Because no else should have to walk in these shoes

I am participating in Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness to help raise funds towards melanoma patient support, prevention efforts and education. Melanoma is a serious and potentially deadly form of skin cancer. In North America, one person dies from melanoma every hour. But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

My husband, James, was initially diagnosed with melanoma in June 2014. By the time it was diagnosed, it was Stage III and already traveling outside the primary site. Surgery removed the tumour on his face and 42 lymph nodes in his neck. By August 2016, it had metastasized to his brain, liver and bowel with a terminal prognosis. In an effort to buy time, James suffered multiple hospital stays, surgeries, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation treatments, post-seizure ambulance trips, and multiple blood transfusions. Our last (and last) anniversary together was spent in a hospital room. All this, James did with his typical positive attitude and jokes. James, succumbed to this dreadful disease in January this year, just 2 weeks before his 40th birthday.

He left us to carry on without him and I struggle every day with this profound loss. As part of my grieving and healing process, I work to raise awareness around the prevention and diagnosis of melanoma. If James’s primary lesion had been caught sooner, if the metastatic tumours had been caught sooner, he might still be here or at least have had a better chance.

I was witness to James’s cancer journey from the beginning in 2014 to his very last breath. I would never wish this suffering, his or mine, on anyone. If I can play a small part in the fight against melanoma then it I must do it. It is what James wanted.

We hold on (posted Oct 9, 2016)

For more information visit (and support!) one or all of the following:

Melanoma Network of Canada

Melanoma Research Foundation

AIM at Melanoma

Blissful Ignorance

On August 1, 2016, my husband and I were at a family reunion on his grandfather’s side, the Cummings’ side. We stayed at the Inverary Resort in Baddeck. It was a lovely weekend in Cape Breton just getting to know new-to-us cousins, visiting the Alexander Graham Bell Museum and quiet moments to ourselves walking along the shore of the Bras d’Or Lakes at sunset. On the last day, before we headed back to the city and our work, we took a hike to a Uisge Bàn Falls.

The hike to the falls was an easy 1.5 km with our crew composed of various ages. The youngest of the group was three years old and the oldest cousin is in her early sixties. We took our time walking, chatting, discussing this tree formation or that flower. The brook beside the path babbled to itself, ignoring our chatter. It was a lazy hike on a hot summer’s day in the cool shade of the woods to an even cooler canyon at the bottom of the falls.

This was the last good day before James’ headaches started to hint at what was to come. It was a great weekend! I’m sharing pictures from that weekend in remembrance of the joy, the fun, the peace, and the love.

 

 

 

 

James had always wanted a pocket watch. This weekend I found the perfect one. I had meant to get it engraved but didn’t get a chance until after he passed away. “Through all time”

Dear chickadee

The sound of your voice caused me to pause for a while and listen to your sweet-weather love song, three clear notes repeating among branches and blossoms. You called, I answered and you moved ever closer with each response.

I heard, then saw, a mouse go scurrying by. He scampered, rushed and rustled then stopped to hide beneath a leaf – to catch his breath and bearings, to watch for hawk and fox.

Our eyes met briefly and each recognized, I think, a kindred soul.

We would not have met; however fleeting, if not for your song and I thank you for the introduction.

Note: The photos of mouse and chickadee are not mine; however, the other pictures are ones that I took during my walk this day.