…that is how I roll in life. I don’t like to stop – just in case I can’t start again. This means the last 5 months have been challenging – the motion minimal. Well, I will be in motion tomorrow.

The forecast is perfect. So grateful I registered for this annual tradition. If I hadn’t I would be home alone feeling sorry for myself.

I am still very fatigued and even short rides wipe me out for a few days so this will be a big weekend. Very thankful to Ross and Marie for lending us the tandem. I am in good hands with my friend Captain John. We have been out for several practice rides and even confirmed that he can manage the hills without much help from me if need be. We have a good group of friends we are riding with including another tandem. It will be fun. I am so excited! This ride will be much shorter than what I normally do so I should be ok. There is a backup plan – just in case.

I haven’t been up to much the last week or so. I have been feeling better generally, although still fatigue easily and have general body weakness. My finger neuropathy has stabilized – meaning they are less painful but still numb. The nurse I saw this week said both of these may take quite a while to recover from.

I have been keeping a list of things I have been meaning to do – but hadn’t. I love living in Ottawa and I take advantage of all I can in this great city. One thing I hadn’t made time for is the annual ‘Doors Open Ottawa’. So last weekend I got out to a few of the venues. I was too fatigued to be biking so this seemed like the perfect activity to get some light exercise and see some of the buildings I have always wanted to visit. It was perfect. The highlight was the Residence of the British High Commissioner (aka Earnscliffe). I inadvertently pulled the cancer card since the high commissioner,  Mrs. Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque showed up briefly and we had a very nice conversation (she didn’t stop to talk or others. Just saying! Lol). I really enjoyed the official residence of the embassy of Denmark as well. I have always been curious about that house. Doors Open is a fantastic initiative. I will definitely do that again. A few highlights..

I also dropped by the NAC and a few other sites including the River to see what the levels were like.

I had my MRI last week and met with my surgeon yesterday. The tumour has shrunk but there are some cancerous cells around it that have remained unchanged. They will have to be removed as well. I have several options to consider. They all have pros and cons. It is all a bit overwhelming. It is the first time I shed tears at an appointment. I will meet with the plastic surgeon early next week. I need to finalize my decision by Wednesday morning. The oncology surgeon wants to get the cancer out so there will likely be some kind of surgery June 24th. It is possible I will have more than one surgery. I will know better next week. I didn’t sleep much last night.

This weekend will be a chance to step away from all of this. Hopefully, the mental break will bring clarity.

Enjoy the sun this weekend!

First off, how about those Raptors?!?! What a game! What a series. One game away from the finals. I can’t wait for Saturday.

Getting Real…

I have been getting so many compliments on how well I look during chemo. As I said at the beginning of this, I believe in “look good, feel good” so I have gone to every chemo with makeup on so I looked my best and felt my best – made me feel like I was winning.

I want to be real on this blog. Chemo has been rough on my body and skin. It is hard to know what it has done to my organs, heart etc. I upset myself if I think about that.

I do know that I normally have low blood pressure (107/68 or less) and now it is much higher 138/95 and higher when I go in. Sometimes up to 150-160 over 100 plus. My resting heart rate was 52 when the nurse took it just before my first chemo infusion, now it is 72-74 or more. I haven’t seen 52 since the beginning of January.

I have an Apple Watch with a sleep app. I get a warning everyday that my heart rate is not optimal since it doesn’t drop enough at night. The app keeps telling me I need to make changes to improve my cardiac health.

The impact on my skin has been huge. I feel/look like I have aged a decade. The tissue in my nose, mouth, throat and more is fragile. My skin is very dry, gets very itchy and and I am covered in spots. Some of these spots are raised and quite itchy, some are not. The nurses have been reassuring me these will go away but I am not convinced. I literally have a brown continent growing on my face.

I have lost most of my eye brows (there is still some brow pencil on in this photo) and more than half of my eye lashes. I have been having a mild allergic reaction to this chemo which causes my face to go red.

My finger nails look bad. I look like a smoker.

One of my nails feels like it is lifting off. Thankfully I’ve been wearing the cryo gloves on my hands and feet which are supposed to help mitigate the impact to my nails and fingers or it could be a lot worse.

