This week has been a blur.

This week has been a blur. I have had more visitors, calls, emails and messages than I have had in months. I feel so special. I still prefer the blog because I get tired going through the same stories all the time. Many friends from out of town want to fly out and visit. These are people I have known for decades so I struggle to fit them in and give each a chance to just be here. My big brother and sister are flying in on Monday until Saturday and they will be the last guests who actually stay with us until a time might come again where either MrD or I can cope. The day after they leave we have booked flights back to Manila. I need to settle my legal affairs, talk to our staff and face MrD’s family with the news because he has been unable to go into the real details over the phone.
My doctor told me if I needed to do this trip it should be now and make it short.
I have gotten new medicines for the pain and stress so I have had some better sleep time.
The nutritional three week cleansing has moved into the last phase of the vegetable protein stage and I hear rumours from MrD that next week I will be allowed to have some small amounts of dead animals. I can hardly wait.
Cancer Rocks but in truth, this week I have had to dig a little deeper to feel that side of this adventure.
MrD is really at his end of all the care he can give and we are interviewing home help for when we return.
Our newly designed upstairs wardrobes arrive and were installed Thursday to oohs and aahs. If our luck holds the bed we ordered last month before all this struck should be delivered on Saturday so my family doesn’t have to sleep on the floors.
The palliative care people have been here the most figuring ways to make my life at home easier so they have installed special air cushioned bed pads, a pole to help me get out of bed easier, or practice my pole dancing, a toilet seat with arms to get up and down on, a shower seat for the time down the road when I need to sit and rinse and maybe the hardest to accept but pretty cool, is my new black padded wheel chair. They adjusted everything to fit it too my body but it may be a bit before I can fit my mind around it. I thought of journeys out wearing big hats or even veils but everyone would know it was the Trophy H right away.
Everyone have a grand week. I sure plan to have a great one.

MrD signs up the Trophy H for a cleanse.

Wow. My week went by with not a dull moment. I promised MrD to fight this disease. Last week was all about stuffing your face with fat and sugar but MrD a hired private nutritionist for some alternative cancer healing.
She has me on a three week cleansing program. The first five days of my cleanse, I have no protein. I drink brewed, juiced and stewed powders at strange and non flattering times of the early morning late evening. MrD loves to play the disciplinarian. I keep a stiff upper lip with the food.
As my reward for surviving the first 5 days and for being able to introduce protein to my meals, I invited MrD, MsB (the nutritionist) out to dine at one of MsB’s favourite restaurants.
Trophy H slips in a complimentary restaurant review “East Meets East” is a South East Asian popular restaurant on West Broadway here in Vancouver. Our party of three arrived at 6:30 without a reservation but their friendly staff found us a table after a short wait. The owner was offering small cups of their delicious chai variations. My soy milk chai spice tea both soothed the pallet and warmed it up for the food. I love when a restaurant takes time to welcome you in a special way.
The three of us each ordered a Tali tasting plate. I chose the wild salmon in a sauce that was mango, but might have been pineapple. My sauce turned out to be not worth remembering. And I would have to mention, my silent reader, that the salmon was overcooked. I loved my dahl, but couldn’t find any cucumber flavour in the raita. My portion of aloo gobi was sadly a little over done. But everything was forgiven. I was out and about. The place was noisy and I was burping protein. I was with MrD and MsB who showed me all week that they were fighting this disease. I had nothing to complain about. Cancer Rocks.
I got some much craved protein introduced into my diet after the 5th day. I got to eat small chunks of my best beloved potato, one of the outlawed veggies in the first act of this 3 week program. MsB comes to our humble abode to demonstrate how to cook the meals, give us tips and answer our many questions. It’s been a while since I sat on a chair in my kitchen, watching someone show me how to cook. I got to eat rice pasta with tomatoes. This period of not being able to eat, what has become part of my life over the years, somehow allowed me to appreciate taste and texture all over again when they were introduced back into my diet.
A soft boiled egg for breakfast was what I craved most so I did a simple rice and egg breakfast. Here is how to make your own. We must concentrate on the ritual of boiling these liquid chickens. The eggs must be boiled for exactly 3 minutes. Take a spoon and recover the eggs from the boiling water to stop the cooking process. Run them under some cold water to cool our lovelies enough to handle.
Heat a little precooked white basmati rice. The eggs get a proper whack with a knife and their golden hearts lavishly oozed over the warm rice. A good grind of course black pepper kissed with a baby pinch of your favourite salt. I would have loved a splash of chopped scallions on top for colour and crunch but we were out.
Each bite will seem better than the last.
So, my silent reader, go hug your brother. I plan to update every Saturday as long as I am up for it.

