We said our final goodbyes to Myron on Saturday afternoon with a wonderful celebration of his life here on earth. It was a very sad day, and yet at the same time it was heartwarming to see how well-loved he was, and to recognize the huge impact that he had upon the lives of so very many people.

Myron will never be forgotten and he will live on in our hearts forever. My family and I have a big task ahead of us adjusting to a life without him, as right now there seems to be such a hole in our lives. I find myself continually turning to tell Myron some little thing, and of course he is not here. But, never fear, we will do him proud and lead the lives he would want for us.

We would like to once again thank you all for all the prayers, love, kindness, support, and assistance you have all given to us over the past thirteen months. We couldn't have done it without you.

For those of you who did not get the opportunity to attend the memorial service, the eulogy which Chris gave for his father, the letter I had written and read at the service for Myron, and the letter which Myron himself wrote to his family and friends are all posted on the "Eulogy" tab on the funeral home obituary page for those who wish to read them. The address of that page is as follows:

https://forestlawnmemorial.sharingmemories.ca/site/Myron-Dennis.html?s=20

From our hearts to yours, thank you once again and God bless you all.

love,
Wendy & family

In case the news hasn't already reached you, it is with a heavy heart that I inform you that our beloved Myron passed away yesterday, just before 5:30 am. I had stayed at the hospital with him for the night, and I was by his side as he left this earth and passed on. I am feeling totally bereft and at a loss without him, and yet at the same time I am so thankful that his suffering is over and he is now at rest.

I know many people will be wanting to know about the funeral arrangements, so I am posting a link here to the obituary and funeral details. http://forestlawnmemorial.sharingmemories.ca/site/Myron-Dennis.html?s=40

I know we are all saddened at the loss of such a good man. His life may have been a whole lot shorter than any of us would have wished for him, but he definitely left his mark on this world. Over the past 24 hours I have received so many phone calls, text messages and Facebook messages, all expressing such sadness and yet such love. The tributes to Myron on Facebook speak volumes as to what a well-loved man he was.

On behalf of my family (and the entire Dennis and Sanderson families), I would like to thank you all for all the outpourings of prayers, love and support we have received from you during this past difficult year. You all helped to make what was a very difficult situation just a little bit better.

with love always,

Wendy (& family)

Greetings,

To those of you who haven't already heard the sad news, I must let you know that I admitted Myron to the Palliative Care ward at Victoria Hospital on Saturday morning. I had hoped to keep Myron at home and care for him here until the end, but it was his choice that he go into hospital. He has been very agitated and frightened and he felt that he would be "safer" in the hospital. So, I followed his wishes and admitted him as soon as there was a bed available.

Myron's condition continues to decline and he has virtually no quality of life at the moment. He is still conscious and he does spend a large part of the day sitting up, but he is bedridden and he rarely speaks. He spends most of his time sitting with his eyes closed, drifting in and out of sleep. He knows he is dying, in fact he has mentioned repeatedly that he wishes it would just be over, but he is so very frightened. His anxiety is high and he sighs constantly. Myron's memory is pretty much gone and he is confused about most things. He has awareness that this is so, and this depresses him even further. I really have no idea how much longer he has to live, but it definitely isn't very long.

I have not included any photos of Myron here because I know there are people who prefer to remember Myron as he was and not as he is now. I have taken some photos of him, and if family members wish to have them I will send them at a later date.

I am spending all day, every day at the hospital with Myron, only coming home to sleep. If you would like to contact me, please feel free to text me on my cell phone (519-697-7527) or message me through Facebook (which I can also pick up on my cell phone), and I will answer you as soon as I possibly can. I would prefer you not phone me as I am sitting there in the room with Myron, and while he is unresponsive, he can still hear and I don't want to upset him further by talking about his condition in his presence. If anyone does wish to visit Myron, he is in Room C6-210 at the Westminster Campus of Victoria Hospital.

Please continue your prayers for his comfort and peace. I thank you all for your love and support during this past difficult year, and I will keep you informed as best as possible.

love always,
Wendy

Hello to all our family and friends,

Tomorrow it will be three weeks since Myron came home from the hospital. It hasn't been an easy three weeks by any means, but we are still so glad that he is back home. Myron continues to constantly get weaker, but he still does get up and around a little bit, going from his bed to the table for his meals, to the washroom, and occasionally to sit in the recliner  - all with the aid of his walker. He sometimes forgets to take his walker, but the doctor has requested that he use it all the time, because there is a fear that as he get progressively weaker he could fall and hurt himself, and also I am uncertain that I have the strength to get him up if he does fall.

As the days go by I find that Myron is spending more and more of his time in bed, usually sleeping or at least drifting in and out of sleep. We now have nurses coming in daily to check his overall condition, his vital signs, and how well he is eating, drinking, etc. The doctor is also coming out for a visit 2-3 times per week to keep on top of Myron's medical condition and order any increases, changes etc. in Myron's medications. The Fragmin (blood thinner) that Myron was taking has now be permanently discontinued. While this does leave the possibility open for another blood clot, the doctor believes that this danger is less than that of a major bleed if he were to continue using it. We have PSWs coming here every night, to cover the 11 pm - 7 am shift, tending to Myron's needs in order to allow me to get some sleep so that I can care for him the other 16 hours of the day. We also have a PSW coming here on Monday and Thursday afternoons to assist Myron with his shower.

Today we had a hospital bed brought in to give Myron more comfort and security as he spends more and more time in bed. He can now raise the head portion of his bed to a reclining position and be more comfortable than on a stack of pillows as he was using previously. The bed is also positioned so that Myron can watch TV while in bed if he is so inclined. Myron is very happy with his new bed.

