Direction

So. A good visit to Hamilton today. Lots of information and despite getting lost on the way I now feel like I have a clear plan. A direction. Too much to go into detail here and now but overall it went as I had hoped. Very very nice people who studied me carefully and patiently answered every question on my full page question sheet that began: "Paranoid questions in order of greatest fear." Chief of these fears was that the ct scan would show other advanced forms of cancer but it only showed some possible "wonky" lymph nodes in the area that could easily be a result of the surgery when they were digging around in there. I'll be having radiation on them anyway as well as on the outer vulvular area. Ouch but hey it could have been internal radiation so I'm not complaining!

I think I would have been upset had they said no radiation as I want to meet this head on and kick it's donkey kong butt!

The radiation can be done in Kitchener, probably the thing I'm happiest about besides that further surgery to remove all the lymph nodes is not called for and that the lymph nodes higher than my abdomen looked good so they didn't even scan higher up into my arms etc. So there will be a referral to Grand River via fax with all my info and on the way home we stopped at Mac and started the 48 hour process of having them send the actual cd of the cat scan to Grand River.

I have no idea how long the radiation will be for, I imagine 4 or 5 weeks. I'm just so grateful not to have to drive so far so often. Dr Elit in Hamilton will still be my surgeon and I'm very happy about that!

So that's me for now. Radiation, then back on the hunt for the perfect knee!

The road to Hamilton today was full of construction and an odd experience at a Tim Horton's that was out of everything.

Luckily Maureen had her trusty boring book along so we made it through!

I didn't think I could get lost going up the mountain again but I managed. Finally we were climbing to the top.

Guess what we saw in the lobby of the cancer centre after my appointment?!

Yup the pink portage canoe. I didn't get to sign it because he was away on a break so I didn't have a sharpie, but my buddy Eddie who was with us got to sign his mom Brenda's name!

Read more about the Pink Portage here.

After you finish my blog of course!

This is a picture of Brenda and Eddie my two trusty chauffeurs/supporters today. Well Eddie didn't drive that much but he did read us a very funny, "Don't try to eat or drink anything while I read this next bit" chapter from his book! Big thanks to both of them! And to Maureen who braved the appointment in the teensy airless room, took notes and made it possible for me to breath in and out for the past few days. As have all the rest of you in your various generous ways. I am blessed.

Sadly when I tried to photograph some pages from the boring teacher book this is the best my iPod camera could do then it died from sheer boredom. Hoping it will revive if I promise never to point it at that book again!!