March 2020. The world went still, quiet. People were afraid. The pandemic tore through our society altering how we communicate, work, and play. It altered every aspect of our lives. One year later we have not witnessed the return to normal. Here in Toronto, we are just barely out of lockdown, with most everything remaining closed. It has been 16…
Stress
As I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, a memory from one year ago popped up. It was an introduction to my newest post entitled Welcoming in the New Year that I had written January 07, 2020. Truth be told, I couldn’t remember what I had written, as it had been one year ago. And, lets face it, 2020 was…
When the going gets tough … the tough cry. Little bursting cries. Big ugly cries. Lock yourself in the bathroom cries. Silent tears cries. So much crying. So much sorrow, uncertainty, fear, sadness, and frustration. Yes. This is what pandemic fatigue can look like. It has been an exhausting nine months and though vaccines have been approved in Canada, and…
It is that time of year again. The sky is grey, murky, temperamental. The air is crisp, cool, and damp. The sun hides behind the slate clouds that pepper the sky. It is late autumn. That time of year when the trees have lost their vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, where the days feel colourless, bleak, and dismal, and where…
It has been almost a month since I have written. Finding a moment to myself has been difficult. In fact, I stealthily snuck away hoping my absence will not be noticed, and I am now sitting on the floor of my 7 year old’s bedroom because – oddly enough – it is currently the quietest place in the house right…
It’s that time of year again. The annual blood work and the mammogram. How am I coping? This year, I am not. I am drowning in the scanxiety. Over the years I have written a few blog posts outlining the realities of scanxiety and even offered tips on what to do to alleviate the symptoms. But, how does one cope…
Hmm… is home-schooling an art? Perhaps I should alter the title to read The Challenges of Home-Schooling… We are in our sixth week of home-schooling with no clear end in sight. Provinces are slowly opening up across Canada, however Ontario is still in lock-down. Our state of emergency has been extended to June 02nd. Although select non-essential businesses have been…
We are in Day #30 of social distancing, isolated in our home, tucked away from the rest of the world – as are millions of people across the globe. The beginning days of the pandemic were unnerving. Events I never imagined happening in my lifetime were swiftly unfolding as the virus took hold of Canada. It created anxiety, fear, uncertainty,…
Four years and ten months ago my life did a 180° flip. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In that moment, everything about my life changed. I suddenly realized how very precious life is; and I became acutely aware of my mortality. I was scared; and although I was surrounded by loved ones I felt completely isolated. I felt incredibly…
It is a frightening time. Not for 100+ years have we witnessed mass closures due to a virus circulating through society. Events across Canada have been cancelled indefinitely. Also, travel is restricted; schools are closed; daycares are closed; attractions are closed; libraries are closed; community centres are closed; sports complexes are closed; and theatres are closed – indefinitely. So, not…