Myron in the family room in his new hospital bed

 

As Myron's health deteriorates he is becoming much more agitated, so we now have on hand a medication that can be used to calm him down when he gets upset. His pain meds have been increased and he is generally free from pain. He does have some additional breakthrough painkillers which he can take if he gets sudden pain between his regular doses. There are other painkillers here on hand that are to be injected, ready to use for him if he reaches a point where the swallowing of the oral medications becomes too difficult for him. Myron is finding it increasingly difficult to hold a conversation as his cognitive processes are impaired, either from the cancer or from his medication - or both. He starts to say something, and before he finishes the sentence he has already forgotten what he was saying. While Myron isn't up for much conversation, he still likes to see his friends and family so if you want to see him, we don't mind your dropping in for a quick visit. We just ask for two things. Firstly, call first to make sure it is a good time as we do have a steady stream of health care professionals in and out of here all day long. Secondly, please keep your visit brief as Myron does tire very easily and it is unlikely that he would tell you so, but he needs his rest.

 

I think that's about all the news I have for now. Right now my main priority is to keep Myron as comfortable as possible, to prepare his meals so he can eat, dole out his medications at the correct times and make sure he takes them, help him with any needs he has, and most of all to make certain that he feels loved at all times. I will keep you posted as best I can as this dreadful disease continues its progress. Our family and friends continue to be the most supportive and helpful people ever, and we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Please keep us in your prayers.

 

love,

Wendy (& Myron)



Greetings,
This is just a brief post, keeping you informed of our current situation here. It's been a rough weekend for Myron and he has been bleeding internally. We have had the nurses out here, and they have been in contact with the doctors. He has been removed from the fragmin (blood thinner) he takes, at least for now as that will only contribute to increased bleeding. But at the same time, not using the blood thinner increases the chance of further blood clots. For the time being his condition is stable and he is eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom as required. Our niece Joy who is a nurse came out (at Myron's request) and spent last night here with us. She is coming again tomorrow evening and night (which gives me a chance to get some much needed sleep). In the meantime, his regular nurse will be here tomorrow, and will be in contact with his doctor. Myron does not wish to go to the hospital, because at this stage of his illness he will go directly into Palliative Care and there he will remain. Myron wishes to remain at home, so we are setting things up to follow his wishes. That's about all I can tell you for now, perhaps I'll know more tomorrow after we have seen the nurse and she has spoken with the doctor. Myron is tired and needs a lot of rest at this time. I ask that you please keep your phone calls to a minimum, as right now I need to spend my time with and caring for Myron. Feel free to send texts, emails or Facebook messages, but I cannot promise when I will reply to them. As I said, right now my focus is Myron. Please keep us in our prayers. Thanks for everything.
Wendy

Greetings from 71 Chancton Crescent,

We figured it was time to check in with you once again. Myron has now been home from the hospital for over 10 days, and things are going quite well. His mouth sores are slowly healing and he is eating quite well (and almost constantly it seems sometimes). While still weak, he is trying to build up his muscle strength, so he is travelling about the house, going carefully up and down the stairs, and not really using his walker very much. He is now eating all of his meals at the breakfast bar in the kitchen rather than downstairs as planned, and he has slept upstairs in our bedroom for the last three nights. He gave me one heck of a scare yesterday morning when he slipped while getting out of our (very high) bed and crashed to the floor, but fortunately there seems to be no major damage done and we now have a sturdy stool beside the bed for him. Myron is slowly increasing his intake of fluids, and as a consequence his blood pressure is increasing and becoming more stable. We have two new nurses coming to visit him now, Marilyn on Mondays and Wednesdays and Stephanie on Fridays. It seems to be working out well, they are both pleasant women and they check Myron's vital signs, listen to and deal with his problems and issues, and generally make sure he is doing okay.

Myron eating breakfast in the family room one morning last week

 

We have had lots of company dropping by at various times. Currently our niece Cathy and her husband Mike are visiting from Saint John, NB. What a treat it has been to have Cathy here - the woman never stops working! She has cleaned, done laundry and dishes, cooked, dusted, massaged Myron's feet, made beds, taken down Christmas lights - the list is endless. She is absolutely incredible and has been such a help to us.

Cathy and Mike with Myron

 

Sadly, we have listed our truck for sale. While we hate to see it go, Myron is no longer driving (and I don't drive) so there is no point in keeping it and continuing to pay insurance on it. Two of our wonderful neighbours took it in to be detailed earlier this week, and now it is set to go. If we get our miracle and Myron is cured, then we'll buy ourselves a new vehicle. The same applies to our trailer, and we will also be putting it up for sale shortly.

 

New Year's was a quiet affair for us this year, and I believe Myron and I were both sleeping as the new year came in - I know for sure that I was). We are still enjoying the homemade bread that Bernie made for us when she was here from Newfoundland in November. Just yesterday we shared a homemade beef stew and some of Bernie's homemade bread with Cathy and Mike.

 

Beef stew with Bernie's homemade bread

 

Myron and I have decided to drop out of our bowling league for now as Myron was finding it too tiring the last couple of weeks that we played. A difficult decision as we have been bowling in that league since September 1999, but we do know we will always be welcome to return if Myron is well enough to bowl, or even to visit if he is not. We continue to be surrounded by love, from our family and our friends. We thank you all for your kindness, generosity and prayers. Never does a day go by without someone checking up on us, bringing over treats for us to eat, offering to take us places or do chores for us. We live in an incredible world! Thanks again to all of you from the bottom of our hearts.

 

I think that is about all the news we have for now. We'll keep in touch.

 

love,

Wendy & Myron



Hello to our family and friends,

This blog is so difficult for me to write anymore.  Myron is now home from the hospital, following his bout with pneumonia over Christmas. While the pneumonia is not cleared up, it is responding to the antibiotics, and the medical staff felt that he was well enough to return home. Unfortunately, the cancer is still raging full force, and Myron is getting weaker each day. Myron did decide to give up on the chemotherapy as the doctors felt that the cancer was not being defeated by it, and it was just making Myron feel much sicker than he already is. As a consequence, his PICC line was pulled from his arm and it at least will have a chance to heal. Currently Myron is suffering terribly from mouth and throat sores caused by the chemo, and it makes eating and drinking very difficult for him. Within the next couple of weeks hopefully this will clear up now that he is no longer taking chemo.

