Sold 22 scarves and 1 yoga mat bag yesterday.  Once they know it is for cancer research they buy one ...as one lady said... I am a survivor so I want to buy one even if I never wear it.  I met a lot of survivors and a lot of people interested in the ride.  I gave out a lot of the brochures from the ride and two of the magazines with the article about me in it.  They are all going to appointments so they had something to read.  The bag with a scarf went to a couple from Brockville.  They knew people that I knew but I didn't know them.   That was my last booking so I am not sure if I will get to go back.  I want to finish a coverup that I started in the summer to take to Cuba so I need a break from scarves any way.  Hopefully I can go back one more time though to sell off some of the inventory.  I can keep it until the fall though and sell it for xmas gifts.  I will put them in the Pedicure stop for now and maybe one more location.  It is weird though from week to week what sells and what doesn't.  You can never guess who is going to come by and what colours they like... conservative to wild and in between...one lady was trying to match the lipstick that she wears... sorry I just cannot relate to that but it was entertaining.
I get my regular pedicure today to fix my feet up and then the restorative yoga class which I love and then curling tonight.  Have a good day all.

Got the results of the MRI and ultrasound today.  Nothing has grown so no need to panic.  There is no cure for the damage that I have from the surgery etc.  but at least the cysts eric are not growing so no cause for concern.  I just put up with the pain and be glad that I am cancer free.   She said that some times the damage will heal over time on its own.   In the meantime I am cleared for take off.  I just need to talk to my LTD rep and then off to Cuba.  My doctor said I definitely needed a vacation to just relax before going back to work.  My surgeon said not to return to work before May 1st.  My doctor wants to see me two weeks before that to see if she will delay it or not.  It is my brain that needs to get with it.  Physically I am ok...just need brain power.  I do not want to go back on the first though...who wants to go back at month end!   Even if I do not have my regular duties yet the environment is too stressful during month end.  Off to riverside tomorrow to sell more scarves.  Judy knitted up 4 of them to help which is great.  Have a good night all.

Had my ultra sound yesterday and then spent the rest of the day in bed... same as what happened after my MRI.  I guess that I am a little more sensitive down there than I think I am... getting totally burnt inside and out I guess will take some time to heal... don't like it when I am touched there.
I was to get a pelvic and an abdominal one but they only wanted to do the pelvic one since I had just had a MRI...they said the abdominal one was a waste since it wouldn't show any more.... I argued that if the doctor asked for it then do it... told him my history and he finally gave in and did it.  I get the results at my doctor's appointment on Monday.
While I was waiting in the waiting room I was knitting a scarf of course.  A lady commented on it and one thing led to another and she gave me a $20.00 donation.
Feeling a little better today.
Thursday did the Nordic Walking course... very interesting dynamics in the class.  The teacher was trying to explain the benefits but one lady downed her for dreaming saying that cancer survivors are just happy to be alive and didn't need to lose weight etc and just wanted to enjoy walking whatever distance we could.  It was pretty tense for awhile..some others countered her saying we didn't want to be coddled either and were not offended by her approach..... hope it will be better next week.
That is all the news for the week.  Have a nice weekend.

Sold 20 scarves today... one more than last week.  

Riverside Hospital today... started this way but the rack was too crowded so I put more on the table later on.

These are the new ones made out of material.  The purple in the middle is lace and the others are silky.  The material costs $19.99 plus tax so I have to sell these  at a higher rate.  I sold one last week at the hospital and one this week.  I do not think I will do many more of these even though they would be good for the summer.  I have to find somewhere that sells the material cheaper for it to make sense.

This is how crowded it was before I split it and put some on the table.  The cloth ones and yoga mats on top with 60 scarves down below.

Almost Easter so of course my Christmas Cactus is in bloom.  It did bloom at xmas this year though too so now it blooms twice... very pretty with more about to come out.

Sold scarves at the Riverside Hospital today.  Met a lot of very interesting people.  It was nice to be out and raising money for such a great cause.

Another view of the area that I had at the Riverside Hospital today.  I sold 19 scarves.  I go back there again on Wednesday to sell some more.

Nancy Wortman... one of the ladies from curling that has been helping to knit the scarves... crocheted this lovely shawl for me.  It is beautiful.  I put it around my shoulders while I knit so it doesn't hurt so much.

