What’s a nice guy like me doing with Cancer?
Hi everyone my name is Peter and I have Cancer, to be more specific I have Stage 3/4 Bladder Cancer. 
So why do this? Write a blog about cancer, especially ‘my cancer’ that is a question that many have asked me, why share what is probably going to be really hard to do and maybe at time hard to follow. The straight answer is I’m primarily doing this for me but as you find out more about me as we go on I’m not a completely self-centered moron and I truly hope that some of what I share with helps someone else then that for sure will be a bonus. Some clarification before we proceed, I’m not pissed off about having Cancer anymore, I was but fortunately, some weeks before I started this blog I did all the crying and wall punching (not really!) that I felt was necessary or expected for someone that is given that news. Cancer can be very private, I kept my feeling to myself and suffered for it, it’s bad enough having friggin cancer but not reach out to for help, be it emotional or physical, is just stupid so I don’t do that anymore.
Some rules about how we proceed on this journey,
- I will not lie to you EVER…
- If I am having a crappy day I will tell you – sorry somedays cancer isn’t fun.
- If you don’t like what I write, sorry, go watch YouTube or check out Facebook.
- You can comment on all the articles, I will not edit any comments unless you are being a complete dick
- I live in Toronto Canada but I’m from the UK originally consequently I have a dry sense of humor that borders on sarcasm. If I find humor in things that upset you that is not my intention. Laughing, ‘often at myself’ has gotten me through many prior downtimes.
- I am not a writer – so if the odd period turns up in the wrong place I’m sorry. I edit on the fly.
- There are two amazing women in my life who I will mention one is my partner Divina and my daughter Julie, everyone else will be identified as Jo or St and Ma, just the first 2 letters of there name just to protect their privacy.
So that’s it really, that’s why I started this and hope to continue to the end of this journey wherever it may take us, there will be tears, humor but above all I want this to be an experience that I for one would not want to miss.
The latest article
My Thanksgiving came with a surprise
Prior to my last 2-hour chemo session, I met with my oncologist ‘Dr. Ch’ I had to admit to her that I was doing that good. Constantly out of breath, climbing stairs were a killer for me, at my ‘lady loves’ condo the are a dozen or so stairs leading from the parking garage, I could hardly make it to the top. On top of this, I had an insatiable thirst, I just couldn’t get enough fluids in me.
Trips to the bathroom so frequent at times I thought it best for me to just spend the night there instead of constantly waking Divina. There were several times when I would get up in the middle of the night and sneak Cherry Gelato out of the freezer just to satisfy my need for sugar. If you are diabetic you will probably understand these symptoms, I’m not so it was a mystery to me, but like everything I thought it would pass – it didn’t
Back to the oncologist – seems she and her team knew what could be going on. First was a pinprick to test my glucose level – I was a staggering 27 mmol/L which is off the charts apparently, a ‘safe’ level is supposed to be around 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L. They continued with the chemo treatment and referred my case to the diabetic division at Sunnybrook informing me that I would get a call from them.
Friday I get the call from them, so concerned about me being untreated over the (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend they suggested I come in for a battery of tests and solutions.
Bottom line I have Steroid-Induced Diabetes a not uncommon condition with cancer patients. I met with Doctors and specialized nurses and left with a big bag (literally) of supplies, a blood test meter, needles, insulin pens and medications.
I have spent most of the weekend feeling like crap forgoing Thanksgiving with my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, feeling unsafe to drive. I’ve been testing and recording my sugar levels. Today Monday I’m actually feeling better, no cravings, thirst is under control and no lightheadedness.
Update: My sugar levels are down to 9.4 – in need of fresh air I took a trip to Shoppers Drug, I had the roof down and the windows open and what remaining hair I have after chemo was blowing in the wind.
So good to feel almost normal after feeling like crap
Peter & (t)
A special shoutout to ‘St’ for reaching out to me all the way from a cruise ship in the Mediterranean by video
PS: Edited on the fly as usual
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