Team James,
Yesterday was a relatively long day of travel. I left the condo around 8:30am in the morning, drove to the airport, flew back to Saskatoon where I had lunch with Chantelle and Shardelle before going grocery shoppping for our golf trip. Then I spent the afternoon on the couch resting up for today, and man, was I bored. I can't even explain the difference in my lifestyle in Cambridge and my lifestyle here. In Cambridge, it is hard to sit still long enough to feel sorry for myself or have any negative thoughts - so my mood is typically much better. Plus, it feels great having a family around thtat is counting on you for certain things - so spending the day in my pj's playing FreeCell is no longer an option. (Thank Goodness, because my Win/Loss ratio was terrible.)
The evening afforded me some time to talk to my Auntie Margaret and the NIstor \Twister, which was great but I was tucked into my little bed by 8:30pm and out by 9. Man, I am SUCH a wild-child - not sure the girls are going to be able to keep up with me the next three days at the lake.
I am still having serious difficulty with these fingers and toes, and it seems to be getting worse. I am avoiding text messaging at all costs and even having a hard time with the computer keyboard. Not sure how this will affect my golf game, but at least I will have an excuse if I have a bad round.
I also now know what it`s like for Tim when he comes in this direction to see me - asleep by 9 and awake a 5am. Yeesh. Now what to do to kill 5 hours until the girls get here...
Monday 30 July 2012
Saturday 28 July 2012
Mission Accomplished!
I did it! I FINALLY did it! I cracked the nut that is Riley Bender! Ever since Tim and I started dating, Avers has been all over me like white on rice - and yesterday Riley finally gave in and came to ME to get him ready for bed, for snuggles and for a little love. HA! I win! Oddly enough, last night was also the first night Bailey chose NOT to sleep in our room. She rarely, if ever went to bed without me in Saskatoon, but here she heads upstairs usually right after her evening walk, which normally happens right after the kids go to bed. Last night when I went up to bed at 10pm, she was no where to be found in our room. In fact, she was sleeping at the foot of Riley's bed - which is funny because she is usually nervous of him. I guess this means everything is coming together!
It has been a very busy couple of days. We are preparing for our vacation week with the kids, so put up the tent in the backyard a few evenings ago to test it out and make sure there is enough room for all of us + Bailey.
All looks good - we are planning on taking them camping for a few days. to the Toronto Zoo, the Butterfly Conservatory and maybe another trip to the African Lion Safari.
We bought some bright red Muskoka chairs, put them together and now have a great place on the front porch to drink a coffee, read the paper and watch the kids on the front yard. How amazingly relaxing.
We have soccer at noon, then I will spend the day doing laundry and getting ready for tomorrow's flight back to Saskatoon, where Chantelle, Shardelle, Kristie and I will be heading up to Candle Lake for three days of golfing and hopefully, fun in the sun. I will be driving myself to the airport for the first time, and to be honest, am a little nervous. The fact that I have chemo brain may make it a bit more challenging than it otherwise would be, but luckily it will be first thing Sunday morning so the traffic should be light. Wish me luck!
On the Canser side of things, I have been feeling okay since chemo, with the worst side effect this time definitely being the finger and toe neuropathy - worse than it's ever been before and making even the simplest tasks almost impossible. We popped by the driving range yesterday and it turns out it's not easy to swing a club when you have very little feeling in your hands. Bah. Whatever. I just hope the worst of the side effects don't set in right when I get to Candle, I am so looking forward to this time with my girls.
Have a good day everyone.
It has been a very busy couple of days. We are preparing for our vacation week with the kids, so put up the tent in the backyard a few evenings ago to test it out and make sure there is enough room for all of us + Bailey.
All looks good - we are planning on taking them camping for a few days. to the Toronto Zoo, the Butterfly Conservatory and maybe another trip to the African Lion Safari.
We bought some bright red Muskoka chairs, put them together and now have a great place on the front porch to drink a coffee, read the paper and watch the kids on the front yard. How amazingly relaxing.
We have soccer at noon, then I will spend the day doing laundry and getting ready for tomorrow's flight back to Saskatoon, where Chantelle, Shardelle, Kristie and I will be heading up to Candle Lake for three days of golfing and hopefully, fun in the sun. I will be driving myself to the airport for the first time, and to be honest, am a little nervous. The fact that I have chemo brain may make it a bit more challenging than it otherwise would be, but luckily it will be first thing Sunday morning so the traffic should be light. Wish me luck!
On the Canser side of things, I have been feeling okay since chemo, with the worst side effect this time definitely being the finger and toe neuropathy - worse than it's ever been before and making even the simplest tasks almost impossible. We popped by the driving range yesterday and it turns out it's not easy to swing a club when you have very little feeling in your hands. Bah. Whatever. I just hope the worst of the side effects don't set in right when I get to Candle, I am so looking forward to this time with my girls.
Have a good day everyone.
Tuesday 24 July 2012
Chemo #15
Okay, so no pictures from today, because I look the same as I did two weeks ago (only a few ponds heavier :-)) and honestly - I just didn't feel like doing it today. Chantelle has been on holidays and taking me to all my appointments and on all my errands - not an overly exciting way to spend your vacation Telly, but I appreciate it more than I can say.
The above is so true and going through this ordeal has taught me alot about my friends. This quote applies to a good number of you, you know who you are and please know that I will always cherish you for your friendship, love and caring.
Chemo was good, commiserated with the nurses and some other patients, and Telly of course. One topic that came up was how quickly this new way of life starts seeming normal...
Once again, my good friend Jason came through for me and provided me with a lovely supper that I have been munching on all night. Thanks Jay and Dinner at Your Door...you have been a godsend for me.
I apologize to anyone who has tried to email me today on my new account, I added onto my Blackberry and have had nothing but problems ever since. Bah! Sometimes I hate technology!
