. I am amazed at the messages, thoughts and positive energy streaming my way. Much appreciated !
Quite a post hey ! Well its Sunday night, hope you have or are having a good week and I promise an update early next week. Maybe even before then ! Cheers and thanks for the visit.
Dogless
Well done to the Vrystaat !

update after cycle 3

undefined

Caught in bed with ... !?

undefined

End Cycle # 2 - sorry for delay

Hi All

My apolgies for the delay in posting an update on the blog. You may have seen that there were updates with no filling. I have had heaps of trouble doing such and 3 longwinded posts blabbering on to inform the masses simply dissapeared into cyberspace never to be seen again. Very frustrating

Winston Churchill once said "if you're going through hell, just keep going" Well that pretty much sums up this whole challenge. More so the problems with this blog, the plaster they strap to my arms when admistering the chemo and the fact that getting the needle in takes 3- 5 attempts whereafter my arm aches and pains and all the hair loss form ripping the plaster off ! The chemo pails in comparison! This is the honeymoon week I find myself in at the end of cycle 2. No Chemo and I feel great. My blood and body are on the bounceback trail so I feel stronger everyday. The nice warm weather also adds to the good feelings.

When I went in last week on the 8th Ovt for my single dose of Gemzar chemo my white blood cell count was low and borderline so my dose was lowered to 75% and i still got my roundup. After the administering of the first double dose days 8 , 9 & 10 are when your system is at it lowest in terms of the immune system and the after effect of the chemo. So the cancer takes shots but also lots of the normal cells. My hair has thinned but not fallen out ! Except on my arms from the plaster removal !

Friday I have the extensive blood tests done and Monday I get results and based on these we fire up for Round # 3. This enatisl feeling a little groggy on Monday and then on Tuesday there is some load shedding and some of my trip switches go ! Then I just lie low and dos & take it easy for 2 - 3 days. Something similair to what the english rugby team will do after their drubbing they will get this weekend. ( I hope these words dont come back to haunt me) heaven forbid.

In the interim I am cycling again and have been playing more golf, I even won a smoothie machine in a golf compo which is great as I am spending a small fortune on smoothies at Kauai !

Wilmien was in London for 2 days last week and my Mum wa down to assist me with Oliver & Ella. Was great having her down and it was enjoyed by all with gani-norma entertaing the young team and daddy. Thanks Mum.

Next week I will post some pics and with the William Webb Ellis trophy on its way back to ZA I have no doubt I will make some more impressive strides in the eradication of the cancer ! The weekend after that I will elaborate on the cheetahs and the Currie Cup !

Till then have a sterling weekend and remember to brush your teeth !

Cheers

Douglas

Cancer Eviction Notice # 2 - Chemo round 2

Hi All

Spent today at VP hospital having round 2 of my roundup (chemo) administered. This after a lenghty consultation with Sean (oncologist). He told me that after my blood tests friday pm to verify that I could commence this week he told me how he was called friday night 10pm due to irregularities in the results. The irregularities were that the marker figure had dropped by 20% when they expect that it should rise and only start dropping after 3 cycles of Chemo. So I was greeted with & asked if I wanted the very good news or good news and more good news. Seems that the Lymph node inflamation has also subsided by 50%, This could be felt from the nodes under my collar bones. I am overjoyed and Wilmien ecstatic.

Any visit to the oncology dept. carries with it a whole bouquet of emotions in terms of expectations which inlcude apprehension & anxiety, optimism, fear and loathing for the life saving chemo that serves the eviction notices. So today for me was really great in light of all that mills around in your head when you know that the results will be presented and 'read out' to you. As when I was given the news I had cancer there is no way of wrapping it or them in anything other than the blatant truth ! You cannot dance around the news or results.

So the excellent news recieved was great & reflects what I have been feeling for the last 2 weeks in that it is possibly the best I have felt in the last 3 - 4 months. This I truly believe is a result of the lifestyle changes in terms of diet & dop, my complimentary approach which includes raising my PH with detox & Alkilinity tablets, Omega Oil (3&6), Ozone or Cellfood intake and Melatonin to help me sleep at night if necessary. This together with all the energy and positive vibes from you all out there and my quietly optimistic outlook makes for a formidable amroury when you have this challenge at hand. Oliver, Ella and Wilmien also make sure the guard is never lowered.

