June 4 - Counting Down
Saturday morning with my Starbucks tall bold coffee and a double chocolate croissant, which I am putting butter on. Probably sounds disgusting to some, but I am allowed to be decadent on the morning after injection. #18 is complete and I am definitely on the countdown. Three quarters of treatment finished. Only six injections remain. This fills me with great happiness, as it just can’t be done with too soon. My respect for those doing a full year of treatment increases with every shot. Really believe that the side effects have not been too bad for me and that I’ve generally had a very reasonable course, however, it drags me down. I am tired of it all and want to get on with life without treatment. Enough whining…. won’t be long now.
The week’s been brilliant. Warm, warm weather. Tank tops and flip flops on the walks into work and home. Benefits of having to wear scrubs while there: no need to dress for success. I zig-zag through the back streets, with a couple of different routes to choose from. All roads take me through urban residential, Kensington market, Chinatown, the area surrounding the University of Toronto and finally, the main hospital core. Notable sightings on the walks this week: an abandoned building, with wild, untended grounds where despite the decay, raspberry bushes are springing up around the edges on which bright orange lady bugs are crawling; the sun rising in the east on my way into work, shining through the stained glass windows of a Russian orthodox church and illuminating my path in rainbows of colour. What a glorious world.
Got together with Barb and Jim this week on Wednesday and had Indian dinner at their place – most delicious. Shiatsu massage with Allison on Thursday was wonderful, as usual. She reiterated pressure points to use when combating insomnia. Also picked up some vetiver aromatherapy oil to alternate with lavender for the same purpose. Has a nice, almost citrus, slightly smoky odour and I like it. Used some last night post injection and slept quite well! Thanks to Ron Metcalfe, for the very helpful information regarding its use. Music this week: Dido, Audioslave (again), Coldplay, Taj Mahal.
Getting geared up for the coming summer – June already, wow. Phil finishes up his first year of high school soon, with exams starting in a couple of weeks. He played his final school team rugby game last week for the year – man, this year really has flown by. He’s working for July as a theatre arts day camp counselor and will be starting right after school ends. Then we’ll head to the cottage. He may go and spend a week with my sister Nan and the family in Montreal before starting up grade 10 in September. Nan and family are having the foundation of their house completely redone and the house is currently on stilts. Poor Nan, is most stressful and I will be calling her daily for the next little while to try and lend some support. A little reciprocity! James and Annikka just dropped by and, with Phil, have headed over to Kensington market to pick up some groceries for us. Ron is now up and having some breakfast, (which is looking far healthier than my double chocolate croissant and butter…). Think I’ll go and have a relaxing few hours on the couch and then see how I feel about the rest of the day. Life’s pretty good!
Sue
The week’s been brilliant. Warm, warm weather. Tank tops and flip flops on the walks into work and home. Benefits of having to wear scrubs while there: no need to dress for success. I zig-zag through the back streets, with a couple of different routes to choose from. All roads take me through urban residential, Kensington market, Chinatown, the area surrounding the University of Toronto and finally, the main hospital core. Notable sightings on the walks this week: an abandoned building, with wild, untended grounds where despite the decay, raspberry bushes are springing up around the edges on which bright orange lady bugs are crawling; the sun rising in the east on my way into work, shining through the stained glass windows of a Russian orthodox church and illuminating my path in rainbows of colour. What a glorious world.
Got together with Barb and Jim this week on Wednesday and had Indian dinner at their place – most delicious. Shiatsu massage with Allison on Thursday was wonderful, as usual. She reiterated pressure points to use when combating insomnia. Also picked up some vetiver aromatherapy oil to alternate with lavender for the same purpose. Has a nice, almost citrus, slightly smoky odour and I like it. Used some last night post injection and slept quite well! Thanks to Ron Metcalfe, for the very helpful information regarding its use. Music this week: Dido, Audioslave (again), Coldplay, Taj Mahal.
