A photo of a handsome fellow we saw on our way home tonight!  Had a terrific day on the golf course with Bill, Kelli and my Dad!  Bill trounced us all but it was a beautiful day.  We then stopped and had dinner with our friends Brian and Brenda before heading home.  It feels like I’ve been away forever!  I’m actually looking forward to a few days on home turf to catch up with friends before heading back out to the lake for the long weekend!

                                          Hot dogs for Hot Dogs!!!

Boomer loves dinner with Brian!  There’s always something for the furry guests!  And boy do they ever behave when the treats surface! 

A thousand thank yous to those who sent me emails over the past twenty-four hours.  I must confess it was a bit of a knee jerk reaction to post that letter on yesterdays blog but my hope was, and still is, that the person who wrote that letter would be made aware of the fact that the letter had been forwarded to me and I would have a chance to offer up my thoughts on their actions.  I know I have been very public about my cancer experience through a blog that virtually anyone can access. I know that even some of my closest friends question whether I should be so open and revealing.   I write the blog for two reasons.  Over the past months I have become keenly aware just how precious life is.  I have always loved and lived my life fully but believe I now do it in a more deliberate and conscious way.  My hope is that my friends and family will do the same.  “Don’t sweat the small stuff” now has a whole new meaning and I, who used to be the Queen of worrying, just don’t focus on those little things so much anymore.  I still value and focus on the importance of staying physically active and upon taking care of myself.  If even a few of my friends and family can take these messages and apply them to their own circumstances through my sharing I feel I have accomplished something.   I believe I have made an impact on how some of the people I care about have made positive changes in their own lives.  I still think family is the most important thing in my life.  I believe you can never have too many friends. None of us knows how much time we have on this earth and every day should be viewed as a gift not to be wasted!  Secondly, the blog helps me stay focused on the good in each day…..and honestly, almost every day has something good in it  even those tough days when you have to listen to news you would rather not hear or those times you are faced with having to endure things you would rather not. Despite all this I have been blessed with good friends and loving family who have made it their mission to support me in any way they can.  Over the past day I have had so many messages of support from many of you and those messages have made me realize that this mystery person just doesn’t matter.  “Don’t sweat the small stuff”  and this person is small stuff, that’s for sure.   This individual probably knows me, and the fact that they have been following my blog is rather interesting because they obviously don’t care about me given their actions.  I have no doubt this letter has probably been forwarded to my Health Care Carriers as well as to Alberta Disabilities, but I have nothing to hide and have no concerns regarding my actions.  Thank you my friends and family for your immediate and solid support!  I have read so many messages and would like to include a small sampling of them for my anonymous backstabber to read!  Although it is my hope that this person will quit concerning themselves with me I have this suspicion they are still reading what I write so in one last final action, I shall include some of your thoughts.  I would like to write every single message but this would become a book in itself if I did.  Once I have aired these, I shall not revisit this……for as one friend said to me……Why is it the people with the narrowest minds have the widest mouths??


"Leslie I am sickened and so super angry!!!! No one should be able to make a complaint anonymously! If you are going to talk big then stand behind your words! COWARD!!!!!!" Leslie lives her life in a completely open, honest, sincere and caring way. I always look up to her.

I am concerned that the Alberta School Employee Benefit chose to share this letter with Leslie. There is nothing in Leslie's blog, particularly that quoted in the letter, that is remotely indicative of a potential fraudulent claim and I believe that the Plan should have recognized this and dealt with it accordingly. Leslie lives her life in a completely open, honest, sincere and caring way. I always look up to her. I am concerned that the Alberta School Employee Benefit chose to share this letter with Leslie. There is nothing in Leslie's blog, particularly that quoted in the letter, that is remotely indicative of a potential fraudulent claim and I believe that the Plan should have recognized this and dealt with it accordingly.

Mrs Sherlock, I know by now that you enjoy your quotes. "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter. " How sad that someone has chosen to try and undermine your courage. Obviously, even your doctor can see that this letter is really just....ridiculous.
You are an amazing person - regardless of your battle - and for anyone who has known you for even just 5 minutes can see that. I know you won't let that letter bring you down Leslie. You are so strong and wonderful, and anyone who could say those things about you and your situation know nothing about you or your situation. Keep on truckin'! You inspire more than you know.
With lot and best wishes.

I just read your blog from yesterday. It is hard to find the words to describe the person and his/her heartless actions. I just wanted to remind you that the rest of us are pulling for you 110% that your are able to access one of the trials, that it is successful and that you are supported every way possible. I know it is hard to ignore the letter, but please try to continue to be your positive self and focus on all the good people surrounding you. Don't waste your time on negative acts like that one. Years ago a prof said it takes 10 positive comments to discount one negative one--when dealing with students, people etc.  You have 100's of positives from your support group of family and friends.Hang in there!

I feel nothing but disgust for the person who penned this letter. Leslie's affairs with her health plan are a private matter and are no business of others, even though she chooses to openly share in her public blog. No further comment regarding this person is worth making.

Haha, wow...seriously? That is so ridiculous that its almost funny. Actually it is funny because it is so absurd. I don't know what kind of person looks for and hopes to hinder someone in their fight against cancer, but no matter who they are, they don't matter.

Hi Leslie. Have to say I am sitting with my colleagues at a clinical trials conference in Arizona and am absolutely disgusted by the idiot who wrote the letter. I have been a clinical trial nurse for a very long time and go to work every day hoping that what we do will someday save the lives of our lovely patients who are unfortunate enough to be struck by a current incurable disease. If there is a trial meant for you, fight to be a part of it. And don't waste your time with the idiot. Evil people self destruct all on their own!

Unbelievable! It is despicable to me that someone would go to such lengths to slander someone who is clearly trying to find every option available to them, in the RIGHT manner, to prolong her life. FOR SHAME that you would even try to cheat someone out of their right to live. If you are so CONCERNED about the state of health care, and Blue Cross payouts, I invite you to come shadow me in the ER to see how your precious health care dollars are WASTED. It is certainly not by people like Leslie who has been using proper avenues from the beginning. Your charges are inaccurate and in bad taste to boot. Shame on you! 

This is part of the response my mom received when the Alberta School Employee Benefit emailed her: "I wanted to share this letter with you because we did not know the source and felt you should be aware that someone submitted this to your EDB claim. The intent of providing this information to you is to reassure you that the writer does not have all the information and may not understand the way our plan document regarding disability benefits are adjudicated."

To the person that clearly has too much time on there hands and no compassion. It is clear to me that you mustn't have any friends or family who have battled cancer. You must live a sheltered life and i pity you. I challenge you to have the courage to come forward and explain yourself and apologize. If you are unable to that you should be ashamed of yourself. Consider this anonymous writer, "the world is circular, everything comes back around to you", karma will catch up with you one day. 

Oh My God! What are people thinking! And of course not signed. I hope they feel so much better now! I am so sorry you had to even read that letter Leslie. Ignore someone that ignorant and insensitive. It is your life and keep fighting with all you are worth...ohh that is maddening .