Hello everyone! To all my Canadian Warriors – Happy Thanksgiving (yes, a week late – oops!). Again, so much to be thankful & grateful for – – including all of you.

Update time. I’ve had an interesting summer and early fall going to appointments to figure out a few health issues. The first – about the implants. I did go for an MRI at the end of August and saw my surgeon shortly thereafter in September. Good news: they checked the tissue around the implant and so far – no malicious or suspicious masses/bad cells. So for now – we have decided that we will continue to monitor annually and should symptoms come up – new lumps; massive swelling (which apparently is quite obvious) – of course I will contact them right away to check it out. Any surgery now to remove the implant would be highly invasive and there are of course associated risks. So weighing things out – decided to keep things status quo. Then just this month I had some unexplainable and strange bruising around my stomach and back. Thankfully my family doctor takes extra precautions and sent me for bloodwork, and some ultrasounds – Abdomen and Pelvic. He called me the next day and said my bloodwork showed a slight & small abnormality – usually he wouldn’t be so concerned but given my history – he even took the liberty to call my oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital who was my guy for my chemo. We ended up sending everything to my after-cancer transition clinic doctor – who I see annually now, for a second look and opinion. Once again, good news – she was comfortable with the results that nothing ominous was going on – but suggested to recheck the bloodwork in a month’s time. Bad news: my body is suffered from the usual side-effects of the tamoxifen. One of which is the shrinkage of my ovaries. Well – good thing I have given up the idea of having my own children……sigh. It was a bit nerve wracking and touch and go – I just didn’t want someone telling me I had blood cancer or something else. Still – a little paranoid – but I suppose that is normal.

The rest of the summer overall was great. Still golfing – even golfed yesterday (11 degrees Celsius) – bundled up in my ski wear. At least it was sunny. LOL.

Spent a couple of days in Miami celebrating a milestone birthday; golfed with Auston Matthews – top guy for the Toronto Maple Leafs (in my opinion), have a new friend, Carlton the Bear, tried my hand at painting – which I was horrible at & luckily it became a joint project and hosted a dinner with my fellow past-Presidents of The National Club.

And finally, thanks to generous support of my Warriors, friends and colleagues, Winnie’s Warriors raised over $11,000 for Prostate Cancer at my annual attempt at “running” this year at the Exact Yorkville Run. Of course for the occasion I had to get a new running outfit. I like it so much that I think I will recycle it for next year. 🙂

Thank you for everyone’s prayers and follow up. Sorry it has taken me a while to get my update out. I just wanted to make sure I had all my test results back and felt good again. I really have to stop freaking myself out. A special day also to sit here and write this. Today, October 20th would have been my paternal grandparents’ 87th wedding anniversary. Blessings to my Ankong and Ama – up in Heaven. Miss you.

Sending you all love and big hugs.

Winnie, the Warrior. xoxo