Eating Muffins in an Agitated Manner

Lump gone!

Posted by Sari

Just a quick note to tell you all that Jukka has had his surgery (I again almost wrote "her surgery", I just hate these gender-specific third person singular personal pronouns....), and everything went well. They did not even have to take a skingraft from his back, which should make the recovery easier. I went to see him in the afternoon and he was still pretty croggy from the anesthesia, but otherwise seemed okay. 

I myself am going to try to relax by reading Tom Arden, watching the second season West Wing DVD's and sleeping in my own bed for the first time in two weeks.

Sairaalassa on toki tylsää joten jos jollakulla on viikonloppuna vapaata niin piipahtakaa piristämässä herraHoota. Hänet löytää Töölön sairaalan viidennestä kerroksesta osastolta 503, huoneesta 2. Vierailuajat olivat muistaakseni 12-18.

Jack the Knife

Posted by jukkahoo

I learned today that I'll be going under the knife next week.

I was at the hospital today (and bloody well waited for almost two hours for the plastic surgeon to finally come!) and the future looks very sharp indeedy. This Jeejee Hakala -lookalike (I helloed him, as one does, before realising that this here was ablout two inches taller than Mr. Hakala) looked at my tumor, cleaned the infliction, said "ummhh" and hummm..." and then announced that this here tratment is going nowhere and that I have to be operated soon. 

Which is almost poetic, since an operation was the first treatment I was told I'd be having when everything was only just starting. I am slightly worried, since there really isn't that many options and treatments after surgery. Only more chemo and radiation (and look where all this took me!).

The problem at the moment is, that the tumor isn't "melting away" ie. getting any smaller. Apparently it is pretty solid dead cell-block, with some nasty cancer cells in the middle having a ball with no care in the world, since the chemojuices aren't getting thru the dead layer of cells. Continuing chemo/radiation serves no real purpose at the moment. So, surgery.

I'll be going back to the hospital in Wednesday to get some MabThera, but I guess they won't put any chemo's inside since the surgery is coming soonishly. And I need all the red and white cells I have to get through this next ordeal.

Doctor James has been very helpful (and funny too) and her continuing precence has helped a great deal with all of this. She is very professional and at the same time very open and there. She even asked today how my panel (on fantasy before and after Tolkien) at the Book Fair went.

It went fine. Some even called it really good. Toni said it was better than his panel on New Space Opera. I got to make few points, name names and generally be entertaining/ed (and people came to ma after the panela sking for names and writing them down!). So there! I had a lovely time at the Fair, even if I stayed there for only few hours in Sunday. I got to meet people (some that I haven't seen since this all begun) and have a wee chat with most of them. I miss mafia's...

I don't really know how all of this will continue, but needless to say, either I or my lovely Missus will keep you informed thru the approproate chunnels ie. this here weblog.

It is that time of year again

Posted by Sari

Jukka tells me there has been grumbling on the other side of the Gulf of Botnia about the lack of posts in a more widely understood language than Finnish. My excuse is that Figure Skating season has started. Few weeks back my sister  Merja and I spent the whole weekend at Finlandia Trophy, and now my online hours are mainly spent endlessly refreshing IceCalc's results page in the middle of the night trying to find out what is happening at the GP circuit. Yes I know there is a slight wiff of fanaticism in the air here. I am not even going to start talking about the collection of about 200 hours of skating on video dating back to 1989. But as long as long we are on the subject, if Susanna and especially Hanna are reading this blog, let me tell you that Plushenko's new LP is apparently called "A Tribute to Vaslav Nijinsky". Should be interesting...

Sorry? Jukka who? Oh yeah, him. Well, he had a bit of a set-back last week. The radiation therapy burned his skin and an infection set in. Dr. James (the fifth)  thinks that the radiation was just the final straw and that the infection might have been "bubbling under" for some time. Anyway, both the chemo and the radiation therapy had to be temporarily discontinued until the infection will have cleared (has cleared? Will clear? My language sense has absolutely no idea which is the correct tense). This means he has to go to hospital every day to have the thing checked and I have been playing a nurse equiped with latex gloves  (get your mind out of the gutter!) and cleaning and bandaging the burn two or three times a day. Jukka thinks the burn is the grossest thing he has ever seen. I disagree. I think mr. Creosote from Monty Python's Meaning of Life is way grosser.

