CLARA UPDATE!

Well folks, the moment you have all been waiting for is here..... I, Jeremy, am guest blogging. Please be kind as I have never done anything quite like this.

Now down to business. Clara's surgery went really well, there were no complications, the lymph nodes were all clean, no spread of the cancer...textbook operation. The post-op is a different story though. Clara was supposed to be discharged friday morning but her calcium levels (calcium in essential in your body's electrical system) dropped drastically and she had to be put on an IV two nights running. This is not all together unexpected since the parathyroid (which control the calcium levels) are attached to the thyroid they can become "bruised" during surgery and take a few days to recover. As it stands right now they are saying she may be able to come home Monday morning. Not to worry though because Clara looks fantastic, is in wonderful spirits, and dying to get back home to post pictures of her scars (all i know how to do is type).

I'll try to keep you all up-to-date, Jeremy

all she wrote

Tomorrow’s the big day. So this’ll be the last post for awhile. Well a few days anyway. Who knows maybe I’ll be up and typing away the day I come home from the hospital. Maybe I’ll audioblog garbled morphine induced messages straight from my hospital bed! Will they give me morphine? I hope so. I had some when they took my appendix out and it was sweet.


I’m getting nervous. About everything that tomorrow’s event signifies the start of. But also just tomorrow in of itself. Surgery isn’t quite my idea of a good time. Not when I’m involved. You all know I’m looking forward to a badass scar. That would make this all worthwhile. And being cancer free I guess that’ll be nice too. What if my scar is minimal? What if it fades to nothing and the one thing I’m most looking forward too (besides being waited on hand and foot for several weeks) is a mere afterthought. Or – horrors – what if once I see the scar I feel so alienated by my own reflection I change my whole 'scars are badass' outlook? Many anime heroes/villains would never be the same!



I can’t even fathom it. Sigh. Anyhoo here are some pictures of me, and my various features, to comfort you in the cold, black days of claralessness ahead.







And of course, for the last time EVER - my neck.

Uncut.



See you in a few my lovelies. Mwah.

jertastic

Last week I found a new addiction over at Aerik’s blog. Facial recognition celebrity matches at Myheritage.com. Holy hours wasted batman. I had fun with all my pics, but nothing was so spectacular that I felt the need to share with you. Jeremy, on the other hand, was extremely pleased with his. He requested – nay demanded, that I post them. Yes my baby has much in common with these delicious dudes. Apparently.



I had been talking about this thing for days and I couldn’t even get him to grunt in acknowledgement. Then as soon as these boys pop up he was “amazed at how accurate this is”. Ah. I guess I’m just bitter because I had to do it ten times before Drew Barrymore came up and yet I got Hugh Laurie twice. What up?!?

beer & tequila (maybe some nachos)

Just to make things easier, this is what I am wearing today. Well not right now, I have a blazer on and work shoes but that is what I will look like when at the wolf & firkin (downstairs)tonight. Some of you have never met me, some just aren’t that bright. KIDDING!!! Kidding, you’re all very special. And smart. S-M-R-T!

Margaret, whose idea this was, ran into my surgeon last night (yes they run in the same social circles – she’s FANCY!) and he gave his permission for me to get drunk tonight. Wahoo! I will still take it easy as I do NOT want to get a cold and have to postpone this whole thing, but it’s nice to know the guy whose cutting me open said it’s cool. Well I don’t know that he said ‘cool’, but he might’ve. He’s pretty laid back.

how much does this rock?

Too much.

Saw this at is Spock is enough and HAD to share it with you.

I printed it and put it on my door, I suggest you do the same.

don't look at me i'm a fatty!

Jeremy gained twenty pounds and is a bit sensitive about it. So naturally I thought I’d share it with you all. It’s adorable really.


Last night we were playing headbands at the in-laws. Like twenty questions but with unlimited questions and the answers can be severely misleading because it’s more fun that way. Anyway Jeremy was Smokey the Bear and he asked if he was based in reality. Everyone said no, but I piped up that I thought it was (like Winnie the Pooh). Everyone thought it was HILARIOUS and laughed heartily at me or called me special. Jeremy went to the Smokey Bear website, I’m sure to have proof that I was a wrong, and there it was – VINDICATION!!! Smokey was “based upon an actual baby black bear that was found alone, charred, and scared after a devastating wildfire burned through New Mexico”. HAH. I mean, poor bear. I wasn’t a graceful winner either. As soon as I read that sentence I yelled BOO YA! Then I pointed at each person and called them arrogant bastards. Yep I’m a real sweetheart. Classy.


BTW - New pics at grinchala.

'no need to worry'

Someone googled PRONUNCIATION JOVOVICH and came here. Poor bastards. I hope they don't think i was doing it properly. Heh.

Anyhoo, I understand people are only trying to be supportive but if one more person I barely know, who knows nothing about a thyroid or cancer involving it, comes up to me and says 'don't worry you'll be fine' I will punch them somewhere particularly nasty. I know I am not going to die but I don't want people belittling this. That must sound funny. I really identified with this quote from Susan Hibbard's Purple Butterfly:


“I’m sure you’ll be fine” they all said. How do they know? I understand they mean they HOPE I will be fine, but it did make me feel that they were telling me how to feel, and that I was wrong to worry about it. Somehow, it was as if they were taking something away from me. It’s not that I am basking in the attention it brings, but it doesn’t help to have your fears belittled. With everything else I have to worry about, I don’t need to feel that I am over exaggerating things. I need people to endorse my right to be frightened.”

