In The Christmas Spirit

The gentle winter sun is pouring in through the window at the back of the house and Mom is resting by the Christmas tree this morning. She and I enjoyed delicious chelsea buns for breakfast from a dear friend with our tea/coffee this morning.

We've had a busy week and a quiet morning is much in order. We are only slowly digging out of all the present wrappings, cookies, decorations and Christmas treats that had 69 Airdrie Rd turned into a true hive of holiday spirit.

This year 'us kids' did Christmas dinner for the first time, with Mom acting as a 'supervisor'. It was not nearly as good as her Christmas dinner, but we did manage to get turkey, squash, potato casserole, gravy and stuffing on a lovely Christmas table, pop our Christmas crackers and have dinner altogether.

While we forgot the cranberry sauce (something Mom would never have done!) and struggled with the oven temperature - thus delaying the meal considerable - I'd say we're proud of ourselves for the effort. We've got big shoes to fill, since Mom's Christmas dinners have always been impeccable and legendary. The big kuddos go to Dan who oversaw two spectacular dinners in a row, on Christmas Eve and on the 25th.

Christmas morning had Mom woken up by a kiss on the cheek from Grace, and then the usual hustle and bustle of stockings and presents. Santa and Mom did quite an impressive job getting treats for our stockings! Then we headed up to Aunt Janie's for Pashby brunch (and more stockings!). Mom was right there in the thick of things.

Santa brought both Dad and I new hockey skates, and we got out with Karen yesterday for some skating at the new Brickworks down in the Don Valley. Karen and I were really impressed with Dad's skating!

Both Mom and Dad have been battling coughs, and so we're going to all take it easy for a day, and then we plan to head up to Wymbolwood to ring in the new year.

The holidays are a time to reflect on abundance and hope, both things that we feel have been enhanced in our lives, and in Mom's life, by the many people supporting our family these past nine months in so many ways. Thank you!

Update

Hi everyone,
Mom is doing better since the increased steroid dose started to kick in to reduce the swelling in her brain. After looking at a new CT scan, her oncologist still isn't 100% sure what caused the swelling but is pleased that the steroid increase helped so quickly. So, we will wait until her next MRI (in early January) to see what it shows and will try to manage the steroid dose to lessen the side effects. In the meantime, mom is in very good spirits despite coping with some negative side effects of the steroids. She has been out and about a bit (to the grocery store and even to Starbucks), and she and Dad are starting to get in the Christmas spirit. They loved having Grace and Maeve over to help decorate the tree. They enjoy reading the Christmas cards that have started arriving, and both (well, especially Dad) enjoy the cookies and treats that keep arriving.
Christie will be back in town for the holidays, and we are looking forward to being together.
We will update the blog should there be any change in Mom's condition and wish everyone a nice holiday season.
Karen

Set back....and forth...

Hello friends!
We haven't been updating the blog as often because things were settling into a new normal. Mom and Dad were on a short road trip, heading up and down from the cottage, eating out, and doing lots of 'normal' things. Although she cannot regain her full lifestyle back and has been needing a degree of care due to the cognitive problems, she had gotten into a routine and gained a bit of independence. However, over the past week-10 days, she started to have trouble with her right side and with her speech. The symtoms progressed to a worrying level over the weekend as she could not move her right side and was extremely "foggy". After consulting with doctors at Sunnybrook, her steroid dose was increased significantly, and we have already noticed a improvement. This suggests that the problem is a result of swelling and that can be treated with the steroid, so we are feeling relieved today. She will continue to take it easy and be monitored closely.
Thanks for the continued support! We always feel embraced by a wide circle of friends and family, and we definitely appreciate it when riding through these 'bumps'.
:) Karen

Fall Update

Here is a much-anticipated photo from our gorgeous Thanksgiving weekend at Wymbolwood a few weeks ago. It was sucha happy, relaxing weekend, with superb pies!

Mom continues to enjoy her trips to the cottage. She and Dad even took a short road trip around Ontario last week with some friends. She is enjoying having family and good friends arranging to visit her through her 'booking agent' (Dad).

They both enjoy reading the cards and emails, and keeping up with current event. Mom reads the newspapers daily and is on top of the latest news, from municipal politics to Baddle of the Blades.

Mom's health remains quite strong. She has not needed a blood transfusion for a month, and her trips to the doctors and Sunnybrook Hospital have lessened greatly.

She loves the visits with her girls, and particularly with little Grace and Maeve (who turned 3 years old this week!).