Because Myron has lost so much weight from the cancer he is very weak, and stairs are very difficult for him. We have set up a bed for him in the family room, and our friend Tony installed bars in the bathroom and shower for him. He is mostly living on that level as we don't want to take the chance of his falling while manipulating the stairs. He has a walker to help him get around since his legs are so weak, and we have oxygen on hand in the house in case he experiences breathing difficulties (although he hasn't needed it so far). According to the doctor, he doesn't have a lot of time left, so we are simply trying to spend our time together, enjoying each other's company while we can. We're still praying for a miracle, but the attack of this dreadful disease is becoming more apparent each day. A nurse is coming here three times a week to check Myron and see how he is doing, and is available for more frequent visits if we need her. It's only been two days since he has been home from the hospital, and we are slowly adapting. It's not easy for either of us, it's frustrating for Myron because he is unable to do what he wants to do. I myself am very tired, but I am doing my utmost to see that he gets the best care possible, and that he is surrounded by my love at all times. The kids and grandkids are dropping in for short visits whenever they can. I took down the Christmas tree and decorations yesterday, as we are trying to optimize the family room into the most workable space we can for Myron. Our Heidi came over this afternoon and vacuumed the place for us to get rid of all the tree needles, etc.

Myron tires very easily these days, but he still wishes to see his family and friends. We just ask that you keep your visits short so that he doesn't get too tired. Today his nephew Francis from Yellowknife came in for a visit (along with his niece Leona from PEI), and the neighbourhood men's coffee club met here for a brief get-together this afternoon. Father Mark from St. Justin's Parish also dropped by to visit with Myron this afternoon. I just took a quick photo of Myron and I so that you can see us as we are today.

That's about all the news I have for now. Please keep on praying for that miracle for Myron, and definitely keep in touch with us. Your love and concern mean so much. I'll keep in contact and update this blog as the days go by.

love,
Wendy (& Myron)

Greetings All,

Sorry, I didn't manage to get this posting out before Christmas as I had promised, but Myron's health took a turn for the worse and he was having difficulty breathing and we rushed him to Emergency early in the morning of the 24th. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and immediately put on oxygen and admitted into the hospital. The good news is that he has responded well to the antibiotics, and he is going to be released and come home tomorrow morning. God is still looking after the Dennis Family. While the pneumonia will take quite some time to be completely gone, the medical staff believe that he will be fine at home. We are just so happy that he is coming back home, and that we can be together again.

Myron in Emergency early on Christmas Eve morning

 

 

Visits from the family at the hospital Christmas Eve

 

Myron and I are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family as we do. There was not a word of complaint from anyone that our Christmas plans all had to be changed. Everyone just wanted the best for their father/grandfather. All of the kids and grandkids went to the hospital and spent some time with him, both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We all met here on Christmas morning, everyone opened their gifts (except for me, I'm saving mine until Myron is home and we can celebrate together) because Myron didn't want them to have to wait for their gifts. Following that we had breakfast and then I went to the hospital to spend the day with my Myron. Chris and family cooked Christmas dinner here and brought a plate up to the hospital for me later in the day - Myron didn't want any, but he can have a turkey sandwich tomorrow when he returns home.

 

 The Christmas tree on Christmas morning

Heidi, emotional over her gift of a photo of herself with her Dad

 

We are currently doing some furniture rearranging in the house to make things easier for Myron. Because of the pneumonia and also the chemo, Myron's breathing difficulties make getting around a split-level house very difficult. As a consequence, we are taking both a bed and a table and chairs to the family room level, so Myron can both sleep and eat there, on a level that has a bathroom, and yet he can still be a part of family life and not shut away in a bedroom. He can spend all his time there, and yet still be a part of things. Life is definitely not easy for Myron these days, but with his unbeatable spirit and sense of dedication to his family, he is still hanging in there doing everything he can to enjoy his time with his family.

 

Chris and his family visit their Dad/Grandpa at the hospital on Christmas Day

 

During the last couple of weeks prior to Myron's medical emergency, we had many visits from both family and friends. Myron's brother Larry and his fiancée Linda were down from Cambridge, his niece Shirley and her husband Jim from St. Thomas, his niece Leona and her other half Roddy from PEI, and most exciting of all, Myron's brother Phonsie came from Yellowknife for a few day's visit.

 

Myron with his brother Phonsie

 

While this year was not exactly the Christmas celebrations we had hoped for, we are just all so thankful that Myron is still with us, and is coming home tomorrow. Telephone calls, text messages and Facebook messages between members of both the Dennis and Sanderson families, and our many friends have kept the wires busy over the past few days as everyone has rallied in support of our beloved Myron. We thank you all for your love, your support, and your prayers for Myron and our family. It means the world to us. I will try to write again within the next few days after Myron has settled in, back at home. Right now I need to go finish my laundry and get the bed downstairs made up and readied for Myron's return home tomorrow morning. Then it's sack time for me, I need to be up and at the hospital before 8 am tomorrow to meet with Myron's oncologist before she leaves on vacation for a week. Once again, thanks for everything and love to you all.

 

Wendy

 









 















Seasons Greetings to Our Family and Friends,

From our home to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas! Keeping you up to date, here's the next installment in the Dennis Family blog.

Myron is currently undergoing sessions in his third attempt at chemotherapy. He has had two sessions of it to date, and so far it seems to be going quite well. This chemo is one that is normally given once every three weeks, but Myron's doctor felt that he might tolerate it better if it was divided into smaller doses, so we go once a week (every Monday) for his treatments. There have been no major side effects to date and Myron is feeling quite well. We are hoping that the doctors have finally managed to get the correct level of painkillers established for him so that he no longer suffers the constant pain he was enduring. This past week or so has been much more comfortable for Myron, so we remain hopeful. Of course, Myron still tires very easily, so we must plan our day's activities accordingly so that he doesn't become completely exhausted. But, Myron being the man he is, we have accomplished a lot in these past few weeks. The house is decorated for Christmas - both inside and out, most of our Christmas shopping is complete, and most of that is already wrapped.

