Cancer Schmancer

Dear friends, especially those who have been faithful readers of this blog, I'm thrilled to tell you that this party is over. That is, I'm moving back into the wide world of work, so I've decided to stop posting here and start posting here.

Not that it hasn't been fun keeping you up to date on my health odyssey and my other adventures, but I really want to change my focus away from the cancer experience. It will continue to be very much a defining element in my attitude to life, but it should be in the background now, so I can jump into new things with both feet.

Those of you who got notifications of new posts here will hear about the new blog posts in the same way, unless you tell me to take you off the list. Anyone who wants to be added to that list, just drop me an email.

The existing posts here will remain and, of course, I welcome any readers who may benefit from my experience. Thanks to you all for taking the time to share my life here.

Posted by lynda at 03:38 PM | Permalink

I said a while back that this blog would no longer be entirely about health and that hasn't changed, but I will note a small success here on that subject. Yesterday I had an ultrasound, a follow-up to some inconclusive findings in January. The test showed no significant change; that is, what might have been tumour material has not grown perceptibly since January, and in fact, is unchanged since last May. I share my oncologist's opinion that this stuff is scar tissue, quite benign. And so I forge ahead with LIVING, complete with its rich tapestry of experiences, from the freshness of the April evening walk with my dog to the misery of getting up early and not lazing in bed with my tea -- yes, folks, I'm back to work.

Posted by lynda at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I recently tried out Skype, a neat way to talk to people online. My first experience yesterday was pretty cool, as I was talking with cousin Graham in England. So picture it: Graham and I, thousands of miles apart, are talking -- real voices in real time, not just instant messaging -- for free. Gotta love it!

Today, Bob and I did a much more local spin. He's downstairs in the batcave and I'm two floors up tucked into bed with my laptop. And we're talking with Skype -- at last, we've solved the intercom problem! Now I can bug him to stop surfing the net and put the kettle on without even getting out of bed. Gotta love it!

Posted by lynda at 11:04 PM | Permalink

Claire headed off early for her last goodbyes at the zoo and Mom and I went out much more slowly to spend our last day at The Rocks, the historic area near the harbour. We caught a bus, as usual, in overcast cool weather, threatening rain. Got to Circular Quay in about 10 minutes and walked around from there, with occasional stops to rest and enjoy the people and old buildings. We found the New South Wales records office, so went in to inquire about our ancestor who fought for Australia at Gallipoli. Not much luck, but a helpful lead on how I can continue the search online. Meandering back through the brick walkways, we found a cafe for our last fish and chips (plus a healthy salad!). On the way back to the quay, we went up to a farewell balcony designed for people waving off those on passenger liners -- great views of the harbour! Within minutes, we found a bus to bring us back here to the Internet place, just around the corner from our hotel. In spite of how it looked this morning, there was no rain all day. We must leave early tomorrow morning for the airport, so this really is the end of a superb vacation.

Posted by lynda at 02:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Our final morning in perth was lovely -- sunny for the most part and comfortably warm. We had a relaxing brunch at a cafe around the corner from the hotel in a restored Victorian building. Then we wandered the open-air malls one more time, window-shopped iPod Minis and watched a street musician. Settled in a cafe again where the people watching was good, then made our way by taxi to the airport.

The flight to Sydney was quick and smooth, only about three and a half hours, just time for a quick dinner and lame movie. The hotel in Sydney -- same as last time and I won't honour them by advertising their name -- exceeded its bad impression from last time. Took ten minutes or more to check in (nobody in line at nearly midnight and we were reserved for three people), then we found the phone didn't work and there were only two towels. We got the room changed and were settled again just in time for the fire alarm to go off -- false alarm and at least it wasn't raining outside.

Now it's Sunday morning, oops, just after noon, and a glorious hot day. Claire is off to Manly to say goodbye yet again and we are sightseeing on foot in the city, meeting friends of Janine's later today for tea.

Posted by lynda at 09:03 PM | Permalink

Thursday
Claire headed out Thursday morning to shop at the outlet mall while I went walking and found the art gallery. Mom stayed at the hotel to wait for a coffee date with 5W women and I met them later once I had sampled the gallery exhibits. We all set out together in the afternoon for the Perth Zoo. To get there we got one of the three free bus services in the city to the ferry jetty and took a 7-minute ride across the river to south Perth. The zoo was a short walk from the ferry dock. I finally saw dingoes (enclosed), plus lots of kangaroos and wallabees in open areas. Good presentation in the African savannah section, but overall this zoo needs better signage and more benches for Mom to rest on. We came back via a regular bus from just outside the zoo. For Thursday's dinner, Mom insisted on lobster, so we found a restaurant just a few blocks walk away in Northbridge (so named, perhaps, because it is north of the railway bridge).

Friday
Thursday morning we had booked Friday's wine tour, so we were picked up just after 9 in pouring rain and high winds. Great weather to spend touring the countryside and drinking wine. We visited three Swan River Valley wineries in the morning, stopping at the third for a delightful lunch, then sampled two more wineries in the afternoon before dessert at a microbrewery. We finished up at the chocolate factory where our driver insisted we sample excessively. An excellent tour, but oh, the calories! If we can manage it this evening, we plan to do some final shopping around the corner from the hotel. Tomorrow is our last morning in the wonderful city of Perth -- great place to visit and lovely people everywhere we've been.

Posted by lynda at 05:34 AM | Permalink

I'm writing these entries offline and pasting them in, so I hope they make sense. Here's our last two days.

The rest of Monday we continued to see how the Nullarbor Plain changes over its thousands of kilometres. Saltbush seems to be the only growing thing that can hold on in most areas, but even that gave up to red sand in some places. From time to time we would see towers that could have been for transmission I suppose. Once we saw one that had been given up to bird nests. Near that track every few kilometres was some kind of maintenance building flanked by a solar panel array.

Monday evening we stopped at Kalgoorlie for a bus tour of the mining city Kalgoorlie-Boulder, home of the largest open pit gold mine in the world, which we saw lit up and doing business as it does round the clock. The city has a marvellous number of restored and protected turn of the century buildings.

Overnight we entered the marginal plain area and another world. As we neared the end of the plain we had seen cattle, then finally real fields of grazing sheep. The landscape then changed again to rocky hills, lushly forested -- saw another kangaroo. We followed a river known for its whitewater rafting at other times of the year. The sudden appearance of water puddles and reservoirs was startling after so much desert. We pulled into Perth just after 9 am.