Boil in the Bagman

Posted by jukkahoo

Näinhän tässä sitten pääsi käymään, että sädehoito onnistui yli odotusten. Kainalo kärähti oikein kunnolla ja siiihen kasvoi sellainen vesikello etten ole aikaisemmin nähnytkään. Sellainen Domino-keksin muotoinen kauttaaltaan. Se perhana sitten poksahti eilen ja tällä hetkellä se näyttää e-r-i-t-t-ä-i-n härskiltä.

Sairaalassa Tuomo (kolmas) sitä hieman leikkeli (poisti nekroottisen kuoren!) ja mätää ja mönjää vaan pursui pois. Erittäin epämiellyttävän graafista med aroma.

Nyt on sitten edessä paiseen kylvettämistä ja puhtaitten sidetarpeitten vaihtamista a la rouva Polvinen (nuor.), jota mätä ei häiritse tippaakaan. Sari puhdistelee ja tunkee aineita oikeisiin paikkoihin ihan tyytyväisenä.

Tämä kuitenkin merkkaa sitä, että minä en mene sisään torstaina, ja tuskinpa edes vielä perjantainakaan. Se elää ken näkee tai jotain muuta latteaa. Ja ei, en minä silti aio sinne mafiaan ilmestyä huomenna.

Viime viikonloppuna oli eri hauskaa, kun ihmisiä kävi vierasilla ihan kunnolla. Jan ja Satu toivat kaksinpelejä meidän perheelle lainaksi ja Pelimies sekä Ylin Johto viihdyttivät potilasta loppu-lauantain. Kiitokset siitä. Sunnuntaina sitten Veriveli SariPee2:n kanssa kävivät kaappaamassa Ipan Tallinnanlaivalta. Turha reissu, sillä ei sitä virolaista makkaraa tullut silti. Suklaatia tosin lähes kilo, kiitos siitä. Erityisen ilahduttavaa oli kuitenkin Kultaisen ystävämme paluu "kotiin".

Yksi monista lahjoista (kiitoksia vaan niistä mustista naisten alushousuista, oli meinaan melkoinen selittäminen rouvalle...) oli herra Pajusen ihan omin käsin kansitettu DVD, jossa niin allekirjoittanut kuin lahjoittaja ja pari muuta mystistä olentoa (erityisesti MikeP) tekee itsestään naurunalaisia. Vai olisiko oikeampi muoto sanoa että he "naurattavat katsojia"?

Joka tapauksessa, olin jo täysin ehtinyt unhoittaa kuinka nöyryyttävän "hauska" seremoniamestari olinkaan Xenan ja Suuren Cthulhun Kosmisessa Kohtaamisessa. Ah ja voih! Ensi kerralla ("miten niin ensi kerralla!!!") käsikirjoitus.

Kiitoksia vaan muuten kaikille ihmisille ohjeista ja neuvoista joita on sadellut viimeisimmän kriisin aikana. Muutamaa on kokeiltu ja oiviksi havaittu. Olo on muutenkin hyvä ja jos tuo kainalo ei niin rasittaisi ja häiritsisi elämistä, niin tekisin vaikka mitä. Rau.

Sari on mennyt aivan sekaisin Blake's 7:stä ja katselee jaksoja aivan villinä. DVD:t on kuulemma seuraava ostos...

Posted by jukkahoo

Kävin tässä aamulla taas sairaalassa otattamassa verikokeita ja tikit poijes. Jostain syystä osa tikeistä jäi paikoilleen(?), vaikka haavat näyttäisivät ihan sulketuneilta. Kävikö vahinko? Luultavasti.

Isompi juttu oli kuitenkin se, että viikonlopun aikana tuumori kävi ärsyyntymään ja kas kummaa, kehitti sellaisen vesikellon, joka on aikas iso ja arka. Peruin viikon sädehoidot ja sain antibiootteja ja rasvasiteitä laitettavaksi kasvaimen päälle. Ilkeän näköinen ja kuten palanut iho (sillä siitähän tästä on kyse) yleensäkin, sitä kutittaa aivan saakelisti!

Viikonloppu oli muuten leppoisa ja mukava; vieraita kävi paljon ja kaukaa. Se on hauskaa. Enemmänkin saa käydä.

Nyt väsyttää. Kirjoitan myöhemmin lisää.

