I am so old!

OMG! This is my little niece Mackenzie . . . off to her first HIGHSCHOOL dance. Highschool? When did this happen? I get all misty-eyed looking at this. I remember changing diapers on this beautiful young lady. OMG I am old! Where does the time go?

PS: young PG men - settle down . . . Mackenzie does not live in our fair city.

Here’s to The Joy of Healthy Eating

Food is necessary for us to live – we get all our sustenance and energy from what we eat, which is why we need to eat the right kinds of foods, at the right time, and in the right amounts. We must eat to live, as opposed to living to eat, and on that note, here are a few tips if you’re looking for healthy eating habits:

• Never skip meals, especially breakfast: When you don’t eat, your body goes into starvation mode and starts conserving fat. You also feel light-headed as your blood sugar levels go down. And you’re so hungry by the time your next meal time rolls around that you eat more than you should, causing your stomach acids to go into overdrive and give you acidity problems. Skipping breakfast especially is a bad idea as your body has not had food for the past 8 or more hours and must be given sustenance so that you have enough energy to carry on throughout the day.
• Eat more meals, less amounts: Don’t fill your stomach at each meal; instead, eat five small meals a day rather than three large ones. Your blood sugar levels are regulated and you don’t put on weight. It’s also wise to maintain fixed meal times every day.
• Include fruits and vegetables: Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole wheat products, lean meats (if you must eat non-vegetarian food), low-fat dairy products, nuts, lentils, and seeds. Cut out foods that have sugar, salt and fat in large amounts as they’re not good for you. Don’t drink colas or other aerated drinks to quench your thirst – they’re loaded with sugar and calories. Stick to good old water.
• Learn to moderate: If you love junk food and are tempted to give in to your cravings most of the time, don’t deny yourself an occasional treat. This will prevent you from binging when your control is at a low.
• Cultivate healthy snack habits: Snacking is not bad per se; it’s what you eat during your snack time that decides whether your snack is good or bad. So if you feel hungry in between meals, eat fruits and raw vegetables that taste good in a salad, drink fruit juices without sugar, or go in for any healthy snack option that comes in a ready-to-eat package. If you make your snacks as large as your meals, you’re taking in more than your daily requirement of calories and will put on weight as a result.
• Don’t rush through meals: Eat leisurely, at the dining table, and away from the television. When you don’t concentrate on your food, you tend to eat more than you usually do. Chew your food well so that it’s easily digested.
• Drink water: Enough cannot be said about the benefits of drinking water; nature has given us this pure liquid to quench our thirsts and keep us from becoming dehydrated. Water also helps lose weight and keep your skin glowing and free of toxins.

By-line
This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of Radiology Technician Programs. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address:
sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com
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So You Think You Can Dance Moran Cres.

Here is the dance show happening in our home. Jordyn had her dear friend, Miss Isabelle Zimmerman, over to hang out on Pro D day. Jordyn became Izaak Smith and Izzy was Allie. They threw together quite a cute little show.

Guess who is 2?!

Yes, my nephew is already 2 years old! My Lord, where does the time go? He is hooked on big machines and shop tools. What a kid. As long as he is fixing something, like Poppa does, or "steering" a large truck of some sort - he is happier than a pig in dung. Here's a few more shots of the birthday boy . . .

Relay for Life!

Okay folks . . . I attended my first meeting for Relay for Life last night. Little Missy Erin Reynolds did a lovely chairing job. I am on the recruiting end of things. We will be targeting the schools as well trying to get as many new teams as possible to join. ANY recruiting ideas would be more than welcome!!
The Canadian Cancer Assoc. is responsible for Relay for Life. The money we raise in our area - stays in our area (unlike the Terry Fox Assoc.) A tad is skimmed off the top for research - but the rest stays in our northern zone. This is fantastic!
I was thinking Gary, Bev, and myself could create a great team! The event will be May 9th and 10th - so mark your calendars and get ready to sign up :)

ps - I have had complaints re: lack of updates. My camera was dropped and so I cannot update with anything exciting. I will buy a new one when I can get out and about on my own.

Just testing . . -

I found this website and I wanted to see if it was easy to post to a blog. I only chose 5 pictures from back in October. Hmmm ... I may be on to something!

Make a Smilebox greeting

ROGERS ROCKS!

Congrats to our new mayor (far left)!

Yeehaw . . . time to dance! Shaker' down!
It's time for change!

