🗓️ Week of August 4: Cottage, Surgery & Chemo

Mood: Hopeful. Disrupted. Holding tightly to small joys while bracing for what’s next.

Medical Update: We were able to get to the cottage on Saturday as planned—just for a day, but it mattered. Chloë had her air cast and a fresh incision from the biopsy, but she was determined to go. After some time in Westport, she and I returned to Ottawa for more tests. While at CHEO, they went ahead with a small surgery to place a port-a-cath just under her skin near her collarbone—this would be the access point for her chemotherapy. While she was still in surgery, we got the call: chemo would begin the very next day.

Emotional Check-In: Chloë was devastated not to be able to return to the cottage. She had held onto that trip as a symbol of normalcy, and leaving early felt like another loss. Justin stayed with Charlotte at the lake while Chloë and I remained at CHEO. The next morning, we were back at the Medical Day Unit for bloodwork, then up to the ward for her first inpatient stay. She would be there for three days. Thankfully, she was given a solo room for her first weekend—something we didn’t realize we’d be so grateful for.

Education Update: [No formal update this week.]

Moments of Light: The cottage gave us a breath of fresh air, even if brief. Sitting by the lake, watching Chloë wrapped in a blanket on the dock, felt like a moment suspended in time. Back at CHEO, the nurses were gentle and attentive, helping us navigate the first steps of treatment with care. Even the smallest kindness—a quiet room, a warm blanket, a reassuring voice—made a difference.

Reflections: This week reminded us that plans can shift in an instant, but intention matters. We showed up for joy, for treatment, and for each other. And even when the path changed, we kept walking it together.

💛 Much love,
Chloë’s Mom