Dad is busy as usual. He spends quality time with Mom, and is at BLG practicing law most mornings. He spends a lot of time working from his home office, and working on his charity boards. He even emceed a Gala for Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (where he is a board chair) when Andy Barrie was unable to attend. He says he has no ambitions to do it again, but I hear he was superb.

Mom and Dad have enjoyed the last month's fall colours, and taking short walks and trips.

Mom still needs a great deal of sleep and rests often, tiring easily. But she is generally relaxed and enjoying her days. Her sunny attitude, and a sense of playfulness, remain strong.

A New Out'look'

Last Friday, mom and dad received the results of her most recent MRI. It showed that the tumour hasn't grown back yet. She also received good news that her bloodwork is back in the normal range which suggests that her bone marrow is recovering. To celebrate, mom and Karen got a new 'look' for mom. You'll have to see her to figure out what it entails.

We all feel we have a lot to be thankful about as we head towards Thanksgiving Weekend. Christie and Max will be joining us at Wymbolwood for the weekend.

We're very pleased that mom is regaining a lot of her physical strength. She's still facing daily memory-related and cognitive challenges but is comfortable and her confidence is growing.

In the spirit of the next couple of weeks, we're 'thankful' for your support.

Mom's Birthday

We Pashbys have been known to go all out for our celebrations. Surprises, parties, gatherings... that type of thing. From anniversaries to birthdays, we've generally not been shy to celebrate and certainly never let a special moment pass by without some sort of hoopla.

But Mom's birthday this year, this past Saturday, was particularly important, for obvious reasons. There was no fuss and no particular fanfare though.

We celebrated with a lowkey and casual family weekend at the cottage. It started with a big, relaxing breakfast in comfy clothes. Then some bundling up and walking on the beach. In the evening, all nine of us and Aunt Janie had a end of summer dinner, with salmon that Max brought from BC and a cake Karen and I (with Grace's help) made for Mom as requested - marble cake with vanilla and chocolate icing. We polished off the evening watching the film version of Mamma Mia together, singing along to the old classics.

Another fun weekend at the cottage!

A great weekend

Mom and Dad made it up to the cottage at Wymbolwood this weekend. This was another big milestone. It's amazing to think how far she has come in the past few weeks! Dad did all of his favourite things (long walk on the beach, multiple rides on his wave runner, long swims), and Mom enjoyed the comings and goings of the kids (large and small!) as well as plenty of time to relax and soak in a change of scenery. Her strength is definitely increasing. Her blood levels are being tracked carefully, and she continues to get transfusions depending on what the numbers show, but there have been some improvements.
:) Karen

keep climbing...

Mom accomplished a huge milestone in her recovery this week; she made it upstairs! She hadn't been on the top floor of 69 Airdrie in over two months. I was there as was Dad, and it just so happened that her buddy Pat, a trained physiotherapist, was also there when Mom's physiotherapist arrived; so she had a great support team to cheer her up the stairs. It will take some time for this to be a 'regular thing', but she is definitely on her way to being able to get upstairs at night and to sleep in her own bed soon. Also, the overall good trend continues with her bloodwork. Dad was thrilled with the results of the bloodtests this week, and she did not need any transfusions.
Generally we have all felt that Mom is much more herself. Today is Kath's birthday (happy birthday Kath!), and as they are heading out of town this evening, we celebrated last night at 69 Airdrie. On Tuesday night, Mom supported me as I made Kath's traditional bday cake (Great Grandma Christie's famous banana cake). Then last night, when the Murphys arrived (including Grace with her toothless new grin), Mom was eager for Kath to open her presents and had no problem joining all of us at the table for dinner and engaging in the conversations. She used her walker to see the Murphys out the door. I'm sure that for Kath, having Mom be so engaged and part of things was the birthday present she wished for!
Thanks again for all the cards and support. Now that Mom has some more energy, she has been talking a lot about how much all the notes and support have meant to her. We have all learned a lot about the significance of taking the time to let someone know you're thinking of them through difficult times. Dad reads them all too, and I know that the support has spurred him to find the energy to be there for Mom through very trying times. It's pretty amazing to see all the new things Dad has learned how to do over the last few months.
Have a great weekend everyone!
xo Kare

Summer bounty

The trips to the Dairy Queen continued this week, with various members of the family including, the little girls who never turn down an invitation for an ice cream.

Dad continues to get down to BLG most days and is happy to report that he got a mile's swim in the pool twice this week.

The twice-weekly Sunnybrook visits continue to the transfusion clinic and Mom needs blood only every once in a while. Her counts are creeping upward.