Although Chantelle has been keeping me very busy, I have been missing Tim and the kids and Bailey like crazy and can't wait to get there. This will however be my first flight while still being infused, meaning I still have the 5-FU bottle attached to my arm. I spoke to the pharmacists at the canser clinic and they assured me it is totally safe to fly this way, as well as to airport security a couple of weeks ago to confirm that they would let me fly with it and I was told it should be no problem as long as I have a doctor's note. So, barring any issues with security or the device itself while at 40,000 feet (I have a vision in my head of the damn thing exploding and not knowing what to do.... hmm...maybe should have asked my nurses about that), I should be back on Ontario soil by mid-day tomorrow. It will also be interesting because the kids are going to see my arm bandaged up and the bottle for the first time ever, so I know there are going to be lots of questions. Ugh.
Better hit the sheets, I have to be up at 3:30 am to get to the airport for 5am. The good news is that I tend to sleep like a baby on these early morning flights.
Take care everybody!
Monday 23 July 2012
Back with the Girls
Hey Everyone,
I flew back to Saskatoon last night - was late getting in due to bad weather in Toronto. Chantelle and Mar picked me up from the airport and then we went for a late dinner at Las Palapas (Sorry Tim - his favorite Saskatoon restaurant). It was so good to be sitting on a patio with them, catching up on everything that has been going on in our lives the past two weeks. We had a lot of giggles, all of which I would love to share with you but unfortunately, they are all wildly inappropriate and it'sprobably best to keep them to myself.
Tim and I had a lovely weekend - we went to St. Jacob's farmer's market on Saturday morning and wow, it is incredible! I wouldn't be surprised if it was 50 times bigger than the Saskatoon farmer's market.
There is also an outlet mall across the street that we did some damage in - I have to say, I was like a kid in a candy store at Oxford Mills - a great home decor store with amazing prices. We spent the rest of the day shopping and although we had planned a "Date Night" for Saturday, we were so exhausted at the end of the day that we just grabbed a bucket of KFC (thanks Dave for the idea), went home and fell asleep on the sofa.
Chantelle took me to the canser clinic this morning for bloodwork and a chemo update with my oncologist. He was thrilled to at my weight gain (2 lbs!) and was very positive about my last CT scan results. Tomorrow is Chemo #15 and then I fly back to Toronto on Wednesday morning.
FYI everyone, I just switched my internet provider and my new address is bjames7@sasktel.net. Please change it in your contact list. Thanks!
I flew back to Saskatoon last night - was late getting in due to bad weather in Toronto. Chantelle and Mar picked me up from the airport and then we went for a late dinner at Las Palapas (Sorry Tim - his favorite Saskatoon restaurant). It was so good to be sitting on a patio with them, catching up on everything that has been going on in our lives the past two weeks. We had a lot of giggles, all of which I would love to share with you but unfortunately, they are all wildly inappropriate and it'sprobably best to keep them to myself.
Tim and I had a lovely weekend - we went to St. Jacob's farmer's market on Saturday morning and wow, it is incredible! I wouldn't be surprised if it was 50 times bigger than the Saskatoon farmer's market.
There is also an outlet mall across the street that we did some damage in - I have to say, I was like a kid in a candy store at Oxford Mills - a great home decor store with amazing prices. We spent the rest of the day shopping and although we had planned a "Date Night" for Saturday, we were so exhausted at the end of the day that we just grabbed a bucket of KFC (thanks Dave for the idea), went home and fell asleep on the sofa.
Chantelle took me to the canser clinic this morning for bloodwork and a chemo update with my oncologist. He was thrilled to at my weight gain (2 lbs!) and was very positive about my last CT scan results. Tomorrow is Chemo #15 and then I fly back to Toronto on Wednesday morning.
FYI everyone, I just switched my internet provider and my new address is bjames7@sasktel.net. Please change it in your contact list. Thanks!
Friday 20 July 2012
WARNING: The Content of this Post may be Offensive to Some Viewers
If Laughter is the Best Medicine...then I should be the very picture of health, thanks to Riley Bender. He has been the source of a tonne of giggles the past few days. He is at an incredibly fun age right now.
Exhibit A:
Picture it. Tim on the front step making a business call to his boss (in an attempt to find a quiet spot to chat). I am on the living room floor playing with the kids and Riley gets up and disappears outside. I check once to make sure he is being quiet while Tim is on the phone. All seemed kosher. Wrong. What happened next is one of those stories that Dad's covet, if only to use as a source of embarrassment when their sons bring home their first girlfriend.
I need to preface this with the fact that Riley JUST started using the potty last week. So, Riley pops his head out the door quietly to check on Daddy, then sneaks out on the front porch with him. Tim said that Riley was nice and quiet and he was able to focus his attention on the call that he was making and kind of forgot Riley was out there for a little bit. THEN, he turns around just in time to see Riley drop trow on the front lawn in an age old rite of passage that all young men go through. Daddy couldn't have been prouder, although stifling his laughter at the site of this first time event wasn't easy. Wait. It gets better. Still on the phone with his boss, Tim does his best to hide his laughter (and his pride, I'm sure) and turns away for a bit as he talks. He then turns back to Riles just in time to see that he is still standing there with his shorts around his ankles, only now he is tilted a little forward, at approximately a 30 degree angle. I think you know where I am going with this. Tim notices the grimace of determination on his little guy's face. Uh oh! He knows that look from changing hundreds of diapers. Sure enough, Riles follows #1 with a #2, all while standing, all while on the front lawn, all while Tim is still on the phone. With his BOSS. As Daddy races over to survey the damage, he notices that said #2 has defied gravity and become lodged in his butt cheeks. He is now grabbing the little man by the butt cheeks (cellphone squeezed between his cheek and his shoulder), prying them apart and vigorously shaking the little fella to try and shake loose his new "tail". Mission accomplished. But THAT'S when Riley loses his balance for a second and steps back directly into the "pile". Unfortunately, I heard this all second-hand. All I saw was Tim coming through the front door with Riley under one arm, underwear still down around his ankles, making a bee-line for the bathroom, shaking his head.
Exhibit B:
After dinner last night, we all decided to go out and play some soccer in the backyard. It was a pretty warm and humid night, and before you know it both Avery and Riley pull off their shirts to cool down. About 5 minutes later, Riley comes up to me and says in the most earnest voice, "Bawbie, you can take your sweater and shirt off too, if you want." Of course I thanked him, but declined.
