Hi Everyone:
Yes, it has been a long time since I updated my blog - mostly because nothing had changed in my treatment or how I was feeling - a three week treatment schedule where I felt OK for two weeks and then had about one week of feeling crummy and not being able to do anything.
For those of you who may not know - I'M FINISHED MY TREATMENT. The last medication was administered December 2, 2009 - exactly 28 months since I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Now what? Well, I go back to Princess Margaret every three months for blood work and to see my oncologist there and just hope that the blood test results are favourable. It will take six months to a year until I am feeling "better" as I need to build up my strength and eliminate all the chemo drugs that have built up in my system. My goal is six months so I can be golfing this summer!! Already it is a relief not to have to feel so unwell every three weeks. Sure does give me more time to do other things. However, I can never get through what I have planned for each day as I still have to rest two or three times a day and I'm ready to head to bed at about 9:00 p.m.
It has been quite an experience to say the least. In spite of all the negative aspects, it wasn't all bad. I did have room service for the three months I was hospitalized. However, the food wasn't exactly up to 4 star hotel standards. Most of my meals were a surprise and some of them were mystery food even after I saw what I was getting. Fortunately some of you brought in some "real food" - like soup, jello, sandwiches, Popsicles, turkey dinner - thank you!!! And, how many of you can say you woke up to a view of downtown Toronto every day for two months?? Not only that, for six of those weeks I had a view of the CN Tower so when I couldn't sleep at night I could watch the multi-coloured light show on the Tower. Also, it's the only time I had a bedroom with an en-suite washroom.
What has meant the most to me through all this is to know how many truly kind, generous and thoughtful friends and family I am fortunate enough to have. All the cards, phone calls, visits, prayers, food, and gifts have been an tremendous help to me over the past couple years and I am so grateful to all of you for your support and encouragement. I couldn't have made this journey without you with me and I am so grateful to you all. I won't name everyone here as it would be a long list and I might forget to mention someone - but you know who you are.
I also want to thank those of you who are blood donors. Early in my treatment I required 12 units of blood to help save my life........words can't describe what a gift that was.
I will make an effort to update this blog every three months to report on my progress.
Now........ on with life!!!!!
Live, Love, Laugh!!!!
Janet
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Thursday, May 7, 2009
May - Finally
Hi Everyone:
Well, there probably aren't many of you who have not given up on me and those who still check occasionally will be shocked to see that I have actually updated the blog.
How wonderful to see the daffodils and tulips in bloom and not snow, and nice warm sun - for those of us living around here.....some of you lucky ones get that all the time.
Things are going fairly consistently with me. Still making trips to Princess Margaret Hospital every 3 weeks for blood work, Dr. visit and chemo. Getting weekly chemo shots at home - home care comes in to do that, also taking steroids for 5 days and other chemo drug for 14 days out of every 21. I still have one "sick" week but 2 good ones. I'm still going to yoga on Monday mornings and art classes on Friday mornings and am currenly taking a 3 week course (one morning a week) at the hospice on "Chemo Brain". Thank goodness I have an excuse for my forgettfullness!!!!
My one ankle was quite sore and swollen from the end of January until early March so it was rather disappointing not to be able to "dance the night away" at Brandon (Mike's son) and Lisa's wedding on Feb. 7. It was a beautiful wedding though and everyone had a great time.
Seems that just as my ankle improved, I my knee became very sore knee in mid March. Finally went for physio on Tuesday this week and thanks to Ann Botham, the miracle worker, (York Rehab, 730 Davis Drive)it is feeling quite a bit better already.
Mike is doing well - looking forward to getting out golfing. He was down to Cuba for a week with some friends about a month ago so they got in several warm up rounds of golf to prepare the the season here. Mike and his brothers and boys were up to the cottage this past weekend and put in the docks, got the water connected, and raked up the lot so not it's just up to us women to get up there and clean. Mike has had to help out a little more with the gardening this year (mostly just showveling dirt (which he is very good natured about in spite of the fact that gardening isn't really his thing). I can only garden for about 40 min. tops and then I have to lie down for an hour or so to recouperate. It is very frustrating as there is so much I'd like to do.
My Mom is as busy as ever. Her brother Tom passed away quite suddendy and unexpectedly on January 28 so that was a difficult time. Mom's going to Budapest and Prague for a couple weeks (including a week boat cruise) the end of May with a friend from Regina. Needless to say, she is looking forward to a much needed vacation.
Laura is fine - still in Ottawa and busy with training Trevi (her 2 year old Golden Retriever). I was to Syracuse with Laura dn Trevi Easter Weekend where he earned his Certificate of Conformtion Assessmet. He a also had his Rally Novice and is halfway to his Canadian Chamion on conformation. He's (really it's Lauar is training I think!!) also tarining in agility and obedience.