I’m quite worried about my fingertips. The numbness and discomfort is accelerating. I am starting to drop things, as things slip through my fingers. Given that this side effect often doesn’t appear until several weeks after chemo ends my Oncologist has been concerned that I was already having issues. The concern is that the damage can be permanent. When I was at chemo on Tuesday the gentleman beside me was having the same issues with weakness in his hands and numbness in his fingers. The nurse got concerned with this side effect (as they did with me). In his case she called his oncologist and they actually cancelled one of his chemo drugs for that week. (It was comforting to be able to speak with someone struggling with the same side effect. It is more challenging than you would think it would be). Dr.  Sehdev was also considering cancelling a session but of course there is risk to that – we opted to stay the course. I am just hoping that this side effect has peaked early for me!!

Now that these 16 rounds are over, I can say it – I am tired and my body has lost a lot of strength. I am not discouraged though (well maybe a little bit at times). Today is the day I can remove my picc line bandage and start using my upper body again. I will rebuild – but I can tell it is going to take time. 16 rounds is a lot of chemo and I have surgery and more to face. There are some things that I won’t be able to control – my skin, my fingers. That is quite upsetting. However, I’m not going to think about those things. I will focus on what I can impact.

What’s next

I met with my surgeon yesterday. She completed a physical exam and was pleased with what she could feel. We discussed the surgical options at a high level but no decisions can be made until she views the MRI. I will have an MRI before June 6th, which is when I will see her again. She said the surgical options really depend on how the tumour has reacted. She used the analogy of an ice cube melting vs Swiss cheese. The ice cube will allow for more options.

She said the optimal time for surgery is 3 to 6 weeks after chemo ends, with five weeks being the ideal. Five weeks allows some recovery time but not too long that the tumour starts to grow again. She can’t confirm an exact date but it looks like it will be June 24th. Post surgical treatment will depend on a number of things, so I will cross that bridge when I get there.

So there you have it. My next few weeks will be focussed on recovery and surgery prep.

My plan for today:

1. Get ripped.

2. Totally submerge myself in my bath tub.

3. Have a long hot shower – just because I can.

4. Apologize to Kyle for using all the hot water.

Tuesday was the day – my first major milestone – my 16th and final round of chemo before surgery.

May 21st has been a meaningful day for me for 14 years. On that day 14 years ago one of my dearest friends lost her battle with a deadly form of leukaemia. I have had a moment of silence for her every year since.

Kendra has been front of mind throughout this process. She was one of my best friends during the formative high schools years and beyond. In fact, I ended up in Ottawa because of Kendra. We got married 2 months apart.

Ken was, and still is, loved by so many. She lit up the room with her smile and energy.

She was also a ranked triathlete. I had taken up cycling just before she became ill. Our plan was to ride the Rideau Lakes Cycling Tour together when she was well. That never happened. Every year I ride that ride I say a few words to Ken. I have had many silent words with her the last few months. I know she has my back and it is symbolic that my last chemo was on May 21st. Thanks Ken!!

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My day started with a hiccup. I received a call from the chemo centre at 9:45 am. The nurse wondering why I had not shown up for my 9am appointment. WHAT?!! I had the appointment sheet in hand that said 12:30pm (my regular time). They don’t know what happened but seems it was rescheduled and they failed to notify me. They told me given the short week they didn’t know how they could fit me in on Tuesday or Wednesday because it was already crazy.  Mack is flying back to Banff early Thursday so he would miss out on ringing of the bell. 😦  First the only option was to come in and sit in the chemo centre and they would see if they could fit me in but it could be a long wait. However, the nurse decided to go to booking and see if she could help get me in. Luckily there was a cancellation at 1pm! Phew!! When I arrived the nurse said she was worried because “I’m on the ball” and on top of it and so she thought something was wrong when I hadn’t showed up. I was glad I had my appointment slip that showed 12:30pm!

I broke the rules and brought both Kyle and Mack. The nurses were ok with it as long as they took turns if the pod got too busy.

I wore these awesome socks my friend Marian got me!

It was a big backgammon day in Pod 1 at the chemo centre, with multiple games with both Kyle and Mack. Kyle was doing his best to “influence” the outcome (ie cheat) by trying to position his dice for the roll. There is no mercy in our household for the sick or weak. Lol

When the infusion was finished I was expecting to get my Picc line pulled. However, there was no ordered to do so. The nurse said it could be because I still have surgery and whatever’s after that. She could tell I was disappointed and offered to track down Dr. Sehdev and see if she could get his authorization.  She did and he authorized!! Yippee!