We had a wait at the train station for our ride and waited again for our hotel room to be ready, but meanwhile found the local internet cafe and started to explore the central business district, which we seem to be right in the middle of. Later in the afternoon, we found two major outdoor malls within a block of the hotel, swarming with people. We dined at a Belgian cafe across the street: Belgian beer, mussels and of course waffles with double cream for dessert.

On Wednesday we were picked up about 8:15 for our bus tour of Perth. Our driver was very entertaining and knowledgeable about the sites and history. Best spot was our stop at the botanical gardens in King's Park, where we had lots of time to take a treetop walk overlooking the city. Very nice gift shop there, too, with excellent prints and pottery. The afternoon part of the tour took us to the ferry docks for a cruise on the Swan River to Fremantle (about an hour and a half), past the millionaires' houses on the river. Fremantle is an interesting collection of period buildings, souvenir shops, restaurants and markets (none open today). Lots of bookstores. We came back by bus, taking a scenic route along the coast for a bit to see some of the beach stretching along this part of the Indian Ocean.

Posted by lynda at 07:32 AM | Permalink

Yay! We pulled into Perth this morning -- hot and sunny with lots of greenery everywhere. As we wait for our hotel room, here are some of my notes from the last two days. (I'll post more once we get settled into the hotel -- looks like we're in the centre of things -- lots of walkable areas.)

Sunday

For our last day in Adelaide we set out to see the zoo. I decided to walk because one of our hosts from last night's dinner had shown us the route. It was a quick 20 minutes across parkland and along a shady path. Mom and Claire joined me eventually after taking the bus. It's a lovely zoo, small but well kept and with lots of animals in clear view. We saw their bird show, which consisted of two blue and gold macaws in free flight over the main lawn.

Claire and I then set off for the city centre, waited a bit for a bus, then decided to walk along the River Torrens. We chanced upon the Migration Museum, so Claire went off exploring while I toured it for an hour. Excellent presentations! Lots of info and artifacts about people who migrated to Australia over the past two centuries, lots of personal stories. Part of the complex is the former Destitute Asylum and a hospital for indigent mothers. Very poignant stories depicted the orphans and women unfortunate enough to find themselves there in the 19th century.

I met up with Claire again and did a quick tour of the State Library, which was nearby, and the South Australia Museum. In the latter I only had energy for a quick tour of a photography exhibition. The library had in its lower level a small gallery full of aboriginal paintings, so we did a quick scan there as well before grabbing a cab back to the hotel. Still time there for a beer and catchup on email before our ride arrived for the train station. At the station we had lots of time to rest and people watch -- who should show up but three people from last night's dinner to see us off! Cathy, our hostess, plus June and Bill from Florida, came and chatted with us until we boarded the train.

Monday

After an exquisite dinner last night, we fell into our bunks quite readily, especially knowing the wake-up coffee or tea was to be at about 6:15. After a sumptuous breakfast, we spent much of the day crossing the incredible Nullarbor Plain, an apparently limitless stretch of desert, punctuated with saltbush (a grey shrub about 8 inches tall at most) and very occasionally a scrawny tree-like effort. We stopped at Cook, once home to 300 people but now a ghost town with a couple of people running a sparse gift shop. Got a good view of a low-flying wedge-tail eagle before we got back on the train. Under a couple of surprisingly green bushes further on we saw kangaroos, but otherwise no wildlife and very few birds.

Posted by lynda at 09:52 PM | Permalink

We're been out of earshot for you blog fans for a few days while on the train and in Adelaide, so here are my notes for that time. Today is our last day in Adelaide -- going to the zoo just across the park from the hotel, then late this afternoon catching the train to perth.

Wednesday
Met Claire at the train station just as we walked in. She had to take the bus (two buses and a cab, actually) to get to Circular Quay and do an errand in the city. We had lots of time for coffee and a chat before we made our way to the platform to board the train. The sleepers for Red Kangaroo service are quite tiny but adequate. We settled and got moving, then went along to the lounge car, where we could see out both sides -- great views. After we left the city and outskirts (about an hour), we gradually ascended into the Blue Mountains, leaving the pouring rain behind, too, for forested steep countryside with houses and villages here and there. There are 10 tunnels through these mountains, according to the audio tour, but some are quite short. Several breathtaking panoramas go by -- you can see for miles in places. Just before it got dark, the train started downward out of the mountains, into hilly pasture land, still with lots of trees, then finally before we couldn't see any more, almost flat farmland.

The dining car offered several choices, plus wine and beer, from cheerful, friendly stewards -- I heard one singing as he went by. Other passengers were chatty and good natured.

Thursday
We woke about daybreak to see flat, scrubby land with patchy trees here and there and a few sheep. Easy to see clumps or pairs of kangaroos bouncing away plus a couple of emus.

We stopped in Broken Hill about 7 am, long enough to peruse the vendor stalls at the station (all white, mostly old women selling home-made or cheap goods). Then we went further on the recommendation of the steward to peek into the Palace Hotel, a large Victorian building that had seen better days on the main street -- wall to wall painted murals in the front foyer and up two levels of stairs. We bought sandwiches at a coffee shop and headed back to the train.

The rest of the day took us through everchanging landscape, some desert and farmland, some scruffy trees, all under brilliant sunshine. We saw hills in the distance and gradually caught up to them. Got into Adelaide about an hour and a half late, but our pleasant driver was waiting with his van. The hotel is comfy, but Internet access very expensive, so we may wait until the next opportunity. Had a yummy dinner this evening; Mom had kangaroo filet.

Friday
We were picked up early Friday morning (left our luggage there so we could travel light) and taken to the domestic air terminal. As we had lots of time, the driver took us through the main area of Adelaide, pointing out a few sights. Not much happening as it was Good Friday. We waited at the terminal, watching various other tourists and holidayers arrive, then boarded a small prop plane holding 19 of us for the 30 minute flight to Kangaroo Island. Our driver met us at Kingscote Airport on the island and we boarded a mini-bus for our guided tour.

Our first wildlife sighting: wallabees. Regrettably, they were roadkill. Once we reached the Flinders Chase National Park, we saw the carpark kangaroos -- they hang around hoping to be fed -- then started to see more roos and wallabees throughout the day. The island is small enough that we covered three exceptional spots on the coast as well as much of the inland area. Our lunch stop included a walk in the eucalyptus woods to see koalas. Lots of wallabees there, too, plus a tiny but spectacular blue wren. The koalas were introduced to the island and are eating too many trees, so there are debates about culling them. Clearly a problem with something so cute. Best stops for me today were the New Zealand fur seal colony at Admiral's Arch and Seal Bay, home of the second largest breeding colony of Australian sea lions. We're resting now at Kangaroo Island Lodge, flying out tomorrow to return to Adelaide.