I will endeavour to keep you posted on any new "Riley Capers."
Today has been a FANTASTIC day. I woke up feeling well-rested and rejuvenated. After work, Tim and I headed to the Savannah Golf Course to get in a round before I leave on Sunday. It is a beautiful course and if I do say so myself, I had an incredible back nine with my new clubs. The story of the day though came when Tim scored an eagle by holing out from 100 yards. It was a thing of beauty. And so cool to see the ball land on the green....and then disappear. Of course, it would have been MORE fun had it been my shot, but whatever.
Exhibit A:
Picture it. Tim on the front step making a business call to his boss (in an attempt to find a quiet spot to chat). I am on the living room floor playing with the kids and Riley gets up and disappears outside. I check once to make sure he is being quiet while Tim is on the phone. All seemed kosher. Wrong. What happened next is one of those stories that Dad's covet, if only to use as a source of embarrassment when their sons bring home their first girlfriend.
I need to preface this with the fact that Riley JUST started using the potty last week. So, Riley pops his head out the door quietly to check on Daddy, then sneaks out on the front porch with him. Tim said that Riley was nice and quiet and he was able to focus his attention on the call that he was making and kind of forgot Riley was out there for a little bit. THEN, he turns around just in time to see Riley drop trow on the front lawn in an age old rite of passage that all young men go through. Daddy couldn't have been prouder, although stifling his laughter at the site of this first time event wasn't easy. Wait. It gets better. Still on the phone with his boss, Tim does his best to hide his laughter (and his pride, I'm sure) and turns away for a bit as he talks. He then turns back to Riles just in time to see that he is still standing there with his shorts around his ankles, only now he is tilted a little forward, at approximately a 30 degree angle. I think you know where I am going with this. Tim notices the grimace of determination on his little guy's face. Uh oh! He knows that look from changing hundreds of diapers. Sure enough, Riles follows #1 with a #2, all while standing, all while on the front lawn, all while Tim is still on the phone. With his BOSS. As Daddy races over to survey the damage, he notices that said #2 has defied gravity and become lodged in his butt cheeks. He is now grabbing the little man by the butt cheeks (cellphone squeezed between his cheek and his shoulder), prying them apart and vigorously shaking the little fella to try and shake loose his new "tail". Mission accomplished. But THAT'S when Riley loses his balance for a second and steps back directly into the "pile". Unfortunately, I heard this all second-hand. All I saw was Tim coming through the front door with Riley under one arm, underwear still down around his ankles, making a bee-line for the bathroom, shaking his head.
 |
| What a guy! |
Exhibit B:
After dinner last night, we all decided to go out and play some soccer in the backyard. It was a pretty warm and humid night, and before you know it both Avery and Riley pull off their shirts to cool down. About 5 minutes later, Riley comes up to me and says in the most earnest voice, "Bawbie, you can take your sweater and shirt off too, if you want." Of course I thanked him, but declined.
I will endeavour to keep you posted on any new "Riley Capers."
Today has been a FANTASTIC day. I woke up feeling well-rested and rejuvenated. After work, Tim and I headed to the Savannah Golf Course to get in a round before I leave on Sunday. It is a beautiful course and if I do say so myself, I had an incredible back nine with my new clubs. The story of the day though came when Tim scored an eagle by holing out from 100 yards. It was a thing of beauty. And so cool to see the ball land on the green....and then disappear. Of course, it would have been MORE fun had it been my shot, but whatever.
Thursday 19 July 2012
The New Digs...
Hey there Rider fans! Writing this is as I watch the Rider game in Calgary - not too much to report other than it was another fantastic day. I thought I would post a picture of the condo so my girls can see where I am spending my days:
We had a fantastic evening with the kids - did some shopping for new clothes with them and then spent almost an hour in the backyard playing soccer. It was a hoot but wow, am I pooped! And despite my best intentions, I once again forgot to take pictures - bah.
Bailey is still getting used to a house full of kids. In fact, when I came downstairs this evening, this is what I found:
I haven't been feeling great tonight to be honest - sore throat, new cold sore and lots of flank pain. I'm feeling much better now, thank you Tylenol and Mr. Getzlaf.
Very quickly, a HUGE shout out to Heather - thank you my dear for the email. It never ceases to amaze me how you type the very things that I am thinking and feeling.
We had a fantastic evening with the kids - did some shopping for new clothes with them and then spent almost an hour in the backyard playing soccer. It was a hoot but wow, am I pooped! And despite my best intentions, I once again forgot to take pictures - bah.
Bailey is still getting used to a house full of kids. In fact, when I came downstairs this evening, this is what I found:
I haven't been feeling great tonight to be honest - sore throat, new cold sore and lots of flank pain. I'm feeling much better now, thank you Tylenol and Mr. Getzlaf.
Very quickly, a HUGE shout out to Heather - thank you my dear for the email. It never ceases to amaze me how you type the very things that I am thinking and feeling.
Tuesday 17 July 2012
Only I Could Hurt Myself While Eating a Salad
That's right everybody, poked myself in the lip with my fork today...once again - Tim howled. Nothing like sympathy from the one you love...
32 degrees and it feels like 40! Bailey did NOT sign up for this. Tim and I took her for a walk first thing this morning before work, thinking that it would be cool enough for her and man oh man, were we wrong! She was frothing at the mouth about half an hour in - to the point where Tim took pity on her and carried her for about 10 minutes. Now, had I picked her up, I would have absolutely taken it on the chin from Tim - but his response to me was "It's okay if I do it." Needless to say, there will be no more walks for Goober today.
She is getting used to the condo now. She has found her "new" spots - namely under our bed, on the leather recliner and on the sofa right between Tim and me. She is still having trouble with the stairs because they are hardwood and slippery - she can get up but once she's there, she's stranded, so our next purchase will be a runner for the stairs.
I spent the day unpacking and cleaning the house. After work, Tim spent a very *warm* couple of hours cleaning out the garage and making room for my car. Thank goodness because there is a severe thunderstorm watch out for the area tonight.
