Christa's Journey

 About a year ago, I was in the process of getting life back on track. Well, I wasn't even aiming for a track but basically just trying to get one foot in front of the other. I had completed my 16 weekly chemo treatments in early September, so I had plans. I came out of the gate running so to speak. I started with a 10 km walk on Terry Fox day surrounded by many family and friends.  I eagerly signed up for the Stay Strong program at the YMCA, a wonderful fitness program now available to all cancer patients. It felt so good to be back at it.  In mid November, our middle daughter had a weekend basketball tournament in Quebec City. Who says no to a road trip with their two teen daughters? :-)   Our oldest met up with her BFF in Bishops and we got to shop and  visit the Christmas Market in Old Quebec with some of her teammates and families. It was a lovely trip!  The Monday after we arrived home, I took some downtime to catch up on rest. I was having some nasty eye pain but thought it

We've had a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful weather over the last few months.   2020 hasn't been the greatest year but wow the weather has certainly been nice!! Here's hoping the winter continues to be kind.   The Woods are back to school! It's a little different than last year.   Our oldest is in her 2nd year of university at Concordia. She had hoped to be living in the big city of Montreal but low and behold she is doing online classes from our home, much like the rest of Canada.   Our middle is in her final year of high school, going to school one day and working from home the next. Not really sure that is going so well, but more time is needed to let the kids get in the routine of things. Our youngest is in grade 4, and has been a bit draggy about going to school, not sure if it's the age or the COVID life adding to the sudden indifference of going to school.      Work has been nonstop. My husband along with all physicians are learning h

My precious Grandmother, Helene Isabelle Corey passed away a year ago today.  I thought I would write a little something in her memory to cherish.   Gram was widowed when she was just 46 years old with 12 children. She most certainly didn’t have a simple life. She made sure that her grandchildren were treated to the good life.   I cannot even imagine having 12 children and raising them, let alone having to raise most of them on my own. My husband and I struggle some days trying to manage the 3 we have. She did it, and knowing these 12 children, now adults, they would not have made it easy growing up. They all survived and managed to do quite well in life.   My memories of Gram begin quite early in life, she was my only living Grandmother and I spent many days and nights with her. She cooked up a mean hamburger and always had cookies and treats for us. Even as she got older it was important that she have some snacks available for the great grandkids when they’d visit.  Even if that mean

Life in the Wood household has been busy, with 2 teens at home trying to manage an independent 8-year-old in the midst of a pandemic, while their parents are working fulltime out of the house.  I started working fulltime the week the pandemic hit, it was a welcomed distraction. Getting back to work has been good.  Keeping my mind busy is important. I enjoy my coworkers and our lovely patients. Cancer has a way of plunging you into a valley, a pretty deep one in my case. I don't think you realize how deep you are until you start to climb out of that said valley. It's been a little over a year since I was handed my diagnosis. I've hit some pretty low points over the last year but I'm happy to say I'm working my way out of this!  I'm now in the recovery phase and it's taking much longer than anticipated.  I continue to receive a maintenance drug therapy, every 3 weeks.  This drug's purpose is to block the blood supply that feeds the tumor and keep my ca

Think about this for a minute. Our healthcare system in NB has been overloaded for some time now. So think of our hospitals at high tide, and a tsunami is about to hit our little NB.  We have a chance to build a wall to slow that big wave down by staying home and social distancing. That's all the government is asking. Many people have been putting in endless hours preparing for this pandemic.  We all need to understand that our hospitals can only handle so much and once that limit is reached it will get ugly. We've read about Spain and Italy, we've seen the devastation reports from healthcare workers warning Canadians to get as prepared as possible. But yet we still see people out in groups, people shopping and not taking this seriously because many won't believe it until they are affected directly by it. When that happens it will be too late.  Some have called me negative for suggesting that there are too many people out and about, but it's absolute reality.I

Well I had to weigh in sooner or later, so I chose sooner. This is a difficult time for everyone in our country and beyond. We are being forced to change our ways and be a bit uncomfortable for the time being.  It's understandable to see the upset and anxiety of many online and in public. But we need to keep our heads straight and support each other along the way.  In the realm of things, there is so much more going on in people’s worlds. I am very concerned for many of my dear friends. I have a friend fighting for her life as cancer tries to take her over, another who is awaiting surgery for her cancer, some who just finished chemotherapy and have no immune system to fight off bugs. Another awaiting his chemotherapy. Imagine how they all must be feeling heading into this horrific storm? Not knowing how this illness is going to affect their treatments and access to the hospital. Imagine the little ones that have weakened immune systems that this could affect and our seniors who se