2011 was the year of the shared
experience.
At the beginning of the year
the focus was my continuing recovery from November’s thyroid cancer
surgery. In February Barb and I made
several trips to Regina for the multi-step treatment culminating in the
radioiodine ablation (a radioactive iodine drink designed to destroy any
lingering thyroid tissue in my system). This was followed by three days in quarantine
as the radioactivity wore off – an interesting circumstance to say the least.
We learned the cancer experience
goes more smoothly when the ups and downs are accepted and shared
together. God proved faithful and we
remained joyful and confident under His hand of care.
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| Judy, Patty, Kathy, April, John, Mary, Steve, Barb |
A Grand Summer Vacation
As the summer months progressed,
Barb and I spent ten glorious days at Waldport on the Oregon coast. Blessed with sunny weather for those days, we
walked along the beach, explored the sights along the coast, took pictures,
played golf, and had a glass blowing lesson at a shop in Newport. As well, we spent a few days in Portland
catching up with family and friends.
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Beth and her friend Becky took their Oregon Adventure in April – returning with stories of much food eaten, train trips taken, shops explored, and accounts of time spent on the Oregon coast. |
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Hannah took her much anticipated summer vacation to visit her friend Michelle in Calgary. She returned with stories of life in the big city, canoeing on Lake Moraine, shopping and reconnecting. |
A Focus on School
Beth began studies in the Fine
Arts Dept. at the University of Regina.
She has done well and it has been a delight to see her embrace the
opportunities of university and this new phase of her life. Hannah took on the challenging route of
continuing her program by Distance Learning courses through Memorial
University. She spent many days and
evenings pouring over textbooks, writing papers and studying for exams.
A Sad Goodbye
In the midst of all this, Penny,
our 18 year-old cat, a beloved member of the family, had to be put down. Age had caught up to her and this was the best
option, but it proved to be a sad and emotional experience for us all.
In November Barb and I returned to
Regina for a series of follow-up tests. In anticipation of this I was required
to go off my thyroid hormone medication for the month of October. This was a month of ups-and-downs in energy,
concentration, and emotional levels. In
the end it proved to be worth the experience as we received the news of being
cancer free.
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