When it comes to cancer resources, Calgary has some pretty cool stuff to offer. First off there's Wellspring. I don't even know where to start with this amazing non-profit group. So I'll start with the building.
It's a house. Like an actual house, with 3 floors, up near COP with all different kinds of rooms and a gym/yoga studio in the basement! It's welcoming as are the wonderful people (mostly volunteers) who run it. It runs on private donations and will be a big part of my life.
Phil and I went up to check it out and have a tour on Tuesday. We were welcomed like family from the moment we walked through the doors. I'm starting to wonder if only amazing people get cancer cause everyone I've met in this club is amazing in their own way.
We got a tour by a volunteer who had colon cancer 20 years ago (he's cancer free now) and is still going strong! How inspiring is that?? He volunteers with Wellspring now to give back cause they were such an amazing resource to him. He is also Irish. Like from Ireland. With a soft Irish accent. Could I have asked for a better sign??? At one point we discussed our mutual love of Guinness...By the end of the tour I knew I would be spending a lot of time at this haven, amongst these wonderful people. The house is awesome and the programs they offer are really great.
They have all kinds of stuff like yoga classes, meditation, drumming, creative journaling, hikes (in the Kananaskis - I'm signing up for one in July!) support groups, (there's a women's one on Friday afternoons I'm going to check out) And they are all free. Well, sort of. Admission is having cancer. Or caring for someone who does...We got that covered, so we both registered lol
I was itching to get back up there so Thursday I went to a visualisation and mediation session. There were 6 other people there (all in different stages & kinds of cancer) plus the wonderful older woman who guides you. I got there 10 minutes late (damn insurance company caught me as i was about to walk out the door) They were chatting about their oncologists and how they always have to wait hours to see them cause the oncologists are always behind. (not complaining just stating the facts) The class was in the Waterfall room (they have a stone waterfall machine in there) I sat on one of the couches between two gentlemen. One was probably in his 40's or 50's and very quiet. The other was closer to my age, maybe just a few years older. Because I was late I didn't catch any names but next session I will be asking.
Across from us sat 3 ladies on another soft leather couch. One in her 60's I think. One in her 40's and the other in her 50's I think. Between the 2 couches sat an older lady maybe in her 70's with a soft (German?) accent. She lives in Canmore and drove over an hour to come to Wellspring. Not sure what kind of cancer but she's been doing chemo for 5 years. After meeting her only once I am seriously contemplating asking her next time I see her if I can visit her in Canmore. She is an amazing lady. They all were.
I just spent the first ten minutes or so listening to them talk, a bit in awe of this mixed group. They all sounded like pros. And radiated such strength. I could've basked in it all day. One lady (the one in her 50's) has an extremely rare kind of cancer. She was as positive as the rest. Class aside, just being with them was healing in a way I can't explain. Afterwards I felt emotional for the rest of the day.
The funny thing I've found with cancer - any cancer- is you have an immediate bond with anyone else who has it, or has had it. They get an intimate part of you no one else can. And they know it right from the first meeting. If you're gonna have some scary disease, it's nice to have such a brilliant Silver Lining.
Eventually I found my voice (ha like that was ever in doubt!!) and as they were talking about oncologists and nutrition I piped up about Kimmy and all the info she's given me cause I haven't gotten anything from the doctors, and then I was part of the group. I found out the guy my age is doing some complementary therapies and has a Naturopath. His diet is similar to mine. He also loves red meat so he still eats it now and again but stuff like bison and the good stuff without any antibiotics and all that. I told them about my plan to go to the best steakhouse in Calgary once chemo is done and eat the biggest., juiciest steak I can find. They all through that was a great idea (sorry Kimmy - I can feel you cringe from here...) Ha and my love of Guinness came up. They all decided that Guinness has no gluten (lol) and that once a month is moderation enough for sure, so that will be my Guinness regime lol. See why I love these people already??
One of the women (the one in her 40's) is Irish (weird eh??) And she loves her Guinness as well. She has it once a month so if that's good enough for her (stage 4 breast cancer and going strong) it's good enough for me!! A bunch of them treat themselves on Chemo day ("My Age Guy" goes to Dairy Queen lol) They thought maybe my Guinness day should be on chemo day.
Me: "But what if my chemo appointment is in the morning??
Them: "Well then when they ask if you took your medicine, tell them I sure did!"
They are awesome.
I brought up the pill situation. Every single person in the room with cancer said the same thing: Listen to your body. If the pills don't help, don't take them. "My Age Guy" said he was the same as me - he only takes pills on chemo day. But he said to talk to the nurses about all the side effects so i can get different pills regardless cause the ones I have are obviously not working well for me (and/or are too strong)
I can't tell you how relieved I felt to hear this from people who are WAY more experienced at chemo than myself. I'm a rookie - they are legends. Between validating my pill concerns and coming up with a plan to enjoy Guinness they have my gratitude for life lol
And then after the actual visualisation (which was awesome by the way) we chatted more. I told them about how I'm doing chemo first and best case they go in for surgery and there's nothing left, but that with the size of my lump I'm not expecting it (though I'm hoping!)
They all said simultaneously "Do expect it!! Expect miracles! Visualise everyday what you want to happen" The Irish woman pipped up "it happened to me! I was stage 4 breast cancer and not even a candidate for surgery. They decided to "try" chemo and see what happened. After treatments, when it was time for surgery there was nothing left in my breast. I told them to do a mastectomy anyways to be safe. But the cancer was gone".
Wow.
So, now I'm expecting by surgery time, it will be gone. Every day I picture my cancer being eaten away from the chemo and all the good foods I'm eating. :) While on the chemo topic at one point I shyly told them "I wore war paint to my first chemo treatment". By their response I think I moved up a few notches in their impression of me lol
I had read about a lot of young people with cancer saying some groups were not helpful because everyone was older and they couldn't relate. But that was not at all how I felt about this group. I felt like they took me under their wings. I"m so glad I found Wellspring.
The other resource I've heard amazing things (lots from those at Wellspring) is another non-profit called YACC (Young Adults Cancer Canada) They have a local group in Calgary. Its for those who are between 18-39 at time of diagnosis. So I signed up with them too cause they put on lots of social events. It's all young people. They are having a "Survivors Conference" in Toronto in June (5-9) You get to choose 12 different workshops on great topics. There's a walk with everyone. A banquet "you won't forget". Keynote speakers. And a whole weekend spent with other survivors (that is what they call everyone with cancer) And it would be all young people. For a fee of $149 it covers all of that plus accommodation (at Radisson!) and food!!
I really wish we could go. Spots just opened up. It's right before a treatment, so it would be well timed, but 2 flights out wouldn't be cheap. And I'd have to see if a 4hr flight is ok with the docs. I've emailed YACC cause you can fund raise and they put everything you raise towards your transportation!! (and all donations over $20 get tax receipts!) So I'm not ruling it out yet, but it's not looking too hopeful (we'll see what they come back with on fund raising), However I'm pretty stubborn. And I'm good at accomplishing what I want when I put my mind to it...so we'll see. We have to decide quick cause the spots will go fast...So send positive vibes...they have a fund raising form for businesses...so I kind wondered if I could hit up CP...but we'll see (the flights were just over $1200 taxes in total) Maybe even Kildares (the pub we have spent many a nights at since it opened)
But do you see what I mean by amazing resources??? I was told by the sweet Irish woman to also check out The Thrive lab at U of C. They have a special program called Beauty and its only for women with Breast Cancer. I'll probably call on Monday to find out about it.
I'm going to be more busy with cancer than when I was healthy!!! But I don't mind....so many Silver Linings its ridiculous.
I am so very lucky.
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