Ovary Begone!

Wednesday, November 12th was my surgery. I had the remains of my ovaries removed. I was to be in hospital until tomorrow, Saturday - but I was doing well enough to leave this morning (Friday). This should be it until I decide to complete my plastic surgery.

My roommate in the hospital was a lovely lady from Burnslake. She had a double mastectomy earlier this year in Vancouver, waited, and then yesterday she finally had her inflators for her implants inserted. Sheina Macadams friend, who is one of our new plastic surgeons in town, did the operation. If you are reading this Sheina - your fellow colleague sends her love and is sorry she missed your wedding. Unfortunately, our new plastic surgeon is in a tough battle here for OR time. She said she had read that Sheina received 50+ hours of OR time in one week and - here's the kicker - this new surgeon has been in PG for 10 weeks and she finally received 6hrs of OR. No wonder we can't keep good surgeons. Good God! Grrrrr . . .

Don't forget to vote tomorrow. Rogers for Mayor! yeehaw!

Check this out!

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/community/31836154.html

Happy Halloween!

Tonight was pumpkin-carving night! A lot of pulp flinging fun was had by all.

ps - still no call from the hospital re: operation date

A Few More Memories . . .

Here are a few more pictures of Bev and I at Chrissy's in Vancouver.

Bev and Chrissy @ Jasper Park Lodge.

Jasper Park Lodge

The TIT's are back in town! :) The smiles say it all: we had a great time together. The Lodge was not up to our princess standards - but we had fun anyhow. We made some great memories and laughed ourselves sick! Spa treatments, great wine, and togetherness . . . what more could a girl ask for?

Here's a few pics of the weekend . . . more to come as they come in. My camera calfed early.

Off to Jasper!

Tomorrow will be a TIT weekend in Jasper. We have two Junior suites and some spa treatments booked. Joni Brown informed us that Andy's (sp?) is the place to eat in Jasper. It sounds wonderful. We have reservations, but we will see how Bev feels. If it is too much, we will stay put, drink wine, and order in. Rough eh? I'll take many photos and cherish this weekend with the gals. More to come . . .

Vancouver - day 3

Last night we had a fantastic salmon dinner at Dick and Loretta's! Loretta's sister Judy was there as well. Great conversations and lots of laughs . . .

This morning we started at BCCA at 8:45 am.
Here is Chrissy and Bev waiting with me in Pod one, room E.



Having fun in room E


Jackin' around with Bev


Bev and I with Karen Gelmon

We met with Karen. She checked me out first. I had the usual physical check over and then the discussion followed. I will go home and have my other ovary taken out. She explained the reasons for not needing to take the uterus as well. Having my ovaries gone will bring on menopause and dry up the annoying endometriosis. Also, having the uterus intact is believed to maintain sexual pleasure. Interesting . . . We had a few laughs around that issue.
She looked at my arm and mole and set me up with a dermatologist oncologist. Also, I had a follow up meeting with the radiologist, Peter Lim. Finally she completed my paperwork and then followed up with Bev.

Karen will see Bev again in November. The the effects of the radiation will be known then and another course of chemo will be discussed. Karen wanted to allevaite Bev's nausea and hear about Bev's comfort level - or lack of it. She set up an appt. with the urologist (end of Oct) and gave her another prescription.

The we went down to radiation. After that I met with the radiologist and then we had to wait to see the dermatologist. He prescribed some cream for my itchy arm and the mole on my back - age spot. NO CONCERN from Dr. Ho whatsoever! yee haw

Bev getting positioned

Bev on the monitor

We did a little shopping and now we are finally back to nap in the sun (3:30). This is a long day of appointments and repeating ones story. :(

Time to nap . . .

Vancouver - day 2

Great day!!! I slept in and did NOT have make breakfast, lunch, and drive Jordyn to school. I slept in !!!! I had breaky and talked to Norm. He so lovingly faxed over a sheet I had forgotten at home for Karen to fill out. Then ran the sea wall again. It was so lovely. After hearing it had snowed in PG this morning, I savored every step.

Chrissy, Bev, and I did some antique perusing. We also had our Thanksgiving celebration with a turkey and basil panini at a wonderful little bakery, and then it was time for medical appointments.

