2008 In Review

Well 2008 is coming to a close and I thought I’d review this past year. We had landscaping done to our back yard which was just beautiful. We had replaced three weeping birch trees on our property as they were getting old and tired. We added a brick fire pit which ... I was really excited about because we dreamt about it for years.

My work life was going well; I received a promotion and a raise early in the year. I was taking courses at Grant Macewan to upgrade my education in my field. My plans for the year were to continue taking courses and to graduate in 2009 with a diploma in Human Resources.

When I was diagnosed in 2000, I did not feel I was ever truly cured of cancer. So, I decided I’d do something I really wanted to do ... in 2004, I made a career change into Human Resources. To be honest, I felt rushed to get the education and experience needed before it came back. Well I just about made it ... I have three courses left to take to complete my diploma.

Disappointment and sadness.... would be the best words to describe how I feel.

This past fall, while I was getting chemotherapy, I took a course from September to December and I think it was the distraction I needed ... or should I say, I know it was the distraction I needed. What happens is if I have too much idol time; my mind gravitates to negative thoughts and that scares me. I don’t want to turn to anti-depressants to help me get through this. So taking the course offered me structure and it made me think ahead ... even if it was only a few months.

I also started the blog which I told one of my friends ... has kept me out of the ‘nut house’. Because of blogging ... I’ve created a wonderful online support network of other cancer survivors. In case you were wondering ... there are a lot of people in this world struggling with cancer.

That was 2008 ... in a nut shell.