Day 102 - Grammys?!

So I'm pretty much sitting here watching the time tick by. I'm pretty bored to be 100% honest. I get a fair bit accomplished, but there isn't much satisfaction at the end of the day. I'm still thirsty for something more. May the Good Lord see to it that I return from Mexico with a new lease on life! I'm ready to bust outta the rut I've been digging for the past two years!


Today was exceptionally uneventful. I spent a fair bit of time researching, again. My Grandma called to tell Mom & I we should read this really great book. She couldn't remember who the author was, but it was called Knockout. :o) I didn't catch the call & she left a message. I called her back later in the evening & it was so cute.


She was watching the Grammys & funnily enough, so was I. We don't have a satellite or cable TV, but I managed to find a live stream online, so Mom & I watched bits & bobs of the awards. I phoned Grandma part way through & I figured she would be watching the Grammys. She enjoys her TV shows. When I asked if she was watching the Grammys, she said yes. We chit-chatted for a bit & shortly thereafter she interrupted me & said, 'Now look what you've done. You've gone & made me miss my favourite guy. Bon Jovi is on & I'm missing him.'


I could hardly believe my ears & I certainly couldn't contain my amusement! How cute was that! She carried on to tell me how much she likes his music, what a nice guy he is & how handsome he is. Keep in mind this is the same Grandma who NEVER misses a PBR episode (Professional Bull Riding). She is also 83 years young & baked ALL the buns for our wedding in Waterton last fall. I still get people telling me how much they loved the buns! Anyhow, Grandma B never ceases to amaze me & tonight certainly wasn't an exception!


Tonight was also shot night. We're down to the last 10!!! I think I can, I think I can, I think... :o) I told Mom I was off to do my shot & she pipes up how I need to train Valentina to carry a piece of paper to Mom if I get into trouble. No sooner do I get my needle goodies out, do I hear a little click, click down the hall. Mom follows suit & opens the door. Enter Valentina with a piece of paper folded up in her mouth that she so proudly gives to me. I open it up & it reads, 'Do you need my help?' What a gal. Both of them! 


We also worked on our 'stenditi' trick. She knows I want her to roll over on the blanket & she knows I want her to put the blanket in her mouth, but the timing isn't quite right just yet! We'll get there! In the meantime, it's cute to watch her try! Mom had a massage today & the lady who did the massage was completely smitten with Valentina. That's my girl! She's a charmer!


Anyhow, short post & here's a few piccies of my baby when she was just a wee one! Awh! 


Have a great night! xxxx
Maria & Valentina

Mama - What's up with the string??

INCOMING!!!

What? Is there something in my teeth?

Short legs. Need a break!

I swear, it wasn't me!

Fast as fast can be! You'll never catch me!

Day 101 - Winalite!

Brrr! Hello everyone! I hope this finds you toasty warm wherever you are! I was in the city this afternoon & didn't get home until 2200. By the time I left the city, it had definitely cooled off & started to snow!


I'm a bit of a Granny when I drive in the winter. I drove the entire way home with my hazards on & only drove about 60 km/h. I'm sure I make the other drivers on the highway crazy, but I am too chicken to drive any faster! I made it home in one piece & that's all that matters to me! The welcoming committee was there to greet me & I was just as happy to see her, although I didn't 'let myself go' quite as freely as she did! Still working on the happy pee! :o)


Today I met Trisha & her friend, Wendy, in the city for the launch of Winalite Calgary. For those of you who don't know, I'm involved in a company that is dedicated to women's health. It's a brand new company in Canada & they have some very exciting products. If you're curious or would like to know about earning extra income, let me know! Their first product is a sanitary napkin - boys, if you love your girls, you'll want to know more! Their 2nd product is a diaper for babies. Today, I picked up their 3rd product - a little card that eliminates 93.7% of all radiation & electromagnetic frequencies. In a few weeks, they are coming out with a 'healthy lipstick'. It's all really neat stuff, but I will leave you in suspense. Email me for all the details...


We were given business training, as well as product overviews. It was interesting to meet with other people involved, and those who have taken the 'bull by the horns' & successfully climbed the business ladder. I was fortunate enough to receive a certificate of recognition for the efforts I have put in to the business, so that was exciting! I haven't received anything like that before! I was quite excited!


I stopped in to see Mom2. She was busy packing for her big trip to San Francisco. She is taking a training course there for the next few days. I'm very excited for her, as she doesn't get many opportunities to travel & she loves to learn more & more! She just did her Bronze Cross & Bronze Medallion for swimming this week. She was quite proud of herself for completing the one task in 3.5 minutes under time & not getting sick! Now she is after the Lifeguard title! We enjoyed a quick catch up chat & hopefully I'll get some time in with her when she's back home.


After I left Mom2's, I stopped to get fuel & groceries. While I was checking out at Safeway, I was commenting on the pineapples to the cashier. In Costa Rica, they chop off the top 'tree' part of the pineapple, whereas in Canada they leave it on. Luckily I was paying per pineapple & not by weight! When I told the cashier this, she said perhaps it was because Canadians wanted more of a 'tropical experience'. Ha! I suppose that could be the closest some of us will get to a palm tree in a long time! 


I then proceeded to tell her about my MCP Pina Coladas. She asked me what the MCP was for & I told her. She then asked me to write it down for her, as she is a cancer survivor & would like to know more! How great! I gladly wrote down Modified Citrus Pectin, as well as Suzanne's book. I told her I'll come back & talk shop as long as she wants! Oooooh! It feels so good to share a natural tip with someone who wants it! I floated out of the grocery store! It was awesome! It feels so good to help people! Yay! I have had so much fun learning & researching these past few weeks & just this one little encounter & helping one person directly makes it all worthwhile. I can't wait to do it again!


Okidoki, I'm off to bed... Sleep well & I will see you tomorrow. Or perhaps the next day. Things are pretty same ol', same ol' around here. Oh, one more thing... I don't know if I told you or not, but I discovered that absorbable iron causes inflammation & free radicals. I also found out that Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory & anti-tumor drug. It is also an immuno-suppressant. Hmmm. Perhaps this is why my neck fluffed up while I was away??? Just a thought! I'm not a Doctor, but it makes pretty clear sense to me! Now that I'm off those two items, things have settled down. Makes me want to bang a drum in the front of the marching band down main street! Or something like that! :o)


Nighty-night!
Love & hugs & healing vibe-ray-shuns...
Maria & Valentina
xxxx

Barbara Liang, Our General Manager & Recognition Recipients

Barbara & Larysa. Larysa just received the Silver Diamond Award - only 2 people in Canada have this award! Larysa is a great inspiration. She & her husband, Steve, are mentioned in the Napoleon Hill book, Three Feet From Gold, which is a phenomenal book, btw!

Myself, Larysa, Barbara, Steve, Trisha & Wendy

Day 100 - Bebop, beop, pepop, bebopsy, BIOPSY!

Sorry, but every time I hear the word 'biopsy', I can't help but think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding when the Aunt is trying to spit the word out & gets it completely messed up! Makes me laugh! 


Yes, the dreaded biopsy is booked. I am going for blood work on the 2nd in Cochrane & the biopsy is at 0830 (!!!!!) on the 3rd. I've already decided I'm wearing my p.j.'s to the biopsy. I have some John Deere green flannel pj pants & they have cows on them. They also say 'Pasture Bedtime'. I know, cheesy, but that's me! :o) Eight-thirty! Don't they know I live an hour outta town! Yeesh! 


In any case, biopsy is the 3rd, CT scan is the 8th, biopsy results are back on the 11th & CT scan results should follow shortly after. I'm doing my best to keep my composure through all of this. It's like putting sand in my shorts for the next 2 weeks. EXTREMELY uncomfortable! To make matters worse (better?), I called the x-ray department that will be conducting the procedure & when I tell her that I'm having a core needle biopsy in my neck, she assures me that I am completely mistaken, as they NEVER do core needle biopsies in the neck. It MUST be somewhere else. Then I tell her I didn't want an incision biopsy & she says, 'Oh, then I guess they are doing it in your neck.' GREAT! So now I'm the guinea pig to see if this will actually work! Then when Jaco calls, he tells me how foolish I am to have the core needle biopsy instead of the incision biopsy. Apparently they can hit my vocal cords, aorta, nerves to my arms... Great! Even better! (Picture me looking towards the sky & throwing my hands in the air) (And wavin' 'em like I just don't care!) :o) It's all part of the journey, right? Well, if those 'trained professionals' can't figure out lump from not lump when they've got my neck ultrasounded on a screen, I'm in a lot worse shape than I thought! I'm sure it will all be okay.


I'm so anxious to get to Mexico, it's not even funny! My neck is starting to go down again - Praise the Good Lord!!!!! Who knows, by the time I get to the biopsy table, perhaps they'll need a fine toothed comb to find anything! Yay! I'm very excited to see some progress again! It's been interesting to spend these past few weeks devoted to searching for information on cancer, treatments & everything else that goes along with it! I'm learning new things every day! It is fascinating! I can not wait to be over this hurdle & share my wonderful news with the world. I want to give hope to every man, woman & child out there who will be given the scary diagnosis of cancer. I want to share with them the possibility of a gentler way to cure their disease. BRING IT ON!!!!!


Today was pretty low-key. I researched a lot for a very dear friend who had some crummy news - we found out some exciting stuff! There is always HOPE! Mom was away this evening, so I spent a little time with Valentina & worked on a new trick. 'Stenditi' - lie down & rest for awhile. I'm training her to grab the corner of her blanket in her mouth & roll over, so she wraps herself up in her blanket. She's very treat motivated, so it was a bit of a challenge, but she's getting there! She knows what she wants! We also played with the bicycle horn again - to Mom's dismay! It's very loud!


This was also shot day. In the difficult side. I think I hit the bone! Yee-ouch! I put the needle in & before I got it all the way in, YOWSERS! Something hurt like a hot-diggity-dog! I didn't dare pull the needle all the way out, but I did pull it a little ways back. I put the B17 in & quite quickly, too! I didn't end up with a lump, thank goodness! I think my angle was a bit too slanted, in any case, only 11 shots to go! Yay!!!! Just so you understand, a quick google tells me that most insulin shots are 1-2 mls. This baby is 10 mls.  Somedays I can't believe I just did that, but the days go by & I do it again. And, to be 100% honest, when I feel my neck getting smaller, it's worth every drop & every big, scary needle! Yay! I can see my health on the horizon!


Anyhow, that's about the day! Not a very exciting day, but tomorrow's a new day! I'm off to the city to visit Trisha & attend a Winalite launch for Calgary. It will be interesting, without a doubt! Have a wonderful night & I'll see you soon! Thanks for reading!!! (Jenn) (& Robyn!) :o)


Love & hugs,
Maria & Valentina
xxxxxx

Honk! Honk!

We love our new toy!!!

Days 98 & 99 - Oh So Lonesome For You...

Hmpf. Well, I guess this is what it feels like to be lonely. I've got the most wonderful friends on the planet, a devoted Mom who loves me more than I can comprehend, a dog who watches my every move with such loyalty, but still, I feel empty. I have never missed anyone as much as I miss Jaco. Sure I missed him before, but not like this. 


I'm bored. I've got lots to do. I'm tired. But I just slept. I'm hungry. But not for that. Or that. Is it really only 1100? Sigh. Lots of sighing. Hurry up & get me to Mexico so I can get better & be with that wonderful husband of mine. Gosh darn it! I know I've been late for almost everything in my life, but if all this waiting to be healthy again is God's way of teaching me patience, COME ON ALREADY!!!!! I get it! 


What's new, besides my lamenting? Well, not much. Mom & I watched a movie last night. Ate some buttery popcorn without salt. (No added salt, remember?) Here's the story. Mom suggested we go to a movie. I said I couldn't afford it, so why don't we download one off the internet? Okay. I check out some trailers & decided she might like Did You Hear About The Morgans? So I sit down at the computer, spent several hours trying to find a link to watch the movie online. No luck. Then I find a site that will let me download the movie for free. Perfect. So I wait for about 5 hours for the movie to finish downloading. 


