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.