Saturday
We spent the day seeing the city, including the beach at Glenelg, then had dinner with Mom's 5W friends in a suburb of North Adelaide. Great evening!

Posted by lynda at 05:30 PM | Permalink

For our fans who have asked for pix, we have uploaded a few to flickr.com. If you search on the tag Sydney2005 (no space), you should see them.

Posted by lynda at 06:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tuesday we headed off on foot for the Australian Museum, about three or four blocks from the hotel. On the way, we stopped for a chat with the entry guard for Sydney Grammar School, a posh private school for boys. He kindly offered a little tour of the grounds and was pleased to share a few bits of info about the school.

At the museum, we started with the indigenous peoples area, a very extensive section where we spent at least two hours, plus more after a snack break. Lots of interesting artifacts from years ago, but also plenty of art and commentary from today's aboriginal people in Australia.

From there we went to the birds and insects room, very interesting especially since we had seen several at Claire's show. From there we found biodiversity, which dealt with animals and ecosystems, etc. Failed to find a wombat. Down one floor, we found the minerals display, including the Albert Chapman collection, a wonderful variety of brilliant rocks. After a coffee, where we watched the torrential rain outside, we headed for the skeleton room -- wombat, there, but sans skin of course. Finally, we mosied through the store, buying souvenirs made in Peru (!) plus rocks to take home. Walked back to the hotel in the rain, but it was still warm.

It's Wednesday morning now, still raining and very gusty. Claire called to say the ferries were cancelled so she must make her way to meet us at the train station via an express bus. Needless to say, the lineups for the buses are considerable. We're all set to move on to our next adventure in Adelaide.

Posted by lynda at 06:14 PM | Permalink

Today was zoo day and it was brilliant from start to finish. We caught an early ferry to Manly, where Claire has been living for the last three months. We were too early for her, but no matter; it was a delightful ride in gorgous weather. Once we arrived at Manly, we had a leisurely coffee until Claire showed up to conduct us along a short street or two to the beach. Not too crowded but beautiful by anyone's standards. Then we walked back on The Corso, a pedestrian walkway lined with surf shops and whatnot, clearly catering to the young. Claire stopped briefly to catch up on email, then we boarded a bus for the zoo. We changed buses and got to the zoo about 11:30.

Claire took us in by the employee entrance and we went down right away to see the first Bird Show, for which she was assisting (catching and releasing birds for the presenter). The show is given in an amphitheatre overlooking Sydney Harbour -- fabulous view! After the show, we dashed over to the food place to grab lunch before the seal show, actually starring an American sea lion. Then back up a very steep walkway where Claire's boss gave us a very special personal tour. We walked into an enclosure where they normally entertain school groups and made friends with an old lady grey kangaroo, very sweet and gentle. Next he brought out an echidna, Australia's answer to the North American porcupine. In spite of her armour, she also was really sweet natured and tolerated a sort-of pat. To top things off, out came a baby koala, just a soft and fuzzy as the stuffed kind. We each got to hold her and give her lots of pats, which is actually part of her socialization for future encounters with kids. There were wombats there, too, but they were sleeping, so we left totally high from this special experience with the three stars.

Mom and I cruised through the zoo a bit until it was time for the next Bird Show, starring our very own Claire as presenter. She was outstanding! She had pretty good cooperation from most of the birds and at the end one of the trainers came out to tell everyone how much Claire had contributed and to lead the audience in three cheers.

Finally, Claire led us through the backstage area to meet the avian stars (plus the rats who had a walk-on in the earlier show). It was very clear then how difficult it is going to be for her to leave this marvellous experience behind. Everyone was friendly and commented on how much she will be missed.

We left her there very misty-eyed and walked down to the waterfront to get the ferry back to Circular Quay. On the quay we revived our sore feet, people-watched and downed a refreshing shandy or two. Dinner was fish and chips from one of the quay vendors -- yummy.

Posted by lynda at 03:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Today we were treated to a full day tour and chat by Chebi, a friend of Janine's from her visit to OZ years ago. She picked us up from the hotel at 9 and took us to Clovelly, on the east coast of Sydney, for brunch. We sat outdoors but under cover because it was raining at first, in view of the crashing surf. Mom had a bruschetta concoction with two poached eggs and a roasted tomato on a huge slab of toasted sourdough bread. My breakfast was called a trifle, consisting of granola, yogurt and fresh fruit.

From there, we went on a coast drive, seeing Bronte Beach, another I can't remember something like Tamarama, then the famous Bondi Beach. We stopped to commune with the magpies and drink in the views. Ultimately we got to Watson's Bay, from which you can see across to Manly. Came back westward through Rose Bay, Double Bay and Paddington, seeing lots of ritzy houses. Then back to Chebi's in Surry Hills, where we had a reviving cold drink in the tree-shaded garden and heard a kookaburra. Chebi went for sushi, etc. and came back with enough to feed eight. We met Mark, her ex-lodger, just moving out after 15 years. Spent the rest of the afternoon nattering about this and that and seeing some of Chebi's prints. She dropped us off at the Internet place right near our hotel. After this morning's rain, the rest of the day was pretty perfect sunshine.

Posted by lynda at 02:09 AM | Permalink

We did Hyde Park this morning, just a couple of blocks from the hotel. Walked through it, stopping at the impressive Art Deco Anzac memorial and also briefly stopping to admire the black-headed ibises attacking garbage bins in the park.
Just before lunch we met Claire at the ferry dock and walked over to The Rocks. Did a very thorough walkthrough of the market stalls there, then stopped for noodles. One more block brought us to an art gallery Claire had found on a previous visit -- lots of very good aboriginal art pieces.

We made our way back to the quay where we caught a train to the Darling Harbour area, walking a considerable way, at times with some doubt about our direction. At last we found the Powerhouse Museum where we went through the Lord of the Rings Exhibition -- excellent! By this time we were flagging, so we took a cab back to the hotel for a reviving cuppa.

Claire came with me to the Internet place to catch up on some mail, but she has gone now to catch a bus back to Manly. Tomorrow Chebby is picking us up for breakfast.