I was a little late finishing this blog - so it is now after Mother's Day. We had four mothers here for dinner and children to buy them presents sot that was great!!!.
Now our other big news.....Doug and Katie are expecting a baby in November so there will be even more mothers around for Mother's Day next year. We're all very excited for them. Katie isn't feeling too well but that should soon pass.
Hope everyone has a good weekend coming up - much better wether than tha last one for sure.
Take care - stay healy.
Janet
Well, there probably aren't many of you who have not given up on me and those who still check occasionally will be shocked to see that I have actually updated the blog.
How wonderful to see the daffodils and tulips in bloom and not snow, and nice warm sun - for those of us living around here.....some of you lucky ones get that all the time.
Things are going fairly consistently with me. Still making trips to Princess Margaret Hospital every 3 weeks for blood work, Dr. visit and chemo. Getting weekly chemo shots at home - home care comes in to do that, also taking steroids for 5 days and other chemo drug for 14 days out of every 21. I still have one "sick" week but 2 good ones. I'm still going to yoga on Monday mornings and art classes on Friday mornings and am currenly taking a 3 week course (one morning a week) at the hospice on "Chemo Brain". Thank goodness I have an excuse for my forgettfullness!!!!
My one ankle was quite sore and swollen from the end of January until early March so it was rather disappointing not to be able to "dance the night away" at Brandon (Mike's son) and Lisa's wedding on Feb. 7. It was a beautiful wedding though and everyone had a great time.
Seems that just as my ankle improved, I my knee became very sore knee in mid March. Finally went for physio on Tuesday this week and thanks to Ann Botham, the miracle worker, (York Rehab, 730 Davis Drive)it is feeling quite a bit better already.
Mike is doing well - looking forward to getting out golfing. He was down to Cuba for a week with some friends about a month ago so they got in several warm up rounds of golf to prepare the the season here. Mike and his brothers and boys were up to the cottage this past weekend and put in the docks, got the water connected, and raked up the lot so not it's just up to us women to get up there and clean. Mike has had to help out a little more with the gardening this year (mostly just showveling dirt (which he is very good natured about in spite of the fact that gardening isn't really his thing). I can only garden for about 40 min. tops and then I have to lie down for an hour or so to recouperate. It is very frustrating as there is so much I'd like to do.
My Mom is as busy as ever. Her brother Tom passed away quite suddendy and unexpectedly on January 28 so that was a difficult time. Mom's going to Budapest and Prague for a couple weeks (including a week boat cruise) the end of May with a friend from Regina. Needless to say, she is looking forward to a much needed vacation.
Laura is fine - still in Ottawa and busy with training Trevi (her 2 year old Golden Retriever). I was to Syracuse with Laura dn Trevi Easter Weekend where he earned his Certificate of Conformtion Assessmet. He a also had his Rally Novice and is halfway to his Canadian Chamion on conformation. He's (really it's Lauar is training I think!!) also tarining in agility and obedience.
I was a little late finishing this blog - so it is now after Mother's Day. We had four mothers here for dinner and children to buy them presents sot that was great!!!.
Now our other big news.....Doug and Katie are expecting a baby in November so there will be even more mothers around for Mother's Day next year. We're all very excited for them. Katie isn't feeling too well but that should soon pass.
Hope everyone has a good weekend coming up - much better wether than tha last one for sure.
Take care - stay healy.
Janet
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Jan. 1, 2009
Happy New Year to all you blog checkers (due to my lack of blogging, that will probably just be Patty!!)
Hope you all had a happy and safe holiday season.
It was great to hear from so many of you and see some of you over the past few weeks.
We had a good Christmas - saw quite a few of Mike's family at the annual Vivian Forest walk and tailgate party on Dec. 21. Our children and spouses/partners were here Christmas morning and my family got together on the 27th to celebrate. Fortunately I was feeling well for all the feastivities so was glad of that. Crashed on the 28th and am just starting to get back a bit of energy but that was expected. Mike and I are heading up to Casino Rama on the 10th & 11th to watch some of the skin's games (curling) so really looking forward to that (not as much as we would be looking forward to a week or two in the sunny south....but that will be next year).
Hape a happy and healthy 2009.
Janet
Hope you all had a happy and safe holiday season.
It was great to hear from so many of you and see some of you over the past few weeks.