We went up to Sheina's office and had a little chin wag with missy Andrea (cutie receptionist) before Sheina arrived. Andrea entered the CIBC Run for the Cure in Vancouver and raised $400 all by her little self! Fantastic! Then Sheina popped in. The bottom line is that I can have my follow up surgery whenever I would like. I will have lipo, breast lift, nipple reconstruction, and dog ear removal. This will take approximately two hours and is day surgery.

I will wait until the hysterectomy is booked at home and then book this surgery around that date. I may wait until Spring Break or the summer. Apparently 5 days of Madonna cups over the nipples are needed to enhance healing and prevent weight bearing damage. This would not look cool in front of a class of teenagers. :) Also, after lipo suction, one has to wear biker shorts (or the equivalent) for 24 hrs/day for an extended period of time. Interesting . . .
Miss Sheina - cute as ever. Getting married in November!

Then we went to Bev's radiation. I got to go in the room and watch Keri prepare the bed and machine for Bev. Then I manned the techy station while Bev was sealed in the room. I found "the" button to talk in to the room and bother my friend as she was being zapped. It was fun. The techies had a sense of humour and allowed me the run of the station. Bev at her radiation station

Bev and techy Keri

Radiation room

The radiation spot

Radiation markers
Me jackin' around at the station (Bev's on the monitors)

Now we are back at the condo having a little vino and awaiting dinner. Tonight we are heading to Dick and Loretta's for a fab meal. For those of you who know Loretta and Dick - you will be jealous. It is like having a meal at my mom and dad's. NEVER a disappointment. YUM!

We'll do a photo opp there and I'll post the feast later :)

Vancouver - day 1

Okay,
So I flew in to the big city and Chrissy was waiting with a big smile as per usual. :)
We came back to the condo to see Bev. She had two zaps of radiation yesterday, and so she was barfy last night and still feeling crappy today :(

When I went to the gyny, Bev went for another radiation zap. She came back and Chrissy, Bev, and I went into my appt. A cute little intern from Prince George came in and took the appointment. It was nice to see a fellow Prince Georgian :) She took the info and then went out and spoke to the gyny. They both came back in and we made a plan.

Because I don't have ovarian cancer, the likelihood of me getting in to have a hysterectomy in Vancouver is remote. They are booking high grade cancers 4 - 6 weeks from now. So . . . they will cc Dr. Galliford in PG and I will book in when I get home. The gyny also said that since my discomfort is mainly from endometriosis, perhaps I could only have my ovary out and I will be able to return to work earlier :) that leave my uterus intact. Hmmmmm . . . what implications are left from this move? I'll ask Karen Friday . . .

ps I would add pictures, but my card was in my computer. Not tomorrow though!

Dan Rogers for Mayor!

Dan Rogers came out and ran for the cure! It was nice to have such a busy guy come out and join us in the cause. He forwarded these photos of the day. There are more to come, but I wanted to add these for today. Don't forget to vote Rogers in November folks! A new, young, and sober mayor . . . what a novelty! :) oops, was that out loud?
I am now attempting to pack for Vancouver. I leave tomorrow morning, and I am still running around like a fart in a mitt. I have 3 appointments over 3 days. I will bring the camera and keep you posted as I visit the various physicians. THEN Bev and I get to drive back together. We'll pull a little Thelma and Louise and arrive in time for a Sunday Thanksgiving bird. gobble gobble

CIBC Run for the Cure!

Yesterday was the CIBC Run for the Cure. Some family members and many friends came out for the run/walk. It was a surprisingly emotional morning for me. As I stood and listened to the speeches, I was brought right back to the day I was diagnosed; the panic, worry, and fear that one feels in an instant flooded my senses. I then flashed through my operations and treatment. Cherie and Becky just wrapped their little arms with mine and I just cried and remembered. I cried thinking of what I have gone through, what is still coming, and I cried for the many more that will have to face this same challenge. One in eight women will get breast cancer. That is a ridiculous statistic. It is time for a cure!

Help Jaiden

"Some goals are so worthy, it's glorious even to fail." (Unknown)


I'd like to introduce you to my friend Jaiden Trabant. Jaiden is a local Prince George girl who is cutting off 12 inches of her hair so that it may be used in the manufacturer of new wigs for women with Breast Cancer who have lost their hair during treatment.

Jaiden's goal is to raise $500 by October 5, 2008. If you'd like to help, get in touch with Jaiden and her Mom Susan by calling 250-552-3929 or 250-552-0163. Go Jaiden!!!!