Posted by lynda at 01:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Back at the Internet place early Saturday morning, but we can't use my laptop so I'm tapping away at a clunky keyboard of theirs. We met Claire last night at the ferry docks and went for dinner at The Rocks where she downed a huge plate of spaghetti and a sticky date pudding, noting that she has gained some weight in the last three months. (It's not noticeable to me.) We're meeting her again this morning to spend some time at The Rocks area, including the weekend market. Still overcast, but nice and warm. We've decided to stay at the hotel until Wednesday instead of in Manly.

Posted by lynda at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We're here in Sydney after a punctual but gruelling 24-plus hours in transit. Mom is easing her feet at the hotel while I have found internet access down the street -- not free alas, but cheap.
First impressions: way better weather! It's overcast here and rained earlier, but nice and warm -- T-shirt weather. We're somewhere downtown, but there are barred windows and tight security in public buildings, a la California and other US cities. Lots of young tourists, as you might expect.
At the airport we stopped for a reviving coffee, then took a shuttle bus to the hotel. As we walked to the bus, a stand of eucalyptus trees wafted their scent over us. Guess we're in koala-land.

Posted by lynda at 08:28 PM | Permalink

My passport finally arrived yesterday, ending the suspense about our departure next week for kangaroo-land. Okay, now I can really get excited! This will be a tri-generation odyssey for my mother, my daughter and myself as we trek in style from Sydney to Adelaide to Perth and back in just under three weeks. It will be my last grand blast of free time before I return to work, likely in late April. Might as well put the cap on the year of hell and celebrate coming out the other side with gusto.

Posted by lynda at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just to keep busy, I've been overhauling our main bathroom in a minor inexpensive fashion. The rewiring of the GFI plug went OK, with Bob's support, as did the demolition of the wooden valance covering a really antique fluorescent fixture (just me and my girlie hammer -- such fun to break things).

I painted, then painted again, deciding that two coats of primer were needed before the exquisite "orange confection" which is really a demure pale peach nicely covered the walls. In a final mad push to get the room back into functional territory, I tackled the installation of a new light fixture this evening, only to find that it worked, but didn't turn off. Well, the instructions said join the white wire to the white and the black to the black, but didn't say squat about the red wire, which, it turns out, actually is the wire from the switch, as in "on" and "off."

I figured it out, after a quick consultation with the net, then verified my rewiring decision with friend Brian. Yay, it works! Still have to tackle painting the cupboard doors and drawers and I have far too much "orange confection" paint left, but I'll soon be ready to move on to the ensuite bathroom. Brian says making a GFI out of nothing is a piece o' cake ...

Posted by lynda at 12:21 AM | Permalink

I was thrilled this week to get another piece of the family tree puzzle that absorbs me lately, a copy of the marriage registration for my second set of great, great grandparents. With this type of record, I can go back at least one more generation, because the record shows the names of the fathers of both bride and groom. In this case, however, I was able to go even further. With a little sleuthing I discovered more family information from online sources, and asked another researcher of a similar family name for some help. He has been working on his for about 30 years, he says, and he readily supplied me with details for my family line going back to about 1635. Wow! In a couple of days I jumped two centuries.

Posted by lynda at 07:52 PM | Permalink

Our blog files were hacked today, which means that our blogs disappeared for a couple of hours. Fortunately, our webguy, Bob, was on the job as usual and got the problem fixed in short order. Which is to say nothing is permanent and immutable. It is a concept I have embraced lately, that nothing really can be counted on to endure. Nothing is constant, reliable, forever. That doesn't mean that nothing has value. On the contrary, it means that everything must be valued for what it is right now. That gives immense value to the present moment, which is all we have.

Posted by lynda at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I got good reports from all over today. Claire called from Oz, where she was about to leave for work at the zoo. She decided to work a weekend for a change just to see what it was like. Still having a great time and noticing already that it won't be long before her internship is over.

Maureen and Rachel left early this morning to get home to Vancouver in good time before Rachel's baby makes her appearance in this world. I just talked to Tracy, who said Avery is doing quite well. His IV antibiotics will continue until Tuesday, but she plans to stay with him at the hospital until they can both go home.

Posted by lynda at 05:28 PM | Permalink

Avery arrived last night just before 9 pm, delivered by Caesarean section after a long day's labour. Tracy is doing fine, but is understandably exhausted. Avery was under observation at first, but he is expected to be with Tracy in her room by today. He is 7 lb 9 oz and 21 inches long. Grandma is also very tired as she was at the hospital for many hours last night.

Posted by lynda at 08:40 AM | Permalink

It's after 11 pm and still no news of Tracy and baby yet. As of about 5 this afternoon, she was making slow progress at the hospital and Mom was getting ready to be with her. I took Maureen and Rachel up from Union Station to Tracy's house and then to their hotel near the hospital. Driving was absolutely nasty as we had flurries all day on top of ice. Further bulletins as events warrant.

Posted by lynda at 10:59 PM | Permalink

Tracy is in Barrie's Royal Victoria Hospital being induced as of 7:30 this morning. As of last night, she was doing fine. I'll post updates here as soon as I can.

Posted by lynda at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tomorrow is my oldest son's 30th birthday. I try to avoid counting the years since I had a conversation with him, but every day I imagine one we might have. The passing years have not eased the pain of his absence, nor lessened my fears for his wellbeing. From what I've been told, he appears to be doing okay, living a life not far from people who love him, but an immeasurable distance from me.

I've chosen a picture that makes me smile, because it shows him making fun of himself with the joy I remember. I miss your laughter, Noel, as much as your conversation. I wish you wellness and peace and love. Happy Birthday!

Posted by lynda at 08:17 PM | Permalink

My Aunt Joyce died last Friday in Ottawa, to the dismay of all the family. She was a lovely woman who really knew how to laugh. I will remember her always for her enthusiasm about everything, her good wishes and good humour about life, no matter what it served up.

Claire reports from OZ that she has moved to new digs with her three friends and hopes to stay put until the end of her stay there. She is doing more at the zoo now. As a visible part of the public bird show, she gets to catch the barking owl (an owl native to Australia). She's still loving it, especially the weather.

Posted by lynda at 05:31 PM | Permalink

I had to corral the dogs in the batcave while the cleaning lady was here this morning, so I watched HGTV. Bad idea. Now I want to renovate everything, not just our modest kitchen. It's not that I drooled over the shiny and the trendy, what these shows focus on, but I was just struck with the newness that you get from a few, albeit major and probably expensive, changes. I can't wait to get started on the kitchen project, even though I know it will be weeks of mess. I'm just in the mood for changes that I can use.

