Yesterday I had an appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Topstad, to discuss surgery. She was very pleased with the effectiveness of chemo in reducing the size of my tumour. I was hopeful that I would not have to have any lymph nodes removed. However, that is not to be. There is a fairly new procedure called sentinel lymph node biopsy wherein a blue dye or a radioactive substance is injected into the nodes. The sentinel nodes, the ones that pick up the dye first, are the ones that are draining the breast of fluids that may contain cancerous cells. The blue or radioactive nodes are examined under microscope. If no cancer is found the rest of the nodes are left in place. This procedure is not very effective for someone who has undergone chemo, like myself. Thus I will have lymph nodes as well as breast removed. One of my friends, who had one breast removed, said she wished she had had both removed. She finds an imbalance in the weight of the prostheses and the weight of her remaining breast. As a result she has frequent pain in one shoulder, even with regular exercise. I asked Dr. Topstad about having both breasts removed. I explained my concerns regarding imbalance, and also the risk of cancer in the second breast. She said that the imbalance concern is a valid one. The risk of cancer in the second breast is quite low. However, she said, the removal of both breasts, especially after chemo, is a difficult surgery. She said she would only perform surgery on one. If I still wanted the other removed I could do that in a later surgery. She believes that undergoing a second anaesthetic is preferable to having both breasts removed in one surgery.
Dr. Topstad is going to try for surgery on February 26th. She has to contact the Cancer Center to coordinate surgery with my schedule for treatment with the antibody Herceptin. I have an appointment for Herceptin on February 11th. She needs to make sure that surgery two weeks later is okay. If not, either the Herceptin appointment or the proposed surgery date will have to be altered. After surgery I will be in hospital one night for sure, and possibly two depending on how well I am feeling. I will have bandages and drainage tubes (to remove blood and lymph that accumulates during healing) for about ten days following surgery. Regular exercises for my shoulders and arms will be necessary for mobility. After surgery, the next step is radiation. How much radiation depends on the results of the pathology report on the tissue removed. At the very least it looks like I will have my chest wall radiated. This means going to Calgary or Edmonton. I will plan to go to Edmonton.
I asked Dr. Topstad about the best time for removing my PICC line and replacing it with a Porta Cath. She recommended that I wait until after my surgery. After my appointment with Dr. Topstad I went to the Cancer Center to have my PICC line flushed and dressing changed. The nurse Sonja told me that Herceptin is not hard on the veins like chemo is, that I have good veins, and that I should not need to have either a PICC or a Porta Cath. They are going to check this out with the oncologist and I will check it out with Dr. Topstad. It looks very likely that I will have my PICC line removed next week. Yay! I look forward to short sleeves and going swimming.
It is now a week since my last chemo. My energy levels are quite low. I still have some numbness in my fingers and toes. In addition, I have had some inflammation of the skin covering the knuckles on both hands. This is the first time I've had this side effect. It is looking a bit better today, though. I have not had any soreness in the roof of my mouth, or any difficulty swallowing so far. My taste buds do not seem to have been affected to the same extent as in the past. It is good to know that once I bounce back from these side effects I will not have to face another chemo treatment!! I truly feel like I've had enough!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
It's a Celebration!
Chemo treatment: Yesterday was my sixth and final chemo treament. Hurrah!! It's hard to believe I've come this far. It doesn't seem that long ago since I was telling myself, "Patience, girl. You can do this." My appointment yesterday was for 10:15 a.m. I wasn't finished until 1:30 p.m., much later than I expected. It turns out that my nurse hooked up the drips but forgot to turn them on right away. I was sitting in my reclining chair in my 2-chair south-facing bay enjoying the warmth of my heated blanket, and of the afternoon sun. I hadn't noticed that the progress was slow initially because I was preoccupied with watching TV, reading, and visiting. I watched most of Regis and Kelly Live, read most of my book "The Four Agreements," and visited with my two companions in chemo.
