My Battle With Cancer
by John Sawkey
(To be continued ...as time and energy permits)
July 30, 2009
As most visitors to this website and members know, I am the webmaster of this website and assist Rob Wilson with the publication of the Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Newsletter, "What's flying around....". I am a retired school teacher/ principal of many years who is converting 160 acres of farm land into a wildlife park mainly for birds. Information regarding Slough View Park and Sawkey Nature and Bird Trail are given on this website and http://sloughview.com .
Since 2006 I have been battling cancer. In 2006 I had colon cancer which required surgery - and which subsequently spread to my stomach. It developed into level IV cancer and I received chemotherapy every second week for the greater part of 2007. I began to regain my strength in 2008 and tried to complete many tasks which I had previously started but had to put on hold for this time while I recovered. It appeared that I recovered from colon cancer and cancer of the stomach.
During all this time, I was most fortunate to have the support of members of the birding group, friends and everyone I met. The doctors, nurses and staff who cared for me were superb.
2008 was a fairly good year for me and I believed that I was on the road to recovery and was able to complete many tasks which had been put aside for a couple of years. However, a tumour developed in the mesentery near my stomach. Doctors had hoped that this was benign and would stop growing. However, this was not the case. The tumour increased in size and the CEA count rose rapidly. On Wednesday, July 29, I once again was at the Allan Blair Clinic in Regina at 6:30 am and at 8:00 am had another Porto Cath installed in my chest. I will begin another round of treatment for three days every second week with a very powerful and expensive drug. Fortunately, Pasqua Hospital will pay for the drug and my chances of recovery appear to be excellent.
Unlike the chemo side effects which resulted from chemotherapy in 2007, I am warned that the side effects of this drug could also have serious consequences such as fever, high blood pressure and even blood clots or a stroke. However, the consequences of cancer would be devastating without taking chemotherapy - and I have little choice if I am to survive.
During the past few years, I have become very aware of the devastating effects of cancer. Sadly, a number of individuals who likewise received treatment, and who sat with me and encouraged me, are no longer with us. Others (good friends) have also had their battle with cancer - and like me - are not out of the woods - yet - as they say.
The other day, I made great people whose family member was diagnosed with cancer and was to begin treatment immediately. One nurse also told me that she fought breast cancer twice during the past few years - and showed me a severe burn mark on her hand which resulted when chemo accidentally spilled on her had three years ago.
Yesterday, I met a patient who had likewise battled cancer for several years including bone cancer and has made great progress. There are many individuals who like her refuse to give up - and as a great friend of mine told me that a good attitude was necessary if progress was to be made.
What really impressed me was the loving care and other patients received at the Allan Blair Clinic. Doctors, nurses, technicians and other staff members made you feel that that they really cared. You feel at home with them - and can count on them whenever you need help. I am told that this same type of rapport exists in Saskatoon and other cancer clinics. In other words - very special people work with cancer patients - and as I have experienced - what would we do without them.
During the past three years, I have researched the topic of cancer - and have found a few excellent books by people who have also survived - and many who are still battling cancer. It is my hope to include this information on this page - as time permits - the names and details of some very encouraging, inspiring, and helpful books and material which I have discovered during the past few years.
This past week, I sent the following email to dozens of friends in our birding group and elsewhere. I was overwhelmed by the replies and the comments along with words of encouragement I received.
As I lay on a cot at Allan Blair Clinic most of those comments kept coming to my mind. Their best wishes and encouragement gave me hope. I also looked at other newcomers at the clinic and the camaraderie was there. We were soon introducing ourselves, sharing stories, experiences etc. As one who has experienced life with cancer and its consequences I found that time was all too short to provide much help or information. I promised that I would write a page on this website and share the information I have garnered during the past few years - books - and how to cope with cancer. It is my experience that people who care about other individuals are usually those who also care about birds. This is also a great excuse to introduce them to our website.
I am quite aware that this topic does not have much to do with birds and wildlife, but as an individual who is very much concerned about nature, I am also concerned about people, and their well-being. As a former teacher and friend to people whenever I meet them, I believe that we must help our fellow human beings. This should be our prime purpose in life. There is much more to life than simply eating, working, and sleeping. We are here to share, encourage, help others in any manner we can. This is the type of consideration which I have received during the years and which I hope I can give to others.
This is the beginning of my comments. I will add updates and information as time and energy permit. If you have any comments which you would like to share I would love to hear from you.
To those who have responded in my email to friends and posted below, thank you for you kind and thoughtful comments. You have helped to share my burden - given me hope and encouragement. It is my hope that others who have found themselves with a similar situation - perhaps not just cancer - that they will be encouraged by what they read here.
Whatever your problems - never give up hope. Find a support group, talk to your friends, or write about them. As a friend told me: "Be nice to yourself."
