Finally finished it.  Looks better with the border on the bottom.

Sparky not amused with the picture taking that I do.  He hates the high pitched noise the camera/flash makes and after all of those trick or treaters coming to his house and disturbing him tonight this was the last straw.

At least he doesn't shed so no hairs on the sweater.

Didn't have many little ones at the door tonight.  They all came at once.  We might have had 25 and that is all.  Yes I did it ... I gave out the potatoe chips at the door without a hat or wig on so maybe that is why we didn't have many come to the door... I scared them away!!!!  They just don't like bald ladies maybe.

Dr Kuntz agrees with Dr Hopkins that it might be gallbladder causing all of my pain or at least something in that area since the pain is very localized in that area.  Then the worst happened....remember I was going to keep my PICC in just in case.  Boy do I regret taking it out.  Ouch, ouch, ouch...can you get it...it hurt.  My doctors nurse couldn't find a vein at all no matter how much she poked me.   I took the form to the lab that I used before the picc and she came up with a brilliant plan.  There is a little butterfly needle that they use sometimes which is what they used when my veins collapsed during chemo.  That one wasn't small enough so she went to the back room and got a smaller one that they use in babies.  The blood comes slower but it can go in smaller veins.  She got one half way between my elbow and wrist.
I had a ct scan last week that should have covered my new problem while they were there.  Dr kuntz was going to ck to see if they went far enough or I have to go again...she was to amused.  I might have an ultrasound too.  Now I just wait for the phone to ring for more apts to confirm what is wrong and a gameplan.

Jim still ok despite 16 hour days and cold showers due to no power in his hotel.  Dunkin donuts won't take their Canadian money so hopefully he finds a working banking machine soon.
Experimenting with pans from dollar store to make brownies from Costco today.  I have to take something in for the bonspiels next week.  I won't be playing because of radiation so I am making brownies.  Not really baking I guess but for me it is.
Jean seemed surprised to get shrug yesterday.   I hope she likes it.
Decided to add border on bottom of sweater.  It seems to look better now.  Should have it done tonight in between trick or treaters.
Go to doctors this afternoon to find out what she will do about my potential gall bladder problem.
Raining now but the wind has subsided so no more tiles should come off the roof.
Stay warm and dry all.

One more shrug completed with a nice bag to put it in as a gift for Jean.  She is the lady from curling who gave Deb the x country skis and wouldn't take anything for them.  I hope she likes it.

Heard from Jim tonight.  They hadn't started work yet at that time.  Just sitting around in Milford CT waiting for the storm to hit.  The wind just blew the cover off the bbq on the back deck so the winds have made it here.  No rain yet, just lots of wind.  Everyone stay safe.

Jim got away ok and I finished laundry for us and Mom.  Hopefully this storm comes and goes soon so that the pain goes away soon.

Finished Margaret's sweater per the pattern but I still might add some to the bottom.  It is still up for debate.  Jim is all packed ready to go to Connecticut tomorrow to help out with the storm clean up.

I guess that my flash doesn't work very well.  8 of us went out tonight with kayaks.  It was like a summer evening except for the fact that it got dark early.  The water was really calm though compared to last Sunday.  It was very easy to paddle.

Things went well yesterday with the CT Scan and the tattoos.  I see now how they say that there are 140 people waiting for Radiation all of the time.  I was in Radiation South and it has 3 waiting rooms which were all full at all times.  Most people had someone with them so they were not all waiting but still there are a lot of  people there at all times.  It is a massive production line.  There is a Radiation North at the General as well that I have seen.  Not sure if there is an East and West though.  There is also the same set up apparently at the Queensview Carleton Hospital.  It is amazing that there are that many people in the area that require this treatment.

Had a good time roller blading in the morning as well. We went along the Ottawa River.  The pictures say it all.

Curled on Monday if you can call it that.  I made about 65% of my  shots.  Today I did much better and pretty well made all of my shots.  Mom came yesterday but not today so I did her groceries on the way home and delivered them to her.  Tomorrow I roller  blade then take mom to get her hair done... then go to get CT scan and tattoos...then pick up mom... then curl at night.  When we went to the session on radiation, they said that some of the fatigue during radiation was caused by not being used to getting out and going somewhere each day.... I guess I have that one covered now so the other causes will have to get me because that one won't.  Just driving to the hospital to get an xray is nothing compared to what I am currently doing so I think that I will be fine.  It doesn't need brain power to lie on a bed and get an xray.