The first person to share the space with me was Steve who works for Mental Health in Red Deer. He worked as a mental health counsellor for many years, and is now in management. When he completed his treatment I was joined by Ernie, a farmer from the Bentley area. He was adopted out as a child. His birth parents, from the Camrose area, have never wanted contact with him and he has felt the same in return. I shared my Joan story with him. Coming and going I ran into Errol MacIntyre and his wife (Cathy, I think) from Ponoka. I shared space with Errol on my fifth treatment. He was on the Ponoka Stampede Board for 35 years. His wife is a retired school teacher (Phys Ed) who still subs and is an avid golfer. She is looking forward to supervising a group of girls competing in golf in Phoenix later this year. Her costs will be covered by grant money available to this group. I also met Gord the pharmacist yesterday. He was sharing his enthusiasm regarding a book he purchased recently from Shopper's Drug in Rocky Mountain House. First he talked to the nurses at the station, and then to one of the patients he appeared to know. My curiosity got the better of me so I had to inquire what the book was called. It was a book called "Cancer is a Word, not a Sentence." I said that I had heard the statement but had not heard of the book. He said he purchased it because he knew the author Dr. Robert Buckman to be credible. I thought to myself, "I must check into that."
He then asked about my book. We had a nice little conversation. When treatment goes over the lunch hour we are served lunch. Yesterday was a lovely leek/potato chowder, half a ham/cheese sandwich and green tea.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: I purchased this book some time ago but hadn't yet read it. I chose to take it with me because it appeared to be light, easy reading. I enjoyed Hal Urban's 2o Life Lessons but that is a lot to lessons to remember without reviewing. I liked the simplicity of only 4 agreements. I related very well to these agreements because these have already been guiding principles in my life, and it is always nice to have affirmation. Simply put the principles are as follows:
1. Be impeccable with your word, that is, be true to yourself and others. Be authentic. A quote from a book I read in my youth Notes to Myself comes to mind: "The surest way for me to have a bad time is to do something because I think I should do it." These shoulds don't always come from within.
2. Don't take anything personally. This reminds me of a quote of my favorite cartoon character from my university days, Ziggy: "Don't worry about what other people think of you. The truth is they are too busy thinking about themselves to think about you at all." That, of course, doesn't mean that we are uncaring people. It simply means that many/most of our actions are motivated by self-interest and we don't always stop to think how it may affect another person.
3. Don't make assumptions. Communicate clearly. Ask questions. This is especially important in our major personal relationships.
4. Do your best. Don't beat yourself up if you don't meet your expectations. Keep working towards your goal. I was inspired a number of years ago by a quotation by Mr. Bojangles who said he always danced his best, whether he was dancing before the Queen or he was dancing for a mere handful of people. I decided that I would always give my best even if I thought I was not being paid what I deserved. I would be thankful to have a job and I would give my best.
Shopping: After treatment I had about an hour-and-a-half before meeting my friend, Marilyn Martin, for coffee. What should I do? I had errands to run at Staples but I would do that on the way home. I could check out the cancer book at Shoppers but I didn't really have money to spend on it at this time. (EI sick benefits have run out and it is another couple of weeks until I receive any disability payment from Great West Life.) I decided to go to Value Village, a favorite spot through many years of low income. My girls refer to it a VV's. Marilyn calls it Value Village where the age rhymes with the age in corsage. How sophisticated!! I checked out the CDs and books. I always have to put many things back on the shelf because I typically find more than what I can afford! I came away with 2 CDs, and 7 books, two for Helge. One of the books I was very excited about was What you Really Need to Know About Cancer by Dr. Robert Buckman the author that the pharmacist Gord told me about. It is an older publication than the book he mentioned but I'm sure that much of the information is still valid. Every four books purchased at VV's earns a free one. That was my freebie.
Coffee with Marilyn: I hadn't spent time with Marilyn since last spring so it was a treat to meet her at City Roast for coffee and a shared piece of carrot cake. We only had a short time as she was on a break from work. We caught up on the news of our respective families. We plan to get together again soon so we have some chit-chat time. It is always a boost to have time with friends no matter how short!!
