Category: survivorship
-
The C-Word: Part 25 – Prep and Performance
Well friends, it’s just 2 weeks until Opening Night for The C-Word at the Vancouver Fringe Fest! EEEP! Since my husband and I will be out of town all next week to perform as our Canadian Acoustic Duo KD twice daily at the Armstrong IPE (Interior Provincial Fair and Rodeo) and our Johnny Cash /…
-
The C Word – Part 22: My 1 Year Cancer-versary
May 15th, 2022. Exactly one year since my diagnosis. One year since I stood clinging to my husband in the Doctor’s office, sobbing, thinking my life was over. One year since this C-Word journey began. In this one year I feel as if I’ve learned more about myself than I had in the past fifty-two.…
-
The C Word: Part 21 – Confidence
My post-surgery follow-up appointment finally arrived on March 31st. One month after my surgery. It was also my first day driving the car and I drove myself all the way into Vancouver to VGH. I’d thought the surgeon was just going to have a look at the scar to make sure it was healing nicely.…
-
The C Word – Part 20: Comfort
February 28th, 2022 was the date of my liver resection surgery. As the date approached, I found my nerves unraveling. All the strength I’d been striving to build over the course of the past year seemed to be eroding. In short, I was frightened. This was the third and (hopefully) final stage of my cancer…
-
The C Word – Part 19: C is for Courage
COURAGE. As my liver surgery date creeps closer and closer, I have found myself dealing with new fears and needing to dig a little deeper for my courage. When I was first diagnosed, I focused on just getting through the first surgery – my colon surgery. That was a big job. After I finally recovered…
-
The C-Word: Part 18 – C is for Centipede: A Healing Journey to Maui
Cancer is such an intensely personal journey. Everyone’s cancer is unique, everyone’s physiology, belief system and day-to-day demands are unique, and therefore, each person’s journey is very different. Which is why I was indecisive about sharing my story. After all, I still don’t truly know how the tale will end, and that’s scary. Especially to…
-
The C Word – Part 17: Keeping Your Heart Open!
I just completed my LAST Round of Chemo. Fingers crossed it’s forever. It’s been 8 months since my diagnosis. 7 months since my colon surgery. And 6 months since I began chemotherapy. I just completed my final round – Round 11. (this Chemo goes to 11!). As mentioned, the Doctors are not requiring chemo after…
-
The C-Word – Part 16: Optimism
I haven’t been writing as much lately. One reason was the holiday crunch – feeling as if I had to make cookies and mail cards and such. Another reason is that there’s not been much to report. I’m feeling well – almost “normal” if that’s an acceptable term. Chemo Round 9 was fairly uneventful, and…
-
The C Word – Part 14
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn Photo of my “Eye of the Storm” piece for Small Stage at The Shadbolt Centre taken by Dana Szyndrowski. Adapt. Evolve. Survive. I’ve been thinking a lot about the science of “routine” and “habit” recently as well as “adaptation” and “evolution”.…
-
The C Word – Part 13
Waking up baked, huzzah for socialized medicine and coping with ‘roid rage.
Burgundy Arts 