Susan's Fight Back

Run for the Cure

Hello friends,

On Sunday, October 2, the Run for the Cure will take place and the funds raised will support breast cancer research. Visit my personal page if you would like to learn more:

http://www.runforthecure.com/site/TR/RunfortheCure/CentralOffice?px=1655482&pg=personal&fr_id=1291.

or visit www.cbcf.org

After the Run for the Cure look for a new post on my site.

Thanks for your help,

Susan

As those Hazy Summer Days Come to an End

It is truly hard to believe that summer is coming to an end soon and I am not quite sure where there time has gone.  Suffice it to say that since my last post in May, a lot has happened in my life. Both good and not so good; but the good days definitely outweigh the not so good, so the balance is definitely in my favour.

May and June definitely saw their share of spring showers, which were quickly replaced with incredible hot and humid, hazy summer days. Somewhere in between, I managed to finish a couple more health law courses, clean out my garage, go out on a few dates, spend time with family and friends, and also become more immersed in my new job with rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge, Ontario.

It was also a time period which allowed me to invest some time in my advocacy work to improve the laws for breast cancer screening.  First, I was asked to join the Ontario Board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and secondly, I was invited to speak to the World Conference on Breast Cancer that was held in Hamilton in early June.  Both were exciting challenges that I readily agreed to. Little did I know that the day of the speech in Hamilton, would also be the day of the funeral of an extremely close friend.

Many of you may have read about the sudden passing of the Province's Deputy Speaker, Bruce Crozier, but nothing truly prepared me for that early Saturday morning call with the news of his death. I served with Bruce for over 11 years; while he was the provincial MP and I was the federal MP; and we became very close friends. We often joked about him being the older brother I never had; and I being the younger sister he never had. Our close working relationship turned into a beautiful friendship and for the past 18 years, Bruce and his wife Joan, have been part of my life.  What made his passing even more difficult was the fact that every time Bruce and I got together since my cancer diagnosis, he would always tear up and express his worry about my fight with cancer. Not once did I ever dream that he would be gone so suddenly.

So the call on that Saturday morning was almost unbelievable; and as I recovered a little from the shocking news, I remembered that I had planned to visit my cousin's husband later that morning. He had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour and wasn't doing very well.

As we sat on his porch that morning, Lynwood and I talked about the important things in our life - family, friends, and loved ones. Not once did we talk about the extra hours we spent at work or the time we spent worrying about things that we could not control. We did share our fears upon being diagnosed with cancer; and what the diagnosis and treatment might mean for our loved ones and caregivers; in his case his beautiful wife of more than 55 years, his children and grandchildren; in my case, my family and close friends, and many extended nieces and nephews. It was a beautiful, heartfelt discussion we had that day. He had such a positive outlook on life before his diagnosis and he tried valiantly to remain independent throughout his illness. Unfortunately, he took a turn for the worse, and didn't make it through the month of June. He left behind a memory of a man with a smile for everyone he met; a man who was able to greet every day with optimism; and a man who cared passionately for his family and friends.

When I think back to the words at Bruce Crozier's service, there were two mottos that Bruce lived by. First, what is important to you and secondly what are the things you do?  Bruce's family was important to him; and he found time to spend with his wife Joan, his children and grandchildren. Yes, his work was also important to him, but he definitely had his priorities in order. So did my cousin's husband, Lynwood. Both of their lives are reminders for me that I need to constantly maintain balance, between work, family and friends, and that I must not allow the scale to tip in favour of too much activity that could affect my health. Of course, this is easier said than done!

June was also a month that pushed me to find time to celebrate and enjoy life with family and friends. A couple Saturday evenings out for dinner with friends, a day or two at the golf course, walking with my friends for exercise and a glass of wine and pizza on my porch while watching the sunset with friends. Before I knew it, I was preparing for my annual July 1st barbecue to celebrate Canada Day.

Of course, the rain that we enjoyed in May was long gone and July 1st in Amherstburg was definitely hot, humid and hazy!  But as my friends gathered and the sun set, the mood was joyous and light hearted. By the time the fireworks began that evening, everyone was relaxed and celebrating Canada Day by sharing stories over a glass of wine or a beer. It reminded me of the warm, sunny Canada Day I had spent in Afghanistan back in 2002 - where I shared a beer with a couple former defence officials.  Yes, Canada Day is a time to reflect on how lucky we are to be Canadian and also a time to celebrate with family and friends. 

The month of July just seemed to fly by as I finished another take home exam for a course in the evenings and spent my days working at the rare Charitable Research Reserve. Before I knew it, it was time to leave for cottage country. So I packed up my books, my laptop and a couple weeks of supplies.

For those that have read my blog in the past, you may remember that our family cottage is on an island in northern Ontario, without electricity or hot water. Bathing is a swim in the lake; and if it is a sunny day we have lots of solar power. The good news was this past July was very warm and sunny, so I was able to actually tether my blackberry to my computer, hook up to the internet, do a little work and recharge for the next day. Of course the signal is not consistent yet, so there were days when I was forced to work from my blackberry or just to relax! I truly enjoyed those days where I was forced to relax!

My parents were able to join Jo-Anne, Ron, Curtis and I, at the cottage for a week, and once again we were all spoiled by Jo-Anne's fabulous cooking. This year I also rented a pontoon boat and that made life a little easier to get both the supplies and the cottagers on and off the island. Curtis and Ron have also decided that it is a great boat for fishing, as they caught a record number of fish! My niece Katie, and Jo-Anne's daughter Kyla, also joined us for the first few days, and kept us entertained as only 20 year olds can! It definitely brought back many memories....

We also managed to fit in a couple afternoons with Sylvia and her family at their island nearby. It was truly a lovely vacation with family and friends - and the weather was spectactular. Although I did try to exercise by swimming every day, I will admit that I gained a few pounds with all of the great cooking and afternoon social hours!

Before July was over, I was back at work trying to wrap up a couple projects by month's end. However, each day there are new and exciting challenges at rare, so as one project ends, another replaces it. August has been filled with progress on the renovation projects scheduled to begin soon. There were a couple small setbacks along the way, but for anyone involved in the construction world, this would only sound normal. I am definitely still learning a lot!

August has also provided a few routine medical checkups including my six month visit with my oncologist. Is it truly possible that another six months has passed? The even better news is that it is now more than two years since my diagnosis and I am healthy, well and living life to its fullest.

The end of August saw me in Winnipeg, accompanied by my good friend Sylvia, for a weekend to complete another round of touch up surgery. When I try to explain the process to people they get this glazed look in their eyes, so suffice it say that I am  still a "work in progress!"  The good news is that the major surgery is done and now it is just a matter of fiddling with things ( I hope!). Sylvia and I were also blessed with beautiful weather in Winnipeg in August - so let's hope that my next round of surgery will also be during good weather.

Yes, as those hazy summer days come to an end, it is a chance for me to reflect on my life over the past two years since my original diagnosis and to thank each and every one of my family and friends for their love and support. The odds may have been stacked against me, but I am living proof that love and friendship is an important part of the healing process.

Let's toast the end of summer this Labor Day Weekend, and be thankful for family and friends and find time to spend with them - I truly know what is important to me and I hope you do too!