A 10 out of 10 day!  Got up and did my version of a workout, had breakfast and then we decided it might be a great day for a bike ride.  I tested it out the other day and rode to Geoff’s house without too much difficulty and we have been talking about heading down to the path by the river and doing a ride  It is flat and you can just putz along.  We drove down and parked at Home Road and then rode the bikes all the way past the zoo and to Deerfoot Trail and back again.  My odometer said it was about 23 km.  We stopped at Licks for ice-cream and they had sugar free burgundy cherry.  (I am trying to stay away from sugar as I have read it is one of the worst things I can eat.  Cancer cells apparently thrive on sugar.)  We then rode around and through Point McKay checking out possibilities for Kelli and Mike.  They are moving to Calgary in the fall and need to find a place to rent.  A bit of a challenge as Mike will be working at the Peter Lougheed and the new South Calgary Hospital and Kelli will most likely be at more than one location possibly including the Foothills.  So they are looking for something with good access to roadways so they can get to where they want to be.  I think living down in the Parkdale, Point McKay, Inglewood areas would be ideal!  There are some nice spots down there with great access to the river paths and to Memorial Drive.   If any of you have a line on a place or know of something that fits this description we would really appreciate hearing from you!  Tomorrow is chemo day and then I am meeting the badminton Mom’s for dinner at Earls.  We haven’t had a get together in some time so it will be a great gab fest I’m sure.  We Mom’s spent many hours together at tournaments over the years cheering our kids on!

Here is your visual reminder for Wednesday morning!

Don’t forget your White Rabbits!  It’s hard to believe
that the first of August is fast approaching!  Summer
just seems to fly by!  Figures, as it is my favourite
time of the year!

Oh yes....I almost forgot to give you the answer to yesterdays trivia question:  the top 10 vegetables you should consider including in your diet! How many did you get right???
Beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, dandelion, kale, mushrooms, onions and spinach!!!

Todays trivia question......which fruits do you think get the highest rating and are in the top 10 for nutritional benefits?

Another beautiful summer day!!  Hope this lasts all summer!  Kelli and I headed out to Cross Iron Mills today.  I needed some jeans and found a pair that fit at “Lucky” Jeans.  I’m in to anything lucky these days!  Speaking of luck.....DO NOT FORGET THAT WEDNESDAY IS WHITE RABBIT DAY!!!
I will send you a visual reminder tomorrow!

Dropped in on Geoff and Lindsey.  They are in the midst of a yard fix up with lots of help from Bill.
The people who owned the place before them were definitely not into landscaping.  Bill was digging out some dirt at the side of the house yesterday and moved a buried board only to discover it was sheltering a “bees” nest.  He was swarmed by about 30 bees all quite angry at being disturbed.  It was a miracle he wasn’t stung!!!

We got home around three and I pulled out my latest interest, a book called “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.”  It is a really interesting book and identifies the power house foods that we should be eating. The author of the book contacted 16 renowned nutritional experts to ask them to list their “top 10 recommended foods.”  Interestingly of those 16, not one mentioned soy or soy products!  In fact the author of this book totally disputes any health benefits associated with soy.  He then takes each of the various food groups and talks about a wide range of foods and their nutritional benefits and identifies the top 10 in each.  So the challenge today.  Name the top 10 vegetables.  I will give you the answer tomorrow!

Just going to head down with my tea to watch the Olympics.  Really interested to see how Clara Hughes did.  I saw her speak at Teacher’s Convention a couple of years ago and was really impressed by her.  She was a real bad ass teenager and at one point in her life was a two pack a day smoker!  Sport saved her!  Hard to believe with a start like that she as gone on the be a medalist in both winter and summer Olympics.  Once she got her energies channeled in the right direction she went on to be a tremendous success and has grown into a very likeable, inspirational young woman.  I am cheering for her!  In this month’s Chatelaine a number of athletes are quoted on their philosophies.  Clara Hughes’ philosophy is “Don’t underestimate yourself.”  Go Clara, Go!!!

First and foremost....Happy Birthday to my brother Kevin!!!  He is currently touring the maritimes in his camper and loving it!  What a great place to see in birthday #???
And just as a sidebar note of trivia......were you aware that today was also Terry Fox’s birthday!?
As most of you know I have been a huge supporter of the Terry Fox Run for the past 16 years so it is only fitting I would also remember him on this day!  Kevin and Terry were actually born on the same day in 1958!

Today a friend sent me her website called “Dames on the Range.”  I had such a great time looking at all the wonderful pictures and reading comments and stories that people had contributed.  I even poached a few of the quotes which I found very inspirational.

I especially enjoyed this one!
“There are two basic motivating forces:  fear and love.  When we are afraid we pull back from life.  When we are in love we open to all life has to offer with passion, excitement and acceptance.  We need to learn to love ourselves first in all our glory and our imperfections  If we cannot love ourselves we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create.  Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open heated vision of people who embrace life.”
John Lennon

I have been thinking about going bike riding for days now and today finally decided to give it a whirl.  I am constantly trying to find my way back to do the things I love to do and for me many of the these things are physical pursuits.  I decided to do a relatively short ride for my first time out so donned my helmet and biking shoes and headed over to Geoff and Lindsey’s house which is in Citadel.  To my delight I can bike with relative ease.  Came home and decided to try a hill just to see how it would go so rode down to the tennis courts and back home.  The hill, not so easy but I did it which I was very pleased about.  Slowly I am finding things I can do.  Certainly, not to the same level of vigour as before but I am doing things and I am loving it!  With each new thing I find I can do comes a real sense of accomplishment.  I have never understood people who choose not to engage in anything physical at all.  For me exercise and activity have always brought me a true sense of well being which is so critical at this point in my life!  So, to all of you who have stepped up your fitness focus.....good on ya!  Hopefully you will get hooked for life!  When I first started my recovery one of my biggest fears was that I wouldn’t be able to do anything physical.  Happily, I am discovering that this is not the case.....I just have to adjust my expectations and realize that I can’t go as far or as fast but I can still do many of the things that I could do before.  It’s all a matter of giving it a try!