Speaking of which, check out the photo that Barb sent me of a lightning show in Saskatoon last week:
As for the whole "canser thing", my side effects this time around have been pretty manageable. Some serious fatigue on the way to Cambridge, some chest/back pain last night, a series of nosebleeds this morning and once again my mouth is absolutely raw and I have had what I think is a cold sore for almost two weeks. THAT is getting a little old. The other thing is that the tingling in my hands and feet is driving me nuts. It has never been this bad before and has usually come and gone - now it seems to be a constant thing. Again, I know it could be worse...
One more thing...I am having some serious trouble with my email account since leaving Saskatoon - I have lost my entire contact list so please email me at bjames7@hotmail.com so I can add your addresses. Thanks so much.
32 degrees and it feels like 40! Bailey did NOT sign up for this. Tim and I took her for a walk first thing this morning before work, thinking that it would be cool enough for her and man oh man, were we wrong! She was frothing at the mouth about half an hour in - to the point where Tim took pity on her and carried her for about 10 minutes. Now, had I picked her up, I would have absolutely taken it on the chin from Tim - but his response to me was "It's okay if I do it." Needless to say, there will be no more walks for Goober today.
She is getting used to the condo now. She has found her "new" spots - namely under our bed, on the leather recliner and on the sofa right between Tim and me. She is still having trouble with the stairs because they are hardwood and slippery - she can get up but once she's there, she's stranded, so our next purchase will be a runner for the stairs.
I spent the day unpacking and cleaning the house. After work, Tim spent a very *warm* couple of hours cleaning out the garage and making room for my car. Thank goodness because there is a severe thunderstorm watch out for the area tonight.
Speaking of which, check out the photo that Barb sent me of a lightning show in Saskatoon last week:
As for the whole "canser thing", my side effects this time around have been pretty manageable. Some serious fatigue on the way to Cambridge, some chest/back pain last night, a series of nosebleeds this morning and once again my mouth is absolutely raw and I have had what I think is a cold sore for almost two weeks. THAT is getting a little old. The other thing is that the tingling in my hands and feet is driving me nuts. It has never been this bad before and has usually come and gone - now it seems to be a constant thing. Again, I know it could be worse...
One more thing...I am having some serious trouble with my email account since leaving Saskatoon - I have lost my entire contact list so please email me at bjames7@hotmail.com so I can add your addresses. Thanks so much.
Sunday 15 July 2012
A Fresh Start...
Just a quick note to let you all know that we are well. It has been a busy few days, introducing the kids to Bailey (she's a HIT), getting things in order around the condo and visiting with Tim's family. I will do my very best to call all the girls tomorrow - while Tim is at work or in the evening. I am looking forward to my first trip out driving on my own tomorrow, meeting a friend for lunch and getting some keys cut for the condo.
I have been feeling okay, just some fatigue, mouth sores and serious tingling in my fingers and toes. I thought cutting out the oxaliplatin would reduce this part, but I guess it is too early to hope for that.
More tomorrow....
I have been feeling okay, just some fatigue, mouth sores and serious tingling in my fingers and toes. I thought cutting out the oxaliplatin would reduce this part, but I guess it is too early to hope for that.
More tomorrow....
Safe and Sound in Cambridge
Good Morning All.
Tim and I just arrived in Cambridge last night, after four days of driving anywhere from 5-9 hours per day for the 4 days of the duration of the trip. Man, are we tired.
We left Saskatoon on Tuesday and headed for Winnipeg, where we stayed with Nance and Kenny. She made us a fantastic dinner and we got to have a really nice visit with them and Geoff, Gelly-Bean and K-Dog.
While there, Tim got his first opportunity to play "Nurse" (I think he'd prefer "Doctor", but whatever) and remove my gripper and bottle of 5-FU. He did a great job - Carol (my phlebotomy nurse) would be proud. He looks so important with blue rubber gloves on, doesn't he?
All was good at Nancy's, UNTIL we were about to leave for our next leg of the trip and we discovered that my dear, sweet Bailey had left a little wet surprise for us at the front door. Awesome. Nothing like making me look bad, you little bugger. But how could anyone stay mad at her for long...
We stayed in Alexandria, Minnesota, then Rockford, Illinois on our nights on the road. Nothing much to report, it was 35 degrees every day so we couldn't really stop and do anything because we couldn't leave Bails in the car in that heat.
Well, that's pretty much it for now. Bailey is getting used to the condo, but seemed quite confused this morning when we got up. She didn't seem to know where to go, and has some trouble with the stairs (no carpet, therefore slippery) so Tim had to carry her downstairs this morning. We are heading out to do a little shopping, go to soccer and pick up the kids...so I am hoping she is okay while we are away. And THEN we get to introduce her to the kids - hoping they love her.
Have a good day everyone...
Tim and I just arrived in Cambridge last night, after four days of driving anywhere from 5-9 hours per day for the 4 days of the duration of the trip. Man, are we tired.
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| 'Nuff Said... |
We left Saskatoon on Tuesday and headed for Winnipeg, where we stayed with Nance and Kenny. She made us a fantastic dinner and we got to have a really nice visit with them and Geoff, Gelly-Bean and K-Dog.
While there, Tim got his first opportunity to play "Nurse" (I think he'd prefer "Doctor", but whatever) and remove my gripper and bottle of 5-FU. He did a great job - Carol (my phlebotomy nurse) would be proud. He looks so important with blue rubber gloves on, doesn't he?
All was good at Nancy's, UNTIL we were about to leave for our next leg of the trip and we discovered that my dear, sweet Bailey had left a little wet surprise for us at the front door. Awesome. Nothing like making me look bad, you little bugger. But how could anyone stay mad at her for long...