Myron standing in front of our house

Myron's brother Junior and his other half Bernie were up from Newfoundland last week and they came to visit with us. While here, Bernie made some homemade bread for us, so Myron has been in seventh heaven.

A visit with Junior and Bernie

We have been keeping busy both inside and outside of the home. We attend Mass at St. Justin's most Sundays, we still bowl on Monday evenings, and we have had dinner with friends, both at their homes and at ours. We held our third progressive euchre of the fall here a couple of weeks ago. Last Friday evening we participated in our neighbourhood's annual "Lighting of the Lights", our home being one of the stops in the evening's fun and fellowship.

 Enjoying our annual treat of "Moose Milk" outside Derrick & Miriam's home

 

Last Saturday evening we attended a Christmas party at the home of our friends, Reuben and Mary, and this coming Saturday evening we plan to attend the Elgie Bus Lines annual Christmas party, and from there go to another Christmas party at the home of our friends Chris and Gina. This upcoming Friday evening, our friend Derrick has tickets to the London Knight's hockey game, and Myron, Chris, and our friend Tony are attending the game with Derrick. This past Sunday, the Sanderson family came to London and we had a visit here and then we went out for lunch at Crabby Joe's.

 



The Sandersons out for lunch at Crabby Joes

 

As you can see, life in the Dennis household remains busy. In addition to those activities we have already mentioned, there are of course Myron's myriad of medical appointments, the annual Christmas baking, and our daily chores of meal preparation, housework and the never-ending laundry. As we have stated previously, we are trying to live our lives as normally as possible within the constraints of Myron's illness. We basically are living a day at a time, trying to live life as fully as possible. We set mini targets for ourselves, giving us something in the near future to look forward to and aim toward. Right now, we are joyfully anticipating Christmas, looking forward to spending it with our children and their families. We pray daily that Myron's health will remain good, and that we will reach each mini target we have set for ourselves.

 

That's about all the news for now. We'll attempt to get one more posting of this blog published and out to you shortly before Christmas. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Love to you all.

 

Myron and Wendy

 

 







Greetings Family and Friends,

Time for another update. Myron continues to suffer with constant pain, but on our visit to the oncologist this afternoon she increased the dosage of his painkillers by 50%, with the option of increasing it even further in another three days if that dosage isn't working. So, we are really hoping that he will be feeling much better very soon. If the pain is under control, then his quality of life will markedly improve. So please keep your fingers crossed for us that this will work. Myron is still losing weight, but his appetite has increased remarkably since he started taking the steroids, so hopefully his weight loss will also be under control shortly. We met with the dietitian today to discuss what Myron should be eating to prevent further weight loss, and it looks like we've been feeding him the right things all along, so that is good news. We just need to make sure he eats more frequently than his three square meals per day. Myron's new chemotherapy treatments will begin on Monday of next week. Normally this chemo is given once every three weeks, but the doctor has decided to give it to Myron in smaller dosages once a week in hope that it will not be so hard on him.

Otherwise, our life continues as normally as possible. Our kids and grandkids stop by to visit with us on a regular basis. We took the train up to Toronto last weekend and went out to a Toronto/Detroit hockey game with Barb & Keith. We went out for dinner, spent the night in Toronto and then took the train back to London the next day. We both had a wonderful time and it was so great to have a change from our daily routine. Many thanks to all those who helped to make this mini vacation possible for us. Myron was absolutely worn out on Monday, but his pleasure in the trip made it all worthwhile.

 Out to dinner before the hockey game

 In front of the Royal York Hotel where we spent the night

Myron and Keith at their seats in the ACC prior to the game

 

We have been busy around the house, and for the first time ever, we have our Christmas tree and Christmas decorations up in November. Even the outside lights are up, Myron put up some of them himself, and Steven (the son of some neighbours) did the rest of them for us. A large part of the Christmas baking is done, and now we have to get going on our Christmas shopping.

Myron at work, putting up the outdoor Christmas lights - You can't keep a good man down!

 

Busy times are the order of the day for the next few weeks. On top of our regular events such as bowling, attending Mass, grocery shopping, chemotherapy and doctor's appointments, we have another progressive euchre here this coming Saturday. The next weekend we have the annual "Lighting of the Lights" taking place on our street on the Friday, and then a Christmas party at the home of some friends on the Saturday, and the Sanderson siblings and their spouses are going to meet for a Christmas lunch out on the Sunday. The following weekend we also have two Christmas parties to attend. Myron's brother Junior (from Newfoundland) is planning to visit us this coming week, and his brother Phonsie (from Yellowknife NWT) is hoping to come down for a visit some time in December. And of course, we are hoping to have all our kids and grandkids here for dinner on Christmas day. I think that's about it for now, I'm tired and cannot think straight to write any more. Thanks again for all your support and prayers for us. I'll write again soon - in the near future.

 

love,

Myron & Wendy



Greetings from our home to yours,

I apologise for the delay in sending out this post since the news we received from the doctor last week was not good, but we believe that any news either good or bad must be shared with our children and their families before we talk to anyone else. What with work shifts and all, it took until today until we could talk with them all, and they deserve to hear the news first-hand. We couldn't take a chance that they would hear something passed on inadvertently before they heard it from us.