GOOD NEWS on my feet and hands.  The feeling is slowly coming back.  Not sure if I will get it all back but at least I am getting some feeling back.  They say it can take up to 6 months for it to all come back or finish coming back as much as it will so having some so soon, I think is a good thing.... Got to be positive!

This is the Maplesoft Center that supplies support and programs to survivors.  I took some information and will be looking into going to some of their programs.  They have Laugh Yoga that looks like fun.  This is what the fund raiser was for.

It is all part of the Cancer Foundation.

In front of the center is the survivors park.

This is part of the survivor park.  This is where I got my lesson on how to walk with the Nordic poles.

I finished the walk in 1 hr and 48 minutes.  I went slower at the beginning since I was chit chatting with another survivor from Timmins.  They turned the 14 k into only 10 k so it wasn't too bad.  I definitely worked up a sweat.  When you use the poles properly it is a really good work out.  It is an excellent work out for all ages 12 month of the year with low impact.  It is popular in the Alta Vista area but the rest of Ottawa hasn't caught on yet.

After the walk Judy, Margaret and I went kayaking/canoeing.  It was lovely and the colours of the leaves were great

This was my first trip out in the kayak since I got the PICC removed.  It was great to be out on the water.  It is very soothing.

The big extra news from the info session was that the radiation itself will only last 2 to 10 minutes depending on the person and their case.  Once I do it I will update my case.  The hour is just to get there sign in change and get lined up to have them put the rays in the same place each time, then change again,  They stressed to be on time since they do so many every day.  They treat 375 patients every day in Ottawa at two hospitals.  At any time there are 140 patients in the prep stage awaiting treatment.  They are split between Queensway Carleton Hospital and the General.  I go to the General.  The info session was general so we learned about all of the machines.  I do not know yet which one I will be getting just that I won't be getting the one that only goes on your face with a special mask.  I will get more details on my case on Wednesday at the CT scan.
Margaret, Sparky and I walked today... practicing with the walking poles.  There is a clinic tomorrow  before the walk which will tell me if I have been using them correctly or not.  I am supposed to walk tomorrow morning and then kayak in the afternoon so keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.  It was nice today instead of the rain so I hope that it is the same tomorrow.  Have a nice weekend all.

Took the hats in today after my apt and it was a good thing too since there were not any hats there at all.  That is a first.  Usually when I drop them off there are at least 10 to 20 other ones there.
For my apt I got to see one of the chemo nurses and Dr Hopkins.  The chemo nurse said that she took the shrug that I gave her to show her Mom at thanksgiving and her mom loved it too.  She thanked me a lot again for it.  I guess not too many people give things to the nurses.
Dr. Hopkins is great.  This is the first that I have seen her since the follow up from surgery in June.  She obviously read my file before she came in and talked to me like we were old buddies.  When she walked in she said hi kiddo, how is it going, long time no see.  I know she probably doesn't really remember me but it made me feel at ease.  So in no particular order.

1.  CT scan next week is just to see how big an area my parts cover down there so that they know how big an area that they want to throw the radiation at.
2. After radiation is done sometimes it is just the radiologist and sometimes they send me back to Hopkins group for the followups.  I see them quarterly for the next two to three years.
3.  The CT scan if I get one to see if all of the current cancer is gone will not be for at least 60 days after the last radiation treatment.  They have to make sure that it has finished doing its thing before they check to see if it did its thing.  It actually makes sense.
4.  Dr Hopkins says I can definitely diet now and was shocked at the weight gain.  She said that I will have diahria during radiation too and I can take advantage of that to help loose the extra weight that I recently put on.
5.  I told her about the scare on the doubling the chances of getting cancer again from the radiation and she said that Dr Samant had too many statistics in his head.  She said that he may see a lot of recurrance from the radiation in his group but she says that her group doesn't see that much.  She thought that 4% was high and she knocked on wood saying that we will just have to wait and see.
6.  Eating problem - once I described it to the nurse... she said that it might be my gall bladder but to ask the doctor since she was just a nurse.  I asked Dr Hopkins and she too immediately said gall bladder but that she doesn't do anything for it.  I have to go back to my family doctor for that.  I made an apt to see Dr Kuntz my family doctor for October 31st.  Happy Halloween.

Better go get ready for this afternoon's education session on radiation.  If there is any more info from them.. I will give an update.

Going to the hospital tomorrow so I am going to take these hats to the 8th floor Chemo room while I am in the area.  Mom knit some more, I redid one of the crocheted ones that hadn't been taken before and now that it is colder I do not need two of the ones that Joan made for me so I am donating them too.
Had a good day at the curling rink today.  Played pretty good and we won all three games.  I got hot after the first game so took off my wig and curled with a scarf for the last two games.  I was more comfortable and they didn't seem to care.