We finally sit down to watch the movie on my laptop screen (why didn't I think to do this on her giant 24" iMac?), popcorn, dog on lap, cat on back of couch... It was a great movie. Very cute & I just love Hugh Grant. He cracks me up. Anyhow, we go to bed, only to wake up this morning to an email stating that we have exceeded our monthly bandwidth usage & we have a $60 fee to pay. The irony? It would have been cheaper to drive to Calgary, pay for a movie, buy the popcorn & drive home. And the screen would have been a whole lot bigger! Live & learn.


Yesterday I was ambitious & dug out a yoga DVD... Laura, if you're reading this, I did the treadmill the day before! Did you do your yoga?!?! :o) Anyhow, I thought I would try something new, as I have my 2 favourite DVD's that I usually do over & over. I reached for the only Kabbalah Yoga DVD I have. It's called Attainable Advanced. Pay attention to the ADVANCED portion of the title. Probably there for a reason! Keep in mind I've done about 5 workouts in the last 10 months. I lasted about 23 minutes out of 47 before I called it quits. After she started to wrap her arms backwards around her legs while in a lunge position, I figured that would be a good time to sit & observe. My hats off to her, she's mighty flexible! I can feel it in my legs today & I'm sure tomorrow will be even better! In any case, I asked the acupuncturist if I could do some jogging & he gave me the thumbs up, so I can begin some more exercise besides walking! I get bored walking. 


Today was my acupuncture appointment. I haven't been to see Dr. Mah for about 2 years or more. He is awesome! I love the entire experience. I lie down on the table, they put a heat pack over your back, or in my case, my neck. I drift off to sleep for a few minutes. Next, Dr. Mah comes in, we have a chat about my current health issues & he does some energy testing using small vials representing many different ailments & body parts. It's amazing how I test strong as an ox to some & completely weak to others. He then checks my spine & would generally do a bit of massage, but because of my neck, we avoided this. He adjusted my mid-spine. Oh sweet relief! I love a good crack! (you thought of a plumber right now, didn't you!) :o) Next I lie down on my back & he puts in 8 different needles. Hands, forearms, feet, calves - it was amazing tonight. I could feel the 'whoosh' of energy as the needles tapped in on my hands. Oh, I forgot to mention - the vials I tested weak to, he puts into a little baggie. I hold onto the baggie while I have the acupuncture. Once I'm finished, Dr. Mah tests me again, still holding the baggie. Strong like bull! Crazy! Unfortunately, he charges $105 per session & he wants me to go 2x/week! Yikes! Maybe once a week, if I'm lucky! Anyhow, I feel much better since the appointment. We'll see what next week brings!


I'm down to my last 12 shots! Tomorrow is shot day again. I am such a numbers girl. I love to separate things, count it out, watch the progress. That's 6 per leg & I can't wait to be done, if only for a little while! 


Oh, Valentina learned a new trick today! She can now honk a bicycle horn! Atta girl!!! I have no idea when this will ever come in handy, but just in case! Tomorrow perhaps we'll work on something useful, like bringing me the phone or opening my pill cupboard & finding the vitamin C or something like that! 


Still no news on the biopsy. I called Monday & Wednesday & nothing. I guess they aren't that antsy to get their paws on me... or it's the Surgeon issue! I'm sure there has to be one friendly South African Surgeon in the country??!! I faxed a letter to my GP to keep him in the loop. He'll most likely think I'm the craziest patient ever - most likely I am - but rather than waste his time in an appointment, I thought I'd save time. I would have saved paper too, but they didn't have an email address. Anyhow, I thought he might like to know what I was up to.


Okidoki, that's it for the past two days. I told you I was bored! Thanks for sticking with me! I pray there are far more exciting times ahead! I can't take much more! Send me somewhere exciting! Somewhere new! Please! Okay, I'll settle for home for a little while longer! Only 3 weeks to go!


Love & hugs,
Maria & Valentina
xxxx
ps - Robyn - it was Tao: The Martial Art of Drumming - they are on tour in North America & I believe they are headed for Broadway in NYC.

Apparently Valentina enjoys the MCP Pina Colada too! Perhaps a little more than I do. 

It's a family affair to watch a movie in our house. 

The moviescreen. No, we don't watch TV. We do have a regular TV, but we don't have cable or satellite. Yes, welcome to the sticks. You'll find a new way to entertain yourself, I'm sure! Believe me, I'm still trying! :o)

Day 97 - All Things Asian

No, I didn't have sushi for breakfast & dim-sum for lunch! But that does sound good! Today was my appointment with Jessica. I attempted to leave at 1315, but managed to get the car stuck in the yard. Whoops. I didn't think that the light fluffy snow could merely be covering the hard frozen stuff underneath. Needless to say, I was late for my appointment & had to take the truck! Argh!

But...Wow! What an amazing lady! She energetically corrected me in regards to my health, while I laid upon an infrared heat mat. It was heaven! Getting rid of cancer while keeping toasty warm! That's nearly as good as Bora Bora! :o) Anyhow, I encourage you to look into what Jessica does - http://www.intuitiveedge.ca/ - she has helped a lot of people with a wide variety of ailments! I'm excited for our next session in a month to see the changes that have taken place!

She told me a lot of things about myself that made me realize I have some 'adjustments' to make, to say the least! She also told me a lot of things about myself that made my head spin! Wow! Crazytalk! The most incredible part of the session was when she had finished her corrections & she asked me what the first thing to come to my mind regarding several different topics. My overactive imagination & mind pretty much always blurts out something. Nope. Nada. Not a thing! All I could do was stare blankly at the tiles on her ceiling. Incredible! Fantastic! She also did a few adjustments on my body & I had tingling sensations on various parts of my body. Oh what fun it is to get healthy! Thank you Jessica!