Brainyworks: Throughout my life I have been motivated by an insatiable curiosity. I was always asking questions. It exasperated my grade 3/4 teacher, Mrs. Gladys Simonson, to the point where she would say "What IS IT, Elaine? My grade six teacher, Mr. Lyle Erga, was not so troubled by it. He said that the reason I knew so much was that I was always asking questions. My brain doesn't feel like it's simply firing on all eight cylinders. It more often feels more like major fireworks. Not only am I consumed by my own interests, but I get consumed by other people's interests, and then their business becomes my business. Whether researching on the internet or shopping, I am thinking " So-and-so would be interested in this" or "I should buy this for so-and-so." How do I tame this wild brain? My parents recognized this early on when they provided me with a quiet study place, free of distraction. Here are a couple of my favorite strategies:
1. Origami. This has been my hobby for about forty years. When I am folding paper all other thoughts and worries disappear from my mind. Since I have had time off I am trying to learn many of my favorite folds by heart and to learn many new folds. In the springtime I am going to teach a workshop to Art Sparks, a craft group for disabled adults in Rocky Mountain House. I am also going to do some volunteering with my Granddaughter Madison's grade 3 class in Red Deer. On Saturday I am going to display my work at a Women's Showcase in Caroline.
2. Ironing. Believe it or not, this is one of my favorite activities! I especially like ironing Helge's beautiful cotton shirts. Over the years I have bought most of his shirts from Value Village. The six shirts I purchased most recently were in such great condition that they became "good shirts" and the past "good shirts" became "everyday shirts." No, I do not iron the "everyday shirts." Up until a couple of weeks ago I tried to get my ironing done early in the day so that I could take advantage of the natural light. Then I was delighted to discover one of Helge's good work lamps that he usually uses outdoors. I rigged up the lamp on a Monday evening. From 6 until 7 p.m. I listened to Roy Forbes on CKUA play never- before- released recordings of Hank Williams. For a whole hour my mind was focused on music and ironing. What a treat! (NOTE: In the past, particulary, I have frequently compared orgasm to all-encompassing fireworks but never felt the need for any taming there!!)
I got home early enough to make and enjoy supper with Helge. I had to stay up until 10:00 p.m. to watch Criminal Minds. I just can't get enough of those crime shows, an unhealthy obsession, my husband believes. I really am trying to limit what I watch. I got to bed after 11:00 but didn't get to sleep for another couple of hours. The nurses say that the anti-nausea steroids are responsible for that. Once I finally got to sleep I had a good rest. All in all, it was a great day!
The first person to share the space with me was Steve who works for Mental Health in Red Deer. He worked as a mental health counsellor for many years, and is now in management. When he completed his treatment I was joined by Ernie, a farmer from the Bentley area. He was adopted out as a child. His birth parents, from the Camrose area, have never wanted contact with him and he has felt the same in return. I shared my Joan story with him. Coming and going I ran into Errol MacIntyre and his wife (Cathy, I think) from Ponoka. I shared space with Errol on my fifth treatment. He was on the Ponoka Stampede Board for 35 years. His wife is a retired school teacher (Phys Ed) who still subs and is an avid golfer. She is looking forward to supervising a group of girls competing in golf in Phoenix later this year. Her costs will be covered by grant money available to this group. I also met Gord the pharmacist yesterday. He was sharing his enthusiasm regarding a book he purchased recently from Shopper's Drug in Rocky Mountain House. First he talked to the nurses at the station, and then to one of the patients he appeared to know. My curiosity got the better of me so I had to inquire what the book was called. It was a book called "Cancer is a Word, not a Sentence." I said that I had heard the statement but had not heard of the book. He said he purchased it because he knew the author Dr. Robert Buckman to be credible. I thought to myself, "I must check into that."
He then asked about my book. We had a nice little conversation. When treatment goes over the lunch hour we are served lunch. Yesterday was a lovely leek/potato chowder, half a ham/cheese sandwich and green tea.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: I purchased this book some time ago but hadn't yet read it. I chose to take it with me because it appeared to be light, easy reading. I enjoyed Hal Urban's 2o Life Lessons but that is a lot to lessons to remember without reviewing. I liked the simplicity of only 4 agreements. I related very well to these agreements because these have already been guiding principles in my life, and it is always nice to have affirmation. Simply put the principles are as follows:
1. Be impeccable with your word, that is, be true to yourself and others. Be authentic. A quote from a book I read in my youth Notes to Myself comes to mind: "The surest way for me to have a bad time is to do something because I think I should do it." These shoulds don't always come from within.