Best Wishes:
John Sawkey
July 28, 2009 Email sent to numerous friends.
Greetings Friends:
I hope that you are all having a pleasant summer and that all is going well with you.
I am sending this email - blind copies to my numerous friends to inform you regarding the latest news regarding my health and status. I really do not have much time to inform people individually - and I may not have the time or the energy to inform you in the future. I do not have everyone's email address on my list - but a few with whom I have regular contact.
I thought that I had a fairly great summer so far - but results of the latest CT tests have created great concern for me and members of my family. This past week I spent several hours with two doctors at Allan Blair Cancer Clinic and two nurses. I was informed that the tumour in the mesentery of my digestive system is growing - doubling in size monthly - and if I do not have immediate treatment - I will soon be very weak and probably immobile. My doctors want to begin treatment immediately while I still have energy to endure this.
I have two great oncologists who are prepared to give me all their attention during the next year - when I need it.
On Wednesday - July 29 - I am to be at the Pasqua hospital at 6:30 AM and will have surgery to re-install another Porto-Cath in my chest. Chemo treatment will begin the following week - with chemotherapy every second week. This will continue for three months - to begin with. They will be using a very powerful and expensive drug which is supposed to cut off blood supply to the tumour and kill it. Fortunately, Pasqua Hospital will pay for it. I believe that I am one of the first in this area to undergo treatment using this drug - although the drug has proven to be very effective against tumours in the US and elsewhere.
My oncologist informed me that the side effects will be greater than those that I had in the previous treatments and that I will probably not be able to do very much. Side effects include fever - blood clots - headaches - etc. I would be given drugs to control much of this - and if any complications arise, I was to immediately call doctors and nurses at Allan Blair. I was to avoid crowds or situations where I could pick up some disease as my ability to fight these would be very low.
I will still do the layout for the yfbta newsletter - and update the website - but probably very little of anything else except reading. I still have many tasks that I had hoped to complete around the yard - putting up bird houses - put up signs - build fences etc. - but again this will have to be put on hold - unless I have friends who can do this for me. To make things worse - Yesterday my riding lawn mower gave out - after 10 years of work - and I will have to get a new mower. About a month ago, I purchased a three point hitch 60 inch finishing mower which I can use with the tractor if need be.
The yard is beautiful and the flowers are great. I took many photos the other day and will post them on the website.
As previously, I have become quite depressed - and do not sleep well. My sister Anne is home from Winnipeg and looked after the place and Max (my dog). She will be going to Winnipeg and I will be left to fend for myself until treatment begins. I will stay with Marcel in Regina when I receive treatment - and he does most of the driving. Anne will stay with Max and look after the place while I am gone - but she will go back to Winnipeg when I am home.
My mom is at the nursing home in Yorkton - doing quite well - but she cried a lot Yesterday when she was told of my condition.
My battle with cancer began in 2006 when I had surgery for colon cancer - and which spread to the lining of my stomach. This is all gone - just the tumour - which refuses to go away. I look at this as one more hurdle to conquer. I did it once - I can do it again.
During the past few years - everyone has been so thoughtful and kind to me - especially members of the birding group. I regret that sometimes my level of tolerance and patience was not so great. I felt that I have been swamped - and have struggled to make the place and birding trails presentable. I was particularly proud of the tree sites near the Castleton United Church. I recently saw a mother duck with 10 young swimming with her. I have seen a baby horned owl and its mother. For the first time in years - we have yellowhead blackbirds - coots - bitterns -several kinds of prairies chickens and a variety of birds especially finches. I still feed the birds during the summer - and feel that all my efforts have been well worth it. My Neverland was created here and the trees and shrubs have really done well the past few years.
So much for all this. As dear friends over the years - I just want you to know what is happening - and if don't respond to your emails - letters or phone calls - and you have to wait to hear from me - you'll know why. It isn't because I have forgotten you, but having gone through chemotherapy for a year in 2007 - I know that my energy will be very limited. I was told that the side effects of this chemotherapy will be much worse and probably very debilitating.
It is because of the friends like you who have supported and encouraged me that I have made it so far. My new oncologists and Dr. Rafik Malik (a surgeon) have truly been God sent. They are exceptional. The nurses and staff are like family to me.
So take care - and keep in touch. All my best wishes to you all.
Thanks for being there for me.
From time to time - I will try to keep you informed on the website http://www.yfbta.com
John Sawkey Email: john.s@imagewireless.ca
"Hope and the Dragon" - Story of Matthew Epp and his battle with cancer.
The story about Jeff who saved an eagle which later helped him in his fight against cancer.
One of the best books which I have discovered is the book entitled "Anti cancer " by Dr. David Schreiber MD., Ph.D. It is published by Collins and imprint of HarperCollins Publication Ltd.
Details about this book will be given as soon as possible.