Posted by lynda at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In my surgeon's opinion, my cancer has not returned and thus is not the reason for my current malaise. The ultrasound report suggested the same suspicious items as my last CAT scan (May 2004), but he continues to believe (as do I) that they are not tumours. To be safe, he has scheduled another ultrasound in three months. Meanwhile, I can go to my GP to try to figure out why I am feeling so crappy. Still holding out for that prescription for a Caribbean vacation.

Posted by lynda at 01:09 PM | Permalink

My checkup this morning at PMH was inconclusive. My complaints were suspicious enough to prompt an ultrasound, which I managed to get done this afternoon (saving another trip downtown). We'll discuss the results of this and my latest blood test next Tuesday morning.

Posted by lynda at 04:41 PM | Permalink

Claire moved to a shared house in Cremorne on the weekend, but it will only be for a week or two after all. The landlord had planned renovations for April, but now they must be started sooner. Her friends, with whom she had been staying up to now, will also be looking for a new place, so they've decided all four will look for a place to share.

Claire reports she had a great day at the zoo today, where she was actually handling the birds and taking a more active role behind the scenes at the bird show. She's now looking into applying to Guelph for next fall because they have a strong environmental science program. This is the direction she now wants to take.

As for me, I'm back to see my oncology team tomorrow for a routine checkup. Here's hoping they prescribe a few weeks in the tropics.

Posted by lynda at 09:56 AM | Permalink

At Christmas, my mother gave me a family heirloom, worth some dollars, to be sure, but much more valuable than that to me for the connection to a specific person in our family. She is someone long dead, whom I never met, but who had some adventures in her life, I think. She did well enough to leave small bequests to several of her relatives, including my grandmother, and that is how this heirloom has come to me.

I have recently been spending a lot of time on my family tree and at the same time wondering why it should fascinate me so. I have reached two conclusions. The first is that we all love stories and to hunt down stories of one's own family is a delight that feeds both the ego and the nosey parker in me. Each fragment of a past life that I find is like this heirloom I now possess. The story belongs to me (as well as to everyone else in my family) and has great value and meaning because it is connected to real people who lived real lives and who are connected to me.

My second conclusion is that this detective work is a way of leaving something for my children. I can leave them material things, a few anyway, but these quickly lose their value and most have no meaning. But if I can leave them some stories, some sense of who went before in their various family lines, then that is a special bequest. Maybe 50 years from now, one of my sons or my daughter will read about one of their ancestors and be amazed, or delighted, or inspired.

Posted by lynda at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Claire has done her first day at Turango Zoo (it's already Tuesday now down there) and reports that it was awesome. The zoo person she is working with suggested she work only 10 weeks so she'll have the last two to see some sights, so that's the plan. She moves into her digs Saturday, sharing a three-bedroom house with two guys in Cremorne, about ten minutes away from the zoo. The landlord is a musician; she and Sean (her friend visiting Sydney) went to see his band play last week. She continues to rave about Sydney and threatens she'll have to move there permanently (sigh).

Posted by lynda at 10:03 AM | Permalink

Claire has a cell phone already, so naturally I called her. She is still looking for a place to live, but has organized some options and has been in touch with the zoo, where she will start first thing Monday. She sounds thrilled to be there and is particularly delighted with the weather. Her friends are staying for at least another month, so she has a built-in social life already.

Here at home I'm caring for Tiger, who is recovering nicely from an eye infection (aided by having her inner eyelid sewn shut by the vet!). All dogs are enjoying the foul weather, because it means they can race around the backyard at will.

Posted by lynda at 12:43 AM | Permalink

I got Claire's first email from Australia this morning. The first leg of her flight was delayed, so she missed her connection in Los Angeles, but finally got to Sydney about two and a half hours later than planned. She's already warning us she may not come home because it's so beautiful there.

Posted by lynda at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"We were left with nothing but our lives." That statement by a survivor of the tsunami disaster in Asia has haunted me since I read it. The person in question likely had lost everything in the most extreme sense -- home, livelihood, even family. The horror we have read about seems inconceivable from this side of the world. All the things in our lives, and the people we hold dear, are part of our precious personal ecosystems. But they are dust in the wind against Nature, or fate, or whatever name you assign to an inevitable force bigger than us. Loss is a fact of life. All we can do is comfort those who are stricken, and try not to be an agent of loss for others.

Here are a couple of tech notes for this blog. For those who care and know what it is, you can subscribe with an RSS reader to find out about new posts (see the link at lower left). If anyone would like an email notification of each new post, please email me and I can add you to a notification list.

Posted by lynda at 11:13 PM | Permalink

Claire arrived safely very late last night from BC. Picking her up was a white knuckle experience, even in her yummy SUV: I saw three accidents on my way to the airport, looked like people who had spun out on the ice and landed in the ditch. We took a careful slow route back to the house.

Now we will prepare to rejoice with as many family members as we can draw near. Best wishes to all of you for peace and joy over the next few days.

Posted by lynda at 11:25 AM | Permalink

I look out my window to a lovely spruce tree garnished artistically with snow and now being embellished with freezing rain -- nice if you don't have to experience it outside. Finally started to feel jolly about Christmas this week when Polly and Sally came to dinner on Tuesday. Last night I finished the one present I am making myself -- I tried to keep my expectations realistic by only doing one -- and I'm pretty pleased with it. It's small, but crafted with love.

Starting last Christmas, Bob and I have been giving each other something very special as a gift -- the gift of no stress about buying your partner's gift. We decide early on a joint present we'll both enjoy, then he gets it. This year it's the Star Wars movie trilogy, which we can cuddle up to watch over the holidays.

My latest obsession is my family tree, which I made a good start on and Bob put here: www.chiotti.com/familytree/. The info for living people is hidden for privacy, but I welcome additions and corrections for any of the family. Still to come -- pictures!

Posted by lynda at 09:54 AM | Permalink

Decorating a Christmas tree by yourself has got to rank high among depressing experiences, but, hey, I had three dogs for company tonight. Then I checked my email and found a friend had sent me one of those collections of reminders of how blessed we are -- and I am! Also in the mail was a picture of Carolina's baby, now doing better, still in hospital but able to breathe on her own. Thanks for the prayers for this little girl.