To all of you out there it is long, lengthy & more detailed than normal entry but I wanted to give this news & put it out there. I even cycled down to Somerset West & back yesterday. Am taking one step at a time and all is well.

I have also met Janine from Cape Town who has an almost identical diagnosis & at a similair age the 2 of us are egging each other on with a pragmatic approach & no nonsense attitude to our unwanted guests. Thanks Janine ! See you soon.

To all of you thanks for the visit to my blog ! Thanks for the messages & well wishes.

Will pop some more pics up some time.

Cheers

The Dog a.k.a. Douglas

Hello All

Greg here helping Doogs again.

Here are some images of his first day of chemo after cutting all his hair off.
Eish and it was not going to be falling out anyway!!!!

Good luck Doogs. Wil, Oliver and Ella!!!

Holiday Week & Golf Tour

Hi All, Tuesday morning of the week where I don't get any chemo, and I am feeling very good and fine with no pain or side effects. I was in Plett and the Southern Cape ona golf tour with 7 other guys and much fun & golf was had by all. So I am still carrying on as normal and living a normal full & good lifestyle. I am sometimes a lttle fatigued at night but otherwise fine. Was good getting away and having my mind off the normal routine which has its questions and moments of sympathy everyone wants to express which can get a little tedious and boring in terms of repeatedly telling the same things over & over while all you want to do is move on.

I feel confident that the chemo in conjunction with lifestyle changes, the tailor made supplements I have chosen and embarked on have made an imapct in getting rid of the unwanted tennant. The syptoms and discomfort as mentioned have gone and I am feeling Tops. So this week is to be spent putting my time in at the office doing a full weeks work and then next week I get another double dose of chemo.

Hope you all also had a great long weekend and look forward to posting more updates and some pics of me in the 'poison kitchen' which is what they call the room where the chemo is administered. Will also post any other stuff deemed necessary.

Cheers

Douglas

First Chemo week done & dusted

Had my first chemo session on monday 10 Sept which entailed 2 different chemo's. On Monday I felt fine but Tues & Wed had the side effects of nausea & fatigue come and visit and I literally felt like i had been hit by a bus. By thursday though I was feeling much better and since then have been getting progressively better till today Sunday. Feeling great at present with a great weekend behind me ! Went to the driving range with Oliver this pm which was very entertaining! Cant wait for the warmth of summer to come as I really feel the cold at present. Tomorrow I have some blood tests done and then another bout of chemo which only entails the 1 type (not both as last Monday). I have been told that it will not be as severe as last week which is re-assuring.

The really cool thing is that the pains I have have had in my chest which alerted me to this thing in the first place have subsided A LOT which leads me to think that with all the chemo, supplements, alternative treatment & approach, diet and my visualisation of it dissapearing have all taken their toll ! I have not taken any pain killers for 2 days and am really feeling good.

Amazing how good you can feel with no hint of a hangover anywhere in site. Watched the rugby with a ginger beer!

Go the Bokke !

Later

Douglas

to the trenches - chemo commences !

Hi All

After 2 agonising weeks of tests, scans, pricks, pokes and scopes My Oncologist (Sean Brennan) is satisfied with the diagnosis of 'Primary unknown'! This means the original cancer has not presented itself and cannot be found IE She gone or will be soon ! I believe that I have got rid of it and am left with the 'secondaries'. To my relief and somewhat odd excitement my chemotherapy starts tomorrow.

I have been told that i will get two cocktails during my treatment. This involves 6 cycles of 3 weeks each or 18 weeks. Each cycle starts with me getting carbo platinum and gemzar on the monday and then just gemzar the following monday and nothing the following week. Each cycle will then start again after Sean is happy with tests done and my state of affairs. Then we fire up again 6 times over. This means that my last 2 doses are on 24 & 31 Dec respectively. So if the full treatment continues without alteration I end the year, chemo and cancer in one fell swoop, I trust and aspire to this! Father Xmas will recieve my letter to bring me remission. I think my excitement will equal Olivers this Christmas !

Other good news is that the side effects of the chemo are not as severe as I was expecting. No hair loss, nausea & vomiting will not be severe, my imune system will not be badly affected that I need avoid contact with people. Fatigue may be a factor though as I belive they are going in with heavy artillery. I have been advised to remain active and can exercise within bounds. IE no Hell & BAck this year! My entry for next years Argus is already in and I am going to do it!