Judy and I are going to the Outdoor Show this weekend.  Hopefully they will let me have more than one of the magazines there with my story in it.  Have a happy St Patty's day everyone.

The article is in the special issue for the travel show next weekend.  You can view it on line.  I am on page 10.   http://issuu.com/ottawaoutdoors/docs/theoutdoor_adventuretravelshow-magazine?mode=mobile&origin=email

I don't think that I put this up but I go for my MRI of my liver tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m.   I got the apt after the ultrasound came in and it is booked a week and a half before it.  Everyone waits forever for MRI's and I got in in a week.... she put high priority on the request... finally I am getting tests in a timely manner.  The new medication that I am on to test to see if I have reflux problems doesn't work... I was in bad pain after a Spinach salad.  All I get from the drug is the side affects... very tired, nauseous and lots of diahria... like I needed more of that after what I went through with the radiation.
Oh well at least we are eliminating things.  Night Night.  Have to get up early to go to the Hospital.

These are the pictures that they chose to accompany the article in the magazine.

This is the article that they will be putting in the Ottawa Outdoor Magazine:

By TRACEY TONG

She competes in triathlon, runs, hikes, kayaks, cycles, curls and has even been swimming with stingrays. Jan VandenTillaart is a bundle of energy and a picture of health.

Imagine her shock when, in January 2012, the 53-year-old was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

“It was so frustrating to have done everything right over the years and still end up with cancer. At every single appointment I went to, they said, “other than the cancer, you are very, very healthy.’ It ended up helping me, because they said they could give me all the chemo and radiation I could handle.”

Following a hysterectomy, VandenTillaart underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and twenty-five radiation treatments at The Ottawa Hospital, during which she continued to embrace life, whether it was fulfilling a lifelong dream to go jet-skiing with her son, or planning a trip to Las Vegas. “I was determined not to let cancer beat me,” she recalled. “I forced myself through the aches and pains to triumph at the finish line.”

Now cancer-free, VandenTillaart credits “a positive attitude and setting goals” for her speedy recovery.

Coincidentally, VandenTillaart found her latest goal at The Ottawa Hospital, the same place she’d received her cancer treatment. On September 7, VandenTillaart will Ride the Rideau in support of cancer research at The Ottawa Hospital. The Ottawa-to-Merrickville bike tour, with 100 km and 50 km options, is entering its fourth year in 2013 and has raised more than $4.4 million.

VandenTillaart has already exceeded her goal of raising $1,500 for cancer research by knitting scarves and bags in exchange for donations to her fundraising. “It’s a great cause,” said VandenTillaart. “I want to raise money for research that will help others.”

Ironically, the general accountant said cancer has made her a better person.

“I have learned to slow down and take in the beautiful things around me in the world that I used to ignore because I was too busy,” she said. “Hopefully I can spread this positive energy to others so that they too can begin to enjoy life like I have.”

Box

The fourth edition of Ride the Rideau will be held on Saturday, September 7

To register to ride, sign up to volunteer or to sponsor a rider, visit www.ridetherideau.ca

Survived the bonspiel.  Everything went great.  Deb and Andrea sold 12 scarves which was great.  Our team won our draw so we won some nice prizes as well.
I had my doctor apt with my GP this week... follow up from my oncologist apt.  I now have my ultrasound booked for later in March and she asked for a MRI of the liver as well which will be booked soon.  My blood work looked a little better but my levels are still borderline.  She told me to wait another month or so before I can swim etc.  I guess I will be getting my blood done in another month and then we will see.
She put me on a pill for a month that is for reflux to see if that solves my eating problem.  She says my liver and cyst problems are not related to my eating problem so we are still trying to figure out it.  For the liver... there is only one liver specialist in Ottawa and she has a long waiting list so my doctor emailed her my test results and asked for a consult which hopefully will done soon.  She asked for advice on what steps she should do next to figure it out.  Bottom line still getting tested but no answers... sounds like two years ago all over again except I keep pushing more than I did then.  At least if it is liver cancer, they can remove the cancerous part and apparently the liver can grow back.
I have a very bad cold now so can't breath very well, cough and runny nose.  Got more cold medicine tonight so maybe it will work eventually.
That is all my news for now.