Merry Moments Christmas

After weeks of mostly lovely brown but warm weather, the snow is falling outside now so all those people who need a white Christmas to be happy will be so ;) I personally don't need the snow.  Christmas in Maui 30 years ago taught me you can still have all the joy and beauty of the season (poinsettias and polynesian choirs easily outshine any frost).  Also my cane and wheelchair do a lot better without snow and ice!

It's taken me a while to get on here to post. Partly because it takes energy I am always a little shy on.  Mostly because it's impossible to capture in words all that has gone on.  So I'll just stay focused on one day for this posting.

There are days in your life you will never forget.  Good and bad.  You know - you can close your eyes and be there again.  Almost smell and taste the day.  Potent days and moments.

November 22 was a day like that.  In the morning, I had an appointment at the hospital with Dr. Nixon, which was preparation for my fifth treatment the next day as well as to hear what the MRI of my spine and head taken the previous Sunday showed.  Later that afternoon was the event for the Tricia Antonini award.  It was a bit daunting to get the MRI results so close to the celebration, as the MRI could really show nothing worth celebrating.  Remarkably, Dr. Nixon came in to the room with the report all smiles saying "I have good news", and it was marked with happy faces and words underlined.  Head scan showed improvement and no new areas of disease development.  Spine (which we were not able to directly treat) showed improvement in 2 areas and "resolved" in 1 area.  Quite amazing.  Bloodwork was fine so we were set to continue treatment the next day and hopefully continue what good was happening in my brain and spine.

That set the stage for the afternoon, which was rather remarkable.  People poured in to the auditorium, and it was standing room only for the event hosted by Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF) and the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) clinic.  Dr. Brown did an awesome job at MC'ing and the people who spoke, including doctors and individuals I have deep respect for, sprinkled warm and glowing energy on me with their words.  The first award recipient, an incredible woman named Elaine Moses, included kind and generous words for me in her acceptance, and had also provided a limo for me and a few family members to arrive to the event in style.  Family and friends, some from out of town, doctors and nurses, some from 20 years ago, filled the room with the familiar "bubble" that has kept me going all these years.  The reception outside the room after included delicious ginger cookies and the wall of people who spoke to me made me feel as close to a bride as I'll ever feel.  Gratitude for all of this is impossible to appropriately articulate.

Many of you already viewed the amazing video created by Mike Lang through ACF but I've included the link here in case.  A Potent Life  There's also a longer story written by Diana Gaviria on their Tumblr blog here - Lessons Learned Outside the Bell Curve which does a great job of capturing a complex story in a very succinct manner.  We have some video of some of the incredible words spoken that afternoon as well - it's in the process of being complied so stay tuned.

Yes, the event was spectacular.  Talk about potent moments.  And the award plaque is already hung just outside the BMT clinic where it will continue to communicate significant contributions people make to making the road patients and their families travel smoother, and give them more moments. Forever.

Wishing you Merry Christmas moments.....Love Tricia

The first award! Congrats Elaine

Our sweet limo ride thanks to Elaine

Amy, Tasha and I boarding the limo

Holly and Heather for dinner after

Me and Dr B

The final product hanging just outside the BMT