My cancer opens a whole new door.

Well it has been a week of Cancer Rocks. I am learning so much during this process. The support of family, friends and acquaintances has been overwhelming, touching and encouraging.
I had my first appointment with the oncologist on Thursday this week at the British Columbia Cancer Agency. My doctor, Sharlene Gill, is not only a senior caregiver but also associate professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia. She knows what she is talking about and puts all the information out to me in ways I can understand and absorb.
She recommended chemo and planed to admit me on Monday for the first treatment so they can monitor my side effects. The other treatments would be as an outpatient.
But, and here comes the hard part, my silent reader, she said the chemo could only hope to enhance the quality of my life because at this stage of my cancer there was no hope for a cure. Here prognosis is she thinks I have 3-4 months to live.
Friday I spoke to her on the phone and we have agreed to postpone the chemo but I have since decided not to have chemo. There is no hope for a cure and I feel too week. I have already registered with palliative care. I have not given up, but given in to the cancer.
MrD is busy with his alternative treatments for me and we will go from here.

On the lighter side, my silent reader, having cancer has opened up a whole new world.
A few examples are.

You can once again fit into any of your old clothes.

You attend a social meet up where home made pastry is included. You are sure to get offered the choice of leftovers.

Your spouse cuts way back on your “to do” list.

After all these years of saying no because it is fattening, you are encouraged to eat the crispy brown chicken skin.

You need not pass up on the desert.

It is fun to pretend there is a friendly alien hiding in you guts.

Sometimes it feels important to take a day off away from people stuffing you full of healthy food. It just reminds you that you are ill.

Folks want to take you out for lunch more and most insist on paying the bill.

Being on this “get fat” diet means you get to eat food you had deprived yourself. I ate poutine for the first time in ten years.

You get appointments to meet new people in new places you have never been.

You take time to stop and smell the roses.

Cancer Rocks

One whole week has passed, my silent reader, since the news of the Trophy H and “The Big C”. It has been a most amazing time where old friends,lovers and relatives have made an effort to get in touch by phone, email or Face Book. They all sent their greetings, prayers and best wishes for my battle with cancer and we got a chance to catch up a bit on what was happening in their lives.
I still have not seen an oncologist. My first meeting at Vancouver Cancer Center is this Thursday. I was not informed at the time whether I should come prepared with an overnight bag so I am assuming it will be just a meet and greet with the specialist in charge of my case. She will give me her expert opinion and hopefully we will get started on path to treatment. Vancouver Cancer Center is one of the few hospitals in the world that offer alternative forms of cancer treatment separately or in conjunction with chemo or radiology. I have my skinny fingers crossed for a couple of weeks of say maybe, shopping therapy?
I have managed to put on some of the weight I lost while in hospital doing all the tests leading up to all this. MrD must get full credit for this. He has been working overload, running the empire and shopping and cooking. He is constantly bringing me smoothies or snacks and watches over me to insure I consume everything. Now I don’t look so much like a ghoul. I make little forays outside to get some exercise and have developed my own style of walking slowly, like I am contemplating life, rather that just too ill to walk faster.
I am learning new things every day. I am learning to let go of some control, ask for help when I need it and sharpen my sense of humour. Today I am particularly grateful because I am celebrating 6 months of sobriety.