A quick stop at the health food store, pet store & pharmacy & I was on my way home. I walked in the door & Mom told me we had 20 minutes to get ready & leave for town again. Great! I chowed down some slop & my pills & away I go again! 

Jaco called while we were walking out the door. It was great to chat with him. Man, do I miss him! It's ridiculous now! I'm not sure when I'll see him next & it's driving me crazy! Life is just so darn complicated! Argh!

Mom dropped me off at the Epcor Centre & I was so excited to see the show. Wow. I had a front row seat & let me tell you, I've never been THAT front row. I couldn't even straighten my legs in front of me without kicking the stage! I was thankful I'd worn a hat, as they were sweating like crazy & hollering, thus spit was flying around, all beautifully backlit by staging lights! Yum! :o) Besides the bodily fluids in close proximity, the show was outstanding! It was enthralling to feel the vibrations from the drums & the pulse mimicking the beating of my heart. With every hit they made on the drums, I imagined the cancer being beaten out of my body. It was a fun visualization!

They were exceptionally fit & I can understand why! To hammer away on those massive drums would take anyone's energy supply! And let me tell ya - I didn't plan on half naked, sweaty, all-muscled-up Japanese guys entertaining me, but hey, I'll take it! :o)

There were 9 men & 4 women. The women played horns, Japanese flutes, cymbals as well as drums. The men were flying around the stage playing all different sizes of drums. If you ever get the chance, GO!!!!! Two thumbs up & 5 stars! Perhaps I'll dig out my dum-bek from Turkiye & annoy the pants off Mom while I try to pretend I've got a sense of rhythm! :o) 

When I got home, I had a surprising phone call from my friend, Ed. I met Ed in Mexico when he was taking his brother, Bobby, for treatments at Castillo's. Sadly Bobby passed away at the beginning of this month. Bobby had a massive tumor near his hip & for 9 months - count them up - NINE MONTHS they told him it was arthritis. Yes. I was very sad to hear this news & although I know Bobby doesn't suffer anymore, it's is still very difficult for his family & friends to have to deal with their loss. Ed also told me that Steve passed away on Christmas Eve. If you remember from my earlier posts, Steve was visiting his son in Mexico, didn't feel well, went to the hospital, only to find out he was full of cancer. Steve lived longer than the doctors expected and I'm sure his wonderful sense of humour added to his longevity. They will both be missed & I'm sad to know I won't see them next time I'm in Mexico. 

I still haven't heard anything back from the Doctor's office regarding the biopsy. I have phoned twice now, but am still waiting for a call back. I will keep you posted on when it's finally going to happen! I demanded a surgeon with a personality, so maybe they are having some issues finding one!!! :o) Ha ha!!!! 

Anyhow, enjoy your evening & I will see you tomorrow!

Love, hugs, & healing,

Maria & Valentina

xxxxxx

Bobby & Ed at the clinic

Clint & Steve at the clinic

Steve & I

The amazing Jessica! intuitiveedge.ca - she does phone consults too!

Yeah, it's blurry. I heard the music while I was on the loo & thought 'Oh, that's nice, even Japanese music for the background before the show'. I then walked out to realize it was live!

Sneaking photos before the show.

Sneaking photos before the second half of the show.

Sneaking photos at the end of the show.

Standing ovation performance. Snuck again.

Day 96 - List of Things To Do...

Hello everyone!

I hope this finds you well & enjoying life! Today was nothing out of the ordinary. I researched more & more on IPT & cancer & supplements. I sadly finished my Knockout book. I didn't want it to end! It is such a good book! I even joined Suzanne's facebook page & left her a compliment, as well as a letter on her website about her book & how wonderful it is!

I found a pharmacy that will order in Cimetidine. But get this! It has propylene glycol, titanium dioxide, sodium lauryl sulfate, and colours FD&C red, blue & yellow in it! I get help from the actual drug & a mouthful of toxins to chase it! What gives? Argh! The good news is, I found a way to kick back the MCP & not gag! I don't know if I mentioned it, but it has a really nasty consistency & doesn't taste all that hot. Well, I took a can of coconut milk, sliced up some pineapple, a little maple syrup, a little water & some MCP. Presto! It's like my very own Pina Colada! :o) I just need the little umbrella & I'm set!

I did my best to book the biopsy today. No call back regarding an appointment date. I left FIRM instructions that I want a surgeon with a personality. Or at least send him a memo to remember to bring it with him to work that day! I tell you what! I swear, they all skip that lecture - Bedside Manners 101. I think I'll try tickling the next surgeon who refuses to smile. I'm pretty good at jabbing my fingers into ribs & evoking a smile, if not a very animated response! :o)

I visited the Life Extension Foundation website & discovered a lot more about Hodgkin's Disease. If you have an ailment, this website is amazing. I highly recommend it! Thankfully the supplements they recommend I'm already on most of them! Yay! They also give suggested chemo protocol. They are very current on what studies & tests are being done in the health industry. Fascinating!

Dieter, a friend of Mom & I, stopped in this morning. He is a tall, slim German Doctor who used to keep his horses out at the ranch. I love Dieter. He is terribly opinionated, but most of the time he makes sense. He always likes to have a little bit of an argument and once you understand him, he's got a heart of gold! I remember the first time I met him, I wanted to crawl under the rug & cry. But the more I fought & disputed him, the more fun we had! Now, he's like a big pussycat! Meow!

I'm pleased to say I made it through half of my list of things to do today! I realized I'm only drinking half the amount of water I should be, so bottoms up for me! Tomorrow is a new day & I can't wait to tackle it!

I won't type much, as I'm off to bed & I don't have much else exciting to report! Lekker slaap & see you tomorrow!

xxxx

Maria & Valentina

ps - 13 shots to go! After tomorrow we'll be down to the last dirty dozen! Yay!

The Line Up. 9x/day. It's a lot of pills, but it beats the other option! :o)

Practicing 'bubu setette' - peek a boo!

Our new favourite toy to play with!

Day 95 - Friends Make Life So Much Better!

Happy Sunday!