I made a slew of Christmas cookies today. Good thing, too, because having the oven on helped me avoid the reality of the plummeting temperature outside. Did I mention yet that I hate winter? Even the dogs aren't dawdling in the backyard and the screen door is frosting up very artistically.

Posted by lynda at 10:40 PM | Permalink

Just spoke to Claire at Maureen's in BC. She has had a great visit with her, Barbara and Rachel, including the Vancouver aquarium, Chinatown and Grouse Mountain. This afternoon she leaves on the ferry to Nanaimo, where Jane's parents will meet her and she can spend the next six days visiting with them. Jane arrives from California on the weekend.

Claire had called me to find out about Tiger, who has an eye infection -- not serious and being treated with TLC and ointment by yours truly. That makes all three dogs currently on some type of medication.

Posted by lynda at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The judicial powers-that-be helped me to a reality check today. I was called for jury duty at the Brampton courthouse. When the notice arrived about a month ago, I thought I would probably be able to do it and figured I might as well do my civic duty when it's least inconvenient, career-wise. By this morning, I was having serious misgivings and by the time I arrived to check in, I decided to ask if I could be excused. I went through the request process and by 10 am had to lie down. A court official directed me to a quiet spot and shortly after told me I could go home while my excuse was being considered. She kindly phoned later to say I was in fact excused. Whew! I'm sure the stress of the situation added to my fatigue, but it seems indisputable that my energy level has a long way to go to get to normal.

Just spoke to Claire, who has landed safely in Vancouver and is resting at Maureen's. She's a bit jet lagged but delighted to be in 10 degree weather rather than here.

Posted by lynda at 06:21 PM | Permalink

Yesterday I started Level 3 of the Healing Journey program, run by Dr. Alastair Cunningham at PMH. I saw several of my friends from the earlier levels, plus the leaders, including Cathy, who runs the Friday relaxation class at Wellspring. There is serious homework for this one -- we even have to hand it in -- but I consider that one of the attractions. It will force me to do some reading and writing I have wanted to get to for months.

I had a call in the afternoon from a stranger. She had found the Globe and Mail article I wrote six years ago about Noel and politely asked if the story had a happy ending. I explained that it hadn't, despite our efforts, and she sympathized.

I marvel about two things. First, that my article has unexpected staying power; she didn't say how she had come across it -- could have been cleaning out an attic or searching online, I guess. Second, that kind strangers can be stirred to reach out when they see another's pain. It's not a surprise that they do, just a surprise to find myself touched this way.

Posted by lynda at 06:40 PM | Permalink

I have enjoyed my brief opportunity to mother my mother this week. We, me and the dogs, that is, are heading home tomorrow as long as the weather allows it. Mom's doing OK, but needs to be in slo-mo for several more days. Janine will be taking over for me.

One of the things I have really appreciated this week was having someone with whom to talk matter-of-factly about death. Both of us have felt its hot breath on the back of our necks this year. We have each said "Whoa, Nellie!" and looked around to see what could be done in the time remaining, given that the time remaining is anybody's guess, but probably less than you'd think. We both know there are people who get a panicked look when you allude to the real fact that life is terminal for everybody. We understand that. It's not an easy truth. It's a fearful thing. And like all fearful things, it loses its power to intimidate every minute that you can lay it out in front of you and talk about it like next week's groceries with someone who is brave -- like my mom.

Posted by lynda at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I'm still in Owen Sound with my mom, who is feeling OK more or less, but not able to do her usual round of activities at breakneck speed. It's feeling like a vacation for me -- lots of quiet, only two dogs to care for, no housework staring at me and no deadlines. Mom and I are muddling through her vast quantity of photos, bringing some order at last to bags and boxes of precious pix.

I'll be going to the Tarragon play this Friday, No Great Mischief, and I have an extra ticket, so if anyone reading this would like to join me, please call or email.

Posted by lynda at 05:18 PM | Permalink

Me and the girls (canine girls, that is, Tiger and Bell) have reconvened with Mom in Owen Sound a bit unexpectedly. Mom needed some TLC, probably as a result of her fall recently. She's in good form, very glad to see Tiger as part of the entourage. I just took the two dogs around the block -- what a treat to walk down the middle of the road on a crisp November evening with no traffic noise in the distance.

Posted by lynda at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tomorrow a good man will be buried, my Uncle Bob. He was an uncle I acquired as a pre-teen, when my mother married his brother-in-law and immediately gained my sister and I a passel of relatives, some of whom didn't take too readily to kids that weren't blood kin. Uncle Bob was never like that, as I recall, but always a jolly party host, making sure everyone was having a good time, from the old biddies to the young uns. He was a great joker with a ready smile, ready to kid anyone nearby, most often his elegant wife, Amy.

Their house (in the small town where most of my dad's family came from) was magical for a city kid, with climbable trees in the backyard and lots of space to run. I remember a stream at the bottom of the garden, but maybe that's just wishful thinking. At any rate, I remember Uncle Bob as a good man.

He looks a bit serious in this picture, but rest assured he was just biding his time until the next wisecrack opportunity.

Posted by lynda at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The date of the previous pix is 1988. Can you take a guess on this one?

Posted by lynda at 04:27 PM | Permalink

Here's a little present for my mom, now resting comfortably at home under Tracy's care. Apparently her bruises are quite spectacular. The pictures are a little bit of nostalgia, courtesy of my new tech toy, a film scanner. (Click images for larger versions.)

Posted by lynda at 05:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My anxiety yesterday proved to be unnecessary for Tiger, but it turns out my mother had a mishap, putting her in hospital for a couple of days. She did a face plant on the sidewalk outside the Y in Owen Sound and is recovering, thankfully, with no broken bones or lost teeth, just a few stitches in her lip and some bruises.

She called me this morning with the details and sounded fairly cheerful, terming the whole thing inconvenient. Regrettably, her glasses were broken, but reparable, so she must wait for their return before she can read. Given that this is her third stay at Grey Bruce Health Centre in as many months, she's probably made friends already with the entire staff.

Posted by lynda at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Claire just reported from the vet that Tiger has come through her surgery and is doing well. It was a routine spaying procedure plus some stitches around her eyes, but all surgery is dicey for a bulldog, so we have been understandably anxious. Claire actually assisted and is looking after her as she comes around. Both will likely be home this evening; then our greatest difficulty will be keeping the other dogs from nosing in to see how she is.