Mom says, "I've been feeling a lot more energy. I'm feeling so much more energetic." She began the daunting task of climbing the stairs back up to her bedroom, getting up almost half-way on Tuesday with the physio at her side pulling in the reigns. We have to remind her to take it slow, but she certainly had a look of determination in her eye! In the meantime she has a series of exercises that she's working on each day, all with the aim of building back the strength in her legs.

We've been enjoying the bounties of the summer season, with lipsmackin' good corn on the cob, tomatoes of every kind and last night we had peach crisp for dessert. Summer is delightful.

The daily mail delivery brings warm thoughts, pretty cards and special greetings from friends all over the place. Thank you! It's something that Mom (and Dad) looks forward to every day.

August=good

The list of 'good news' items coming from 69 Airdrie seems to be getting bigger and better each day.

I've just returned from a few weeks out in Canmore, and can say that Mom is definitely feeling and looking better! She has a brightness in her eyes and a clearness of mind that wasn't around for many, many weeks. She is still fatigued, but she has more energy and appetite than we've seen since May. She's regularly picking out what she feels like eating (lunch from Chai on Bayview is a favourite, as are Dad's chocolate milkshakes). And, she's been working on her physio exercises trying to build strength back up in her legs.

She and Dad have been going for regular 'outings' most evenings lately, usually for a cool treat at a local drive-thru. Last night, Dad treated Mom, Karen and I to Dairy Queen and we watched the sun drop behind the horizon from the top of Pottery Road on a hot Toronto summer night.

Today, Dad has popped up to the cottage to visit with Kath, Dan, Grace and Maeve who are enjoying a week's vacation at Wymbolwood. I know the girls are going to be thrilled to have Grandpa with them for a day at the beach! I can only imagine how good a summer swim in his favourite place is going to feel to him.

Mom was back up at Sunnybrook's ground floor Transfusion Clinic this morning (she's been going twice a week), and for the third time in a row, they took blood and found that she did not need any blood transfusions at all! Yes!! This means that her blood counts are on the up and up and we are very, very pleased with that!

So all in all, August has been a very good month so far for us. We hope it's been the same for all of you!

Home Again!

Mom made it back home this evening. It was a trying few days in cramped and noisy space, but she survived and is currently sleeping at 69 Airdrie. Thanks for all the well wishes and positive energy! She enjoys all the cards so much!

Monday update

I'm writing today with news that Mom is back up at Sunnybrook.

She has an infection of some kind in her saliva glands, and is on antibiotics (I'll leave the techical medical details to someone else). As we all know, with her blood levels still very low, her body has a very difficult time fighting any kind of infection, and so she must stay in the hospital until this situation improves.

Her cheek is sore, but in general she is okay, is able to rest in what apparently is a much busier ward than C2 from a few weeks ago, and hoping this whole thing gets under control very soon so she can come home again. We are all anxious for that to happen!

Life back at 69 Airdrie

Mom is settling into life at home, and Dad is sorting out the various elements of home care coming and going. Mom goes to Sunnybrook twice a week to have blood work done; and once they get the results, they decide if she gets a blood transfusion and platelet transfusion or one or none. There seems to be some subtle improvements with her hemoglobin, and she hasn't needed as many platelet transfusions as when she was in the hospital; but it's not clear exactly what that means long term. Her white blood cell counts are still critical, but have been either stable or slightly up. We'll take the ups, even if they're slight though! Good news from her Oncologist who, based on the MRI, feels that the brain tumor responded to the treatment and will hopefully stay "in check" for as long as possible. The focus continues to be monitoring the blood levels as her bone marrow is still not recovered from the reaction to the chemotherapy which landed her in hospital for nearly five weeks. Basically the theme is resting and regaining strength. Mom would have been tired from the treatments themselves, but she has the bone marrow issue plus recovering from being in hospital for so long. This explains her extreme fatigue. However, this week I have noticed a change in her strength. It will be a slow process, but at least there is some movement. We hope that with more time, she will start to be able to do the stairs at home.
Thanks again so much for all the cards. It's really amazing to see how much support Mom has, and although we can always feel the positive energy from the huge circle of friends and family, the physical manifestation into all the cards Mom gets is so inspiring.

Settling into a new style of 'home'

Hi everyone,

We have been really glad to have 69 Airdrie be homebase. A highlight was Grace running into the family room where mom was relaxing in her special new chair and wearing her pink baseball cap. Grace gave Grammie a huge hug and declared "you look like my old Grammie!". Grace was really happy to have Grammie back at her home.

