Spring has Sprung

The warm weather of the past week, arriving promptly for the first day of Spring, has given me another boost of energy...timely for all the great things I have been up to. Living life continues to be interesting and eventful and I am so grateful.

The week before last I worked 3 half days before I drove up the QE2 to Edmonton for another tune up by Dr. Aung - he continues to be very pleased with my continued improvement and even told me he was so proud of me! In between his treatments I was delighted to attend the Citadel Theatre's Julius Caesar with my cousin Amy to watch her talented husband Ryland perform as Octavius. I was fully recharged by the time I drove back the next afternoon.

The following day I hopped on a plane to make a quick but wonderful weekend trip to Houston, Texas to witness one of the most incredible performances I have ever seen, and visit a cousin of mine that has inspired me over the years. Martin took a courageous leap when he auditioned for the Houston Symphony Chorus last year, and much to his surprise (not mine), he was accepted as a tenor in one of the most prestigious choral groups in the U.S. On Saturday March 14th, they performed an amazing piece with a limited accompaniment by the Houston Symphony - Bruckner's Mass in E Minor - at Jones Hall and I was lucky enough to be there, next to my aunt Mary Ellen. I can only describe the performance as an unforgettable experience beyond musical. To say that I am proud that my cousin was one of the voices that created this experience is an understatement.

Outside of the Saturday evening performance (pictured with Martin, Mary Ellen and Jeffery) I managed to pack in some other fun stuff despite some unlikely cold and rainy weather in "sunny" Houston! Dinner at Reef with Martin Friday was exceptional for both food and conversation. Viewing various waterlife (catfish and a real Finding Nemo scene) was fun at the Houston Aquarium Saturday. Sunday Mary Ellen treated me to a glorious lunch at a funky restaurant (Texas sized French Toast and berries were only 2 of the 4 courses) before we took in some amazing art at the Museum of Fine Arts. I was in town for less than 48 hours but it was full of great moments. Reconnecting with Martin and meeting Jeffery, along with spending time with Mary Ellen really made me feel even more fortunate for the family I have.

Since returning Sunday night from Houston, I've worked another 3 half-days at work, done some volunteering with new leukemia patients, played make-believe with Davis and Jack, and lunched with Tasha.

Dr. Brown, my primary bone marrow transplant doctor for over eleven years, emailed me this week...not with any information about my health, but to let me know that he extending his efforts against cancer by riding in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in June this year. Chris (as he signs his emails) worked tirelessly to move my application forward in 2007-2008 to obtain approval from Health Canada, and is certainly part of the reason I am alive today. He's also a really great guy. If you would like to support him on his trek and the Alberta Cancer Foundation - visit his site (which shows a picture of him riding with Lance Armstrong) for details. http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Alberta2009?px=1747545&pg=personal&fr_id=1282

I can almost hear the snow melting...aaahh.

Day 266 and not counting

Well it's official. I'm back at work and a homeowner, and have nearly reached Day +270, another significant mark on the clinical trial calendar.

Life last week was pretty sweet. Dinners, coffees and lunches with friends, painting underwater sealife for the walls of a boy named JJ, and looking at condos.

Last weekend Davis and Jack spent Saturday with us and stayed overnight, so we decided to make a batch of cookies as part of the fun - we had aprons, and I had a chef hat but quickly realized that we needed to create a couple of mini-chef hats from paper towel and elastics! Papa helped mix and Nana made sure we didn't burn the place down. I forgot how much fun chocolate chips, or "treats" as Jack calls them, can be. Later on, the Backyardigans "2 Muskateers" video prompted two Spiderman-PJ-clad muskateers to show off their "ha" moves. I even had to create a couple of paper and scotch tape swords to finish off the scene. Sugar, chocolate chips, paper towel, elastics, paper and scotch tape. Imagination is an incredible gift.

This week I finalized the purchase of a new 2 bedroom condo in Marda Loop...I take possession in June, and that will mark another giant step toward recovering my independence. I'm pretty excited - the location is an interesting area of the city, closer to downtown, close to Tasha and Ryan, yet still has great access to head south to see mom and dad and the boys (as well as their parents!). I can tell you Dr. Brown had a sly grin on his face when I told him the news this week while at my monthly clinic appointment...he thought the docs at Sloane Kettering would sure enjoy hearing that news. Not even at Day +270 post-transplant #3, back to work and on my own. Beyond everyone's expectations. Including mine!

It was definitely surreal Monday when I returned to the 31st floor of Petro Canada Centre East, the reception for PricewaterhouseCoopers Calgary. While lots of faces have changed, many have not, and it seemed familiar while at the same time a distant memory revisited. Very wonderful, however you look at it. This week I walked in the Plus 15 level of downtown amongst hundreds of people and there was no sign of leukemia anywhere. It was perfectly normal and remarkable at the same time - busy and alive, people moving quickly from one place to another destination, talking, laughing, quite likely complaining - not exciting, not dramatic. But lovely.