Wow, it has almost been a week since my last post. I guess preparing for surgery (mentally) and doing a bit of recovery has taken some time.
Things went swimmingly well. I was a little concerned finding out the day before that they had a bed booked for me overnight. That wasn't in my plans, especially since the Canucks were supposed to win the cup that night - and my lovely man was waiting for me at home.
Never having been in surgery before (lucky me), I had no idea what to expect. I don't do all that well with drugs although they are effective in my almost pure body. After being hooked up to the IV, I was told that I would start feeling a little different soon. I started to panic a little bit and just told myself, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and meditate. That is the last thing I remember. Magic!
As it happened, my surgeon was able to take out the least amount of lymph nodes possible and I was able to go home that afternoon. Very excellent!
Ricardo and I left home for a walk up-town yesterday morning to unfortunately witness the destruction of the night before - how embarrassing - and, to do a little window shopping. We were home 5 hours later. I was pretty impressed with our stamina. Today I have far more mobility and far less pain. It's a little disappointing. I thought I was going to be able to milk this a little longer. I am not allowed to carry anything of size on my left side for the next two weeks though so that should slow me down a little bit.
Well, it is a gorgeous day and we are off to Langley for our country weekend. Perhaps I can help direct Ricardo in some of his packing needs for his move next Saturday. Very exciting stuff.
till next time
Friday, June 17, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Social Media and me
By the way!!! The Answer for Cancer Tour starts today. The team was sitting at the border 23 minutes ago as per their website.
My very dear friend, Claudette, and another "Simone Team" supporter, has just about convinced me to get on FaceBook. I have always been an extremely private person but I guess this blog blows that. Since eHarmony was my first social media foray and it seemed to turn out fairly well :) maybe it is time.
I just logged into the Answer for Cancer Tour and it seems they may be posting by other means other than blogging so I'm going to have to get myself up to speed. Noted that this has also forced me to educate myself in other realms and although big brother is watching, what does he really care about little old me?
This is getting interesting and just a little bit fun.
till next time
My very dear friend, Claudette, and another "Simone Team" supporter, has just about convinced me to get on FaceBook. I have always been an extremely private person but I guess this blog blows that. Since eHarmony was my first social media foray and it seemed to turn out fairly well :) maybe it is time.
I just logged into the Answer for Cancer Tour and it seems they may be posting by other means other than blogging so I'm going to have to get myself up to speed. Noted that this has also forced me to educate myself in other realms and although big brother is watching, what does he really care about little old me?
This is getting interesting and just a little bit fun.
till next time
Medical and other Concerns
As most of us are aware, we as Canadians are incredibly lucky to have the health care system we are blessed with. The care, compassion, professionalism and speed of service I have received through the Rapid Breast clinic at Mnt. St. Joseph's hospital has been amazing.
In this province of British Columbia, we do pay for medicare - about $60 per month per adult individual if your employer does not have a benefits package paid for you. The fee is mandatory but the province does provide subsidy for those whose income under a certain bracket, depending on taxes filed for the year previous. This is called, "Premium Assistance". Also, we have a program called "Fair Pharmacare" which works in conjunction with assistance through Medical Services Plan which will offer coverage with a small yearly deductible on prescribed drugs that are not covered through MSP. Apparently, cancer treatment pharmaceuticals are not covered which of course is kind of freaking me out. Out of work, and unable to pay for treatment drugs. Not such a nice feeling.
Anyway, MSP also has a program called "Temporary Premium Assistance" for those who out of no foreseeable circumstances are able to achieve an income (for a short period of time) within a category of being able to pay for medical coverage and, Pharmacare also provides a similar program. This is great news and news that I think many of us do not know about so I wanted to pass it along. I shall be applying for both in the next couple of weeks.
I had my last shift at the restaurant last night before my "vacation". Sad that some of us need health reasons to take one. Although I do have the tendency for overwork and have just come out of a period that I did just that for a couple of years, that comment is actually a bit tongue in cheek. Ricardo and I had a beautiful 2 week holiday in January through the Yucatan peninsula where I got to sit back and let my Latin love take the reigns. Anyone who knows me well enough know that I usually do not sit back and let anyone take the reigns but I am getting soft in my old age of 45.
I will be taking off at least a week from the restaurant during which time Ricardo has agreed to be my nursemaid. Do I get him an outfit? Tempting. Poor guy. I know he is going to go squirrely being unoccupied but maybe that will be excellent motivation for me to get up and move around. I hope the drugs are good. Maybe he'll be able to beat me in cribbage.