2. Don't take anything personally. This reminds me of a quote of my favorite cartoon character from my university days, Ziggy: "Don't worry about what other people think of you. The truth is they are too busy thinking about themselves to think about you at all." That, of course, doesn't mean that we are uncaring people. It simply means that many/most of our actions are motivated by self-interest and we don't always stop to think how it may affect another person.
3. Don't make assumptions. Communicate clearly. Ask questions. This is especially important in our major personal relationships.
4. Do your best. Don't beat yourself up if you don't meet your expectations. Keep working towards your goal. I was inspired a number of years ago by a quotation by Mr. Bojangles who said he always danced his best, whether he was dancing before the Queen or he was dancing for a mere handful of people. I decided that I would always give my best even if I thought I was not being paid what I deserved. I would be thankful to have a job and I would give my best.
Shopping: After treatment I had about an hour-and-a-half before meeting my friend, Marilyn Martin, for coffee. What should I do? I had errands to run at Staples but I would do that on the way home. I could check out the cancer book at Shoppers but I didn't really have money to spend on it at this time. (EI sick benefits have run out and it is another couple of weeks until I receive any disability payment from Great West Life.) I decided to go to Value Village, a favorite spot through many years of low income. My girls refer to it a VV's. Marilyn calls it Value Village where the age rhymes with the age in corsage. How sophisticated!! I checked out the CDs and books. I always have to put many things back on the shelf because I typically find more than what I can afford! I came away with 2 CDs, and 7 books, two for Helge. One of the books I was very excited about was What you Really Need to Know About Cancer by Dr. Robert Buckman the author that the pharmacist Gord told me about. It is an older publication than the book he mentioned but I'm sure that much of the information is still valid. Every four books purchased at VV's earns a free one. That was my freebie.
Coffee with Marilyn: I hadn't spent time with Marilyn since last spring so it was a treat to meet her at City Roast for coffee and a shared piece of carrot cake. We only had a short time as she was on a break from work. We caught up on the news of our respective families. We plan to get together again soon so we have some chit-chat time. It is always a boost to have time with friends no matter how short!!
Brainyworks: Throughout my life I have been motivated by an insatiable curiosity. I was always asking questions. It exasperated my grade 3/4 teacher, Mrs. Gladys Simonson, to the point where she would say "What IS IT, Elaine? My grade six teacher, Mr. Lyle Erga, was not so troubled by it. He said that the reason I knew so much was that I was always asking questions. My brain doesn't feel like it's simply firing on all eight cylinders. It more often feels more like major fireworks. Not only am I consumed by my own interests, but I get consumed by other people's interests, and then their business becomes my business. Whether researching on the internet or shopping, I am thinking " So-and-so would be interested in this" or "I should buy this for so-and-so." How do I tame this wild brain? My parents recognized this early on when they provided me with a quiet study place, free of distraction. Here are a couple of my favorite strategies:
1. Origami. This has been my hobby for about forty years. When I am folding paper all other thoughts and worries disappear from my mind. Since I have had time off I am trying to learn many of my favorite folds by heart and to learn many new folds. In the springtime I am going to teach a workshop to Art Sparks, a craft group for disabled adults in Rocky Mountain House. I am also going to do some volunteering with my Granddaughter Madison's grade 3 class in Red Deer. On Saturday I am going to display my work at a Women's Showcase in Caroline.