We were informed last week that Myron's chemotherapy is not working and that his tumors are growing/spreading. Apparently, once a chemotherapy stops working, it becomes useless and will not work again. In the beginning they started with the big guns, giving him the most potent of chemos for pancreatic cancer. It worked for a while and his tumors shrunk somewhat, and then it held its ground for a while maintaining the status quo, but eventually it reached the point where it was no longer helping him. When we returned from Newfoundland Myron was put on the chemo of second choice. After two cycles of treatment with this, it has been determined that unfortunately it was of no benefit to him and his tumors are still growing. The doctor then gave us a choice as to whether or not we want to try the third possible chemotherapy drug. We have decided that we will give it a try, any hope is better than no hope. Myron will commence treatments with this drug within the next couple of weeks. While the picture is nowhere near as rosy as we would like it to be, we're not throwing in the towel. We will continue to battle this dreadful disease as long as we possibly can. Considering the diagnosis we received last January, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Myron continues to suffer a lot of pain, and the doctors are still working to determine the correct dosages and types of drugs to make him feel better and relieve his pain. He has good days and bad days, but unfortunately, lately the bad days seem to outnumber the good ones. But we keep on fighting, praying and hoping for the best. Myron is one incredible man! That is all I can say. We are still trying to live as positively as possible, and to live our lives as normal as we possibly can under the circumstances.

Myron at University Hospital, drinking the vile fluid preparatory to his CTscan

 

At the Cancer Clinic, waiting to be called in to see the doctor

On the home front, our day to day life goes on with as much as Myron can handle on any given day.
Between doctor's appointment and medical tests, we still keep busy whenever Myron is able. Myron spent a couple of good days last week puttering in his beloved garage, and one day we took a load of metal out to the scrapyard. Our granddaughters Rachael and Maggie came over on Saturday of last week and spent the morning decorating Christmas cookies for us.

On Thursday, our granddaughter Sadie came over and cooked dinner for us.

 

And on Friday we went out with some friends to a fish fry at Sacred Heart Church in Delaware (ON).

 

 

On Saturday, my sister Pat and her daughter (and our niece) Vicki came down for a visit.

 

We continue to bowl in our Monday night League, and Myron is greatly anticipating our night in Toronto at the Maple Leaf/Red Wings game this coming Saturday. We are taking the train to Toronto on Saturday morning, going out to dinner with my sister Barbie and her husband Keith, and then to the game. We will overnight at the Royal York, and take the train back to London on Sunday. Our friend Karen has kindly offered to take us to and from the London train station. Please keep Myron's health in your prayers, that he feels well enough that we can participate in our weekend away. As I have mentioned so many times, we are so blessed to have such giving friends as we do. Just this evening, Lise, another neighbour dropped by with a lovely fruit salad and some fresh, hot from the oven, muffins for us. The kindness and spirit of giving amongst our family, friends and neighbours is nothing less than overwhelming. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you one and all!

 

I guess that's about it for now. I so much wish we had better news to share with you, but we're hanging in there, doing all we can. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and remember, Myron still loves to hear from and see you all.

 

love, Myron & Wendy

 

 

Hello again to all our family and friends,

The last couple of weeks have been difficult for Myron. All of his pains (abdominal, back, and chest)continue at varying times throughout the day, but there is rarely a time when he isn't in some kind of pain. While he does his best to hide it, it is starting to wear on him. He is on pain medication, and we return to see the doctor at the pain clinic tomorrow. We are hoping that the doctor will up the dosage of his pain meds, to make his life more comfortable for him. I am fairly certain that the back pain is caused by the cancer, the abdominal pain is probably caused by a combination of the cancer and his bowel issues, and the chest pain, we are still unsure about. I tend to think that the stent they inserted into his bile duct last February is becoming blocked again (as Myron says the pain is identical to the pain he had at that time), but the doctors remain uncertain of that since he isn't jaundiced. Just as an FYI, he was not jaundiced last January or February either, just in great pain. In the past couple of weeks Myron has made a couple visits in Emergency, first with the bladder infection (which we think is now cleared up), and secondly with chest pains. They check him out and send him home, but we still don't know the cause of the pain. All we do know for sure is that it is not caused by his heart - his heart is healthy. Myron continues to be very tired, both physically fatigued and sleepy, and all told he is probably only awake about 6 hours out of each 24 hour day. This total exhaustion is caused by a combination of both the cancer and side effects to his chemo. He completed his second round of his new chemo on Tuesday of this week. The chemo nurses are very good, and they listen and respond well when we tell them how Myron is feeling and notify his oncologist accordingly. He has had 2 x-rays in the last couple weeks and we are awaiting a phone call to let us know when he is to go in for another CTscan. The hope is that this scan will help to determine the cause of his chest pains. His appetite continues to be poor, but he is still eating the meals I prepare for him, so that is good. I am currently cooking a roast of beef for him as that is what he wants to eat today. Even though it feels wrong on a Thursday as we have traditionally had our roasts on Sunday, I will do whatever is necessary to tempt his appetite and keep him eating. Unfortunately, he is eating much less than he used to eat, so he is losing weight. This weight loss is most noticeable in his arms, legs, and face. We have an appointment with his haematologist on the 14th, and we are hoping that he will decrease the dosage of Myron's blood thinners since he is bleeding so easily these days. We are thinking perhaps the dosage is too much for him now that he has lost weight, and his blood clots are under control (at least we think they are).

Left to Right: Myron at chemo, Sitting in the family room watching the hockey game with the heating pad on his aching back, Out grocery shopping.

 

Because of both the mega doses of blood thinners Myron is on, and the side effects of his chemotherapy, Myron is frequently cold and shivering. As a result, the quilt his sister Betty made for him is frequently put to use, and Myron cuddles beneath it while watching television. Thanks so much Betty, you have no idea how much this quilt is both used and appreciated. Unfortunately, he also turns the furnace up high (78-79 degrees F) to get warmer and I am in dire danger of melting away like the Wicked Witch of the West. A small price to pay if it keeps Myron feeling better, but I honestly feel like I am living in a sauna.



Myron cuddling in his quilt while visiting with our friend and neighbour, Derrick.

