Oh, I'm sure you can hardly believe your eyes that it's me here - did you think I'd:
(a) thrown away my computer
(b) forgotten how to blog
(c) moved to a remote African village where there was no internet?
Well, happily happily happily, none of the above is true. It's true that I have not blogged since February 13, 2011, but I have a perfectly good reason for that. I've been BUSY!!!
Yes, siree, that's my story & I'm sticking to it. Busy busy busy me. Lots of opportunities to sing & laugh & share my goofiness with people....what fun!
So what have you missed? Well, of course, my chemo treatments wrapped up in February, which is undoubtedly why I stopped blogging - I was FREEEEE!!! I started running around & haven't stopped for a breath yet!
Yes, my treatments for breast cancer started in November of 2009 & finished in February 2011 - what a journey! Since this whole thing began, I have met many dear people battling cancer & many loyal family members walking alongside them.
Some have made it; some have not. My thoughts go out to the families of John, and Laura, and Reidar, and Lori, who lost their weary battles with cancer. In fact, when Lori heard I'd finished treatments & was going to be doing a concert, she sent me this email on April 9th: "Glory, Glory, Halleluia!!!!! So very happy for you buddy. I can't make it on to your wonderful concert because I am working evenings at the Jewish. Love you tons....keep going Wendy. Thrilled for you. Love Lori xxxx"
After a gruelling year, Lori had just finished her refresher course so that she could re-enter the workforce as a nurse, a job she just loved. Despite setbacks with her cancer, she persevered, graduated her course at Christmas, and started a job at the Jewish General. She died in her sleep May 28.
And life goes on. Hopefully those of you who are blessed with reasonably good health can learn an important lesson from those of us who have been afflicted with cancer - don't take your days, or weeks, or months, or years for granted.
Appreciate life. Don't procrastinate. Seize the day. Live intentionally. Don't waste your energy on things that don't matter. Do what you need to do now, not later. Forgive. Keep short accounts with others. Tell someone you love them. Dance in the sun or in the rain. Don't sweat the small stuff. And don't assume you have forever here ~ think about the deeper issues of life.
So in March 2011, as many of you know, I received a clean bill of health. Some of you have asked me if I'm "in remission". Well, I picked up this little gem on the net:
"Many people seem to have a distorted and incorrect definition of the word "remission," as it is used in relation to cancer patients. Most commonly people seem to believe that going into remission means that the patient is successfully treated and safe.
However, according to the American Cancer Society, cancer remission is a "period of time when the cancer is responding to treatment or is under control. In a complete cancer remission, all the signs and symptoms of the disease disappear...complete cancer remissions may continue for several years and be considered cures."
All that to say that, for the time being, my oncologist is not aware of any cancer in my body. And that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing!
I'm not trying to be a pessimist here, but rather, a realist. I don't like the idea of getting all giddy about being "in remission" and then having all hope dashed to the ground if they find something else, somewhere else. I'm optimistic, but not naive, if that makes any sense to you.
I'm not going to assume that it's going to be all clear sailing from now on, healthwise. But those of you who know me, know that I'm determined to be chirpy, no matter what happens!
So in my travels, I am meeting lots of fun people who invite me to stay at their homes when I'm passing through. Here's Terri from Kanata, who, along with her hubby Chris, has blessed me sooo much with her warm hospitality:
In May I did a Ladies' Night Out in Prince Edward County (not Prince Edward Island!) just south of Picton. It was wonderful! 160 ladies came out to laugh, eat yummy desserts, and hear me do my stuff. I met some neato people there & it was fun!
This Wednesday, I'm off to Toronto to do some gigs & I just HAVE to stop in Picton again & see those sweetie-pies....I miss them already! It also breaks up the travel so I don't have to drive 6 hours all in one day.
I'm gonna drive to Kingston, take the ferry from there to the County, eat din dins with Gary & Priscilla, then sleep a couple of nights at Bill & Mary Ann's. Yay!
And whoo-hoo!! Jann Arden, one of Canada's leading singer/songwriters, will be doing a short interview with me on her CBC Radio show "Being Jann" - she's such a hoot! I'll let you know the date it's going to air - I'll post it on Facebook & hopefully on here as soon as I find out. I'm really good at impersonating Jann impersonating her mother, which Jann got a kick out of, so she decided to have me on her show!
So stay tuned, my dear blog-followers....I shall certainly try to blog again and not let another 3 months pass before I update you again.
Blessings!
Wendy
