Update

On Tuesday December 1, Scott was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

For the past couple months, Scott has been saying how he’s felt “off” and run down. We thought it may have been due to a hectic work schedule or keeping up with the kids. He came down with the flu a few weeks ago, which took him out for a couple days. He never quite recovered from this.
He was so pale, with sunken eyes and would become out of breath when walking up stairs. He couldn’t push the double stroller on walks. He was really tired all the time and just couldn’t shake feeling bad. He wasn’t himself.

He didn’t have an appetite for beer. Clearly something was wrong.

After a visit to his family doctor, Scott was sent to the ER at Oakville-Trafalgar Hospital for blood work and an ECG, which resulted in a fairly quick and devastating diagnosis of blood cancer – specifically Leukaemia.

Over the next couple of days he underwent a bone marrow biopsy, a few blood transfusions and started his oral chemotherapy. All of this in a hospital that was closing in a weeks time. He could not get out of there fast enough! But Scott being the guy he is, made jokes and conversation with doctors and nurses through it all. I’m sure he left an impression on the OT staff even in his short stay.

On Friday he was transferred to Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, into a lovely private room with a window. His spirits instantly lifted and he felt much more at ease. Being here, you quickly feel reassured that you’re in the right place, with a talented staff caring for you. We’ve also chatted about how with this diagnosis it’s almost instinct to feel like you’re the first person to go through it. But here, in a wing dedicated to treating blood cancers and disorders, it’s comforting to know that you’re not, and that healing people with leukemia is something this team does daily. He’s certainly in good hands.

Today Scott had his PICC line put in, which will be used to administer his intravenous chemotherapy and to draw blood. Much easier for him than being pricked every morning! 

He officially started IV chemo an hour ago, and we’ve been advised that while this feels like it’s going to be an action packed week, it will likely be pretty anticlimactic.

He has affectionately named his chemo pump ‘Betsy’. She’ll be hanging around for a while.