\nMonthly Mom Messages\n
My mom and I touch base by e-mail every morning. I decided to \"mine\" these e-mails for notes that can provide a record of happenings, and state of mind. Here's May 2024:\n\n- May 1: I get my remaining drains out today, which is good, but I found out\nyesterday that my cancer had, in fact, started to spread, so that is\nbad. Brent and I are scared and sad. From the descriptions, it looks\nlike my cancer is stage 2A, which is nowhere near the worst, but bad\nenough. I don't think I'll get to see an oncologist for over a month\n- that's what is shown on the \"roadmap\" I was given. You should have\na copy of that. Step 4 (Report Ready) is where we're at now, and\nwaiting 6-10 weeks for step 5 (Cancer Centre Consult).\n
- May 2: With the drains out I was finally able to spend part of the night in\nthe bed. I was spending all my time on the couch/recliner before\nbecause it was the only way I could manage with the drains. I'm so\nglad they're gone!\n\nI've decided to not worry about what comes next with my cancer until I\nknow what it is that I have to worry about. I'm just going to live\nlife and be positive. I mean, I feel awesome otherwise so why waste\nthis time worrying about a time in the future when I won't feel great?\n I know you're worried about me, but if you could try and join me in\nacting 'normal', at least for now, I would be really grateful. Let's\ntalk about other stuff. Of course, I'll still keep you posted, but I\njust don't want to dwell on it.\n
- May 3: We’re going out for breakfast with a couple of friends this morning. It will be my first real ‘outing’ since my surgery.\n
- May 4: I’m feeling better and better every day. I think Brent and I will go for a walk this morning , then we have the online movie date with you, Angela and Janet at 1pm. \n
- May 5: Brent and I aren’t up to much. I’m still healing. We did go out for a walk already though. We also started planning our trip to Mexico for next winter. Yay!\n
- May 6: Yesterday I didn’t do much because of pain and today Brent is volunteering at the food bank so I’ll probably just lay around all morning again. We’re supposed to get a LOT of rain today and tomorrow so we won’t be going for any walks! \n
- May 7: This morning we’re off to see my surgeon for a follow up. \n
- May 8: We are having some folks over on the weekend for a ‘bye bye boobies’ party so today I have to go to Save On and order some cupcakes made to look like boobs. \n
- May 9: I’m so happy we went for a short bike ride yesterday. It feels like an important step to getting back to normal. Today we’re going to see the movie The Fall Guy with our friends, Nancy and Karen. \n
- May 10: Today Brent and I are going for Covid boosters. We don’t want to take chances with catching it when I’m going through chemo. \n
- May 11: This weekend Brent and I are having the ‘Bye Bye Boobies’ gatherings. Among others, today Charlotte and Gerry Mittelstadt and Donna and Brenda Rost are coming over. \n
- May 12: Good morning and Happy Mother’s Day!\n\nToday we’re having part 2 of the Bye Bye Boobies party. It was nice having people over yesterday except we had to stay indoors because of the smoke. I hope the whole summer isn’t going to be like this. \n
- May 13: I’m glad you enjoyed the video visit last night even though your sound wasn’t working. That CC feature was great! Brent and I will look at fixing your sound when we come down on Wednesday. \n
- May 14: The air quality is good in Edmonton again but I don’t know how long it will last. I think Brent and I will go for a good long bike ride this morning. This afternoon our friends Michel and Chris are bringing their two new pig puppies over to meet us. Yay!\n
- May 15: We’re looking forward to seeing you for Mother’s Day brunch today. Make sure you don’t eat before we get there! We’re planning to arrive around 10:00. \n
- May 17: This morning I go for an echocardiogram for them to look for cancer on my heart. I don’t think they’re going to find anything but wish me luck. \n
- May 18: We are meeting a friend from Calgary for lunch today (she’s in Edmonton for the day). \n
- May 19: We were planning on going up to Tannis’ cabin today to get Jumbo (we left her up there for the winter) but the weather is just too cold and rainy. So, as things stand we have no plans at all for today or tomorrow. I don’t know what we’ll end up doing. \n
- May 20: I feel like I might be coming down with something so I think I’m just going to lay low today. Tomorrow is my consultation with an oncologist so I want to be good for that. \n
- May 21: I think I actually did it! I rested all day yesterday and I think my cold is gone and I can go to my oncology appointment today. Whew!\n
- May 22: I wasn’t well enough yesterday to go to my oncology appointment but I am well enough today to go to my periodontist appointment. Ugh. \n
- May 23: Brent and I are just going to have a chore day today. Nothing special.\n
- May 24: Brent and I are going to drive up to Tannis’ cabin today to get Jumbo. Tannis isn’t there though so instead of camping there, we’re going to drive part of the way back to Edmonton and camp at a little town called Bellis. We’ve camped there a bunch of times before. It’s really nice and peaceful. \n
- May 25: Brent and I are out camping at Bellis, but we're heading back to Edmonton today.\n
- May 26: Today our friend, Beth, is hosting a ‘high tea’ at her place. She’s a great host and a great pastry chef so we’re looking forward to going. \n
- May 27: Remember we're coming tomorrow to take you for Mother's Day Brunch\nwhile your car is getting the recall repair done. We're aiming to be\nat your place by 9:00 - your car is due at the shop (Kia) by 9:30.\n
- May 29: We sure enjoyed our visit with you yesterday. Hopefully we can get some more longer visits in while the weather is good and I’m not having chemo.\n
- May 30: Today we’re going to do a tour of a bunch of thrift stores with our neighbor, Shannon. It’s something that we do together a few times a year. \n
- May 31: Today we’re going to go downtown for Edmonton’s Drag Fest. Today the focus is on aboriginal two-spirit people. I think it’ll be interesting. \n
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