Off to Foothills bright and early for my hydration session and bloodwork.  The place was full of very sick people today.  It is heartbreaking to watch.  My nurse took me to my chair and proceeded to try to start an IV.  She heated up my hand, looked at it, tapped the back of my hand and finally said she wasn’t comfortable trying to start an IV on me.  She would get Ivy!  Oh my God!!!  Ivy is the only one who jabs me several times before she is successful! I have had her two or three times in the past and it is the same story every time.  Nice girl but not good at this part of her job.   And this girl is telling me Ivy was better at starting IV’s than she was.  You would think with a name like “Ivy” you would be deadly starting IV’s!  Not so......Some of the nurses are just awesome but the crew in there today were definitely challenged when it came to starting IV’s.  After several pokes they finally got things going.  My hands are a little black and blue tonight.  All around me I could here nurses muttering to their patients what poor veins they had.  Not a good day to be in the daycare!  Funny, after awhile you get to know who’s good and who’s not.  Unfortunately, you have no say who your nurse will be.....luck of the draw.  Sometimes you draw good....sometimes, not so good.

Finished with the hydration and headed off to the lab for my bloodwork.  Did a double take when I saw a lady I had visited with a couple of weeks ago during treatment.  Two weeks ago she had long blonde hair.....today she was bald and wearing a turban.  On top of this she looked as if she had lost ten pounds and was walking with a cane.  It was shocking to see her deterioration in just a couple of weeks.  I told Kelli tonight if I lose my hair I will not wear one of those turbans!  They just scream “cancer”.  They make you look sick.  I will definitely look for some other options.  I think even a ball cap would look better than those caps.  My hair is still hanging in there.  A couple of weeks ago I was thinking it was coming out and it has definitely thinned but it is still there.  It is scruffy because my cheap side has been saying “why waste money on a haircut if it’s just going to fall out?”  Well, today, I decided it might as well look decent while I have it so I dropped in on my hairdresser and booked an appointment for tomorrow.  Who knows....maybe I won’t lose it at all so it might as well look good.  I have been very careful with it.  I rarely blow it dry, don’t towel it dry to vigorously, avoid brushing it too much, use all sorts of concoctions on it ......  So far, so good, but I had to admit to myself today that it looks pretty rough at the moment!  I reminded myself of the presentation I went to sometime ago....”Look good, feel good...”  Time to step it up a notch!!

Last day in Windermere for this go round.  We squeezed in one more golf game this morning.  Broke a 100 again today!  Yahoo!!!  Changed up the groupings with Dad getting the girls (Lindsey and I) and Bill and Geoff together.  We went ahead of the guys which was probably a mistake.  There must have been four times a ball dropped within feet of us.....guess who?  Geoff!  He was good enough not to hit us but if he had been a stranger we may have done something obnoxious with his ball.  I have learned some pretty good tricks from other golfers over the years as to what you do when you have an aggressive golfer behind you.  The funniest one was probably the guy who drove his cart over the guys ball several times until it looked like an egg in the turf!  Once I played with a woman who promptly turned and hit the ball back at the player behind us.  I think he definitely got the hint.  Then there was one who hit the guys ball into the Columbia River!  In any case we were tolerant of Geoff’s near misses but next time we will put him in front of us and let Lindsey hit!  She absolutely crushes the ball on her drives so she could probably give him a taste of his own medicine!

We had such a nice break up there!  Windermere has always been a place where I can recharge.  We are home for a bit but will be back out there in August.  Bill is going to play in the Alberta Police Golf tournament in August and I will just go out and stay with Dad. Kelli is working in Invermere all summer so it is a great opportunity for us to spend some time together!  She is actually taking up golf!  Now that is something I never thought I would see!  If we could put her and Lindsey in a bag and shake it up we would get an awesome golfer.  Lindsey has the drive mastered!  Kelli’s short game is pretty awesome!  All they need is to learn to putt!

Tomorrow a busy day.  Hydration and blood work in the morning.  Then I want to have coffee with Jenifer!  Haven’t seen her in a bit and she is heading off to Shuswap tomorrow!  Most summers we get out there to spend some time with them but it doesn’t look like it’s going to work this year. After that it will be the usual errands that need to be done after being absent for a couple of weeks.....groceries, laundry....all that fun stuff we love to not do when on vacation!

Played golf today with Dad, Bill, Lindsey and Geoff.  We had to go out as a twosome and a threesome so I played with Lindsey and Geoff.  Geoff shot his best ever nine today on the front....37!  Lindsey was crushing the ball on her drives.  They were an awesome pair!  The day was not as hot which I find better.  Not sure if it’s the treatment but I don’t seem to like the heat as much as I used to.

We came home and had Dad’s birthday supper, even though his birthday isn’t for another week or so.  I will not be out here for his birthday as I am going to Gull Lake for a girl’s get together so we decided to celebrate today.

Bill and I head back to Calgary tomorrow.  We have had an awesome week out here but time to head home and get a few things done there including appointments etc  We will play golf in the morning but will regroup.  Lindsey and I will play with Dad and Geoff and Bill will go out together.  Will try to remember to take my camera out tomorrow.
Happy Birthday to Pat tomorrow!!!

Back at the golf today.  Soooo windy!  Sometimes an advantage, sometimes not!  The sun shone though so it was a good day on the course.  I continue to experience problems with the biffy on hole #13 which incidentally is MY HOLE IN ONE HOLE!!!  Played my ball today and had Dad stop at the washrooms before heading over to the green.  We were golfing with two singles today, both men.  One had also stopped to use the washrooms.  I headed for the ladies room.....(Yes, I have learned my lesson) and busted in on Dan.  A little embarrassing!  What the heck was he doing on the ladies side.  There wasn’t anyone ion the men’s.  Anyways...I used the men’s again!

