And These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

This weeks blog post is a collaboration between Joshua and my Michelle, they have helped me jot down a few of my favourite things.

Being at this stage of my disease and in palliative care I've lost the ability to do a few things,  but there are many things I still enjoy. These are a few of my favourite things.

I love and appreciate a nice hot bath. Because I have a few ports and bandages and my trust worthy pain pump, while I can wrap up and do a shower and wash my hair now and again, I only get to take a bath once a week, after I get all "disconnected". So something I really look forward to is taking all of these tubes and bandages off and submerging myself in a nice hot bubble bath. This is the best feeling in the world. Just sitting there and floating around with the smell of lavender can really make me feel alot better.  I say lavender because Michelle and kids loaded me up with bubble bath on my last birthday- and I really do love it.

I also love going out to dinner and eating!  I don't know if you can tell by reading my blog, but the Erdmann's love going out to eat!   Breakfast, lunch or dinner, it really doesn't matter. We have been especially looking forward to eating breakfast on a patio. Eggs benedict, waffles, home fries or anything really! It doesn't matter as long as someone else is making it. Last weekend we drove up to Keswick on an errand and ended up eating lunch lakeside, on the edge of Georgian Bay at a lovely restaurant. It was a heavenly day, the food was good, and the company wasn't too bad either hahaha.  We had my IV and pain pump concealed in a back pack, and I was able to manage the short walk from the parking lot to the patio.  We hope to do it again soon. Breakfast is next on the list. In fact, having such great success with this outing, I've started to book a few more.  In a couple weeks, I look forward to meeting up on the patio with the Ramerwood Public School retirees.  Sorry to all of you who are heading back to the classroom!

Music, music, music - I love music and especially live music.  I'm sure you are like me and really missing this with all of the COVID restrictions we've been experiencing.  Well things are opening up a bit and I can't wait.  This week I was surprised with concert tickets to a band I have always wanted to see. Maroon 5. I haven't been to an outdoor concert in a long time. We've got a couple of seats in the accessible seating area and I'll come in my wheels, and a few of our kids will be sitting a little closer.  Even though I am in the wheelchair section, they should be really good seats. Looking forward to hear music live for once and accompanied by my family. Josh is even going to drive us down as a personal chauffeur/taxi service. Nothing can beat listening to music outdoors and  under the stars.  We have also been having a few small concerts at home, Jon has been working on the guitar for some old Beatles tunes and this has just been great.

And one more thing I just love - sweets!  Palliative care (and I think it's the steroid actually)  has definitely increased my sweet tooth to an even greater extent. I have been indulging in candies and all sorts of sweets that I love. Chocolate goes down really nicely lol.  Interestingly, right now I get lots of cravings for candies I used to eat in the past and in my childhood such as: goodies,  assorted cadbury chocolate bars (you know those little Halloween size, assorted ones?) and black licorice. Thank goodness my family and friends keep me stocked up with baked goods. Everyday I have something sweet. Why the hell not! Lets see what other candy from the past I will pick out for this weekend. In fact, this week our daughter Sophie made some Christmas cookies - I had a taste for it and who says you can't have Christmas in August!

These are a few of my favorite things right now. Having said that, I can't get the song out of my head from the Sound of Music (These are a few of my favourite things), and in fact, that movie is also one of my favourite things!

But bringing things into 2021 ---Maroon 5, let's put some other songs in our head!  Enjoy, I know we will!

"Because I need a little sweetness in my life,  Sugar, Yes please"

Richard

A Big Grey Cloud.... Here Comes the Sun!

This week's blog is transcribed by Joshua (thanks Joshua!) and Richard.

It is so nice to have your many visits to look forward to, to lift my spirits and change my attitude for the day. Instead of falling deeper into the doldrums  I am able to pull myself up and see the positivity around me.  Truly, connecting with you, helps me a great deal.  I love to talk to you about so many things, my health yes, but also the many great memories we share together in teaching, administration, and life here in Newmarket.

This week has been quite manageable for me health wise.  The routines are now setting in and we are feeling a better flow of the day. I have nursing visits twice a day, the pain pump is working well, and I seem to be tolerating the IV fluids and the steroids.  Although there are still ups and downs, being at home will always be better than being in the hospital.  My hope is that we will continue on this positive trend and I will be able to do a few more things.  Believe it or not, I am looking forward to running errands and getting out of the house for a change in scenery.  If things continue to stabilize, something I am really looking forward to is going to Kingston to visit some long time friends and family.  I know this might be a long shot, but we are talking about how we can make this happen.

In the meantime, we are taking it one day at a time and facing the obstacles as they come and hoping for many more days. 

I haven't felt much like listening to music up until now, but have recently been listening to some old Beatles tunes.  This one by the George Harrison keeps running around in my head and really seems to resonate with me:

"Here comes the sun do, do, do, do

Here comes the sun,  

And I say - it's all right" - The Beatles/George Harrison

Sometimes you just have to gather your own sunshine!

Thank you for reading and participating in my journey,

Back to you Michelle! Next week it's your turn.

Richard

Kitchen Dancing

This week I am pleased to have a blog guest, My Michelle. Enjoy!

I come from a long line of “kitchen dancers” and lovers of music.  We put on the music, and we can’t help ourselves, the dancing soon follows.  I remember watching my mom and dad sneaking in a dance or two, what must have been a welcome release when dealing with a large and boisterous family.  My sisters and I took turns learning to dance with our dad, first standing on his feet as he danced us around, progressing to the old two step and then jiving.  We sisters would also dance together, taking turns on who would lead and who would follow, throwing in a dip or two. As we grew up and boyfriends came and went, husbands joined our family and my dad passed away, the opportunities for kitchen dancing naturally waned and changed.  But then - I met this wonderful man, Richard, from a small family, who also came from a family of lovers of music and “kitchen dancers”. He fit right in, took my hand and twirled me around the kitchen and we have been dancing ever since! My mother would often comment on how she would think of Richard and I dancing in the kitchen and how it would make her smile to think of us so happy and dancing!

We’ve been having a rough go at times during Richard’s cancer journey, but through it all, we still put on the music, and rock out in the kitchen to our favourite songs.  Sometimes we just hold on to each other and sway to an emotional tune or two. While our sons are less than enthusiastic to join in and often give us the “eye roll”, they have been known to hover around and act as DJ, while Sophie is right in there, adding in her moves. We love these simple moments and I know we are raising the next generation of kitchen dancing enthusiasts!

Studies have shown that music can relax your mind, energize your body and reduce stress.  Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic and positive about life. I know that Richard finds listening to music during his chemo treatment marathons, helps him a great deal - helps to take his mind off what is happening in the moment, to block out the beeps, buzzes and conversations at the infusion clinic. But I know that he is also listening to our favourite songs and doing his own “kitchen dancing” from the infusion chair and planning his moves for when we get back home!

You are always dancing in my heart,

Love Michelle