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.

Aug 21 - Radiation is over !

On Jan 2 when my surgeon lowered the boom it all looked so bleak ahead. June 11 I finished chemotherapy, July 13 I started radiation, Aug 20 I finished radiation. What looked like an insurmountable set of huge mountains are now hills in the background. Not without its side effects lingering still, the worst treatment is behind me.
Thanks this week to my merry drivers Mary, Robbie, Jackie, Ann, Ali and Ted.
My big sis Liz arrives from Cambridge Thursday and after a few days of acclimatization and a bit of socializing, we are off to the Banff International String Quartet Festival Monday for a week. As resident audience with some 600 others, we'll hear 10 quartets perform for 6 days in one of the most idyllic music centres in the world. What's not to like.
On Monday we return for my Herceptin shot Tuesday morning, after which Ted joins us for 5 days in the S.Okanagan to drink wine, eat well,visit friends, and celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary at historic Naramata Inn and Spaaaaaah. Quite a milestone and we haven't slain one another yet. A miracle considering the past 8 months.

Aug 16 - Run to the finish 5-4-3-2-1

Approaching the finish tape on this radiation treatment. This week I thank Mary, Robbie, Jackie, Ann and Ali for their limo duties! It has been great to spend time en route to treatments with all my wonderful drivers and has made the time pass quickly.
The radiation is taking a bit of a toll this week, week 5, with itching and what looks like a bad sunburn. The staff have reacted fast by providing a steroid cream for the itch and modifying the treatment pattern to avoid the area of skin which is deteriorating. I am still feeling good and not too tired at all.
This Monday I also had another uneventful Herceptin treatment. If I don't have to wait for a seat in the chemo room, I can be in and out in an hour. Mary bravely accompanied me this time.
With radiation, if I'm early, I am often treated early too. They are improving the turnover in both clinics. Some days, my team has not had lunch at 1:30pm but they are always bright, cheery and compassionate towards the clients.
This week I recognized the young mother who attended the same info session as me, two weeks after my surgery. Like me, her hair is just starting to grow back and she looked well and bright, pushing her 9-month-old baby in the pushchair. This must have been a much tougher 6 months for her. I feel fortunate that this blip in the road hit me at this stage of life.
Sadly our friend Julie's sister was diagnosed with BC and had surgery this week too. She too is doing well. Having been given 24 months to live after contracting Hep C seven years ago, Wendy is beating all the odds.
The odds are l in 9 for BC in Canadian women, a horrible statistic.

Aug 9 - Two thirds done with radiation THANKS!

I am faring well in the radiation schedule. The fatigue that often hits at half way point has not hit yet. The itch and sunburned effect have started.
Thanks to my drivers for their daily drives - Jackie, Elaine, Marie, Ted, Don, Joy and Ann. I am so much enjoying my social visits en route with them all.
Last weekend, Heritage weekend, we spent on our annual outing to Gull Lake. Mostly hot and sunny, with a few rain showers. We got out walking but the boat was sick so no problem keeping out of the sun on the water this time. Nancy and Colin are the ultimate hosts and we enjoyed our time with them, visiting the farmers market at Bentley for fresh produce and BBQing lamb and beef to satisfy my craving for meat. My visit to Calgary Farmers Market Thursday reaped a benefit of freshest veggies and the sweetest local Alberta strawberries, nothing like the imported Californian ones.
We enjoyed several lively rounds of Harry's game which kept me awake each evening. I slept like a babe in the new queen bed and left Ted to sprawl in his beloved VW camper.
Also picked up the new logo for our Chinese association, designed by local Chinese artist Dayu Liu. He sells cards at the market but will custom write names on cards, etc. too.

July 30 - Radiation - half way this week - thanks!

I sent out my radiation schedule Tuesday July 17 and my dance card was full Wednesday! thanks to all my great friends for helping me and Ted with this, as I go every day to Tom Baker Cancer Centre for treatment. Kudos first two weeks to Joy, Sally and Karen. It's great to visit with them all en route.
July 31: Some sad news today. Our friend Gayle Laird, 58, died while hiking in the Rockies last weekend. She roomed with our old pal Anita GilderHenneberry (now in Victoria) in Edmonton when they were both students. She was an exceptional woman, larger than life, amazing hiker and absolutely intrepid X-C skier. Who can forget the tale of her and her friend Nancy holed up at the 'Wolverine Hotel' skiing in to Assiniboine Naisset huts? (They got lost, could not get into the Bryant Creek Hut, spent the night in a tree bole, and a wolverine ate their sandwiches!)
I'll miss her competitive camaraderie at the Scrabble board on cosy Norseman Ski Club weekends.

July 23 - Zapping going well

After getting my zapping schedule last Monday, I circulated it to my pals asking for rides to the hospital, and it was full by Wednesday. Thank so much all of you, and sorry for those who offered to drive me and are on the standby list!
I see Dr. Trotter (my radiation oncologist) for the first time since starting treatment and she is really pleased with my progress, no skin damage and no problems. She shows me my Xrays and explains how the treatment on four sites is working. The actual zaps are anything from about 7 to 24 seconds, three techs check numbers every time, and in more detail once a week. They are all kind and compassionate. A highlight of waiting is listening to the repartee of the volunteer drivers, they are hilarious. I don't wait long, they run very close to schedule. Those 9 radiology machines (worth about $3 million each) are working all the time. July 26 we get a day off while they do maintenance on our Unit 8 system.