Hello all,
It's been 2-1/2 years I think since I posted last. A lot has happened.
I was scheduled for radiation August of 2009. In June I figured I take 1 big motorcycle trip as I wasn't sure what my balance would be like after treatment and, well, I'm not getting any younger. Destination... Inuvik. Got as far as the Yukon border before the big crash. Suffice to say I broke almost everything and was lucky to survive it. Concussion, skull fracture, eye socket smashed, partial retinal detachment, tongue laceration, 4 broken vertebrae, 8 broken ribs, hemothorax, wrist fractures, intestinal bruising, road rash, damaged knee...kinda hurt a bit.
Once they found my carcass, they got me out of the wilderness by helicopter and then to Vancouver BC by Lear Jet..I was out cold (morphine is a wonderful thing) so I have no real recollection of the ride.
Radiation got shoved back until I was able to lie on my back with less pain...November/December 2009. Post radiation everything got worse; balance, hearing. The 1 year MRI was equivocal. The 2 year (just done in December) showed (finally) that the tumor was shrinking!
Hearing looks to be stabilizing. Balance was bad enough to be using a cane to walk - this helped immensely with confidence by the way - but then I was able to dump the cane and walk unassisted. In June 2011 I thought i'd give the motorcycle another try (not the one in little pieces near the Yukon, my other one!) and was able once again to start riding; nothing too adventurous but worked my way up to a full day by mid September.
Doubtful whether I'll ever make another attempt on Inuvik but less aggressive riding is definitely in my future.
Anyway, that's me. Radiation was definitely the way to go in my case.
Cheers,
Nick
