Sep 24 - Joining the 21st century..

I've done it! I've bought a cell phone. I have not given anyone (except Ted!) the number. I know how to use it. It's a miracle.
I've also bought an iPod. I was so impressed with Liz's little device, the sound quality from such a tiny implement, it's magic. Liz came without her charger and had to buy one here. So since I inherited a charger, I figured I might as well buy a Nano to go with it. Good timing as the new iPods came out this week (fancy new mothers with 120G of memory) so Apple were selling off the 4G Nanos on line for $140 (instead of $220). Of course mine is hot pink...
I have loaded gazillions of hours of music and it is still only half full. I will enjoy it at my Herceptin treatment at Tom Baker tomorrow.
I figured out how to put my family photos from my Palm Pilot on to my iPod. Now if I could just get my Palm to sync to my laptop - ah techology....I can get it to syn to my desktop but do you think the laptop will oblige? Not.
I now need a power bar to keep my cell phone, Palm Pilot and iPod juiced up. I figured if I put them all on one surge protector I can take it traveling easily without forgetting which cable goes where. Ah technology.

Sep 19 - Rescuing my body back

I am back in intensive therapy with Karen at the Lymphodema Clinic in Calgary. It is a great service to people recovering from invasive treatment. Radiation has aggravated the lymphodema (swollen right arm/armpit/side) which I had before my surgery. Fortunately my surgeon, Dr. Robert Lui, immediately referred me to the Holy Cross clinic, which is not provincially funded, but receives funding through the Alberta Cancer Board. After an evaluation from Byron, I was supplied (my cost, no refunds from health care) with day pressure sleeves (20-30 lbs) and a night pressure sleeve which also has to be pressure bandaged. It's a bit of a hassle but it gets the swelling down.
A friend's sister in Toronto, experienced similar problems, has been told "lymphodema is a myth - it will go away." Some of these doctors need to be swung high.
Karen Van Heyst is an amazing, knowledgeable therapist who has seen everything in her time. Apart from being a gifted therapist, she is a mine of useful info, and unceasing in her desire to bring my arm back to normal, which she is doing gradually. The initial 10 visits are paid for by Alberta Cancer Board, then I'm either up for the $90 per visit personally or we have to convince the system that I still need some care. I will try for the latter until my arm is normal, or nearly normal, again.
After removal of 12 lymph nodes under my arm, my lymph system is sluggish and can't move through the incision across the right side of my body any more. Therefore it has to be trained to go elsewhere, just like with blocked veins and arteries for the blood system. Karen is also massaging and moving the arm/shoulder to get rid of the scar tissue. she also massages my whole body to train the rest of the lymph system to pick up the slack. I'm learning lots here!
In Europe, many people go for regular lymph drainage/massage as a routine health guard. What a concept!

Sep 7 - 40 years and still married...

The first week of September saw us in the Okanagan, valley, staying at the Naramata Heritage Inn. A quaint little place in a sleepy town in wine country. Great time of year for some tasting (for Ted and Liz) and sniffing (Sheila.) We had great lunches at Quail's Gate and Lake Breeze wineries and a sumptuous affair at Burrowing Owl to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Liz was the gooseberry (English) or lightbulb (Chinese) 3rd person along. We really enjoyed her visit, Ted loved having a drinking companion again, and she learned a lot about Canadian wines, something they don't know about in the UK, other than ice wine. A beautiful time of year in the middle of harvest, gorgeous terroir and loaded vines, luscious fruit crop too. Stopped off for a night in Vernon for dinner with Sandy, Les and SuperDave. A rushed trip but worth it.

Sep 4 - If music be the food of love...

Liz and I spent a lovely week in Banff at the international string quartet competition. Met up with people we had met 3 years previously, heard some beautiful and some challenging music. Who knew I could listen to 10 Hayden and 10 Bartok quartets in two days? Answer - I couldn't. I did hang in for all except one!

The great Aussie team, Tin Alley Quartet, were worthy and fun winners. And my favourite Czech group came in second.
We were fed and watered well by the Banff School of Fine Arts, although eating is still a challenge for me, with vestiges of the sore mouth from chemo which is not going away in a hurry, and fingernails all falling off. The burn from radiation is now almost gone, like a sunburn and worst under the arms where the sun don't shine. Keeping away from sun is also important now.
Afternoon tea at the Banff Springs Rundle Room with our pals Heather from California and Kay from Minnesota was a real treat until I came to pay, when I was informed my credit cardhad been refused 3 times. Yerks! Turns out my bank had cancelled it for unspecified blanket "security" reasons. So my big sis had to pay for her own (and our) tea. My bank got an earful when I got back to town. Result two new cards and a lesser limit.