Much happier with that thing out!

I still can’t to anything for 48 hours but after that it is normal activity. The boys were teasing me, most people are just excited to be able to have a normal shower and proper bath, but Mom just wants to get ripped. Lol. (You will see why shortly)

Now for the climax…. the bell.  I laughed until I had tears in my eyes watching it.

Yes, I had some trouble with the bell. I think I was trying to rip it off the wall! Maybe it was overcompensating for my Angie Dickinson arm. (My friend John likes to refer to flabby arms as Angie Dickinson arms – for those who watched her Detective show) . Regardless, it was a celebratory momentum and I was so glad to have some family and friends present for it. Many of you were present despite being in the room. Thank you for that.

I came home to a bouquet of fresh flowers on my doorstep. Thanks M!! Flowers are one of the many things I’ve been grateful for. I have not been without fresh flowers since the beginning of January.  It’s uncanny how every time I’m about to throw out a bouquet someone shows up with another one.  It has meant a lot to me.

A few random bits..

I am looking forward to the end of the side effects. My fingers are worse and it is affecting my day to day. I need help with many things. I have been experiencing tooth, face and neck pain. My understanding is the neuropathy can continue to worsen after chemo ends and will likely not disappear for 6-12 months or beyond. Hopefully the other pain will disappear in the next couple weeks and my energy levels will start to return.

It was very sad to see Mack leave this morning. We had a fantastic visit. He is an awesome young man. I can’t wait to see all my kids again soon. Steph and Mitch are planning their next visits.

I have an appointment with my surgeon this afternoon so hopefully I’ll have an idea of next steps and surgery.

Now – time to head back to bed. I am feeling rough today.

Happy Victoria Day! I hope you all took advantage of the brief moments of sunshine this long weekend.

It has been a good couple of weeks for me. It started with a fantastic weekend with my great long time friends Kelly, Liz and Jacqueline who came for a visit May 2-5th. Kelly flew in from Vancouver and the other two sisters drove up from Southern Ontario.

The girls made me feel like I was enveloped in a blank of love and healing. They brought food, laughter, healing gifts and nostalgia. Liz, an accomplished yoga teacher, gave me a relaxation massage, taught me some useful poses and exercises to deal with some of my neck/body pain and gifted me a yoga bolster which I am using everyday. It is really helping with some of my muscle/bone pain. (This is partly a side effect of chemo but I think it is mostly from posture issues when I was slouching around when I was so sick. In addition, I can’t do upper body strengthening thanks to the Picc issue which isn’t helping).

The Himalayan salt lamp the girls gave me should be an Oprah’s favourite thing. Apparently salt lamps have a number of healing benefits including cleaning the air, soothe allergies, boost your mood and helping you sleep. I love the warm glow it emits at night – reminds me of the light of a camp fire. It has a dimmer that allows me to adjust it to low light and keep the warm glow all night long in my bedroom. I adore this gift!! My new super soft PJs (thank Kel) and this lamp makes bed time even more attractive.

To outsiders, it looked like I was running a gulag. In addition to cooking and serving me, the girls did some work in the garden. A friend dropped by and was put to work as well! Visitors be aware.

The next day my neighbour came over and asked how he could get in on the action. He was impressed!!

We actually had one of the nicest weather days yet that weekend – sun and heat – and we made the most of it. We got out for a nice walk downtown and into the Market and even managed to visit a couple of Ottawa’s awesome patios – Tavern on the Falls and Tavern on the Hill.

This weekend was the first time I felt normal in so long. I needed it to help me get through the grind of the last few rounds.

Mack came home a day after the girls left. We have been having a great visit. We have been laying low. We have gone for some walks and a bike ride, went to the Art Gallery and out for lunch one day. Mack has been helping with some much needed tasks around the house – painting the garden urns being a key one.

Mack was a great chemo buddy. Except for the fact that he kicked my butt at backgammon. He claims he didn’t remember the game – he is a shark. My family is tough – even cancer doesn’t dampen their competitive spirit!

