November 7, 2002

OK, here it is. It's been two months or something so I figure I can update about the life many mistake for a hollywood movie. My life. I went to the doctor today. The old school doctor from way back in the diagnosis days, I hadn't seen her in over a year. She poked me a bit, brought back some memories, you know how it is. I tell her I feel fine. She tells me I look great. I tell her she doesn't look so bad herself. She asks me on a date... no wait... There's no cause for concern at all. No lumps can be felt, no symptoms, smooth sailing. I've gained a kilo and a half since the chemo days. Woo bessy, talk about lettin yourself go, yeesh!
She said she doesn't want to see me for a few months. I told her she can't just break it off like that so quickly. There are feelings involved here. Then I told her I want a CT Scan just to KNOW that everything is OK, rather than just assuming. She agreed after some negotiating and I'll get one in January. She says I'll do another one in June and then chest X-rays from then on in. Weird, but she says the chance of a relapse is really slim since I had early stage disease and a great smile... I mean lots of chemo... so she's not too concerned. Funny, I don't dismiss it all so easily... weird. ANYWAY, so I'll be bariumming it up in a few months, hopefully the ol internal organs and lymph nodes are behaving themselves.

She also gave me a card to keep in my wallet that explains that I've had bleomycin and that if I'm ever in a situation where I require oxygen (don't I always?), the paramedics have to use the lowest level possible or something or I will explooooode! No, it'll just cause some serious chaos, dude. She said I could get a medic alert bracelet but seriously now. Eternal dorkiness or eternal risk of lung dysfunction? Pshyea. Hoooly joke.

That about sums up the medical world. Not bad. In more important news, life is just swell, Bernice. Last time I tried to do 2nd year, I made it to the beginning of October. Hello November! I'm finished my midterms for the semester, now I've just got stupid papers to write. My marks are doing fine, I believe, but really... I kinda don't bother stressing out about it all because in the grand scheme of things, why should I?

I have incredible amounts of hair. See the pictures section if I'm smart enough to update it.

I got glasses. My eyes started falling out, or started going wonky at the end of the summer. So I went to go get them looked at and my right eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball. Obviously. People say I've got an eye for football. "NO!" I say. "A football for an eye!" So I got myself some extraordinarily expensive glasses and I look extraordinary but I don't like wearing them. Only sometimes.

My parents came and visted last week. We saw some things and it was nice. My mom cried a million times at my hair because I'm so good at growing it. She mostly cried when she found out I have armpit hair. She's always had a softspot for that armpit hair. That's a hint for anyone who has to buy her a Christmas gift. Ew.

I still have some lingering associative nausea. Two things are the problems: hospital sheets/gowns/alcohol swab smell AND Reader's Digest magazines. Hooooo, I saw one of those in a waiting room the other day and nearly upchucked. No, I just like the word upchuck. But really, my stomach wasn't happy with the sight of that.

I went to Vancouver last week to see Hot Water Music. I am completely in love with that band. Even though their music is starting to go downhill, they are still amazing and lovely. I wish us success when we all marry in the near future. I rocked out. So did they. They played some great, great songs. I wish I could watch them play all of the time and I wish drunk girls weren't falling on me. But hey, that's the price you pay. Plus $12.

I'm doing some volunteer work so I can better society, basically. It's through the Canadian Cancer Society (reprazent!) with a program called Mission Possible. I'm a Team Leader with Reeebecca and we lead a group of high school students in a program at their school to raise awareness about cancer prevention. Only problem is, we haven't started yet. Organization is not my forté. It should be good though once it all gets going. We bring in a pile of information to the kids and they figure out how they want to get the message out. About not smoking, being careful in the sun, not going and being an idiot and getting Hodgkin's Disease, eating right, exercising, dancing frequently and making paper maché monsters. Common sense really.

I'm going home for Christmas on the 15th of December and I'm coming back to Victoria on January 4th. I'm excited to go home. It will be nice to have a normal Christmas again after my year of abnormality. I want to see my home and my friends and my family and my cat and my car and my room and Almonte (bluh) and snow. Hey I want a new, cheap snowboard. Anyone? I'll trade you for mine.

I think Victoria is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The rest of Vancouver Island is close behind. I love absolutely everything that is going on in my life. I don't know how it could be better. Maybe summer weather. And more of homeness here. But I'm having the time of my life. And this time I know it. Perfect.

Do people actually read this stuff? Do these updates mean anything? Not that I'd stop, I get tremendous entertainment and a lovely ego-boost from it all but sometimes I just wonder....

In any case, posse out. Til next time.

(back)