Geoff and Lindsey arrive tonight.  We have tee times booked for both Tuesday and Wednesday.  Really looking forward to spending some time with them.  Kelli and Mike are cooking dinner tonight!

Forgot to mention another milestone that occurred the other night when we were out to dinner at Brian and Brenda’s.  Just before we left, Brian was feeding the dogs leftover salmon.  He was trying to get Boomer to roll over but there really wasn’t enough room to roll so Boomer stood up and spun around instead.  Didn’t know he was that smart!  In any case, it was really funny AND for the first time since my surgery, an honest to goodness laugh came out of my body.  I know Judy and Lorna have both been wanting to hear my signature laugh and will be delighted to hear that although slightly altered.....it is back!!!  I didn’t say anything but I noticed it.  The next day when Kelli and I were at Kicking Horse Coffee having our latte’s she asked me if I had noticed.....she had.  Funny how we miss those little things.  I LOVE TO LAUGH as all of you who know me well know!

Time to head out... but not before I wish Holly and Robbie HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  Hope you both read this today.  Interestingly, 24 years ago today Holly and Bob were at our house for dinner when Kathy called to tell us that she had a beautiful baby boy with 10 fingers and 10 toes!  Where do the years go!???  Hope you both had a wonderful day.  Robbie is still probably on cloud nine.  This past week he participated in the World Transplant Games and is a GOLD MEDALIST in Lawn Bowling!

A scorcher of a day here today.  Got up and drove Barry, Wendy and Bill to Castle Junction with their bikes today.  They wanted to do the 120 km ride back to Windermere.  A bit of a hot day to take it on but they enjoyed it.  I headed back to Windermere and spent the day on the beach with Boomer.  He is flaked out on the deck right now after swimming for almost two hours straight.

Kelli and Mike went white water rafting with Ashley and Andy on the Kicking Horse River today.  Kelli dropped by on her way home tonight and she looks pooped too!  She said it was an awesome day!  She is really enjoying her work time out here. The work is interesting, the doctor’s are welcoming and she loves the lifestyle.  Just this week alone she has been golfing, mountain biking and rafting!

Tomorrow Dad and I are golfing early.  Time to snatch the early tee times.....by 11 AM it is scorching hot and I’m finding I fade fast in the heat.  Bill is going to take it easy and treat himself to a day of R & R.

Geoff and Lindsey arrive tomorrow night for a few days.  We will play golf with them on Tuesday and Wednesday and then will head back to Calgary for a bit.  Had considered doing my hydration out here again this week but then realized I need to have my blood work done before next Tuesday’s chemo session.  Can’t believe how fast the summer is flying.

Quite the windstorm here last night.  Dad and Bill played golf this morning and said there were more than 30 large trees down on the golf course.  Carnage around the town of Windermere as well but fortunately I haven’t heard of anyone getting hurt.

I opted out of golf today!  Kelli and I decided to hit the Farmer’s Market in Invermere this morning.  Mike dropped her off on his way to work at the hospital and we headed in to Kicking Horse Coffee for latte’s.  I am off of straight coffee but must confess a good latte still tastes pretty darn good!  We enjoyed a leisurely cup and then headed into town to check out the market.  We were stunned by the size of it and later discovered it was “Valley Appreciation Day”.  There were all kinds of booths selling everything from jams, to vegetables, to jewellery, to hats, to bread etc. etc.  The best part was that most of the booths were offering samples of their wares so we went from vendor to vendor sampling all sorts of delicious things.  We spent a couple of hours wandering, bought falafel’s and settled down to watch a band playing on the stage (also part of the market attractions).  It was great fun!

After lunch we headed home and Kelli went back to Columbia Lake where she is staying.  I wandered over to see my friend Monica who just recently went through surgery on her lung.  She is out here recuperating.  Quite honestly, there probably isn’t a better place to do that.  I haven’t heard from her in a bit and was really excited when I got an email telling me she was here.  We had a great visit and I got to meet her new puppy “Murphy”, an adorable Wheaton Terrier!  We compared scars.....we both have some pretty major road maps on our bodies and shared some of our “hospital” experiences.  Being able to sit and talk to someone who has been through a very similar experience to your own is very therapeutic.  Monica is one of the strongest women I have ever met.  She has supported me throughout my journey and I have kept every email she has sent me!  When I think I have it tough I often think of her.  My battle has been for 8 months.......her’s has been for fourteen years!  We both know how important it is to appreciate every single day and not take a single thing for granted.  I have always appreciated my life and my family but somehow when you are faced with a serious health condition you are reminded that life is precious, family and friends are the most important thing and if there’s something you want to do or say.....go for it!

A quick post tonight.  It’s getting late and I’m ready for bed.  Had a great day today!  Bill and Mike decided to do the bike ride from Windermere to Macleod Meadows and back (85 clicks) and Kelli and I played golf.  After four days in a row of walking I decided to treat myself and we carted the entire 18 today.  Good thing because we were behind the slowest foursome ever and it was a five hour round!  Too long for a game of golf.  It was hot and we were very thankful we decided to take the cart.  Score was on the right side of 100 again today but barely so!!!

Came home got changed and headed over to Lenzin’s for a delicious supper!  The weather was lovely when we arrived and we sat down on their dock and enjoyed the early evening.  By the time we headed home however the storm had rolled in and the rain was coming down pretty good.  When we got back to Dad’s place in Windermere we were shocked at the number of trees down.  Dad said the power was out for over an hour here.  They obviously got hit harder than where we were.  There will be a few people out cleaning up tree branches etc. tomorrow.

Bill and Dad going to golf tomorrow.  Not me!  Four days in a row and I’m ready for a rest.  Kelli and I are going to head into Invermere tomorrow and check out the Farmer’s Market.  Other than that, not a lot planned for the day.  Going to drop over and visit a friend and enjoy a slower pace!