We stayed in Alexandria, Minnesota, then Rockford, Illinois on our nights on the road. Nothing much to report, it was 35 degrees every day so we couldn't really stop and do anything because we couldn't leave Bails in the car in that heat.
 |
| Look at the color of that canola!!!! |
Well, that's pretty much it for now. Bailey is getting used to the condo, but seemed quite confused this morning when we got up. She didn't seem to know where to go, and has some trouble with the stairs (no carpet, therefore slippery) so Tim had to carry her downstairs this morning. We are heading out to do a little shopping, go to soccer and pick up the kids...so I am hoping she is okay while we are away. And THEN we get to introduce her to the kids - hoping they love her.
Have a good day everyone...
Tuesday 10 July 2012
Isn't - Aren't I Lovely?????
Ok, so as requested by my ever-so-thoughtful fiance, I have entitled this post as you can see above - another one of my chemo brain communication mistakes. While singing an old Stevie Wonder song, I tried to be a smart-ass and make it about me, but instead I ended up a dumb-ass and he giggled himself silly.
Now this blog is going to be primarily about my weekend with Tim. We did very little but golf, walk the dog and eat blizzards from Dairy Queen. It was great because the weather was fantastic and we got to spend time with Chantelle, Kelly, Kristie and Scott. We also did a round Friday night when he got in - 18 holes at a little par 3 in Saskatoon called Silverwood. Good for him to work on his short game, and the only chance I have to compete with him in score.
Saturday morning was spent shopping with Tim - at GOLF Town! That's right, I invested in a new set of clubs! Yay! They are so pretty...
We spent the afternoon golfing with Chantelle and Kelly at Moon Lake. It took a few days to get accustomed to the new clubs, but I am FINALLY hitting them almost as well as the old ones. The story of that golf game came from me being CATAPULTED out of the golf cart at high speeds, dragging for about six feet while hanging on, doing a 180 degree flip, landing on my ass, and then skidding across the fairway on my head for what seemed like forever. Completely my fault, another example of "graceful" Barbie. When I didn't move right away, Tim thought he had killed me. Chantelle and Kell didn't see the actual event, all they saw was me laid out flat in the middle of the fairway on hole #8 of the Moors. Kelly came running over, thinking I had fainted from the heat. There may have been a tear or four, Tim felt awful, but my pride was bruised more than my bum. My new white golf skirt took the worst of the damage - and by hole #11 everyone was having a good laugh at my expense. I think Chantelle's words were "I'm sure it wasn't as funny in real life as it is in my head", and then proceeded to bend over with laughter. So much for sympathy for the Canser-Kid.
Speaking of which, Spanks sent me this little nugget asking if I wrote it:
That night Chantelle and Kelly invited us over to watch UFC - and yikes, were the co-main events ever disappointing. The company and the food, on the other hand were awesome.
Sunday we went to Holiday Park with Scott and Kristie, they did 9 holes and we were having such a great game that Tim and I decided to stay and do the back 9 as well, because I haven't played it in years, didn't remember the layout and the lady in the clubhouse said it was the best part of the course. And by that she meant the hilliest. Oh, and did I mention it was 30 degrees + and we were walking? By about hole #12 we were wishing we had taken Kristie up on her offer to have a few drinks on the patio.
Sunday night we were so tired that we ordered pizza and fell asleep halfway throught the Rider game that we had PVR'ed. I am happy to report that the Green Guys are 2 and 0. Yay! Go Riders!
Monday was chemo #14. Wow, I can't believe how fast this past 7 months has gone. This week's chemo team consisted of Tim and Chantelle. It was kind of fun because on of my favorite phlebotomy nurses had to teach Tim how to remove my infusion bottle for times when I fly out to see him before the 46-hour infusion process is done. She is so sweet and she did a great job of busting Tim's hump - we told her about my tumble from the golf cart and she started making jokes about how could I possibly trust him to remove a needle from my arm or to drive my car when he had just, two days before sent me flying ass over tea kettle from a golf cart. She even made a point of sending a few more supplies in case he screws things up. She also teased him about the other gentlemen that have accompanied me to chemo when he hasn't been there. HA! I loved it. And he loved her for providing some good giggles on an otherwise emotional day. It was very good for our souls, after waiting in line for my turn outside the phlebotomy clinic, where we couldn't help but notice a very upset older lady who was obviously at the clinic for the first time because she was carrying a "Canser Society Welcome Bag", break down in tears. I/we just wanted to go up and hug her, but as a fellow canser patient, one never wants to invade the privacy of another. There were quite a few pediatric patients there yesterday as well, and it always throws us for a loop when we see an infant or a toddler or a pre-teen getting their chemo - and to see the look of fear on their parent's faces.
After the bloodwork was done, Tim and I had about an hour to wait for the results, so we headed over tho the Starbucks in the main hallway of the hospital and enjoyed a nice coffee together in the new seating area - watched all the construction happening and just took a breather. Once again, I got my own room and we waited for my drugs to be ready. Chantelle came for awhile and entertained us as only she can do. I was pretty stoned, so it was nice to have her there to give Tim someone to talk to. I fell asleep soon after she left for some much-needed zzz's and Tim walked down to the cafeteria to get me a sandwich. Actually, according to him, I fell asleep before he even left.
Another shout out to Jason from Dinner at Your Door. He offered to make us dinner AGAIN, the night of my chemo, so we popped by his house yesterday for a quick visit.
Tim got to meet Tonya, Carson and Aiden and see their beautiful new home. We had a great time and once again, little Carson played shy with old Barbie. But I'm determined, I'll get a cuddle from him YET! The food, as always was fantastic and there is enough left over that we can pack a picnic lunch for today's trip.
I woke up before 4am, couldn't sleep because of all the the things that need to be done this morning. Tim and I are preparing to drive to Cambridge to take Bailey and my car out there - we are driving through the States, so it should be an adventure for all of us. I will still be flying back to Saskatoon regularly for treatments and visits, but this way I will be able to spend more time with Tim and the kids, I will have a little more freedom while I am there and Bailey will be with me more.
As a result, it may be a few days before I can write another post. Have a good few days everyone.
Now this blog is going to be primarily about my weekend with Tim. We did very little but golf, walk the dog and eat blizzards from Dairy Queen. It was great because the weather was fantastic and we got to spend time with Chantelle, Kelly, Kristie and Scott. We also did a round Friday night when he got in - 18 holes at a little par 3 in Saskatoon called Silverwood. Good for him to work on his short game, and the only chance I have to compete with him in score.