I am getting a little bit of peach fuzz growing back on my head so I got James to take a picture to remember these past few months.

I redeemed myself at curling today.  Even when I missed a shot it turned out to be a good plan B.  Walked with my sticks again this afternoon since not too much rain yet.  Now off to do some more knitting and put my feet up before I have to make supper.

Had a bad day at curling today performance wise.  I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn door.  I think I made two shots and that was it.
Here are my future appointments.  Oct 19 morning - apt with the surgeon but I do not know why.  Afternoon I have an education session on radiation.  I never got one on chemo but I guess I get to go to this one.  Jim is coming too to ask what I forget.
Oct 24 I get the scan to set up the radiation and the tattoos.
Nov 5th I start the radiation at 1:15 in the afternoon.  She said that I could drive myself so I am good to go.

Hopefully I curl better tomorrow morning.

Back from our mini vacation.  It wasn't two weeks in Cuba like we had planned but we still had fun.  Legs still ok.  One toe that I kicked something with last weekend still hurts.  I can't even put a blanket on it or it hurts.  Right now I will take the hurt since it means that I can feel it.  I think I kicked it harder than I thought.  I do not think that it is broken though but what do I know.  Later....

Slept until noon so am better today.  Just have the arthritis pain in my bunions which is normal.  No more chemo pain so I guess I am officially done.
Had some flurries yesterday which I guess is where the arthritis is kicking in from as well as forecast rain.
Off to celebrate our anniversary again now that I am better.  Hope everyone enjoys this fall day.

Another rough day.  They did say that the chemo is cumulative so I guess they save the worst to the end.  Used both tylenol and a heating pad all day to get me through.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Well both mom and I survived 3 games today.  Mom did a lot better by sitting sideways with her feet in the air.  I won 2 games and tied 1 so it was all good.  No more curling until Monday.  Still trying to figure out what to do this weekend for a follow up for our anniversary.  The weather is not cooperating though.   Have a good weekend all.

Slept in my chair all night so that I didn't disturb JB with all my aches and pains.  I am better today so off to the curling club.  Mom is coming too so I made leftover lunches/suppers to take.
I just signed up for the Nordic Walk for cancer survivorship.  It is on the 21st.  I am going to do 14km.  It will help to get me in shape before the Radiation.  Max Keeping will be there too since he has a new cancer now so it should be a big deal.  If you want to sponsor me as a walker you can search for my name at the site:  http://ottawacancer.akaraisin.com/NordicWalk2012 

Had a nice full massage today to try and get rid of some of the pain.  Made me feel better but the pain is still there as strong as it was before.
We went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary.  We went to the old Mexi's on Bank St. which is now a tex mex but still has good mexican food.  We have been going there since 1984.  One of the waiters from back then was there tonight and the waitress that was there tonight has been there for over 20 years.  Very strange that staff stay around a restaurant that long. We went to the Casino on the way home to play with our free money from the golf course.  We had 20 dollars in coupons and came home with $20.75 real money.  We won about 10 other dollars but spent them.
Tomorrow I am supposed to play 3 games but if my legs are still as bad as they are now then I am skipping the middle one.  Night all.

Mom finally was able to join me today to watch me curl.  I played two games back to back so she was very tired at the end.  We won't talk about how I felt... thank goodness for tylenol.  We won both games so it was worth it I guess.  Now I am back in my pj's with more tylenol.  Should be good to go tomorrow.

Had a nice dinner yesterday with Jim's sister Cathy and his parents and Mom.  Deb and Charlie came over for a visit in the afternoon and James got to go to Jess's last night to see Ian and Jess etc.  Pain kicked in last night so have had 3 batches of Tylenol so far.  Time to go and get Mom's laundry so that we can get it done on a cheap day still since it is a holiday today.  Hope that everyone is having a nice weekend.

No more refills on these pills.... no more football nor star shaped pills for me.  The Ran-Ondansetron I took an hour before they would start the chemo drip and then take a second one of them before I went to bed on a chemo night.  The PMS-Dexamethasone was for the Sat and Sunday after each chemo treatment.  I took two of them each of the mornings and I just took my last two.  Nice to talk in the past tense.    These two bottles were the only two mandatory ones that I took.  All of the others that I have are for Anti nausea and constipation and I still have lots of them left and refills as well that I never had to fill thank goodness.  Lots to be thankful for today on Thanksgiving.
The turkey is in the oven cooking and I am just about to peel the potatoes.  Mom came over Friday and helped to set the table with her good dishes so today will not be very hectic.  Lets just hope I don't crash until after the dishes are cleaned up tonight otherwise I will be cleaning them dozy on tylenol.
Have a happy thanksgiving all.

