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Zachary's Story of Cancer

Stem Cell Harvest and the Phersis Machine

Cancer is never a diagnosis that any one wants to hear, especially a 23 year old young man.  I get the information and I can't catch a breath, my ears are filled with white noise and my brain is racing,  trying to make sense of the information.  I look over at my nephew and he seems so vulnerable and sick.  I could not even imagine the long roller coaster ride we were about to undertake together.  

It started as a tiny little annoying cough.  Zachary would do one of those little coughs like you are trying to clear your throat.  When nothing seemed to bring relief, I took him to his family doctor.  After Dr. B examined Zachary, he really couldn't find anything significant and determined that this was one of those OCD habits that Autistics acquire.  We go home and I don't completely ignore it, but I don't pay as much attention to it as I should.

Winter came and Zachary seemed to cough more in the cold air and he complained about coughing when he shoveled the snow.  I thought he was trying to find a way out of shoveling, so I told him to suck it up and do his job.  Zachary has always needed encouragement to get up and moving and to do his chores, so I didn't think much about it.

Spring came and I went out of town for a week to visit my sister and when I got home, Zachary's appearance shook me.  I saw things that you don't notice when you are with someone day in and day out.  He was thin and he was gray.  I made an appointment to see Dr. B the very next day. 

Dr. B was very alarmed.  He could not get any breath sounds on his right lung at all.  He sent him immediately for a chest xray and told me to check back with him that afternoon.  We went directly to the radiology location 15 minutes away.  When Zachary was putting his shirt back on, the radiology assistant said that the Radiologist had just read the xray and giving me that special look that says this is very bad, she advised me to call Dr. B immediately.  I got in the car and called Dr. B.  Normally you don't get to speak to Dr. B immediately and I was expecting him to have to call me back, but to my surprise he came on the phone.  He instructed me to go home and pack a bag for Zachary and go directly to St. Joe's ER, that Zachary was in serious condition.  He had faxed over his report to the ER and that they would be waiting for us.  He also wanted someone to come to his office and pick up a copy of the information that he faxed just to be on the safe side because faxed papers can go missing in ER.

At this point, I go into Mother/CEO/World Leader mode and I start taking charge.  I call Lyle, my husband, and send him ASAP to pick up the documents at Dr. B's office then he was to come directly to the hospital ER.
Zachary and I do as instructed and we go directly to St. Joseph's Emergency Room.  As Dr. B said, they take Zachary back immediately, they have reviewed his xray and Dr. B's notes and they take him to an exam room straight away.  Blood is drawn.  More xrays and CT Scan are done.  Then we are surrounded by Thoracic Surgeons and Residents.  They are examining him again and again.   They give us the news.  Zachary has cancer and he has a huge mass in his chest.  They move him to ICU and we spend the next seven days there with the doctors putting him on steroids that helps his breathing.  Once, they have him more stable, they tell us that they are fast tracking him to Juravinski  Cancer Centre.  Zachary get's discharged from St. Joes and sent home and advised we will hear from Juravinski very soon.

They weren't kidding.  We just got home and set Zachary's suitcase down and the phone rings.  It's is Juravinski  Cancer Centre Hematology Clinic calling and we are to be at their clinic on the 2nd floor in 20 minutes.  The lady on the phone advises me that Dr. Benger  is going to be our Hematology Oncologist .  Again, I get Zachary in the car and we go to meet Dr. Benger.  We arrived on the second floor and as we are entering the Clinic area, a silver haired grandmotherly lady dressed in a doctor's coat stops us with her hand out and she announces that she is Dr. Benger and she motioned to a tall lady standing next to her and introduced us to Wendy, her nurse assistant and Dr. Benger proclaimed that they are our team that will be working hard with us to get through this cancer.

Zachary was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  Hodgkin's lymphoma — formerly known as Hodgkin's disease — is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.  Hodgkin's lymphoma is most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 15 and 30, as well as those older than 55. Males are slightly more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Zachary's cancer was diagnosed as Stage IIB.  They explained that Hodgkin's is one of the cancers that typically is easy to cure.

