Dad’s back at large
Out of hospital, back at home. With a couple more bottles of pills, two, possibly three appointments to line up and a whack of new gadgets – oxygen dispensing – to keep him busy. Failing health is a full time job.
Happy birthday to my sister, Sheila
So both Sheila and I are at the stage in our lives where we don’t get hugely thrilled about marking the passage of time. But nonetheless, I thought I would take this opportunity to say how fabulous she is. As a mom, as a businesswoman, as a creator, as a sibling, as a daughter. She is all these things and I admire her tremendously.
The Cookie Race
Mallory took part in her first ski race today. A gruelling 500m event at Nakkertok they call the Cookie Race, Girls, 2006 birth year division. I was a touch nervous. I was never the racing – certainly not the racing winning – kind, and always felt bad when I didn’t do well in races and things. I didn’t want Mallory to feel the same way. But of course, Mallory is not me. She told me later she was nervous, but at the start line she seemed focused and serious. That’s her in the pink hat, crossing the finish line.
Anatomy of a great day
A simple recipe involving a child, a loving partner, and reasonable weather
Trampoline, longevity and baby’s first all terrain vehicle
It was a family gathering today to celebrate Irene’s parents’ 60th wedding anniversary today. So first up, congratulations and warmest wishes for many more, Herman and Wilhelmina.
To Victor Rabinovitch: a raise for museum workers, already
When I was off work looking after Mallory, one of my – and her – favourite things to do was go to the Museum of Science and Technology. Some of the reasons for that have nothing to do with the strike by 420 PSAC members who work at the War Museum and Museum of Civilization. But one thing that struck me about this strike – the revolving door staff issues they have – have everything to do about why the Children’s museum isn’t that great for children.
Easter
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Very short video of Mallory hunting for Easter eggs with her cousin Aisha. Breaking the rule about never publishing your experiments, I am.
The end of good news
I was in Toronto a week or so ago to visit dad and to go to an oncology appointment with him. Before you read too much into the title, know that there is no truly bad news I have to tell. It’s just I’m coming to grips with the situation.
Time away
Selling your house is a pain. But it is an excellent incentive to go do things out of the ordinary, like get out of your house. See, the less time you spend in it, the less you have to clean.
Involved
I was in Toronto yesterday to be with my dad as he got news of two scans done to see how far along his prostate cancer is. It could have been worse, but not by much. Both CAT and bone scans showed that the cancer has spread to dad’s bones. “The bones are involved,†in oncology-speak.
Lucky streak
Well, it had to end. I’m not sure when it did, but I’m pretty sure it was just before I got in the car to head to Pearson.
Clear margins, foggy day
The pathology report on my dad’s colonoscopy came back with clean margins, which means his surgeon is recommending only more frequent ‘scoping’. Meaning: no surgery, no chemo.
Anna Jansen MacDonald has died
Only in December I was writing about how my niece Anna had just put her leukemia back into remission, again, with the help of 1,000 paper cranes from her classmates at Churchill Alternative School.
My niece-in-law has a fan army
CBC did an item today on the fabulous kids at Churchill Alternative School who created 1,000 paper cranes and sent them to Anna who’s at CHEO battling Leukemia.