2. Ironing. Believe it or not, this is one of my favorite activities! I especially like ironing Helge's beautiful cotton shirts. Over the years I have bought most of his shirts from Value Village. The six shirts I purchased most recently were in such great condition that they became "good shirts" and the past "good shirts" became "everyday shirts." No, I do not iron the "everyday shirts." Up until a couple of weeks ago I tried to get my ironing done early in the day so that I could take advantage of the natural light. Then I was delighted to discover one of Helge's good work lamps that he usually uses outdoors. I rigged up the lamp on a Monday evening. From 6 until 7 p.m. I listened to Roy Forbes on CKUA play never- before- released recordings of Hank Williams. For a whole hour my mind was focused on music and ironing. What a treat! (NOTE: In the past, particulary, I have frequently compared orgasm to all-encompassing fireworks but never felt the need for any taming there!!)
I got home early enough to make and enjoy supper with Helge. I had to stay up until 10:00 p.m. to watch Criminal Minds. I just can't get enough of those crime shows, an unhealthy obsession, my husband believes. I really am trying to limit what I watch. I got to bed after 11:00 but didn't get to sleep for another couple of hours. The nurses say that the anti-nausea steroids are responsible for that. Once I finally got to sleep I had a good rest. All in all, it was a great day!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Simple Pleasures
At nearly noon, the sun is shining and the temperature has reached three degrees Celsius. I am looking forward to getting out for a walk.
Yesterday was Alice's birthday. I called her last night and was happy to hear that she had been showered with birthday wishes throughout the day: flowers, kisses, homemade puffed wheat squares, emails, etc. Today my grandson Spencer is six years old. He shares his birthdate with Mom. I would so like to celebrate with Spencer in Peace River. However, that is a long trip from here, at least six hours. As I do not have my usual energy, I am sticking close to home these days. Rebecca just called. She and Jarl and the boys are heading to West Ed this afternoon to spend the weekend to celebrate Spencer's birthday.
It is just over two weeks since my fifth chemo treatment. I have been feeling quite well for several days now, although I do need a lot of rest. I have found the first week or so following treatment to be the most difficult. Treatment has affected my taste buds so it is difficult to enjoy food. That has affected my interest in preparing food, which is not at a high level at the best of times. I usually enjoy strong flavors, but cope best these days with rather bland food. I am using child's toothpaste these days as I find the adult toothpaste too harsh. For nearly a week starting about four days after treatment, the roof of my mouth was very tender and I had difficulty swallowing. Thankfully, those symptoms were short-lived!! I continue to go to Sundre every Tuesday for Home Care. Helge has been coming with me because of the severe cold and often poor driving conditions. I am scheduled for my next and final treatment next Wednesday, January 21st, but I expect it will be postponed a week as my other treatments have been. (If my white blood cell count is too low, treatment is postponed.)
My January outings have been few. I am enjoying the slower pace after a busy December. I have,however, had a couple of spirit-boosting outings. Helge had a meeting in Rocky Mountain House on January 9th so I went with him. I hadn't finished everything I wanted to accomplish by the time his meeting was finished. He was not in a rush and was happy to spend some time at the library so that I could have some more time. I checked out a new medical supply store, the new Shopper's Drug, and then went to my favorite gift shop, Cherubs' Boutique. This gift shop was started in 1995 by a single mom. Her first shop was a small shop across the street from where I used to work in Rocky. After a year or so the vacuum cleaner business next to hers closed, and she expanded to occupy that space. A few years later she made the move to a larger shop on main street. Now she occupies a two-storey building at the end of main street. The main floor has an extensive collection of bath products, jewelry, clothing and games for infants and toddlers, and a coffee/tea shop which also sells fudge, frozen yogurts, and smoothies. The second floor has housewares and kitchen goods. The shop was beautifully decorated for Christmas, upstairs, downstairs, and along the two flights of stairs. I found some delightful decorations to add to my collection. Helge and I enjoyed a supper at the local Co-op Store. They always have good home-cooked meals at a great price.
