Saskatoon Meeting April 3, 2006

Saskatoon Meeting, April 3, 2006

Doris Huffman reads her husband's story - Clarence conquers cancer

This story could have had a tragic ending but fortunately I am alive and well living a productive life. This is a story of survival from three strikes with cancer. I hope my story will be an encouragement for anyone who has had a diagnosis of cancer or for his or her family members.

In the month of September of 1989, farmer Clarence who was 67 years old was helping his son finish the summer fallow. This involved driving a four-wheel drive tractor and cultivator. Suddenly Clarence had an urge to have a bowel movement while out in the field. With no facility nearby the filed became the toilet. I observed that the bowel movement had a large streak of blood within it. This was on a Tuesday and I was not feeling ill so I waited until the Friday of that week when I had an appointment scheduled with the family doctor for a yearly checkup. He sent me for several tests, x-rays and a barium test. I was also sent to see a surgeon who upon examining me stated, "you will need surgery and a colostomy will be necessary." I inquired whether this could be turned around at a later date. His reply was, "Not in a Hundred years!" I knew what a colostomy was since my wife's (Doris) brother Harry had a colostomy. Unfortunately he had only lived for two years following this operation. The doctor inquired whether I had any more questions? I said yes would you go out in the waiting room and call Doris in here and tell her what you are going to do.

The doctor did what I had requested. I knew it would be better coming from him since I knew my wife would be fearful because of what had happened to her brother. Now the question was when are you going to operate? The answer was in two to three weeks.

Three weeks late I was in the hospital being operated on. I spent three days in Intensive Care. Then ten days without food or water only receiving fluids and medicine through intravenous. Over the next three weeks I spent in the hospital I lost twelve pounds. Prior to the operation I had not felt ill; afterwards my recovery time was slow. When I first went to the hospital, Terry Smith an Enterostomal Therapist Nurse met with me marking the location of where my stoma was to be. She was also the first person to discuss the Ostomy Association. This is a support group for people who have had the same or similar types of operations. I have been a member since that time. Following New Years I received permission from my doctor to travel to Arizona for a holiday! (I did not want to shovel snow!)

I had only been in Arizona for approximately two weeks when I received a phone call from my son Kim stating I had an appointment with the Cancer Clinic on February fifth (Strike One). It was the first time I was told I had cancer. I was able to get the appointment rescheduled for March 24th. On February 20th I felt a lump on my bum. The biopsy was done in a United States hospital. The result was cancer (Strike Two) once again I was not feeling sick. I needed to get home to Canada and have an operation to remove the lump. It was important for me to have an appointment to see the surgeon so that an operation could be scheduled. I wanted to make an appointment for the following Monday but the doctor would not be in. So I asked what about Tuesday but the doctor would not be in How about Wednesday? The secretary said, "please come at 4:30 p.m., I will squeeze you in." I was back home and in the doctor's office that Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The doctor took one look at me and booked me into the hospital immediately. The operation was performed on Thursday. While I was still in the hospital, the appointment for March 24th at the Cancer Centre arrived. Since I was in City Hospital and the Cancer Centre was located beside the University Hospital how was I going to get there? I was sent in a taxi to the Cancer Centre with a bag lunch and returned to City Hospital in a taxi that was paid for by City Hospital.

I was not sick, but I stayed five weeks in the Hospital to allow my incision to heal. I started with twenty-five treatments of radiation in May, and then in late June I was given five more treatments of radiation. These were concentrated in my crotch area, which resulted in the area being burnt similar to having sunburn. This area was very sensitive and the treatments were hard to take they made me feel very ill.

Doris and I spent two winters on Vancouver Island and eight winters in Arizona. While in Arizona I joined the Ostomy Association, which was called Tri-City Association after the three cities of Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe. While I was on Vancouver Island I attended Ostomy meetings at the Nanaimo Hospital.

In February of 2001 while in Arizona I developed a lump under my chin. I went to see a doctor who ran some tests but encouraged me to return to Canada before proceeding further. In April I went to see my family doctor who sent me to see a surgeon. The surgeon performed a biopsy the results were that there was no cancer. The surgeon decided to remove the lump. However, very shortly aft it was surgically removed, the lump had returned to the same size? Now what? I went back tot the surgeon. He did not even examine me. He just pointed his finger at me and said "you have cancer!" (Strike three). You need a cat scan and an appointment with the Cancer Centre.

He was able to book those appointments within ten days (again I was not feeling sick). Now he started the chemotherapy the first three treatments were in a pill form. They were not effective. The next four treatments of chemotherapy were given through intravenous and injection. I was SICK, SICK, and SICK!! Throughout the months of August, September, October and November while receiving the chemotherapy I was very ill. Then in February of 2002, I took fifteen treatments of radiation on my neck. Then I had to go back to the Cancer Centre every three months. This was followed by every six months then it was every year. Then in October 2004 I was diagnosed at the Cancer Centre as being cancer free. Oh Joy! How amazing to be cancer free! Free as anyone with cancer can be 95% free.

The treatment worked for me. The Cancer Association has made tremendous strides in the improvement of treatments for cancer. I believe that the treatments were successful because they were able to catch and treat me in the early stages of cancer. This impoved my odds and I believe that is why the treatments were successful for me. I am very thankful that I live in the province of Saskatchewan and that we have Medicare. I did not pay any doctor bills, hospital bills or Cancer Centre bills!

