As you can tell, it is not as easy for me to find time to write anymore. I would like to think that is a good thing as it means that I am keeping busy with life and dwelling less on this past year’s events. Much has happened since my last post. Hopefully, I can remember it all.
Since my last update was in early December, I will update you on how I spent the Christmas season. Most of December was spent adjusting to my new work environment. As mentioned before, my office moved so I spent a lot of time getting the new office set up and functional. We are now settled in and enjoying the new, expanded space. It was very hectic though getting everything and everyone set up. It took its toll on me and I did find that it stretched my energy level a lot.
One of my extreme highlights for December was to speak to a high school classroom about my experience with Cancer. I was invited by Meaghan, my best bud Rick’s daughter. She was doing a presentation and asks me to talk to her class. I made my way to St. Patrick’s High School in Barrhaven to meet up with her early on Thursday, December 8. It was awkward going through the school to get to the office to check in as I was this creepy old man around hundreds of high school kids. Meaghan welcomed me in the office and escorted me to her class. We got to her classroom and proceeded to sit and listen to the morning announcements. This took me back to the old days of when I was in school. I met her teacher who I have since forgotten his name. At first, I was not sure about him as he had left me with a bit of a cold welcome. I realised later that it he needs to be this way to show his authority to the students. His disposition changed later on during my talk for the better. He was a huge Senators fan and had a bunch of Senators memorabilia including a bubblehead of every Senator. This definitely allowed me to make a connection with him. Shortly before the announcements were done, Josh, Meaghan’s brother came to the class to say hi to me. It was great to see him as I was not expecting it. After Josh left and the announcements were done, it was my turn to command the room. I talked for about 1h about everything that happened to me, how I felt, what I did, and how I kept a positive attitude throughout. The teacher had a lot of very good questions that allowed me to express more about my ordeal. I had such a high doing it that the rush lasted for a while afterwards. Looking at the students though it was hard to know if they liked it. I can only hope that it helped or will help one of them understand/deal with it in the future.
The holidays were great but took a lot out of me. The week leading into Christmas was very busy. The weekend before I was at Rick’s for his annual holiday party. It was a great time and I probably drank too much. I definitely ate too many marshmallows! Let’s just say there were some games going on that night and my team won. I had worked a full week and was up early on Christmas Eve so that we could drive to North Bay to spend it with Mom and my brother’s family. I helped my mom a lot with cooking the meals so I was pretty busy all weekend. I was really tired come Boxing Day so Mary Ann drove us to Kirkland Lake to visit her family. It was a busy 4 days in KL bouncing around to see everyone there. It was great to see her family as it had been a year since I was there last. Throughout the entire holiday, we had poor weather for driving which added to the stress. We spent New Year’s at home relaxing and enjoying the hot tub. Just wish I had more time off as I was not yet rested by the time I started work again in the new year.
One thing that is really amazing is how much hockey I have watched in the last two months. In mid-December, I was able to make it to my favorite Senator’s player’s 1000’th game celebration. The actual game was on the road but I was at the next home game. It was a great game and they made it to overtime and the shootout. Chris Neil finally did take a shot in the shootout but missed. Too bad they lost. It would have been a great end to his special night had he scored and they won. I then went to a preseason Canada World Junior game before Xmas. This was one game I did not think I could make it to because it was over the holidays and I was not sure I would be in town. I was treated to see the first jersey retirement of the modern day Senators. I was on my way home from KL when I got a call to see if I could make the game where Daniel Alfredsson’s jersey was to be retired. I was late to get there due to weather but I was in time to hear his speech. Too bad it was another loss for the Sens. Two weeks ago, I drove to Toronto to watch (and get heckled) the Sens play the Leafs. This was the only win for the Sens where I was watching in the stands. It was a great game and even better to share it with my brother. I do not see him enough anymore so it was a special treat to see him. That same weekend I rushed home from Toronto to see the Sens play again Sunday night. Unfortunately they lost this game. Prior to this double hockey game weekend, I got a chance to play in the Canadian Tire Centre, the same place where the Sens play, with my Thursday night hockey buddies. What an awesome night and a great game. It was quite the hockey weekend.
This last week was a significant one. I was in San Francisco for a tradeshow. It was the first real business trip since I have been back but more importantly, it was the last show and business trip I went to last year before I started my journey. It was a few weeks earlier this year but it was still an important milestone for me. It was the following Monday after my return last year that I had my first ultrasound that detected the mass in my abdomen. I was proud and surprised to think that I was able to be back the following year. I never would have thought that I would be here again when I had heard the bad news from my doctor last year. For me, it was just another example of how I said #fuckcancer over the last year! This is a big milestone given that, as I write this, it is World Cancer Day (Feb 4). This year, this date has that much more significance to me. I survived the week in San Fran even with the 2:30AM wake up call from the trash getting picked up every night. I survived the week but it was still tiring. I will be spending most of my free time this weekend resting. Not an easy task with our family schedule and with MA gone for her semiannual girls’ weekend.
So with all this, I bet you are wondering how I am doing, health wise. Prior to my trip to SF, I had a few doctor’s appointments. I had a checkup with my Besty and, on the same day an appt. with the dermatologist. More on that later. My Besty had nothing but more good news for me. All is going well for me health wise and he even said the “R” word this time. Yes, I am officially in remission. He said that the longer I go symptom free, the longer and more likely I will stay cancer free. Also, I have extended my time between appointments to every 3 months. Hearing this news put me into a natural high however I had another appointment immediately after this one with a dermatologist. The reason for this new appt. was that, with all the hair loss, I was more aware of the new spots that were appearing on my skin. One spot, in particular, was worriesome for my family doctor so she scheduled this appt. to get it checked out. I rushed over from my Besty to see this new doctor. As I waited, MA arrived to join me and we were excorted to the room. We met with the dermatologist and he too provided great news. The worrisome spot is benign. I had taken a half day vacation to go to these appts. But I was done so quickly that I was back home by mid afternoon. This allowed me to go see Isabelle’s school volleyball game, which they won by the way.
I am not going to let up any time soon and will maintain my busy schedule over the next few weeks. In two weeks, I will be at the Astorville carnival playing in the Family Feud hockey tournament. For the first time, I will be in nets for the whole thing. The following weekend, I will be going to see the Baby Sens in Binghamton, NY. It is their last year there before the team moves to Belleville. I was there a few years ago when they won the Calder Cup and it was a blast. After that, I am spending March Break in Calabogie at a friend’s cottage to go skiing with the family. All in all, doing my best to ignore the fact that, one year ago, I was officially diagnosed with cancer. Hard to believe that it was so long ago yet not that far away.
BTW, #fuckcancer! I am not going to let you stop me from enjoying my life and appreciating all that is around me! To me, this was a speed bump in my life that helped me realize what is important to me and ensure I stay focused on my goals.