Bill and I played golf today with Maureen and Duane.  Bill had the best game of his life today!  Shot an 83.  My game, not so good today.....perhaps it was that bike ride I did yesterday.

I arrived home and found an email from my contact with the disability people.  I was stunned by the attached anonymous letter she copied to me.  She informed me that someone, who reads my blog, had submitted this complaint informing them that  I was planning to submit a fraudulent claim to my Health Care providers.  I have never had any intention of doing any such thing and the information he/she quoted was given to Bill, directly from inquiries we made to Blue Cross.  We know that Blue Cross will not cover costs for clinical trials but that they MAY cover some of the expenses around the treatment if my doctor supports me going for the treatment. Although there are some clinical trials in both Edmonton and Vancouver it is still unclear whether or not there will be an opening for me in these trials.  I of course, will take whatever option becomes available first - afterall, this is my life.

I truly hope the person who sent this email reads this post.  I will say to you,  that this past year and a half has been difficult to say the least but I have worked hard to remain positive and to enjoy a good quality of life despite many chemotherapy treatments, many radiation treatments, and two major surgeries.  For you to submit this letter obviously not knowing all the facts is disgusting, disheartening and incredibily hurtful.

I must say I find this utterly incredible to think someone, possibly someone I know, but hopefully not, has chosen to go after me in this way.  Here is the letter.....

Guess I'm in the same league as Bernard Madoff!!!!!
And to whomever wrote this letter:
FYI, people working with me through the Alberta School Employee Plan, Alberta Blue Cross and Sunlife are fully informed of my situation.......which you obviously are not!

I am bushed tonight....but happy with todays ride.  We met Maureen and Duane at the Hoodos this morning and rode along the Westside Road to Invermere where we had lunch and then took the return ride back.  Total distance for me was 55 km.  Maureen and Duane rode further as they rode to the Hoodos from their cabin at Columbia Lake and Bill rode back to Windermere from Columbia Lake making his distance total for the day 82 km. into a headwind home!  I must confess I felt not even a slight pang of envy as I drove past him on the highway home.  55 km was quite enough for this biker chick!

There were several hills on todays route.  In Vancouver I was happy to ride up one hill, today I was tested with several hills that were just as long as what we had done on our previous rides.  I huffed and puffed my way up the hill thinking that I'm probably going to alarm riders on the Ride To Conquer Cancer with my sound effects!  At least I'll have that yellow flag on the back of my bike that tells other riders I am a survivor!  Today Maureen and I were expressing concern that we would be last in and both Bill and Duane assured us that there were many riders last year that were way worse than us and many trickled into camp at 10 PM at night.  I think our goal is to at least be there for dinner, although it might be dinner at the fashionable hour.  As I was riding today, I couldn't help but think I'll bet there won't be many riders who have been through what I've been through this past year!  Maybe none!

I know I have lots of work to do between now and June 22-23 but I am prepared to put the time in!

Todays Ride:

I think I need a snazzy jersey to keep up to these boys!!!

A ride without lunch or a snack and coffee is just not complete.  Here we are at the Blue Dog Cafe in Invermere before heading back to the Hoodos!  A nice break and a chance to refuel and get caffeinated!

                          V is for Victory........end of the ride.  I'm going to sleep good tonight!

Tomorrow we will rest our bikes and head off for some golf!  Golf again Saturday, then back home for a few days.  We'll be out for the long weekend.  Geoff is off and is planning to come out and have me give him some lessons on the golf course!!!  Happy to oblige!

Wow....it seems like we skipped spring and went straight to summer.

Dad and I headed out to Riverside for a round of golf this morning.  Had another really good game and even shot another birdie!  Todays score....94!  I'm not sure what's going on but I suspect I have low expectations and consequently am more relaxed in my play!  I'm certainly not complaining though but do realize that this good streak could and probably will come to a grinding halt!  That's golf!  Just when you start to think you're getting better at it, the wheels can fall off totally!

Bill arrived tonight.  We are doing a bike ride tomorrow with Maureen and Duane.  I think I heard the number 63 km thrown about.  Not sure if I'm up to that yet but will certainly give it a shot!

