Thursday, June 16, 2011
Two Great Shots!
So the first pic is Honey and I - the day I said goodbye to her, before Maritime Conference. The second was taken yesterday at Her Honour The Honourable Mayann E. Francis, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia's Garden Party at Government House. Two great shots.
Home again, home again, jiggidy jig. I'm resting today. Aredia tomorrow.
Peace,
Emma Lee
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Quick Check In
Continuing to feel improvement from the radiation treatments. So happy about that. One more night here at the Lodge. My room mate, Helen, and I have been having some great chats. The real thing guys. The real thing. I will be happy to keep in touch with her as her journey continues.
Have a great day everyone. I'm going to get lots of rest and reading done today. Going to the Music Nova Scotia meeting this evening. Jim, as Past President, will present the Nomination Report. I am certain there will be a gathering following, probably at the Carleton.
My treatment tomorrow morning is at 7:15 a.m. Then I'll check out and wait for Jim to be ready to get me home. And what a grand way to leave Halifax it will be. The Town Criers are invited to the Lieutenant Governor's Garden Party at Province House. I'll slide in behind them as I have no official outfit, but I'm certainly there as support. I'll wear my pink hat anyway. It should be grand and I am really looking forward to it. I'll take some shots and post one or two.
I hear there may be partial sun for Thursday and Friday. Wouldn't that be loverly?
Peace today and always,
Emma Lee
Have a great day everyone. I'm going to get lots of rest and reading done today. Going to the Music Nova Scotia meeting this evening. Jim, as Past President, will present the Nomination Report. I am certain there will be a gathering following, probably at the Carleton.
My treatment tomorrow morning is at 7:15 a.m. Then I'll check out and wait for Jim to be ready to get me home. And what a grand way to leave Halifax it will be. The Town Criers are invited to the Lieutenant Governor's Garden Party at Province House. I'll slide in behind them as I have no official outfit, but I'm certainly there as support. I'll wear my pink hat anyway. It should be grand and I am really looking forward to it. I'll take some shots and post one or two.
I hear there may be partial sun for Thursday and Friday. Wouldn't that be loverly?
Peace today and always,
Emma Lee
Monday, June 13, 2011
Umm, There's A Kind Of Glow
Yesterday was Emma's Excursion of Hope at Trinity United Church. My church family had been wanting to do something for me, since news of my recurrence in May of 2010 and I had been putting it off, I guess, for lack of a better term. Finally, a bit over a month ago, Janice called me and asked if they could move ahead with their plans and I said yes. And then didn't my journey move into the next stage too. So, it could not have been better timing.
I'm finding it quite hard to put into words how I am feeling. So instead I'll tell you what I saw and heard: joy, light and hope in the faces of family and friends; joy, light and hope in the voices of my friends. LOVE. There was a glow in that church yesterday - it was not my imagination. There was a lightness I would call it that I felt even as I walked across the street from my place, and heard the easy chatter of people happy to be entering and happy to be there: anticipating the wonderful music. So I gladly entered this tired old, shaky old body into that glow. I opened my pores and imagined the light entering with each breath. When I heard Jane and Lori and Shaun warming up, I joked that this is a foreshadow of what is best to come.
That light, that glow, was there as nurture for everyone yesterday.
So, here's my thinking. I have three more radiation treatments. Then Jim and I will be home Thursday. I have an Aredia treatment on Friday. I am supposed to see Dr. AJ on the 4th of July, when we will solidify our commencement of Xeloda date - the end of July. After good, honest and open consultation, I am going to ask them to make those decisions for me, knowing this: our window of opportunity to make an actual excursion of hope has to occur before this next chemo starts. I need to regroup - let the radiation work to its maximum, get my health back (don't laugh), and get ready for chemo. This next chemo has to work and it will and I intend to have my body ready for it. Jim has a new group of students joining him the week of July 11th and he has to be back then. So, somewhere between June 27th and July 10th we will be making our excursion of hope - well of joy, light and hope and rest and nutrition and sunrises and sunsets and walks on the beach and holding hands and quiet and meditation and I could go on. Hawaii if we can swing it, with 2 extra travel days built in for me so I'm not bushed when I get back to this wonderful, sleepy little home of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
This is what we are thinking.
Peace and light to you all! Bathe in the glow.
Emma Lee
I'm finding it quite hard to put into words how I am feeling. So instead I'll tell you what I saw and heard: joy, light and hope in the faces of family and friends; joy, light and hope in the voices of my friends. LOVE. There was a glow in that church yesterday - it was not my imagination. There was a lightness I would call it that I felt even as I walked across the street from my place, and heard the easy chatter of people happy to be entering and happy to be there: anticipating the wonderful music. So I gladly entered this tired old, shaky old body into that glow. I opened my pores and imagined the light entering with each breath. When I heard Jane and Lori and Shaun warming up, I joked that this is a foreshadow of what is best to come.
That light, that glow, was there as nurture for everyone yesterday.
