My father is a 2-time cancer survivor. He has beaten both, throat cancer and cancer of the larynx, and he has the battle scars to prove it, including a tracheotomy.
My father has never let his situation hold him back. Even after his voice box was removed and complications left him unable to speak for a while, my father was in good spirits. He communicated with us by writing on a note pad, and took the opportunity of not being able to speak to write down all his thoughts through poetry.
He decided that this disease would not take from him the things he loved. He continued to play and coach soccer. If you know my father, you will know that soccer is one of his passions, and you will also know that coaching without being able to yell was not easy for him, and it resulted in some entertaining displays of emotions on the sidelines.
My father continued to live life as he always has. He was and is very social and loves to meet new people, loves to be a part of groups, teams and projects. So, it was no surprise when he became involved with a group called CASHH (Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills)... it was a little surprising when, in his 70’s, he took up wood carving... and was really good at it.
My dad’s involvement with the wood carvers and CASHH eventually lead to him organizing (with CASHH and the carvers) a Leafs Alumni Charity hockey game.
Every year, for the past 4 years, the leafs alumni have come to our small town and played hockey against our local fire fighters. It’s all for fun, of course, and the Leafs alumni make it into a real show. Every year, this event is packed to standing room only.
Today was the 2011 Leafs Alumni game, and as usual, it was a huge success. Once again, dad out did himself.
As you may have noticed, I am extremely proud of my father for his work. We all are. My siblings and I, our significant others, and a few of my father’s grand children all volunteer. We do it to raise money for cancer, we do it to be a part of a fabulous event, but most of all, we do it to support our dad.
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So, the very first Monday of the Christmas break, the first day I would be at home alone with all 4 kids, the day I planned to take the kids to see Santa at the mall and bake shortbread with them, that day... I was sick.
I’m not talking sniffles sick, I’m talking my daughter brought me the bowl we affectionately call the puke bucket, and although I told her mommy wouldn’t need it because I would be able to make it to the bathroom, I was wrong. I couldn’t get out of bed.
I was so sick, I had to call my mother to watch my kids... at my house... while I slept. The kind of sick that mothers aren’t allowed to be because we have too much to do.
Okay, I think you get it now, I was sick.
Because I was sick, I decided the baby needed to sleep in bed with me so I wouldn’t have to get up in the night. She actually doesn’t get up much any more, just needs a soother put in her mouth sometimes, but if you read the beginning of this blog, you know I wasn’t in any shape to get up and do that for her. So, she came to bed with me.
I puked for three days, then I got a hacking cough that actually made me feel like my shoulder was dislocating every time I coughed. The kind of cough that your post pregnancy bladder can’t handle. I was exhausted from the back to back sicknesses, so I kept Siobhan in bed with me. Then Siobhan got a cough, and her breathing was all raspy, so I obviously had to keep her in bed with me.
Yeah, the kids have been back in school for almost a week, and Siobhan is still sleeping with me.
I’m screwed.
Well, Here we are; it’s 2011. I hope everyone had a nice New Year’s Eve.
Like most people, the beginning of a new year has me reviewing the past year and wondering what this year has in store.
Last year, Tom and I became parents, together, for the first time. Our first child together is the youngest of 4. She was born 2 days after her sister’s 5th birthday.
Our children are 8 months, 5 years, 8 years and 10 years old, a similar age span to my own siblings and I. When I was born, my sibling were 6, 9 and 11, so these past few months have really given me a greater appreciation for my mother.
The only difference was... my mom had no help. We live just around the corner from my parents, Tom’s parents and my sister who has 4 teenagers (perfect baby sitters). 2010 was definitely a year of calling on family for assistance.
It was my niece, Brianna, who took care of the kids when I went into labour.
This year, Tom and I also celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We marked it by having our annual backyard BBQ... just like the day we got married, but without the surprises.
In 2010, we celebrated my father’s 76th birthday, my mother’s 75th birthday, my 37th and Tom’s 38th. We welcomed to the world our own baby and 3 friend’s babies, and we said good-bye to an old friend.
When I look forward to 2011, I know that it holds for me my baby’s first birthday, and shortly after that, my return to work. I know each of us will celebrate another birthday, and our kids will advance another grade in school, but beyond that, I can’t really say.
Here are the things I hope will happen in 2011:
I hope to make healthier food choices
I hope to exercise more
I hope to be more organized
I hope to be a fabulous mother and wife
and I hope to win the Lotto Max
What? I did say in my last post that I had high hopes for 2011.
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