Zachary underwent a bone marrow biopsy that first visit along with a lot of blood work and a CT Scan.  I was allowed to stay while the bone marrow biopsy was done and I must say that Zachary was my hero from that day forward.  Perhaps he was too weak to protest, but he willingly did everything that was asked of him even though he was pretty exhausted.  They did a needle biopsy of the mass in his chest.  He actually watched that  in a mirror and the doctor joked that he has a morbid curiosity.

After  the regular 3 months of chemo they determine he needs another round of chemo.  Then he had 2 months of radiation.  All during this time he is having CT Scans and PET Scans and we are getting no cure.  His tumor has shrunk some but it is still quite the mass in his chest.  He still has trouble walking for any distance without gasping for air and he still has the annoying cough.  After

consultation, we find out that Zachary's cancer is very aggressive and he has a resistance to chemo and radiation.  In the time most patients need to allow chemo therapy to complete its work, Zachary's cancer keeps  growing and repairing itself.  To explain it easily, Zachary's tumor builds a protein that protects the tumor or cancer cells rather than allowing the chemo and radiation to destroy the tumor or cancer cells. 

Dr. Benger consulted with her colleagues and they determined that a stem cell transplant would be needed, but prior to getting there they wanted to do some specialized chemo therapy which is much harsher and condensed in hopes that chemo would kill the cancer cells.  Zachary had a Apheresis Catheter inserted in his chest that would allow for his own stem cells to be collected for the transplant.   He had to go for several chemos at the Jurasvinski Cancer Hospital Day Oncology Services.  Nothing is ever quick in this process.  You want to attack the cancer with everything medicine has but each thing has another side effect and a waiting period.  Time drags and drags and drags. 

Meantime,  Zachary completes the round of chemo that is like an introductory chemo, then they put him in the hospital and they do a week of really hard, mean chemo trying to kill as many of the cancer cells as possible before harvesting his stem cells for transplant.  After this horrible chemo, we go home and give him shots that build him stem cells very quickly in his bone marrow, so we will have enough to harvest.  The shots make Zachary feel like his has a bad case of the flu and his bones ache.  Up until this time, he has been a trooper and never complained and we would get through vomiting and being weak and having brain fog from chemo.  But, these shots made his hips and legs hurt so bad, he could hardly walk.  He finally broke down and cried in pain.  It was so hard for Lyle and me to see him like this, that we broke down and cried with him.

Harvest time - we have to be at the Aphersis lab at 6:30 am.  Nothing to eat since the night before.  Once he is hooked up, there is no walking to the bathroom and you must use a bedside toilet.  Believe me, there are dozens of ways to take away dignity and free will during cancer treatment.  They put him in bed and hook him up to the Aphersis machine using the catheter in his chest.  There are two lines coming out of his chest.  His entire blood is removed and returned three times during this process.   One line is used to remove the blood from his body to the machine and the stem cells and some platelets are separated out of the blood and stored in the machine, the rest of the blood is returned back to his body.  We didn't get enough stem cells the first day so we had to go back for a second day of harvesting.

We went home and waited for our latest Scan and it showed that we didn't have any improvement but the tumor had not grown, so we would proceed with the stem cell transplant.   We got the call to be at the hospital on August 15 at 2:00 pm, on Friday.  We arrived and they started fluids and anti-nausea meds via IV.  Saturday and Sunday they did the last and the meanest chemo.  There is no way anyone can prepare you for  what happens during the chemo and the stem cell transplant.  I don't care what you read or hear, it doesn't compare to actually being there.  Up until the chemo before, Zachary had not even lost a hair.  Now he doesn't have any hair and the Saturday chemo drug burns the inside of Zachary's mouth until it looks like his tongue and the inside of his cheeks have been put through a grater.  He can't talk, eat, drink or spit.  This chemo drug seeps from his armpits.  It burns his armpits, scrotum and belly crease above his navel.  All those areas literally sloth off all skin to raw meat.  It is during this time that Zachary acquires pneumonia and had to be rushed to ICU for a week.  There is vomiting and explosive diarrhea.  A real sense of despair and weakness so bad you must turn all bodily functions over to someone else.