So, here's my thinking. I have three more radiation treatments. Then Jim and I will be home Thursday. I have an Aredia treatment on Friday. I am supposed to see Dr. AJ on the 4th of July, when we will solidify our commencement of Xeloda date - the end of July. After good, honest and open consultation, I am going to ask them to make those decisions for me, knowing this: our window of opportunity to make an actual excursion of hope has to occur before this next chemo starts. I need to regroup - let the radiation work to its maximum, get my health back (don't laugh), and get ready for chemo. This next chemo has to work and it will and I intend to have my body ready for it. Jim has a new group of students joining him the week of July 11th and he has to be back then. So, somewhere between June 27th and July 10th we will be making our excursion of hope - well of joy, light and hope and rest and nutrition and sunrises and sunsets and walks on the beach and holding hands and quiet and meditation and I could go on. Hawaii if we can swing it, with 2 extra travel days built in for me so I'm not bushed when I get back to this wonderful, sleepy little home of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
This is what we are thinking.
Peace and light to you all! Bathe in the glow.
Emma Lee
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Oyez, Oyez - Maritime Conference YouTube Site Is Up!
http://www.youtube.com/user/MaritimeConference - this is the Maritime Conference YouTube site and includes a video of the gigantic quilt constructed at this year's conference, as well as my song and a couple of fab songs by the Message. Enjoy!
P.S. Oh, and by the way, Jim Stewart just won the Nova Scotia Provincial Town Crier Championship and the Ambassador Award at the Provincial Competition in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia!!!!!!!!
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez
Emma Lee
P.S. Oh, and by the way, Jim Stewart just won the Nova Scotia Provincial Town Crier Championship and the Ambassador Award at the Provincial Competition in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia!!!!!!!!
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez
Emma Lee
Friday, June 10, 2011
Xeloda
Yup, title says it all. Xeloda will be my next chemo drug, to start mid-July. It's a tablet form and Dr. AJ tells me the gals at Aberdeen Chemo have lots of experience with it. He will give me an initial 6 cycles. Works this way: every 21 days will be divided into 14 and 7 - during the 14 days I will take Xeloda morning and night, on the seventh days my body will rest. Then begin the cycle again. You can google it. Based on everything, this is the best possible drug for me. I qualify for the manufacturer's contribution to the co-pay portion of this drug. Dr. AJ will do all of the paperwork for me. So let it be written, so let it be done.
My meeting with him yesterday was awesome. In Halifax, Dr. AJ is a different man. I had a wonderful triage with his nurse and then I sat with him for the better part of an hour. We talked about everything and he answered all of my questions. It was an enjoyable meeting, not at all like the one I thought I might have. It was cool. I will see him again on the 4th of July.
So, the window for our travel plans is becoming clearer. I don't want to be too far from home once Xeloda starts. I want to be close to medical attention should side effects occur.
Jim was on the path yesterday - McCartney appears to be doing some kind of North American tour. I'm not in a position to make any commitments yet so I had to get Jim to back off. I wish I could loosen the strains of this medical problem on him. I just wish he could be joyful and happy and unfettered with care. I just wish he didn't have to worry about me so much. He's on his way to a Town Crier competition in Yarmouth. I'm going to tell him to forget about me, about cancer, and just be joyful to be with his fraternity of Criers, and cry with joy because that's the best kind of crying. I'm keeping him very close in my thoughts and prayers.
So, it's Friday. Treatment at 12:45. Home at ? Angela Kennedy is leaving the folds of Mac, Mac & Mac today. I'm going to wish her well. She's one dandy girl. Tomorrow Holy Potion is rehearsing and I'm going to the church. Then the sun is supposed to be out. The hammock that Lloyd and Gwen loaned me is calling from the backyard and I will continue to read Pillars of the Earth that Megan loaned to me. Lynn and Linda are picking up a lobster supper for me and dropping it off. Does it get any better than that? Sunday will be a big day. Emma's Excursion at Trinity. My newest family member, my newest great niece might be there! Can't wait. I anticipate musical memories (including baby coos) that will warm my soul in the days ahead.
Peace today,
Emma Lee
My meeting with him yesterday was awesome. In Halifax, Dr. AJ is a different man. I had a wonderful triage with his nurse and then I sat with him for the better part of an hour. We talked about everything and he answered all of my questions. It was an enjoyable meeting, not at all like the one I thought I might have. It was cool. I will see him again on the 4th of July.
So, the window for our travel plans is becoming clearer. I don't want to be too far from home once Xeloda starts. I want to be close to medical attention should side effects occur.
Jim was on the path yesterday - McCartney appears to be doing some kind of North American tour. I'm not in a position to make any commitments yet so I had to get Jim to back off. I wish I could loosen the strains of this medical problem on him. I just wish he could be joyful and happy and unfettered with care. I just wish he didn't have to worry about me so much. He's on his way to a Town Crier competition in Yarmouth. I'm going to tell him to forget about me, about cancer, and just be joyful to be with his fraternity of Criers, and cry with joy because that's the best kind of crying. I'm keeping him very close in my thoughts and prayers.
So, it's Friday. Treatment at 12:45. Home at ? Angela Kennedy is leaving the folds of Mac, Mac & Mac today. I'm going to wish her well. She's one dandy girl. Tomorrow Holy Potion is rehearsing and I'm going to the church. Then the sun is supposed to be out. The hammock that Lloyd and Gwen loaned me is calling from the backyard and I will continue to read Pillars of the Earth that Megan loaned to me. Lynn and Linda are picking up a lobster supper for me and dropping it off. Does it get any better than that? Sunday will be a big day. Emma's Excursion at Trinity. My newest family member, my newest great niece might be there! Can't wait. I anticipate musical memories (including baby coos) that will warm my soul in the days ahead.
Peace today,
Emma Lee
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