I am doing well. The side effects remain the same. Unfortunately, I struggled with very painful mouth and throat sores for a couple of weeks. In fact at my chemo weigh-in last week I had lost 2 kg in a week so Dr Sehdev prescribed another mouthwash concoction called pink lady. (No need for concern – I could afford the weight loss since chemo and other drugs, like steroids, have resulted in a gain). Thankfully, my mouth and throat have improved a lot this week so eating and drinking hasn’t been much of an issue. They are still here but manageable. My finger tips are very uncomfortable. I avoid wearing clothing that is difficult to get on and off – like my tight jeans since it’s uncomfortable to grip and put pressure on my fingers. The tissue in my nose is fragile and often becomes sore and stuffy at night. My humidifier has been crucial. It has been on since the beginning of January. If I am anywhere with dry air I feel it and often end up with a nose bleed. All in all very minor considering ……. well, considering so many things.

Tomorrow is a big day!!

Very groggy at the moment so I apologize for typos.

We got to the hospital and my file/paper work had been pulled.  I was concerned that it meant my chemo was cancelled. However, they sorted it out and got me settled into Pod 5 (ugh!).  Chemo was a go.

The nurse said my  levels are low but they were pleased to see if went up 0.1. It means the Neutrophils have started producing.

I wanted to make sure I do what I can to keep the levels up so I asked what I can do.  The nurse said that exercising right before the bloodwork helps raise the levels.  Apparently some people go up and down the stairs before their bloodwork to improve the levels.  First time I had heard of this.  As luck would have it, I had rode my bike to the cancer centre for my retest this morning.  It was so nice out and I wanted some exercise and fresh air. It was such a nice ride given there is bike path almost the whole way.  The bike path comes out right across from the cancer centre. Unbeknownst to me, this bike ride is likely what increased my level by 0.1.  Therefore, weather permitting, I plan to ride to my remaining appointments!! (I am learning the tricks of the trade 🙂 …or maybe that should be 😦 haha.

I am very pleased that the oncologist filling in for Dr Sehdev prescribed ‘magic mouthwash’ for my mouth sores and chemo throat (as the nurse calls it). It contains a few things (Maalox, lidocaine and more). This will numb and sooth the mouth. They also suggested drinking club soda which has just the right amount of salt to help both mouth and throat.

Those who have read my earlier blogs will remember the story of the mother and daughter who have cancer at the same time.  The mother has breast cancer and her 29-year-old daughter has cervical cancer. I met them both at the beginning of January right before I started chemotherapy.  Well, the daughter happened to be in the bed beside me today.  Her mom was her chemo buddy.  They didn’t recognize me at first because I had a big head of hair the last time I saw them.

We had a great catch up.  The mom had surgery first, which was followed by six rounds of chemo.  She is finished chemo and doing well.  She will be on a hormone drug until January.  She and her husband are into fly fishing. Last weekend she caught an 18 pound steelhead trout.  Sounds like she had quite the battle with this fish!  (She is clearly a Warrior).  She showed me a picture.  It was huge.  Apparently fly fishing is very therapeutic.  My friend Sandy was saying she knows of a cancer survivors group that fly fished as part of their recovery.  Very cool.  New hobby !?!?  Only if the gear is as cool as bike and ski gear though!

The daughter had surgery.  The surgery went very well but then she developed an infection and was quite sick. She lost 10 pounds in five days. She is over that and undergoing chemo and radiation at the same time. She’s having radiation daily right now and will have 6 rounds of chemo.  She looked great.  No hair loss (apparently she won’t lose her hair).  All in all mother and daughter are doing well.  Maybe I will get a picture with them next week.

Sandy was my chemo buddy today.  We managed to get one game of backgammon in.  I don’t think I’ve mentioned this previously, I bring a backgammon game to every round.  I typically have to refresh my opponents on the game rules and strategy since they often have not played the game in years.  It works out well since I usually win.  Lol.

Very sleepy now…..stay tuned for my next post about the fantastic weekend I had.

Round 13 was a new experience. My heartburn was basically nonexistent. My digestive system, in general, was working well.  My energy has improved. Unfortunately, some of the effects I struggled with previously are back.

I have started to experience pain in my fingertips and my hands and my fingers are getting weaker. However, the worst part is that the mouth and throat sores are back – and intense. They started to bother me on Thursday and by Sunday I needed to take some opioids to deal with the pain (still have over 90 of the 100 pills I was given in January. I save them for bad pain). They seem a bit better this morning. I haven’t taken any painkillers yet today.

