Thursday, November 05, 2015
Tuesday, October 06, 2015
Summer of Healing Done.
I know. Summer has been over here for a while. I have actually worn socks and close toed shoes already! Though today I am in my Birkenstocks because I love them and miss them already. Tomorrow will be colder so I guess socks again? But still Birks!!
The summer of 2015 has gone down in my history as the summer of radiation. Radiation itself is not so hard to do. The worst part of it is the monotony of everyday appointments and the tiredness.
I was lucky. No chemo first. I cannot imagine what it would be like with a system that has be compromised more than mine was. One of the things that I learned with my everyday appointments was just how lucky I was and still am. I have retained my wholeness. All my parts are essentially intact and I am not fighting to stay alive. That is my death is not imminent. I never felt scared I was losing.
The psychological trauma created by coming face to face with ones own death is as much an issue in dealing with cancer as actually dealing with the Cancer itself. That sentence wore me out!
So now I happily sit in my shop and enjoy life. Enjoy that my energy is coming back. And for some reason right now. I am avoiding knitting even though I have a fibre show in Mid November to prepare for. I have always worked better under pressure.
Kessie does not look too happy with her latest modelling gig. She knows the coat is too big because I knit this dog coat to donate to a fund raising event. Though I don't think she could handle the hood very well.
The summer of 2015 has gone down in my history as the summer of radiation. Radiation itself is not so hard to do. The worst part of it is the monotony of everyday appointments and the tiredness.
I was lucky. No chemo first. I cannot imagine what it would be like with a system that has be compromised more than mine was. One of the things that I learned with my everyday appointments was just how lucky I was and still am. I have retained my wholeness. All my parts are essentially intact and I am not fighting to stay alive. That is my death is not imminent. I never felt scared I was losing.
The psychological trauma created by coming face to face with ones own death is as much an issue in dealing with cancer as actually dealing with the Cancer itself. That sentence wore me out!
Thursday, July 30, 2015
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.
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.
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| Sunset over Georgian Bay |
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| Happy 65th Birthday to my ever patient husband. |
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Summer 2015 Update
Yes I have not blogged in an very long time.
I have been busy building my online shop over at www.kniterary.com . And keeping the brick and mortar shop functioning.
Personal life still exists but revolves around my business. I think this is what happens with all small business owners.
Surprisingly I have been in business for 8 years. I thought I would last 5 years but I can't walk away. A great community has been built with this shop as the core. I love crafters. I enjoy being around creative people so I keep plugging away.
Recently, very recently, the shop have moved from our quaint little green house into an even older store front smack downtown in Whitby, Ontario.
The space opened up as a grocery store in 1850 so it comes with all the quirks and angles that the other place had.
On the personal front life has had its ups and downs. Still all the wonderful people in my life.
With one addition of a grand nephew who is growing up way too quickly already.
Rhea has her first full time job and Patrick has one more year of film school.
I have had a small bout with Cancer. Found a lump. Had it removed along with sentinel lymph nodes. Cancer was contained and is all removed now. Peed blue for 48 hours.
Now waiting to have 5 weeks radiation therapy. But all is going to be ok. Thank the stars.
May be using this blog as a bit of therapy to ward off the depression that comes with cancer treatments.
Yes I am still knitting non stop. Prepping for a group show in November right now as well as knitting samples for the shop and baby boy things. And I want to do socks for Christmas...
Shawls seem to be my thing lately.
Til next time.
I have been busy building my online shop over at www.kniterary.com . And keeping the brick and mortar shop functioning.
Personal life still exists but revolves around my business. I think this is what happens with all small business owners.
Surprisingly I have been in business for 8 years. I thought I would last 5 years but I can't walk away. A great community has been built with this shop as the core. I love crafters. I enjoy being around creative people so I keep plugging away.
Recently, very recently, the shop have moved from our quaint little green house into an even older store front smack downtown in Whitby, Ontario.
On the personal front life has had its ups and downs. Still all the wonderful people in my life.
Rhea has her first full time job and Patrick has one more year of film school.
I have had a small bout with Cancer. Found a lump. Had it removed along with sentinel lymph nodes. Cancer was contained and is all removed now. Peed blue for 48 hours.
Now waiting to have 5 weeks radiation therapy. But all is going to be ok. Thank the stars.
May be using this blog as a bit of therapy to ward off the depression that comes with cancer treatments.
Yes I am still knitting non stop. Prepping for a group show in November right now as well as knitting samples for the shop and baby boy things. And I want to do socks for Christmas...
Shawls seem to be my thing lately.
Til next time.
Monday, February 03, 2014
Winter's Sweet Grip
I have blogged on the Little Green House Blog too!
http://lghwhitby.blogspot.ca/2014/02/february-2014.html
Would I really call it sweet? Right now it is beautiful outside. Bright white snow and beautiful sun (Oh the Beautiful sun!) making it look sweet and sugary. Although warmer the past few days it is still c-c-cold! The ice is also reflecting the sun making the house behind us shimmer.
It is during winters like this that I wish I could be a person who loves to ski or snowboard. Alas that is not me. I am on the couch avoiding the cold while I knit. Not a bad thing in my world but cabin fever does set in a bit quicker if you are not one to venture out into the tundra. Brrrrr.