On Wednesday this week I met my colleagues for lunch in Innisfail at the Flames. Except for the Christmas party in December I have met with some or many of them every month since I took my leave of absence. I so enjoy these times together and always hate to say goodbye. My colleagues bought me an exquisite 100% cotton terry, full-length dressing gown in pale blue. (They know that I'm a natural fibre girl.) I am enjoying wearing this at home, and am happy to have such a nice gown for my hospital visit. I also received an aboriginal calendar and card from Jenny who teaches aboriginal programs. Sadly, the staff told me that she suffered a stroke last week. She is only 38 years old. I must find out how to contact her so I can send her a thank you card and well wishes. Sherry told me that the Aboriginals at the Cultural Center are smudging for me. I am blessed to be remembered in so many ways!! Of course, before I left Innisfail I made a little trip to my favorite gift shop in Innisfail, The Gift Loft. I found a few more sale-priced decorations to add to my silver/clear/mirror/turquoise collection.
Yesterday's walk was around dusk. The winter colors were amazing!! The vast expanse of clean white snow contrasted the black lacey look of the bare shrubs and poplars. In the background was the solid black of the spruce trees, and surrounding were pale pink skies. To the west were the mountains in a haze of deep smokey blue. What a treasure!! Perhaps today I'll get a picture.
Yesterday was Alice's birthday. I called her last night and was happy to hear that she had been showered with birthday wishes throughout the day: flowers, kisses, homemade puffed wheat squares, emails, etc. Today my grandson Spencer is six years old. He shares his birthdate with Mom. I would so like to celebrate with Spencer in Peace River. However, that is a long trip from here, at least six hours. As I do not have my usual energy, I am sticking close to home these days. Rebecca just called. She and Jarl and the boys are heading to West Ed this afternoon to spend the weekend to celebrate Spencer's birthday.
It is just over two weeks since my fifth chemo treatment. I have been feeling quite well for several days now, although I do need a lot of rest. I have found the first week or so following treatment to be the most difficult. Treatment has affected my taste buds so it is difficult to enjoy food. That has affected my interest in preparing food, which is not at a high level at the best of times. I usually enjoy strong flavors, but cope best these days with rather bland food. I am using child's toothpaste these days as I find the adult toothpaste too harsh. For nearly a week starting about four days after treatment, the roof of my mouth was very tender and I had difficulty swallowing. Thankfully, those symptoms were short-lived!! I continue to go to Sundre every Tuesday for Home Care. Helge has been coming with me because of the severe cold and often poor driving conditions. I am scheduled for my next and final treatment next Wednesday, January 21st, but I expect it will be postponed a week as my other treatments have been. (If my white blood cell count is too low, treatment is postponed.)
My January outings have been few. I am enjoying the slower pace after a busy December. I have,however, had a couple of spirit-boosting outings. Helge had a meeting in Rocky Mountain House on January 9th so I went with him. I hadn't finished everything I wanted to accomplish by the time his meeting was finished. He was not in a rush and was happy to spend some time at the library so that I could have some more time. I checked out a new medical supply store, the new Shopper's Drug, and then went to my favorite gift shop, Cherubs' Boutique. This gift shop was started in 1995 by a single mom. Her first shop was a small shop across the street from where I used to work in Rocky. After a year or so the vacuum cleaner business next to hers closed, and she expanded to occupy that space. A few years later she made the move to a larger shop on main street. Now she occupies a two-storey building at the end of main street. The main floor has an extensive collection of bath products, jewelry, clothing and games for infants and toddlers, and a coffee/tea shop which also sells fudge, frozen yogurts, and smoothies. The second floor has housewares and kitchen goods. The shop was beautifully decorated for Christmas, upstairs, downstairs, and along the two flights of stairs. I found some delightful decorations to add to my collection. Helge and I enjoyed a supper at the local Co-op Store. They always have good home-cooked meals at a great price.
On Wednesday this week I met my colleagues for lunch in Innisfail at the Flames. Except for the Christmas party in December I have met with some or many of them every month since I took my leave of absence. I so enjoy these times together and always hate to say goodbye. My colleagues bought me an exquisite 100% cotton terry, full-length dressing gown in pale blue. (They know that I'm a natural fibre girl.) I am enjoying wearing this at home, and am happy to have such a nice gown for my hospital visit. I also received an aboriginal calendar and card from Jenny who teaches aboriginal programs. Sadly, the staff told me that she suffered a stroke last week. She is only 38 years old. I must find out how to contact her so I can send her a thank you card and well wishes. Sherry told me that the Aboriginals at the Cultural Center are smudging for me. I am blessed to be remembered in so many ways!! Of course, before I left Innisfail I made a little trip to my favorite gift shop in Innisfail, The Gift Loft. I found a few more sale-priced decorations to add to my silver/clear/mirror/turquoise collection.