On the home front, we still try to keep as busy as possible when Myron feels up to it. We are still going to our bowling league, running errands to pick up things we need, groceries, and Myron's never-ending medications. We still welcome people to come and visit, Myron does enjoy the conversations and it distracts him somewhat from his problems. Our niece Joy was by for a visit yesterday evening, Sadie and Maggie came over for a visit and dinner yesterday after school. We also played a few games of Sequence with them. Lissy stopped by with her Dad (Chris) one night this week to pick up their November cookies. The entire family (minus Sadie who couldn't make it) gathered on Sunday and we went to Mitches Park to get family photos taken. Our friend Heather drove down from Goderich to take the pictures for us. Thanks so much, Heather. We have had many other visitors too, and Myron enjoys the company of each and every one of them.

 This is my favourite of all the photos so far, our two kids with their Dad!

 The Whole Lot of Us (less Sadie)

Sadie with her Grandpa (taken yesterday in our yard)

While I spend most of my time with Myron, I do try to get out once in a while to give myself a bit of a break, to renew my energy so I can continue to care for my darling Myron. Naturally I go to the library every few weeks to get my books to read (I somehow cannot imagine life without books and reading). I went out for breakfast on Monday this week with my friends Karen and Dianne. I am hoping to go out to dinner to celebrate another friend Diane's birthday on Tuesday of next week, and my friend Sue is coming down to London to join me for lunch in the next week or so too. I think that is about all the news for now. Please keep in touch, give Myron a call or stop in for a visit. You'll make his day! Thanks again for all your love, support, and prayers. We'll keep in touch.

 

love, Myron and Wendy



Greetings from the Dennis household,

This blog is becoming progressively more difficult to write as Myron has been feeling so poorly these past couple of weeks. We hate to report bad news, but at the same time, we did promise to keep you all informed by means of this blog.

When we last wrote Myron had just completed his second treatment of the first round of this chemotherapy session. With each round being one session per week for two weeks, followed by one week off (the week off being this week), we are set to begin round 2 on Tuesday of next week. We were at the oncologist yesterday and had his blood work done, so as long as his blood count is still good, we're off to chemotherapy again next week. (the doctor will call us if the chemo is to be cancelled.) We had a scare on Thursday of last week when Myron was suffering excruciating pain and we ended up taking him to Emergency. It was discovered at that time, that on top of everything else), he also had a bladder infection. He is currently on antibiotics to cure that infection, but it seems to be just one thing after another. The doctors still haven't been able to get Myron on a painkiller in the correct dosage that will relieve his constant pain. We went to see a pain specialist in the Palliative Care Department on Wednesday, and she has prescribed a time-released painkiller, with additional supplements for him to take if needed, but life being as it can be sometimes, the pharmacy was out of that medication, so we had to wait until yesterday afternoon before we could get it. He started taking it last night, but so far with no relief. I don't believe that he slept at all last night because of the pain. The medication seemed to ease the back pains, but the abdominal pains are persistent. Myron was also been totally fatigued these past couple of weeks, and it is yet to be determined if this is caused by the cancer or is a side effect of the chemotherapy. Whatever the cause, Myron spends quite a bit of time napping on the couch, he just cannot seem to stay awake.

Myron napping on the living room couch

 



Myron's appetite continues to decline and he has no desire to eat whatsoever. He is forcing himself to do so, and his body is therefore getting some nourishment, but the amounts have greatly decreased from his normal eating habit and he is losing weight. On the bright side, on both Wednesday and yesterday of this week, he did have a few relatively pain-free hours and we managed to get out to the park for a few hours of enjoyment of our Indian Summer weather.

 On the trails at the Westminster Ponds

A walk in Mitches Park

 

We are planning to have some family photos taken on Sunday, November 2nd, so we have been checking out possible photo locations. Myron continues to look good and he is still the same Myron, doing his best to be upbeat, but this damn illness is wearing on him. It seems as if the solution to one health problem simply causes another health issue somewhere else. All of the pain medications cause constipation which continues to an issue for him.

 

Otherwise, we try to continue our daily lives as normally as possible in between medical appointments and treatments. As I mentioned in the previous posting, the kitchen renovations are now complete, and the painting of the kitchen and hall was done last Saturday. I (Wendy) am currently dedicating time each day to scrubbing the grout work between the ceramic tiles on the kitchen and hall floor. A much needed chore (to make the five year old floor match the new kitchen), but a tedious task at best. We held another progressive euchre here last Saturday evening and we had 16 people in attendance, but I think it tired Myron much more than it has previously. We continue to attend our Monday evening bowling league.

At our Monday night bowling league

We still greatly look forward to phone calls and visits from our children, our grandchildren, other family and our friends. On days when we are feeling tired and discouraged, a visit or a phone call from someone will brighten up our day. It is currently 7:30 am and we are waiting for the visiting nurse to arrive for the weekly cleaning of Myron's PICC line. That's about it for now. We'll keep in contact. Please remember Myron in your prayers, and thank you for your continued love and support.

 

love,

Myron and Wendy

Greetings from Chancton Crescent,

It's been 10 days so we last wrote, so we thought we should keep you updated. First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with all of the family in attendance, along with our great-nephew Alex Mink. A good time was had by all, and we enjoyed a turkey and ham dinner. As a special treat, Maggie made and brought home-made pretzels, and Sadie made and brought a homemade pumpkin pie. Below is a photo of us all around the table prior to Thanksgiving dinner. This photo is special indeed, as originally there were two photos, one taken by Wendy with Myron in it, and one taken by Myron with Wendy in it. Rachael used photoshop and added Wendy (from the 2nd pic taken) to the first photo, so we have us all together.

Thanksgiving Dinner 2014

 

On Sunday of last week we paid a final visit of the season to the trailer and cleaned out the gardens, the fridge and freezer, stripped the bed, turned off the power, etc. readying the trailer for winter. Adios until next spring, Lakewood Campground! Myron's sister Phyllis and her husband Mattie stopped in for a visit last week before they head to Florida for the winter. We also had a visit from our friend Anthony which was a great surprise, as we haven't seen him in quite some time. Myron so loves to have people in for a visit.

