Saturday 30 June 2012

We all scream for

Hey there, I know some of you are wondering about more details of my prognosis and I have to say I don't have a lot of answers yet. I suspect it depends a lot on how my other lymph nodes in other areas of my body look on the ct scan. Thank you for all your questions and suggestions I appreciate each and every one of them. Love you all!

I also want to tell you that all the many wounds from the vulvectomy are healing really great except of course he who shall not be named, the one and only Mt Vesuvius as my doctor calls my leaky left lymph wound which is teeter tottering on the verge of becoming infected. Trying hard to push in the right direction! The nurses are still coming in faithfully to pack it every day.

Today was fun right from the git go. My brother Henry took me to see Mom.

Henry brought Mom a new dress and bonnet for her dolls. She wasn't able to put the clothes on herself so Henry was happy to help.

We had a nice visit with my sister Mary Lynn via playbook

Thanks Henry

So I know that I need to eat healthy whole foods, and I'm doing that a lot more than ever but my friend Alice and I have decreed a challenge wherein over an unspecified time we are going to try all the flavors of ice cream at Two Scoops that appeal to us. Today was the first step in this important endeavor. Please let us know if you want to join this journey of hope. You CAN make a difference!

Too bad Alice didn't enjoy her self!

This was my choice. Best supper ever and I have one of the brownies in the freezer for adding to my kefir, yogurt, broccoli, fruit smoothies on other days. Yay!

Friday 29 June 2012

Who could ask for anything more

I am overwhelmed with all the love and support of my family and friends. I can't say it often enough that I feel like the most fortunate person in the world. And right here in my own home I have the funniest most loving little guy ever.

Today it was too hot for both cats on the porch.

So the order of the day was knee stretching, enjoying my new air conditioner and feeling overjoyed for my niece Heather who got married this march and just received the news that she got her visa and can join her husband in their new life in Scotland!

And I want to show you just one example of the wealth of love I have received. This was written by my niece Melissa:

"I’d like to tell you about one of the best people I have ever known - my Aunt Ruthe.

Actually, there are about a zillion reasons why she is the best and I couldn’t possibly tell you about them all, but I will tell you about the few that top my list.

She is the glue that holds our family together and she has that special way about her that is unconditionally accepting of people. She has an incredibly positive yet incredibly real way of looking at life.

She’s the aunt I strive to be like for my nieces and nephew. Someone you can talk to about anything, go to for help or just hang out with like she’s one of your best friends.

While she may not have had children of her own, I can safely say that every one of her nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews look up to her like she’s more than just our aunt. She’s special, and there’s no denying that.

So when you hear things like she’s been living with an infected knee replacement joint for the last 10 years (she currently has a temporary replacement that is working as her first one should have been) and just today found out that she has vulvular cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes, it sucks. It sucks really bad, and you can’t help wonder why someone who lives such a selfless life is subjected to such unfairness. If I could take even 1/10th of the pain and cancer away from Ruthe, I would in a heartbeat, no questions.

I know she will get through this and be stronger than ever, and I just wanted to let all of you know a little bit about my wonderful Aunt Ruthe.

She has a blog of her own if you would like to check it out: http://ekkarat60.blogspot.ca"

Me again. See what I mean? I'm the wealthiest person on the planet.

Who could ask for anything more

I am overwhelmed with all the love and support of my family and friends. I can't say it often enough that I feel like the most fortunate person in the world. And right here in my own home I have the funniest most loving little guy ever.

Today it was to hot for both cats on the porch

So the order of the day was knee stretching, enjoying my new air conditioner and feeling overjoyed for my niece Heather who got married this march and just received the news that she got her visa and can join her husband in their new life in Scotland!

And I want to show you just one example of the wealth of love I have received. This was written by my niece Melissa:

"I’d like to tell you about one of the best people I have ever known - my Aunt Ruthe.

Actually, there are about a zillion reasons why she is the best and I couldn’t possibly tell you about them all, but I will tell you about the few that top my list.

She is the glue that holds our family together and she has that special way about her that is unconditionally accepting of people. She has an incredibly positive yet incredibly real way of looking at life.

She’s the aunt I strive to be like for my nieces and nephew. Someone you can talk to about anything, go to for help or just hang out with like she’s one of your best friends.

While she may not have had children of her own, I can safely say that every one of her nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews look up to her like she’s more than just our aunt. She’s special, and there’s no denying that.