During all this, we had the best medical care bar none world-wide.   Dr. Benger and Wendy, Michelle, Jenn, all our nurses, aides, housekeeping, physical therapy,  home nurses, CAP (Cancer Assistance Program)  have been there for us.  They not only were our professionals, but they treated us like family

Nursing Staff Clowning With Zachary

and showed genuine care and love for Zachary and me.  They went above and beyond to make it as easy as possible and to grant every wish.  They allowed Zachary to have visits with his dog, Chase and puppy, Ellie.  We will spend the rest of our lives finding ways to show our appreciation for them.

We were told that the Stem Cell Transplant has only a 30 - 50 percent success rate.  We are waiting for our next scan to see if we got lucky.  It does feel like a Hail Mary Pass for the win!  If it didn't give us the cure we pray for, we have an experimental drug to try. 

Strange how to start feeling at this point.  At least for me it is.  I want to have hope that we got our cure, but there is a part that makes it hard to hope for fear we will be disappointed.  So suffice it to say, "I am cautiously optimistic"!

The end of Zachary's Cancer story still remains to be told.  I pray it's a story with a happy ending.

Zachary got to have a visit with his dog, Chase, while in ICU.

Dog People Have Huge Hearts When Called On

During Zachary's treatment, it was getting harder for him to be happy about anything.  Everyone loves to get greeting cards, so I reached out to the Dog Community and asked that they send Zachary  cards.  Man did they ever respond.  There hasn't been hardly a day go by since I asked that there hasn't been a card received and most days its several cards and maybe a package with a surprise.

Along with cards, Zachary has received, a handmade Wirehair Dachshund pin

Zachary having some fun before Transplant. l - r me, Zachary
Wendy Reyn and Shelby Lynn.  

from Spain , hand crafted soap that he loved,  money, gift cards, a fabulous cape for Super Zachary to wear that he loves, a  hand painted Zelda cap, a cap from Alaska, a Zelda shirt, a handheld game with a game, Zelda posters, Japanese Candy and treats and Anime Posters, mustache straws, glow n the dark Silly Putty, a solar robot dog kit, EB Games gift cards (One I have no idea who sent it and EB Games would not tell me).  Friends of Friends of Friends sent cards.  He has received cards from all over the world.  Friends have sent words of comfort, support and love on Facebook.

Never will we be able to thank you all enough.  But, I want to tell each of you thank you, again.  Here is a list of people that have made Zachary, Lyle and me feel the love during our battle.

The names with a * are members of our dog community.

