Chemo #7

Wow! LOTS to catch up on now that Chemo #7 is done.  First of all, as I mentioned in a previous post, Chantelle's crew at GSK volunteered to deliver daffodils for the cancer society on my behalf last week. What a great and supportive team she has. Here are a few pics from their day - after talking to Chant it sounds like they had a fun time and got some personal satisfaction out of the experience as well.

Banker and Chantelle

Brenda and "Ortho" Dave

 

Chad, Chant and Brenda

 

                          The GSK Team - and might I say - my Respiratory and Allergy competition last year?  Says a lot about who they are as people...hugs to all.

Off to make deliveries....

Tuesday morning I had the pleasure of meeting Chantelle, Kristie and Sophie for an early morning breakfast. It felt like forever since I saw Sophie last - she has gotten SO big, her hair has gotten SO long and she is stringing sentences together like nobody's business!

Plus I got a bacon and egg breakfast out of the deal, so it was a win-win situation!

Wednesday was Chemo #7.  Here's a funny story - I took Bailey out for a walk before having to go to the hospital.  There is an older lady down the street from me who owns two little freak-store dogs. Not their fault in my opinion - I think she hasn't a clue how to be a calm, dominant pack leader and has created two fearful, aggressive dogs.  Every time they see Bailey they go absolutely bat-shit crazy and she has one heck of a time controlling them. And Bailey does a great job of ignoring them in my opinion.  This time, when she saw us coming, she stepped about 15 feet off the sidewalk onto the grass and picked up the one brown terrier. (Worst thing you can do according to Cesar Milan the Dog Whisperer, because it puts them in a higher position of dominance and the owner coddling them makes them feel that they are being praised for correct behaviour.) Needless to say, we got about ten feet past them and she must have dropped the leash because the next thing I know there is a black ball of terror jumping on Bailey's back and attacking her! It took me about ten seconds to get my bearings, but had the forethought NOT to get my hands between their mouths, instead waiting for the opportunity to grab the poodle by his back legs and fling him away from Bailey. Obviously I dropped Bailey's leash and she headed for home (because she's a LOVER, not a FIGHTER), in the meantime, the crazy poodle dog went after Bailey AGAIN! So I jumped between them, crouched down, grabbed the other dog and said in a stern voice - "No!" And his demeanor completely changed - he sat down, opened his mouth and almost smiled at me. SO, in under thirty seconds I was able to put her dog into a calm, submissive state and she has never done so in my observation. Brutal. Man, was I pissed - partly because I have seen her slap her dogs in the past and it took all of my will power not to do the same to her.  


So, then off to the hospital with Chantelle for Chemo #7. My nurses were good enough to pose for a pic, partly because they had a Peruvian male nurse observing and he was taking pics to take back with him:

Orlando, Linda, Sandra and me...

There was no heat in the building on Wednesday for some reason, so I ended up cuddling up with 4 heated blankets. THEN, I was given a beautiful cream coloured shawl that was donated by a local church group.  The nurses were quite fun that day - they were in a bit of a mood and were busting each other constantly. We were on our own this time, so we had a really good chance to catch up after my trip to Ontario and share some giggles with the nurses.

Since I am now on long term disability, I have had to give up my company car.  Kudos to Marly for lending me her truck this weekend while she is away at a wedding. It allowed me to go to St. Paul's hospital on Thursday to visit my Auntie Margaret. She just went through her own battle with lung cancer this past fall, having had a lobectomy in September. She was in Saskatoon for a bone scan and I was so happy that I got to see her, as I haven't seen her since right before I started chemo in early January.  She is the sweetest lady I know, and has basically been my mom's stand-in since she passed away 15 years ago.  

Fondly known as "My Margaret"

After my visit at the hospital, I met Mike at Cafe Sola for a coffee and a chat...

Worthy of a pic I'd say....

Mike and I had an awesome chat, and I was completely wired from the dexamethasone while there, unfortunately on the way home I totally hit a wall and could have easily fallen asleep while driving. So needless to say, I spent the entire afternoon in bed and it was well-needed.


I want to take a quick second to thank more of my girls, Dawn Juristy, Nicole Scubert and Amy Becker - all of whom sent me some great birthday cards and gifts last week.  Thank you ladies, you are so sweet.


That's it for today. Other than to say I wish I was in Cambridge - poor Tim is dealing with a sick little boy and could probably use a hand - man-on-man defense would likely help this situation.  

Oops, one MORE thing. The home care nurse was here this afternoon to remove my bottle and she told me a GREAT story. Her dad was diagnosed with small bowel cancer that moved to his liver when he was 62 AND he just celebrated his 91st birthday! Love these kind of stories!


Have a great day everyone!