As I listen to the last few notes of Flower Duet, I can't help but wish for a better singing voice, but I'll keep imagining I've got what it takes! What a great song! I love music. Always have, always will. I introduced my parents to Abba. Yes, something is definitely wrong with that picture! :o) My 1st favourite band was The Emeralds - Bird Dance. I think I nearly drove my parents around the bend. Then it was Crystal Gayle, you know the country singer with hair to her ankles. Next came Cyndi Lauper & it was all downhill from there... There is very little that I don't listen to!


Anyhow, on another 'note'... Today was a wonderful day! I had a fantastic visit from the Burnett's! They were on their way back home & stopped in to introduce me to Baby Heidi! She was born on the 28th of December at a cost of -$20,000! Isn't socialized medicine wonderful!? Anyhow, we enjoyed a quick visit & then they had to hit the road. I'm not used to newborn babies. They scare me. They are so tiny & delicate. If you didn't know, Grace is NOT my middle name! I held her. I did okay. She didn't even cry. I guess the DMSO smell isn't that bad after all! :o) I'm thrilled they are closer & I am looking forward to visiting them in their new home in Pincher Creek once they get settled! Lookout Waterton, here I come again!


After they left, I piled on the puffy clothes & went to visit Joe at work. I'm so proud of Joe! He had the most unhealthy diet of anyone I have ever met. I have told him the only reason he's still with us is because he has such a wonderful sense of humour & outlook on life! Come on, slurpees for breakfast, microwaveable Kraft Dinner for lunch & Doritos some where in there, just to mix it up?!? He's now utilizing his iPhone to count calories & actually drinking non-carbonated beverages (even some water!) I didn't check the fridge, but I bet if I did, I might even find some green things, and I don't mean moldy! :o) He has set some goals & I'm so excited for him to keep going & stick to a MUCH healthier lifestyle change. GO JOE!!!! 


Tweet Pea & I walked home & quickly found the hotspots to warm up! Brrrr! Today was shot day. I waited until Mom came home (she went to visit Jeff) before I did the shot. Nothing bad has ever happened, but just in case, I didn't want to be alone. I told her to stay awake for another 15 minutes while I did the shot. I finish & half an hour later, no sign of Mom, the dog or the cat. I go into her room & she's reading a book. Adios is curled up at her feet & Valentina is curled up beside her. Hah! Some support! :o) 


That was pretty much the day. Of course, I spent a while on the phone & reading my book.  Found a few new friends on Facebook & thought about typing some emails. Only 2 more sleeps until I meet Jessica & then it's drumming time! I'm super pumped about the Tao: The Martial Arts of Drumming show I'm off to! I have heard that drumming can be very healing & I managed to snag the last front row seat, so let the vibrations begin! I took a Brazilian Samba class once & the music consisted of 4 drummers. I remember weeping when they began to hammer the rhythms as we danced around the room. Amazing! Anyhow, you'll undoubtedly hear all about it when I report back! 


Enjoy your evening & I hope this Monday is better than all the Mondays before! 


Love & hugs,
Maria & Valentina & Adios & Mom

xxxx

Proud Papa who really didn't want his picture taken! He has much to learn about Aunty Jill! :o) Thanks for being a good sport Mike! You can take my picture twice next time we visit! :o)

Thank goodness Heidi is a forgiving little girl! She didn't make a peep! Except that one loud rumble before I picked her up! :o)

Harrison enjoying Inspector Gadget's Go-Go-Gadget Neck!

Joe - holdin' down the fort at EVIC! He says Brad Pitt won't hold anything on him come July! Sorry girls, he's taken! You'll have to get through Dara & that ain't happenin'! I saw the last girl who tried! Not a pretty sight!

My support team - close by & ready to jump at any given moment in case of needle failure! :o)

Day 94 - Let It Snow. Sigh.

Well, if nothing else, the snow does look beautiful! I suppose if I was energetic & felt like dressing up like a funky coloured marshmallow I could go out & frolic & play in the fluffy new stuff. Nah. I will do that tomorrow when I walk to work to visit Joe!


Today was a great day. Mom was in Winter Housecleaning Mode. She made great progress, but then managed to bring me her leftovers right before bed. Which now means I need to find a place to stash it before she wakes up & decides it is a mess. YES, we are both excited for the day to come when we each have our own personal feminine space. Lord, the the healing take place! Amen!


The first issue of the day - Prayer Request Please! I spoke with my dear friends, Glen & Stella Bell. I met them at the clinic in Mexico & Glen has been dealing with cancer. Well, sadly things got a bit more complicated with blood clots & such. He has just been sent home from the hospital in Canada, and the Doctors have given him one month. First of all, I think it's absolutely criminal that ANYONE can tell someone how much time they have left. Nobody controls when anyone else comes or goes, thank you very much! In any case, I would ask that you say a prayer for Glen that he can find something, anything that will help him stretch things out. And in that time, let's pray he finds something else that will help him stretch it out a little longer & before you know it, he's better! He has Stage IV cancer. Please pray for his appetite to be voracious & that he can continually gain strength to fight this disease & regain his life back! Thank you thank you thank you! Please pass the message along to anyone else you can! We know prayer works!


After all that, pretty much everything else takes a back seat! My Dad surprised me & stopped in for a nice visit. We enjoyed a few cups of tea & he filled me in on all the happenings in his life. I helped him with Skype & passed along a few email addresses for folks he was wanting to get in touch with. I was pleased with our visit, as often if it's not a tightrope, it's eggshells or broken glass. We are very much alike & things can get interesting! His girlfriend is currently in Mexico for a few months & he told me he doesn't have much desire to go to Mexico. He prefers Arizona or California. I told him he was getting old & should see some more of the globe besides 1st world countries! :o) And he doesn't like Mexican food? What's not to love? :o) Each to his own, I suppose! If we all loved Bora Bora, it would be over run!