Not too many comments on yesterdays blog but loved Dusty’s response.  “Shit happens!”  Sure does!
Will clean it up today!  Perhaps the bathroom humour was more information than people needed.

Hot here today.  Went into the Invermere Hospital for hydration this morning.  Everyone in the Emergency Department was excited as they had had a delivery that morning and a quick one at that.  So laid back here compared to Calgary.  Enjoyed the change of scenery for sure and it was great not to have to return to Calgary for the appointment.  May just do my next weeks hydrating here as well! I had to laugh though.....when checking in I was asked if I would like to declare Aboriginal Status!?
Not sure what that’s all about.

From there I headed back to Windermere, picked up my Dad and we headed out to the golf course.  Only walked nine today but it was not my finest round.  Just didn’t seem to have it today!  I did some amazing shots.....and by amazing I’m not suggesting they were by any means good.    Still, enjoyed the game....always enjoy playing with Dad!  Tomorrow, Kelli and I are booked.  She is working a call shift tonight though (after working a full day of 9-5 today and seeing 33 patients) so if she doesn’t get any sleep the game may not happen.  If it does, we have already agreed we are going to cart the entire 18!  After four days of walking, I think I’ve earned it!

We got home round 4:30.  A bit of a scorcher here today and I decided that it was time to take the first dip of the season.  Wasn’t entirely sure how swimming out to the raft would go.  It’s not like shogging (cross between a jog and a shuffle which is my latest workout gait for those of you who have missed previous postings).  When I’m shogging and decide to stop, no big deal.......but if you are swimming and decide to stop.....well, put bluntly....you drown!  I was puffing pretty good on the way out....looked over my shoulder at my Dad following and thought to myself “I don’t think he’s going to be able to save me if I need him too.”  Then I looked past him to the beach where Bill was sitting, fully dressed and doggy sitting and thought “He’s not coming for me...”  The only one that would come after me would be Boomer and that is an absolutely a terrifying experience.  When I try swimming with him he panics and tries to save me.  His idea of saving, however, is not very effective.  He comes straight at you with front paws pawing frantically.  In any case, I did make it to the raft....had a little rest and headed back in without requiring any aid or assistance.   Was quite pleased with myself!  Another something I can do!

Missed doing my blog last night.  9 PM arrived and I just crashed!  Had the best sleep I have had in quite some time!  Go pretty strong through the day but by mid evening start to run out of gas.

Up this morning to play golf.  Dad had to do a repeat trip to Cranbrook this morning.  Kelli had phoned to confirm his appointment last week.  He had it in his calendar that his scan was Monday, July 16 but the lady said, no it was Tuesday, July 17.  So, he went on Tuesday, only to discover the appointment had in fact been on Monday.  They insisted it was not them that had made the mistake.  Dad wasn’t sure who to be mad at but I told him that I myself have been misinformed countless times about appointments, and have seen other patients with the same misinformation.   There have been several occasions where they have neglected to tell me what the prep for the procedure was or the best one....don’t drive yourself as you will be sedated.  I will never forget having the initial endoscope with no sedation because I had driven my car to the hospital.  Oops....the nurse forgot to inform me of this crucial piece of information!  In any case, no golf for Dad today so Bill changed his bike riding plans and joined me on the course.  I have been walking the front nine and riding the back which seems to be  just about right, however, today when we finished the front nine there were no carts left.  The course is very busy with all the Mountainside members and customers coming to Riverside since the mud slide earlier this week.  I decided I would continue to walk.  10 was a bit of a slog as it is an uphill hole but after that it is pretty much downhill or flat.  Bill insisted on pulling my clubs for me for quite a bit of the round.  We were playing with a fellow who was a pilot for West Jet.  I am sure he wondered at this.  Probably thought either we were newly weds or that I was a Princess Supreme!!!  (most likely the latter)  I am going to share some personal information here....a little bathroom humour you might say!
I have discovered that following my IV chemo I suffer from ahem......constipation!  Turns out it is the anti nausea drugs that do this to you and I have been popping them pretty good this past week.  In any case I have had a week of eating prunes, bran, taking laxatives etc. etc.  Today, FINALLY,  on hole 13 I knew there was going to be a breakthrough!  Toodled down to the bathroom only to find the ladies side was occupied, looked around....no one in sight and decided I would just slip into the men’s side!  Spent a few minutes in there and was feeling so much better unloading a weeks worth of supplies!  Just getting ready to wash my hands and someone rattled on the door!  Shoot!!!  Well, out I went and there was a gentleman waiting for his turn.  Poor guy!  I wanted to suggest he try the ladies side but instead did the quick bolt across the bridge and hoped I would never be paired with him in future games.  Why is it I always get caught in these situations.  EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Tomorrow I am going to get my hydration done at the Invermere Hospital.  One of the perks of having Kelli and Mike working here.  Will go in at 8 and then will head back here to pick Dad up.  Bill going to take the day off from golf but Dad and I are going to play.  Will try to stay out of the Men’s Room tomorrow!

Back in Windermere for a bit.  Thought the weather was going to be poopy but we arrived to a hot, sunny day.  Could hardly wait to get out of my warm clothes.  We stopped in Canmore for lunch and I ate half of it, took the rest in the car and finished it on the remainder of the drive.  Eating has become a steady and constant focus.  It is really hard to get in the necessary calories when you can only eat small quantities at a time.  Did pretty good today though.  Much better than the past few days when I have been a little under the weather.

Have tee times booked for tomorrow for Bill and I.  Dad won’t be joining us as he has to go to Cranbrook for a bone scan.  Kelli and Mike working so it’s me vs. Bill!!!  I think he’s worried because he suggested I should get up early and have my workout before we head out to the course!!!  ha....hardly!!!

