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
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
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
Friday, May 2, 2008
Another so soon!!!
Hi Everyone:
See, you are making me feel guilty about not blogging more often! Just so you know, Mike and his sons and a few of his brothers (3 of the other 4 - that's pretty good) have gone up to the cottage for a "boys" weekend. Didn't want you to think that I was having all the fun by going on my "girls" weekend last weekend. Although, we did have wonderful weather, did lots of shopping and eating out - where they seem to be having the cold and wet weather and their main job is to get the water connected this weekend and they have to cook their own meals!!!!
If anyone gets the Toronto Star daily - there was an article in yesterday's Star (Thursday, May 1) about Princess Margaret Hospital's 50th anniversary, with comments from 5 doctors there. The leukemia Doctor in the article, Dr. Aaron Schimmer, is my doctor - well, he is other people's doctor too. Great guy.
Hope you all have a good weekend in spite of the rain - at least it isn't snow.
Janet
See, you are making me feel guilty about not blogging more often! Just so you know, Mike and his sons and a few of his brothers (3 of the other 4 - that's pretty good) have gone up to the cottage for a "boys" weekend. Didn't want you to think that I was having all the fun by going on my "girls" weekend last weekend. Although, we did have wonderful weather, did lots of shopping and eating out - where they seem to be having the cold and wet weather and their main job is to get the water connected this weekend and they have to cook their own meals!!!!
If anyone gets the Toronto Star daily - there was an article in yesterday's Star (Thursday, May 1) about Princess Margaret Hospital's 50th anniversary, with comments from 5 doctors there. The leukemia Doctor in the article, Dr. Aaron Schimmer, is my doctor - well, he is other people's doctor too. Great guy.
Hope you all have a good weekend in spite of the rain - at least it isn't snow.
Janet
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Happy May!!!! At Last a Blog
OK, I really don't have any excuse for not updating this blog site more often - I am busy you know!!! I'll have to start getting up earlier in the morning.
Things are still going pretty much the same as they have been - two fairly good weeks and one bad week.
I'm now on week 22 of my current 30 week treatment plan, so it's good to see the next eight weeks within reach. However, one of the chemo drugs I'm on has been discontinued now (they can only give so much before it reaches toxic levels). So now, instead of getting that drug once every three weeks, I get a different one once a week. I still have to go to the hospital every Wed. for chemo but home care gives me the other drug at home on Thursdays. Then I have others to take as well.
I did manage to get away this past weekend with a few girlfriends - just an overnight trip, but it was my first trip away from home in the past 9 months other than the hospital so we had a great time!!. Just takes a week to recover!!.
So nice to see some warm (well, maybe not today) weather and flowers out and get outside a bit more - it's just frustrating sometimes not having the strength and energy to do much......except make potential lists of things for Mike to do!
Hope all is well with everyone and you have some fun things planned for the summer. Call any time.
Janet
Things are still going pretty much the same as they have been - two fairly good weeks and one bad week.
I'm now on week 22 of my current 30 week treatment plan, so it's good to see the next eight weeks within reach. However, one of the chemo drugs I'm on has been discontinued now (they can only give so much before it reaches toxic levels). So now, instead of getting that drug once every three weeks, I get a different one once a week. I still have to go to the hospital every Wed. for chemo but home care gives me the other drug at home on Thursdays. Then I have others to take as well.
I did manage to get away this past weekend with a few girlfriends - just an overnight trip, but it was my first trip away from home in the past 9 months other than the hospital so we had a great time!!. Just takes a week to recover!!.
So nice to see some warm (well, maybe not today) weather and flowers out and get outside a bit more - it's just frustrating sometimes not having the strength and energy to do much......except make potential lists of things for Mike to do!
Hope all is well with everyone and you have some fun things planned for the summer. Call any time.
Janet
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter
Happy Easter to you All.
Seems way to early for Easter this year though, and definitely too much snow for Easter!!
Mike and I were at the Southlake Regional Hotel (Hosp. for those of you not familiar with Newmarket) from about 9:00 p.m. Friday night until 8:00 a.m. Sat. as I was having severe stomach pain. They don't really know what caused it but finally gave me some pain medication at about 1:00 a.m. and that helped and I seem much better today. I had a new medication on Thursday so perhaps that had something to do with it.
We had a lovely turkey dinner Sat. night with some of our family (my kids and Mom and Bette and Glen). Fortunately we had leftovers so get to do it again tonight - just Mike and I though. Mike's parent's and kids are coming for dinner tomorrow so MORE food!! I'm so glad I haven't lost my appetite.
Hope you all had a good Easter Weekend.
Janet
Seems way to early for Easter this year though, and definitely too much snow for Easter!!
Mike and I were at the Southlake Regional Hotel (Hosp. for those of you not familiar with Newmarket) from about 9:00 p.m. Friday night until 8:00 a.m. Sat. as I was having severe stomach pain. They don't really know what caused it but finally gave me some pain medication at about 1:00 a.m. and that helped and I seem much better today. I had a new medication on Thursday so perhaps that had something to do with it.
We had a lovely turkey dinner Sat. night with some of our family (my kids and Mom and Bette and Glen). Fortunately we had leftovers so get to do it again tonight - just Mike and I though. Mike's parent's and kids are coming for dinner tomorrow so MORE food!! I'm so glad I haven't lost my appetite.
Hope you all had a good Easter Weekend.
Janet
Friday, March 7, 2008
Finally, an Update
Hi Everyone (especially those of you who have been wondering why I haven't updated my blog).