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| Silverwood Golf Course |
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| Tim in front of the river valley |
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| New Golf outfit - shirt a bit big but cute, cute, CUTE gingham skirt! |
We spent the afternoon golfing with Chantelle and Kelly at Moon Lake. It took a few days to get accustomed to the new clubs, but I am FINALLY hitting them almost as well as the old ones. The story of that golf game came from me being CATAPULTED out of the golf cart at high speeds, dragging for about six feet while hanging on, doing a 180 degree flip, landing on my ass, and then skidding across the fairway on my head for what seemed like forever. Completely my fault, another example of "graceful" Barbie. When I didn't move right away, Tim thought he had killed me. Chantelle and Kell didn't see the actual event, all they saw was me laid out flat in the middle of the fairway on hole #8 of the Moors. Kelly came running over, thinking I had fainted from the heat. There may have been a tear or four, Tim felt awful, but my pride was bruised more than my bum. My new white golf skirt took the worst of the damage - and by hole #11 everyone was having a good laugh at my expense. I think Chantelle's words were "I'm sure it wasn't as funny in real life as it is in my head", and then proceeded to bend over with laughter. So much for sympathy for the Canser-Kid.
Speaking of which, Spanks sent me this little nugget asking if I wrote it:
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| Turns out car doors, tubs and showers and golf carts are not my friends these days either. |
That night Chantelle and Kelly invited us over to watch UFC - and yikes, were the co-main events ever disappointing. The company and the food, on the other hand were awesome.
Sunday we went to Holiday Park with Scott and Kristie, they did 9 holes and we were having such a great game that Tim and I decided to stay and do the back 9 as well, because I haven't played it in years, didn't remember the layout and the lady in the clubhouse said it was the best part of the course. And by that she meant the hilliest. Oh, and did I mention it was 30 degrees + and we were walking? By about hole #12 we were wishing we had taken Kristie up on her offer to have a few drinks on the patio.
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| Holiday Park |
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| Scott and Kristie and Baby #2 |
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| Us |
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| Picturesque but very oddly designed hole... |
Monday was chemo #14. Wow, I can't believe how fast this past 7 months has gone. This week's chemo team consisted of Tim and Chantelle. It was kind of fun because on of my favorite phlebotomy nurses had to teach Tim how to remove my infusion bottle for times when I fly out to see him before the 46-hour infusion process is done. She is so sweet and she did a great job of busting Tim's hump - we told her about my tumble from the golf cart and she started making jokes about how could I possibly trust him to remove a needle from my arm or to drive my car when he had just, two days before sent me flying ass over tea kettle from a golf cart. She even made a point of sending a few more supplies in case he screws things up. She also teased him about the other gentlemen that have accompanied me to chemo when he hasn't been there. HA! I loved it. And he loved her for providing some good giggles on an otherwise emotional day. It was very good for our souls, after waiting in line for my turn outside the phlebotomy clinic, where we couldn't help but notice a very upset older lady who was obviously at the clinic for the first time because she was carrying a "Canser Society Welcome Bag", break down in tears. I/we just wanted to go up and hug her, but as a fellow canser patient, one never wants to invade the privacy of another. There were quite a few pediatric patients there yesterday as well, and it always throws us for a loop when we see an infant or a toddler or a pre-teen getting their chemo - and to see the look of fear on their parent's faces.
After the bloodwork was done, Tim and I had about an hour to wait for the results, so we headed over tho the Starbucks in the main hallway of the hospital and enjoyed a nice coffee together in the new seating area - watched all the construction happening and just took a breather. Once again, I got my own room and we waited for my drugs to be ready. Chantelle came for awhile and entertained us as only she can do. I was pretty stoned, so it was nice to have her there to give Tim someone to talk to. I fell asleep soon after she left for some much-needed zzz's and Tim walked down to the cafeteria to get me a sandwich. Actually, according to him, I fell asleep before he even left.
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| Amazing how much better I look than last at the last chemo appointment, I thought it might be because of Tim's superior camera skills. (My dad is awesome with a camera.) But Tim is sure it's because I am getting better, my color is better and I have gained another pound! Yay! Up to 95.6 now and still creeping up. |
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| SO supportive and positive for me... |
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| Chantelle, always ready to do what needs to be done, whether it's a hug or an instant google search on her phone to answer one of my many questions - because I can't remember diddly these days. |
Another shout out to Jason from Dinner at Your Door. He offered to make us dinner AGAIN, the night of my chemo, so we popped by his house yesterday for a quick visit.
Tim got to meet Tonya, Carson and Aiden and see their beautiful new home. We had a great time and once again, little Carson played shy with old Barbie. But I'm determined, I'll get a cuddle from him YET! The food, as always was fantastic and there is enough left over that we can pack a picnic lunch for today's trip.
I woke up before 4am, couldn't sleep because of all the the things that need to be done this morning. Tim and I are preparing to drive to Cambridge to take Bailey and my car out there - we are driving through the States, so it should be an adventure for all of us. I will still be flying back to Saskatoon regularly for treatments and visits, but this way I will be able to spend more time with Tim and the kids, I will have a little more freedom while I am there and Bailey will be with me more.
As a result, it may be a few days before I can write another post. Have a good few days everyone.
Thursday 5 July 2012
Hope Abounds
Wow. Amazing what one can accomplish when one gets up at 6am. It was an incredibly good day for my soul. I took Bailey for a beautiful early morning walk. Then I had a bunch of errands to run in order to get prepared for Tim's impending visit - you know, picking up my many varied prescriptions from my many varied pharmacies. I FINALLY got to meet Dawn's sister, Crystal who is a pharmacist at the pharmacy where I get my LDN compounded - we have spoken on the phone numerous times and she has been a big help both with suggestions for supplements that help battle canser and helping me to get LDN in the first place.