Brought my swim suit and if it’s as hot tomorrow as it was today I fully plan to take a dip in the lake.  Boomer is having no trouble taking the plunge, but then Boomer would plunge any time, any temperature.....so he’s not a good one to measure the lake temperature by.  There were lots of people in in the water today though when we arrived and although I didn’t know any of them I’m assuming most of them have a higher intelligence level than my black lab.

Major mud slide in Fairmont that closed down the Mountainside Golf Course and resulted in all the inhabitants of the Mountainside condos being evacuated.  Wondered if Kelli and Mike would be stranded as they are staying at Columbia Lake but they got through OK.

Time to hit bed.  Still a little weary…...  Looking forward to a great week!

Another quiet day for me.......yesterday quite brutal....got a little taste of what chemotherapy patients go through and I didn’t like it one little bit!  Today much better but still moments where I’m not feeling 100%.  Definitely on the upswing though.  The problem is when you just stay home there isn’t much to talk about!

Have been puttering around today.  Bill off to help Geoff and Lindsey take down their fence, Kelli back in Invermere......it’s quiet with no one around.  Just me and Boomer....

Tomorrow we will head out to Windermere for the week.  Looking forward to getting back on the golf course and hoping this little blip in the weather is just that...a blip on the radar screen.  Don’t mind the cooler weather in town but when you are out there you like the sunshine.  I’m even going to pack my swim suit!

Bill has plans to do a bike ride from Castle Junction to Windermere.  He has really gotten into cycling since the Enbridge ride.  Yesterday he rode 123 km out to Ron and Marg’s place and back!  Must confess I’m jealous!  I so miss my physical activity but having said that I have come to realize that there is no point in agonizing over what I used to be able to do.  Instead, I have to focus on the things I can do now in this moment and hope at some point I will be able to do some of those things I used to love to do!  Being able to golf has been a huge boost for me even if I only walk half of the course.  It is a start!

Have been reading a book Brian and Brenda brought me back from Alaska.  It is called the Lance Mackay story!  Wow....this guy is tough.  He had throat cancer and during his recovery period, while still on stomach feeds raced 1000 mile dog mushing races in Alaska.  His cans of Ensure would freeze in the -40 temperatures.  Really puts things into perspective.  In any case he has beaten his cancer and his journey was very inspirational.  Bill says he makes me look like a wimp and I would have to agree!
However, the real point of the story is to have goals, passion and purpose.  I do have those and have them well within my sights.  I firmly believe short and long term goals are important and am busy setting those objectives for myself.  Have been also reading a book called Cancer-50 Essential things to do.  An interesting read, especially the section on nutrition.  I have always considered myself a good eater, even a bit of a zealot when it came to healthy eating, however, reading this I realize there are still things I can do to improve my diet.  There is huge evidence to support that you can help yourself tremendously by taking control of your lifestyle.  I’m lucky in that I don’t have huge adjustments to make but there are areas I will definitely strive to do better in.  The book maintains that sugar is one of the worst things a cancer patient can eat as cancer cells thrive on sugar.  It also suggests taking the white out of your diet...white flour, white rice, potatoes etc......The problem with all of this is I also need to keep my caloric intake up and if you start eliminating these high calorie foods you can lose out in the calorie area.  Moderation...common sense....I suppose.....

Had an amazing birthday yesterday. Above are pictures, two of Kelli and I at the grounds and the last a picture of the sea otter Bill gave me for a birthday gift.  The picture does not do the carving justice!  He is absolutely awesome.  Last summer we were travelling on the Sunshine Coast and we went into a gallery and discovered the artist who carves these amazing pieces.  I bought one for Geoff and Lindsey as a wedding gift and wished I could afford one for myself as well.  My wish came true!  This one is quite different than the one I bought but I love it just as much!  Can’t believe Bill bought it for me!

The day was busy....maybe a little too busy as I am certainly paying the price a little today.  In any case...totally worth a day of being tired.  In the morning Kelli and I went for pedicures then met up with Geoff, Lindsey and Bill for lunch on the patio at Cianti’s.  Geoff and Lindsey had to work last night (not a paramedics dream to work Friday/Saturday night of Stampede!)  and Lindsey offered to drive us down to the grounds.  We got there around four and wandered the Big Four, checked out the Coca Cola Stage and tried our hand at West Jets draw for discounted flights.  We had just run into the Lenzin’s and their friend Marilyn.  Marilyn won a free flight, Brenda got a flight for 30% off and Brian a flight for 5% off.  We lined up.  The four people in line ahead of us all won 30% off their flights but Kelli and I only got 10%.  Well, 10% is certainly better than nothing and it can be combined with a seat sale.  We did some serious people watching.  Cannot believe some of the get ups people wear down there and the food they eat.  Honestly, deep fried oreo cookies, jalapeño corn dogs (Lindsey swears they are delicious!) , deep fried just about anything!  Pretty gross!  The concert was great.  Really enjoyed Johnny Reid, although thought the gig by Theo Fleury was a little weird!  He wrote a song....”I got my Life back.”,  I think it was a good thing he was a hockey player because I don’t think he has a future as a musician.  Was a bit of an odd addition to the concert.

Laying very low today.  Thanks so much to everyone who sent me birthday wishes yesterday!  I woke up to 35 messages on my phone!  Guess when you tell people all week on your blog that your birthday is on Friday they remember!  Probably that and the reminders you get through Facebook which I find great for remembering friend’s birthdays too.  In any case the phone calls, the emails, the gifts were all greatly appreciated.  Not a day goes by that I don’t give thanks for the friend’s and family I have been blessed with.  Each message you send to me boosts me up.  Thankyou.....I’m sure you have no idea the strength you all give to me!

Phew....long day.  Got up and huffed and puffed my way through my workout, walked the dog, had breakfast and headed off to the Foothills for my hydration appointment which once started takes about an hour.  The appointment was for 11:30 so I booked my doctor’s appointment for 1 PM, knowing it was a little tight but thinking I could make it as the doctor is just across the street from the Foothills.

