… or is it a train coming at me!?!?! Sometimes I wonder! Today, after over a year of waiting, I saw a doctor that deals with chronic pain. I met with her to be interviewed and assessed to see if I meet the criteria to start having intravenous IV treatments of a drug called Ketamine.…
Read more Is that a light at the end of the tunnel…
It’s that time of year when the clocks go back an hour. It’s darker in the mornings and darker earlier at night. And for me it feels darker all the time. When I was a kid; and having just had a birthday this week, I can assure you I am no longer a kid; I…
Read more Spring Forward…Fall Way Back
“How are you doing?” It’s a question we ask and get asked constantly. “I’m fine.” is a typical answer, at least for me. Saying I’m “fine” is just so much easier than actually divulging how I’m really feeling. “I’m fine,” makes it easier to move on with the conversation and really, it’s such a standard…
Read more I’ve grown accustom to wearing a mask
This week I had a “catch up” call with my family doctor. I haven’t seen her in months as she isn’t seeing patients in person due to Covid-19. I had to bring her up to speed on how I am feeling. She had scheduled the call for ten minutes. Let’s just say it went a…
Read more I’m not chronically ill… I’m medically interesting!
Since my diagnosis April 30 I haven’t stopped reading every article, blog, book and tweet I can find about breast cancer. I never knew there were so many types of breast cancer, seven I believe. And although I am certainly no expert, I joke with my family and friends that I could go on Jeopardy…
Read more I’ll take Breast Cancer for $1000 Alex
I have now joined a club I never wanted to be a member. No one does. But I will pay my dues, do my time and then drop out as quickly as possible. Actually that’s not true. Yes, I want to resign the post “I have cancer” and replace it with “I survived cancer”, but…
Read more If not for the kindness of strangers
A week later I was meeting with the reconstructive/plastic surgeon assigned to my team. Just so we are clear, breast reconstruction is not a boob job. Reconstruction of your breasts after mastectomy is a long process. In fact, the plastic surgeon said it will take another nine months after my mastectomy scars heal. So this…
Read more A matching pair
Waiting to meet my new surgeon was a completely different experience. There was none of the angst of waiting for a diagnosis. I knew what that was…I have breast cancer…so tell me what’s next, PLEASE. The door of the examining room opened and in came one of the most energetic, confident and enthusiastic people I’ve…
Read more My boobs are in good hands
A week after being diagnosed with breast cancer, I had, thanks to my family doctor, an appointment at the Juravinski Cancer Centre. I had googled the hospital to find out as much as I could before my appointment. The facility, the programs and services and even the look of the place was impressive. I read…
Read more Juravinski, what a difference a week makes
I got the call on Friday to say the surgeon wants to see me. She had my biopsy report. I knew that things probably weren’t great. I was expecting to hear that I had an infection or maybe a cyst. It was now Monday. I had spent the weekend trying not to think about the…
Read more April 30…excuse me…I have what ?