We had a good Christmas - saw quite a few of Mike's family at the annual Vivian Forest walk and tailgate party on Dec. 21. Our children and spouses/partners were here Christmas morning and my family got together on the 27th to celebrate. Fortunately I was feeling well for all the feastivities so was glad of that. Crashed on the 28th and am just starting to get back a bit of energy but that was expected. Mike and I are heading up to Casino Rama on the 10th & 11th to watch some of the skin's games (curling) so really looking forward to that (not as much as we would be looking forward to a week or two in the sunny south....but that will be next year).
Hape a happy and healthy 2009.
Janet
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
November 26/08
Hope you are all enjoying this winter weather we're having - it sure looks beautiful out there (can you tell I don't have to get up and shovel it or drive in it much either???)
We're slowly getting ready for Christmas - have the decorations up (mostly) and actually started some shopping. We found that the best time to go out to the mall is Monday night as everyone must be shopped-out from the weekend so it's pretty quite then. I'm pretty much limited to an hour and a half, then I have to head home to rest, so everything takes me much longer than I think it should. I am grateful to be able to get out most of the time though, so I'm really not complaining. At this time last year I was in the hospital and couldn't even walk so I've come a long way!
Not much else new.
Don't stress out too much during this feastive "holiday season".
Janet
We're slowly getting ready for Christmas - have the decorations up (mostly) and actually started some shopping. We found that the best time to go out to the mall is Monday night as everyone must be shopped-out from the weekend so it's pretty quite then. I'm pretty much limited to an hour and a half, then I have to head home to rest, so everything takes me much longer than I think it should. I am grateful to be able to get out most of the time though, so I'm really not complaining. At this time last year I was in the hospital and couldn't even walk so I've come a long way!
Not much else new.
Don't stress out too much during this feastive "holiday season".
Janet
Monday, October 20, 2008
Oct. 20, 2008
Hi Everyone (who hasn't given up on checking my blog even though I don't update it very often)
All is well. We (18 of us) had a lovely Thankgiving at the cottage - can't believe how perfect the weather was. I came home very tired, but rested up when I could last week. I went to Toronto this past weekend with a few friends - stayed overnight. We managed to get to St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District and then I rested in our hotel room while my friends walked down Yonge St. We met up for dinner and then went to Yuk Yuk's. It was a great show. Too bad it wasn't that good when we went to Barrie (for those of you who went to the staff outing there). The comedians on Sat. night found lots of material that was funny that wasn't vulgar.
I just started going to a yoga class on Mondays at the Doane House Hospice. Fortunately it works on a come-when-you-can basis as I still have one week every three weeks when I am not able to do anything much, but as long as I know that, I can work around it. Only another 58 weeks of treatment to go!!!
Mike's son Brandon and his girlfriend just got engaged and are getting married in Febraury so that's pretty exciting, something to look forward to, and a good reason to buy new clothes.
HOpe all is well with all of you. Give me a call any time.
Janet
All is well. We (18 of us) had a lovely Thankgiving at the cottage - can't believe how perfect the weather was. I came home very tired, but rested up when I could last week. I went to Toronto this past weekend with a few friends - stayed overnight. We managed to get to St. Lawrence Market, Distillery District and then I rested in our hotel room while my friends walked down Yonge St. We met up for dinner and then went to Yuk Yuk's. It was a great show. Too bad it wasn't that good when we went to Barrie (for those of you who went to the staff outing there). The comedians on Sat. night found lots of material that was funny that wasn't vulgar.
I just started going to a yoga class on Mondays at the Doane House Hospice. Fortunately it works on a come-when-you-can basis as I still have one week every three weeks when I am not able to do anything much, but as long as I know that, I can work around it. Only another 58 weeks of treatment to go!!!
Mike's son Brandon and his girlfriend just got engaged and are getting married in Febraury so that's pretty exciting, something to look forward to, and a good reason to buy new clothes.
HOpe all is well with all of you. Give me a call any time.
Janet
Friday, August 22, 2008
August 22, 208
Hi Everyone:
Hope you are enjoying this summer weather we are finally having - sure took long enough getting here.
Things are going well. My son Doug was married (in Kirkfield at the MacKenzie House near our family cottage) on Sat. (Aug. 16) and the weather was perfect for a change. All went according to their plans and we were so lucky that the weather co-operated. The doctor took me off my medications for a couple weeks prior to the wedding so I was feeling really well and had lots of energy...what a treat!!!
I'm back on chemo now...only for another 68 weeks and I think about 2,668 pills and 88 injections!!! I'll just take it one week at a time.
Mike has managed to get out golfing about once a week and dodging most of the rain clouds so that is good. I'm going to Ottawa to visit my daughter next weekend, but other than that we haven't been too busy - just a couple days away locally here and there.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. Give me a call any time.
Janet
Hope you are enjoying this summer weather we are finally having - sure took long enough getting here.
