Maui Maui

It seems a long time ago that I last blogged...so much has happened and it's already almost the end of the first month of 2009!

Christmas was fabulous with Colleen, Allan, Grady and Joelle sharing the holidays with us.

We had lots of fun eating, playing Wii and dominoes, and doing puzzles. Boxing Day we drove to Ft. MacLeod and spent the afternoon with Bob and his family, so there was lots of action. It really was wonderful to have them to celebrate with.

New Year's Eve we set out for Maui...on our Aeroplan Miles tickets, we got first class seats and the plane from Vancouver to Maui was a brand new one, with "pods" as seats that were basically like small spaceships of our own! With massaging adjustable seats that turned into beds, and all kinds of gadgets and treats, it reminded me of when my cousin Holly and I used to play "imaginary house" when we were kids at the playground. (The bed would fold into the wall and then you'd press this button for it to rotate into the wall, with the kitchen coming out from the other side, etc.) It was a rather heavenly way to start the trip! And for Air Canada, the pod upgrade almost makes up for them leaving me in a hurricane in 2007...

The next few weeks were a relaxing cycle of low-key activity: coffee on the lanai, packing the cooler for the beach/pool, sitting on the beach reading a book, watching whales and people and having snacks and drinks. Boogeyboarding and snorkeling in between sitting kept us moving and made a few muscles and bones a little sore. We ate well at dinner most of the time, or had happy hour appetizers at the Grand Wailea, and saw an incredible live show by Willy K, by far the best guitarist I've ever heard, and one of the most interesting entertainers I've seen (he also featured mom and dad dancing for the anniversary and made dad sing to her!). Dad and I played 18 holes of golf at the Wailea Emerald course, a beautiful setting for my debut golf game since 2007! Of course, we also saw a lot of incredible golf at the Mercedes PGA event at Kapalua - its always a treat to see these guys play because they are THAT good. We spent time with some wonderful people in Maui - some we already knew and some we met on the beach and by the pool. Watching golf with the Hamiltons from Airdrie, eating dinner with grandma Gunn's prior neighbours the Hipwells, coffee with Leanne and Harvey, playing golf with Blake and Ross, hanging out poolside and beachside with Natalie and her family, chatting with Debbie Jo, and sitting next to Owen Wilson (yep that one) at the bar...people always make it more interesting!

We did manage to fit in a few stressful hours during our trip. Since I had burned the top of my feet (one spot I missed the sunscreen on) the day before and literally could not wear shoes because of that, we went on a "road trip"around the north part of Maui. It is a part of the island not travelled that much, and we found out why. The road is actually a path, and for several several miles, the path is one lane carved out of the cliff with another cliff dropping off the other side. This would not be such an issue if there weren't cars driving both directions. The book we had said in the areas where the road "narrowed" the car going uphill should back up to an area where they could get over far enough to let the downhill car by. Hah. That would assume everyone read the book, as well as assume that there were "areas" to get over far enough! When twenty cars are behind you, it also assumes a synchronized reversing of the twenty different drivers! It's insane! And yes, the road is supposed to border some of the most amazing ocean cliff views on the island, but when you are gripping the steering wheel and peering around tight corners hoping there is not a car coming toward you, you sort of miss those! It was an experience, and now we can warn others - don't do it! It makes the road to Hana look like a three-lane freeway!

While it was very hard to leave, our overnight flight through LA made us happy to arrive back in Calgary last Tuesday afternoon! Daisy's response when we picked her up at Pet Planet made us feel missed. I was happy to see Tasha at the airport and later to see my brother and his family.

The next day I drove up to Edmonton to see Dr. Aung for a "boost". Dr. Aung's visits are always positive, and the bonus is I see my "little sister" Amy and her husband Ryland, as I stay at their house after one boost, and then in the morning before heading back to Calgary. Other than a snowstorm as I returned to Calgary, the quick trip did provide a boost.

Since then I've had supper with my brother, Dana and the boys, who are now impressive "hi-ya" kung-fu fighters when watching "the Panda"! I also have been able to hang out with Tasha, Ryan and Talyn a bit as Ryan continues his fight against brain cancer. Ryan finished his radiotherapy over a week ago, and will have a scan tomorrow and see the doctors next Tuesday to discuss the next stage of treatment. He continues to do quite well given the treatment, anti-seizure medications and steroids he takes, but has been hit by some significant fatigue to say the least, and the entire family is certainly running a little low on energy these days. I am happy I am back in the same country to do whatever I can for them as they press on with such incredible determination.

I had bloodwork at a lab in Kihei while in Maui, and things continue to look good. My anti-rejection drugs have been gradually reducing and are almost at half the level I was on in early December. The Maui energy and Dr. Aung boost has definitely translated into improved strength and I physically feel as good as I have for at least 3 years. Yesterday I was in the office at PwC to get a few things arranged for my planned return to work March 2nd, and I feel confident I'll be able to move back into that world pretty easily.