My blood results weren’t good yesterday so chemo might be put on hold. The nurse said this could be why the sores are back. I had to go back in this morning and the Neutrophil count (type of WBC) went up by 0.1 (from 0.9 to 1.0). I think that could be enough so I am heading to chemo to see what happens.

Fingers crossed it doesn’t get delayed!!! I want to ring that bell on May 21st!!

I have lots to write about this time. I had an amazing weekend with my besties. I will try and post later.

The end is in sight. 13 down, 3 to go!!

I have been doing well. Different side effects come and go. Each round a bit different than the previous.

Round 12 happened to fall on my birthday. My friend Marian was my chemo buddy that day and made it special.

We went to Green Door for lunch before chemo.  When we were leaving the women beside us gestured at my head buff and tried to ask if I was dealing with a health issue.  She couldn’t find the words.  I understood what she was asking and confirmed that, yes, I was dealing with cancer.  She was with her daughter and we ended up in a lengthy conversation. Unfortunately, the Mom (age 67) has Glioblastoma. She was lunching with her daughter prior to her appointment with her Oncologist. She was planning to inform the doctor that she had made the decision to end treatments.  She’s been undergoing chemo but decided that the side effects weren’t worth the extra couple of months of life it would give her. As you can imagine it was a pretty heart heavy conversation that involved a couple of hugs and a discussion about the different kinds of courage.  The conversation is still with me!

During the chemo infusion Marian surprised me with this amazing birthday cake.

It was a lemon cake. You must check out the girl with the most cakes. So beautiful and delicious.

Washing down the cake with some tea was awkward

My blood results are good. My WBC is the same. In fact it went up slightly last week. My ALT dropped back to normal range. It is still double what it was but that is to be expected. I did focus on eating folate so I like to think that helped.

I have been trying to build my activity level back up again. I have been out on my bike a couple of times. Short and slow but it is a start. I have been having some body pain – my neck in particular. The bike makes it worse so generally I have been doing short 15 min on my trainer and then I do some neck stretches. My finger tips are tender and my hands are weak so I can’t do some simple things – take off wrappers, peel an orange etc. Fatigue continues to be the biggest challenge. I start to feel normal by Sunday and then the routine starts again. I can feel great in the morning and then wiped out in the afternoon. All in all I really am doing very well.

It was lucky Round 13 – I final got Pod 2 with a big window view and….the sun was actually out. My girlfriend Madeleine was my chemo buddy for this round.

Tomorrow will be a good day – my bestie, Kelly, is flying in from Vancouver. Her two sisters, also awesome friends, are also coming for the weekend. These 3 amazing women will be the best medicine.

My youngest arrives home on Tuesday for a almost 3 weeks. He wants to come to the last chemo appointment when I get to ring the bell. We plan to break the one person rule – Kyle and Mack will both come to round 16.

I have too much time to think these days. That isn’t always a good thing. I am looking forward to these visits.

It has been a while! Sorry folks. I know some of you have been concerned.

I am now finding this ‘chemo thing’ to be such a grind that I have trouble being motivated to write about it. It is just more of the same. The days just pass – one day very much like the next. Boring! I have never been so slow and inactive.  Ok, I am done whining. Now for the update….

It was wonderful to have Mitch home. It was very low key. Mostly just watched movies and quiet time at home. We managed to get out a few times.

We went to some museums during the week. It was a great way for me to get some walking in given it was too icy to walk outside. The museums are quiet during the week so I didn’t feel my immune system was at risk. The boys were very protective! I would start out strong but if they noticed me slowing (which I did after about 90 minutes) they would insist we leave – even though I didn’t want to. In fact, for old times sake, I really wanted to pop into the Children’s Museum at the Museum of History. They wouldn’t let me!! WAAAAA!  I was close to throwing a temper tantrum.  They promised I could pick the movie when we got home, so I went quietly.  Roll reversal.

My friend Jill was my chemo buddy for round 10. Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture. 😦  I got pretty drowsy about 40 minutes in and just completely forgot. It doesn’t help that I was in Pod 5 (the dreary one). Pod 5 doesn’t inspire me to take pictures. Instead, here is a picture of us doing something far more enjoyable.

