Loocie's Sarcoma Journey Thoughts, Feelings & Snippets.

[SillyLoocie]

You know, the other day we got down to PMH & I realized that I did not have my wallet with me. No health card, no hospital card, no debit card & no cash. Not a good thing to do! Here I had a plan with that Tim's Card. Oh boy!
I had to sign a declaration & my scan went ahead as scheduled. I felt like how scatter-brained can you be leaving the house with no wallet?

Today I am feeling really good & almost like the old me. My energy is good & I'm having a happy day. This picture is of my very beautiful Mother with my oldest brother taken at Kew Beach in Toronto. When people went out for a walk outside there was a time when they made sure they always looked their best.

Thanks for all the peace and love....That sums it up quite nicely Spartacus.

[Natalka]

What a lovely photo!

Enjoy your day!

[Chers1]

Once again, I feel inspired by dropping by here. When I decided to open up & share snippets of my life with you I did not want to come across as being pretentious. Let's face it when you are talking about yourself, you can be kind of biased. I am finding it therapeutic to write about my paddles & adventures & start to sound like I have a case of melancholia, please remind me to take a time out.

I enjoyed my week off. Not having to go into the big bad city this week was a very nice break for me. I am becoming more aware that fretting is usually not necessary & the only thing it does is make me edgy. It's not always easy for me to steer away from it, but I'm working on it.

Medically - I have no updates other than I am on track with what I am supposed to be doing. I will have a CT scan soon that will see how all these tumours are behaving. Remember, the goal of this *drug* is to stop tumours from growing & in an ideal world, even shrink them.

I am keeping the faith & I believe that I made the right decision when I opted to go with this treatment.

Neuro-fibro-sarcoma is also known as MPNST or Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour is what I am trying to chase into a corner. If you could keep your thoughts in that general direction, I would be much obliged.

I'm going to be spending some time with a couple of my lifelong friends this weekend. It may only be a quick visit, but when you are able to get us all together, it's an opportunity that cannot be missed.

I don't know what I would do without my friends. So many people are surprised when we tell them how long we've known eachother...to us it just feels normal & natural.

Love to all!!
xx

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Always good to have your "besties" around you.. always thinking about you

[Chers1]

I thought I would share a picture of yours truly. My grade eight graduation. I did not want my picture taken.

A peasant dress avec matching socks & sandals. A dance in the gym in the afternoon & I think we might have had sandwiches & that flat orange drink that McDonalds used to have for those special events at schools. I was bound for high school & a whole new world. Life was pretty simple in those days....

- No limo
- No nails
- No hair
- No high fashion glam either.

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My Momma fashioned my beautiful dress with her own two hands.. my neighbour who was 4 years older than I, came over and did my eyebrows for the first time and did my makeup.. I felt like a princess!

[Chers1]

I mentioned the other day, that I would be here with a proposal. As you know, April is cancer awareness month & we'll see people out & about sporting a daffodil on their lapels. Think of cancer & the people whose lives become enslaved to it.

We can still hope that one day cancer will be cured but it does seem like such a daunting agenda. For instance, I have neurofibrosarcoma. A soft tissue cancer. Terry Fox had osteosarcoma. There are about 50 varieties of sarcomas. Each one is different & responds to different treatments. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, there are more than 200 types of cancer. Imagine that! I believe that we may be able to control cancers with the right treatments, but I think that curing all of them is quite an uphill mountain. Research is going on at a rapid pace & they are discovering new things all the time.

If you are able to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society, I have a request. Would you please specify that your donation be directed to your local transportation division? Your donation will enable cancer patients to get picked up & driven to their appointments. There are people out there who volunteer their time to drive us patients for our treatments & appointments. Vans are donated by The Royal Canadian Legion & I believe GM. What a wonderful service this is. At the end of 2012, I had to get downtown to Princess Margaret Hospital for 33 radiation treatments. That was Monday to Friday for six weeks. I had no worries about how I would get to my appointments , pay $20.00 a day for parking or dealing with traffic. I was in loving hands. Other people in my area who were in the same boat as me also utilized this remarkable service.

I was so touched by the people I met & to the volunteer drivers that made a rotten cancer experience bearable. I wrote a poem to my drivers.

For My Drivers



How can a simple thank you suffice as an expression of gratitude?


They drove me in & took me home with an upbeat attitude,


Taking me to Princess Margaret, so I could be radiated,


Also understanding the times when I was uptight & frustrated,


Florence, Bryan & Cathy I tip my hat to you,


Transporting all us passengers & through brutal traffic too!


Robert, Terry & Greg you also get a wave,


Consider it one of excellence & along with two guys named Dave,


Graham Chalmers I must admit you know how to make us laugh,


You are the kind of guy who is near the top of the mirthful graph!


Peter Jones & Sandy Arnott, thumbs up are also sent your way express,


For the rides in first class comfort & a light touch of finesse,


Moira Alley gentle & calm sure knew her way around town,


For being in her company made it impossible to feel down,


Stan Abbott seemed to always know the perfect thing to say,


As he always got us downtown & most always without delay,


To Janet Wilkes & Emily Sangster immeasurable with support,


When it comes to compassion & empathy, you sure top the report,


I sure hope I haven’t missed anyone in this simple little note,


As all of you are more than volunteers & you have the right to gloat.

Attachment 233416

Last year my dear friend Loocie, I ran in a five km extreme race "Grapes of Wrath". The monies raised were for wheels of hope Niagara...a service to get patients to and from there treatment destinations.. I had no idea at the time my Momma was afflicted with her cancer but knew it was for a great cause.. One of my team mates, father used this service..

[SillyLoocie]

Last year my dear friend Loocie, I ran in a five km extreme race "Grapes of Wrath". The monies raised were for wheels of hope Niagara...a service to get patients to and from there treatment destinations.. I had no idea at the time my Momma was afflicted with her cancer but knew it was for a great cause.. One of my team mates, father used this service..

I am always so pleased to hear that people who need this service can use it. You see Chers, you ran a 5 km race because it was in your heart to help out others. Your Mom was no doubt so proud of your participation in such a great event.

You also know that I hold you in very high regard. The ding dong family that I've met.

One thing I can say is that cancer brings out traits in our personalities that we didn't know we had.

Cheers to you all dear people.
xx

[SillyLoocie]

p.s. The only thing I've ran in the last decade or so is a bath.

[Chers1]

p.s. The only thing I've ran in the last decade or so is a bath.

Your the best, chic xo

[coyote00]

Hi Loocie,

Been a few days since I popped in. I was with my gd for the ost of the week in their home town.

Now I have Abigail at my house so my one hand typing is slow at best LOL.

Wishing you a beautiful day.

[alohamom]

[Woofy]

Dropping in to say hi.

I will be out of the country for the next 10 days, only back on the 21st.

You will be in my thoughts and heart. And I am never far.... just an email, or a message away!

[KoDi]

Good morning, Loosie.




Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other.
Joseph Addison

Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.
Albert Schweitzer

Have a happy day!

[McSkier]

for you

[SillyLoocie]

Good Morning dear people,

Here we are on a friday once again. I can say in all, I've head a pretty good week. Sometimes I find myself frustrated, this usually occurs when I find myself dealing with pain & fatigue. The best thing anyone can do when they feel like that is rest....

Looking forward to the weekend. Our lawns are looking dismal.

Be good & be kind to one another.

[Mechman47]

At the beach!
Attachment 234401

You know the brownies on the left.
Uncle Tom in the middle, and my GF on the right!
Check out the Maple Leaf on the hat! I was cool!