Then I hit the canser clinic to see if I could get to the bottom of this whole flying while being infused with 5-FU. The good news? There is no problem according to the pharmacists there. The better news? I got, AGAIN, the chance to meet Cathy, ANOTHER pharmacist there whom I have spoken to on the phone and who has done an incredible job of lobbying for me - without ever having met me. She was the one who made the case for me getting Avastin in Saskatchewan and she has had many conversations with our contacts at the Cambridge Canser Clinic trying to get me coverage there. Turns out she was quite surprised to see me because she thought that since she hadn't heard from me in a couple of months, that maybe I had received the coverage we were seeking and I had moved to Ontario. Then she took me into her office and we brainstormed some options that could possibly allow me to spend more time with Tim and still get my treatments here. She gave me some great ideas that I am going to explore next week, but more than that, she did a GREAT job of bolstering me about my prognosis. It is hard to explain how it made me feel to have a health care professional who deals with canser patients everyday, look me in the eye and tell me that she truly believes that I can beat this. She let me talk about my fears, that since the tumors aren't shrinking as much as they did the first half of treatment that maybe they are becoming resistant to the chemo. She didn't pull any punches, admitting that it does happen, but if it does we have other treatment options. I left there feeling light as a feather and I am pretty sure she is going to be on the receiving end of one of the famous "Bender Hugs" on Monday at chemo.
This afternoon I popped by Dr. Rebalkin's office to have a quick visit with Shelly and Crystal and their reaction when I first popped my head into the office was PRICELESS! It was so good to see them (and Gary) and catch up. They made my day - love you Ladies. (And thanks to Telly for making the suggestion!)
Later this afternoon, Chantelle and I ran into Sonya right outside the coffee shop where we were meeting and got the chance to hang with her for a bit. She is another one of my most positive supporters and always has some little nugget to make me feel good about things. And FYI - the Coconut Mocha Latte from Starbucks MIGHT be the best coffee I have ever had - highly recommended!
Finally, Marlys treated Chantelle and me to a girl's night at the movies. As you might have guessed, we saw "Magic Mike." And although the dialogue was pretty lame, it was worth it to see the girl's faces when a creepy old guy plunked himself down at the end of our row - BY HIMSELF.
And now, off to bed so I can get an early start again tomorrow...can't wait to see Tim tomorrow!
Then I hit the canser clinic to see if I could get to the bottom of this whole flying while being infused with 5-FU. The good news? There is no problem according to the pharmacists there. The better news? I got, AGAIN, the chance to meet Cathy, ANOTHER pharmacist there whom I have spoken to on the phone and who has done an incredible job of lobbying for me - without ever having met me. She was the one who made the case for me getting Avastin in Saskatchewan and she has had many conversations with our contacts at the Cambridge Canser Clinic trying to get me coverage there. Turns out she was quite surprised to see me because she thought that since she hadn't heard from me in a couple of months, that maybe I had received the coverage we were seeking and I had moved to Ontario. Then she took me into her office and we brainstormed some options that could possibly allow me to spend more time with Tim and still get my treatments here. She gave me some great ideas that I am going to explore next week, but more than that, she did a GREAT job of bolstering me about my prognosis. It is hard to explain how it made me feel to have a health care professional who deals with canser patients everyday, look me in the eye and tell me that she truly believes that I can beat this. She let me talk about my fears, that since the tumors aren't shrinking as much as they did the first half of treatment that maybe they are becoming resistant to the chemo. She didn't pull any punches, admitting that it does happen, but if it does we have other treatment options. I left there feeling light as a feather and I am pretty sure she is going to be on the receiving end of one of the famous "Bender Hugs" on Monday at chemo.
This afternoon I popped by Dr. Rebalkin's office to have a quick visit with Shelly and Crystal and their reaction when I first popped my head into the office was PRICELESS! It was so good to see them (and Gary) and catch up. They made my day - love you Ladies. (And thanks to Telly for making the suggestion!)
Later this afternoon, Chantelle and I ran into Sonya right outside the coffee shop where we were meeting and got the chance to hang with her for a bit. She is another one of my most positive supporters and always has some little nugget to make me feel good about things. And FYI - the Coconut Mocha Latte from Starbucks MIGHT be the best coffee I have ever had - highly recommended!
Finally, Marlys treated Chantelle and me to a girl's night at the movies. As you might have guessed, we saw "Magic Mike." And although the dialogue was pretty lame, it was worth it to see the girl's faces when a creepy old guy plunked himself down at the end of our row - BY HIMSELF.
And now, off to bed so I can get an early start again tomorrow...can't wait to see Tim tomorrow!
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
That's right people, it's late afternoon and I am still in my pj's. I have spent most of the day on the phone with Air Canada trying to help them locate a lost flight credit so that I can get my flights booked for the next couple of weeks. I am telling you, there are very few things in life LESS frustrating than sitting on hold with an airline, not once but TWICE in one day. There is a very good reason why I fly WestJet whenever possible and it has a lot to do with the fact that their people are polite and courteous. Question: WHY work in customer service if you so obviously hate your job and people in general? It's the only explanation I can come up with for why the FIRST Air Canada customer service rep I spoke to gave me nothing but attitude from the SECOND I started speaking with her, right through my explanation regarding my flight credit being a result of a CANSER diagnosis and surgery, and continued, undaunted while lecturing me about losing my reference number. Seriously? I even explained that I had saved the number on my old cell phone but lost it in a fit of chemo-brain when I decided to wash my cell with all the OTHER dishes. I may be a bit stupid these days, but even I know the meaning of the word empathy and she had NONE. So, I called back hoping to get another rep, and thank the Sweet Baby Jesus I did. And although she was marginally nicer and did in fact manage to find the information the other lady said was impossible to track, it took her almost an hour to then book the flight for me, with repeated requests for my credit card number and mailing address. I complain about this because I have spent a great many years of my career in customer service positions and it drives me crazy when people can't find the energy to put on a happy face for their customers, even if it is fake. I mean seriously, I have canser and I still manage to be nice to people who irritate me. There. Rant over.
