To
everyone who shared the journey of Ray's battle against colon cancer with
us
through my weekly email updates, I extend my deep, heartfelt gratitude.
Thank you.
May God bless you as richly as you blessed
us.
Terri
You may leave a message for Terri and her family in
Ray's online
Condolence Book.
Web Site
Administrator
Return to Fight of a Lifetime at
RayBuckley.com
Update January 8th, 2007
Ray died peacefully
at home on January 7th, 2007 with his wife and best friend Terri, and his
faithful dog Tucker by his side. Greatly loved and greatly missed by his
step-daughter Jaime Lynn and husband Scott, his step-son Christopher and
girlfriend Laura, his parents Jerry and Kay Buckley, and his half-sister
Kristine Gratton.
Ray was the proud Papa of three precious
grandchildren, Caitlynd, Joshua and Lacy. He will be especially missed by
Caitlynd, who named him Papa and wrapped his heart around her heart
forever.
Beloved son-in-law of Doug and Joan McPherson. Brother-in-law
of Wendy McPherson, Vicki and David Stokes, Brent and Kori McPherson. Uncle to
Aaron, Cori, Micheal, Megan, Nicki, Jeremy and Laura. Nephew of Rosemond
Mullins, Al & Jeri Casseti, Barney & June Casseti, Pete & Audrey
Casseti, and Rose Garlow. Ray will also be sadly missed by the many cousins he
dearly loved.
The absence of Ray's laughter, his beautiful smile, his
wonderful hugs and his quick wit, will leave a void of deep sadness in the
countless lives of those who loved him. One day however, that sorrow will turn
into joyful memories they will always carry in their hearts.
Ray was a
member of Fox Glen Golf Club. His passion for golf could not be dampened by
cancer. He played the best golf of his life last summer, scoring his personal
best and winning the most tournaments he's ever won in a single season. Over
the course of his illness, the management, staff and members of Fox Glen Golf
Club truly became a second family to him.
Ray was adopted into the
hearts of a new family last year, the compassionate and absolutely fabulous
staff at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre. Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal, who Ray
fondly called 'doc', went above and beyond the call of duty until the very end.
Ray died exactly the way he prayed he would die. God answered Ray's
prayer in full - and then some. He passed away at home, in his recliner, in his
sleep, and more than appropriately, on football Sunday.
In expression of
sympathy, memorial donations can be made to the
Windsor and
Essex Cancer Centre Foundation.
Visitation
Families First Funeral Home & Tribute Centre
3260
Dougall Ave. Windsor, Ontario
Tue Jan 9th: 3:00pm to 5:00pm &
7:00pm to 9:00pm
Wed Jan 10th: 3:00pm to 5:00pm & 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Funeral
Heritage Park
Alliance Church
2455 Talbot Rd. Windsor, Ontario
Thursday Jan
11th, 2007 at 11:00am
Friends are invited to join the family after 10am for
visitation.
Update December 30th,
2006
Today is Ray's roughest day yet. The doctor doubled his
pain medication Thursday because it was getting harder to get his pain under
control. It usually takes 2-3 hours to get his pain under control in the
morning but it is now 1:30, and even with the stronger pain medication, he's
just now starting to get a wee bit of relief. He's laying in his recliner with
his eyes closed, trying to get some sleep. The pain saps every ounce of energy
out of him, both physically and emotionally.
Christmas Eve day went
well. Terri got Ray's pain under control in the morning, and Ray made the
decision not to take his morning Xeloda - chemo pills. (He takes 5 pills in the
morning and 5 pills in the evening.) After taking his pills, he's wiped out for
4 or 5 hours and when he wakes up he has to deal with the pain all over
again.
Ray & Terri went to Gerry & Kay's house, Ray's parents,
where everyone enjoyed a lovely afternoon in Gerry & Kay's cozy sunroom.
They opened presents with the GrandAngels and spent precrious time together.
Later, they stopped at Terri's son's house where they opened presents again and
had a lovely visit with Christopher and his girlfriend Laura.
From
there, Terri & Ray went straight to a special Christmas Eve Concert at
church. The singer was fabulous and they loved listening to him sing and talk
about his faith. After a full day of visiting with loved ones, they ended the
day perfectly by spending some beautiful time in church remembering Jesus'
birth was reason for all the festivities. They left to concert a little early
because Ray's energy reserve was nearing the empty mark, but they got to go
where they wanted to go that day and do everything they wanted to
do.
Christmas day was a little rougher for Ray. He was in a great deal
of pain most of the day, and then after eating dinner at his aunt Rose's house
in Woodslee, his pain came back like crazy. He was able to get the pain under
control again and come back to the table for dessert and sit and visit with
everyone for a while. Then Terri took him home.
