Lots of support happening !

Feb 14 2022 Received a lovely bouquet of flowers and chocolate covered strawberries from my friends at work . I feel so blessed to have them ,they are so thoughtful ! 

Feb 16 2022 Told Mom ,Robin (sister )  Kim and John ( brother and sister in law ) Beth ((Ken’s sister ) and Pat (my friend) about my new diagnosis .  Very difficult conversations ,should have practiced saying it out loud before I got on the phone . Everyone was so very supportive I feel grateful to have them all in my corner. Looks like kicking this will require a team effort and I have a great team. 

Feb 17  2022 Nice bouquet of flowers from Beth and Roland , they are so thoughtful . Feeling grateful . 

Feb 17 2022 Told my bestie at work Janet and our boss Cec . They were both so lovely as I knew they would be ,more folks on my team . 

Feb 17 2022 Received a ‘welcome ‘ call from the GI tumor clinic at the Cross Cancer clinic . Yikes things were getting real now ! The NP explained the next steps . CAT scan of chest ,MRI of pelvis to look for spread, followed by review of my tumor at  rounds  at the Cross. Just sit back and wait for calls . The NP also said that she could connect me with the psychology department and they may be able to help the entire family . 

Feb 19 2022 Today I had a conversation with my oldest daughter Sarah , she was upset but lovely and supportive. I tired my best to reassure all would be well. I called Emily my youngest who is living in Roatan and told her . She too was upset but very pragmatic and totally in for the cure . Katie my middle was in the US and I decided to wait till she returned to  Canada as I didn’t want to spoil her trip . Later that evening I sat Andrew 15 , Brooklynn 11 and Rhiannon 6 ( the 3 grandkids ) down to tell them . I explained that our bodies were full of cells that keep making more cells. I said sometimes theses cells do a good job but at other times they go crazy and make too many cells and this was called cancer . I told them that I had a bunch of these crazy cancer cells in my tummy but the Dr could fix me . I said I promise to do everything the Dr says so that I can  get better. I said I will have to take medicine that might make me feel sick and maybe even my hair would fall out . Brooklynn asked if she could paint the world on my head if that happened ,I said that sounds like fun ! I said if there were days where I didn’t want to come downstairs they could come to my room and watch TV or colour . Andrew asked if I was going to die ? I told him the Dr was confident he could fix me and promised I would not lie to him and would tell him if things changed . I also told them that people might bring us food or flowers ,Brooklynn thought that was cool lol! 

Feb 21. 2022 I went for my CAT scan today of chest and pelvis . Thanks John ( my brother ) for the ride . The quickest spot they could get me in was Sherwood park . I am making the rounds of facilities . I have been to the northwest health centre for blood work ,Stony Plain hospital for colonoscopy and now Sherwood park . I am grateful to have these facilities all within an hours drive ,now hard it must be for people that live in small towns with limited access. Now the waiting for results begins . 

Feb 25 2022 CAT scan showed NO spread , hurray ,maybe this won’t be so bad .

Feb 28 2022 Dinner delivered by Kim today ,her famous lasagna that the kids love . Flowers and fruit delivered from Mom ! Brooklynn is starting to like this cancer stuff!

Feb 29 2022 Nice visit with Pat (friend ) today and she came loaded . The kids were  excited when they got home from school ,cupcakes ,raspberries and dinner ! Looks like the word has got out I am getting nice phone calls from old neighbours ,friends and family. These calls and cards are so comforting to know that people are there to help and that I am in others thoughts and prayers . It really means so very much . I will try to send out thank you notes but if I miss you I am sorry but I do appreciate all that everyone is doing . 

March 6 2022 i had a lovely visit with Beth (Ken’s sister ) She is so sweet came armed with lots of tea which I am sure I am going to enjoy . For some reason coffee just doesn’t appeal to me anymore . She always has a positive but real attitude I just know w she will be so helpful to me . I am feeling lucky to have her ! 

March 7 2022 Received the sweetest blown glass flowers from Tammy ( my sister in laws Ken’s brothers wife ) in the mail . They are so sweet ,just like her ! The girls thought they were pretty but loved the bubble wrap ! 

March 7 2022 Gungersnaps arrived from my niece Alyssa ! She had recently received a tutorial from my Mom on ginger snap making . I must say they were delicious . I seem to be loving ginger these days and the cookies hit the spot ! Feeling lucky that an Albertan can finally provide these cookies as getting them from Mom in NS a an be a challenge ! 

March 8 2022 Received a call to get in on a cancellation for MRI today at the Cross so jumped right on that ! Now waiting again . MRI was a surreal experience . Felt like I was in a space ship . Cold ,noisey and a challenge not to move. As soon as they say don’t move my nose got itchy ,my foot fell asleep and eventually my ears filled with the tears I was silently shedding . All so real and a bit scary .

March 11 2022 MRI results show stage T3c . This means the tumour is through the bowel wall, but not into any other organs . My GP says there may be lymph node involvement and there is veinous involvement . She says prepare to be sick 18 – 24 months,  I nodded but in my head I was saying no way you don’t know me very well !
I feel so very fortunate the have found her . She is such a lovely woman. I went several years without a GP and miraculously found DR JP. At my first appointment with her in late Jan she told me I needed an urgent colonoscopy ,that she would see to it immediately and then said ‘try not to worry and I will be here for you every step of the way ‘ and she has been She has even called me at home just to see if I was ok ! 

March 16 2022 I had a real nice visit today with 3 friends from work Diana, Monika and Robin . It was so nice to feel normal for a bit . We had a great lunch and even greater conversation . Got me all caught up on the work gossip ! The kids loved the goodies they brought for them . I am so lucky to have such good friends . I hope next time my partner Janet can come although we talk very regularly ( thank you Janet for all your calls) I do miss her ! 

March 23 2022 I had a nice telephone visit with Sarah today . She has been so good calling to just check in . I really appreciate her support ! 

March 23 2022 Donna ,Bonnie and Pam , 3 of my besties from work came for a visit today . It was so thoughtful of them and wonderful to see them and get caught up on their lives and of course work gossip ! A big thank you to Bonnie for her home made goodies !

March 24 2022 We all got cards and gift cards from Beth and Roland today ! The kids were excited dollarama and McDonald’s look out ? They are so thoughtful !