Arrived to discover all the computer systems were down.  People waiting for chemo were facing 3-4 hour waits for their lab results to come up from the lab before they could start on their chemo.  Fortunately all I required was saline, however, even this required over an hour wait.  No way I was going to make that doctors appointment.  Called and explained the situation and they were very understanding and said just come over when you are done.  Made me realize how dependent everyone has become on technology and the disaster it creates when it crashes.  Geoff was working yesterday and 911 wasn’t working on any of the landlines downtown.  Nobody seems to know when things will be up and running again but I can tell you i was thankful I wasn’t booked for Chemo today!  So another day spent in the confines of the Foothills Hospital.  Thank goodness I get a bit of a break here.  I am going to have my hydration done in Invermere next week so won’t have to come back for it here.

Kelli home for a couple of days to take me to see Johnny Reid tomorrow night!  Can hardly wait.  Lunch with Geoff and Lindsey then down to the grounds to wander a bit before the concert.  Fortunately it is going to be a little cooler tomorrow.  I can’t imagine wandering around there at the temperatures we have had over this past week.

Still feeling decent. Have managed to keep my weight stable since getting out my J tube removed.  It is a bit of an effort though as you have to be constantly snacking and drinking.  Seems like a full time job!  You would think it would be nice but actually it is a total pain in the butt.
Oh well....it’s a pain that is bearable....just a bit of a nuisance....

Another hot day.  Skipped my workout today as I was feeling a little weary this morning.  Had my smoothie breakfast and got a second wind.  Headed off to Friends to have lunch with three teacher friends.  Great visit....a three hour lunch.  Bill doesn’t get it how girls can drag a coffee date or a lunch date out like that but we have a jolly good gab and catch up on what everyone has been up to.  Lisa was our prime entertainment today!  We all feel like we have boring lives after spending a couple of hours with her!

From there I headed off to do my recycling, then to Costco, then to get my passport photos done while I still have hair!  Those pictures have to be the most unflattering photos in the world.  It was really entertaining though to watch the little boy getting his done before me.  The little guy wanted to smile and couldn’t understand why the photographer taking his picture kept telling him not to.  His Mom then stepped in and demonstrated how he should look which was even funnier.  Then she asked him if he wanted to go to Disneyland and he broke out in the biggest smile ever!  She should have asked him if he wanted to be left behind when they went to Disneyland....that might have done it.  They finally got his picture but it took some doing!

Came home and took Boomer for his walk.  This heat is not for him and our walks in this weather have become abbreviated from what we usually do.  That and the fact that most of our ravine is closed off while the city repaves a bike path that in no way had to be repaved.  A total and absolute waste of money!  And we wonder where our tax dollars are being spent...on unnecessary projects like this!

Came home and got supper going.  Geoff came for supper but Lindsey was working 11-11 today.  She is on the rodeo detail for a couple of days this week.  Maybe we’ll see her on TV tonight!

Tomorrow it’s hydration and a visit to the doctor to get some more medications!  Just what I need....more pills!  For someone who never took pills this medication regime is a little disconcerting!

Went for my IV chemo today.  A four hour event!  This week is revolving around appointments and it is definitely more difficult to go when the weather is beautiful outside!  Must admit though it is even a little too warm for me.  I used to just LOVE the heat but am finding temperatures around 30 when you are not near a body of water are a little much. Looking forward to getting back to the lake.  Hopefully by next week the water will have cleared up a little and I can venture into it. I am starting to fear once again that I may be losing my hair.  Have noticed it coming out in little bits more than usual.  The nurse told me that if it was going to happen I would start to notice it in this cycle.  Shoot....was hoping to dodge that bullet.  Perhaps it is just thinning......hmmm....Maybe time to get out my hat collection from when I shaved my head a few years back.  Everyone keeps saying to me this shouldn’t be a big deal as I did it before and that I have a nice head and looked good bald.  You are all such liars!!!  Nice liars, but still liars!  You even have me halfway convinced.  Told Geoff today I would look just like him and he said that was a good thing.  After the chemo I went to pick up my next round of anti nausea drugs....$322.92.  Thank God I have a drug plan that pays for these things.  I keep thinking about people that have no such thing and wonder how they manage.  I was talking to the nurse today and I told her I have vials of drugs I haven’t even opened.  They are mostly for nausea and I have never had to use them.  I would dearly love to donate them to someone who needs them but you can’t do this.  This must be returned to the pharmacy where they are destroyed.  What a total waste, especially since some of them have not even been opened.

Had to get my driver’s license renewed today.  Forgot I would need a picture and I was definitely having a bad hair day....but then I realized that most days are bad hair days for me so I might as well look like I normally look on my license.  At least my picture has hair.  I might come to really love that picture in a few weeks time.  She asked for two pieces of ID, my old driver’s license and my health care card.  My health care card looks a little like my hair.  It is in a sad state of repair and everyone I show it to comments on it.  I took it out of my wallet feeling a little embarrassed.  Told her I had been meaning to replace it but just hadn’t gotten around to it.  She told me I could order it there so problem solved and the good news was it didn’t cost a cent which made the $85 I had to pay for my new license seem a little less painful.

Continued on to get groceries and ear drops for Boomer and didn’t get home until 6 PM....A long day and to be honest I am totally whipped tonight.  A combination of the heat, the chemo and being on the go all day I’m thinking.  Will be in bed bright and early tonight.

No appointments tomorrow, just a lunch date with some friends!  Much more appealing and something to look forward to!  Counting down to Friday.....Yahoo....concert time!  Geoff is taking me out for lunch for my birthday and Kelli is taking me to the concert.  Friday the 13th never looked better.  I was actually born on Friday the 13th!  My mom always considered 13 to be a lucky number.  Typical Mom!