On Boxing Day Ray &
Terri were able to get out of the house for a few hours and visit with some of
Ray's relatives in Michigan. Ray really enjoyed seeing everyone and spending
time with so many people who love him so much.
The rest of the week has
been a big battle against the pain. Next week a nurse is coming to the house to
do a home assessment for the pain management doctor who will be coming to the
house and taking control of managing Ray's pain. It will be a big relief for
Terri to have that burden off her shoulders. She gets guidance from the Windsor
Regional Cancer Center but when Ray is in extreme pain she feels terribly
guilty for not knowing how to prevent that from happening.
Terri has
been keeping the house quiet, turning off the phone ringers and turning down
the answering machine, because the only place Ray is able to get comfortable
enough to get some sleep is in his recliner in the living room. He is no longer
able to sleep in bed because when he lays down flat the pain is too great. He
can't even lay flat for the doctor to examine him anymore. She has to pull his
knees up so he can lay on his back long enough for her to examine his liver and
abdomen.
Ray and Terri are grateful for all your wonderful prayers and
your wonderful notes. They don't have time to answer them but Terri prints them
all out and reads them to Ray. Every day they get word there is another prayer
chain that has added Ray to their list, or another church that has added Ray to
their prayer list, or another individual who has added Ray to their daily
prayers. He is being prayed for from coast to coast in Canada and the USA and
both Terri and Ray feel very blessed.
Update December 24th, 2006
Ray has been on
Xeloda (capecitabine)- an
oral chemotherapy drug - for a week. He takes ten Xeloda pills a day for
fourteen days and then he will get a week break. He had an
Avastin (bevacizumab)
infusion at the Windsor
Regional Cancer Centre on Monday. (Avastin is the new metastatic colorectal
cancer drug he's been taking since September.) Fatigue is the biggest side
effect of the Xeloda so far - it is overwhelming and has knocked the stuffing
right out of him.
Dr. Kanjeekal, Ray's oncologist, has requested a pain
management doctor who will start coming to the house once or twice a week as
needed. Ray is on a Dilaudid (hydromorphone) patch all the time now. When he
has breakthrough pain he has to take one or two Dilaudid pills, depending on
the severity of the pain. It has been a trying and tiring week for both Ray
& Terri.
Here is a note from Terri: I haven't wanted
anything for Christmas for years and years. Now, I haven't wanted anything as
badly as I've wanted a gift for this Christmas, to have Ray here with me. I am
going to get my gift and nothing can tarnish my joy! Whether we visit with
relatives, stay home, if he's in a good mood or if he's grumpy as a bear - I
don't care!
Some days it looks like he's fading away before my very
eyes, but I can touch him and hold him and put my cheek against his cheek, my
head on his chest and hear his heart beating and I can tell him I love him.
These memories are mine to hold forever.
May your Christmas be filled
with precious memories in the making, for yourself and your loved ones. May you
find comfort in the cherished memories you have of loved ones who are no longer
with us. May the Lord bless your homes and your hearts with the peace, the
wonder and the joy of that very first Christmas morning.
Here are some
new Christmas pages I made late at night when sleep was nowhere to be found. I
hope you find one you enjoy:
Merry
CHRISTmas!
Terri
Update December
15th, 2006
Ray had another very long and very tough week. He
had a pain under the right side of his rib last week that got progressively
worse as the week wore on. By this Monday it was so bad Terri called the cancer
clinic.
Dr. Kanjeekal, Ray's oncologist was away at a conference
but the oncologist on call had a look at Ray's records and doubled his pain
medication for the week to get him by until Ray's appointment with
Dr. Kanjeekal this morning.
Ray woke up this morning
and as soon as he moved he was in so much pain he couldn't stand or breathe or
do anything. Terri called the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre to let them know there was
no way Ray could wait until his appointment at 11:15 and asked if she should
bring him to emergency. They said no, bring him to the cancer clinic so
Dr. Kanjeekal could have a look at him. Ray took a high
dose of Dilaudid so he could get up and Terri could take him to the
Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre.
Dr. Kanjeekal felt Ray's liver and abdomen, and ordered an
immediate ultra sound. The ultrasound results showed the cancer tumors had
grown and the cancer had spread. The chemo (FOLFOX) is not working. The growing
tumors are making his liver swell even more than it's been swelled up since
this all started, and his liver and some of the tumors are pressing up against
other organs. That is the source of his pain.