As for work I will see how things go and try put my shoulder to the wheel when I am up to it. My friends and colleagues at Balamanzi have been great in affording me the leeway to focus on the battle at hand. Wilmien is also insisting on being an integral part of the team I lead in the field. It has been impressed on us that it is a team effort and assault to tackle and overcome this cancer.

Thanks for all the support messages and comments. I truly appreciate it and look forward to seeing you all and thanking you in person.

Watch this space.

Douglas

DING - Round #1 !

Another Pic of the family!

pics

Moenie worrie nie, klein boetie will sort it out. C'mon people lets work as a team and do it my way!!!!!

Nice pics Doogs

Thursday 6th Sept update

Here are some recent pics of the fam.

I have been struggling with this blogsite for ages and couldnt load any pics. I have now tried a different machine and it is working.

Have been for further tests with the primary still being evasive and have just spent some time on the net reading up about 'primary unknown' ! My histology and pathology reports show that the suspicion is that it may be from my stomach or digestive tract. If so my body may had the immune system deal with it and it is now gone or what can also happen is that it is taken care of and then passes through the digestive system ??

Anyway it the wait and the anxiety of not knowing where it comes from and it also appears that if it is so they cover all bases and throw the kitchen sink at it in terms of wiping out all cancer cells. Good news is that I am as the oncologist says strong enough for it and as you can see from the site I am also chomping at the bit ready fro the battle.

In the meantime life goes on and all at my office have been phenomenal and Wilmien who returned from maternity leave on monday has also been given leeway to assist as and when needed. The offers from friends & family has also been overwhelming and to those of you out there many thanks for the strong words of motivation and support. It has really been touching & overwhelming. Many thanks to ALL.

As mentioned life goes on and little Ella has also decided to start teething which keeps us on our toes all night. Both she and Oliver are great and i draw much pleasure, inspiration and strength from them. As for Wilmien I can only say I am blessed to have her in the trench alongside me. My Oncologist Dr Sean Brennan or my commanding officer is an inspiration and very thorough. He is also straight & honest which is exactly what you need with the challenge ahead.

Rest assured that I will keep the site updated and will advise as to when the treatment starts. Wilmien has also insisted that with the advent of chemo we have catered for the eventuality of more kids when & should the need arise. That is a whole story all by itself.

Stay well , stay updated and stay positive.

As Jacobus said to me, 'we laugh, we cry and we laugh again'

Enjoy the spring and the warming weather !

Love from Douglas

Skiet hom in die hol, Pa soek die vel heel

Hi All and thanks for the visit.

Watching idols last night 2 idiots from Pretoria came on and in the lyrics of a song they sang which was a joke were the lyrics of a hunting song 'skiet hom in die hol, Pa soek die vel heel' i thougt it was pretty good !

Having been pricked, prodded, poked and scanned I now await the treatment which will be chemo i understand but await some final tests. Seems that the diagnosis has to be done very thoroughly before the treatement protocol is finalised. In the mean time i feel like a bull at a gate and want to get going and start it. After the diagnosis and shock of the 23rd Aug i am now ready to start whatever is required to sort this out. The primary is what the docs are after while the secondaries have presented in my lungs and lymph nodes.

I am feeling fine and wouldnt have suspected anyhting but for a pain in my chest which has progressively got worse over the last 4 months. Apart from that I feel absolutley fine and the oncologist says this and the fact that there has been no weight loss are my biggets assets in the challenge and battle ahead. I just wish we could finish the tests and get going with the treatment. I beliEve as well that they can be quite aggresive in my case due to my age, and factors above and really hit it hard. I am all for this and will keep the blog updated. The blogg was blogged this am but thanks to Greg I am now up on it and firing away.

Watch this space.

Thanks to all for your messages and offers of support it is really appreciated and i draw even more strength from it.

Wilmien has and continues to be great and Oliver and Ella keep me on my toes with no support or sympathy from their side! So the rest of you make up for it thanks.

Cheers

Douglas & Wilmien

more pics

just a couple extra pics

Sak Sarel, pa wil 'n bok skiet!!!!!!

Well it seems that big doogs doesnt know where to turn a computer on, so little boetie will give him a helping hand!!!!

This is another test to see that we can get Doogs up on the net and getting all his news out to the world.

Let me know if this is working by posting messages.

Enjoy the pics - just a few blasts from the past!

Greg

Testing

Hi everyone, Greg here. Just testing to see if we can get Doogs a blog site.