Better than she was before… Better, Stronger, Happier. A Breast Cancer Journal
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Growing up, vacations typically meant travelling to discover branches of the family tree. In adulthood, most of the vacations I took involved running from one tourist site to another with stops at cafés and bistros for something good to eat. Actually, the cafés and bistros only came about in my thirties. Before that it was fast food.
So, summers have always been packed and rushed with me arriving at September feeling as though I never caught my breath.
Enter summer 2010.
Andrea’s journey to survival has been therapeutic for our family. A big part of that has been making time for us. Evenings are about being together. Vacations are about connecting and relaxing.
Last week had us immersed in our second amazing spa-like vacation (the first was at the end of June, read Good Times, Noodle Salad). We spent the week at a cottage on Beaver Lake, just outside Kearney, Ontario. The cottage was made available to us through Cottage Dreams.
Cottage Dreams connects people who have been through cancer treatment with cottages that are vacant for one week periods. It’s simple. It’s genius. It’s mighty invigorating for the recipients and mighty rewarding for the cottage owners.
Besides being an amazing advocate for people who need the decompression time, Cottage Dreams is one of the few organizations I know of that you can call and always get a real person answering the phone — a real person who is passionate about helping people. And, their screening process is thorough to ensure Cottage Dreams finds amazing cottage owners who believe in being a part of this process, and guests who can be trusted to take good care of the cottage.
Our cottage hosts were committed to ensuring we had the best vacation, and they succeeded.
For six glorious days we enjoyed a view of the tops of trees leading down to Beaver Lake, went swimming, kayaking, read, played Euchre, picked (and ate) berries, listened to music, ate and slept — lots. We also hung out with Hummingbirds, Blue Jays, Loons, Merganser Ducks and one type of duck we weren’t able to identify but that can run very fast on water! Being the geek I am, I audio recorded a lot of sounds and will release them as part of my summer soundtrack later this month. At the end of the week, we managed to clean the cottage without any disputes (unlike being at home).
This summer is the best summer of my life — and there’s still a few weeks to experience.
Mark is primary support, cheerleader and project manager of Andrea's recovery. You can read more from Mark here and on Mark's real blog, MarkBlevis.com.
Posted by Mark August 8, 2010 at 7:08 pm.
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Being Me.
It’s a month, today, since my final radiation treatment.
In these four glorious weeks, I’ve been living it up and lollygagging with good friends and good family.
I’ve grown some eyelashes and some hair.
I’ve stepped up to the scariness of public speaking.
I’ve coasted obliviously through a significant earthquake.
I’ve enjoyed schedule-free summer days with Lucy and Bayla.
I’m now two weeks into my five years of hormone therapy and — touch wood — its been blissfully imperceptible.
My white blood count is still low (I had a good cry over that news this morning). And various muscles and joints are still struggling with the effects of chemo.
But I feel like myself again — only better, stronger and happier. Really.
I am the rebuilt me.
And, with every thought and every choice, I’m working to stay that way.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
More Happiness here.
Posted by Andrea July 15, 2010 at 4:40 pm.
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Today, mom and I went on a walk to Dow’s Lake. We also went to see Sylvester’s family .
They are doing really well!
His sibling (who was also in the accident) is adapting to his new way of walking and swimming.
While we were watching, a man came on a bike with a little bag. He took his bag off his bike, opened his bag and took out a small sack of seeds. He started to tell us about his job (wild animal care) and we started to tell him about Sylvester. Meanwhile, he was taking out handfuls of seeds.
It’s really nice to know someone who goes to Dow’s Lake two times a day to take care of a duck and his family.
Bayla (Now 9!) is the youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Bayla here.
Posted by Bayla June 10, 2010 at 7:09 pm.