Things are going well. My son Doug was married (in Kirkfield at the MacKenzie House near our family cottage) on Sat. (Aug. 16) and the weather was perfect for a change. All went according to their plans and we were so lucky that the weather co-operated. The doctor took me off my medications for a couple weeks prior to the wedding so I was feeling really well and had lots of energy...what a treat!!!
I'm back on chemo now...only for another 68 weeks and I think about 2,668 pills and 88 injections!!! I'll just take it one week at a time.
Mike has managed to get out golfing about once a week and dodging most of the rain clouds so that is good. I'm going to Ottawa to visit my daughter next weekend, but other than that we haven't been too busy - just a couple days away locally here and there.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. Give me a call any time.
Janet
Friday, July 18, 2008
July 17, 2008
Wow - hard to belive that July is already half over. Seems like we're having one of those summers when it rains every weekend. That's not a real issue for me as I'm home all the time, but I do feel sorry for you folks who are working all week and looking forward to nice weathr on the weekends.
I've had a few people asking why I haven't 'blogged' more often. BAsically there isn't much new. I am feeling much stronger now. That's probably partly because I'm out doing more. I'm able to do some gardening, as well as the grocery shopping and cooking and most cleaning - it just takes me longer as I have to rest in between jobs.
I finished my 30 week intensifiction session about 3 weeks and am now on a maintenance program. It really isn't too much different than what I was taking, but one of my chemo drugs has been dropped. I no longer get the one I had to go to the hospital for each Wednesday, so that frees up half a day for me each week. I am still on a 3 week cycle. I go to Princess Margaret Hospital on Wed. week one where I get a one chemo drug IV an another intra-muscular. I still take a chemo drug at home every day for 14 days as well as antibiotics, calcium and a pill for my bones. Home care comes in every WEdnesday and give me another chemo drug intra-muscularly as well. I also get a lumbar puncture every 18 weeks, where they take out some spinal fluid to check for cancer cells there, and then inject a cancer drug into the spine. This maintenance program will last 72 weeks, so I should be finished in about November 2009. I still feel pretty bad - really exhaused, sore muscles, upset stomach, and painful joints - for about a week after I've had the IV chemo at Princess Margaret, but then I feel pretty good the next couple weeks after that, so one bad week and two good ones are better than the other way around. At least I know what to expect.
My son Doug is getting married on August 16th and I'm able to postpone my next chemo at Princess Margaret until after the wedding so it's good to know I'll feel well for that.
So, that's the progress report for me.
Mike is doing well - managing to get out golfing pretty much once a week. We're planning on taking a little road trip up around the Bruce Penninsula at the end of the month for 2 or 3 days as we really don't have any vacation planned for the summer.
Hope all of you are doing well - those of you who haven't given up on me and still check the blog occasionally. Love to hear from you. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Janet
I've had a few people asking why I haven't 'blogged' more often. BAsically there isn't much new. I am feeling much stronger now. That's probably partly because I'm out doing more. I'm able to do some gardening, as well as the grocery shopping and cooking and most cleaning - it just takes me longer as I have to rest in between jobs.
I finished my 30 week intensifiction session about 3 weeks and am now on a maintenance program. It really isn't too much different than what I was taking, but one of my chemo drugs has been dropped. I no longer get the one I had to go to the hospital for each Wednesday, so that frees up half a day for me each week. I am still on a 3 week cycle. I go to Princess Margaret Hospital on Wed. week one where I get a one chemo drug IV an another intra-muscular. I still take a chemo drug at home every day for 14 days as well as antibiotics, calcium and a pill for my bones. Home care comes in every WEdnesday and give me another chemo drug intra-muscularly as well. I also get a lumbar puncture every 18 weeks, where they take out some spinal fluid to check for cancer cells there, and then inject a cancer drug into the spine. This maintenance program will last 72 weeks, so I should be finished in about November 2009. I still feel pretty bad - really exhaused, sore muscles, upset stomach, and painful joints - for about a week after I've had the IV chemo at Princess Margaret, but then I feel pretty good the next couple weeks after that, so one bad week and two good ones are better than the other way around. At least I know what to expect.
My son Doug is getting married on August 16th and I'm able to postpone my next chemo at Princess Margaret until after the wedding so it's good to know I'll feel well for that.
So, that's the progress report for me.
Mike is doing well - managing to get out golfing pretty much once a week. We're planning on taking a little road trip up around the Bruce Penninsula at the end of the month for 2 or 3 days as we really don't have any vacation planned for the summer.
Hope all of you are doing well - those of you who haven't given up on me and still check the blog occasionally. Love to hear from you. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Janet
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