Ins and Outs of Thursday

It's already Friday today! A week ago yesterday since we embarked on this cancer journey. It was a good day! I was still flying high on steroids - which has been raising my blood sugar levels, so we had to go to the doctor to monitor the levels (or learn to). We bought a glucometer (or whatever - a gadget to test your blood sugar level - my dad has one of these for his diabetes). There, in the pharmacy we learned how blessed we are! We were talking with the pharmacist while she taught us how to use this thing. She wondered whether I was diabetic and I told her the raised sugar level was due to the sterioids. and how they're making me feel happy, excited, and energetic too. She said, "You're lucky because there are people who respond quite differently and become very depressed. So, we continued on our way home rejoicing!

Well, we continued wondering what to do with this glucometer too. We decided to leave that and to draw on Alida's nursing skills and ask her to help us (don't really need nursing skills for this - just read the instructions) but it's easier to let someone else to figure out these things. My brain doesn't deal really well with gadgets and instructions these days. "Anyways, when are we going to test your blood?" Alida: "Mom, are you going to try it?" Ellie: "No!! I hate these things! I've donated blood for years and this little prick in my finger for them to test your blood, is the worst part of the whole donation process for me. "You do it! No, you try it! Oops, that's not enough blood. Try again. No..! Alida: "OK. here let me do it. Let's get this over with. OK, we finally did it and the reading was high (10.8?) The doctor told me to stay away from sugar (not a big problem for me - I guess Gerard will have to sacrifice and eat the dessrts!) and she suggested walk a lot. No punishment for Gerard and me! We love walking and headed out for an hour and a half out into the sun, snow, and cold. It was great! God time to talk, get fresh air, get a change of scene and burn off those extra dessert calories and blood sugar excesses. Gerard's logging our walking hours in his little black running book. We're up to over an hour and hoping to build up our time day by day.

Our neighbour across the street is providing us with lots of free entertainment.

He's creating ice and snow sculptures around his house. We went over to see and to hear of his plans. He's pracitising so that he can maybe build play snow structures for winter carnivals in his retirement. He's slready built a big snow hut (complete with wooden inside structure to prevent collapse) and it's tall enough for him to stand and lie inside. We are having so much fun watching him! Looks like he's really enjoying himself and in the process, we are too.

I have a dilemna - I'm wondering what to do about my hair. It's a mess (hat hair, bed hair) ! and could really do with a trim. But if I do start chemo next week or the next, maybe it will all fall out and then I might as well enjoy what I have right now. And if/when my hair falls out the scar from my biopsy will show and it might also be a bit chilly. What will I wear? We'll see. We had visitors yesterday too. B came by with a bag of food - we love food! and videos to keep us entertained (Alida has joined a fitness club for some place to go and something to do- she needs to keep busy and right now I'm dong so well, and it's great to have her here and Gerard's here so there's not really much for her to do here). Mark and Rosemary visited. Oh,and then a florist delivered an arrangement of flowers from the staff and board at my work. What a surprise and a nice cheerful replacement for some of the fading anniversary flowers ffrom a few weeks ago! My friend, J. is knitting a "love blanket" for me! I'm so excited! I can't wait! Yesterday was a great day! We rolled into bed tired and atisfied. We are starting to learn that we need to carve out some time and space for ourselves for some down time in the middle of all the excitement. I love the visits, but since I'm running on some artificial ergy and adreneline thanks to the sterioids, I do get pretty hyper and so need to slow down to come down a notch once in a while. We - Our family is going to expand in a few days! No, no grandchildren or anything! In a few days Henry, Melanie, and her dad, Ken, are going to move in with us while their house is under renovation. Ken is under paliative care for cancer so we are going to start our own mini nursing home here (with Alida and Menie as our nursing staff). We And we're planning a little "cancer party" because Rosemary's dad is also having chemo for his cancer, so we thought maybe all of us parents should get together - but the kids suggested we are not going to focus on cancer. So in preparation for the move-in. we're constantly thinking of ways to provide a private, comfortable spot for everyone. Probably set up a TV/sitting area in our "play room" and hook up a few phones and hooks over the doors for towels, clothes, etc. We're actaully very excited about the move! I know that timing doesn't sound like the greatest, but we had this planned long before my cancer stuff surfaced. And at the same time it gives us something other than ourselves and the cancer to focus on. We are determined to do our best to make this work. We hope you will join us in praying that this will all go smoothly. We really want to be able to all support each other in this way at this time. And we are hoping to be able to stay honest and open with each other by chechecking in how it's all working for each of us. Like I said earlier... there is a new spirit in this place. We are trying to learn to trust and go with the flow and we are praying that this cancer journey is going to honour God and help us to grow and change where we need it. It's already 5:26 am! I think I'll crawl back into bed for a while. So long!