I really don't have an excuse. I didn't realize it has been so long since I last posted anything - time sure flies when you're having a good time.
Really, no news is good news in this case. I am now half way through this session of chemo - just 15 weeks to go if all goes well. (then another 72 weeks after that but they drop a couple of the drugs I'm currently getting). I have about a week to 10 days of not feeling well out of every three weeks so that isn't too bad. My legs are getting stronger and I'm able to head out shopping or running errands for about an hour at a time. I'm able to cook an do some cleaning so that keeps Mike happy.
I just started on the tread-mill again - managed a few minutes at 1.5 mph (didn't even break a sweat!!) Looks like I have a lot of training ahead of me to be able to manage 9 holes of golf this summer.
Laura will be home this weekend, then heads to Guelph next week for work so we'll be looking after Molson. He's pretty much a couch potato now so he and I will get along just fine - hope he'll enjoy watching the Brier all next week with me!!
Looking forward to spring!!!!
Janet
I really don't have an excuse. I didn't realize it has been so long since I last posted anything - time sure flies when you're having a good time.
Really, no news is good news in this case. I am now half way through this session of chemo - just 15 weeks to go if all goes well. (then another 72 weeks after that but they drop a couple of the drugs I'm currently getting). I have about a week to 10 days of not feeling well out of every three weeks so that isn't too bad. My legs are getting stronger and I'm able to head out shopping or running errands for about an hour at a time. I'm able to cook an do some cleaning so that keeps Mike happy.
I just started on the tread-mill again - managed a few minutes at 1.5 mph (didn't even break a sweat!!) Looks like I have a lot of training ahead of me to be able to manage 9 holes of golf this summer.
Laura will be home this weekend, then heads to Guelph next week for work so we'll be looking after Molson. He's pretty much a couch potato now so he and I will get along just fine - hope he'll enjoy watching the Brier all next week with me!!
Looking forward to spring!!!!
Janet
Friday, February 1, 2008
Feb. 1, 2008
Hope those of you who have to drive somewhere today get there and back safely. This is a day I won't be on the road!!
I've been feeling really well the past 10 days. Had the major "chemo cocktail" at Princess Margaret on Wed. and just starting to feel some of the effects. Based on past sessions, I'll probably not be too well next week - but OK after that. If anyone wants to drop by any time, just give me a call and I'll let you know if it's a good day or not.
Hope you are all well - only 3 months to good weather!!!
Janet
I've been feeling really well the past 10 days. Had the major "chemo cocktail" at Princess Margaret on Wed. and just starting to feel some of the effects. Based on past sessions, I'll probably not be too well next week - but OK after that. If anyone wants to drop by any time, just give me a call and I'll let you know if it's a good day or not.
Hope you are all well - only 3 months to good weather!!!
Janet
Friday, January 25, 2008
Fri. Jan. 25
WARNING....WARNING..... I thought it only fair to let you know that I am "on the road again"!!! I managed to take a short drive to the store today to pick up a few things and made it home safely. I've been feeling really well these past few days -which makes up for the 10 days before that when I didn't feel very well and had a lot of stomach pains and sore muscles (from drugs, not from working out!!). Although I do have exercises to do every day, which I'm trying to keep up with as they seem to be helping build some strengh back in my legs. Other than that - nothing much new. Looking forward to some warmer weather so I can get outside for walks.
Janet
Janet
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mon., Jan.14
Hi Everyone:
Not too much new happening. I managed to get through one whole 3 week chemo cycle without ending up in the hospital so that is good news. Started the 2nd (of 10 cycles) last Wed. and other than some stomach problems caused by one (or more, who knows) of the drugs, I'm doing OK. Still tired and the legs aren't back to normal yet but I'm able to eat OK and do a few things around the house. I haven't started driving again yet but think I'm almost ready - Mike isn't so sure!!!
Hope you are all well.
Janet
Not too much new happening. I managed to get through one whole 3 week chemo cycle without ending up in the hospital so that is good news. Started the 2nd (of 10 cycles) last Wed. and other than some stomach problems caused by one (or more, who knows) of the drugs, I'm doing OK. Still tired and the legs aren't back to normal yet but I'm able to eat OK and do a few things around the house. I haven't started driving again yet but think I'm almost ready - Mike isn't so sure!!!
Hope you are all well.
Janet
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Thurs. Jan 3.
Mike and I were down to Princess Maragart Hopsital yesterday for blood work and chemo treatment (for me - although I think others should take turn!!!). There must have been a backlog of people due to the holidays as we had to wait 4 hours between blood work and the chemo - which is just a weekly injection this week. At least it gives us a chance to catch up on our reading.
There also appears to be a shortage of blood so if any of you notice blood doner clinic signs, please consider giving.
I'm feeling well - white blood cell count is down to 0.1 so I have no immunity right now, so am being cautious about where I go.
Janet
There also appears to be a shortage of blood so if any of you notice blood doner clinic signs, please consider giving.
I'm feeling well - white blood cell count is down to 0.1 so I have no immunity right now, so am being cautious about where I go.
Janet
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year
Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy 2008!!
We have been overwhealmed by the number of you who have been in touch with us over the past few months to wish us well and offer help and support.
We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of family and friends.
Thank you all.
Mike and Janet
We have been overwhealmed by the number of you who have been in touch with us over the past few months to wish us well and offer help and support.
We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of family and friends.
Thank you all.
Mike and Janet
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