I better take this opportunity to crow a little as who knows how long I will be in crowing position, but as of this morning I was actually ahead of Jeff in the fundraising department.  Yahoo....thankyou friends and family who stepped up and fed my competitive spirit.  I know some of you are just shaking your heads and saying...."We knew she would find a way to turn this into a competition....."  True enough.  I'm realistic enough to know that I won't be competitive on the ride but I'm sure going to give the fundraising a go!

Today I had a call from the clinical trials people in Edmonton and now have an appointment to see them in a couple of weeks.  I'm trying to keep all my options open at the moment but honestly when it comes down to it I'm really hoping that someone is going to advise me on the best way to go.  Right now we're just testing the waters but I know that soon decisions are going to have to be made.

A year ago tomorrow I was in Mexico celebrating Geoff and Lindseys wedding!  I can hardly believe a year has gone by.  I just completed an email to my friend Sandy who is awaiting a lung transplant in Edmonton.  She just had her feeding tube removed and I commented that that is truly a cause for celebration.  Even now, I can't believe I travelled to Mexico with my cans of Ensure and all my feeding paraphernalia.  There were many moments when I was in the hospital, post surgery, that even I secretly wondered if I was going to be there.  I kept up a brave front insisting I would be there but even I knew this was an ambitious goal.  Happily I was there!  To be part of such a special day was a gift I will forever treasure.  Dancing with my dear son is something I will forever hold close to my heart.  We love Lindsey!  She has become an important member of our family!  Geoff and Lindsey live life to the max.  They enjoy their friends, they love their families, they celebrate anything worth celebrating and they love to do things together!  I once told Lindsey if we were a culture that arranged marriages, I would pick her for Geoff!  Congratulations on your first year wedding anniversary my darlings.  I wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

It was a beautiful day in the Windermere Valley today.  Kelli had to go to work, poor girl.  Mike headed out to do some mountain biking and Dad and I hit the links.  I had a great day today.  Best score  of the season so far....95 and I even had my first birdie of the season on hole 10.  Pretty happy with how I played today.  We have been riding the entire eighteen as of late.  Dad is having some issues with his hip (perhaps too much tennis????? but then don't most 83 year olds play three hours of tennis at a crack!)  Although I think walking the front is good for me, I have to concede that I actually don't tire as much and play better using the cart.  Bill is coming out tomorrow and we will get in a couple of days of play while he is here as well as a bike ride.

Got a message from my friend Jeff White (I mentionned him in yesterdays blog and conceeded that he was going to be the top fundraiser for the Honey Badgers.)  His response...." Let's go for $7500 each....we can do it."  That's Jeff for you!  Always pushing you to set goals and go for them!   So if there is anyone out there who wants to help me reach this lofty goal I'd be most grateful.  As I said yesterday though, most of my friends and family have already supported me, either through a donation to the ride or by purchasing tickets to the Honey Badgers Silent Auction.  I believe I have tapped out!  If by some chance I've missed anyone though.....

A long day of travel today from Vancouver to Windermere.  Kelli and her group were set to party after three grueling days of exams.  She didn't get home until 5:30 AM and we were up getting packed to go by 7 AM.  Strapping our bikes onto the bike rack was a bit of a challenge but honestly, if you have enough bungie cords anything is possible!

Kelli drove us out of the city and to Hope and then I took over.  It was a lovely day for a drive and we stopped at Dutchmans Dairy in Sicamous to refuel, a favourite stop when we drive through that neck of the woods.  The icecream cones were delicious and the cows super friendly!

Continued on to Windermere without incident (well, not entirely true....we managed to take a rock in the windshield of Kelli's new car which is a bummer).  Hopefully a little filler will do the trick and we will take it in to the shop and get that done tomorrow.

Now off to bed.  Kelli and Mike both work tomorrow.....Dad and I have a tee time!  Finally I will get to play golf in my shorts!!!

I have pretty much conceded that I am not going to pass Jeff on the fundraising front for the Ride To Conquer Cancer.  He is slowly pulling away from me and has done an amazing job of fundraising.  The Honey Badgers are lucky to have him!  I think I have received donations from pretty much everyone I know....and I thank each of you for your generous spirits!  I know we all have our causes that we support and I thank you for making our cause yours this year (and for many for making our cause yours for the second year in a row.)  You will never truly know how much your support has meant to every single one of us!  A million thankyous do not seem enough!

Not sure when the trials will start.  Hopefully within the next couple of weeks....so my motto between now and then will be to play hard and live large!!!  And ride that bike!!!