Recovery Mode

 Finding out that you have a cancerous lump is scary.
What is even scarier is the speed with which all the wheels of treatment start.  Scary because when there is speed in treatment means it is very serious.

Two weeks after finding out, surgery. Three weeks later meet with the Radiology Oncologist, one week later the Medical Oncologist.  Two days later radiology mapping is done. Eight days after that starts the radiation which for me will be 25 treatments over 5 weeks.

Three months of giving your life over to the medical establishment completely and absolutely if you choose that route.  Which I have.

At this point I am a day away from mapping where I hear I will have a CT Scan and be marked up with permanent marker. (These colours will join the still blue stains from blue dye injection to locate sentinel lymph nodes. I am over joyed. I am a colouring book.) Then I will get 3 small pinprick tattoos to assist in the actual radiation procedure.

All of this is to reduce the chance of cancer returning because it was all removed in surgery.  I am glad..no not the word... thankful ...that I got my lump checked on. I am thankful that it was a small tumour that I could feel while it was small.  I am thankful there is a location and a system in my community where I can get help keeping the cancer away from me for as long as possible.

I had a day away from all of this on Sunday when I spent a day on the beach. Yes under a canopy with lots of sunscreen and a hat. No sunburn this year. I needed to stop and breath deeply before more dragging through the healing system.

Sunset over Georgian Bay

Happy 65th Birthday to my ever patient husband.

Christmas in Several Countries while Home Alone

I have the day alone at home today. It is a much needed respite from the hustle and bustle of pre Christmas busy-ness.

Not that I am not being busy.

So far I have done some kitchen and bathroom cleaning. There will be more general cleaning through the day. As well as getting serious about finishing some last minute gift projects.

While cleaning,crafting and calming down I am listening to CBC2's day of Christmas performances from Europe and Canada. So I have heard a concert from Finland and Norway.

AND THEN....or NOW...I will be spending a few minutes researching Christmas traditions in the featured countries. I will share the links with you along with a photo of knitting from that country.
Finland:

Norway:

England:


Czech Republic:

Seems that the Czech Republic is known more for bead than knitting.

Iceland:

Germany:

Austria:

Spain:

Canada:

Street Watching

One of my shop down time activities is watching the homeless and psych patients out on a day pass walk up and down the street.
To those driving through town they seem like your everyday garden variety people. When one sits in one place for a while and one sees who is not just passing through.
I am 2 doors north of a Coffee Time and I now know how many times most of them pop in for a chat, coffee or a cool down.
This summer I have figured out who does not have air conditioning at their house. I see them trudging down the street clothing akimbo, sweating buckets. Then again, cooled down, in better spirits walking back home.
Then there is the Scooter brigade. For some reason mostly older ladies (I say older but they could be my age) zipping between the subsidized apartment block and the Coffee Time or the corner store. Yes there are men on scooters too but they do not travel in groups like the women do. I wonder why?

From the same high rise comes the woman who does not have a motorized chair and huffs and puffs her way up the hill at lease 2 times a day to get a coffee and donut....She works so hard...and compared to the scooter people must be in excellent shape. When I first saw her 3 years ago I really wanted to go out and give her a push but now I know that the trek is part of her routine and she doesn't want help.
Occasionally one of the ambulatory street people pop in to see what I'm all about. Some to chat very occasionally. None are scary... lonely and occasionally smelly but not scary.

I long to ask about their lives and discover their inner thoughts.

But I let them keep their inner workings private as they let me do so too.