 



Ready for winter!

 

The kitchen renovations are now complete with the exception of a new coat of paint which will happen next weekend. We purchased the paint today, so it all systems go when our neighbour Medou is available to paint it for us. We are loving it, but still adjusting to the high tap which we manage to spray everywhere whenever we use it. I expect we will adjust to it eventually. Many thanks to our friend and neighbour Chris Cain for the many hours work he put into helping us with the kitchen.

 





Our new kitchen!

 

On the health front the news is not so good. Myron has had a rough couple of weeks. He had his first chemo treatment with the new chemo on Monday of last week and he had the second treatment today. While the treatment is much shorter and easier for him, it has made him incredibly tired and he slept for a good part of last week. He is so fatigued that he has a hard time keeping his eyes open. He is still experiencing frequent pain, and we're not sure yet if the new pain medication he has is working or not. The doctor asked him to take this medication only so she can determine whether or not it is effective, but unfortunately she did not prescribe enough to last until Myron's next appointment. So Myron was rationing them to make them last, which didn't relieve his pain as it should. We called the Cancer Clinic to get the prescription renewed, but the Thanksgiving holiday interrupted business and we didn't get the renewal. We managed to get him into the after hours clinic at his family doctor on Saturday, and the doctor gave him a renewal, but it still wasn't enough to take in the recommended dosage. Today at his chemo treatment we told the nurse our problem, and she got the doctor to give us another prescription for two weeks worth, so now we have enough medication to take as recommended until his next oncologist appointment on Thursday of next week. Hopefully now that he doesn't have to ration it, it will work and relieve the abdominal and back pains that Myron has been suffering. Myron's appetite has decreased considerably, but he is doing his best to make certain he eats enough to get the nourishment his body needs.

 

Otherwise, our lives continue on as usual. We are still bowling on Monday evenings, we are planning to hold a progressive euchre here next Saturday evening, we have booked a friend to take family photographs on November 2nd, and we (especially Myron) are looking forward to going to Toronto to see a Toronto Maple Leaf/Detroit Red Wing game on November 22nd, with my sister Barb and her husband Keith. Guess which team Myron will be cheering for. That's all the news for now. We'll keep in touch. Thanks for all your support, and please keep up those prayers for Myron.

 

love,

Myron and Wendy

Greetings once again!

It's been a while since we last posted, but we have been waiting to see Myron's oncologist and find out what is happening, so we at least had some news to pass on to the rest of you. It has been a busy couple of weeks, what with medical tests and appointments, our regular activies such as bowling, shopping, housework and laundry ... and kitchen renovations.

We went to see Myron's oncologist on Thursday, and the bad/sad news is that his tumours have grown somewhat over the summer. Exactly how much we have no idea as the doctor didn't tell us, but we suppose it is to be expected since it has been over 3 months since Myron last had chemotherapy. The good news is that his chemo begins again on Monday next week (two days from now). They are trying a different kind of chemotherapy this time, and instead of his going for chemo one day (all day) every second week, he will be going on a schedule of one day a week for 2 weeks, and then a week off, repeating this cycle. And the treatment is only about a half hour so we will not be spending all day there - hopefully only an hour or two. He also doesn't need to come home with the pump attached to him for 2 days following each session. The doctor assures us that side effects are much more minimal with this type of chemotherapy, so let's hope it works to shrink the tumours and that Myron feels better also.

The doctor is trying a new type of pain medication so we are hoping that Myron's chest/abdominal pains will go away - or at least lessen. The biggest problem is that all of these painkillers cause constipation which furthers the pain, so they are working to get the correct combination that works for Myron. Myron is still feeling very tired, but part of that we have been assured is his adjustment to the pain medications. In addition, as you all know, Myron is a very hardworking man. He just doesn't give up. And while I (Wendy) worry about him and try to prevent his overdoing things, I do realize that Myron must live his life as he sees fit, and he does assure me that he feels less pain when he is working because he is not thinking about it. Myron, however, sadly must give up his riding/supervising on his bus route for the time being as it is just too risky for him to be exposed to kids and their multiple viruses while he is undergoing chemotherapy which lowers his white blood count and his resistance to infections. He's going to miss those kids for sure.

Myron hard at work. Top: Kitchen renovations with our neighbour Chris. Bottom: Helping Chris install a new storm door at his home.

We remain busy with many activities, but kitchen renovations have been in the forefront in the past few weeks. We are still awaiting the drawer fronts for the cabinet between the stove and fridge, and we are waiting for one more stool for the breakfast bar to come in, and we need to get the mirror over the sink downsized and put back into place.We also intend to repaint the kitchen and hall (the same green colour which I love), but things are nearing completion and it is exciting for us. The new kitchen gives the house an entire new look and we are so happy with it.

Top: Myron eating breakfast at the new breakfast bar. Bottom: The kitchen as it looks this morning.

Tomorrow we are planning to drive up to the trailer and clean it out for the winter, as in emptying the fridge and freezer, stripping the bed, cleaning out the flower beds, turning off the electricity, etc. We may still go up for part of Thanksgiving weekend, weather permitting, but we want to get things taken care of this weekend just in case Myron's new chemo tires him as the last chemo did, and he is unable to drive up there next weekend (which is the final weekend of the camping season). We are also planning to have the kids and grandkids over here on the Monday of that weekend for a Thanksgiving dinner. Yesterday I (Wendy) had a great surprise. When Myron came home from work, he brought with him a bouquet of roses for me, "just because", as a thank you for all I do for him. I just love them - yellow roses with baby's breath, the same as I carried in my bouquet on our wedding day. Myron is one sweet man, I cannot thank him enough!

My beautiful roses!

 

I think that's about all the news for now. I will try to get back to you sometime next week following Myron's chemotherapy treatment, and let you know how he is doing. Feel free to drop by for a visit some time, or give us a call. Myron loves to hear from and visit with everyone, and it does help to keep his spirits up. Thanks for all your support and prayers. Please keep it up.

