Another beautiful day in the valley!  You can’t beat this place when the weather is great and great it is right now.  Kelli, Dad and I played golf today.  Posted my best score this year!  97!  I know Colleen, Barb and Kathy will guffaw at this because we sure weren’t shooting in the 90’s last week on our girl’s get together!  Too much horsing around and not enough concentration!  Rode the entire 18 today.  Started out with the intention of walking but wasn’t feeling a hundred percent at the first tee box.  Perhaps all the snacks I ate at the Farmer’s Market yesterday!  In any case decided I would cart it all today.  Good decision as it got very hot in short order.  I am finding that any type of exertion in the heat of the day really finishes me off.  Just don’t tolerate the heat like I used to.

Bill is playing in the APGA Golf Tournament at the Springs starting tomorrow.  He was at Radium Resort with some buddies today playing a practice round.  This is always a fun event and he has played in it for the past several years.  He almost opted out of it this year with the uncertainty surrounding my situation but I am doing well and I am pleased that my family are all going about their business as usual which is exactly and precisely what I want them to do!  Geoff and Lindsey are busy planning their round the world trip.  They leave October 2nd and will not return until the end of November!  Every so often they whine about the extra shifts they are having to work in order to have the time off for their trip.  Not one of us gives them even a moment of sympathy!

Kelli is really enjoying her time out here working at the Chisel Peak Clinic and at the Invermere Hospital.  Bill and I are looking forward to our trip down to the Grand Canyon in a few weeks.  We will take our fifth wheel down and visit Bryce and Zion Canyons on the way down.  We have a helicopter tour and a float down the river booked for the Grand Canyon.  I can hardly wait!  We have not been out with the trailer all summer and I am really looking forward to it!

So how am I doing?  Well....the voice is improved.   I still have problems with my wind when I exert myself but I have good energy levels and stay pretty darn active.  I have lost a fair bit of weight.  This was the result of the pneumonia and when I first had my tube removed as I was having difficulty getting in the number of calories I needed.  Although I’m not gaining any weight I am holding my own and am now able to eat fairly normal amounts of food.  Amazingly I still have my hair although I was told that it would most likely fall out after the second cycle of IV chemo.  I spray it faithfully with a hairless product I bought at Aveda!  Don’t know if that’s what’s holding it in there but I am willing to try anything.  My hair has thinned a little and I have a whole new understanding of why bald men comb that one strand across their heads.  I fluff mine and go for the au natural look to hide the areas that are a little thinner.  My doctor and medical team who follow me are thrilled that I am so active and have told me that there are many studies out there that show people that are active do much better than those that are not.  I tolerate my chemo well.  Have had one sick day only and a few days where I am tired after the chemo but nothing to really complain about.  I have an amazing support system which I think has really helped me through this.  My family have been totally amazing.  They keep a concerned eye on me, they give me advice and do research for me.  I know they worry although they try not to show it.  I often catch them texting each other back and forth informing each other how things are going.  My friends and I have many have been such a force.  I don’t know if you all really understand how collectively, you have given me both strength and courage.  I could not have reached the point I am at without each and every one of you.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Not a day goes by that I don’t reflect on all that has been done for me over these past several months.  I am surrounded by amazing people.  I can assure you that if any of you need support in the future I will be there for you as you have been there for me!