This weekend will be filled with children and hopefully some time to do some major cooking. I'm hoping to prepare a couple of soups, a pasta sauce, and perhaps a casserole, although I am also hoping that I won't be very much interested in eating. I am one of those people when going through stress and crisis think first of all whether or not my pantry is stocked well enough. I'm going into this one a little "rounder" than I like to be. My extreme 90 day workout plan with p90x was thwarted. So much for the bikini body I had planned out.
I have to thank Trena, another of my girls on the "Simone (get well) Team" who offered to stock up on easy meals for me. How awesome is that!! I am going to keep that one for when I really need it.
Well, all, have a fabulous weekend!
till next time
In this province of British Columbia, we do pay for medicare - about $60 per month per adult individual if your employer does not have a benefits package paid for you. The fee is mandatory but the province does provide subsidy for those whose income under a certain bracket, depending on taxes filed for the year previous. This is called, "Premium Assistance". Also, we have a program called "Fair Pharmacare" which works in conjunction with assistance through Medical Services Plan which will offer coverage with a small yearly deductible on prescribed drugs that are not covered through MSP. Apparently, cancer treatment pharmaceuticals are not covered which of course is kind of freaking me out. Out of work, and unable to pay for treatment drugs. Not such a nice feeling.
Anyway, MSP also has a program called "Temporary Premium Assistance" for those who out of no foreseeable circumstances are able to achieve an income (for a short period of time) within a category of being able to pay for medical coverage and, Pharmacare also provides a similar program. This is great news and news that I think many of us do not know about so I wanted to pass it along. I shall be applying for both in the next couple of weeks.
I had my last shift at the restaurant last night before my "vacation". Sad that some of us need health reasons to take one. Although I do have the tendency for overwork and have just come out of a period that I did just that for a couple of years, that comment is actually a bit tongue in cheek. Ricardo and I had a beautiful 2 week holiday in January through the Yucatan peninsula where I got to sit back and let my Latin love take the reigns. Anyone who knows me well enough know that I usually do not sit back and let anyone take the reigns but I am getting soft in my old age of 45.
I will be taking off at least a week from the restaurant during which time Ricardo has agreed to be my nursemaid. Do I get him an outfit? Tempting. Poor guy. I know he is going to go squirrely being unoccupied but maybe that will be excellent motivation for me to get up and move around. I hope the drugs are good. Maybe he'll be able to beat me in cribbage.
This weekend will be filled with children and hopefully some time to do some major cooking. I'm hoping to prepare a couple of soups, a pasta sauce, and perhaps a casserole, although I am also hoping that I won't be very much interested in eating. I am one of those people when going through stress and crisis think first of all whether or not my pantry is stocked well enough. I'm going into this one a little "rounder" than I like to be. My extreme 90 day workout plan with p90x was thwarted. So much for the bikini body I had planned out.
I have to thank Trena, another of my girls on the "Simone (get well) Team" who offered to stock up on easy meals for me. How awesome is that!! I am going to keep that one for when I really need it.
Well, all, have a fabulous weekend!
till next time
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Update on Biopsy 2
So I had my hour date with my bag of peas and my hour and a half nap and woke up with just enough time to make it to work and I was IN PAIN. Apparently, there was a little more digging around going on with this one than the first one. Work was fantastic about being okay with me not going in but I felt terrible. Hope all went well guys!!
My advice is to take the day off if this ever happens to you. The first time I was exhausted but I think it was more of an emotional thing. This time it was physical. poo.
Now, I don't want to name any names but someone is a little concerned with how much they have been fondling themselves since they've heard my news. My advice on that one is, relax and enjoy it.
till next time
My advice is to take the day off if this ever happens to you. The first time I was exhausted but I think it was more of an emotional thing. This time it was physical. poo.
Now, I don't want to name any names but someone is a little concerned with how much they have been fondling themselves since they've heard my news. My advice on that one is, relax and enjoy it.
till next time
Comments on my Blog
Hello, all,
I know that a few of you have had difficulty making comments to my blog - INCLUDING me. I was trying to show Ricardo my difficulties on the weekend and had no problem with his computer. When I mentioned this fact to my "Simone team sista", Susan, the computer guru, she said, "the fact it is not holding your login credentials is going to end up being a browser setting most likely with cookies, sessions, or web page caching. it is going to be around that area. he is using Safari most likely i expect as he is on a mac, i am not familiar with the default settings on the browser on a mac. he would also have a more recent browser than you i suspect. are you on IE8 or IE9" Yah, right?!