Lynn Holland                         Melody Bagwell Greco

Kandice Kostic *                    Carolyn Mills *

Marcello Tulipano*                Sybyl Swan*

Heather Brennan*                 Lynda McFadden*

Deborah Bowan Harple        Lee Jolliffe*

Maureen Hepples                 Maureen Merkler

Helenne Belanger Sassytails*     Laural Brown*

Rhonda Smith Giannini        *       Lois Langille

Sari Hirvonen*                       Sandy Alexander*

Dawn Watters*                      Pat Blenkey*

Yvonne Howcroft                   Katheryn Murray*

Tammy Timpany McAllister*  Amanda McAllister*

Kerrie-Lyn Taylor         *         Melissa Doherty

Trina Caird*                            Emma Doherty

Ashley Parker                        Jan Carpenter*

Heinz  Rueetschli*                 Debbie Hendrix

Chuck Lamers*                      Nancy Downing*

Summerford Newfoundlands*

Diane Albin*                          Timothy Andrews*

Wiebke Kumbhani*               Angel Wagner*

Jayne Stewart*                      Adri Lland*

Wendy Reyn*                        Pat Ward

Lynn Cope*                           Gail Josephine Tutt*

Marian Van Ekelenburg*       Katarzyna Ciupek*

Judy Pruitt                             Karen Fasciano*

Josephine Lambert*              Nicole Cooper*

Kathie Ellingson Roth*          Aleisa Colbert Mckinlay

Toni Hoover- Mendenhall*   Debby Krieg*

Susan Wesson Cain*           Nuria Trujillo*

Karen Kuhn                          Shirley Ray*

Bob Boxma*                         Harambee Kennels*

Gyverscots Karen Prokopetz*

Brenda J Nichols*                 Tam Pregent*

Donna Cullen*                      Amanda Ferris*

Leslie E. Shelby Savoye*     Kay Reil*

Penny Osborne*                   Marlene Ness*

Lisa Maki*                             Brian Casey*

Tylor Atkins                           Shawna F. Babby

Scott Bell                               Shelby Lynne*

Jenny Best*                           Donna Tomson Castlekeep IW*

Dianne Miller*                        Kaileigh Gonzalez*

Kristi Martin*                          Trish Gould

Shawn Nies*                          Bernadette Wagner*

Laurie Chemaz                      Steven Parker

Sharon Betker*                      Marsha Strawn Perry

Yolanda Bowan Pound          John Robson*

Karen Taylor*                        Lori Payne*

Carol Ellingson*                     Katherina  Dueck*

Rob Paterson*                       Gloria Bracchetti*

Ashley Cawthen                     Katy Mason Cargill

Lynn Blackbourn*                   Lynn Shannon

Sharleen Weatherley             Christa Wilkin

Catlin Cahill*                          David Bryan Swartwood*

D DPhoto Graphy*                 Heather Dowell

Kathy Black Lanier                 Tommy Cawthen

Beata Lamentowicz*              Katherine Zayas

Brenda Gale*                         Loren Bressers*

Patti Adams Pollock               Linda Ploom Metham*

Jenn Fournier-Stooke*           Jeffrey Boehne*

Kitty Kalas-Durst*                  Cindy Niles*

Dustin Hall                             Patricia Romanelli*

Freckashpeng Hounds*         Michelle Atkinson-Fielding*

Nancibeth  Koutstaal*            Paul Wilson*

Carol Gravestock*                 Gabriella Lorincz*

Peggy Michau Marasis*         Patricia Grant*

Mardell Wingo Clanton          Anne Burgess McDougall*

Doreen Calvin*                      Jean Tremblay*

Randy & Nancy Rhodes*       Lucza Vertes*

Karen Norton*                        Michelle Scott*

Michelle Therrien*                 Gwen Giles*

Jane Mangat                          Steve Lambert*

Chris Pollen*                          ExSentia (Ina Malecka)*

Barbara Heal*                       Kristen Weatherley   

If I left your name off the list, please forgive me.  But, let me know.  I want to include you in my next blog.  You are very important to us.             

The Canadian Dog Fancier Magazine is now offering  Dog Fanciers another excellent product.  It's weekly summary of dog shows is a budget friendly way to get your advertising out there without sacrificing quality of artwork or audience.  The ad prices are unbelievable.  It's a great way to supplement  your magazine advertising.  You get the same great service as you get from the magazine.  Plus it's a great way to keep up with who's who in the winning world of Canadian Dog Shows.

Angel Wagner would be happy if you contacted her about finding a great spot in the upcoming summary!  Contact Angel Wagner at  angel@canadiandogfancier.com

 Handling Classes in Southern Ontario

Lyle and I regularly attend Monica Park's handling classes. Keeps our dogs sharp and our skills honed. If you are a beginner or experienced, Monica can offer you instruction and insights like none other in the

area. 

Drop-in Handling Classes with Monica Park in Milton  

Fall session Classes will be held every Tuesday from now until December 16 @ 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Winter session Classes will start again Tuesday January 6 until June 23 @ 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Boyne Community Centre Milton (Regional Rd. 25 & Britannia Rd.)

Call or text 905-876-6663
E-mail monica.park66@gmail.com

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

XXXOOO