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Letrozole – so far so good
Read more: Letrozole – so far so goodBack in October, when my oncologist and I agreed I was done with Herceptin, we decided I wouldn’t do anything but let my body heal until January. That’s when I’d give Letrozole a try. Stopping Herceptin felt like a relief. For the longest time, I couldn’t distinguish which symptoms were caused by chemo, radiation, COVID,…
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My first haircut
Read more: My first haircutLast week I had my first post-chemo haircut. This time around, I have taken very few selfies. I really didn’t like how I looked as my hair was coming back. I also didn’t feel the same need to share pictures of me smiling. I didn’t have the same reasons for taking pictures. I waited as…
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First day of class – A time of transition
Read more: First day of class – A time of transitionToday is the first day of classes. I’ve been off for a year and I feel quite rusty. In addition to the changes in instructional design, the university has also changed its Learning Management System (the software we use to deliver our online courses). This adds to the transition. It is also a time of…
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A long overdue post
Read more: A long overdue postIt has been so long since I’ve written, I don’t really know where to start. Health-wise, I’m doing okay—or at least I haven’t had any new health crises. I’m writing this from Stan Fest. Last year, we found out 20 minutes before we left for Stan Fest that I had cancer. It was good to…
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Navigating the Side Effects of Trastuzumab: Finding Balance and Embracing Summer
Read more: Navigating the Side Effects of Trastuzumab: Finding Balance and Embracing SummerI’m more than half way through my Trastuzumab (Herceptin) treatments – I’ve actually lost count. I think I might be 10 out of 18. Anyways, I realize that I’m have side effects from it. It is causing fatigue and making my joints ache. The side effects last just shy of a week and then I’m…
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Sunshine and Sunflowers
Read more: Sunshine and SunflowersLori was sunflowers. Lilani was sunshine. Will the sun shine again? I wrote this poem during a writing workshop. The prompt was “Sunshine feels like …” Immediately sunshine reminded me of Lilani. A ray of light. Then I thought of Lori, and how her favourite buff and compression sleeves are contain sunflowers. I miss them…
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Rediscovering joy
Read more: Rediscovering joyCancer treatment is a gift that just keeps on giving … more like an anti-gift keeps on giving. My latest issue is radiation fibrosis. The area of my collarbone and underarm that was radiated is now tight. I asked a friend who is a physiotherapist about it – she explained it as scar tissue like…
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10 km later
Read more: 10 km laterI planned to go to Santa Cruz to visit a few friends, but it didn’t quite turn out that way. Since my meetings were in the morning, I wanted to go for a hike first. Cara reminded me that there were lots of trails in the Santa Cruz mountains and that I should look there.…
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California 2024 – Hiking
Read more: California 2024 – HikingI’ve been in California for the last few days. I had great aspirations of hiking the day I arrived, but I was so tired. I hadn’t slept well the night before, then needed to be at the airport for 3:45 a.m. and then didn’t sleep well on either flights, and throw in a 4 hour…
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Forgiving my body again
Read more: Forgiving my body againBack in February 2016, I wrote a blog post about forgiving my body. I just re-read it and it still resonates with me. At a recent writing workshop, I reflected again on forgiving my body. Here is what I wrote: I had forgiven my body for the cancer that grew it – for it trying…