My Book Report

Posted by Sari

One of the things that does create some friction between Jukka and me as far as the cancer is concerned is the fact that he is completely happy with knowing the mere outlines of his treatments while I really want to know more. I have surfed to Suomen Lymfoomaryhmä, National Cancer Institute and Lymphoma Information Network, I have checked out what chemo agents he is getting (Etoposide, Prednison, Vincristine, Cyclophosphamide and Adriamycin(Doxorubicin), if I have dechiphered the information correctly), and I even have resorted to old fashion means of igathering information like (gasp!) books.

Lately I have been reading an American book Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Making Sense of Diagnosis, Treatment & Options by Lorraine Johnson. it is a relatively jargon-free and quite useful primer about NHL to patients and families, and I have already filled it with little post-it notes. It is, however, also written for American audiences which makes chapters like Finding the Right Oncologist and Insurance, Finances, Employment, Record-Keeping not only unapplicable but sometimes also baffling. Take this for example, from the chapter If You’re Hospitalized:

If this is a return trip, bring the phone the hospital may have sold you during your prior stay.

I mean say what? Even in our wellfare state the hospital charges Jukka for the calls he makes, but to buy a phone from the hospital? What is up with that?

I have to say also that reading the chapters about medical insurance and doctors and HMO’s makes my head spin, and there seems to be greater uncertainties in the system compared to ours. Stories of people unable to change jobs because new health-plans would not cover pre-existing condition of a family-member, or Lance Armstrong calculating if he can pay for his treatments if he sells his house and car do not exactly inspire confidence.

On the other hand, good health-plans seem also to offer more than what communal health-care can offer to us, like a private room at the hospital.There is also more choice. USA is a larger country with lots more hospitals and doctors, so going shopping for the right doctor is sensible.

We are lucky that we live ten minutes drive away from Finlands largest (I think) University Hospital which is also in charge of cancer treatment, research and training of doctors for most of South of Finland, so Jukka is getting competent and up-to-date care so near home that on good days he can take the bus to and from the hospital.

It needs also to be added that I have no practical knowledge of the ins and outs of US health system, just a lot of prejudices and few random examples. I missed my chance to gain first-hand experiences when I could not presuade Jukka to go to the emergency room in Priceton when he had an ear infection even though I had paid quite a lot of extra to make our travel insuracne covered medical expenses in States.

The phone thing still baffles me, though....

I, Cyborg

Posted by jukkahoo

Been a bit of an overwhelming last couple of days. When bad news start coming, they keep on pouring down on you. First of all, I want to wish a lot of love, strenght and support to Päivi and Pali. Be strong and trust the Mighty Modern Medicine!

Apparently my chemo isn't kicking in as doctors have ordered. The tumor is still a bit worryingly biggish and henceforth I have started radiation therapy. Dr. James (surname, number 5) mentioned something about four weeks plus my normal chemo. I'm... slightly more worried and aghasted than I was a week or s-g ago, but hey!, whatever it takes.

Talking about "whatever it takes", I was in surgery. Like Sari has already told, a piece of high-tech gadgetry was installed to my chest with two tubes running under my skin towards my neck and collar-bone. Wow-wee! The thing now is that since I've just been thru chemo, my body isn't really healing them wounds and stiches. They itch. A lot. And then there's this feeling of something under my skin... that is under my skin. A fun thing is trying to sleep on your back and not move that much. `Cause, you know, it... hurts.

I feel OK'ish. Surprisingly so, but I'm still a bit nauseous and I tire easily. So what's new?

Future looks very organised: radiation every weekday (for four weeks) and back to ward Seven by 23th.

Love visitors. Really. Mean it.

Ja hieman taas kotimaisella. Kotona on kyllä hyvä olla, mutta soisinpa asioiden olevan kuitenkin paremmin. Eikö se nyt riitä, että minua kiusataan kivulla ja säryllä, mutta että muitakin? Päiville mitä parasta vointia, voimaa ja jaksamista.

Rintakehässäni kököttävä metallin, muovin ja teknologian pala on sellainen ovisilmän oloinen ja kokoinen vehje. Sattuu hieman, mutta se johtunee lähinnä noista tikeistä, jotka eivät tässä sytostaattien aikaansaamassa heikotustilassa pääse paranemaan normaalisti. 20. päivä ne kuulemma otetaan pois ja jäljelle jää vain pienet arvet, jotka katoavat kokonaan. Pläääh. Onneksi koje jää sisään muutamaksi vuodeksi, jos vaikka tässä pääsisi ulkomailla käymään jossain välissä läpivalaisulaitteita piipittämään.