I’m sure I will be fine too, but it’s not going to be a fun ride getting there.

farewell/get well

There will be a minor fete on April 21st in my honour. Or perhaps in Milo’s honour. Either way if you’re in the area stop by! Say hello and introduce yourself if we’ve never met, pop in for a drink or stay the whole night. All are welcome; there will be some work people, pseudo in-laws, friends, blogfriends and more (hopefully). It’s not an organized thing, we’ll just be reserving a section of a pub for whoever wants to stop by and say hello. I have no games, trivia or physical challenges planned (sorry) and it’s not a gift-giving occasion. I don’t even want everyone to buy me drinks (it’s a couple of days before surgery and if I get sick they’ll cancel it). It’s just a chance to say ‘hey’ before I’m laid up for an indeterminate amount of time. It’s also your last chance to see my neck in all its natural splendour. This is me asking you personally to stop by. Tough beans if you’re not in Toronto, you’ll have read about it the next day with the rest of creation.

Here’s the ‘memo’:


As most of you already know, Clara, our all-time favourite receptionist will be taking a leave of absence starting April 26 to have surgery and receive treatment for thyroid cancer. She will be off work for at approximately 7-13 weeks. We are going to have a farewell party for her on Friday April 21 at the Wolf and Firkin located at 43 Elm Street (416) 971- 6264. It is two blocks north of Dundas between Bay and Yonge on the south side of the street.

Time: 5:30 to ? – Feel free to stop by for a quick drink or stay for the long haul!!


Let me know if you think you can come (clarablogatgmaildotcom) so we have a rough estimate to tell the bar. And yes Jeremy will be stopping by after work. If he knows what's good for him.

empress thyroid cancer

Tomorrow is my PAF appointment. Yay. I’m so nervous. I don’t know if it will be a simple form filling out expedition or a major test-taking ordeal. I know the basics, but my anxiety overdrive has been activated and the things I can imagine would terrify most of you. Wish me luck. The countdown is on – April 26th = slice and dice Milo. Poor wee thing.

Hey don’t you think this girl looks like the Empress from the Never-ending Story? I think it’s her all grown up. Say my name…..



It was Moonchild by the way. Her name.

No really.

Ad via checkyourneck.com

alive!

Jeremy, with the help of Wingnut, Mutagen Man and Leatherhead, battled fierce arctic terrain on Sunday. Gale force winds pummelled their plastic bodies into mountains of ice, mountains they scaled and conquered after hours of exposure to the cruel northern elements. Spirits were low but defeat was not an option!! Their will prevailed and triumph was at hand…...


VICTORY!! AT LAST!!!

I have a freezer again.



Quite a feat, let me tell you.

as promised - two more stories from young clara

THE ROCKY ISLAND

There’s a legend about the Old Rocky Island. It all started when a young man named John wanted to go to the Rocky Island so bad that one night he sneaked out of the house and set off for his journey. The next day he came to an old woman. STOP! STOP! She cried. You must be blind! No one has gone to the Rocky Island for years since my husband went there and he never came back. Nonsense! he cried. I must go. NO! she sobbed. Well, john said. Why are you so worried about me? she stopped crying. Because, it is a dangeres place. Don’t go! I am going. Fine take this dog and it will lead you. It will take you to the right path or…..you’ll die! be careful! John went on his way. He said, I do not need a dog. So he dumped the dog in the river. So long! When he reached the Rocky Island he said, Whew! Finally here. Well I don’t think he’ll like it there for if he had the dog he’d be better. When he went in he was strock down. Now he is a ghost. He is still there floating around.



The Singing Sword

One foggy morning Ally went on a plane ride. The fog was so thick. Her plane was falling like a falling star! PPPPPPPPPPP Boom! Ally’s plane crashed! Right when ally’s plane hit the ground these words sprung in the sky:

“YOU SHALL DIE, BUT TO LIVE YOU MUST FIND THE SINGING SWORD!”

“Great, how am I going to find that thing.” Just then a map flew into her hand! “Wow!” “A map to the singing sword.” Said a small voice.“Who said that?”“I did!” Ally looked down. There was a small mouse. “I said that, now the sword is behind that tree.” “I have it.” “Good. Now cut your body in half and go inside and when you wake up you’ll be alive!” Sure enough, she woke up she was alive!

happy bday kt!!

It’s official, my mum and dad are no longer the parents of a teenager. All of their children are 20+. Wow.

Kaity is the kind of gal who will shave a cat,


Make delicious turtle cheesecakes,


Read 4000 million books,


Ogle manly men and ignore ‘boys’,


And style her hair like a certain thunderkitten.


She’s special.

We lurve her.

Hey want more clara? Check out my clara* original sliding puzzle. I won't tell you what it is...it'll just spoil the sweet sense of victory when you finally figure it out.

Oooooh the mystery...

pseudo sister in-law

So like Jeremy and yet….so pretty……

tulips

No this is not turning into a photoblog. I’m just very busy preparing for my months long stay at home. The plus side is that I’ll be getting internet and will have nothing to do all day.

So there will be posts a plenty.

menu

Friday Night:


Saturday Morning: