Participants in the recent retreat for women living with breast cancer, which drew almost 60 women from across the province. It was a great experience.
Photo by Shasta Merlini, Fredericton
Friday, November 21, 2008
Left Arm Liberation
Water consumption in Saint John probably spiked yesterday morning, when I had the first shower after removal of my PIC line. No more having to wrap my arm in saran covered by pantyhose - although I have to say that does pretty much work.
When I discovered that the bone strengthener I'm getting every 4 weeks can be given intravenuosly (it doesn't damage the veins the way chemo drugs can), I asked my doctor if it could come out, and she agreed. So that saves our health care system the weekly expense of getting it cleaned and dressing changed.
Also had a helpful consultation with a physiotherapist, who says I have good post-surgery range of motion in my arm and shoulder, but has given me a few specific exercises to help get the last bit back. She also confirmed the kind of adjustments I've been making in order to do yoga while protecting my neck.
Wendy
When I discovered that the bone strengthener I'm getting every 4 weeks can be given intravenuosly (it doesn't damage the veins the way chemo drugs can), I asked my doctor if it could come out, and she agreed. So that saves our health care system the weekly expense of getting it cleaned and dressing changed.
Also had a helpful consultation with a physiotherapist, who says I have good post-surgery range of motion in my arm and shoulder, but has given me a few specific exercises to help get the last bit back. She also confirmed the kind of adjustments I've been making in order to do yoga while protecting my neck.
Wendy
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Too Much Squash
While joining the CSA was an excellent idea, we are occasionally inundated with vegetables. In the past couple of months squash has appeared (sometimes 2 of them) very regularly. Here's a couple of good ways to dispose of squash.
Squash Soup
1 squash cut into cubes
1 onion diced (cisler in French)
1 heaping teaspoon Lucky Elephant Brand Curry powder or ground cumin (if you use cumin add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper).
1/4 cup white wine
butter
1 liter chicken stock
sautee onion in butter till soft, add spice and stir till fragrant.
Add wine and reduce.
Add squash and stock and simmer till the squash is soft.
Blend till smooth and creamy.
Add more stock, milk or cream to achieve the consistency you like. There's plenty of soup for four people as a meal with salad, bread, crachers and cheese, or six to eight as an appetizer.
Squash Tarts
1 package 2 or 3 inch frozen tart shells (or make your own)
one squash, diced
one medium onion, diced finely (cisler)
2 or 3 strips of bacon, diced
teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
1.5 cups tomato juice (Or a cup of tomato sauce)
Blind bake the tart shells.
Saute the bacon bits until they are nearly cooked and have given up their fat.
Add the onions and cook till soft in the bacon fat.
Sprinkle in the thyme and stir till fragrant.
Add the squash and tomato juice and cook till the squash is soft and the tomato juice has reduced. If the juice reduces before the squash is cooked, add a small amount of white wine.
Cool the Tart shells and squash.
Heat the oven to 375. Fill the cooled tart shells with the cooled squash mixture and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Serve as an appetizer or as one of the vegetable courses. There is easily enough filling for a dozen generous tarts.
Harvey
Squash Soup
1 squash cut into cubes
1 onion diced (cisler in French)
1 heaping teaspoon Lucky Elephant Brand Curry powder or ground cumin (if you use cumin add 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper).
1/4 cup white wine
butter
1 liter chicken stock
sautee onion in butter till soft, add spice and stir till fragrant.
Add wine and reduce.
Add squash and stock and simmer till the squash is soft.
Blend till smooth and creamy.
Add more stock, milk or cream to achieve the consistency you like. There's plenty of soup for four people as a meal with salad, bread, crachers and cheese, or six to eight as an appetizer.
Squash Tarts
1 package 2 or 3 inch frozen tart shells (or make your own)
one squash, diced
one medium onion, diced finely (cisler)
2 or 3 strips of bacon, diced
teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
1.5 cups tomato juice (Or a cup of tomato sauce)
Blind bake the tart shells.
Saute the bacon bits until they are nearly cooked and have given up their fat.
Add the onions and cook till soft in the bacon fat.
Sprinkle in the thyme and stir till fragrant.
Add the squash and tomato juice and cook till the squash is soft and the tomato juice has reduced. If the juice reduces before the squash is cooked, add a small amount of white wine.
Cool the Tart shells and squash.
Heat the oven to 375. Fill the cooled tart shells with the cooled squash mixture and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Serve as an appetizer or as one of the vegetable courses. There is easily enough filling for a dozen generous tarts.
Harvey
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Feline Foundlings
My father Herb shared Mark Twain's affection for companion animals of the feline persuasion. As Twain said "A home without a cat -- and a well-fed, well-patted and properly revered cat -- may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?"
Sister Joyce, who shares her home with three inherited cats, forwarded the newspaper ad below, written by Herb. She recalls that Silver Shadow had a new home the day after the paper appeared, and plans to plagiarize the next time she has to find a home for a stray.
FREE!
"Silver Shadow"
a short-haired kitten of some sophistication who has fully recovered from her operation (which she does not wish to talk about) plus all the needles known to the ingenious veterinary fraternity; and now wishes to get on with her life. She is not above chasing a styrofoam ball down a spiral stairway or playing 'footsy' with a swinging C-cup. She enjoys quiet times by the fireplace or long rambles in mouse country; and has been described as "warm, affectionate and a-political". This side of omnivorous, she favours Hewitt's 2 % and the celebrated Purina mix commonly called "Meouw"...but is open to further suggestions.
