I consider the unofficial start of Fall as the day after Labour day. On that day summer vacation is over and school begins. It's the time to write your essay of "What I did on my Summer Vacation".
Technically resuming my day job in a full-time capacity would not be considered a vacation. But Spring saw me going for colon surgery at the end of April, and I would spend five weeks recovering. During the month of May I took the opportunity to get some work done on my basement drains. Returning to work could be considered my 'Vacation from Cancer'. However there were a couple of events that stood out, those being my second walk as a Survivor, and of course, a CT scan.
Last year I walked in the Relay for Life as a Survivor. My inaugural walk with other survivors that idyllic evening was emotionally uplifting and I hoped for the same results this time. With the kindness of friends and family, we raised $1,000 to contribute to the Canadian Cancer Society. While I was hoping to recapture the memory of my previous walk, I made new ones instead--most of which consisted of standing in drizzling rain on a cold June evening. All through the ceremonies leading up to the Survivor's Victory lap, the rains had increased. I stood there, shivering in the chill and darkening skies. But as the names of the Survivors were being called the rains stopped. The skies perceptibly brightened and I felt the warmth of pride as I joined the ranks of Survivors when my name was called. Unfortunately the weather returned to it's wet and miserable state, and I decided to leave well before the moving and retrospective event known as the Luminary Ceremony. Maybe next year. That was my fun for June.
My second event of note this summer was my oh-so-exciting CT scan. Perhaps it was the experience of laying motionless while the table slowly ran in and out of the gantry. Or hearing the mechanical-sounding voice instruct me to Take a Breath and Hold it. Maybe it was the prospect of having contrast dye injected through an IV - the warmth radiating from my ears down to my lower extremities, making you think you've soiled yourself. (I didn't but it's such a disconcerting feeling which I never get used to). But the real excitement of a CT scan is drinking the RediCat.
RediCat is a contrast drink that looks like watery chalk. It has approximately the same flavour as watery chalk, and in this instance, a hint of Berry. Probably the Chalk berry. For my test I would need two bottles of this beverage. The first I would drink the night before the exam, the second I would bring with me and drink it just before I would have the CT. One novelty I had not experienced before was getting blood work done before the CT. Once the lab reported the results, the CT techs ran me through the by now routine process. My subsequent follow-up with the Oncologist would maintain the status quo: CEA blood tests every two months, another CT scheduled for January of 2015 and oh, joy, another Colonoscopy for February next year. That was my fun for July.
My fun for August was the installation of a new furnace and air conditioner. I truly had a boring month which consisted on nothing cancer related whatsoever. I kind of like that.
This past summer was noted for it's less-than-ideal weather, too much rain, being cold, and of course, being over far too quick. I made some small clock projects, but mostly just worked and did stuff around the house. It was a perfect vacation from Cancer, one I hope to repeat next year.
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