Cancer Selfies

An important decision

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Today I consciously decided to try and take more photos of myself, after decades of doing my best to not be in anything. I'm not good at it, but I'm trying.

An evening at the breakwater

I reflected on this on August 21, 2023

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Back at home after Barrie trip, at the Balm Beach breakwater. Look, I'm 35, I know I'm bad at selfies, and I would normally only share the really good ones. But that isn't what this album is about.

Some light retail therapy, the start of an addiction

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Did some shopping in Barrie with a friend, ended up with some neat t-shirts and Chip, my first Squishmellow (the beaver) because Thomasin can be cuddly, but cannot be counted on to be cuddly at all times.

Taste still hasn't returned

Pro: I found a store that sells grey market American Vanilla Coke (no French on the label, inscrutable units)

Con: Covid-19 has decided I can't taste vanilla today

I also cleared out all the stores I could think of of Starlight, as a treat to myself when I do good at an appointment.

The results are in, its appendex cancer

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Two days earlier, all the information I learned on the 3rd was confirmed through additional testing. This was the day I started sharing much more widely. This was a very bad week. Thomasin, as always, was a great comfort

A visit to Thornbury antiques

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Junk store fun

The day after the biopsy

This was written on September 4th, 2022

The day after the appendix biopsy. The biopsy itself wasn't too bad, I generally take freezings well, but the position they had me in made my belly hurt in a way I didn't think pain could. 0/10.

Back from Northern Ontario, still working

This was written on September 4th, 2022

At home after work, biopsy of my appendix had been scheduled, but had not happened. Family and a few close friends know, but no one else.

I told my parents today

This was written on September 4th, 2022

With my best gal, Bessie. Annie instinctively overcame her weird anxiety for me when I arrived, which was wonderful, but Bessie has always been this sort of delight for me ❤️

There are a lot of tests

This was written on September 4th, 2022

A lot of new tests had been scheduled, I knew I was driving five hours to Elliott Lake the next day and was dreading it. I'd been planning this visit for months (it got changed up a bit because I got Covid-19, and then again the day before, because I no longer had the energy for big trips and now needed to be nearer an emergency room I didn't think Chapleau could provide)

I learned I had cancer today

This was written on September 4th, 2022

Big-Head-Tiny-Body comforts me after the worst phone call I've ever recieved

First day at work post-covid

This was written on September 4th, 2022

First day back after Covid-19, unaware of diagnoses yet