Dr. Kanjeekal then ordered an immediate CT Scan to make
sure there was no internal bleeding. If there was bleeding, she would have to
stop his Avastin. (in rare instances, Avastin can cause hemorrhaging and
intestinal perforations) The CT Scan confirmed the growth and spread of the
cancer but also showed there is no bleeding. SO, on Monday, which would be
Ray's regular chemo day at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre, he is going to receive
Avastin - which is given by IV into the port in his chest - and then he will
get a prescription for a chemo pill called Xeloda. The drug costs $1500.00 for
a two week supply but Ray & Terri will get 80% of that back from their
health insurance company. Ray will take one Xeloda pill a day for two weeks and
then get a one week break. He will continue to get an infusion of Avastin every
two weeks. This combination of drugs is called a third line treatment, which
means is it used when the number one and number two lines of treatment have
failed.
For now, the biggest priority is to manage Ray's pain. He is on
a patch that will give him a constant dose of Dilaudid (a narcotic). He also
has a high dose of Dilaudid pills to take if the patch isn't enough to ease his
pain. He also starts a small dose of Decadron (a steroid) that he will take
every morning. The Decadron should help with the inflammation, which in turn
will help with the pain, plus it will increase his appetite. Unfortunately, it
will probably also cause him to retain water and give him a puffy look. He also
has to take stool softeners and Mucilex and wheat grass and greens or the
narcotic will constipate him and cause another whole set of
problems.
Ray & Terri are extremely grateful to Dr. Kanjeekal for
keeping the door of hope open. Even though today's news was bad, she said she
will not give up on Ray.
By the time Ray & Terri got home from the
Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre - close to five o'clock, they were emotionally exhausted and Ray was
physically exhausted also. After crying on and off all day, they came home to a
really nice message on their answering machine from
Dr. Kanjeekal. She said she knew they'd just had a long day
and hoped they would be able to get some rest over the weekend. She also said
she would take a walk over to the chemo suite and see them on Monday morning.
Terri & Ray said they are very blessed to have such a compassionate and
caring doctor managing Ray's care.
Ray is happy that he does not have to
have any more FOLFOX treatments. He won't miss the neuropathy (nerve damage)
the black tongue and black skin on his hands, the terrible muscle ache, fever
and chills. Xeloda has a whole different set of side effects so he'll have to
wait and see which ones he gets - hopefully very few!
Update December 11th, 2006
Chemo this
week hit Ray harder than ever before. He spent the better part of three days in
his recliner, barely able to lift his head. During the day he had chills and
then he suffered from night sweats all night. He would soak through his pillow
and all the bedding. He was weak, had no appetite, and when he did eat he was
full and bloated after a couple of mouthfuls. Every muscle in his body ached.
He had a sharp pain under his right rib that made it difficult to breathe. He
had something called 'chemo fog'. Last week a large medical study proved what
many people have been saying for years, that when they have chemo they feel
'out of it', kind of stupid, like they're in a fog. Terri said the chemo fog
was actually a blessing because Ray would wake up, turn his head and stare at
the wall, or the TV or the dog or wherever his eyes landed and then drift back
off to sleep. He slept a lot.
This was Ray's 15th chemo treatment and
his 6th Avastin treatment. He's been doing very well with little to no side
effects from the Avastin, but the chemo is starting to take a real toll on his
body. After a summer of very few side effects, he's getting more and more side
effects with each treatment. On Friday and Saturday the skin at the bottom of
his fingernails turned black, and when he turned his hands palms up, all the
creases in his hands were black. The back half of his tongue turned black on
Wednesday, but he was able to remove it with his toothbrush. It turned black
again Friday and Saturday and he removed it each time with his toothbrush. By
Sunday his skin was turning back to a normal color and the black tongue has not
returned. He lost another 2 pounds last week, which makes it even harder for
Ray's body to handle the chemo and fight the cancer.
Ray started to perk
up a wee bit on Thursday. He was actually able to sit up, talk on the phone and
even go out in the yard with Tucker (their dog). He had a bit of a setback in
the afternoon. The cortisone medications he received for his fissure were
working very well (thank goodness!) but then the fissure split open again. Ouch
beyond ouch! Terri got a painkiller into him right away before the pain got out
of control and by the evening he was doing okay. The swelling started to go
back down and the bleeding slowed down. He's had to keep taking the painkillers
but it's not flaring up like it did during his last chemo week.
On
Friday Ray was able to get out and about again. A short trip to the cancer
clinic for his weekly blood draw completely exhausted him, but after a nap he
was able to get up and visit with company. He was even able to go out to dinner
to his favorite Cantonese restaurant. His appetite came back and he ate a good
meal.