I forgot to mention - yesterday Jaco & I spoke about getting our own place, which at the moment isn't practical money wise, but anyhow, he said to pick wherever I wanted. So I searched Turner Valley. Nope. Black Diamond. No pets. Bragg Creek. $1900/month! Definitely NO! Okay, how about Victoria, BC? Jaco says it's too rainy. Hmm. I know! Sydney! Australia! Now you speak-a my language! :o) Needless to say, we didn't settle anything. But it had 'endless hours of sunshine thanks to the reflections on the sparkling harbour'! :o)


Also, I looked a little further into the IPT treatment. It appears as though the grandson of the gentleman who coined IPT works in Tijuana doing just that! He has 22 years experience & I enjoyed reading about the procedure. To my surprise, the video on YouTube showing the IPT experience features a lady I met while I was in Mexico! We rode the shuttle together one day & she was the first & only 'Negative Nelly' I met! I even mentioned her in my blog post from that day! How ironic! I asked the receptionist how she was doing & she said fantastic! I'll be happy to see her & see if her attitude has shifted! Dr. Donato has trained every Physician currently practicing IPT across the globe! Dr. Castillo's IPT Physician doesn't have as much experience and I don't want to mess around with chemo. I'll meet with Dr. Donato when I go to Tijuana & discuss my options with Dr. Castillo, as I would still want to build up my immune system & detox the dead cancer cells out. I'm still waiting to hear back from Dr. Castillo regarding his Physician's experience, so I'll keep you posted! 


I'm booked for a session with Jessica Taylor for the Yuen Method on Tuesday & with Dr. Mah for chiropractic work & acupuncture on Thursday. By Friday, I'll be a whole new me! :o) Somewhere in there will no doubt be the biopsy. Blech. But, I know, it's time. Anyhow, I'm off to bed & tomorrow will be very exciting! Jenn & her husband, Mike, are stopping in with their little boy, Harrison, & their brand new baby girl, Heidi! I'm so excited! I can't wait to meet her!


I was convinced that Jenn's first baby would be a girl, so I bought this adorable pink jumper with hearts all over it when I was in Sweden. I wrapped it up for Christmas & everything. To my surprise, she had Harrison, the cutest little boy! Hmm, so much for the pink jumper! I thought surely to goodness one of my girlfriends would have a little girl. Nope. Two years later, I found the wrapped up little jumper in my hat box. The only miscellaneous item left in the hat box - the exact same place I put it two years ago when I wrapped it up! Guess it was finally meant to be! :o) And I've also got the little baggie of Bora Bora sand as per her request! Perfect to dig your toes in one days like today! 


Anyhow, have a wonderful night, thanks for sticking with me in this rather rocky patch of the journey & here's to smoother sailing in the not so distant future!


Let Love Rule!
xxxx
Maria & Valentina
Snow Angels & Puppy Dog Kisses

Grandpa & Tweet Pea - the next grandchild will be less hairy!

Tweet Pea with one of Grandma's discards. Note the motion in her tail indicating the level of glee!

Day 93 - Holy Red Tape!

Okay, so the next time I get a parking ticket, I'll just pay it early. Even if it's NOT MY FAULT, it's far worth the experience of going down town (paying for MORE parking & fuel to get there), running from 2nd floor to 9th floor, from this window to that window. Oh my. 


Some fellow named Lorne, who had enough hair gel for three people, decided to make small talk outside the courtroom. Oh dear. As if the hair gel, leather jacket & completely polished boots weren't enough, it was the smoke & booze on his breath! Wow! Don't let the judge smell ya! I don't think he made out too well, as he was later in line behind me cursing away!


What a gong show the entire ordeal was. First it was the 2nd floor to speak with a Justice of Peace. Wait in line. Write my 'story'. Swear on the Bible that it is true. Honestly, has that poor Bible ever been read & how many sad lies have been sworn on it? And shouldn't they have a Koran, Bhagavad Gita & Book of Mormon & all the other official books for other religious groups? I mean, we all know that ALL of the criminals aren't just those who believe in the Bible! Up to the 9th floor, courtroom 908. Wait for court to be in session. (This is when I met my buddy, Lorne) I walk into the courtroom, the security (police?) instantly tell me to remove my hat. Pretty soon, it's 'All rise for the honourable blah blah blah...' I didn't think they really did that anymore! For traffic fines? Anyways, the chick who said it, had the lovely black cape with oversized bow tie on & she looked fierce. Beady eyes, hair slicked back & penciled in eyebrows, permanent scowl. Thank goodness the Judge was young & looked as though she had a heart. Too bad she didn't see my naivety as actually being honest. The only part that really got to me was when a clerk or someone relatively important whose title I don't know, called her 'Your Worship'. Really? Huh? Anyhow, it was back down to the 2nd floor to see the Justice of Peace to set a trial date. Then it was changed to seeing the Crown Prosecutor now. Then back to the Justice of Peace to sort out payment. Then, lastly, it was over to the Cashier to give them my $30. I felt like I'd been violated in more ways than any parking ticket could come close to! Yeesh!


When Mom finally came to get me, she realized she was lost & couldn't find the truck. Great! Freezing our butts off walking from block to block to see if it looks familiar! And to think I'd just read in my book about cancer patients having a lower body temperature, as cancer cells don't like heat. With every teeth chatter, I'm feeding a whole new fire! Ha! Well, that's just one more reason to go someplace sunny & warm!! :o) BTW, according to the 2010 Best Countries to Live, Australia was 2nd! 


We made our way home & I proceeded to spend the entire evening on the phone. The gift to gab? Maybe! :o) I've got a headset & I burned through 2 cordless phone batteries! It doesn't help that when Jaco phones, he's only allowed to speak for 8 minutes. He then has to hang up & call back. Ships! Try having a serious talk - you just get into it & 'Can I call you back?' 'Okay. Love you.' 'Love you too. Bye.' And on & on it goes! In any case, we are caught up & I enjoyed some wonderful chats with good friends!


The best part of the day - Valentina was sleeping in her little bed by the island, in the kitchen. All of a sudden, I hear this little 'thump, thump, thump'. I look over, she's sound asleep, but obviously having a happy dream, as her tail is wagging, hitting the island! It was adorable! Check out this poor sleep walker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2BgjH_CtIA
I hope she doesn't progress to that level!