And knitting I have been. Finished off a few commissions and am also in the process of working on a shawl pattern that I picked up in Rhinebeck a few years ago.
http://lghwhitby.blogspot.ca/2014/02/february-2014.html
Would I really call it sweet? Right now it is beautiful outside. Bright white snow and beautiful sun (Oh the Beautiful sun!) making it look sweet and sugary. Although warmer the past few days it is still c-c-cold! The ice is also reflecting the sun making the house behind us shimmer.
It is during winters like this that I wish I could be a person who loves to ski or snowboard. Alas that is not me. I am on the couch avoiding the cold while I knit. Not a bad thing in my world but cabin fever does set in a bit quicker if you are not one to venture out into the tundra. Brrrrr.
Doesn't look like much yet but I am loving the yarn. Ottawa by HandMaiden. The Pattern is Wrap Me Up by Chris de Longpre of KnittingatKnoon.
It is a great stitch sampler shawl.
This past week was my birthday too. Getting older is a process that needs to be ignored after a certain age and the celebration of said aging process is better left alone ....well... except for the cake. On the actual day of my day of birth I lunched at a local restaurant, Chatterpaul's, and had the most awesome carrot cake. Love it when Restaurants feed the birthday person no charge!!
I was going to write about the onslaught of time and the aging process.
Yadda Yadda Yadda.
And so it goes.
The winter of life grips sweetly. It does not leave. Better learn to go outside in it.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Vortex Shmortex
The Polar Vortex is back.
It feels like the cold we used to get when I was a child in Montreal.
So cold that your nose hairs freeze. So cold that it hurts to breathe in too deeply.
Walking on snow at this cold temperature creates a wonderful squeaky noise. Like plastic on plastic. I love the sound. Walking the dog tonight made that sound. Of course she hates it. She rushes out to
her spot, does her business and then rushes back to the house usually with one leg in the air. Actually she alternates the legs. raising the coldest paw or the one with salt in the pad. Today she wore her sweater and got lovely paw cream on her pads when we got in. Wish I had a photo of it.
What is to do on a Polar Vortex night?
Cocoon beside the fireplace and watch Rick Mercer.
Vortex Shmortex!
It feels like the cold we used to get when I was a child in Montreal.
So cold that your nose hairs freeze. So cold that it hurts to breathe in too deeply.
Walking on snow at this cold temperature creates a wonderful squeaky noise. Like plastic on plastic. I love the sound. Walking the dog tonight made that sound. Of course she hates it. She rushes out to
her spot, does her business and then rushes back to the house usually with one leg in the air. Actually she alternates the legs. raising the coldest paw or the one with salt in the pad. Today she wore her sweater and got lovely paw cream on her pads when we got in. Wish I had a photo of it.
What is to do on a Polar Vortex night?
Cocoon beside the fireplace and watch Rick Mercer.
Vortex Shmortex!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
And so Christmas is done Once Again
The more years you are this earth the more the feeling of "Didn't we just do this yesterday?" Happens more and more frequently.
That is how I felt about Christmas this year. I enjoyed it but.... didn't we just have Christmas,
This year our little nuclear family stayed home after a couple of years in a row of traveling to Windsor...which I am so glad we did. 2 years ago it was the last time we got to spend time with 2 members of the family and last year it was the last one with Nana and Papa. It was good to have a quiet one this year.
Even if we had not decided to be home for the holidays we would have had no choice but to stay put anyways. We were right in the middle of the Southern Ontario Ice Storm of 2013. Luckily we were only without power for 14 hours. Some people are still without nearly a week later!
Look at all the trees snapped on our street! Spring is going to be so barren on our street in 2014. These photos were taken the morning after the storm.
We lost 3 whole trees on our court end. Looking across the court is depressing!
Our neighbourhood pulled together so amazingly! Snapped branches and trees were dealt with by a group of 14 to 15 men. With 2 chainsaws and manpower all dangers were taken care of. Branches removed, trees taken down, and every thing stacked at the side of the road. It looks like we are in the middle of a lumber camp! Others came out with generators and coffee and snacks.
And so the New Year is around the corner. Rhea is having her 22 birthday on New Years Eve. Again...wasn't she just born?
Look at my amazing children! Children no more!
That is how I felt about Christmas this year. I enjoyed it but.... didn't we just have Christmas,
This year our little nuclear family stayed home after a couple of years in a row of traveling to Windsor...which I am so glad we did. 2 years ago it was the last time we got to spend time with 2 members of the family and last year it was the last one with Nana and Papa. It was good to have a quiet one this year.
Even if we had not decided to be home for the holidays we would have had no choice but to stay put anyways. We were right in the middle of the Southern Ontario Ice Storm of 2013. Luckily we were only without power for 14 hours. Some people are still without nearly a week later!
We lost 3 whole trees on our court end. Looking across the court is depressing!
Our neighbourhood pulled together so amazingly! Snapped branches and trees were dealt with by a group of 14 to 15 men. With 2 chainsaws and manpower all dangers were taken care of. Branches removed, trees taken down, and every thing stacked at the side of the road. It looks like we are in the middle of a lumber camp! Others came out with generators and coffee and snacks.
And so the New Year is around the corner. Rhea is having her 22 birthday on New Years Eve. Again...wasn't she just born?
Look at my amazing children! Children no more!
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