Ray's oncologist wanted to book him for a CT Scan within the next
two weeks. Unfortunately, her office called Friday and his CT Scan isn't until
January 14th - a Sunday! The reason for it being scheduled in January and on a
Sunday, is that a brand new CT Scan machine is being delivered to Windsor
Regional Cancer Centre on December 18th and all December CT Scans booked after
that date are being rescheduled to January.
Last week was a very long
and very emotional week for both Ray and Terri. Ray was feeling so rundown and
beaten up Wednesday morning that he broke down crying and said he didn't feel
like he was going to make it to Christmas. Terri said another piece of her
heart broke to see him so physically and emotionally hurt. By Friday however,
Ray was talking about golf in the spring!
Having Ray here with us, is
the only gift Terri, and all the rest of us, want for Christmas. Terri and Ray
said their priorities, perspective, attitude, the whole ball of wax have
changed for the both of them. Things that seemed so important a year ago are
really so very trivial now.
Update
December 2nd, 2006
Ray's internal hemorrhoids flared up
worse than ever a couple of days after his last chemo treatment. Or so everyone
thought. He's been in a debilitating amount of pain.
Dr. Kanjeekal, his oncologist, gave him a narcotic called
Dilaudid to take the edge off the pain and the pills barely touched it. When
Dr. Kanjeekal was informed about the rough time Ray was
having, she set up an appointment with a G.I. doctor. Ray was very thin and
very tired. He'd lost 8 pounds in one week. Dr. Peer, the G.I. doctor saw Ray
the next day and scheduled him for a sigmoidoscopy for Friday morning. The
results showed that Ray has a fissure (cut or tear) in the lining of his colon
- which the doctor says is unbearably painful. He did a full scope and the
original cancer tumor is still the only cancer inside of Ray's colon. The rest
of his colon cancer is spread outside of his colon. Finding the fissure was
good news. Before he did the scope, the doctor said he expected to find either
a fissure or new cancer tumors. That is the reason he wanted the scope done so
quickly. The mood in the surgery room before they put Ray out, was very solemn.
Later, when the doctor asked a nurse to bring Terri into the surgery room right
after Ray's scope, the entire staff was smiling and joking and happy as happy
could be - including the doctor. He didn't say anything ahead of time, but he
was very fearful that new cancer tumors were causing Ray's problem.
Ray
& Terri were able to attend the annual Christmas party at Fox Glen Golf
Club. Ray had been looking forward to that party for months and was afraid he'd
have to miss it because of the pain he was in - especially after having a
scope. But the doctor put a topical freezing over the fissure and everywhere
there was swelling so Ray would be pain free for the evening. Ray had a great
time seeing everyone and he was even able to get up on the dance floor and
dance with his wife for a couple of songs. Kevin Corriveau, the General
Manager, said such a beautiful grace before dinner that Terri had tears in my
eyes. Ray did great for about three and a half hours and then he started
feeling some pain so they had to head home before the pain got too out of
hand.
All in all, the rough week had a good ending!
Update November 23rd,
2006
Ray had a rough couple of days on chemo. His
temperature spiked to 101F Tuesday night. If it goes higher than 101F Terri has
to take him to emergency. Ray's temperature held at 101 F and then broke during
the night.
The increase back to a higher dose of steroid - Decadron -
didn't have an effect on Ray. This was good news because the Decadron decreases
tissue swelling and increases appetite.
Ray is having a big problem with
Neuropathy again - neuropathy is tingling and numbness to the nerves in his
fingers, mouth and throat due to the chemo drug Oxaliplatin. It was fairly mild
and sunny here on Wednesday, but even with a little chill in the air Ray had a
difficult time moving his fingers properly and controlling his hand movements
when he was outside.
A dietician visited Ray when he was at chemo on
Monday. His weight is down too far and the doctor wants him to put some of it
back on. You should see the diet he was given! Ray is supposed to eat six meals
a day AND snack in between. The list of foods he is supposed to eat, or eat
more of, includes cheese, peanut butter, ice cream, cake, cheesecake, pie,
pudding, pancakes, pasta, casseroles, potatoes, bread, meatloaf, bacon,
mayonnaise, granola, honey, jam, syrups - plus more! He was given a pamphlet
and under ice cream it says: make it into beverages like sodas, milkshakes and
other milk drinks, eat it as a treat, put it on top of cereal, fruit, cake and
pie, and eat ice cream pie and ice cream cake. That is an anti-diet for the
rest of us!