I am also pleased to report that I did yet another needle without any issues! I was sweating like a piggy before I did it, but it went great! Thanks again to my Angel Nurse! Only 14 needles left to go! And to add to matters, my chest hasn't been as pressured, nor is my neck, so perhaps things are settling down. I've finished my iron supplements, which I recently read can cause free radicals & inflammation, so who knows if that is part of it? I also started Modified Citrus Pectin. I'm pretty sure I mentioned it a few days back, my mind is failing me as of late, but in any case, it's pretty nasty tasting & textured stuff. I thought I would be clever & mix it in with my oatmeal. Ugh. Ditto on the oatmeal being nasty tasting & textured too! I think I'll go back to my Red River. Blech. Some things do NOT get better with age. Apparently my mind as well as oatmeal! 


Anyhow, please heed this information:
****************IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO HAVE A BIOPSY, SURGERY OR ANY OTHER PROCEDURE FOR CANCER OR THE POSSIBILITY OF************************


Please, please, please tell them to do themselves a favour & invest in a $90 bottle of MCP or over the counter heartburn medication called Cimetidine. I'm not sure what Cimetidine costs in Canada or if it's even the same name, but... the reason you want to take this - 5 days prior to you procedure & for as long as you want after the surgery - up to a year! 14 g of MCP & 800 mg of Cimetidine. Why? you ask? Well, in my experience & in the experiences of several others I have spoken with, once the tumor is agitated or broke open, the cancerous cells are free to go. They can spread to other parts of your body - metastasis. The MCP & Cimetidine both help to prevent cancer cells from being able to stick to blood vessel walls. I'm not a Doctor & your Doctor might tell you 'That's rubbish'. But, what do you have to lose? The tumors in my neck consistently grew much larger each time they were poked for the Fine Needle Aspiration. Remember my little link to Biopsy Seeding? Well, proof is in the puddin'. Any Doctor who tells me otherwise doesn't have my best interests in mind. Natural or not, if it reduces the number of chemo/radiation sessions any one needs, why not? I'm telling you... It's a good thing Christmas has just past, as I would be broke(r) giving everyone their very own copy of Knockout. It's THAT good. If you know someone with cancer or you have it yourself, do yourself the favour. I don't want my copy to end! I want to keep learning!!! It's fascinating! There is always hope!


So that's my speech on the soapbox for today! Hope you enjoyed it! Love & healing & prayers for our friends in Haiti. 


Maria & Valentina
xxxx

Don't we look happy??!!

Tweet Pea & me!

Day 92 - Praise & Prayers

Hello Everyone!


Well, today was fairly mild. I slept as much as I could after that horrible fever all night. I was up at 0330, 0530, 0830... I felt 'icky' for the better part of the day - not sure what's up, but we'll see what tomorrow brings!


I spent most of the day in my pj's in & out of bed, with lil' Miss V by my side keeping us both warm! She is so cuddly! I'm so lucky!


Michael, from GAP Adventures, popped out with his friend Kelsy & they toured around the yard looking for some good spots to make a little Indie Film. I set them loose & the next thing I know, I look over & here they are on top of the bale stacks! Ha! I have climbed on the bales since I was about 12! It brought back great memories. Julie & I used to play on them all the time! Oh what fun!


Kelsy had a cup of tea & actually liked it! He has only ever had one cup of tea before in his entire life & he didn't care for it, so he never tried another cup of tea again. Until today! I sent him home with the rest of the packet & another flavour to try on another day. I'm a bit of a nut for tea, so it's hard for me to imagine not having tried teas all my life! When I visited Russia, I stumbled across this quaint tea house & brought back many different teas. They would stamp the brown paper bag & write in Cyrillic calligraphy what kind of tea it was. I loved it! 


Okay, enough of tea time! I heard from Jaco & we have decided to pursue the low dose chemo in Mexico. After a very teary talk, I have agreed to have the work-up done at the Tom Baker with my Oncologist & then pursue the treatment in Mexico. At the end of the three weeks, we will know where we stand. The only trouble is, it's another month before I get to Mexico. So, here's to kicking the pants off this ridiculously stubborn 'thing' that doesn't want to let go of my body. Hey, I wouldn't want to let me go either! Ha ha... Just kidding!!! I think it could be the most stubborn thing I've ever met - worse than me! And that says a lot!!!


On a very exciting note, there is a new Doctor's office opening in Bragg Creek! I spoke with the gentleman today who rents the building & he said Jaco could have the job as soon as he has his registration! Petro, Shilise, if you're reading this, when Jaco gets home, light that fire under his tush to get me his CV - ASAP!! :o) This would be fantastic! A short drive to work - maybe 10 minutes, he would make his own hours, no on call duty, close to the city, but far enough away, the mountains at our doorstep... And of course, friends & family in close proximity. Say a little prayer that this possibility transpires into a reality!


Tonight Mom & I braved the foggy weather & headed into the city for Prayers. We met at Neil's house & shortly thereafter, Bob & Lawrence arrived. We pray for people we know who need it or have asked for prayers, we prayed for Haiti & her people, the list goes on & on. If you know of someone or yourself, let me know! It works! Remember Joanne that I asked you to pray for? She made it to her son's wedding & was discharged on Christmas day! The Doctor's said they'd never seen anyone recover as quickly as she did! Whoo hoo! She's not out of the fire yet, but she's a lot better off than she was! Thank you for your prayers!


I'm off to bed now, as Mom & I are headed into the city first thing in the morning. I have a court date - unpaid parking ticket that turned into a conviction while I was away. Can you say 'FUN'? Blah. Mom has a meeting, so I'll hitch a ride & save myself the stress of driving on rubbish winter roads! 


Until tomorrow... stay warm & hug the person next to you... Or the next person you see... Hopefully you know them! :o)
Maria & Valentina
xxxx

Mom, can you come fluff my pillow please? Yes, she always sleeps under the covers & likes to keep her head out!

Boys having fun on the bales!

Every girl needs a fur stole to wear, right?