Posted by lynda at 02:17 PM | Permalink

Last night's yoga class was all restorative poses -- very good indeed for my stiff joints and momentary relief from this weird pain I have been experiencing lately. It's like an extreme sunburn in the area of my radiation, although there is nothing visible on the skin. I suspect it's just a delayed side effect, even though my case manager didn't think it was related to treatment.

Avid blog readers may remember my comments about Paula Todd recently, who spoke in Kitchener. At that time, she told us about her upcoming interview with June Callwood, saying she had trouble with Callwood's decision to refuse treatment for the cancer she is now dying of. Mom, Claire and I have watched the interview and we all came to the same conclusion, that Callwood's choice was quite understandable and even acceptable. Not only is she 80 and has led a life of great achievement, but she seeks relief from the endless sadness of her son's death. I remember thinking that myself when I was first diagnosed, that if I didn't come through it, at least the heartbreak of losing my son (not to death, but with little hope of his return) would be over. Sometimes facing life takes more courage than facing death.

Posted by lynda at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Bell and I are back from our brief sojourn with Mom and I'm already missing the crystalline quiet of Owen Sound evenings. I'm back with renewed resolve, however, to tackle the clutter monster here, as I dove into my mother's version of that briefly while I was there. We managed to secure slightly safer storage of her vast collection of photos, but there is much for her to do just to make sense of the huge pile. My own is much smaller, but needs similar close attention.

It's a very important bequest, the photographic history of a family. I need to lose no more time recording what I know of the pictures I have. Neither Mom nor I can tell all of the stories in our heads, but we can try to put meaning to the ephemera that we have to leave behind.

Posted by lynda at 08:20 PM | Permalink

Wireless has reached Owen Sound, so I am posting this from the Ginger Press bookstore and cafe, while Mom and I wait for our lunch. It's a grey, rainy day here. We tried to see the new museum, but found it closed (the exhibits anyway) to prepare for a Ghost Walk event this evening. Saw the promo movie anyway and now I want to move up here.

Posted by lynda at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I spent yesterday in Kitchener at a conference called Living Well, Dying Well. Many of the attendees worked in palliative care, but I was there because I wanted to hear Dr. John Thornton, inventor of the Prayer Wheel, which I heard about during the Healing Journey course.

The early morning drive there was very calming, with the fields layered softly with fog and the trees showing dreamy fall colours through it. The first speaker was Paula Todd, promoting her book based on interviews she has done over the past five years with people who survived great adversity to become notably successful in their fields. She was a very natural speaker, engaging and inspiring. I bought the book, natch.

Next was the Thornton presentation, starting with his wife, Maria, leading us in creating our own mandala -- an interesting exercise, combining meditation with freeform drawing. The Prayer Wheel talk was helpful, just what I was looking for to use this self-healing device.

The afternoon presenter was refreshingly interesting, too. Kathleen Meadows is an expert on the Tarot. I learned a bit about this mystifying divination tool and we did a storytelling exercise using some of the cards. There's much more to know about this ancient collection and many ways to use it, far beyond the party trick aspect.

To close the day, we assembled in a room where they had just finished a drumming workshop. For the finale, we all got drums, shakers, you name it, and made a joyous noise together to celebrate the briefly assembled community. Each of us went home with a memento, like mine shown here.

Posted by lynda at 05:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just listening to a piece on the radio about face transplants, which raises some issues about identity, not surprisingly. These are surgeries in which people, usually burn victims, get a new face from a dead donor. One person who said she would not want one explained that she is quite content with her scarred body. She had lived with it since a fire 21 years ago. Made me think about how we define and evaluate ourselves, so often in physical or visible terms. I am now defined as a cancer survivor -- not an obvious attribute. It colours a lot of my life, especially right now, while I am recovering from treatment. It will affect all the remaining years of my life, I hope, by reminding me how precious and tenuous life is. Makes me wonder who I am looking at on the street, on the subway, in the grocery store; are any of these people like me?

I know I look like my father, but also resemble my mother. We are the people we look like, to some degree. It's inescapable. That's a good thing, in some ways. We carry on the traits we inherit, adding to the delicious stew of life. But we struggle, don't we?, to be different, to add just a bit to the stew -- an original piquance.

Posted by lynda at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I went back for a checkup at the hospital today and the news is all good. My blood counts are trending in the right direction with just a couple of numbers still below normal. My platelets are perfect, according to the doc. We all need something to be perfect, right?

It was another one of those glorious fall days, just crisp enough to sharpen the sunshine and make every step purposeful. I visited Webfeat and chatted about returning to work, but I'm not ready to set a date yet. The trip downtown took about four hours and left me flattened for about three. Clearly the essential balance these days is between effort and rest and it still takes me by surprise when I need so much of the latter.

Posted by lynda at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am suitably chastened this week. I had a day or two of acting like a normal person and quickly came down with an infection. Nature is still in charge, letting me know that patience is the virtue I need the most practice in. It's not serious -- good excuse to do more knitting and try harder at meditation.

My mom echoed this humble acceptance, too, as she has had a couple of health reminders lately. We share a laugh and the unspoken respect for that part of life's pattern not within our power to orchestrate.

I feel grateful again tonight, not least because I am sitting on my deck on a balmy evening doing this blog post, thanks to lovely wireless technology. I stop to sip an excellent single malt my daughter brought me from the UK for my birthday. Earlier I burned several CDs containing the book The DaVinci Code, so that she can listen on her upcoming trips away. And this is legal, folks. I paid for the audio book to put on my iPod, but the payment covers burning to CD as well. How virtuous is that!

Earlier today I chatted online with Steve, now in Korea pursuing his ambition to teach English. Now that's what this techno-stuff is really for, connecting with people. But fear not, I also wrote a letter this week, the paper kind with scribbled ink not quite in straight lines, to connect with a dear friend from the yoga and knitting retreat.

Posted by lynda at 10:17 PM | Permalink

My friend Marie has a blog for her adventures in the UK, where she has posted a list of likes and dislikes prompted by their current stay in Exeter. I'll borrow that and give you my own.

Weather: Definitely a love/hate subject but the only type I really hate is the cold. Rainy days are fine in moderation. I've been very lucky with sunny weather for trips away lately.

Traffic: It was breeze going downtown today for lunch with my friend Mary Lee, but the same trip is hateful most days during the extended rush hours. I'm trying to use music and books as a solution for the ugly drives. Bob and I are usually fortunate in our trips north -- it's not a typical cottage country drive with wall to wall cranky people.