After sleeping all morning during chemo you cannot sleep no matter how much you try so I made the dress for the doll that I got for Margaret as a toilet paper cover.  I used leftover wool from the shrugs so it turned out pretty nice.  I could only find a barbie doll so I had to modify the pattern to make it longer so that it covers two rolls of toilet paper instead of the normal one roll when you have a shorter doll.

When you get there at 7 a.m. you get your choice of parking spots.  Last chemo day.  Yeah.

Round the corner from where we parked for the long walk to the hospital.  On this road there is only 2 hour parking so we do the walk to save money.  Will still be going up here for the Rad treatments but last for Chemo.

Almost there at the General.

All done but the PICC - last picture of it still in my arm.

There is the picc.  The little T at the bottom was outside where it went in.  The end in her hand was next to my heart.

Ring, ring, ring, ring my bell.  At the end of your last chemo you get to ring a bell.

The three nurses that were there today were the ones that I know the best.  They all loved the shrugs.  One said it was like a hug....  She is the one that is a breast cancer survivor so she said that the bags that they were in meant a lot to her as well so it all worked out.   On to the next stage.

All packed up and ready to go.  I attached a picture of me wearing one so they will know what they are.  I also wrote a thank you note on the other side of my picture.

All five shrugs done.  I hope that they like them.  I made them for the nurses.  I will give them to them tomorrow.  Three of them have teal in them for ovarian cancer which is the one I have seen the most of.

Found these cool bags to put them in.  Better than wrapping paper.  I got 5 of them.  They have a drawstring closure and end up like a back pack.  They may even reuse them.  I tried to find peach for my form of cancer but had to settle for breast cancer colour of pink.

Mom is still busy making the hats so I have seven more of them to deliver tomorrow as well.  I will still deliver more when I am on radiation.  One lady on my curling team works at cheo and she is going to deliver the future little ones that I make.

Must go get everything packed and ready to go.  I got the 7:30 a.m. time slot again.

This is where I used to go to get my PICC cleaned and they would draw my blood and fill the viles.  I hopefully visited them for the last time today.

I would walk with my blood in my hands over to the Riverside Hospital ... through it to the building on the other side to deliver my blood to the lab.

Here is the Life Labs on the other side of the Riverside.  The first  times they would draw the blood and then I would have to deliver it to them after I had my PICC.  They were not allowed to touch my PICC.  Again hopefully never have to go there again either.

Hopefully my blood was good today so I will have some more last times on Friday.  I spared curling tonight and we beat the other team 10 to 1.  They quit after 6 ends so I got home early.  Time to get some rest now.

Ok this is the info I have been waiting for... not conclusive but a little more information than I had.  I saw my radiologist today and he changed a bunch of things that I have been told.  My cancer is so weird...info given to me before does not apply to me.
1. Who cares what my hemoglobin level is, I get radiation no matter what... so Gary I do not have to eat Brocoli.
2.  PICC comes out with my last chemo which hopefully is on Friday.  The lady that was so sick had cervical cancer getting chemo and a higher dose of radiation at the same time. I supposedly will not need the PICC so out it comes.
3.  My major side affects to rad treatment will be fatigue, diahria, burning while urination.  Maybe I won't hurt when I eat if it goes right through me... got to look at the bright side.
4.  Next phone call will be to book CT scan to set up the rad treatments which I assume means that is when I get the tattoos... I forgot to ask... chemo fog....
5.  If I get chemo on Fri then rad treatments start in early November - still for the 5 weeks 5 days a week.
6.  I do not get to book the rad treatments... they are so busy I take what I get so I have no idea what time of day I will have to go in.
7.  Do not read this one if you are not taking this well.
                 I had to sign off on taking the rad treatments to prove that they are not forcing me to... same as I did for chemo....  This one is a little different in that Radiation will kill any leftover cancer in the area where my tumor was but it can also cause cancer in the future.  In 10 to 15 years my chances are double what they used to be to get cancer in that area.  I told him there wasn't much left there any way but there are still the bowels, kidney that he said and I guess my appendix is still there.  So around 65 to 70 I get to start looking for symptoms and see someone right away if I suspect any thing.  Lovely thought to look forward to.  Sure makes early retirement that much more appealing.

Thats my news for the day... off to finish the last shrug.  4 done 1 more to go so they should be done by Friday.  Take care all.