Ray finally got relief from the pain he was suffering due to
internal hemorrhoids. The pain is not gone completely, but he says that
compared to the pain he was in for the last 3 weeks, the discomfort he has now
is very manageable. Ray & Terri want to thank everyone for all the notes of
prayer they received for 'butt relief'!
Update November 18th, 2006
Ray had a
visit with his oncologist
Dr. Kanjeekal yesterday. He was worried the cancer had
spread because he had a pain and a lump in his abdomen for about a week. When
Dr. Kanjeekal did her exam, she said everything felt the
same as it did at his last visit. That was a relief!
Ray has been
suffering from internal hemorrhoids for 3 weeks. His family doctor gave him a
prescription for Proctofoam which did absolutely nothing. During these last 3
weeks Ray has tried everything that everyone has suggested and was not able to
get any relief. The only time he has had any relief is when he's laying in a
warm tub of water. He's spent most of his time in the tub this week. Yesterday
he was in so much pain he put a small television on the toilet and laid in the
tub for a few hours, adding warm water when the bathwater cooled off.
Dr. Kanjeekal said an internal hemorrhoid is a vein that is
bulging out, much like a varicose vein people get on their legs. Chemo
irritates the lining of the colon, which makes you vulnerable to a vein
swelling up, and when one swells up, the pain is excruciating. She gave Ray a
prescription for a suppository that has cortisone in it and a prescription for
Dilaudid to take the edge off his pain. She also suggested buying Witch Hazel.
Ray & Terri said that figuring out how to apply the Witch Hazel was a
challenge! They may be on the right course of treatment however. Ray's had a
couple of hours with only mild discomfort.
Ray's appetite has fallen
off, so he discussed going back to the original dosage of Decadron (steroid)
that he's given by IV when he receives his chemo treatment. Steroids decrease
tissue swelling and increase appetite.
Dr. Kanjeekal had reduced the amount of Decadron Ray
received because it made him agitated and unable to concentrate or sleep (and
grumpier than grizzly bear!). When she reduced the Decadron,
Dr. Kanjeekal also gave him Ativan to take when he felt
himself starting to get agitated. She gave him another prescription for Ativan
yesterday to make sure he's got plenty on hand to take when needed and she is
going to bump him back up to the higher dosage of Decadron when he gets his
chemo/Avastin treatment on Monday.
Ray is having night sweats.
Unfortunately that is a side effect of the chemo that some people get. His
neuropathy (sensitivity to cold in his hands, mouth and throat that gives him a
pins & needles feeling) did not go away completely this time. It is caused
by Oxaliplatin, one of his chemo drugs, and has been lasting a few days longer
after each treatment since his first infusion of Oxaliplatin in September. Ray
& Terri have been stocking up on hand warmers for the winter!
Ray's
treatment on Monday will be his 14th chemo treatment. His body is holding up
pretty well for having had that many doses of chemicals pumped into it in the
last six months.
Unfortunately Ray didn't get a 'good' week between
chemo treatments this time. We're hoping his lack of energy and excessive
fatigue and feeling 'just plain lousy' was due to the pain and discomfort of
the internal hemorrhoids. Being in that much pain for such a long amount of
time was mentally exhausting also.
Let's hope Ray's 'butt' problem is
fixed so he can at least have the weekend to get his energy level back up
before chemo/Avastin on Monday. If anyone feels inclined to pray for 'butt'
relief, please feel free. He sure needs it...............!
:-)
Update November 10th,
2006
Ray had his 4th round of FOLFOX/Avastin this week. He
had the expected muscle ache and fatigue. He also had the sensitivity to cold
in his hands, mouth and nose, which was more intense this time. He is still
feeling the effects today. Last time he had flu-like symptoms for 4 days after
his treatment. This time, the flu-like symptoms didn't start until today, so
we're waiting to see how long they'll last. He has chills and is clammy and
achy and feeling very rundown. He is also experiencing a constant pain in his
abdomen that started about 7:30 last night. We're hoping someone at the cancer
clinic is able to see him today when he goes in for his weekly blood
work.
Ray's private insurance company is going to cover 80% of the cost
of Avastin, which means Ray is only going to have to pay $953.00 a month for
the drug. This is very good news indeed. Ray's income is still lower than the
increased expenses for fighting his cancer, but it is especially good news this
month because his short term disability ended and his long term, which is
$250.00 a week minus taxes, was supposed to kick in. Before that can happen,
the insurance company said he had to apply for Employment Insurance Benefits,
which is also $250.00 a week minus taxes. Unfortunately, EI said it will be 28
days before Ray gets a check, if he's covered. He won't know if he's turned
down for two weeks. If he is turned down, he has to fill out paperwork to apply
for long term disability which will take 2 weeks to process. Either way, he has
no income for 28 days. But thanks to the generosity of all of you, the money
you raised for Ray will pay the bills for the next 28 days.