Anyway, I tried using Safari as my browser and had no problems at all. If you can decipher the above and the response comment of "could probably work through the browser setting required for Internet Explorer", good on yah. I have opted out to using Safari for my blog.
I know that a few of you have had difficulty making comments to my blog - INCLUDING me. I was trying to show Ricardo my difficulties on the weekend and had no problem with his computer. When I mentioned this fact to my "Simone team sista", Susan, the computer guru, she said, "the fact it is not holding your login credentials is going to end up being a browser setting most likely with cookies, sessions, or web page caching. it is going to be around that area. he is using Safari most likely i expect as he is on a mac, i am not familiar with the default settings on the browser on a mac. he would also have a more recent browser than you i suspect. are you on IE8 or IE9" Yah, right?!
Anyway, I tried using Safari as my browser and had no problems at all. If you can decipher the above and the response comment of "could probably work through the browser setting required for Internet Explorer", good on yah. I have opted out to using Safari for my blog.
Now, if anyone out there is still having difficulties and wanted to comment on anything I have blogged about, please email me your comment to bosomfriend@hotmail.ca and I will post it for you.
till next time
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Biopsy 2
Hello, all,
I spent a really lovely weekend in the country - what fabulous weather we have finally been given! Wow. I just made it into the city and went in for my second biopsy.
The first one was quite traumatic. Since I have been blessed enough to never have had to have surgery, I was a bit freaked out. I figured it was going to be the most invasive procedure of my life. Well, I guess I was saving up for the big time!! Biopsy 2 was a breeze but I have to say, I am a little pooped.
I came home today to copious amounts of beautifully loving emails which, I am sorry to say, I am going to have to put on hold until tomorrow. I promise to check my emails from now on when I am with Ricardo just to keep up. All of your support has really given me a lot of encouragement and strength.
But, right now, I have about an hour date with a bag of frozen peas (to keep the swelling down) and at least that much of a nap before work.
till tomorrow.
I spent a really lovely weekend in the country - what fabulous weather we have finally been given! Wow. I just made it into the city and went in for my second biopsy.
The first one was quite traumatic. Since I have been blessed enough to never have had to have surgery, I was a bit freaked out. I figured it was going to be the most invasive procedure of my life. Well, I guess I was saving up for the big time!! Biopsy 2 was a breeze but I have to say, I am a little pooped.
I came home today to copious amounts of beautifully loving emails which, I am sorry to say, I am going to have to put on hold until tomorrow. I promise to check my emails from now on when I am with Ricardo just to keep up. All of your support has really given me a lot of encouragement and strength.
But, right now, I have about an hour date with a bag of frozen peas (to keep the swelling down) and at least that much of a nap before work.
till tomorrow.
Saturday, June 04, 2011
A Beautiful day in the Neighbourhood
It is exactly that today. We have been waiting patiently for summer, as we Canadians are fond of doing, and it looks as if at least spring may have arrived!
I am off to the "country home" this weekend to spend blissful moments with Ricardo - and moments of high entertainment with his kids. Let's hope that the big "c" won't come in to dialogue or thought as often as it has in the last week and a half or so. Has it only been that long since I found out? Wow. It seems like a lifetime ago, but in a good way. I am definitely working through it.
I am thinking that these next couple of weeks are going to be fantastic. I have a new lease on life. The flowers are brighter, the sky bluer, the foilage greener - or maybe that is because the sun is out. Never the less, all is good.
I want to thank everyone, once again, for all of your support. You guys have been awesome. For Angela, I have a confession to make, I was able to stay off coffee for about 6 whole hours on Thursday and then the surgeon said, "there have been no clinical studies to support...", and I drove home and made myself a glorious americano. I can say no to almost everything else. I am certain one day I will concur the god of the bean but not this week.
Till next time
I am off to the "country home" this weekend to spend blissful moments with Ricardo - and moments of high entertainment with his kids. Let's hope that the big "c" won't come in to dialogue or thought as often as it has in the last week and a half or so. Has it only been that long since I found out? Wow. It seems like a lifetime ago, but in a good way. I am definitely working through it.
I am thinking that these next couple of weeks are going to be fantastic. I have a new lease on life. The flowers are brighter, the sky bluer, the foilage greener - or maybe that is because the sun is out. Never the less, all is good.
I want to thank everyone, once again, for all of your support. You guys have been awesome. For Angela, I have a confession to make, I was able to stay off coffee for about 6 whole hours on Thursday and then the surgeon said, "there have been no clinical studies to support...", and I drove home and made myself a glorious americano. I can say no to almost everything else. I am certain one day I will concur the god of the bean but not this week.
Till next time
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