She seeks a secure position with an upper-class family who claim their own tartan or an international equivalent. All expenses have been paid by a reluctant local philanthropist.
For A Consulation,
Please Phone
Wendy
AKA Staff of Ginger and Simba
Sister Joyce, who shares her home with three inherited cats, forwarded the newspaper ad below, written by Herb. She recalls that Silver Shadow had a new home the day after the paper appeared, and plans to plagiarize the next time she has to find a home for a stray.
FREE!
"Silver Shadow"
a short-haired kitten of some sophistication who has fully recovered from her operation (which she does not wish to talk about) plus all the needles known to the ingenious veterinary fraternity; and now wishes to get on with her life. She is not above chasing a styrofoam ball down a spiral stairway or playing 'footsy' with a swinging C-cup. She enjoys quiet times by the fireplace or long rambles in mouse country; and has been described as "warm, affectionate and a-political". This side of omnivorous, she favours Hewitt's 2 % and the celebrated Purina mix commonly called "Meouw"...but is open to further suggestions.
She seeks a secure position with an upper-class family who claim their own tartan or an international equivalent. All expenses have been paid by a reluctant local philanthropist.
For A Consulation,
Please Phone
Wendy
AKA Staff of Ginger and Simba
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Journey Continuing
Dr. Burnell, my oncologist, sees no problem with me returning to work as long as I'm feeling well. (Yes, my surrogate mothers, I will listen to my body!) So, after discussion with Director Jane and Blue Cross, I'm back part-time. We've tried to define an appropriate role on a pt basis, not going back to my old (more than) ft job in fewer hours.
Although my treatment has been aggressive and the response good, because mine is a cancer which had already spread beyond the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis (Stage IV), the prognosis is that it will be life-threatening at some point - unless I'm one of those miraculous anomalies. Typically where it recurs is lungs, liver or bones, although when that happens it's still breast cancer. Chemo or radiation may be treatment options. It is estrogen-receptor negative (the test that was misdiagnosed in Newfoundland) so things like tamoxifen won't be effective.
Because the initial recurrence was in bone, I'm continuing to receive a bone strengthening medication every four weeks. I'm convinced that diet, staying active, strong support systems and a fighting spirit are also important in this journey.
Wendy
Although my treatment has been aggressive and the response good, because mine is a cancer which had already spread beyond the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis (Stage IV), the prognosis is that it will be life-threatening at some point - unless I'm one of those miraculous anomalies. Typically where it recurs is lungs, liver or bones, although when that happens it's still breast cancer. Chemo or radiation may be treatment options. It is estrogen-receptor negative (the test that was misdiagnosed in Newfoundland) so things like tamoxifen won't be effective.
Because the initial recurrence was in bone, I'm continuing to receive a bone strengthening medication every four weeks. I'm convinced that diet, staying active, strong support systems and a fighting spirit are also important in this journey.
Wendy
Monday, November 3, 2008
Belated October Updates
Jim and Anna visited from Alberta for a few days - we did a little tour guiding in Saint John, fed them chowder, scallops and lobster, the latter to help celebrate Harvey's birthday. They can provide a review of the quality of our guest accommodation and services.
In lieu of a fall Okanagan trip, we went to Nova Scotia for a few days to visit wineries and stock up. One of the highlights was staying overnight at the Train Station Inn in Tatamagouche, near Jost Winery. A caboose was our bedroom, with dinner in a dining car and breakfast in the train station waiting room.
Last week I got my fake boob (formally known as a prosthesis) and a special (specially expensive) masectomy bra with a clever pocket for it. In response to my query, Harvey confirms that the bra looks like something one's grandmother would have worn, so I'm going to try to retrofit some of my old ones. I probably won't wear the f.b. all the time, but it does help to feel less asymmetrical and make clothes work better. (Sorry if this is too much information, but a not-statistically valid poll of readers said this should be included.)
On the subject of clothes, although I have gained some weight back, when the weather turned cool I discovered that none of my wool pants fit. I've learned that for me wearing clothes that don't fit is rather depressing, so I'm visiting Frenchy's in search of size 6 wool pants. (Realize that weight loss is an odd thing to complain about, but my doctor says it all depends how it happens.)
Wendy
In lieu of a fall Okanagan trip, we went to Nova Scotia for a few days to visit wineries and stock up. One of the highlights was staying overnight at the Train Station Inn in Tatamagouche, near Jost Winery. A caboose was our bedroom, with dinner in a dining car and breakfast in the train station waiting room.
Last week I got my fake boob (formally known as a prosthesis) and a special (specially expensive) masectomy bra with a clever pocket for it. In response to my query, Harvey confirms that the bra looks like something one's grandmother would have worn, so I'm going to try to retrofit some of my old ones. I probably won't wear the f.b. all the time, but it does help to feel less asymmetrical and make clothes work better. (Sorry if this is too much information, but a not-statistically valid poll of readers said this should be included.)
On the subject of clothes, although I have gained some weight back, when the weather turned cool I discovered that none of my wool pants fit. I've learned that for me wearing clothes that don't fit is rather depressing, so I'm visiting Frenchy's in search of size 6 wool pants. (Realize that weight loss is an odd thing to complain about, but my doctor says it all depends how it happens.)
Wendy
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