We have mom set up in the diningroom which has been converted into a nice bedroom complete with hospital bed, dresser, bedside tables, nice lighting, and today Christie had soothing candles lit to ease the morning wake-up. Mom cannot walk unassisted and stairs are a huge challenge, so this is a good place for her right now. Yesterday mom had her first visit back to Sunnybrook for her transfusions and it was a long day. She and Christie were there from 7:30am until 3pm. We were really impressed at how well she coped. She has to go back there on Thursday.

All in all, we are so glad to have her home, and we are all adjusting to the transition from hospital to home care. We hope that she will continue to gain some strength.

Thanks again for all of the cards! She loves reading them and so do we!
:) Karen and Christie

Home Sweet Home

We are very, very happy to report that Mom is home!!

She left the C2 Ward at Sunnybrook just after lunch today, Friday, after an extremely trying month. The past few weeks have had a fair share of challenges, to say the least.

Of course, the staff in the C2 were excellent and gave Mom the top level of care. We had a whole crew on her case - nurses, oncologists, hemotologists, occupational therapists, physio therapists, community care workers...... They've all been hard at work helping her blood situation recover, recuperate and bounce back in the right direction. It is doing that, slowly. And so she'll be heading back up on Monday morning for a transfusion, but the plan is to settle in at home here.

They've also helped us adjust the situation here to make it more comfortable and accessible for mom. So here amongst all the little things that make her who she is, in the home she loves and cherishes, we hope Mom will be able to rest and slowly build up her strength.

Thanks for your patience and support; we know it's been a long time since we posted. But we felt we ought to wait until we had something concrete to say.

I'm back from an excellent time in the remote wilds of Yukon/Alaska for a little while. Kath and Dan will take the girls up to the cottage this weekend. Karen and Dad are looking forward to spending a lot more time at home and a lot less time at Sunnybrook.

Thanks again for all the cards, best wishes and kind thoughts. They have made a difference.

Holding Pattern Continues...

Hi Everyone,
We haven't had any new information to post, but I know that all our supporters out there are eager to hear an update. Mom's blood levels still haven't come up, so we are still in a holding pattern. The good news is that Mom was moved into a private room. Thanks to some artwork from Grace and Maeve, the walls are decorated and colourful. Grace also lent Grammie her favourite pink blanket, and Mom is all wrapped up and cozy in it. She is surrounded by nice flowers and pictures of the family and is rarely alone as one of us is able to be there from early in the morning to late in the evening. She hasn't been up for visitors outside the family. Grace and Maeve came for a visit earlier in the week, and Grace held Grammie's hand the entire time. Grace also bounced in to give Grammie hugs on Saturday and, while she was very impressed with the private room, Grace promptly declared that more artwork was needed. Within hours of that visit, there were new Grace Murphy originals to post on the wall.
We have been glued to the FIFA World Cup, watching it on the itsy hospital screen. It has been a nice distraction, and Mom can come in and out of paying attention (the games are long and there are always replays for important moments!). On Sunday, Mom had on her Argentina ball cap and Dad had on his 11 (Telvez) jersey, and the three of us watched Argentina win together. It was a nice birthday present for Christie (who is currently on a wonderful trip in the Yukon and will be coming back in a few days). I also enjoyed showing her the pictures from my trip to Istanbul. It's hard to believe that she has been in the hospital for three weeks now.
Mom has a lot of down time and sleeps quite a bit. She was very pleased to change rooms but is frustrated with the status quo in terms of her condition. We have been enticing her appetite by bringing her some of her favourite food, and I brought some of her own plates and cutlery in to have a break from the plastic hospital stuff. I even found those yummy Dibs (bite-sized chocolate covered ice-cream) in the cafeteria, and those were a hit.
It is a real challenge to keep spirits up when the Doctors don't have anything new to say. She is being followed by a variety of doctors and departments. We all appreciate the support we've been receiving. Mom reads all the cards, and we read the blog posts to her. Keep the letters and cards coming!!!
As soon as there is any new information, we will update the blog.

Continuing on in Sunnybrook...

