In response to my post Testing one's limits—in which I talked about the tests people who have been ill or in treatment use to assess their recovery—a friend wrote to me:
Sometimes you have to cross the line to know where the line is… then respect the ...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on November 6th, 2024
Every once in a while, I meet someone new who has taken something positive from my blog. Sometimes it's a friend of a friend who shared my writings. Sometimes it's someone who heard me speak at an event. Sometimes it's a person who stumbled across my b...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on November 5th, 2024
Since writing my post Happiness, awe and finding what makes you strong, I've been asking my daughter to describe her daily moment of awe, as we sit down for our end-of-day chat. I'm guided by the definition of awe that Dr. Julia Baird provided during h...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on November 4th, 2024
I spent another quiet day at home, recuperating from my recent COVID and flu shots.
[2020-10-28] Gifts, tips and inspiration
Another friend, inspired by my post Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, shared that she—who has faced her own challenges in...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on November 2nd, 2024
I spent the day in bed recovering from the after-effects of getting my annual COVID and influenza vaccines yesterday. It reminded me of my pyjama days after chemotherapy four years ago. Aside from short trips to the bathroom and a quick lunch at the ki...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on November 1st, 2024
Sitting outside on this warm October 31 evening, I'm taken back to Halloweens past when the weather was warm and inviting on trick or treat night. Today's high in Ottawa of 22.6ºC was a record. But we've come close to these balmy temperatures in years ...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on October 31st, 2024
Speaking on the podcast This Life of Mine with James Corden, actor Richard E. Grant shared what his wife—voice coach Joan Washington—had said to him and their daughter four days before she died of lung cancer: "I know you're going to be sad, but I chal...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on October 31st, 2024
Today, I met with the surgeon who did my breast reconstruction operation in September. Dr. Lee confirmed what we suspected at my last visit, namely, that my right expandable implant has ruptured.
We discussed two options for fixing this issue:Surgery...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on October 29th, 2024
This evening, I attended a retirement gathering for Simon Kennedy, who had been my boss and deputy minister at Health Canada when I became an assistant deputy minister (ADM).
What a soul-affirming ritual it is to bid someone well as they conclude one...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on October 29th, 2024
I recently stumbled upon the Australian podcast The Imperfects, hosted by brothers Hugh and Josh van Cuylenburg and Ryan Shelton. Hugh van Cuylenburg is the founder of The Resilience Project, which provides mental health strategies to schools, sports c...
Jennifer Hollington
Posted on October 27th, 2024
