Chapter 4
My carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) blood test had come back with a low normal number. CEA most likely would not be a good marker for me going forward. The CEA blood test is used as a marker in colon cancer for disease progression and a sign that treatments are either working or not.
For my next appointment I needed to drive down to Orillia for my scheduled MRI. The MRI would determine the exact size and position of my tumour. Also if the tumour had broken through the rectal muscular wall. It would also be able to determine if any lymph nodes were possibly cancerous. Cancer in just one lymph node would automatically put me into the stage III category with a more aggressive treatment protocol.
Once again Dr. G told me he was treating me with a curative intent as Sherry and I left his office. I was now a couple weeks into my journey and over the next few weeks my journey's path would become much clearer.
On my next visit and with my MRI results in his hand Dr. G confirmed I had a T3 tumour which had indeed breached the rectal wall. N0 (zero) meant that no lymph nodes were involved, but there was however a suspicious node that had shown up. It was most likely non-cancerous but could not be positively confirmed. M0 (zero) meant my cancer had not metastasized to any other organs. On the surface T3N0M0 put me in the stage IIA diagnosis with fairly positive outcomes after surgery and treatments.
I’ll take it, thank you very much.
Dr. G would now be presenting my case to the tumour board at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre in Barrie. A team of doctors along with Dr. G would now be able to select the best plan to treat my cancer. Hopefully, with the best possible outcome for me to someday eventually attend the Leaf's parade.
It seemed like everything was going smoothly, too smoothly.
For my next appointment I needed to drive down to Orillia for my scheduled MRI. The MRI would determine the exact size and position of my tumour. Also if the tumour had broken through the rectal muscular wall. It would also be able to determine if any lymph nodes were possibly cancerous. Cancer in just one lymph node would automatically put me into the stage III category with a more aggressive treatment protocol.
Once again Dr. G told me he was treating me with a curative intent as Sherry and I left his office. I was now a couple weeks into my journey and over the next few weeks my journey's path would become much clearer.
On my next visit and with my MRI results in his hand Dr. G confirmed I had a T3 tumour which had indeed breached the rectal wall. N0 (zero) meant that no lymph nodes were involved, but there was however a suspicious node that had shown up. It was most likely non-cancerous but could not be positively confirmed. M0 (zero) meant my cancer had not metastasized to any other organs. On the surface T3N0M0 put me in the stage IIA diagnosis with fairly positive outcomes after surgery and treatments.
I’ll take it, thank you very much.
Dr. G would now be presenting my case to the tumour board at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre in Barrie. A team of doctors along with Dr. G would now be able to select the best plan to treat my cancer. Hopefully, with the best possible outcome for me to someday eventually attend the Leaf's parade.
It seemed like everything was going smoothly, too smoothly.
It was now time for a curveball.
The MRI also was showing a shadow on my pelvic bone. It most likely was nothing to worry about, but Dr. G wanted to be sure. I now needed to drive up to Huntsville for a full body bone scan. This was the one time when I got truly scared since cancer in your bones is not a good thing.
“Very bad” were Dr. G's exact words.
A bone scan entails having a full body scan, drinking a contrast liquid then coming back a couple hours later for another full body scan. In between the scans I was starving so Sherry and I hit Subway once again.
Little did I know a second curveball was coming down the pipe. I cracked a tooth while eating my sub. Now a root canal was thrown into the mix along with everything else I was having to deal with.
The next day I got the results from the bone scan, it was all clear. Within a week and after three visits to the dentist I had my root canal completed.
It was now full steam ahead and I was ready to wage war on my cancer.
Game on.
For most of my life I have been playing ice hockey. I do not play five times a week like I once did but still play a couple times weekly. When I moved up to Bracebridge I continued to play with the same Saturday morning group I did in Toronto for the previous fifteen years. Although I now had to travel 100 plus miles each way, but it was worth the drive to continue skating with the Shanahan group.
On the Saturday morning after I was diagnosed it would be my last drive down to play hockey. I was done; I would be telling the guys I had cancer. I would not be playing again and I wanted to tell them all in person.
I just could not fathom the thought of not playing hockey again. It was on the drive down I made a vow to myself.
I would drive down again.
I would play again.
Better still, I will be back on the ice within a year.
The MRI also was showing a shadow on my pelvic bone. It most likely was nothing to worry about, but Dr. G wanted to be sure. I now needed to drive up to Huntsville for a full body bone scan. This was the one time when I got truly scared since cancer in your bones is not a good thing.
“Very bad” were Dr. G's exact words.
A bone scan entails having a full body scan, drinking a contrast liquid then coming back a couple hours later for another full body scan. In between the scans I was starving so Sherry and I hit Subway once again.
Little did I know a second curveball was coming down the pipe. I cracked a tooth while eating my sub. Now a root canal was thrown into the mix along with everything else I was having to deal with.
The next day I got the results from the bone scan, it was all clear. Within a week and after three visits to the dentist I had my root canal completed.
It was now full steam ahead and I was ready to wage war on my cancer.
Game on.
For most of my life I have been playing ice hockey. I do not play five times a week like I once did but still play a couple times weekly. When I moved up to Bracebridge I continued to play with the same Saturday morning group I did in Toronto for the previous fifteen years. Although I now had to travel 100 plus miles each way, but it was worth the drive to continue skating with the Shanahan group.
On the Saturday morning after I was diagnosed it would be my last drive down to play hockey. I was done; I would be telling the guys I had cancer. I would not be playing again and I wanted to tell them all in person.
I just could not fathom the thought of not playing hockey again. It was on the drive down I made a vow to myself.
I would drive down again.
I would play again.
Better still, I will be back on the ice within a year.
I am not quitting.
Now that would be a tall order since even Dr. G doubted I would be playing hockey within a year. He did not rule out ever playing again, just not that soon.
As I approached Toronto that morning, I had it all figured out. I would play my usual game, hopefully playing at the best of my abilities. After the game I would tell the guys in the dressing room that I had been diagnosed with cancer.
As fate would have it I actually had a good game. I scored a goal and blocked a bunch of shots. When the final buzzer sounded the puck was right on my stick. I scooped it up and threw it in my hockey bag. In the dressing room I started to get undressed. I stood up and I casually asked the guys how they thought I had just played.
Now that would be a tall order since even Dr. G doubted I would be playing hockey within a year. He did not rule out ever playing again, just not that soon.
As I approached Toronto that morning, I had it all figured out. I would play my usual game, hopefully playing at the best of my abilities. After the game I would tell the guys in the dressing room that I had been diagnosed with cancer.
As fate would have it I actually had a good game. I scored a goal and blocked a bunch of shots. When the final buzzer sounded the puck was right on my stick. I scooped it up and threw it in my hockey bag. In the dressing room I started to get undressed. I stood up and I casually asked the guys how they thought I had just played.
The reviews were good, ‘better than usual’ some quipped.
“Not bad for a guy who just found out he has cancer,” I said with tears in my eyes. All the guys were in a state of shock.
You could hear a pin drop in the dressing room.
“Keep my stall open because I will be back within a year” I promised.
There were lots of hugs, tears and well wishes as I left the rink on that Saturday morning. I knew in my heart it would not be my last time.
I now had no doubt that I would be back within a year.
“Not bad for a guy who just found out he has cancer,” I said with tears in my eyes. All the guys were in a state of shock.
You could hear a pin drop in the dressing room.
“Keep my stall open because I will be back within a year” I promised.
There were lots of hugs, tears and well wishes as I left the rink on that Saturday morning. I knew in my heart it would not be my last time.
I now had no doubt that I would be back within a year.