Today's the Day!

Heading back to Ontario and Tim today. Yesterday, as much as I got accomplished, it was a bit of a waste of an extra day to stay in town just for an update with my surgeon. Don't get me wrong, it was an amazing feeling to see Paul and his receptionist Jeannie and the look of shock on their faces at how good I look. In fact, when Paul walked in to his office he said, "That's it, you look too good - go home." Ha! He asked a few questions about how much weight I've gained, how I've been doing it, how much I am exercising, if I am noticing any symptoms of bowel blockages or GI bleeding. At the end I thought, seriously? For THIS I spent an extra day away from Tim, but the bright side is I got hugs from the whole staff (whom I used to call on at work). Makes  a girl feel loved and empowered to keep fighting.

I had a few moments of chemo brain yesterday that are starting to make me second-guess my cognitive abilities behind the wheel and concentration in general. First of all, I was driving my dad's car - pulled up to the vet's office to pick up some paperwork for Bailey so we can kennel her in Ontario in a few weeks - stopped the car, threw it in park, or what I assumed was in Park in my Dad's Grand Marquis and bent down to pick up something off the floor. Next thing you know my Dad's yelling, "We're in reverse, we're moving!"  Ha! Crisis averted - but I don't think my dad has been that nervous with me behind the wheel of his car since I was 15 years old.  We went into the clinic and my vet walked out of his office just as we got there, and he asked how I was doing just as he noticed my infusion pump dangling from my hip. So I explained the situation, and that Bailey is already in Ontario and I just needed some of her paperwork - and then he grabbed me in a bear hug and wished me the best. Not sure if it was general concern for my well-being or if he is just gong to miss the $2500 I drop in his clinic on average every year for Bailey's up-keep! Ha! 

THEN, although I KNEW my appointment with the surgeon was at 12:45pm, I showed up at 11:45am.  And was completely shocked at the disconnect between my understanding of time and my cognitive ability show up at the right time. And we had JUST gotten ROCK STAR parking outside the clinic (I was able to redeem myself for the flub at the vet clinic by doing a perfect parallel park in my Dad's car ((read - boat on wheels)) - which he hasn't seen me do since I did my road test almost 25 years ago). So we walked across the street to City Hospital to grab a lunch and I stopped at the gift shop, picked up a deck of cards and a Cribb board, and schooled my dad for the rest of the lunch hour. Thank Goodness I was getting decent cards because the way my brain was functioning yesterday, he had to recount every hand I had to make sure I wasn't short-changing myself. 

Then, on my way back into the clinic to see Paul, AT THE CORRECT TIME, I ran into one of my old physician customers, and the second she saw the bandage on my arm and the infusion pump on my hip, she came over to me and said, "Oh no Barb..."  She herself is a two-time canser survivor and was very good at talking about hope being so important, that if she could do it twice and survive, minus a few body parts, so can I. It again, was nice to hear from an unrelated medical source to ignore the stats and just focus on me as an individual.  And then I got hug #5 for the day. I guess it pays to walk around looking like a canser patient once in awhile.

After that, we went home and I helped dad pack up and sent him on his way. Then Kristie, Sophie and Marlys came over for a couple hours with Iced Caps in hand, and we had a hoot. Sophie hadn't had a nap so she was pretty wired. We played hide and seek, football and she loves to run from one end of my sectional couch where Kristie is to the other end where I am and flop down on top of us for a tickle, a giggle and hug and a kiss. Too cute. I miss that kid a lot and don't get to see her nearly enough lately.  And she LOVED Marlys, flirted with her and the whole bit.

Well, it is now 6 am, should start getting ready as I am expecting Chantelley (whom I haven't seen much this trip because she had to work in Regina the past few days) - but she always tries to pick me up and drop me off at the airport if nothing else. Today we will stop at the canser clinic to get the pump removed, hopefully grab a few scripts I have waiting at the pharmacy if there is enough time, because it doesn't open until 9am and I have to be at the airport at 9:15.  Ugh, nothing like a nice relaxing morning.

One other thing, I have been reading the 50 Shades trilogy on my flights and if anyone is curious about my opinion, the second book is MUCH more interesting and has a much better story line. SO if you were like me and relatively uninterested to read the second, my advice is to give her another chance.  

That's it for now - keep your eyes peeled for the next update from Juston and Marta's wedding on the weekend!
HUGS to all, OVER and OUT.