Has it really been a month since I posted here? Wow! Time sure flies when you’re having fun!
And we have indeed been having fun. Beloved and I spent the middle two weeks of this month in Europe: we visited London, Paris, Bewdley (a wee town just east of Birmingham, UK, which my good friend Derry tells me has some 300 pubs in it’s neighbourhoods, and he knows them all!) and Poole, in Dorset, UK, where my daughter lives and works. It was a FANTASTIC trip… a dream come true for Beloved, and all-around a victory for me. I walked for hours. I climbed and clambered over ruins. We did cafés, pubs, picnics: the works. We had a totally perfect time, and even the weather was on-side.
Beloved and I across the Thames from Big Ben
It was a tremendous time of healing, as well. The day before I got on the plane in Toronto, a 45-minute walk was a major challenge. Three days later, in Paris, I walked for 90 minutes with luggage (admittedly, we packed light) through old Paris from Garre de Nord train station to our delightful hotel near Rue de l’Opera (some 5 minutes from the Louvre… we were in the middle of it, I tell ya!)… and never stopped walking for the next 10 days. Hours a day, day in – day out. Only actually took one day off the whole time due to fatigue. Not bad for a guy who couldn’t walk 45 minutes before the trip, eh? We are attributing it to either mind-set (here at home, the lazy-boy is my go-to place) or a full-on miracle. In either event, I lost a pretty good excuse to be lazy on that trip, and there’s no going back now, is there? I’ve started bike-riding since I came back, and am up to about 40 minutes at a decent cadence… hope to get that to 90 minutes by summer end. Also managing a bit of code work on the computer, although that is still not nearly what it could / should / used to be… but we’ll keep cracking at it and hopefully we’ll get through it.
And then today: had a visit with my oncologist to review the results of a bone marrow biopsy done about 6 weeks ago. The genetic results are not in yet, but the rest was, and the verdict? REMISSION! He doesn’t want to see me again until December, and anticipates that visit will be a waste of his valuable time… he’s very optimistic that I’m going to be in the clear for some time to come.
Interestingly, he’s had that attitude about my case from the get-go: he has been fully confident that we’d beat this back, and even that we’d heal me (that didn’t happen… yet). I asked him about that confidence today, as to why he felt that way. He said he didn’t have an answer to that, but that he just knew. I asked him if that was normal. Definitely not, was his reply. So that was kind of interesting.
Of course, Beloved cried again. She’s been doing that a lot lately… it was getting a bit silly in Europe, frankly! She was blubbering at all manner of things over there. Release, I’m guessing. I really do think that care-givers have, in many important ways, a harder time of it than we who actually are sick. I am forever grateful to her for what she did for me and the family this past year and a half… “heroic” is not an overstatement at all.
Today was poignant in another way, though: cancer is a very major reality in my neighbourhood. Beloved has counted some 14 cases that we know of in a 1/4-mile radius of our home… and that was brought home abundantly as we were in the oncology department this morning. We visited with our across-the-street neighbour, and the daughter of our next-door neighbour, both of whom are dealing with breast cancer.
Anyhow, it looks like I have a several-month (several-year?) reprieve from this fight. A bit of an issue with heart damage (thanks, Malphalan) and skin irritation (we’re not sure what caused that, but it is chemo-related), and of course my much-beloved numb-feet neuropathy… but those are just gentle reminders that life is valuable, that I must live it fully, responsibly, and consciously. As I was saying to Beloved over a bowl of pho at lunch today, I am in many ways very grateful that this has been the turn my life took, as it certainly improved my day-to-day existence (as long as we ignore the whole chemo /stem-cell sick-as-death time, of course.) I’ve never been happier or more content with my lot in life. Never been more settled. Life, each day of it, is good, and for that I praise God.
Of course, this remission means I won’t have as much to babble about here. I will probably get quiet in this space for a while (though I might revisit the content pages and fill those in a bit more completely). I won’t stop blogging or writing, mind you. You can certainly join me at http://www.blog.snippe.ca I don’t yet know if that space will take on a particular flavour or direction (it certainly hasn’t yet) but I will be using it.
blog.snippe.ca
Anyhow, that’s about all for now.
So Happy for you John, I guess Payers did not only help me! But you too! God Bless John…..again…So Happy!
Tears of joy only!
John, that is SOME FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!! Now I’m all misty-eyed, darn it!
So SO happy & excited to read your words. I have to agree with you how this journey is strangely, in fact, a gift to us.We, as cancer survivors, have been forced to stop and take note of who and where we are, RIGHT NOW. Not rushing mindlessly here and there, imprisiioned in our perpetual rush to work, to get things done…instead, we are forced to just BE. And how enlightening is that!? *s*
Happy, happy, happy!
Nancy : }
Wonderful news John and beloved how precious.
I said many prayers over the past months for your beloved and the trials of living with life threatening illness since I myself meandered that terrain some twenty years back. It was a harrowing life changing experience and I would not trade it for the world for it was the vehicle God used to also invite me to a more rich present and meaningful life which I would not have seen without that space and time.
I am so happy to hear you are on the mend and of course for those who cherish you. Your beloved is a precious woman and I love her example of her faith and how graciously she emanates love.
Thanks for sharing John God bless you with more strength and healing.
Maureen
John -
I’m extremely happy to read this! Since you started on this journey I have tried to remember you and your family in prayer as often as I could. Thankfully, God doesn’t depend on my memory (which often failed me), his mercies are everlasting and renewed every morning. All of us Portelas join you in thankfulness and praise to Him for your remission. May God continue to bless all of you.
Love,
– David, Taara, Lucas, and Elena
Welcome to land of remission John. You and beloveds trip to Europe was a well deserved celebration. I am in remission for past year and cherish every day.
Some sad news our brave myeloma blogger Sean Tiernan in England died recently.
RIP Sean
I knew Sean had been doing poorly… hadn’t heard he’d died. Sad news indeed :(
Praise God from whom all blessings flow (sing it)
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Hearing it in all the parts, with your voice in there John.
Yes, moist eyes here too.
YAHOO!!!
That’s AWESOME news Uncle John! I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of your trip and prayed that you would have a fabulous time….God answers prayer! Brighton and I will continually pray for you in the months ahead that you would enjoy living a joy-filled and illness-free life!
Thank you for sharing John..our Lord has stood with you thru the tests and triumphs..Seeing those brilliant smiles on your faces like I have not seen in years seemed to show how God gave you this memorable trip that you both so needed…All our prayers have been answered and now my prayers are that life will be a little easier for you both.
Love you John and Wilma and am thankful for the great news you shared. God Bless
Thanks, sis ;)
Awesome news John,I’m happy for both of you.And I’m glad for the wonderfull trip you were able to make,the Lord has blessed you richly and we give Him thanks.
Such wonderful news for you both and the girls They must be so happy and relieved to know of your remission. This news can not really be topped.
Sorry to hear about ?Barb? and Mary’s girl? presuming it is they of whom you spoke.
So happy to hear your news, John. It’s such a welcome counterpoint to the sadness and fear I felt on reading about Sean Tiernan’s death. Wishing you many long years of remission, travelling, cycling, walking, blogging… Doing whatever makes you and others happy.
Curious thing about your doctor’s feeling. Who knows?
Best wishes from England.
Jet x
Hi Snip,
Just grazing my way through some of the blogs I like to follow and catching up on what’s been going on with you. Great to read that your back is much better, that you’re in remission, and I’m particularly jealous of the European trip – my wife and I hope to do something similar next year once I complete my induction therapy. Take care, and best of wishes for you – you continue to be on my prayer list. Kevin.