So far for me 2009 has started off well. Maui always gives me unique energy and I know it was the perfect start to the year for my parents as well. If I could only figure out how to spend 6 months of the year there. Hmmm. Six months in New York, six months in Maui. Gotta dream, right? Happy New Year!

The real meaning of Christmas

I can't believe it's almost Christmas. The past three weeks have been a whirlwind, filled with absolutely amazing and unbearably terrible moments. Life continues to surprise me.

Let's start with some good moments. The weekend of December 6th, Dad made an Antonini tradition - gnocchi - for Tasha, Ryan, Talyn, my brother, Dana, Jack and Davis. The little boys even had their own "kids table". It was a great visit with lots of pasta. The following day mom, dad and I were treated to a pre-Christmas Christmas dinner at Mary Ellen's, with Bob, Marty and Karen. Mary Ellen LOVES Christmas and her decorations are remarkable - her dinner is amazing as well...so is she!

I made it to Day +180 on December 9th and had bloodwork and a number of tests. Wednesday I had another bone marrow aspirate, and Friday the 12th I had my central line removed with only a few stitches remaining on my chest. Aside from a bit of a cold that week, it was a pretty healthy 6-month marker from transplant. It is still hard for me to believe that I feel as good as I do.

As I was leaving the hospital, I looked at my blackberry and noticed a number of text messages from Tasha and quickly I circled back into the hospital parkade. As many of you may have already read on Ryan's blog, he had 3 major seizures while waiting for his radiotherapy treatment at the hospital. When I met Tasha in emergency, Ryan was paralyzed on his right side, on oxygen, could not speak, and had some vision loss. A CT scan confirmed that there was swelling in his brain around the tumour, caused by the radiotherapy treatments, and that had caused the seizures. Check out Ryan and Tasha's blogs (see the links on the upper left hand side bar) for the full story.

I spent a lot of the next few days at the hospital and arranging for someone to look after Talyn. It amazed me to see the incredible improvement in Ryan each day that I saw him...getting back the ability to move his right side, speech improvements, sight, overall awareness. By Monday he was back to his wide-grinned self and I was really in awe. The physical roller coaster he experienced was matched by an emotional one, having to deal with the real fear that he would never see his wife and son again, and even after bouncing back considerably, realizing the possibility that the tumour could be beating him. Despite this, he was able to take it in and then move forward. He restarted radiotherapy treatments Thursday, well aware that he could repeat the horribleness he had just recovered from, but knowing treatment is his only chance.

Ryan's current radiotherapy treatments are not expected to get rid of the tumour, but hopefully have a positive affect on it. Following the radiotherapy, the doctors suggest only one other option - chemotherapy combined with a drug to make the chemotherapy more effective and precise. Unfortunately, that drug is still in clinical trial stage for brain cancer, and is not covered by Alberta Health - it will cost $4800 every 2 weeks for a period of 6 - 12 months. No one has $10,000 a month, and given Tasha and Ryan's scattered ability to work over the past few years while Tasha did surgery, radiation and chemo and Ryan did chemo as well, they certainly don't.

On the very day that Ryan had his seizure, a group of friends met to discuss how to help Ryan pay for the treatment, and since then it's been a flurry of media attention covering the story and some amazing response by people. I've been the "media rep" and have been able to experience first-had giving of an indescribable level.

In the middle of all of this, I was able to make it to the PwC Christmas Party and visit with coworkers and friends (wearing a dress without CVC tubes to tuck in!). The Survivor finale did not disappoint and watching it with my fellow Survivor Chicks was as entertaining as always. I've also managed to put a few things aside to prepare for my upcoming escape from the deep freezer weather on the 31st to Maui with mom and dad! Can't wait!

This past Sunday we had brunch with Dana and Brandon and Jack and Davis opened their gifts from "Nana, Papa and Auntie Tricia". It was quite exciting and they immediately had fun with their new sets of golf clubs - they have perfected their swing and even comment when they just barely miss the plastic holes "almost". We feel their names are destined for PGA greatness given the successes of Jack Nicklaus and Davis Love III. Of course, they also loved their new blankets as they need rest for the tour!

Right now I am excited for the arrival of Colleen, Allan, Grady and Joelle later tonight and a wonderful Christmas. Earlier tonight, I witnessed one of the purest form of giving I've ever seen (and remember I've received donations of bone marrow from by brother and a stranger)...a local business man in Calgary, a perfect stranger, saw the story in the paper and came to Tasha and Ryan's house to give them a cheque for $60,000 to cover Ryan's treatment for 6 months. While he says he's "blessed to have had success and is in a position to help" I pointed out to him that many people are in that position but do not take action like he did. He doesn't even get a tax receipt! He and his wife are undoubtedly some of the nicest, most genuine people I've every met and it truly has changed the way I feel about humankind in general. Talk about giving. Talk about Christmas. And I am alive and healthy enough to witness it. Many many miracles.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas filled with good food, good health and good company, and thank you again for all of your continued support. For 2009 I wish you joy, hope, health and happiness.

Cheers to all!

Tricia