Category Archives: Canada

Letting the tea cool

Posted in After treatment, Bumpboobs, Canada, Life, Travel, Writing by

This has been some week. One for the grey matter, that’s for sure. What started with a string of doctor’s appointments led into going to Montreal, visiting friends, and learning how to balance the accounts at my parent’s office. So now it’s Sunday. And now I’m done. Next week – that’s tomorrow, there will be more. There will be forms to fill, more travel to arrange, friends to meet (yay!), accounting to learn and hopefully, if I can cram it in, writing.Something about doctor’s appointments never settle well in my stomach, particularly when overwhelmed with new ideas. I went to an appointment last week with a doctor who has many novel approaches on how to best battle cancer (and just be healthy in general). This is a good thing, because the more perspectives the better and she’s  very informed and totally passionate. But by the end of our session, particularly considering I’d been to visit Dr Canada the day before, I was 100% exhausted. Exhausted and mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Having to deal makes me mad. You know? Having to examine my diet, having to take supplements, having to give blood – simply having to deal. Too much at once can make me retreat into nothing all together.

Most often my preferred behaviour would be to hop on a plane for the south of France and live along the beach with the shells and sand castles. Zsolt could join me, just like he did when we first met. Or maybe we could rent a quad bike and get lost at dusk in the hills of Corfu. Or visit a market where we don’t speak the language and ask the locals to show us their cheese. Wander down cobblestone passages as we explore the heart of Rome. Spend a day dipping in and out of both thermal and cold waters. Biking along the shore of Balaton. Driving through the rocky mountains. Hiking along the coast of Nova Scotia. Canoeing in pyramid lake. Sitting in my parent’s living room as the fire burns. Playing Rummy with my family.

Sigh.

And then I remember why I need to stay better. You know? Why I need to keep working on health. Why I have to guarantee myself I’ll do my best. These are the things to remember.

So yes, I get mad. I get so incredibly overwhelmed. I become disconnected in response. It can happen to anyone.

But thank goodness for writing, and remembering too. Thank goodness for taking the time to blog and reflect. Writing reveals what’s most important. It’s a reflection, a time machine, an opportunity.

Did you know that in 2013, Zsolt and I will travel to India? We will. Now there’s an adventure to look forward to.

(Another element, beside having seen family and friends this past weekend, to improving my mood was eating a serving of pecans. Not a cheap nut, but a good one. Mixed with light honey and a few dashes of cayenne pepper, broiled in the oven till they sizzled . . .  cooled, and then popped into my waiting mouth. Just you try and be grumpy after that.)

A distraction and a reality

Posted in Bumpboobs, Canada, Fun, Life by

The distraction:

We took sledding up a level today by adding another person to our team. Zsolt, my brother (new addition) and I headed over to the KRC hill this afternoon and glided into some winter madness. Side runs, spins, trains – you name it, we sled it. The only thing missing were some GT Snow Racers, which, due to lack of foresight, were unfortunately discarded several years ago. It was a disappointing moment upon returning home from abroad to learn that the GTs had been carted off.  But nevertheless with a saucer and this body shaped board, we had a great time. And no one on the hill! All the little kiddios were at school, so we owned the hill. The only thing is that Zsolt and I are nearly both in our thirties (with Zsolt already having crossed that line). I have a feeling our limbs aren’t’ t quite so resilient as they once were. However, even today when we flew off sideways from the sled-train and skidded down the hill, even when my ankle flipped and hands were flying and snow was shooting into our faces .  . . even then I couldn’t stop laughing.

One awesome way to exercise in this Canadian winter: go sledding. Maybe wear a helmet, and keep all limbs tucked inside. Just don’t blame me for any wipe outs, okay? It’s part of the experience.

The reality:

Tomorrow I have an oncologist appointment with Dr Canada. So I guess I’ll hear how my ovaries are doing and whether that cist cleared up. After this appointment, to help shake off the nerves, we’re going out for Indian food at Ottawa’s Little India. That is, we’ll be going if we can get a seat. The place is always crammed. And then Thursday I have another doctor’s appointment with a different doctor. So – a lotta appointments all at once. (Including my other appointment yesterday at my parent’s office.) Blarg. All in the name of better health, eh. 🙂

Getting a grip on the ice

Posted in Canada, Finding Home, Fun, Life by

For all your ice and slipping needs, Dr Zsolt (not a medical doctor) recommends DRYGUY GripOns. He’s been strapping these studded things onto his boots whenever we take walks lately, and while I think it’s 100% goofy, they also appear to be incredibly effective. Plus, really, they don’t look bad. I’m thinking of getting some myself.

While this cannot be counted as a ‘real’ post, it’s nevertheless important information for anyone tolerating a minus zero winter. If slipping is a worry, get yourself some studs.

And no, no one paid me to say that. That would be awesome if someone had, but no, no one did. Full disclosure. My opinion is purely based on ‘wow’ results.

Plus I’ve been editing this entry to a writing contest all day long – thus my brain, in terms of writing articles/posts/stories/conent, is slightly fried. Truth is with these literary contests that little ever comes from submitting, BUT this contest is for Canadians under 35s and has no entry fee. Now that’s my kind of contest. So whether I A) Win! or B) don’t win, I’ll still have a finished, short-story length piece of writing which I feel is quite strong (and therefore worth submitting to literary magazines). So I feel this has been a very productive day. It’s not often I managed to sqeeze a story into 2500 words. Frankly, I feel quite proud at having mastered it this once.

Therefore, yay for studs on ice and hammering out a short story. Two unrelated items, one feel-good post.