After a terrific few days at the lake drove home first thing this morning for what I thought was some sort of swallow/voice rehab.  Really had no idea what this appointment was about but after awhile you just show up and see what they’ve got in store for you today.  Arrived at the PL Hospital at 2 and the lady at the check in said they will be out for you shortly for your test.  I looked at Bill and said, this better not be a barium swallow!  Well, sure enough that was what I was booked for.  I looked at the lady and said I had a barium swallow over a month ago and have been eating for the past 3-4 weeks, my tube is gone and I’m not aspirating so why am I having another barium swallow.  She explained that Dr. Bosche had booked it in April when I first went to see him about my vocal cord issues.  So here we go again.....different doctors booking the same test.  I told her I did not want to do the barium swallow and did not feel I needed it.  I also told her that no one had explained what I was going there for today and had I known I would have phoned in and cancelled it in advance.  She did not seem at all bothered.  I think she was thinking....”yippee....free time”.....kind of like me when I was teaching and at the last minute a classroom teacher would call me apologetically because they were going on a field trip that day!  I would do the dance of joy!  Free time!  Me time!  Anyways.....a useless trip to the hospital on a beautiful day but we did go for a Booster Juice which has become a favourite treat for me.

Got home and discovered I was still on a waiting list for tomorrows chemo!  Duh....what’s that about?  I’m supposed to be on a three week schedule and also need to get my next three week supply of oral pills.  Waited until almost 4:00 before I finally got a call to tell me to come in at 9 AM.  Asked why I didn’t get a schedule like I did last time and she said I will probably get it at tomorrow’s appointment.  Came home and had a second call on the answering machine from the Tom Baker telling me my appointment was at 9:30 tomorrow.  Doesn’t sound like a big deal but they make you sit and wait half an hour before they call you anyways, so if I go at 9 AM I’ll be sitting for an hour before they call me.  Very frustrating.  I think there are just too many cooks cooking the stew and I happen to be the stew and I am STEWING!!!

Just going to head out for a short walk with Boomer.  He does not appreciate this heat wave and I guess I wouldn’t either if I was sporting his black coat.  The lake was a joy for him because rather than walk we would head down to the beach and he would swim to his heart’s content!  This 30 degree stuff is not black labrador weather!

Out in Windermere this weekend.  Great weather, finally.  We have played golf the last three days.  My first couple of games were pretty bad but the last two are more in line with how I know I can play.  Even got my score on the right side of 100 yesterday and shot a 97.  Today was 101 but still played decently.  It’s a lot more fun when you are actually connecting with the ball.  I’m walking the front nine but have been taking a cart for the back.  Find that by the end of 18 I’m starting to pitter out.
The beach is packed with people.  The water is so high here that there is no actual beach.  Hopefully the next time I’m out I will be able to go in the water.  Have to wait until my peg heals (this is where the J tube was).

Bill and I will head back to Calgary first thing tomorrow morning.  I have an appointment at the swallow clinic  Not sure what that is about as I am swallowing pretty good right now but will go and see what it’s about.  Tuesday is IV chemo and Thursday, hydration.  Then we will head back out here for some more lake time!  Kelli says I can get my hydration at the Invermere Hospital which would be nice as I could stay here and not worry about heading home for Thursdays.    This will pretty much be our summer.  No plans to venture too far until we see how things are progressing for me.

Had supper with Barry and Wendy last night at their place in Radium and heard about their amazing cycling trip.  They just got back from a 6 week cycling trip across America from Boston to LA.  Pretty fantastic accomplishment!  I’m thinking I’m going to try cycling next week but certainly not across America.  My goal is to go from Home Rd. to the zoo and back and finish with ice-cream at Licks.  The route is flat and should be quite doable for me I’m thinking.  I’m searching for activities that I can do and am slowly finding what I can and can’t do.  Still struggle with anything that requires too much exertion but am working on finding things that work for me!

Was at the TB for my hydration session yesterday morning.  You sit in little seating areas with two patients per area.  When I first arrived the other seat in my area was unoccupied, however, not long after sitting down I could hear the nurse bringing a new patient along.  They were having a conversation as they approached, although I could not see them from where I was sitting,  I kept thinking “Man, that guys voice sounds familiar.”  Anyways, this couple comes into the area.  He has his back to me and his wife is turned sideways so I don’t have a good view of them but I’m paying attention because I keep thinking I so recognize this guys voice.  Then he turned and I just about dropped out of my chair.  It was Brock and Jayne, two people I have dealt with for over 20 years.  They own Kodiak Sports and always did my school shirts for me.  Fantastic people!  Turns out Brock has a growth in his intestine.  Talk about a small world.  We sat and chatted for an hour while we each received our treatment.  His surgery is booked for the end of August and it sounds like a horrendous surgery.  They will remove his spleen, his gall bladder and scrape all of his other organs.  Then they pull out his entire intestine and go through it section by section to see if there are any other growths in it.  He will be in the hospital for at least three weeks!  That poor guy.  Does not sound like an easy time at all.  This is not the first time I have run into people there that I know.  They put 150 a people a day through the treatment facility.  Pretty scary eh? As I was leaving I walked by a young man.  I would put him about 19 or 20 years old.  He was having treatment and was there with his Mom and Dad.  I felt so sorry for all of them.  This is not a disease anyone should have to deal with but it makes me particularly sad when I see young people or kids being treated.

We are out in Windermere right now.  Bill and I played golf this morning.  I felt I was hitting better than my last game but my score was still on the wrong side of 100.  I improved by a few strokes but am far away from where I was shooting last year.  Bottom line though is that I am enjoying every minute of it and am only swearing quietly under my breath!

The lake is very high but is not as dirty this weekend so Boomer got to go for his swim!  Last weekend we kept him out of the water because it was so filthy dirty.  Today there were even people in swimming but I couldn’t help but think it must be freezing cold.  I will not be dipping my toes in until late July!