Yesterday's walk was around dusk. The winter colors were amazing!! The vast expanse of clean white snow contrasted the black lacey look of the bare shrubs and poplars. In the background was the solid black of the spruce trees, and surrounding were pale pink skies. To the west were the mountains in a haze of deep smokey blue. What a treasure!! Perhaps today I'll get a picture.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Where Have I Been?
When I got home from Leduc on Monday I felt like I had been gone forever. Upon reflection I realized that I had spent very few days at home in the last two weeks of December. I babysat my granddaughter Madison in Red Deer from December 18th - 21st. Aina was in Edmonton for her Module 3 exam prep course which is part of her articling to become a chartered accountant. Trevor went to Saskatchewan to pick up his sons T.J. and Cole for Christmas. We decided that a long trip would not be fun for Madison. In addition, it would be good for Trevor to have some quality time with his sons. Sonja arrived at Aina's on the 19th so we took turns with babysitting, last-minute shopping, and Sonja spending time with her friends. I was home in Caroline for the 22nd and 23rd, then back to Aina's for Christmas.
All of our family was at Aina's new home in Red Deer for Christmas Eve. Trevor's Mom Lorrena and sons were also there. We had a traditional turkey dinner and gift exchange that evening. Jarl, Rebecca, Spencer and Parker returned to Rebecca's folk's home in Caroline later that evening. The rest of us slept over. Christmas Day was stockings and more gifts for the children, a leisurely breakfast, leftovers for lunch, and quality visiting time. It was a wonderful relaxed time! I enjoyed not feeling the pressure of celebrating in a crowded little cabin!!
We were home for boxing day then off to Camrose on December 27th for Uncle Art's funeral. He passed on December 20th, his Dad's birthdate. The service at Burgar Funeral Home was a wonderful tribute to Uncle Art. After the service we went to the Kingman Cemetery for the internment. It was the first time I had been to the cemetery since Mom's headstone had been put in place. I was pleased with the result, thinking of the progress from pen and paper to computer drawings to carvings in stone. Following the cemetery, we went to the social room of the Kingman Lutheran Church for lunch. Although the circumstances of our gathering were not pleasant, it was a good opportunity to visit family and friends, though briefly.
On December 28th we had our Bjorgum family Christmas at Laurel's. It was a fun and lively time with the babyset, elementary school age children, teenagers, the twenty-something single set, newlyweds, oldies, cats and dogs. There were board games, games for kids like indoor hockey, You Tube viewing, visiting, photo ops, and an abundance of good food as always.
Madison and I spent the nights of December 27th and 28th at Laurel's. I returned to Caroline on the 29th, dropping Madison off at Red Deer on the way. On the 30th I went to Homecare in Sundre and on the 31st I had Chemo treatment #5 in Red Deer. All is well so far. Having come this far with no major difficulties has boosted my confidence. Only one treatment left now. I CAN DO THIS!! On January 27th I have an appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Topstad, to discuss surgery options. It's a patience game but it's good to know I've come this far. Of course, having passed Midwinter, with lengthening hours of daylight, brings a new optimism in spite of the severe cold.
It has been wonderful to have the last two days at home in a warm, cosy wood-heated cabin with my friendly companion. I am very much looking forward to sticking close to home for the next little while.
In the World of Music: Eartha Kitt passed in December just before her 82nd birthday. She will be well remembered for her singing of "Santa Baby" and her role as Catwoman in the Batman TV series. She started off with two strikes against her: she was an illegitimate child of mixed race, part black and part Cheyenne native. She was a child labourer picking cotton in the cotton fields. I must research her story further.
I wish you all a healthy and happy New Year with contentment, peace of mind, and few worries.
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