Hello dear friends of Akka,
Akka is in quite good spirits and is gracefully going about each day between a myriad of appointments, proddings, tests and sobering prognoses. The tumour is nasty and has chosen a very precarious place in the pancreas to grow making an operation impossible and chronic chemotherapy completely undesirable.
This email is in reply to so many of you who have been in touch. She is heartened by all the people thinking of her and that have reached out. I know that emails weigh heavy on her. They (and texts) seem to demand a response even when the much loved sender says “no need to write back”. A good old fashioned card on the other hand feels gentle and can be savoured longer, so just in case: 1550 Old Brooke Road. Maberly, Ontario. K0H 2B0
Akka will be staying in her home as long as possible. She loves it here and thrives in the quiet. It is challenging to maintain this peaceful space though. Naturally, friends and family want to visit and under normal circumstances this would delight her. Now it is exhausting and not how she can spend her energy. This is difficult to convey given how much she appreciates all the good intentions and affection.
Because you have been asking and offering, I am giving you some ideas about how to help. Please don’t feel anything is necessary. Perhaps organising a quick drop off of a meal*, tulips, a card, fresh greens, sprouts or beeswax candles is something that you may like to do. And, if you are driving between Perth and Toronto and are able to offer pick up / drop off a person or a package, please let me know.
Thank you already to those who have dropped off soups, and keep plowing her driveway and so forth. You are doing it so discreetly that it is truly a blessing each time.
All is changing constantly. Over the next week we will be checking in with the palliative care providers and CCAC in this area. If it becomes necessary, we may upload a “lotsahelpinghands” calendar to coordinate additional care.
I will keep you posted; just not at facebook speed.
With tremendous gratitude.
Anne
* her diet is changing a little: easy on the hot peppers, meat and fats please 🙂
The Art of Dying Gracefully 