Mom continues to be cared for in the oncology ward at Sunnybrook. Her red blood cells are still marginal and the platelets and white blood cells are low, so she is still very weak. She has been getting transfusions to assist her body in curing itself of the reaction to the chemotherapy. We have been encouraged by the fact that she has been acting a little more like herself. The fact that she started to complain about a couple of things and to feel a bit cooped up was a sign that some of her energy is coming back :). It isn't easy to have to remain here at the hospital, but we all know that she is in the best place for the time being. Mom is so kind to the nurses. She knows when someone is due for a break and when it should be the end of another's shift. It is not easy for her to be the one being cared for and even still, she finds a way to be concerned for those doing the caring.
Dad managed to get out for some fathers' day fun. I met him on Bayview Avenue for a couple of beers yesterday afternoon while we relaxed a bit and watched the Brazil match. Then he enjoyed helping Grace with her newly acquired bike-riding skills. It was a real thrill for him.
We will keep updating the blog, but for now, it's a bit of a holding pattern.
:) Karen

Update from Sunnybrook

Mom is still in the oncology ward at Sunnybrook. She finished her radiation on Wednesday. They're still looking at her white blood cell and platlet counts. She's tired but always interested in hearing what's going on in everyone's life. We bring her the cards she receives at home and read them to her. We all know and feel your support.

Monday morning

It's Monday morning. Mom is still in the oncology ward at Sunnybrook.

After a very tense and trying few days, we are happy to report that she is on the upswing. She'll be staying put there for at least a few more days.

Thanks

Since we three sisters have been all over the place lately (Max and I are in Toronto visiting from Canmore having travelled extensively of late and next heading to the Tatshenshini River, Karen's been to Montreal and is off to Istanbul tomorrow - both times to give talks at conferences - Kath's been to Vancouver and back to work...) we realize we've been not keeping regular postings.

Dad, too, has been busy. He and Mom have been at the cottage each weekend since this all broke. He's still working part-time at BLG and busy with clients new and old, and working with his charities.

Most importantly, Mom has been bravely moving through her treatment, including this short term problem which is just part of the reality, we've learned.

We'd like to thank our tremendous group of friends and family who have had mom in their thoughts and prayers, and who have dropped over books, treats, cozy items and flowers.

Dad says his weight up 'thanks to the cookies.'

Mom reads every card sent and comment posted here, and Dad reads her every email sent as well.

Update

Mom is, in a word, 'tired'. Very, very tired. She is being very well taken care of and her team is keeping a very close watch on her health as she continues through this journey of keeping the brain tumour at bay. Her doctors are evaluating and reevaluating where she is at, and making adjustments.

Currently, she is at Sunnybrook where she will stay for a few days since her white blood cell count was very low and she was at risk of a very low immune system (and all the complications this could bring). Any kind of a fever or sniffle could be extremely serious and we aren't taking any risks.

So she is protected there. While she's 'a bit bored', she is in a good place to rest through what will no doubt be the lowest point of the treatment, and still be able to make the short trip to her daily radiation.

Throughout it all, Mom's famous sunshiney spirit has remained high.

We look forward to a week or two from now, when Mom will have rested and rebuilt up the strength that has taken such an extreme beating over the past few weeks of this gruelling, extensive round of treatments.

Over the half-way mark!

Mom is over the half-way mark of her 6 weeks of standard treatment (radiation + chemo pill). The fact that there are less days to go than there have been days completed makes her happy. She is definitely feeling tired and experiencing more side-effects, but overall says she feels that she is coping. She had a chance to really relax and rest up at the cottage this weekend. The great weather meant that Grace and Maeve were outside playing, and Mom could see them heading out to the sandbars and making sandcastles with Grandpa from her quiet place in her room. Maeve had Grandma read her lots of stories, and Grace got in a lot of great cuddles.
The 30 year old air conditioner at 69 Airdrie was not cooperating, so Mom and Dad stayed up north on Monday night. Dad calls the AC repair guy his "new best friend" because he had it up and going pretty much as soon as they got back yesterday.
We are all very impressed by how well Mom is taking everything. We appreciate all the well-wishes and support.

Quiet Time

Mom has wrapped up her second week of treatment. She is now one-third of the way through!

As before, Mom is able to rest well when she is tired, taking in usually two naps each day and usually hitting the sack in the evenings before the sun has set. In between, we have nice quiet moments for mid-day lunch and late afternoon tea.

We have moved into a quiet phase here, and wish to keep things as quiet as possible around the house.

Please post comments here and we'll pass the messages on to Mom.

