Anniversary #14 - The Pandemic Edition

 A lot has happened since my last post.  We are still in the pandemic and we are in yet another lockdown.  We've both gotten our 1st Covid shot.  But there has been an unexpected turn in our lives that none of us could have ever expected.  I have stage 3 ovarian cancer. 

I haden't been feeling well for some time now, but because my family doctor hasn't seen patients for almost 2 years, it never really got checked out.  I got a telephone consult and she ordered bloodwork and an ultrasound, but because of Covid the ultrasound would have taken a month.  I told Neal that I'm just not feeling well, please take me to the hospital ER to get checked out.  They did a CT scan and found the cancer right away.  I was referred to Sunnybrook Hospital from North York General because they have a better cancer clinic.  On March 15th I had my surgery to remove what they could of the cancer. and I would begin my cancer journey.  They weren't able to get all of it removed since there was just too much and it would have endangered my life.  After a few weeks of recovery at my parents house I returned home to continue getting well with Neal.

Just before my chemo treatments were to start, I got my 1st Moderna shot.  3 days later I had my 1st chemo treatment.  By the end of the week I had a massive allergic reaction.  It started off right in the chemo room where I was having trouble breathing.  The nurse gave me more antihistamines.  By Friday I was in the hospital ER covered in a rash and having trouble breathing again.  The doctors were able to get the rash and breathing under control.  On Sunday my joints started to swell as well.  By Tuesday my joints were so swollen that I needed to be physically picked up from the couch and put into a chair and taken to hospital by ambulance.  I stayed in hospital in congestive heart failure for 5 days until they got it all under control.  

To this day, they don't know if it was the Moderna shot or the chemo treatment or both that caused the reaction.  Now I don't know what will happen with shot #2.  I will let the doctors figure that out.

 

My sister-in-law surprised Neal and I with these wonderful treats from Tim Hortons.  We were so surprised and happy.

So for our anniversary yesterday, I made this giant chocolate chip cookie.  I wasn't up for eating cake and this was much lighter.  We still can't go out for a special dinner, so I am making a roast and Greek lemon potatoes for dinner on Friday.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie