Relay for Life vs My Chemo Life

Sigh

Last night was the 1st Relay for Life event in Mississauga for this year (next one is in 2 weeks).
I accidentally got onto the Committee for Relay for Life, in charge of running the Smart Shop at the Living Arts Centre event (last night); with only a month to prepare. They pretty much start preparing right after the event, for the next year’s event… MOST of the work was done, and it was agreed that since I came in last minute, that I wouldn’t do a silent auction. At the beginning of this week, I get an email, telling that a participant was bringing me a gift certificate for guitar Lessons, for the silent auction!!! Oh MY! I scrambled, and pulled together 2 gifts from stuff my sister had donated for a prize pack, plus three items I had sitting around, that I had crocheted. For a total of 6 items for our “last minute” Silent Auction. OMG! can you believe that the only two items that got bids were two of the items I crocheted! I am so pleased with this. Everyone loved my items, but I resisted the urge to pass out my business cards. I did not want to make it about my products, this is an event to raise money for Cancer Research & Cancer patient programs. I did give two business cards out, but they were to friends. I brought some, so that IF I was asked for one, I could give it.

Now, this past Monday (May 31st), I started chemo — not to battle the cancer, but to control the symptoms, which have been causing more havoc than the cancer itself. Friday morning, I woke at about 4:30am in some major pain. There was shooting/stabbing pain in my hips & upper thighs, as well as (less severe) in my right shoulder. As I moved around, I felt pain in my lower back as well. Laying on either side increased the pain, as well as on my back. Laying on my stomach wasn’t so bad, except that I can’t sleep fully on my belly, I lean to one side or the other, which was still increasing the pain. I would fall back to sleep briefly, but waken shortly in pain. I took some over the counter meds, but they did not help. So around 9:30 am, I took some prescription meds and eventually felt better. Then I was able to take the OTC meds to maintain the pain control.
This morning I woke up in the same way, although much later, as I didn’t get to bed until after 4am (was at Relay from 3pm to 3:30am).

So, I will talk to my doctor on Wednesday, when  I have an appointment scheduled. There’s no sense trying to get in sooner, cause I likely won’t be able to get in, and going to a walk in clinic or Emerg, is just a waste of time and patience.

I feel great about the role I payed in last night’s Relay for Life event. My daughter & I will be volunteering at the next one (in two weeks). And I look forward to (hopefully) being better prepared to run the Smart Shop next year, as I will be able to get an earlier start on the preparation.

[note: even though I indicate that I got on the committee ‘accidentally’, I by no means meant that I didn’t want to, I just hadn’t planned it to happen the way that it did, ha ha… but I loved it, and look forward to continuing]