I was driving home from the Cancer Centre last week … stopped at a red light. I looked over to the right and BAM! I was rear-ended by a truck. Thankfully I was stopped far enough back that I didn’t hit the car in front of me, but I was thrown forward a good five…
Category: Psychology
It’s All About Me
It’s all about me right now. I will admit that I have an ego. Without being a narcissist. I have lived thirteen years with one of those and can tell you that is much different than being selfish and self-centred. It was that pride that refused to allow me to give up on the narcissist. …
Friends With Cancer
This blog entry has been guest authored by my friend Sherri, whom I love with all my heart. She has been by my side since my cancer journey started … understands me best since she has seen a similar road … and taps me on the shoulder when she has something to say … I…
Seven Year Cycle Out of Abuse
Today – June 28, 2017 – marks seven years since I left. After thirteen years, I had finally had enough and was getting out. It was a long, long road to get there. Listen to Jump by Madonna as you read this blog entry. It’s my theme song. I met him a month or two…
My Advice to Graduates
As the summer of 2017 starts and schools end … I watch as the children of family and friends graduate and move on to next chapters in their lives. I pause … and wonder what advice would I give to someone so fresh and new to the world? Their (hopefully) whole life ahead of them? …
Taxol on my Nerves
I’m an adventurous person. I’ll try anything twice. Most of my childhood summer weekends were spent in rural Vermont. My Father would arrive home from work on Friday night, grab a quick sandwich for dinner, and we would pile into the car for the over two-hour drive from the south shore of Montreal, Quebec. to…
Don’t Tell Me How to Feel
Would you tell someone that it’s great their son only lost his arm rather than die in a car accident? Say “Oh my God! That is fucking fantastic that you just have epileptic seizures! Better than brain damage or worse!” No? Then why tell me how to feel about my cancer and my life? Why…
Split Second
You’ve heard the story of the professor who demonstrated the Jar of Life to his students? He was lecturing on the concept of time management … and placed a big glass jar on the desk in front of him. Next, he pulled out a box of rocks about the size of tennis balls. He placed…
Stage IV
What is your favourite season? What is your most favourite thing to do in that season? What is something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet done? What is your biggest wish? Now close your eyes and imagine you’ve just been told you have Stage IV cancer and only 6 months to live. What…
Carly … My souldog
We shouldn’t have Carly. I almost didn’t take her. When I realized we had walked into a puppy mill, I told 12-year-old Matthew that we wouldn’t be taking a puppy. I had picked him up at a Friday night birthday party, and driven 1.5 hours to Colborne, Ontario to get this pup on July 16,…
(Ir)+rational fears
I have this reoccurring nightmare that my PICC line will bleed out. The nurses tell me that it can’t happen because there is a valve that prevents the backflow of blood … but what if the line is severed? As in a car accident? May as well slice my neck. The nightmare has me slowly…
Chemo 3 done … 13 to go!
I think I deserve a celebration of sorts! And I didn’t want you to think chemotherapy was all exhaustion and feeling on the verge of vomiting! This round – knock on wood – hasn’t been so bad. Today is Day 3, which has been the morning I woke up feeling like death warmed over. But…
Fox Diaries 