Merry Christmas!

The chestnuts are roasting by the open fire ... the stockings are all hung by the chimney with care ... Is the calendar actually right? December 22, already? Crazy schedules and unwell family members have kept my attention other faraway places -- not on being a breast cancer survivor and not on writing a blog post. This December has been very unlike the last, when I lived in my La-Z-Boy rocker, forced myself to do my rehab exercises, and tried my best to be the household peacemaker with lots of kids and husbands about.

Although I have no new updates from doctor appointments or test results, I simply couldn't let this holiday season come and go without leaving you with my holiday wishes. In the hallway at my high school, huge sheets of green and red paper were strung from ceiling to floor for staff and students to write their "wishes for the world" this holiday season.  Now, these ARE teenagers I'm talking about, so I shouldn't have been surprised when I read inspirational wisdom like "I wish everyone in the world could eat bacon." Oh my!!

My list can be summed in a few simple wishes. It goes something like this ...

I wish you kindness -- from those, and to those, you meet each day.

I wish you to truly treasure each moment -- do whatever you can with each moment to make yourself, or someone else, feel more joy, more love.

I wish that the world would remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

My Gifts for You

May silent stillness

encircle you

with gentle arms

to quiet your racing mind.

May childlike wonderment

overwhelm you while

gazing at crisp,winter sunshine

on glistening hoar frost.

May timeless treasures

comfort you,

magical memories

shining the light of love

into every corner of

your heart.

Love, Yvonne, December 2013

Good News on All Fronts

The crystal, clear sky showcasing glorious sunshine today is the perfect twin for my elation while celebrating ONE YEAR CANCER FREE!!

Until a few days ago, I did not realize that I could proclaim this statement from the mountain tops, however Dr. P. tells me that people start counting their "cancer free" status from the day of their surgery.  In his professional opinion, my surgeon did her level best to remove 100% of my cancer on the day of my surgery, and the chemo and radiation that followed were precautionary measures in case some microscopic cells made their way to any other parts of my body.  But, for all intents and purposes, December 7, 2012 marked my return to a "cancer-free" standing. I am ONE YEAR CANCER FREE!!

My ears like the ring of the "one year" part.  It sounds so much more optimistic than six months or even eleven months.  A year is a L-O-N-G time, after all ... and it's been a jam-packed one that has taken an eternity to elapse, yet flew by in many regards.

Dr. P. also read me every word from
  -  my one-breasted mammogram report - all clear!
  -  my abdominal CT - 1 cm hemangioma still presenting the same characteristics
  -  my follow-up check x-ray - haziness gone, all clear!

After a very thorough physical exam of neck, chest, armpits, breast, and tissue expander, he declared me in excellent health with no unusual lumps, bumps, or concerns.  He will see me in another six months for a similar check up, and then will "close my case".  After that, I will see my GP every six months for several years, and then go back to life as usual ... AKA ... only go see the doctor for routine, boring stuff.

This past week, I went for my first dental check-up and cleaning in quite some time.  During chemo, no one is to be messing around in your mouth both for the sake of possible infection and because smells and tastes make you want to puke.  To my amazement, I was praised for my excellent dental hygiene.  It didn't seem that long ago that I could barely brush my teeth for wanting to gag, and feeling like my gums were sloughing off and eating themselves alive.  Guess I was able to bring things back to "normal" in the months since chemo ended.

Time to bundle up and head outside to enjoy the sunshine and balmy -15 degree (C) weather.

Hair, Glorious Hair!

For more than five days, a thick, dense, pea-soup fog has hung over Ashcroft, causing freezing rain and reeking havoc with driving on icy roads and maneuvering along slick sidewalks. It seemed that the mood of everyone I encountered matched the dismal weather conditions, from crabby students to impatient teachers. It may have been easy for me to succumb to such dreariness in mind and spirit, but I had an exciting event looming which drove me on to get through the week ...

... my first real hair cut and colour!!

It was a much-anticipated reunion between my stylist, Natalie, and myself.  My last visit to the shop had been just about exactly one year before, when Natalie gave me an extremely short, but cute, "do" so my hair was easy to manage after my surgery. Almost the entire 2+ hours yesterday were jam-packed with updates on my year -- the nasty bits AND the numerous blessings.  Natalie heard it all!

Even though Maureen had tried to convince me that this was a perfect opportunity to go graciously grey, I just couldn't do it!  The hag-like hue, when added to the wave (I hate!) made me feel far older than my 55 years.  I wanted colour!

The highlights aren't easy to spot in this photo, but my hair is a deep, rich brown with warm burgundy highlights.  I love it! Natalie also gave me numerous tips for straightening the loop-di-doop wave I get on top, and taught me how to use the curls to my advantage in the back.  It's such a tremendous feeling to leave the hair shop 100% satisfied.

I almost forgot to say "Happy December", "Happy Advent", and "Can't wait for my 6-month check-up on Thursday"!