Garden Solution

Our friend (and Norma's gardening assistant) Kelly Brunelle just dropped in to say she would use weeding Norma's garden as therapy for a year to see how it goes. I think it will go well and I know Norma trusted Kelly with her flowers (as much as she trusted anyone) . so this will be the perfect solution. Have faith Norma!

Flower Garden

Norma, what will we do with your flower garden? Some of the perennials are thinking about restarting and I am not able to look after them or willing to put in the 20 or 30 hours a week you spent on them. I will keep your roses and bushes going, they are low maintenance but the flowers may just have to go. I will have this conversation with Kelly and Rick.

The Blog

I do not want this Blog to become a monument to the Cancer that took Norma and I know she would be even more adamant on this subject than I. Therefore I am going to copy all the cancer related posts  along with all associated comments to a Word file  and then delete them from the Blog. I will leave her obituary and this post up but the rest will be gone. I appreciate and value all the comments that her friends (both "Real" and "Imaginary") have left but it is time to make that change. Thank you for understanding!

- Croft

Norma Randle

JULY 27, 1942 – MARCH 24, 2019

Friend, Lover, Wife, Mother, Colleague, Socialist, Feminist, Unstoppable Political Dynamo, Union Organizer, Fierce Defender Of Lost Causes.

Link to Obituary

Norma Randle July 27, 1942 - March 24, 2019

Norma Randle July 27, 1942 - March 24, 2019

At 10:15 PM Sunday night we lost Norma. Friend, Lover, Wife, Mother, Colleague, Socialist, Feminist, Unstoppable Political Dynamo, Union Organizer, Fierce defender of lost causes. This leaves a gaping hole in my heart and I can hear her telling me to "Get moving and get on with it. Quit whining!"

The photo is at our friends Juan and Chris' home in Monterrey, Mexico. She was always happy in Mexico.

Moving up

And the big news of the day is! WE ARE OUT OF EMERGENCY and have a room! Not the fun filled oncology 8th floor "penthouse" but the 4th floor. I think they are still trying to move us up. The dietitian from the 8th floor talked to us earlier and wanted to do a couple of experiments to get better nutrition. Maybe another move tomorrow but at least she is out of the ER and the security guards running around all night. Unfortunately the room she is in now has three beds so I will not be able to stay overnight.

Radiation #2 Done

Treatment #2 done this morning.Easy Peasy! Norma was feeling really good this afternoon so our granddaughter #2, Sierrah and her other grandmother came for a nice visit. It was a good day. They slightly changed the meds so hopefully we will avoid any more pain crises. THAT would be a step in the right direction. All that positive thinking is starting to pay off folks!

One Down Nine To Go

Norma rode down to Victoria in an ambulance with me following in the Mazda. Four hours on the road and then her first radiation treatment a half hour after we arrived.

The hospital is over capacity so no rooms available. Norma slept in a curtained off area of Emergency and I slept at Brooks' in-laws. Norma had a bit of a panic when I was not here when she woke up for her pain meds as she forgot me leaving. Hopefully we will get a room with a cot for me tonight,

Second treatment at 10:00 this morning. They are hi-tech and painless!

Off To Victoria, BC

We are off tomorrow morning to Victoria for treatment. Norma will be in the Royal Jubilee Hospital for two weeks. Keep those positive thoughts flowing, they do make a difference!

Great Memories!

Norma's old friend Sharon Prescott came for a visit yesterday and presented Norma with photos of Norma, Sharon. Patrice Pratt and Angie Schira who together were Mike Harcourt's "Back Room Boys" in the BC Provincial election they won so handily for Mike. The photos included a "before" shot taken just after the election and an "after" shot taken four years ago with Mike at a retirement party. The photos and old stories they shared got a lot of smiles out of Norma and it made her day!

*Update: As Angie just reminded me in a phone call, their other name was, "The Spin Witches"!