"Keep Calm and Get Going"

It's been a busy week, full of many lessons. Here are a few things we've learned this week:

1. We are blessed to live so close. Because Mom's only 10-minutes away from the Odette Cancer Clinic, it's cut way back on our waiting time. We've spent time at Odette every day this week, as we will for the next five weeks. Some days were very long (on Monday we arrived at 8:15 am and were finally finished at 4:45pm) while others are short - on Tuesday morning she was in and out within 35 minutes. Each day, we are able to call ahead to check in on the schedule updates/delays, and also to sneak home for a rest in between on the days she has multiple treatments. That has been truly wonderful.

2. The staff at Odette are wonderful also. Mom's got quite a lovely bunch of caring and smart people working on her treatment, from a sunny chemo nurse to John, the Scottish radiation technician and his team downstairs. Along with Hyla, who is the nurse in charge of the clinical trial, we really feel like we have a team of caring people on Liz's side who understand all the ins and outs and what makes Mom unique.

3. Druxy's still has great sandwiches. There's a Druxy's deli on the ground floor at Odette and we've been stopping in there for lunch after Mom's twice-weekly infusions. Their corned beef sandwiches and pickles are as good as ever.

4. Get the reduced-rate week-long parking pass. Having paid ahead of time for all five days means we can slip in and out of the parking lot with ease. The parking lot itself can be a bit crowded, but everybody there is going into Odette for some sort of cancer treatment, and so there is absolutely no rushing, no butting-in-line and no road rage whatsoever. People are courteous and patient.

5. "Keep calm and get going". This was blazened on a t-shirt we spotted on a man at Odette this week. Mom felt that was exactly the case! He was there with his wife and teenage daughter, and at first it wasn't clear which of the three of them was having chemo treatment as they waited like us in the lobby. When they called his name and he followed the nurse in, what his shirt said made even more sense. I think it was a motto for himself, but one that spoke to just about everybody in the entire building.

6. Everybody here is navigating this new world with inspiring composure. After only one full week of treatment, we already feel somewhat like 'veterans'. The various patients at various stages of their treatment remind us that everyone is new at some point to this massive world of cancer care, which, it turns out, is the great equalizer. People of all ages, speaking many different languages and bringing so much humanity are all mixed together in the same place with the same goal in mind - the best care possible. But there is so much to know and to learn. I've overhead many people asking the same questions we've been asking. And also a few people celebrating their final treatment, which is something to look forward to.

7. The Clinical Trial is a very good thing. Besides the obvious medical benefits we hope will come, there are other 'pros'. This gives Mom particularly exceptional care as all the people on her 'team' are anxious to make the absolute most of the new drug. She often gets to the front of the line. We imagine there is a big red star beside her name.

8. Sleep is important. Mom has been feeling a bit tired this week, but in general her health is good. She's felt no side-effects yet, and given that she is on three kinds of aggressive treatments (the infusion of the cilengitide drug twice week, plus chemo and radiation five days a week), that is promising. However, when she's tired Mom is able to rest comfortably.

Thanks for your concern and support. Truly we feel it coming from all around.

This Week

I'm back from a few weeks at our home in the Rockies to help Mom and Dad with what will be a very busy week.

Mom's treatments go 'full-tilt' tomorrow, when she will combine radiation, chemotherapy and the MGMT infusions. It will be a busy week of getting used to a new routine which will most likely last for six weeks, shuttling up and down Bayview Ave to Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook. Last week she did two infusions of this new treatment, both that seemed to go quite well.

Dad will keep getting to the office for part of the day every day, and hopefully will be able to make some time for swims up at Glendon. He has also got a new office set up in one of the back bedrooms, and so hopes to keep up with his work when possible.

They had a nice weekend up at Wymbolwood, coming home this morning to have lunch with me.
We will keep you up to date with how things go this week. We'll try to keep calm, and Mom will rest as much as possible.

Dan and Team Lizzie had a fun time on Saturday at the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's annual Spring Spring at Sunnybrook Park. Dan was the top individual fundraiser for the event, raising close to $12,000. Team Lizzie raised over $13,000!!! Thank you to Jim, Lynda, Jen and David Martin (Leslie too) as well as Rob and Chris Brown for their participation in the event. Thanks also to the friends who came out to cheer us on. We are very grateful for everyone's support. It felt fantastic to contribute to this organization and all that they're doing to support people living with brain tumours. Thank you.

An eventful few days!

It has been an eventful few days for Liz. She spent 5 hours at Sunnybrook on Friday having many tests done and establishing her 'base line' before her treatments begin. We were enthused to hear some news that the medical oncologist called "promising". Some further testing was done on the tumour matter removed during surgery, and they found evidence of the MGMT gene promoter. I'm not in the least scientifically inclined, so excuse my attempt here, but from what I understand, while there is no known cure for glioma multiforme, research has shown that patients with these tumours who have this MGMT gene have significantly more favourable responses to treatment (radiation + chemo) than those who do not. The gene is intrinsic to the patient, so Mom just has it naturally. It also means that Mom is eligible and has been accepted to participate in a clinical study that combines the radiation/chemo treatment (5 days a week for 6 weeks) with a treatment that uses the drug cilengitide. Cilengitide is given as an introveneous infusion 2x per week for many months. I told Mom I'd be updating the blog, and she said "I feel so fortunate to have these extra treatments and that although I'll be spending extra time at the Odette Centre, it's right up the road". She will start with just the cilengitide treatments this week and add on the daily chemo/radiation next week.
With some added gusts in her sails from having had the oncologist use the word 'promising' amidst an otherwise distressing diagnosis of glioma multiforme, Mom was given another lift by cheering Dan and other friends who joined his team for the Brain Tumour Foundation's Spring Sprint. He raised over $10 000! Mom and Dad were overcome with gratitude when going over the list of over 100 supporters who joined from all areas of the Pashbys' lives to support the cause. It was a spectacular day and great event.
Today (Sunday), the major outing was a lovely dinner at one of our favourite restaurants (Capocaccia) to celebrate my birthday which is tomorrow. Bill, Liz, Janie, and I enjoyed being "out and about" while savouring yummy food and appreciating the great company. It was very special that Mom has been through so much in the past while and was able to enjoy an evening out with me in my neighbourhood.
Tomorrow, Dad and I will join her for the first experience with the cilengitide treatment as Mom begins her participation in the clinical trial. We will have some fun to look forward to as Grace and Maeve (with some help from their Mom!) will host a birthday cake party for Auntie Kare in the evening.

Another lovely weekend at the cottage!

Mom, Dad and Aunt Janie headed up to the cottage on Saturday and Kath and Dan brought the girls up for the afternoon. Mom absolutely loved spending special time with Grace and Maeve who gave her lots of cuddles and lots of joy. Mom, Dad and Janie stayed up until this morning and found it as relaxing and calming as always to have time up north. Mom is absolutely thrilled with the generous support of Dan's run. He has raised over $5000 and Mom gasps every time I update her about how much he has raised and about the wonderful growing list of supporters. This week we are trying to keep up with the serenity and calm as she enjoys the gorgeous weather and rests up to start radiation and chemo treatments next week. Tonight though...it's another girls' night in with Karen and Liz providing their own commentary on Dancing With the Stars (We love Ochocinco!) while Dad attends to his Chairman of the board responsibilities at Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office.

Tuesday Evening

I'm sitting here with Mom, and she wants me to express "how wonderful it is to really savour the moment on a day like today and to appreciate this wonderful early spring we are enjoying".
She also says "how much it means to feel the connections and the support that everyone has been sending her way".
She loves her new room and her new wide-screen tvs. 69 Airdrie is shaping up nicely, and especially with Christie's help. Max has been in town this week and has been doing lots of work in the back garden and even cooked up an Argentine asado for dinner tonight.
Mom loved having Grace and Maeve spend the afternoon here on Saturday and enjoyed celebrating Dan's birthday with his family on the weekend.
Mom and Dad are looking forward to spending a couple of days at the cottage over the weekend as she rests up for her treatments to begin at Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook on April 26th.
:) Kare

Support Dan in a "Run for Lizzie"

Kath's husband Dan is running the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's Spring Sprint on April 24th.

He's calling it a "Run for Lizzie" and would truly appreciate your support.

He's hoping to raise $500 and would love any other runners to join him.

Follow this link to see how you can contribute. It's here: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2543375

Today's Plans

Today is another busy day around here.

Mom has an appointment up at Odette with her medical oncologist and also an MRI to see where things are at. Of course, we get nervous about these things, but we put one foot in front of the other and step forward.

We are particularly excited, however, about the 'big reveal'!

While Mom and Dad and Kath are up at Sunnybrook, I'll be here overseeing the team who has done a lightning-bolt job 'flipping' Mom and Dad's bedroom. The painters and electricians are done. The new flatscreen TV has been delivered. A stunning piece of original art (which shows a dramatic dawn over a rural scene reminiscent of the drive up to the cottage) is ready to hang. The brand new sheets are washed and folded and ready to go.

Our fantastic friend Laura, the interior designer who made a miracle possible, and Wes the upholstery guy will take out the old, and bring in the new. Mom will arrive home from Sunnybrook to soak in her new bedroom.