So when you hear things like she’s been living with an infected knee replacement joint for the last 10 years (she currently has a temporary replacement that is working as her first one should have been) and just today found out that she has vulvular cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes, it sucks. It sucks really bad, and you can’t help wonder why someone who lives such a selfless life is subjected to such unfairness. If I could take even 1/10th of the pain and cancer away from Ruthe, I would in a heartbeat, no questions.

I know she will get through this and be stronger than ever, and I just wanted to let all of you know a little bit about my wonderful Aunt Ruthe.

She has a blog of her own if you would like to check it out: http://ekkarat60.blogspot.ca"

Me again. See what I mean? I'm the wealthiest person on the planet.

Thursday 28 June 2012

A Rat Indeed

So. This ones not going to be much fun to write. Or read.

As most of you know I had surgery in April to temporarily replace an infected knee joint, then a month later I had some skin cancer removed from my perineum and lymph nodes removed to test to see if the cancer had spread internally.

I saw Dr Elit in Hamilton today and she said that one of the lymph nodes they tested came back positive for cancer. She said that I have a decision to make with regard to whether or not I have another surgery to remove all the lymph nodes in the area on both sides. This surgery would go deeper than the one I already had. She explained that doing that surgery would not be a life saving measure but rather a tool to test all the nodes to see if radiation is in order. (I asked her to say that twice to be sure I understood) The other option which I am leaning toward is to go the radiation route, if feasible, right away without the surgery. Dr Elit was not sure what the radiation therapy would look like but she thought maybe every day for 4 weeks.

In either case the first course of action is to have a ct scan and get a date set up to see the radiologist both of which are in the works.

Also neither the radiation or surgery if I chose to have it can be done until my current lymph node wound heals which it is in no hurry, it seems, to do. It is messy, boring, getting more painful, and I've had quite enough thank you very much!

No one has said anything about chemo. I asked her what kind of cancer I have and she said I have vulvular cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes.

I don't really have a peppy way to end this but I know that I have a great deal of support and love in my life for which I am really grateful. If radiation is the way to go and it is every day for weeks then I will be contacting the cancer society for rides to Hamilton. However they need 5 working days notice so there may be times when I'll need to put forth emails to see who's available. After having taken some - ahem - creative routes I can now say I know exactly where I am going! Please let me know by email if you wish to be on that "looking for a ride" email list. Thanks.

I do feel like I am being helped in a very timely manner by this cancer centre which is a relief from what you all hear these days.

Oh and I see the knee surgeon this next Tuesday. Dr Elit said I am likely at least 6 to 8 weeks away from even considering having the second knee surgery which makes it such an extreme blessing that the temporary knee is functioning on such a high, nearly pain free level. It is all I can do to remember to use my cane or rollator because it just doesn't feel necessary anymore. But I will try because they don't know the limits of this new kind of temporary knee and I need to respect that!

I changed my mind about not having a peppy ending. Over the next while I'm going to recycle some of my cards and poems that people made for me. I probably won't be posting many updates to Facebook or emails. Drop by this blog to catch up if you want to. My blog is a really important tool for me to talk out my life right now but if blogs baffle or bore you I can email you the link on days when I think important stuff happens like today. Just let me know. I much prefer blogging to being in everyone's face all the time. Mostly I'll bore you with cat pictures but hey, that's the price of admission!

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Strawberry pie oh my

One more walk before the hot weather returns and it was a fun one with Caleb and Emily. But first there was strawberry pie from Heritage House to eat!

It's a fund raiser that they do every year.

Yum!

It was more of a walk then carry than a real walk!

Harrison got to off the beaten track so that was exciting!

Thanks for the walk Caleb!

Who needs Wonderland when you have actual dangerous activities to partake of?

Earlier today Alice, Harrison's favorite scritcher came by for a visit. He LOVES her!

If Harrison had any money he'd pay Alice to come over every day!

Well unless the pathology is not back yet I'll find out what's what tomorrow. Karen and I head out for Hamilton around 10am. I'll let you know when we get back. Hoping too that they'll have some bright ideas about closing the lymph wound. We'll see.

And oh hey, I did my own laundry today! Maybe shouldn't have yet, but nevertheless I did and that's a good feeling!

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Which way to the bench?

Another really beautiful day!

I like that this year they put benches and picnic tables all around my building! Harrison loves them too.

The benches are basically for smokers but they mean that I'm going to be able to walk around the building without a rollator some day. Maybe even without a cane! Because the lymph node wound is hurting more than ever I forget how great my knee is doing and it's not even the good one yet!

Sometimes I get too close to the camera to see the big picture

No matter what I find out about the pathology on Thursday, I will continue to move forward with my life and the lymph wound WILL heal.