AN EVENTFUL WEEK

Feb 14/10

It all started on Monday with my last radiation treatment and a visit with an oncologist.  He assured me that I am totally healthy now and I won’t need to go back for a follow-up meeting until the middle of June.  It was both a happy and sad moment, as we had reached a pivot point in our lives and could now truly focus on the next steps.  I can’t say that things will ever return to normal as so many things have changed for us.  I guess our old “normal” will have to be replaced with a new “normal” as we go forward.

We took the opportunity of free time to schedule dental cleanings and had an amazing experience at a downtown place that I can only describe as a dental spa.  We were given a tour of the facilities when we arrived and it included private treatment rooms with TV screens in the ceiling over the chairs, very high tech equipment, candles in the restroom, hygienists dressed like yoga instructors, warm towels to wipe our faces with after the cleanings and the offer of a complimentary neck or hand and arm massage.  We were a bit overwhelmed at first but the hygienists were very thorough and did tests for bacteria and oral cancer that we’d never had before.  Fortunately, we don’t need any other work at this time.

On Wednesday, we walked to the Kelowna Curling rink to watch the German men’s and Swedish men’s and women’s Olympic curling teams practice.  They sure looked young.  The next day, the German team played a Kelowna team that had won previous world championships.  The German team lost the game.  I guess age and experience still count for something—in curling, anyway.

We had family from Chilliwack visit us on Friday morning and today we went for a big hike on Knox Mountain.  It was sunny and warm and we saw flickers, finches and red winged black birds back in the marsh areas around here.  Spring must be on its way.

Views from Knox Mountain