Wednesday Morning

I'm here on the couch with Mom reading the comments and we wanted to post something new.

"Each day is full of highs and lows, and of much love.

This week we are just staying focused on the recovery and building strength for the next stage, which will be radiation and chemotherapy. We expect to begin that in a week or so, and it will likely last for six weeks.

In the meantime, just every day try to be strong. How much it means to me to be sustained by my dear friends, how blessed I am that you are in my life."

Weekend at Wymbolwood

The warm sunshine up at Wymbolwood this weekend came with a gentle and soothing breeze that relaxed us all. What incredible weather.

Between naps, some more Jane Austen, short walks on the summer-like beach, dinners with family and general gazing at the same view we've all loved for so many years, it was a much-needed weekend up at what Mom calls our 'sanctuary'.

Mom was up for a short walk each day, for visiting on the deck in her favourite chair, for telling old stories and she was anxious to pitch in with the clean-up before heading back to the city today.

We all remembered once again how the cottage brings us strength by refreshing and rejuvenating us for what lays ahead.

Mom's Impressions of Today

Here's what Mom has to say about today's event:

"Bill and I made our first trip today to the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital. It was a long, exhausting session, that started at about 2pm and lasted until about 5:30pm.

In the long run we learned a lot and we left with a feeling of energy and hope.

Your strength sustains us, dear friends, and we love you more than you'll ever know."

Tuesday Update

Mom has begun to be ready for short and sweet visits with a couple of her cherished friends and immediate family over the past few days. She is definitely finding a lot of strength from these moments, and we can all feel her coming back to herself.

She is also moved by all of your warm wishes on this blog, the support is coming in from all over the world (Brazil, Costa Rica, Argentina, Jerusalem!).

She is anxious to get to Sunnybrook to put the plan in place.

In the meantime, renovations are underway to Mom and Dad's bedroom, which will provide a fresh feel and a comfortable, peaceful place. It's extreme makeover indeed as we are getting a team together very quickly that can make this happen, literally, as soon as possible!

We also plan to head up to the cottage for the weekend.

Liz's Weekend and the Week Ahead

This is Christie writing with a few updates from Airdrie Rd...

We have been watching Pride and Prejudice, spending quiet time together and trying to rest. Mom had her first outing today to Karen's condo, and it refreshed her.

She has an appointment this week with a radiologist at the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook, and with a medical-oncologist next week, also at Odette which is practically just up the street for us all. We are fortunate to be able to do all of this so close to home. Also this week she will have the staples removed from her incision on the back of her head.

If you'd like to know more about Liz's condition, please see this link and then you can follow links at the bottom of the page for more information.

Rest assured that all of your comments and messages posted here are read by each of us and shared with Mom.

March 26

It is so great to have Mom home. We all slept well last night in our own beds and are happy to have 69 Airdrie take over from Sunnybrook as home base. Mom had a wonderful bath in her own bathtub today and can't believe how much better she feels. We can all appreciate that feeling! She got a real lift from the news that our dear friend Kirsten Paris (Chapman) had a little baby boy last night. We are encouraging her to rest today as she takes in her new reality and recovers from the surgery. Thanks to our buddy Lynn Liscio for lending us BBC's Pride and Prejudice, she's comfy on the couch and relaxing.
It was amazing that Christie happened to have arrived in Toronto for a visit the day before Mom went unexpectedly into the hospital, so Mom and Dad have a roomate for the next little while!
Thanks again for all the posts and support. It means a lot to all of us. And we will let everyone know when we need anything.

March 25 - Afternoon Update #2

We are thankful for the offers of assistance. We will let you know if/when/what/how you can help when we need it.

March 25 - Afternoon Update

Liz is pleased to be home. Aside from some challenges with her handwriting, emailing and giving up driving, she feels fine

March 25 - Update

After five days at Sunnybrook Hospital, Liz came home this afternoon (March, 25). She made it through brain surgery and had a smile on her face in the recovery room. It has been a tough few days for Liz's family as we come to terms with what she (and all of us) are facing. Liz has been diagnosed with a malignant, Grade 4 Glioma Multiforme brain tumour. It is at the back, left side. She will be returning to Sunnybrook in two weeks to meet with her oncology team at which point treatment options will be explored. We greatly appreciate all of love we've received from our many friends and family members. Liz knows she is surrounded by her extensive circle of supporters. We've created this blog to inform all of those who care for Liz. We ask that instead of reaching out to us directly, you refer to it for updated information