On a brighter note, Ray got to do something he's always
wanted to do. In the fall of 2005 Ray and his friend Joe purchased tickets to
the Professional Bull Riders Championship in Las Vegas. The event sells out in
a couple of hours and you have to buy your tickets a year in advance. When Ray
first got sick, he told Joe to take his ticket because he wouldn't be around to
go to the event. Well, he was proven wrong on that point and last weekend Ray
and Joe went to see the Professional Bull Riders compete at the Thomas &
Mack center in Las Vegas. They had a blast! It was a three day event, which
ended with a grand finale on Sunday. During the day, Joe and Ray fit in as much
sightseeing as possible. One day they went to the top of the Stratosphere,
which is 921 feet high. While they were up there, the two of them gathered
enough courage to get in line for a ride called the Big Shot. It shoots you 160
feet straight up in the air at 45 miles an hour. While they waiting in line to
get on the ride, they saw it shoot up. This was too much for Joe. When it was
their turn to get on the ride, he chickened out and ran away. Ray got on. He
brought back this picture to prove it. The girl sitting next to him isn't
laughing at the ride, she's laughing at Ray. When the ride was over, he told
her it wasn't funny one little bit. That made her laugh even harder. Everyone
of us who have seen the picture, laugh just as hard. (As you can see from the
picture, Ray's hair has grown back. FOLFOX only thins hair, it doesn't cause
all the hair to fall out like his previous chemotherapy regimen. Terri even had
to give his hair a little trim this week!)
Update October 13th, 2006
Ray had the second
round of his new chemotherapy treatment - FOLFOX - and the second round of
Avastin this week. His treatments are usually every second Monday, but he
didn't get his treatment until Wednesday this week due to the Thanksgiving long
weekend here in Canada last weekend. All his large muscles ached the first day
of his treatment but the soreness started to fade away the second day. Ray
experienced the peripheral neuropathy side effect of Oxaliplatin - which is one
of the chemo drugs in his FOLFOX combo - again this time. Peripheral neuropathy
is a result of damage to the peripheral nerves. Oxaliplatin damages the
peripheral nerves. It first shows up as a sensitivity to cold. Today he still
has the pins & needles sensation in his hands when he touches something
cold and in his lips, the inside of his mouth and all the way down his throat
when he drinks something cold. It should start to go away tomorrow. He was a
little agitated and a lot grumpy from the steroids, but once again, taking
Ativan helped. Fatigue was a big factor in the two weeks following his first
treatment and so far, fatigue is a big factor again this time. He hasn't
experienced the two most common side effects of Avastin, high blood pressure
and nose bleeds, and for that he is very grateful!
Update September 25th, 2006
Ray had his first
new chemotherapy treatment - called FOLFOX - plus his first dose of the new
cancer fighting drug Avastin at the
Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre today. Due to Ray's strong agitation in reaction to the steroid drug
he receives by IV prior to receiving his chemotherapy drugs,
Dr. Kanjeekal reduced the amount of the steroid drug -
called Decadron - he received. (All Ray's drugs are given by IV into the port
catheter implanted in his chest.) She didn't cut it back by much because the
drug serves three purposes. It helps prevent nausea, it keeps your appetite up
and it keeps tissue swelling down - which helps manage/prevent pain in the
areas where there are cancer tumors. She hopes that cutting back the dosage by
a little bit, will take the edge off Ray's agitation and allow him to keep calm
and hopefully be able to sleep at night. Plus, she gave him a prescription for
Ativan, an anti-anxiety drug.
The nurses monitored Ray's blood pressure
closely while he was receiving the infusion of Avastin. They infuse it over the
course of 90 minutes the first time it's given. One of the possible side
effects of Avastin is a dramatic increase in blood pressure. Ray's blood
pressure remained stable.
Oxaliplatin - the new chemo drug in Ray's
FOLFOX combination - makes a person sensitive to cold. Drinking something cold
can give a person the sensation their throat is constricting and they're
choking. It affected Ray a little differently. When he drinks something cold
his lips and the inside of his mouth and all the way down his throat feels like
little needles are poking into him. Ray says it goes away fairly quickly and
that it doesn't bother him too much. The sensation will only last for a few
days after a chemo treatment.
Ray won't be scheduled for a CT Scan until
he has 3 cycles of FOLFOX and Avastin. (one cycle is two treatments) The doctor
said Ray has to have about 3 cycles before she will be able to tell if the
treatments are working.