Written by Clarence Huffman in 2006

People listen to Clarence's story

Cliff Nickel tells his story

Bev Fry presents the UOAC Video in which Saskatoon Chapter Members were featured

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Home Executive Membership Meetings Visiting Branches Terminology Links News Newsletters Donations Application Sponsors E-mail List Guest Book Chapter Information Session History	Saskatoon Meeting April 3, 2006 Saskatoon Meeting, April 3, 2006 Doris Huffman reads her husband's story - Clarence conquers cancer This story could have had a tragic ending but fortunately I am alive and well living a productive life. This is a story of survival from three strikes with cancer. I hope my story will be an encouragement for anyone who has had a diagnosis of cancer or for his or her family members. In the month of September of 1989, farmer Clarence who was 67 years old was helping his son finish the summer fallow. This involved driving a four-wheel drive tractor and cultivator. Suddenly Clarence had an urge to have a bowel movement while out in the field. With no facility nearby the filed became the toilet. I observed that the bowel movement had a large streak of blood within it. This was on a Tuesday and I was not feeling ill so I waited until the Friday of that week when I had an appointment scheduled with the family doctor for a yearly checkup. He sent me for several tests, x-rays and a barium test. I was also sent to see a surgeon who upon examining me stated, "you will need surgery and a colostomy will be necessary." I inquired whether this could be turned around at a later date. His reply was, "Not in a Hundred years!" I knew what a colostomy was since my wife's (Doris) brother Harry had a colostomy. Unfortunately he had only lived for two years following this operation. The doctor inquired whether I had any more questions? I said yes would you go out in the waiting room and call Doris in here and tell her what you are going to do. The doctor did what I had requested. I knew it would be better coming from him since I knew my wife would be fearful because of what had happened to her brother. Now the question was when are you going to operate? The answer was in two to three weeks. Three weeks late I was in the hospital being operated on. I spent three days in Intensive Care. Then ten days without food or water only receiving fluids and medicine through intravenous. Over the next three weeks I spent in the hospital I lost twelve pounds. Prior to the operation I had not felt ill; afterwards my recovery time was slow. When I first went to the hospital, Terry Smith an Enterostomal Therapist Nurse met with me marking the location of where my stoma was to be. She was also the first person to discuss the Ostomy Association. This is a support group for people who have had the same or similar types of operations. I have been a member since that time. Following New Years I received permission from my doctor to travel to Arizona for a holiday! (I did not want to shovel snow!) I had only been in Arizona for approximately two weeks when I received a phone call from my son Kim stating I had an appointment with the Cancer Clinic on February fifth (Strike One). It was the first time I was told I had cancer. I was able to get the appointment rescheduled for March 24th. On February 20th I felt a lump on my bum. The biopsy was done in a United States hospital. The result was cancer (Strike Two) once again I was not feeling sick. I needed to get home to Canada and have an operation to remove the lump. It was important for me to have an appointment to see the surgeon so that an operation could be scheduled. I wanted to make an appointment for the following Monday but the doctor would not be in. So I asked what about Tuesday but the doctor would not be in How about Wednesday? The secretary said, "please come at 4:30 p.m., I will squeeze you in." I was back home and in the doctor's office that Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The doctor took one look at me and booked me into the hospital immediately. The operation was performed on Thursday. While I was still in the hospital, the appointment for March 24th at the Cancer Centre arrived. Since I was in City Hospital and the Cancer Centre was located beside the University Hospital how was I going to get there? I was sent in a taxi to the Cancer Centre with a bag lunch and returned to City Hospital in a taxi that was paid for by City Hospital. I was not sick, but I stayed five weeks in the Hospital to allow my incision to heal. I started with twenty-five treatments of radiation in May, and then in late June I was given five more treatments of radiation. These were concentrated in my crotch area, which resulted in the area being burnt similar to having sunburn. This area was very sensitive and the treatments were hard to take they made me feel very ill. Doris and I spent two winters on Vancouver Island and eight winters in Arizona. While in Arizona I joined the Ostomy Association, which was called Tri-City Association after the three cities of Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe. While I was on Vancouver Island I attended Ostomy meetings at the Nanaimo Hospital. In February of 2001 while in Arizona I developed a lump under my chin. I went to see a doctor who ran some tests but encouraged me to return to Canada before proceeding further. In April I went to see my family doctor who sent me to see a surgeon. The surgeon performed a biopsy the results were that there was no cancer. The surgeon decided to remove the lump. However, very shortly aft it was surgically removed, the lump had returned to the same size? Now what? I went back tot the surgeon. He did not even examine me. He just pointed his finger at me and said "you have cancer!" (Strike three). You need a cat scan and an appointment with the Cancer Centre. He was able to book those appointments within ten days (again I was not feeling sick). Now he started the chemotherapy the first three treatments were in a pill form. They were not effective. The next four treatments of chemotherapy were given through intravenous and injection. I was SICK, SICK, and SICK!! Throughout the months of August, September, October and November while receiving the chemotherapy I was very ill. Then in February of 2002, I took fifteen treatments of radiation on my neck. Then I had to go back to the Cancer Centre every three months. This was followed by every six months then it was every year. Then in October 2004 I was diagnosed at the Cancer Centre as being cancer free. Oh Joy! How amazing to be cancer free! Free as anyone with cancer can be 95% free. The treatment worked for me. The Cancer Association has made tremendous strides in the improvement of treatments for cancer. I believe that the treatments were successful because they were able to catch and treat me in the early stages of cancer. This impoved my odds and I believe that is why the treatments were successful for me. I am very thankful that I live in the province of Saskatchewan and that we have Medicare. I did not pay any doctor bills, hospital bills or Cancer Centre bills! Written by Clarence Huffman in 2006 People listen to Clarence's story Cliff Nickel tells his story Bev Fry presents the UOAC Video in which Saskatoon Chapter Members were featured Search this site - type your query and press "Search" Custom Search	Google Ad

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