Cancer Schmancer

As expected the first day after chemo, I am quite tired. Actually fatigued to the point of stupidity -- hard to think straight and oddly enough, even talking logically is sometimes a struggle. (Like I can blame that on chemo, eh?) I spent the day puttering around the house and reading, took a very short walk in the drizzle with Bob and dogs, then went to yoga class with Mom. This was a very good idea because it restored my energy quite nicely so that I didn't just collapse halfway through the evening.
In case you're wondering about the title for today's post, it's because tea is deadly for the first three days after chemo and only allowed in small amounts after. It impairs the flushing process so necessary to get the drug out of my body once it has done its work. So alas, I must forgo one of life's great pleasures for a short while.
I have signed up to do the Relay for Life, a cancer fundraiser in which teams walk, run, jog around a track over 12 hours on June 4-5. Anyone can pledge their support for my effort at www.cancer.ca. Select Relay for Life and the link for pledges, then put in my name and select Burlington as the location. I've had a fabulous response already from my family and several of my co-workers at WebFeat. All contributions very welcome -- thanks!

Posted by lynda at 09:48 PM | Permalink

Today I had my second chemo treatment and all went well, although it has been a long day. There was a long gap between the blood lab and doctor visit and the treatment itself, so we were in a packed waiting room complete with daytime TV for more than two hours. Patients are offered pagers, so I took one and went for a walk to the main floor patient info centre, where I ran into a woman I knew from Wellspring. After my treatment, Bob and I stopped for our usual Chinese bakery lunch, then headed home, where Mom was dogsitting.
I have dates for my next two treatments, so I can now make plans to see Claire's graduation in California.

Posted by lynda at 04:55 PM | Permalink

I haven't done a posting for days because there is really nothing astounding to report. I have had almost normal energy this week -- mind you, I'm not doing a lot -- so I have done a few things to make my home space more logical and usable. Mom and I will be taking in a play this weekend, another normal activity I have looked forward to for weeks.
In my journaling class today at Wellspring, we discovered dream interpretation, a method of working with a dream or an unresolved situation that I found very interesting and useful. This class series has been one of the most helpful things I have ever done. Only one more class left, but I will have several resources to go on with besides what we have done together. A while ago, I mused to myself that I needed some kind of instruction book for rebuilding my life now that I am living with cancer. Now I have at least a beginner's manual.
Some sad news from Claire today. A dear friend who is a classmate in California died suddenly. Only 25, in apparently good health, she was gone in minutes in her own bed of heart failure.
If you have any sunshine in your life, rejoice. If you have shadow, find someone to hug.

Posted by lynda at 03:38 PM | Permalink

I continue to have more energy than last week, but doing a few basic things soon catches up with me, so it's time for the couch again. I waffled about going to Wellspring for a relaxation session, but ended up going and was exceedingly glad I had made the effort. There were four people there I hadn't met before, each with her own story, and the group just gelled with everyone caring for each other in whatever way we could. After the session, we all gathered round the front door to greet Jonathan Dockman (www.canadacrusade.com) who had just arrived on his cross-Canada run that started in Newfoundland last August. He and his Dad are from Airdrie, Alberta, and are doing this fundraiser basically from scratch with very little outside help. Optimists Clubs are taking the donations. He is an 18-year-old kid wanting to do something meaningful in honour of his Aunt Mary Beth (who has uterine cancer). I gave him a hug and my thanks as I left.

Posted by lynda at 05:00 PM | Permalink

The spring tease we had a few days ago is a vague memory, but I am cozy in my cocoon, occupied in the last few days with purging files -- both paper and electronic -- in a pre-spring cleaning. Janine and Doug braved the chill yesterday to come over and be volunteer dogwalkers, taking the canine kids for a romp around the park. I'm still feeling pretty good as long as I have rest breaks often enough. Itching to get out to start cleaning up the garden, but until it's warmer, there's plenty to reorganize inside. I'm trying to let go of things more freely, keeping only what's truly important to me, but there are always degrees of importance, aren't there?

Posted by lynda at 12:18 PM | Permalink

Wet snow outside, but as long as it doesn't smother my snowdrops, I'm OK with it. They poked up their slender noses a day or so ago and I have been cheering them on every day since. I've been sticking close to home as planned to keep my exposure to germs as little as possible; I confess it's a dandy excuse to avoid grocery shopping. Mom and Bob stocked the house yesterday; now Mom's back in her cozy home in Owen Sound and Bob is back at the condo, leaving Evan and I to enjoy tonight's leftover roast beef -- which I cooked yesterday. Yes, folks, I'm back in the kitchen now and then. Feeling pretty good for the last few days, gradually getting a bit more energy.

Posted by lynda at 08:05 PM | Permalink

Today I went to the first of four journaling classes at the cancer centre, Wellspring. What a revelation! It was led by a woman who uses journaling techniques in various settings, including corporate problem-solving. Its value in a healing situation is supported by a study done on a group of cancer and chronic disease patients, which found that it provided improvements to the immune system when practised consistently, even over a short time. I found the class exercises very intense and clearly of value. I had been wondering what I could do about the lowered immunity I am now experiencing, aside from eating well and resting, so this is an opportune idea for me. Keeping a diary is not new for me, but this is essentially different in approach, very much geared to accessing the stresses that may impair my healing and getting them out of harm's way.

Posted by lynda at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Click to enlarge)
Lynda models the finally-completed so-called "sweater from hell" ... looks swell!

Posted by rgdaniel at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)