Vancouver PET/holiday(?)

I didn't get the chance to write a blog on Monday or Tuesday because I actually had to go to Vancouver for a PET scan. I thought about taking my computer with me then decided it would be too much of a hassle so I just ended up taking my tablet and then was too confused by it to try to post a blog on it... technology is just too tough some times! Anyways, my trip to Vancouver was with both of my parents and my lovely friend Debbie and I wanted to share the best parts of it with you. 

First off, I LOVE Vancouver! It's too big a city for me to want to permanently live there but every time I go to that city I feel refreshed and renewed. I know people like to leave the city and civilization to recharge but I'm the complete opposite. If you want me to be at my best just set me up on a 2nd+ floor downtown coffee shop in any big city in the world, on a cold, winter afternoon. Although I didn't get to go to downtown Vancouver during my two-day trip the adventure was still jam packed with a whole bunch of wonderful things. 

Monday:
My parents, Debbie and I caught the 11am ferry to Vancouver where Debbie and I separated from my parents and gabbed -- awesome. Once we arrived to Vancouver we went straight for Regent College (my school). While driving there we almost got T-boned by a giant truck and I couldn't help thinking to myself, "I'm so thankful for all the people who are praying for me today" (if this was you -- thank you). Still, after our almost-accident we arrived safely to Regent and I made Debbie come with me to meet the distance education representative, Michael. We had such a wonderful time talking to Michael and I felt so encouraged by his kind words and genuine heart for distance education students. We then went through the Regent halls trying to find Eugene Peterson or J.I.Packer's doors so I could take pictures with them but Eugene Peterson retired a few years ago and J.I.Packer is on a two year sabbatical so unfortunately no dice. However, I did get a picture with James Houston (the man who began Regent College); and by "get a picture with James Houston" I mean "I got a picture with a portrait of James Houston"... but that still counts right? 

After leaving the school I was on a mission to finish my Christmas shopping, which happens every time I go to the mall in November-December. I dragged Debbie to the mall with me and then continued to drag her into every store I wanted to check out and Lord behold I almost finished my Christmas shopping! 
We were also inspired to buy our second book for our two person reading club. Maybe you've heard of it, it's called "Les Miserables". I think the movie is coming out in... I can't remember exactly but I think it's something like... SIX DAYS AND TOMORROW IT WILL BE FIVE. So, if you'd like to be an honorary member of our reading club feel free to message me and pick up your copy of it asap! Also, don't be intimidated by the book or our club because I'm quite certain we make up the entire spectrum of reading levels with me being the slowest reader you've ever met and Debbie being the fastest. So wherever you may be, you'll fit right in.

At the end of the day Debbie and I retired to the Cancer Agency Lodge while my parents went to a hotel. This was probably the toughest part of the day. The Lodge is lovely, accommodating, and staffed by wonderful people and volunteers. However, it is also occupied by many other cancer patients. All of whom seemed to be 30+ years older than Debbie and myself. There seemed to be an entire life span between the other patients and myself. This has always been a difficulty for me -- going to chemotherapy or oncologist appointments and realizing that everyone around me is almost twice or three times my age. Furthermore, when there are younger people there I don't feel comforted I just feel upset by the fact that they have to go through the same junk I have to go through. It's a bewildering feeling. 

Still, Debbie and I had fun at the Lodge. We ate chocolate, vitamin waters, sandwiches, oranges, and chips (I may have been stress eating a little bit). I then had a freak out, Debbie had a calm-BG-down moment. We looked up youtube videos of people falling. I sang karaoke to her. Then we discovered that her bed had a massage setting so we lay in her bed and had our feet, backs, and heads massaged while Debbie read "Les Mis" to me and I tried my hardest to not regret buying the 1200 page piece of work. Then, finally, came the last sleep before someone would officially know the results of my chemotherapy treatment; not me yet, but someone.

Tuesday:
I had my PET scan at 8:25 in the morning and whoever knows me knows I am not a fan of early mornings. My body just wasn't created for them. If I were still in school I would literally rather stay up until 3am working on an assignment than wake up at 7am to finish it. So it was a little bit of a painful morning to say the least. 
I don't know if any of you have ever had a PET scan but it's pretty anti-climactic. I was nervous for it even though I'd had one before. They start by putting an IV in your arm and injecting you with a radioactive sugar (I'm still waiting on my super powers) then you have to lie down in a reclining chair for 45 mins and relax the best you can so the sugars will be attracted to the tumour cells instead of moving muscles. Once the 45mins are up you lie down on a scan table and the table moves you back and forth through a giant cylinder and takes pictures of your insides (weird, I know). Overall, there is nothing to be nervous about but, in my case, I was nervous before the scan and continued being nervous for the rest of the day as well. 

After the scan I got to have more fun! Debbie and I then went to the Vancouver Aquarium, which is probably awesome in the summer time but was pretty cold in some parts in the winter time -- but still awesome. My favourite part was obviously the the penguins because if you put birds in a place where you only expect to see fish and water mammals then obviously the bird is going to be the best surprise anyone could ever get! Furthermore, my favourite thing that I learnt at the aquarium (which I actually learnt from Debbie) is that the plural of "octopus" can either be "octopi" OR "octopuses". IT HAS TWO PLURAL FORMS! I didn't even know that was grammatically possible. Is that not amazing?! I think it's amazing!

We then finished our trip by going to Ikea, of course, and coming home on the 7pm ferry. A long, tiring, and lovely end to the medical scan disguised as a holiday. Special thanks to my parents for being so accommodating to Debbie and myself and special thanks to my bff Debbie for chaperoning me and making sure I (a) stayed safe, (b) stayed alive, and (c) stayed sane.