My girlfriend Joanne was my chemo buddy for round 11. We have been friends for 40 years! So hard to believe. We also got stuck with Pod 5, but this time I was determined to get a photo before I became too dopey. Unfortunately, the man we asked to take the photo was struggling with using an iPhone. We had to settle for one quick photo. You guys all know what my eyes look like anyway!  Quite honestly, I just couldn’t bear to look at Pod 5 again so I went to my happy place in my head – Pod 2.

Last weekend, I had a girls night away. I am blessed to have amazing women in my life! Every year I do a trip with my besties and every winter we do an annual ice picnic. This year that didn’t work out for various reasons so we opted for a non-ice picnic in April (although we certainly could have had an ice picnic thanks to the wonderful climate in this region).

I got picked up and driven to a friend’s cottage. The girls had lots of yummy treats – including non-alcoholic champagne for me. It was so very awesome to just have a normal girls night and forget about the other stuff! This was the best medicine!!! Nothing like a bit of silliness.

We managed to stay up until 10:20pm. Really, we are not normally that boring. These sisters got sleepy in solidarity!! How good is that.

How fun is this crew?!? Truly the best!

(This isn’t the whole group though. Missing 3 of the Isla girls – one conflict and two live too far away. Missed you Deb, Susan and Constance!!! xo)

We wear warm (goofy) hats at the ice picnic so needed to stick with tradition (I have some priceless pictures of our past outfits).

No, my friend wearing the helmet is not fill in the blank (I want this to be a politically correct blog). We were one goofy hat short so she pulled this shiny beauty out of the tickle trunk. It works for her – don’t you think!! It may be mandated for next year.

The girls surprised me with an early birthday present – a ‘positivity blanket’ – which is a very soft hand crocheted blanket. My son, Kyle, has already tried to claim it!

The positivity blanket was already working its magic on Friday since I had an appointment with my oncologist and it’s the first time he has said he is “pleased” after examining me. It will be great to get an MRI in a few weeks (that has not been booked yet).

We finally had some nice weather Saturday and Sunday so after the return from the cottage I got out with a friend for a nice walk downtown and visit to another friend’s patio restaurant that re-opened last weekend. It was the first decent walk I have had. Tavern on the Falls is such a great spot to take in our beautiful city. It was a bit chilly so blankets and heat lamps were in order.  (The spring run off water is a bit nasty, but I do love these falls)

I was physically drained by Sunday night. It felt like I had completed a 180k cycle. I was still wiped on Monday. I think I may have been fighting something.

I am finding the effects of this chemo are building. I don’t get short of breath like I was but I am finding that each round is getting a bit more difficult. (Although still not as bad as the AC regime.).

I got home from chemo Tuesday around 4pm, removed my shoes and fell into bed with all my clothes on. I woke up at 10 PM in the pitch dark. Changed into PJs, got some water, tried to eat (stomach wasn’t up for that) and fell back into bed. I slept 14 hours! It was similar the previous week – although not as long.

My hands are great! They almost feel normal. The new side effects are hiccups (who would think!), acid reflux, more intense digestion issues, and weird spots on my skin. The spots on my skin just appear out of nowhere. In fact I look like I have measles on one of my legs (nurse said it is a normal side affect and I can get a prescription topical cream if it gets too bad. They get itchy sometimes).

My headaches have come back in the last week – they come and go. I have been waking up with a headache the last few days.  My digestive issues in the last 3 days are helping me lose the weight I put on from the steriods etc.  My pants are starting to fit again.

I have lost most of my eyebrows now. (Brow pencil and I are now tight!) I still have quite a few eyelashes. I am still very bald although there is stubble.  I have grown fond of my bald head.  Once the warm weather comes I might take my bald head out in public.  (I would never have thought I would consider that a few months ago! )

I have noticed that my liver is now protesting. My ALT level has skyrocketed in the last couple of weeks going from 23 at the start of chemo to 74. Despite how tough the AC regime was, it never got this high. In fact it was 20-30 throughout that regime. This could explain why I haven’t been feeling as well the last week.