We are heading back home on Sunday night or Monday morning as I have a number of appointments next week.  Monday I have to go to the swallow clinic.  Not sure what that is about because I am swallowing just fine at the moment but will go and see what they have to say.  Tuesday is my chemo treatment, Thursday, hydration and finally FRIDAY....something fun.....I get to go see Johnny Reid with Kelli for my birthday!  Like a reward at the end of a week of torture!

I think, (knock on wood) summer might have arrived!  We came home from the lake on Tuesday night after discovering I had an appointment with the oncologist at 9 AM on Wednesday morning.  We had been told this appointment was cancelled but apparently not.  In any case called the surgeon’s office to see about getting my j tube removed and made an appointment for yesterday afternoon!  This appointment I was excited to go to.  My surgeon was away but one of his partners was filling in and I booked in with him.  The removal took about half a second!  One tug and it was gone!  I’ll tell you I was doing the dance of joy as I walked out of that building yesterday afternoon.  This morning I looked down at my stomach and other than the zipper scar running up the middle of my stomach it was all me! Now I will have to make a concerted effort to keep up my eating and particularly my drinking.  I did lose some weight when I was sick but am not that much below my original weight.  The problem is that they all look at the weight I was when I booked in for the surgery.  I had gained almost 25 pounds on all those delicious treats you all kept dropping off at my house!  It was never my plan to stay that weight!  I have lost much of my muscle tone I’m afraid.  Three months of not working out doesn’t promote muscle growth.  I am back on a modified fitness program and it is slowly improving.

Last night Kathy took Maureen and I to see Jersey Boys.  We went out for supper to Vero Bistro in Kensington, a gem of a little restaurant if you are looking for somewhere nice to go.  From there we headed up to the Jubilee for the show.  And what a show it was.  We all loved it!  Great music, high energy....a great production. My toes are still tapping!  Thanks Kath.  What a terrific birthday present!

Heading off for my hydration in a bit and then back up to the lake for the weekend.  Will be back home for all of next week as I have lots of appointments and stuff going on!  Kelli is living with Dad while doing her rural rotation in Invermere so I’m sure he appreciates not having us all around all of the time!

Time to get organized.  Enjoy the sunshine!

Got up to golf this morning to a black sky and gusty winds.  We watched the black clouds rolling down  the valley and decided to cancel our tee time.  Good decision, a couple of hours later the skies opened up and it bucketed!  We relaxed here for awhile and then decided to head into town to wander, something we rarely do.  Bought a pair of pants that fit me (many of my clothes are a little on the baggy side right now as I lost a little weight when I was sick) and wandered through every store in town.

Home now and have discovered I am supposed to see the doctor tomorrow at 9 AM.  They are a little disorganized I'm finding.  I did talk to the nurse last week and she said that appointment had been cancelled.  Now it's a go to access me before my next round of IV chemo which is happening next week.  Oh well, we had planned to head home tomorrow morning anyways so will just head home tonight after supper instead.  I also have a second appointment booked for tomorrow afternoon to get my J tube removed.  YAHOOO!  I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!  I am so sick of this thing and haven’t used it for days.  It is like a visual reminder that I am sick!  I called my surgeon this morning to make the appointment and was quite distressed to discover his office was closed until July 30.  Called the the doctor who is covering for him and was pleasantly surprised when she said I could come in tomorrow to get it done.  I hung up the phone and did the dance of joy!  Three months of this extra appendage is quite enough.

I’m planning to come back on Thursday after my hydration appointment and Bill is going to see depending on whether Geoff wants to work on the deck on the weekend.  I know Bill is looking forward to this project.  Things have been pretty much on hold since I got sick and I know he is missing doing that kind of stuff and is looking forward to getting back at it.  The weather forecast looks amazing for the next several days!  Has summer finally arrived?  Crossing my fingers!

Hope everyone had a Happy Canada Day!!  We are spending our weekend out in Windermere and yes....I golfed 18 holes today!  It was not pretty but was sooo fun!  Dad and I took a cart today for the 18 but there is so much flooding on the course it was cart path only and I honestly think I did as much walking to get to my ball as I would have had I walked.  Tomorrow I'm thinking I will walk the front nine and ride the back.  Bill, Dad, Kelli and I were a foursome.  Kelli gamely played 18 but I'm pretty sure she is not convinced this is the sport for her!  She hit some great balls, had some incredible horseshoe luck on a couple of holes and a few blow ups!  I myself was just consistently bad or consistently mediocre.  The good news is that I don't think the score could be much worse tomorrow!  It is so awesome to be outside actually doing something I love to do with the people I love to be with!  It honestly wouldn't matter if I scored 200! (Well, maybe a little).

Kelli starts work at the clinic in Invermere on Wednesday and Bill and I will head home for a couple of days.  I, for a birthday date with Kathy and Bill to start helping Geoff and Lindsey get their yard fixed up and their deck built.  I'm planning to come back for the weekend after my appointments on Thursday.  The forecast is for some sunshine.....Yahooo.....we will finally be getting a dose of vitamin D that is long overdue.  The lake is high and very dirty.  There were lots of people on the beach today but not one person in the water.  I wouldn't even let Boomer go swimming.  We took a walk down to check out the beach and he was so stoked.  Thought for sure we were going down for a swim.  You should have seen the look I got when I snapped on his leash!  It will be a couple of weeks I'm thinking before the water settles out.  They even have a boil water advisory here so I actually brought my own water from home.  Probably a little extreme but don't want to take any unnecessary risks.

Still feeling good!  Chemo so far not having any adverse effects, knock on wood. Hair still in place although they assured me that EVERYONE loses their hair on this protocol.  Hope I am the exception.
Eating going well although it seems like a graze all day long to get in the necessary calories.  Have pretty much stopped using the tube and will call the surgeon this week to ask about having it out.

We now have 9 committed HONEY BADGERS for next years ride!!!  Let me know if you would like to join the team.