Terri asks that you please pray for Ray to have
peace in his heart about his new treatment, instead of wasting a single one of
his precious minutes worrying that it may not work.
Update September 22nd, 2006
When Ray gets his
new chemotherapy treatment - FOLFOX - on Monday, he will also get his first
round of the new cancer fighting drug Avastin! A big Thank You to Debbie
at the Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre pharmacy for making all the necessary phone calls, and sending all
the necessary faxes and for running around like crazy to get all the paperwork
done in time for Ray to receive Avastin with his chemo on
Monday.
Update September 19th,
2006
Ray will be starting a new chemo treatment next week.
Ray's oncologist,
Dr. Kanjeekal, called and said she was changing his
chemotherapy from FOLFIRI to FOLFOX because the FOLFIRI wasn't working as
briskly as it should. Ray will still follow the same regimen - chemo once every
two weeks with a 3 hour infusion at the cancer clinic and then have a 5FU pump
hooked up to the port catheter in his chest for a 46 hour infusion of 5FU at
home. To give you a clearer understanding:
FOLFIRI is: Iirinotecan,
5-fluorouracil and leucovorin
FOLFOX is: Oxaliplatin, 5-flourouracil and
leucovorin
(5FU is the short form for 5-fluorouracil.)
On chemo
day (every second Monday), Ray gets an infusion of Decadron - a steroid, then
Zofran - an anti-nausea medication, then they start pumping the chemo drugs
into him. It takes about 3 hours to infuse all the drugs. Once his IV drugs are
all done, they hook him up to the 5FU pump and send him home. A VON nurse comes
to the house Wednesday morning to flush out the port catheter in his chest and
then remove the pump.
Last Monday to Wednesday were Ray's chemo days.
The Decadron hit him terribly hard this time. He was agitated, couldn't sleep,
couldn't focus his thoughts and was easily angered.
We'll have to wait
and see how Ray is going to react to the Oxaliplatin. Three of the most common
side effects are fatigue, numbness or tingling in the fingers & toes, and
low blood counts. Not everyone gets all of the side effects, and there are many
more side effects, but these are the three most common ones that people
get.
Update September 6th,
2006
Ray had a chest x-ray and a CT Scan at
Windsor Regional Hospital today. The reason for the tests
is to determine if there has been any progression of cancer. We all hope and
pray it has not spread. Ray's next appointment with his Medical Oncologist
Dr. Kanjeekal is September 22nd. He will get the results of
today's tests at that time.
 Update September 4th, 2006
After a three day
Club Championship Tournament at Fox Glen Golf Club, Ray won Low Net in
the men's A Flight. Congratulations Ray! You had a lot of people rooting for
you this year!
Update August
25th, 2006
Ultrasound results show that Ray's cancer has not
spread since he began his new chemo regimen - FOLFIRI. It usually takes 3
cycles before they know if FOLFIRI is working. (one cycle is two chemo
treatments, given bi-weekly) The ultrasound was given at the end of cycle 2. At
this point in his treatment, Ray's oncologist
Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal says this is very good news. Her main
goal is to give Ray as many months without cancer progression as
possible.
Update August 18th,
2006
Fight of a Lifetime became Night of a Lifetime when 480
people showed up at Fox Glen Golf Club in support of Ray's battle against colon
cancer! Fox Glen provided a superb venue for the evening's festivities. We have
details of the evening and a few pictures up on a page we're calling
Night of a Lifetime! If anyone has pictures
of the evening, we would appreciate copies!
Update August 4th, 2006
Medical options
which are not covered under Ray's private health insurance plan or Ontario's
Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) continue to be the biggest financial burden for
the Buckley family. The drug Avastin was approved by Canada in September 2005
for patients with metastatic colon cancer. On average, the addition of Avastin
to chemotherapy increases a patients time without progression of cancer by 71%.
Avastin, however, is not yet funded by OHIP. The cost for the drug is $2,200.00
every two weeks.
Windsor Regional Cancer Centre has applied directly to a
new Avastin Assistance Program to try and get a reduction in the cost for Ray.
We know of one other person who applied to program. He was given a $600.00
reduction in the price of Avastin. Over the course of 2 months, this would
amount to one free treatment. We're waiting to hear if Ray will also be
approved for a cost reduction.
Update
August 2nd, 2006
Ray reached the 3 month mark today and is
feeling great! The chemo is keeping him pain free. Future tests will tell us if
it is also stopping the progression of cancer.