Sleeping in my jacket - keeping us both toasty!

Day 91 - Three Months Already?!?

Seriously, where does the time go? It's been three months since I left for Mexico & started this blog, but honestly, it's been a decade since the whole Y2K escapade, 13 years since I graduated - hello Cougar! :o) Time is flying by! Carpe Diem! Make the most out of every single day you have! 


Today was interesting. To say the least. I woke up, read a little, pulled out the yoga mat & did a Rainbeau Mars DVD. Yes, her name is Rainbeau Mars. Her sister is Sunflower Sparkle Mars. Yes, her mother was a hippie. That even makes my Italian names look mild! :o) 


Anyhow, I got ready in a flurry & left for the city. Today I was meeting Mom2 to watch her & her client, Josh, a 7 year old Autistic boy, have a riding lesson. The other side of the coin was the lady who runs the stables, Sharon. She is also a Master Herbalist & was telling Mom2 about Hydrogen Peroxide. Mom2 thought it would be a good thing for me to try, so I said I would come out, watch Josh ride & meet Sharon. 


Well, didn't I just get the shock of my life when the first person I saw was a girl from my past who wasn't very kind to me. I hadn't seen her for years. We worked together & looking back, she was most likely suffering from low self-esteem & was simply trying to build herself up by tearing others down. Not fun. Anyhow, the funny part was, she is a Nurse & I had just posted on Facebook that I was looking for a Nurse around Calgary who could help me with my injections. Sharon actually suggested this gal help me out. I thought to myself, Cold day in 'Bora Bora' I let her touch me with a big needle! Ha! 


On to the riding lesson. Poor Josh fell asleep on the way out to the stable & we actually led him around the arena while he laid across Molly's back. It was actually quite cute! Mom2 has been working with Special Needs children for over 4 years now & she has wonderful success. Most of her work is done in the pool, but she has branched out & started using horses too. Josh's favourite part of the lesson was when he was finished riding & got to give Molly a carrot. Of course, Josh had to taste it first to make sure it was a good carrot! :o)


We dropped Josh off at home & then headed to Mom2's for a quick visit. She was having her Father-In-Law for supper & the whole house smelled of delicious lasagna. Sigh. I have to get cracking & learn how to cook! I can cook the same thing, of course, with a few modifications. They suggested a good walk-in clinic for me to try & get help with my needle technique & I was off.


Ha. What a joke that was. First of all, I couldn't see a Nurse without seeing the Doctor. The Doctor said NO WAY. He was washing his hands of it. I asked the receptionist, So you'd rather I end up with a blood clot & die than tell me the correct way to do an injection, regardless of what the injection is? Hmm, makes perfect sense to me. She said to go to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. I asked if they were still open. She had no idea. Then WHY WOULD I GO THERE?!?!?!? 


I left with tears streaming down my face, knowing my impending shot was drawing closer & closer & I had no idea what I was going to do. I stopped at the organic health food store to pick up a few things. When I saw strawberries for $10, my heart fell even further to the floor! A Luna bar later, I was walking out to the car, digging for the cell phone incase Jaco called. I had forgot to take it off vibrate & when I picked up the phone, someone was calling. It was an Aunt of Kerry & Janis', 2 of my good friends from College. Kerry had suggested I call her Aunt when I posted the cry for help on Facebook. Oh my goodness. It was impeccable timing. I was about to drive home, heartbroken, and here she was saying she'd help & I was on the right street & everything! Amen! 


I made my way to her house & the look on her face when I showed her how big the needle was & how much I would be injecting. She is a Pediatric Nurse & the most she ever injects into a youngster is 1/2 a ml!!! Needless to say, it was a challenge for both of us! She drew on my leg, at my request, a nice big square with 6-9 different injection sites. That's 12-18 when you put both legs together. She also showed me how to draw back. I did the shot while I was there & although there was a bit of a lump, it quickly dissipated. I think the trick is to go slow. She also reassured me that if I did indeed hit a blood vessel, *** WARNING *** NOT FOR FAINT OF HEART!!! that I would know, as the pressure would put blood in the vial instantly. I feel so much better & my confidence is renewed. We had a wonderful chat & I would, without a doubt, consider this woman an Angel. Wow. 


On my way out the door, Jaco finally called. Anxious to tell him that I have decided to submit to chemo, even if it is low-dose, but I need to stay in Mexico for an extra week & potentially visit the clinic 1x/month ($$).  I thought he would be excited to hear I decided to do the Needle Biopsy & the chemo, but he wasn't. I was crushed. He only wants me to stay in Canada & do the full dose chemo. Completely shattered. 


I have been reading more & more of this Knockout book & discovering there is an entire arsenal against cancer that works! I have read about some of the medications I am on & they are GOOD. I have also read about supplements patients can take before they have surgery to help stop the spread of the cancer. There is a plethora of information in this book. Even the IPT & low-dose chemo Dr. Castillo wants to do is in there. It is so frustrating. I am ready to get rid of this. NOW. I have pain in my chest, I have pressure on my collarbone & I was up 1/2 the night with a raging fever. Let's go! 


Anyhow, enough grim speak. Yesterday I was floored when 10 people sent me messages on Facebook of Nurses they knew who might be able to help me out. Wow! What great support & how blessed am I to have such wonderful friends! Then another message shortly after from a friend I haven't been in touch with much, who tells me she reads my blog almost daily (when I post daily!) :o) and she is praying for me & she considers me brave. (Me? Brave?) I was amazed & grateful to know that in the places I would not expect it, people care. I will have an awful lot of making up to do for all the wonderful things others have done for me while I've been on this journey, but I'm excited to do just that, as it will mean the most difficult part of the journey is over.


Have a blessed day & thank you for checking out the blog! I'm grateful for you!


Love & hugs & gratitude,
Maria & Valentina
xxxx

Josh having a snooze on Molly!

Thinking about waking up!

I've never seen a carrot disappear so fast!

Lovely icy side streets in Calgary

Tweet Pea patiently waiting for Mom2 to come back to the truck.