Ja kuten valitettavasti sitten pääsi käymään, niin ei riitä pelkkä kemikaali tekemään selvää tästä syöpäläisestä, vaan tänään alkoi sitten sädehoito. Neljä viikkoa tohtoritädin mukaan nyt ainakin, sytostaattihoitojen lomassa, jos vaikka tokenisi.

Säde-puolella ihmiset näyttävät jo enemmän sairailta. Kun on osastolla, sitä ikään kuin tottuu kaljuihin ihmisiin, mutta ainakin ihmiset vielä ovat jotenkin "kokonaisempia". Kellarissa (sillä sielläpä ne sellaiset kojeet ovat) ihmiset muuttuvat enempi "People under the stairs" -leffan näköisiksi möröiksi. Se hieman ahdistaa. Mitä tässä oikein on edessä? Kuinka "helppo" tämä syövän muoto oikeastaan onkaan?

Vaan, ei auta itku markkinoilla. Postailkaa, kirjoittakaa vaikka kirje, käykää katsomassa ja muistakaa pysyä terveinä!

My man the Cyborg

Sort of at least. His life is aided by a mechanical implant, and seeing stuff from the SF angle makes them more interesting and less daunting. He was at Kirurginen Sairaala yesterday having an operation where they put internal catether on his chest so they can plug the drip there. We had very serious-looking instructions forbidding him from eating or drinking on the morning before operation and stating that he has to have an adult minder present  for the next 24 hours after the operation. They even stated that if he was going to be picked up from the hospital by car, there had to be one other person besides the driver along the ride. So what does he do? He phones me when they were discharging him, I phone my Mom and we get on our way towards the hospital. I call him back saying we are on our way and he informs us that he already walked out from the hospital and is at this second hand bookstore quite near and would we pick him up from there.  Sigh. Well, at least I have always wanted to read Orhan Pamuk's White Castle.

Now Jukka is back at HYKS for the fourth Chemo cycle so if you feel like cheering him up he is at the usual place, Ward Seven  at  the Meilahti Cancer Clinic until Saturday morning.  Genrally he is feeling quite chipper on the first two days of the chemo, its on the third day that the side effects kick in and he is feeling crappy for four to five days onwards.

I am not quite sure how he feels about his catether, except he now really wants to go to the States just to baffle airport officials. Apparently the thing registers in all sorts of detectors; they even gave him this card to prove that he has not secreted a dangerous weapons on his person. He and my mother who has two artificial hip-joints and a similar card have already compared notes...

Speaking of US, BBC World had a small report that my favourite building in the world has been successfully restored. Yay!  I know it is not a terribly original choice but there it is, no other building has ever quite taken my breath away the same way as Fallingwater. Next time I am in the TriState area I am going to find a way to get to see it, car or no car...

Sari

Technical stuff

Posted by Sari

What with the phlegm and all, I have no Idea what kind of restrictions I actually have on posting comments, so please drop us a mail if the system wants information you are not comfortable giving. Same goes for other technical glitches.

Um. Hello?

Posted by Sari:

Remember when I promised to try to find a host who offers a possibility to comment on posts? Well, Movable Type -powered TypePad promises to do that so we are at least trying the blogging thing this way. At the moment, I am basically trying to familiarize myself with the system which offers more choices than Blogger, but is also wee bit more complicated.

I have just read through the instructions how to import archives from another weblog system and after careful consideration came to the conclusion that i am not going to do that, at least not yet. The amount of messing about with HTML-tags and FTP servers seemed far to complicated, at least when my head is full of phlegm. I anyone more skilled in this stuff than I wants to come over and have a go at it, I promise make some tea and offer chocolate cake for the trouble :-)

Anyway, lets see how (if) this thing works!

Edited to add that a good night's sleep cleared my brain enough to decipher at least some of the instruction and I managed to import the archives. I lost the hyperlinks in the transfer, though. It is possible I will at some point try to avoid doing something necessary so hard that I will go back and edit them in, but don't bet on it :-)