Woody, is That You?

It's been a really, really good couple of days. Last night Jackie was in town from Winnipeg and took me for a really nice dinner at Bliss.  It was so good to get out of the house, have a nice healthy meal and get some good face time with Jack. Hon, thanks for reminding me how amazing life can be when you just let it unfold as it should, for giving me perspective from "the other side" and for always keeping your eyes and ears peeled for new treatment options. You are the best.
AND let me take just a wee moment to thank Astra Zeneca (never thought I would say THAT in the old PPI days at JOI) for creating, bottling and distributing my NEW favorite product - Xylocaine Topical Oral Anesthetic. OMG - finally some relief! I JUST found it in my medicine cabinet and feel like a new woman. I 'm not 100% sure, but I think my friends at the Attridge Co-op Pharmacy suggested when I started chemo to buy it. (My apologies if it was actually Nance, Diane, Heather or Aafke - blame it on chemo-brain!)  Either way, it has been a God-send. The latest and most irritating side effect of chemo has been what it is doing to my gums. I swear, it is like some ancient form of torture just brushing my teeth because my gums are so sore...and flossing? Forget it, I lose a pint of blood every time I try.  So  NOW, my mouth and throat are frozen and IT IS AWESOME. 
Today I went on the road with Chantelle to Prince Albert, my hometown.  And let me just say, that the perfect commentary on our drive could be summed up below:

What can I say, it's a good way to pass the time...

So Chantelle dropped me off at the hospital to see my Grandma while she was doing her first call. Wow. It has been 7 months since I last saw her and to be honest, when I walked in the room I thought I was in the wrong place. My sweet little Granny was almost unrecognizable to me, she has grown so thin and tiny.  Unfortunately, she slept the entire time I was there and I just didn't have the heart to wake her. She is suffering from advanced dementia and often doesn't recognize family these days anyway, so maybe it was a good thing.  

Then my chauffeur dropped me off at my Auntie Margaret's house for a visit with some of my favorite people on the planet.

My uncle is ALWAYS at the ready with a WILDLY inappropriate joke, so we had some good laughs and a great visit.  They have a resident woodpecker who spends a lot of his time in the tree right outside their kitchen window... and wouldn't you know it? My uncle had a woodpecker joke in his comedy arsenal. Unfortunately, even at the BEST of times, I'm terrible at remembering jokes and NOW I am utterly useless.  But I did have enough forethought to throw the camera in the bag this morning and I'm glad I did:

I also got to see my big brother Lorne today, first time since before my surgery. I had no idea how much I had missed him until the bear hugs began. He really is one of my favorite people in the world, but HELL'S BELLS do I ever look pasty white next to him! Man, time for a little more rouge I think...or a spray tan. Yikers.

 
The last order of business for me was a stop at one of the local car dealerships in P.A. where not one, but TWO of my cousins work these days. I was lucky enough to surprise Glen in the service department before meeting Joe in the showroom. I am pretty sure  found my next car, thanks to Joe - he had exactly what I was looking for - a 2010 Mazda 3 with low kilometers. It's the perfect combination of fuel economy and highway zip for me.

The last big highlight of my day was the fact that my dear, sweet Uncle Tony popped by the dealership for a visit as soon as he found out I was in town.  SO, today was a very happy, productive, family-filled day for me. And man oh man, am I tired! I'm used to two naps per day, so this full-day-on-the-road stuff is tiring.  And since the Xylocaine is wearing off, it's time for me to say good night. Until next time...