 

love,

Myron and Wendy

Greetings from the Dennis Household,

Myron still continues to suffer from chest/abdominal pains, but he is coping with it so far with the aid of extra strength Tylenol. He keeps himself busy, which also distracts him from thinking about it. He goes for his ultrasound tomorrow to check the stent that was put in last February, and then he goes for his two CTscans on Wednesday of next week. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that all is well, or that he will be put back on his chemotherapy regimen soon to continue to shrink the tumours. Until the tests are completed and we see his oncologist, we really have no idea what is happening in his body. Hopefully the results will be in quickly and he will see his doctor not too long after the upcoming tests are completed. The nurse continues to come here weekly to change the dressing on and flush out Myron's PICC Line. We are really hoping that something comes about soon that will help to relieve the pain Myron has been suffering. It is so frightening, and I (Wendy) really hate to see him suffer. He is, though, a man of incredible courage, and he does his best to hide it and continue about daily life as usual.

On the home front we have been as busy as ever. Nothing stays still for long in this household. We were up at Barb & Keith's place on Saturday of last week for a Sanderson Family barbecue and a good time was had by all.

Myron and Keith at the Sanderson barbecue

 

There was a big storm here in the London area last weekend, and the wind and rain were really wild at our campground. A number of people lost their gazebos, sheds, had their trailers moved by the wind, etc. We were very fortunate as the only damage our trailer suffered was the roof of the gazebo (and it was on its last legs anyway, I had just purchased a new one here in London on Friday and the old one was destroyed that same evening). Thanks to our neighbours Joe and Karen for checking up on things at the trailer for us and for removing the torn roof, etc.

The gazebo roof at the trailer following the storm

 

We went back to our bowling league on Monday of last week. Myron did well and beat his previous year's average. Wendy (as usual) did really rotten, but hey, the season is young yet. There's still time for improvement. Myron is still working as a rider on his bus run and is enjoying his time with the kids. He especially loves the little ones in JK and SK. We began a new season of progressive euchre here on last Saturday evening and we had a record turnout of 18 players. A great time was had by all, and Derrick was the top winner of the evening, with Anna and Myron being tied in second place. We went up to the trailer for a brief visit yesterday afternoon to personally check out the damages, and to pay the winterization and winter storage fees.

The euchre crowd last Saturday evening (Sorry Hughie, I think I missed most of you)

 

Kitchen renovations are now underway. Myron and I emptied the cupboards over this past weekend, and now, even as I write this blog, Myron and Reuben are busy removing the old cupboards from the kitchen. The new ones will be here and put in place this coming Saturday. Oh my, what a mess! Things will be wonderful when it is finished, but ever so challenging during the transition!

Myron and Reuben disconnecting the range hood

 

That's about all the news for now. Life goes on and he keep hoping and praying for the best. Please continue to add your prayers for Myron to ours. We'll take the help we can get. Thanks again for your continued support and caring, and we'll write again soon.

 

The old cupboards, counter etc. are now gone

 

love,

Myron and Wendy

 

 





Greetings Family and Friends,

It has been a week or more since we last posted, so we thought we should touch base with you all again. On the whole, things are going quite well, but Myron has been suffering with some chest/abdominal pains just the last week to 10 days and it is a worry.  As we mentioned previously, Myron went to University Hospital on Tuesday of this week for a new CTscan, to determine the size/state of his tumours and for a decision to be made as to when to recommence chemotherapy. Yesterday we received in the mail a notice from his oncologist, letting us know of two booked CTscans (one abdominal and one thorax) for him on the 24th of this month. This frightened us immensely, we were thinking that something was majorly wrong on the last scan - but once we calmed down and thought rationally we knew that he could not have had a test Tuesday morning, the results sent to the doctor, the doctor schedule two follow-up tests, a notice put into the mail  - and we receive it two days later! Just impossible! So we checked the form we received in the mail, and sure enough, the orders were put in on August 28th. So we worried for nothing it seems. Whether or not there is a mix-up and duplication, we'll just take Myron to all booked appointments and tests as requested. Myron also has 2 ultrasounds scheduled at future dates. He has a chest/abdominal one being done on the 16th of this month, to make certain that the stent that was put into his bile duct last February is still operating correctly. He also has another ultrasound on the 26th of October, a follow-up to check on the blood clots in his right leg.

Otherwise, things have been going well on the home front. We spent last weekend at the trailer, and you can see us in the photos below, playing washers with Karen and Joe, our neighbours both at home and at the trailer. It was a landmark day as Karen and Wendy won 2 out of 3 games against Myron and Joe!

 

 

We have been very busy both visiting and dining with our neighbours. We are so fortunate to live in a neighbourhood with such friendly and supportive people. We went out to a movie with a couple of neighbours the other night. We saw "The Grand Seduction" with Gordon Pinsent, and we would strongly recommend it to you. It is a lovely story, set in Newfoundland, and we laughed throughout the movie. Myron went back to work with Elgie Bus Lines this week on Tuesday, the first day of the new school year. While he is not driving a bus at the moment, he is riding as a monitor (tending to and supervising the children) on a run to Fairmont Public School. Below is a photo of Myron, getting dropped off at home after his morning route on Wednesday.



 

 

We have decided to go back to our bowling league this year, so we'll be heading to the bowling lanes on Monday evening of next week. Myron has decided to use a lighter ball because of his PICC line, so he had Wendy's old 12 pound ball plugged and re-drilled to fit his hand. We are heading up to Ajax tomorrow to the Bachmeier home (Barb's and Keith's) for a Sanderson Family barbecue and we are looking forward to seeing our family. We are also running our progressive euchres here again, and the first one of the season will be on the evening of September 13th.

 

That's about all the news for now. We'll be in touch again in a week or so. Keep up your prayers and support - they are greatly appreciated. Talk to you soon.

 

love,

 

Myron and Wendy