Update - Dec. 12/16

I haven’t given much of an update for a long time so here’s a recap of the last couple weeks. 

Going to the cancer centre every weekday has become like a “job” for me.  At first it was all new and so was more taxing.  Now it is just routine and this is a good thing for me! (Though certainly it does become tedious heading out there daily).

 My side effects from treatment are still minimal.  My hair has just started to thin out a bit (my hair loss will be patchy – just in the spots where the radiation hits my scalp; my chemo won’t cause hairloss) I am starting to get more tired, but it seems manageable as long as I get a solid night’s rest and have a few days a week where I get some quiet time/rest time during the day.  It’s more of a mental fatigue than physical so I don’t sleep during the day; but, my “soul” needs to rest/journal/recharge.  I do find that I am pushed to impatience much easier than usual and at times this is a challenge.  However, if I take care of myself by allotting my needed rest, I feel really good.  Last week was a challenge because all 3 of the kids were sick and so I didn’t sleep good at night.  I then found a bit of headache and mild nausea popping into my day; but again they were manageable.

 I am adhering to a low carb diet, but have decided to give myself much grace in this area.  I eat small portions of starchy foods, but am still really limiting them.  I am still trying to emphasize veggies and fruit.  I was finding that meal planning was just too onerous if I had such a rigid diet, and really I am unsure of the benefit of going full out low-carb.  Speaking of meal planning.  This is currently the area that is the most demanding (and cleaning).  I don’t like meal planning at the best of times, so now is even less fun.  Cleaning, I’m hoping to hire someone to clean.  I just need to find someone (we have a contact for someone in Abbotsford, but it would be nice to have someone local) and to figure out how to get my crew out of the house for the bulk of the time the cleaner is here so she can actually do her job!

 My parents were out for 3 weeks and they have just gone home. Ryan’s mom will now be helping us out a couple days a week and our nanny about 3 days.

So, people have asked how they can help:

1.  Meals are much appreciated! My family loves pasta dishes, so these are great; but, I’m trying to stay away from them, so meals that are protein focused (ie a chicken bake dish with a veggie) are also helpful.  Thank you in advance, I really appreciate everyone’s generosity with food.   

(I particularly have a hankering for some veggie soup if anyone happens to like making it/has some on hand.)

 2.  A referral to a local cleaner who would be flexible enough with my kids’ not so flexible schedule.

 3. Keep praying.  Prayer for God’s mighty power to encourage and strengthen me daily and destroy those cancer cells. I am also particularly encouraged when people send me messages to tell me how they have been praying.  I really enjoy connecting with people through messages.

Moments of thankfulness.

1. I am so delighted by my kids lately.  I have said to close friends how I have now reached a point where I couldn’t imagine not having 3 kids! (It was certainly not in my plans and has been a challenge during the twins’ first year).  I now feel so incredibly blessed as a mom (this is a whole blog post in itself…..)

2.  Playing in the snow with the twins and sledding with Rayna (the latter did give me a bit of a     headache, but was loads of fun!)

3. A visit from Ryan’s dear lifelong family friends

Requests for prayer

1.       Wisdom in balancing the desire to be socially engaged (particularly important for Ryan these days as that is how he gets recharged) with my need for rest and personal quiet time (which is how I recharge)

2.  Prayer that the chemo and radiation are zapping those cancer cells into oblivion

3. Prayer for nighttime sleep in our house (the kids! which would equal all of us!)