Landscape: We are so careless here about tearing down old places -- I'm thinking about all the buildings lost in the nearby town of Streetsville. The UK has interesting old buildings around every corner (granted with all the maintenance issues that come with them). But what glorious natural landscapes we have! My trip to New York state was delightful for that as was our vacation last year in BC and Alberta. Got to get more of that into my life!

Posted by lynda at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For a couple of days I have been mulling over how to describe my experience at the yoga and knitting retreat. Words rush forth like fabulous, rejuvenating, enlightening, hilarious and oh so relaxing. The Omega Institute is a magical summer camp for those willing to leave ordinary life somewhere else. Our retreat group numbered about 20 -- women of all ages plus Robert, a passionate knitter who fearlessly and cheerfully made friends with all of us.

Our yoga leader, Cyndi Lee of OM Yoga (www.omyoga.com), with her fun, friendly style, fully accepted all of us where we were in yoga, but persistently encouraged us to go as far as we could. Her assistant, Sarah, tirelessly helped anyone she saw needing the slightest adjustment. Our knitting leader, Miriam Maltagliati of Knit New York (www.knitnewyork.com), along with her assistant guru Bert, led the newbies through knits and purls and inspired the rest of us to think beyond the pattern.

It was a superb week for me. I had a chance to push my body through limits and fill my days with pleasures I love, all on a wooded lakeside campus offering both solitude and good company. The retreat group bonded quickly, no matter what our life stage or knitting expertise. It was delightful to see others' projects take shape as the week progressed. We even had a field trip to a knitting shop nearby -- one of our number worked there and arranged for the shop to open one evening just for us.

On Thursday afternoon, the group did about an hour and a half of yoga, then with our knitting in hand, followed Cyndi out for a silent walking meditation to the cafe. We settled at tables to chat and knit, then suddenly a cake and candles appeared and Cyndi presented me with a handmade birthday card, inscribed by everyone with a personal message. While I was far away from my beloved family, I felt surrounded by love.

Now I've been back three days and I'm still feeling the peaceful serenity. May all of you have some of that in your lives!

Posted by lynda at 09:10 PM | Permalink

I'm off tomorrow on my New York state adventure, driving to Rhinebeck for the yoga and knitting retreat I planned a couple of months ago. The car will be loaded with water bottles, stretchy clothes, my yoga mat and loads of yarn. No canines this time -- they will be at their own retreat with their buddies at BRB. I know I'll miss them, but maybe I'll finally be able to meditate without interruption.

Claire and Mom left a couple of days ago for the family reunion in England. By tomorrow, Claire will be checking out the London Zoo with an eye to future job prospects, or just to commune with her beloved exotics.

Posted by lynda at 05:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My last radiation treatment is done. That means I have had all the weapons that Canadian medical science currently provides brought to my defence against my type of cancer. And I think I've won. It has been a nine-month adventure unlike any I could have imagined.

It shouldn't surprise any of you dear readers that I have yet another gratitude list I want to share:
1. My daughter greeted me this afternoon with a bouquet of flowers to celebrate the end of my treatment. She herself has brought joy into every day since she came home from California.
2. My husband patiently circled the block today waiting for me to be done -- and it took an hour and a half because my unit at PMH was broken when I arrived. Bob has been a prince (of tea, of support, of love) throughout this whole thing. He says I should be invincible now because I am "pre-disasterized."
3. My mom called often to make sure I was OK and always stood ready to drop her whole abundant life in Owen Sound if I should need her closer. Ditto my sisters, who called and sent good wishes all the time. You all surrounded me with virtual hugs.
4. All the prayer people, some of whom I have never met, who continued to pray for me for months. How could I lose heart when I knew you all cared so much?
5. Last of all for today, I am grateful to the friend I ran into while waiting for treatment, who has undergone multiple rounds of chemo and radiation, with far worse side effects than I have had, and who now faces metastasized cancer. She smiled and greeted me cheerfully. I have so much to learn.

As for this weblog, I have decided to continue it, but with an expanded scope. There is no need to focus on my health all the time. I'd like to make it a forum for my new life, a way of keeping on track with the lessons of this year. It sounds simple enough: live each day fully, be kind to yourself and others. But if it were easy, we'd all live robustly to 100. As I try to figure it out, I'll share what I discover. As always, I welcome your comments.

Posted by lynda at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Congrats to my lovely wife on the occasion of her last radiation treatment.

Click picture to enlarge.

Posted by rgdaniel at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I had my last trip on the cancer wagon today as Bob will be my chauffeur tomorrow and Tuesday. It was smooth and fairly quick. On the trip down, I chatted again with Kim, a caregiver I had met on a previous trip, and we exchanged contact information. We may meet at Wellspring in the near future. I'll be glad to get back there, both for yoga and for relaxation class, and to see some of my friends.

The fatigue is slowly diminishing. I can come home from treatment and not have to lie down right away. This afternoon, I'm recklessly planning to drive to Square One for a haircut -- vanity is such a motivator!

Posted by lynda at 12:22 PM | Permalink

Claire drove me to PMH this morning and kept me company for blood work, treatment and my doctor visit. Everything went smoothly, starting with finding a parking spot that didn't require parallel parking -- yay! The blood lab was backlogged, but eventually I got done, then only waited a bit for my beam team to call my name. The doctor wait was shorter than usual, too. The doctor said my next visit will be a follow-up in October, when my blood counts will be checked again. The current counts are not bad and heading in the right direction.

Follow-ups from now on will be alternately with the gynecology oncologist and the radiation oncologist, every three months, to make sure I'm showing no signs of recurrence and am recovering normally from treatment. Imaging will not be part of that beyond the usual screening schedule because tumours must be a significant size to be seen and other symptoms are earlier indicators.

So now I just have to get through the final five treatments and begin to rebuild my feeble body by eating well and exercising (yeah, right!).

Posted by lynda at 12:49 PM | Permalink

Today marked the last of the major radiation treatments; starting tomorow I have seven more covering a smaller area. The beam tech said I won't feel an improvement in the side effects right away because the wide-area treatments continue to do their work for a while. Still, psychologically, I will look upon this as a beginning of my recovery from radiotherapy.

Bob and Claire have volunteered to drive me downtown for four of the remaining trips to PMH -- a very welcome gift!

Posted by lynda at 04:11 PM | Permalink

(Photo by RGDaniel. Click picture to enlarge.) A few days ago I looked down at the back of one of my garden beds and found this in full bloom -- a bulb I had planted months ago and forgotten.

Posted by lynda at 08:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)