Getting geared up for the coming summer – June already, wow. Phil finishes up his first year of high school soon, with exams starting in a couple of weeks. He played his final school team rugby game last week for the year – man, this year really has flown by. He’s working for July as a theatre arts day camp counselor and will be starting right after school ends. Then we’ll head to the cottage. He may go and spend a week with my sister Nan and the family in Montreal before starting up grade 10 in September. Nan and family are having the foundation of their house completely redone and the house is currently on stilts. Poor Nan, is most stressful and I will be calling her daily for the next little while to try and lend some support. A little reciprocity! James and Annikka just dropped by and, with Phil, have headed over to Kensington market to pick up some groceries for us. Ron is now up and having some breakfast, (which is looking far healthier than my double chocolate croissant and butter…). Think I’ll go and have a relaxing few hours on the couch and then see how I feel about the rest of the day. Life’s pretty good!
Sue
posted by Sue, Toronto at 11:32 AM
5 Comments:
Hi Jeff,
Life at the end of a mountain road sounds pretty swell! Haven't ever tried snowboarding. Did do some skate boarding with Phil a few of times just prior to starting treatment (earning me the "skater mom" title for some time after), but took a pretty major pavement wipe out sending me home a little bruised and weepy, after which I thought that perhaps being 47 and slightly osteoporotic might not be the best prodrome to becoming middle aged skate board queen!
In six weeks you will be half way through treatment - fabulous! Just a downhill coast from there. You're sounding great. All the best to you and your family too,
Sue
Hi Sue,
The chocolate croissant -- with butter! -- is sounding so good. I haven't had coffee since just after starting treatment and haven't picked it up since ending, but that croissant is talking to me.
Congratulations on being 3/4 of the way through. I'm vicariously enjoying your perambulations through the city and your musical choices.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Go for the pastry! Glad you're enjoying the walks and music. You've said you grew up in NY/NY and now live in the country in Vermont.... can't imagine the culture shock. I've always been city and, although I believe that having our cottage on the lake to go to keeps me sane, can't imagine actually living in the country. Brave move.
You sound really good. Take care,
Sue
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Hi Ron,
Thank you for your positive wishes (for negative result!). May not be a totally "good time", but there are things I've gotten out of this that my life would be lacking in otherwise, beyond the hoped for svr. While I suspect the last 1/4 will drag in ways the first 3/4 didn't, just because it is counting down, am really seeing the light at the end.
You sound happy and relaxed. All best wishes for you as the journey continues.
Sue
Hi Sue
You sound as cheerful as ever - and only 6 injections left! You must be so pleased to have got so far already, and with such a great outlook. I know what you mean about time seeming to drag a bit nearing the end, but you're so familiar with all of this you'll have a good idea of how the next 6 weeks will be. And plans for post-treatment too! Your house by the lake sounds like a wonderful retreat.
I have these images of your walk more than ever now. Rambling overgrown buildings combined with more modern city architecture. Sounds like a very wide variety. And such a change in weather over a really short period! Quite a luxury to be able to wear flip flops (but to walk in?!) and tanktops. Is such dramatic change usual there?
I have also discovered croissants but just the plain ones. With butter and jam of course, and a cup of milky sweet coffee. Nice and soothing in the morning when I'm still feeling groggy and just getting used to being awake!
Hope you have a wonderful week
Lu
Hi Lu,
Definitely do the milky sweet coffee too. My husband generally asks if I want a little coffee with my warm cream and sugar.
The weather here tends to be largely unpredictable, so I'm happy to take what I can get. Up to 33 C today - baking! Love it! I live for this weather - God knows how I ended up living in Canada.
Have a great week,
Sue
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Hi Jane,
Am extremely happy to report that the llama eyebrows seem to be settling down a bit (am still keeping a wary eye on them though). Don't know if you've ever read the "Combo Survival Guide" (see link on my blog), but they have a section on llama lashes, and I noticed this week that they actually mention the stand out eyebrows too. The guide is a riot - suggest it as fun side effect reading, as well as some really good advice, for anyone on treatment. Nice to smile about it all!
I agree that it's a different process now that we're on the downslope. If nothing else, this journey has taught me patience, patience and more patience. Hope your week is wonderful,
Sue
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