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Dear Mrs. Duck,
I am writing to you because I would like you to know that your duckling, the one who fell behind when you were swimming, did not drown all alone in dow’s lake. My mother went back and found him, slowly sinking into the water. When the man whom she asked to call the bird care center refused, my mom knelt by the water an hoped that he would simply, well… float over, and, wonder of wonders, he did! My mom scooped him out and gently cradled him in her hands all the way back to our home. When I got home, there he was, sitting in his water dish. We named him Sylvester, after a duckling that lived in my mom’s classroom when she was small. We each took a turn carefully holding him in our hands. Sylvester was so soft! When my dad got home, he took Sylvester to the bird care center, there, they found that his mouth was full of blood. Immediately, they stopped examining him and gave him some medicine to make him more comfortable. That night comfortable, loved and surrounded with other ducks, geese and all sorts of other birds, he quietly passed away. We all cried upon hearing this news. Anyways, I just really thought that you would like to know that your duckling enjoyed his final hours and that his life, though short, had an effect on many people. I’m sure that you are very proud of him.
Also, thank you very much for taking such good care of him while you could and for calling back for him. If you had not done that I think that he would have died all alone and his little life would not have been noticed. At least this way he knew that he was loved very much, not only by you but by my family and everyone who hears this story, Sylvester’s story. I will never forget about your little duck that little trooper, Sylvester.
Sincerely, your friend,
Lucy
Lucy (10) is the second youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Lucy here.
Posted by Lucy May 27, 2010 at 9:41 pm.
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I know that it sounds like a human in our family died but sad to say ;it was Sylvester. He died yesterday night after he had been given medicine. I was so happy when we had saved him and we were all convinced he would NOT die but we were wrong. Now were all crying. Sylvester I just wanted to let you know I love you, we ALL love you. Sylvester, we will always love and remember you, Sylvester there will NEVER be a duck like you. All our love, Bayla, Lucy, Andrea & Mark. 
Bayla (Now 9!) is the youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Bayla here.
Posted by Bayla May 27, 2010 at 8:24 pm.
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Our beautiful little duckling has died.
During his examination at the Wild Bird Care Centre last night, it became obvious he was injured beyond repair (he was likely hit by a bike).
The caregivers aborted the exam. They gave him medication to ease his pain.
He died overnight.
Poor sweet little thing.
It’s hard to know if I did the right thing.
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea May 27, 2010 at 1:39 pm.
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Plop! A poor little duckling keels over in the water, he is starting to sink, little by little. Mom, wishing, that duckling could come to the shore, somehow. Whoosh. the current pushes the poor duck to the shore. Mom picked him up and brought him home!!!!! Then mom picked us up from school and told us that we had an adventure and she told us that “I’ll only tell you if we don’t get to the house in time.” So we got to the house and little Sylvester was sitting in his water dish.
Bayla (Now 9!) is the youngest member of the Clan Ross-Blevis. You can read more from Bayla here.
Posted by Bayla May 27, 2010 at 10:00 am.
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A tiny survivor entered my life today.
During my daily Gratitude Walk this morning, I spotted a family of ducks: four ducklings and a mom.
One little duck was being ferried around by his mates, his legs limply hanging and his body slightly submerged.
I admired them for a while and moved along.
Not long afterward, the little family caught up to me and hopped up onto the shore. The mother faced the water, calling and calling.
They were one duckling short.
Returning to the original site, I found the injured sibling. Struggling, lopsided in the water, one little mini wing flapping.
And sinking fast.
A passerby declined my request to phone for wildlife help so I stood at the waters edge and hoped the little duck would float into reach.
He did. I scooped him up and carried him home.
(Not the passerby. The duck.)
Our Wild Bird Care Centre helped me make him comfortable while I ran to radiation. He was flopped over to one side, his eyes closed and I didn’t like to leave him.
I hoped the whole way there and back that he’d be alive and revived when I returned.
He was.
I found him sitting in his water dish, eyes open and alert.
Patiently waiting for his drive to the Wild Bird Care Centre.
Sweet little Duck.
Andrea Ross was diagnosed with breast cancer October 6, 2009 and intends to survive and thrive. You can read more from Andrea here.
Posted by Andrea May 26, 2010 at 1:01 pm.
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Andrea
Lucy* (10)
Bayla* (8)