A Long Time Coming...

It's been quite a long process, and I'm sure many of you have been anxiously watching for news about the book, Without a Manual. I'm glad to announce that the final forms have been submitted this morning, and the book should be for sale in a few short weeks. I'm finally able to bring to fruition the book that my mom dreamed of, and I could not be more excited to see the final product.

Thank you for sticking with me through the creation of this beautiful piece of work. I'll update you when it's officially available for purchase!

A delayed post from September...

Wrote this in mid-September and wanted to share it with you on the blog here.

Feeling a little introspective tonight, and just wanted to share this...

I'm in the process of reviewing the edits made by the publisher of my mom's book. For anyone who wasn't aware, her blog "Without a Manual" is being turned into a book - including her entries, a few special ones she wrote to include in the book, contributions from some very special people in her life, and the final chapter written by me.

Going through her entire time of writing (which ended up being almost four and a half years) has been emotional to say the least, and I'm just over halfway through. Reading her writing, however, makes me feel closer to her than I have since she passed. One minute she is making me cry, and the next I'm laughing out loud, much to the alarm of the two cats. It makes me feel like she's here with me again, talking to me through her writing.

It reminds me that as hard as it has been to lose her, I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have had to opportunity to love her and be loved by her. She's my role model, and I couldn't think of a better one. I'm so thankful to her for leaving this body of work behind, and I see it primarily as a gift to me. Any happiness it brings to others is just a bonus.

Basically, I just wanted to share how excited I am for this book to finally come to fruition (I know it's been a long time in the making, with many delays), and to share with you how much joy my mom has given me, even after her passing.

Thank you for continuing to check in on the blog, I'm hoping I'll have a solid date to give for the release of the book soon!

- Suzanna

Without A Manual book

Thank you all for continuing to check my mother's blog - the "final chapter" is in progress, and I will be posting on this blog to let you know about the official release date of the book. 

Keep an eye out, and thank you all for your continued support!

- Suzanna

Death Notice for Sandy Trunzer

I’m gone; a good number of you reading this will have known that it wouldn’t be much longer. I took care of that quite publicly by participating in the CBC documentary “Last Right”. Here’s hoping that the end was as peaceful as we’d hoped.

Harder than anything I could ever have imagined was to leave behind my sweet daughter Suzanna, who put her education on hold to take care of me in my final months. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. It’s been the highest privilege imaginable to be her mother; I suspect that she’ll feel the same way about her own children one day.

Also with me at the end was my dear friend Sue. Perhaps not a sibling by blood, but as close as one could come to being the perfect sister without sharing DNA. Other good friends stuck by us through the tough parts, I couldn’t have asked for better companions on the last leg.

Also survived by my mother, Karin, and my brother Oliver (Kelcina) and their children Allyson and Kristian.

My thanks go to my wonderful and amazing medical/support team. In particular Dr. Ho Ping Kong,  Lorelei Cornish, Dr. Mathur, Dr. Downar, Dr Grossman, nurses Annelies and Cynthia. Nurses at TGH MSICU, Baycrest Hospital Palliative Unit 6W, Dee Kearns/ volunteers (especially my angel Jane), Wellspring (Halton) and Dale Massender.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to one of the following: the CEEP team at TGWH Foundation (416-340-4430), Baycrest Foundation (Palliative Unit 6W) 416-785-2875,                     TGH/TWH foundation "Palliative Care Research” (Fund 5790 6090 0773 ) 416-340-4430

Cremation and a private ceremony have taken place.

If you would care to share a memory with my daughter, please email her at sandytrunzerstories@gmail.com. Embarrassing tales are okay, she should know that her mother was just as goofy before her arrival as after!

For those who followed my blog Without a Manual, the book will be out in a few months. A portion of the proceeds will go to some very special organizations.

Suzanna – thank you for choosing me, the best birthday gift I ever received. What a ride you and I have shared.

CBC Final Segment

For those of you following the entire series of “Last Right”, the fourth segment will air this evening on The National – featuring viewer responses.

In the next few days there’s a possibility of an on-line discussion, if energy permits I hope to participate.

Here’s a link to an on-line magazine (comments welcomed) created by CBC at:

http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2013/12/assisted-suicide-in-canada-your-stories.html

For anyone wishing to view my and Suzanna’s segment from last week please visit:

http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/lastright/index.html

Thanks again for the support coming our way, I’m amazed by how many friends from my past have reached out. It’s been quite a week!

Thank You

Thank you for watching our story on last night’s episode of the “Last Right” documentary on CBC.

We thank you for your support, we thank you for listening with an open heart, we thank you for the many, many personal notes that have had us smiling, laughing and crying.

We thank you for letting us know that whether you’re friend or stranger, you care about the rest of our journey.

Warmly,

Sandy and Suzanna

 

If you haven’t yet seen the episode, you can find it here:

http://www.cbc.ca/thenational/indepthanalysis/lastright/index.html

(and thank you to the many who have shared this link with others).

News that Has Been Busting to Get Out!

In past blog posts I’ve mentioned having unbelievable kindnesses bestowed upon myself and Suzanna. I’ve also spoken of new friends whom I’ve come to know only because of my illness.

Here is a story that I’ve been waiting to share for a very long time, and it’s with great joy and gratitude that I do.

Back in April (not long after discussions with the CBC to take part in the “Last Right” documentary were finalized) I received a call from Dee, a member of my palliative team who has become very dear to me and Suzanna.

It was Dee who arranged for me to speak last November with a group taking part in a training course for palliative care volunteers (I wrote about this experience on November 10th of last year).

When walking into the training room I immediately recognized a gentleman off to my left; he and I had met a few times at the luncheons I’d attended at the local hospice. It was reassuring to visit Ken’s familiar face as I tried to make eye contact with everyone in the room during the course of the group discussion.

Going back to that call in April, Dee told me that Ken had asked permission to contact me directly, there was a gift that he wished to offer to me and Suzanna. Intriguing to say the least!

I can finally tell all of you what this gift was, and it’s a tremendously thoughtful and a very generous one.

Many times over the years readers and friends have suggested that this blog be turned into a book, and dear Ken is turning this idea into reality.

There have been a few of us diligently working as a team to create the book, which will include a few extra components that are not part of this on-line blog.

I can’t yet give you a publication date for “Without a Manual”, but be assured that Ken and the publishing team are making provisions to have it available for purchase as soon as possible.

A portion of the profits from the sale of each book will be directed to organizations which have helped us get through the years since my diagnosis. The book will be available as hardcover, softcover and eBook; at numerous venues (including directly from the publisher – this latter option allowing for a greater portion of the purchase price to be directed as donations).

Although I won’t be writing any more of the posts in the format that you’ve come to follow here on the blog, we will still be using this blog to keep all of you updated on personal news (I promised long ago that my readers would be not left without an end to this story), as well letting you know the publication date and other pertinent details.

I’ve hinted that although I’ve been confined to bed for almost a year that it’s still been quite busy around here – now you know all of the secrets I’ve been keeping!

Our overwhelming gratitude goes out to Ken, his family and other friends who’ve enthusiastically jumped on board to allow me to add published author to my life’s resume. What a ride it has been, angels all around me.