Or it would be if I hadn't just gotten off the phone with my oncology nurse. Sigh. Can I please put a request out to the universe? PLEASE, enough with the complications? Last week at chemo, I was told by my chemotherapy nurses that if I ever wanted to go see Tim before my infusion bottle was removed, that they could teach him how to take it off and I could fly out the day after chemo. Fast forward to today and all the time I spent booking my flight....and THEN my oncology nurse calls me to explain that one cannot in fact fly while being infused because of the air pressure changes. I almost had a stroke. So much for not sweating the small stuff, James. SO, I once again call the airline in hopes of changing the flight and am put on hold again. And I gave up, couldn't waste another hour of my life listening to their elevator music. Instead I called the canser clinic and asked to have my chemo appointment moved up a day, but it is against their policy to do a chemo update with the doctor and chemo on the same day. I explained my predicament to Patty who does the booking (she is amazing) and she asked one of the chemotherapy nurses her opinion and she said it should be no problem. So? Who to believe? Google couldn't even give me a straight answer about it. But it sure did give me an exhaustive list about all the possible serious adverse events that could happen to me from just being on 5-FU in the first place. Awesome. Ok, enough complaining. It is unbecoming of a lady.
Now, a topic that is near and dear to the heart of every Saskie alive: the weather! Man oh man - it's a good thing I can tether Bailey when she goes out because I'm not convinced she wouldn't blow away in this wind. Speaking of which, I am pretty sure I have the cutest dog alive. She just got a haircut and new bandana yesterday:
So, since Tim is coming back to Saskatchewan this weekend, he decided to leave his clubs here for the week. (And if I know him, it is likely driving him stir-crazy that he can't go out to the garage and practice his swing.) The point of me telling you this is because I am sitting staring at his golf bag and this is all I see:
How lucky am I? Not only does the man humor me by watching the CFL, cheering for the Riders and calling them OUR team - but he has a Gainer head cover and he uses it. What a guy.
On a final note, I want to give a big shout out to Pam's niece Em. It turns out she and her family had a pretty stressful weekend - she had to spend most of the holiday weekend in the hospital because she was JUST diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and her blood glucose was out of whack. As a result, she is missing out on a trip to Mexico with her mom, sisters and Auntie Pam, BUT I hear she is being an amazing little trooper through it all. She has been to Diabetes School with her mom and already knows how to check her own blood sugars. Pam is so proud that she is taking it all in stride.
Hugs to you Darlin', from me and Bailey.
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Things Could be Worse....
That being said, I STILL want to complain. Funny how the day that Tim leaves I feel like garbage. I have been sick all day - well, all day since my McDonald's breakfast. Things went south really quickly after an Egg McMuffin and hashbrowns. (Serves me right for not having oatmeal.)
I popped by the mall this morning thinking I would look at some golf gear, but ended up getting so dizzy and nauseated that I thought I might faint. So I came home and have been laying on the couch ever since trying to recover and get my guts back in line. I have had some wicked heartburn and have started getting some lip/mouth sores again that make eating anything a real treat. FYI, mustard and most salad dressings are off the menu, as is any type of carbonated drink - all are too harsh right now. And as much as I was hoping that the side effects would be better because I am not on Oxaliplatin anymore, I am really finding that my fingers and feet are incredibly sensitive, with constant tingling and sore nail beds. Ah well, things could be worse, right?
Mosquito Bites and Tan Lines
Well, Tim flew back to Ontario in the wee hours this morning - good news? He comes back this weekend! We had an absolutely beautiful day yesterday at Moon Lake with Chantelle and Kelly. 24 degrees, nice breeze, lots of snacks and a ton of laughs with good friends. I couldn't have asked for a nicer day. And I felt really good too, which is always a bonus and never a guarantee these days. Bad news? As if all the bruises all over my legs weren't enough (due to a low platelet count and the occasional goof), I now have so many mosquito bites on my legs that the boys were referring to me as a leprosy victim and the kind of tiger tan lines on my feet that just scream "Do you even own a bottle of sunscreen?"
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| Hole #8 - Moon Lake,the Moors |
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| Yikes - NOTE TO SELF - the old derriere looks a little wider in a light colored skirt. |
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| Chant and Kell in his new hat - and Tim being a jackass in the background. |
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| Burnt the crap out of my feet - dumb girl. |
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| Apres-golf drinks. |
Monday 2 July 2012
Oh Dear Golf....
Ok, so we missed out on the golf yesterday because of the weather. Good news? We spent the afternoon shopping for golf clothes and a new set of clubs for me. All I have to say about Tim is he is certainly NOT the Voice of Reason. He's an enabler, and as a result, there MAY be a new set of clubs in my arsenal next week.
We went for brunch with Kris and Sophie yesterday at the Broadway Cafe - and Soph, who normally talks a mile a minute had a rough night so she spent most of the meal laying on my shoulder. Poor little duck. She also advised her mom before brunch that she was going to be shy of Tim, so I guess that was part of it. In typical Sophie fashion thouhg, as soon as we were out of eyesight, she wanted to know where Auntie Barbie and Tim went.
Dad and Dorothy popped by for a coffee on their way home from the lake - and got hopelessly lost just east of my house. Too funny.
Today we are going to MoonLake to do 18 with Chantelle and Kelly. Looks like a beautiful day on the way! Yay! And luckily I am feeling much better than yesterday...
Happy Holiday Monday All...
Sunday 1 July 2012
Happy Canada Day!
Beautiful weekend so far! FIRST, the Riders kind of spanked the Ti-Cats, and as much as I love my team, I wasn't necessarily expecting a game like that. YAY! Keep it up boys...
THEN, I get to spend the long weekend with Tim. Can't tell you how nice it's been, especially after all the long weekends spent alone these past years. We got up with the birds yesterday, took Bails for an early morning walk, popped by Costco for supper fixings, and then hit a local public golf course for a VERY slow, but very relaxing round of golf. The weather was perfect - warm, but breezy. And although, being Day #5, I wasn't feeling very good the first half of the first 9 holes, I rallied and felt really good by the end of the day. Amazing how much easier chemo is without Oxaliplatin...there is DEFINITELY some ice cream in my future today.
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