April

So it’s officially spring now!  April, the month of showers and flowers and all that lovely stuff… and, because I live in Ottawa, it also means snow!!  They’re calling for 15cm of the white stuff over the next 2 days — days when I MUST leave my house and go to hospital appointments!!  Today is mild, sunny and lovely, but if the forecast is right, I’ll have to find my boots again.  And maybe a heavier coat.  I was getting used to just a sweater.  Jerry is being very attached to me again… I pushed him off my lap about 5 times, and he just bounces back up like a rubber ball (remember those super bouncers that could go really high and just keep bouncing?)  Then I tried pushing him off and he just dug in his little paws and refused to move… and then lay back and fell asleep.  Don is on tap to take me to my appointments over the next few days, while grumbling about the increased price of gas… it went up yesterday again.  He managed to record 3 games last night, plus had reminders for 4 more… no comment!

I’m sleeping and eating fairly well, although I think that my portion sizes are more appropriate to my 3-year old nephew.  I’m thinking fond and loving thoughts of curry chicken, but the last few times I tried eating curry my stomach protested… an unwelcome side effect of one of my chemo drugs.  It’s past time for that to clear up now, because being cut off from my comfort food is unpleasant, to say the least!  In happy news, my regular support worker resumes on Friday after her stint in the hospital and recovery time.  Fingers crossed that she’s all better now and I don’t have the series of temps that I’ve had to endure.  Today’s worker broke my sugar bowl (which I’ve had for over 20 years!) and I’m really not sure how that happened.  She’s very apologetic, and there’s no point in yelling, but really!!  She promises to replace it so we’ll see.  

Happy birthday to the L’s 🥰 Lynne and Linda, who start off this month celebrating.  Hope you ladies enjoy your days and celebrate fully!  I didn’t post yesterday because my support worker was late, and by the time she left I just wanted to sleep… I can’t really blog with people fussing around the house; and at least I didn’t try pranking anyone!

I did, though, have a lovely time talking with the kids.  My elder niece (the one at university) and I had a long catch up… we don’t talk as often because (a) she’s busy; (b) she’s at university and (c) she’s surgically attached to her phone and the various videos she watches!  Phone calls to aunts don’t rate too highly 🙄. Anyway, we were chatting about the possibility of her participating in a semester abroad program about which she’s very keen, although her mother was moaning about “missing my baby” (Auntie is more dispassionate and encourages exploration). My younger niece had her mother call me to show me her “Indian princess” dress and her very first nightie, so I could see how she looked.  Her brother didn’t seem too interested in talking with me; he just jumped on to say “Hi” then hung himself upside down on the sofa and stood on his head!

I’m running into a minor dilemma… there’s an opportunity to participate in a research project as a patient advocate to look at the ethics around the use of AI in cancer diagnosis and management.  It’s a 1-year commitment, with regular meetings (no travel)  but it’s an area of interest for me.  There’s no guarantee that I’d be selected, but I’m wondering if I’m really the right sort of person to participate.  Can I provide useful, meaningful feedback, and would my knowledge be current enough to be helpful?  I don’t know, and I will need to decide this week, as the closing date is Thursday…

Jerry is trying to get my attention (and onto my lap) so I’ll leave you for now.  Please continue to enjoy the Easter season (which lasts 8 weeks!) and hopefully also some good weather.  Good night!

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