Update July 26th, 2006
Ray is handling his
new chemo regimen - FOLFIRI - very well. He has little to no side effects this
time and is only restricted from activities during the two days, every two
weeks, he's hooked up to the infusion pump. An ultrasound has been scheduled
for next month to see if the FOLFIRI is working. With the Benefit a few short
weeks away, there is a buzz of activity getting everything ready and an air of
anticipation about having all of Ray's friends and family gathered together in
one place for a great evening of fun and festivities.
Update June 28th, 2006
A new CT Scan revealed
that Ray's cancer has not spread to any new areas, however, some of the tumors
in his liver have grown larger - which is a big concern because this can cause
liver failure. We're hoping that the tumors in his liver will respond better to
a new chemo treatment and they will start shrinking. Ray and Terri were hoping
for more positive news, but they are grateful the cancer is not
spreading.
Ray's Story
On May 2nd, 2006, Ray Buckley
and his wife Terri
McPherson Buckley were given the devastating news that Ray had 3-6 months
to live. During a visit to the Emergency Room at
Hôtel-Dieu Grace
Hospital for stomach and abdomen pain, an ultrasound of Ray's liver
revealed numerous cancer tumors. The attending physician, Dr. Bradford, ordered
an immediate CT Scan. The CT Scan result showed cancer in Ray's liver, in the
lymph nodes of his abdomen, around his pancreas and in his colon. A liver
biopsy was ordered for the following day. Ray and Terri met with Oncologist
Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal at the
Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre on May 2nd to discuss the results of the liver biopsy. Carcinoma was
confirmed.
The CT Scan did not show a tumor mass that would indicate the
where the cancer originated - which organ contained the primary tumor. Ray's
original diagnosis was CUP (Carcinoma of Unknown Primary) A concoction of chemo
drugs for different gastric cancers was started immediately to try and get a
handle on the cancer while further tests for the primary site were conducted.
After numerous tests, a colonoscopy revealed Ray's primary tumor. It was in the
cecum. He has right-sided colon cancer - stage IV. Surgery was not recommended.
The tumor would have been removed if it was causing a blockage or bleeding -
it's not - or if the cancer had not spread. Ray's chemo was changed to a
combination that specifically targets colon cancer. It is called FOLFIRI, a
combination of the following three drugs: IRINOTECAN – LEUCOVORIN–
FLUOROURACIL (5FU). Decadron, a steroid, and Zofran, a powerful anti-nausea
drug, are also given at the time of treatment. Ray is having chemo every two
weeks now. He has a two hour drip at the
Windsor Regional Cancer
Centre and then he has a portable bottle that pumps chemo (5FU) into him
for 46 hours.
Ray is in a fight for his life, determined to live past
the original prognosis of 3-6 months.
Dr. Kanjeekal is pleased with Ray's good blood cell count,
how well he looks and his positive attitude! Everyone is confident he will pass
the 3 month mark with flying colors. They now have their eyes on Ray passing
the 6 month mark with renewed hope. Ray and Terri and family and friends will
cherish every extra day they can get!
Ray has a difficult time the week
he receives chemo - he can't sleep and is very restless because of the Decadron
and has large muscle ache because of the chemo. By the end of the week he is
completely exhausted. He still, however, forces himself out of bed every
morning to go for a bike ride in the countryside around his home and loves
visiting with the steady stream of people who stop by to see him. He has even
resumed doing what he loves best - play golf! - thanks to the encouragement of
his friends and golfing buddies at
Fox Glen Golf
Club.
Friends and family know, firsthand, the financial burden that
battling colon cancer has placed on Ray & Terri. The S&A benefit Ray
receives is a significant reduction in their income at a time when their costs
to fight Ray's cancer have significantly increased their expenses. Monthly
bills are now far higher than monthly income. After 26 weeks his S&A stops
and he goes on long term disability - which is even a greater reduction in his
income.
We are having a Benefit to help ease Ray's financial burden and
allow him to concentrate all his energies on his fight to live - parts of that
fight are medical options which are not covered under his health insurance
plan.
On August 18th,
Fox Glen Golf Club
has graciously donated their clubhouse to host a fundraising evening for Ray.
Details about the Fundraiser can be found at: Fight of a
Lifetime Fundraiser. You will find a flyer for the
event, who to contact for tickets, how you can
donate raffle/auction/door prizes or make a cash
donation.
We are pulling together to show Ray how big his support team
is, while throwing him the best party ever. We look forward to giving him an
opportunity to walk around and visit with everyone and smile and laugh and make
memories that will last forever!
Sincerely,
Benefit
Coordinators
Mike Bringas, Dan Delisle, Jaime Janisse, Cliff Herdman,
Tom Harris
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