So what is ALT you ask?  ‘Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is found primarily in the liver. Any elevation of ALT is a direct indication of a liver injury, whether minor or severe. Occasional increases may occur in association with a short-term infection or illness. Sustained increases are more problematic as they suggest an underlying disease and a greater likelihood of liver damage’. It scares me a bit to think how hard all this is on my organs. However, I strongly believe I can influence this. Eating foods high in folate is supposed to help reduce ALT, so in the next few days/weeks I plan to eats lentils, beets, asparagus and more leafy greens. Asparagus and lentils, in particular, are an excellent source of folate. I love the Minimalist Baker and of course she has the perfect recipes to help me bring my ALT back to normal levels. These two recipes should do the trick: KALE, LENTIL, & ROASTED BEET SALAD and CREAMY ASPARAGUS AND PEA SOUP. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can stomach any of these today. Hopefully my digestive system will tolerate it in the next couple of days though.

I now feel like I am suffering from some chemo brain. Sometimes I just blank out mid-sentence and for the life of me I can’t recall what I was going to say. I forget basic words, the wrong words come out, or the words are junkled… I mean jumbled up. Some of my not so kind friends – you know who you are (love you! xo) – say I was suffering with this before.  Quite honestly,  I can’t recall!  I have been under a lot of stress the last few years – just saying.  Oh…. there are a few things missing around my house!

To stimulate my brain I have been plugging away at some puzzles. I am on my third. I finally completed the Cinque Terre one. There were 3 pieces missing so I have been waiting for the pieces to come in. I must say Buffalo Puzzles has great customer service. You just go to the website fill out a form and they send a replacement puzzle. It took some tenaciousness to go through the 1000 pieces to find the three pieces that were missing! Lol, yes you read that correctly. That is how boring my life has become. That said, I’m not one to quit until I complete something.  Chemo can’t change that part of my brain.

Isn’t it beautiful?!

Complicated puzzles take a plan..and I have developed one.  I purchased strong foam board ($1.50 at Dollarama) and I set up the puzzle border, using large butterfly clips to hold the border in place (you can see them at the bottom of the picture). I sort the pieces by colour and then zip them into clear reusable file folders with a zip top (also Dollarama).  It makes a large puzzle much more manageable to tackle and prevents pieces from getting lost. I work each colour area at a time but can easily see the other pieces in the file. The best part is you can store the puzzle and pieces away easily.  I know you can buy puzzle rolls but I prefer my $1.50 solution.

I am now working on a puzzle called the love locks of Paris. The girls and I started it Friday night (again – my friends are not typically that boring.  They humored my for a while. Solidarity Sisters!)  It took a good hour or two just to complete the outside border (My friends are actually quite bright normally. I think they were being emphatic and mirroring my pace. Don’t juggle judge them by their slow puzzle skills or the pictures posted above. They are brilliant women with successful careers.. really they are!).  This puzzle is a bugger!

Now that I am finally writing this blog I am feeling motivated to post some of the other blogs that I’ve been planning. Given how dreary the next few days will be (April showers) it just might be the thing to lift my spirits.

Wishing everyone a great long weekend and a Happy Easter.

My son, Mitch, was my chemo buddy yesterday. (I look like a shrinking midget next to him)

No your eyes are not failing you!! Unfortunately the picture is foggy thanks to the constant coat of hand-cream I wear due to the skin issues and cracking 😦

I had my picc adjusted. They pulled out another 2cm of the picc line (1cm had gone back in since last week). It does feel better now.

From some reason this round is not agreeing with my stomach and digestive system – nausea and frequent trips to the BR. This is the first time I have felt this sick for a few weeks. Hopefully it is just a one off!! The nurse told me that some of my chest discomfort could be the chemo causing heartburn which can feel like pressure on the heart and chest. I have started chewing Tums.

I am getting so sick of laying around!!!!! The days feel so unstructured. They just pass by with not much to show for them. It is unnerving after 3 months. I feel like I should be getting things done but I just don’t have the energy most days.  So….

I need a goal!

I registered for the short (100k each way) Rideau Lakes Cycling Tour. The thought of missing a year was upsetting me! This ride is a tradition. I don’t know if this is a realistic goal. It takes place a couple weeks after I’m supposed to finish chemo. I will have a few weeks to recover from chemo before they do surgery so I am thinking something to help me get in shape will be beneficial. I need to be strong for surgery! Worst case I can sell my registration but at least I will have a goal in the meantime.