Month: June 2014

Janet, A Success Story. June 21. #TSJ Wedding Day

Why is it that when you wait so long for something, you can hardly believe it’s happening when it does. That’s how Janet and I felt today before Heather and Allan’s wedding and we still do tonight even though we saw it happen.

The day could not have gone better on all fronts and we are blessed to have been a part of it. I’ll share a few pictures with you tonight and write more details and share more pictures over the next few days.

Homeward bound tomorrow. Praying for a life of love and happiness for Heather and Allan and a safe and on time flight home for us.

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Janet, A Success Story. June 20. #TSJ Wedding Eve

I used to write how Janet seemed to be on a roller coaster during the first months of her recovery and today could very well be summed up as that. It started a little later than planned as it took longer for the morning routine than usual but by 9:30 we were having breakfast with Janet’s dad, Doug, and his wife Joan. It has been four years since we have seen them in person and Janet was very excited to do so. Doug suffered a stroke a year before Janet’s aneurysm which made him even less of a talker than he used to be but Janet and Joan kept the conversation going really well and it was an enjoyable start to the day.

Wanting to get out in the sun, Janet and I went for what was to be a nice exploratory walk with the option of finding me some new sunglasses. After a two block false start (Janet needed her sweater) we maneuvered along the very bumpy sidewalks for almost an hour. Janet wasn’t enjoying it much because of the bumps and said she needed to go to the bathroom. I love it when she initiates that task and hate it when she doesn’t make it to the toilet in time. We were less than three minutes from the time she mentioned it to the time she was getting out of her wheelchair, but it was too late. I was most unimpressed, as a large part of the morning had already been spent in the bathroom and I have no idea what brought on the increased need to go. Back to the hotel we went, now late for our lunch date with Mary/Gaga and Keith and by the time we did catch up to them the sun had pretty much left the area we were to have lunch in. It was still nice to hang out with them for a while even in the shade.

While Janet tried to nap, I got to do laundry. At least there was a soccer game on. Janet had her eyes closed for maybe twenty minutes and probably didn’t sleep at all so got up to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Things seemed to be improving toileting wise and after getting dressed with hair by Courtney and make up by Heather, off we went. Allan’s parents hosted the rehearsal dinner at their house out in the country a little bit and it was a nice change from the bustle of Ottawa. Most places we’ve been to on this trip are not wheelchair friendly and I found it easier to have Janet walk into the house tonight rather than try and lift her wheelchair up the steps. She did a great job stepping up again, with lots of support but doing more of the work than she’s been capable of before. People were helpful in getting Janet down the steps at the back and out onto the grass where the sun was. The rehearsal was short and sweet and we learned Janet is going to have a tough time walking with Heather down the aisle so I will likely be there for support too. Janet really enjoyed sitting out in the sun for dinner watching the dogs play, the chipmunks hop around and the dogs chase the chipmunks. People kept asking us if the bugs were bothering us and we had to respond with “what bugs?” Janet and I were bug free until the sun disappeared but it was time to head for the hotel then anyways.

So, a good start, a bad middle and a good finish to the day for Janet. The toileting challenge seems to have corrected itself and we are all focused on making tomorrow an enjoyable one for Heather and Allan. Praying that Janet sleeps well tonight and is fully able to participate and enjoy tomorrow. Praying also for God’s blessing on Heather and Allan.

Janet, A Success Story. June 19. #TSJ Girls Day

Spending time doing things like going to a Spa or having her nails done has never been a Janet thing but she willingly went this morning with Heather, Laurel and Courtney for a pedi and a mani. It was not easy for me to let her nails grow as long as they got but it seemed best to give the pro something to work with when the time came. All reports were that Janet did well while out with girls and her nails do look nice. Janet says the lunch they all went for was fun but the nail thing was so so. Had to be done and I’m glad the girls got to spend time on their own.

Girls day went pretty much until nap time for Janet but I did get her out for a walking trip down a nice long hallway in the hotel. She’d been sitting a lot and needed that stretch. Her walking was quite good once she warmed up.

After her nap it was off to the birthday BBQ at Heather and Allan’s. This was our first visit to their new home and a nice one it is. There are a few steps for Janet to negotiate and using her nice strong legs she managed very well. Janet was excited to see so many of the family gathered together, especially Andrew, whom she greeted with a cheery “hi honey”. Something Janet never would have said pre injury. Cute.

Heather and Allan did a great job cooking for and hosting everyone and tonight was a nice warm up for the wedding festivities which start tomorrow. Praying for a night of re energizing sleep and a fun Friday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 18. #TSJ Birthday

Full day in Ottawa number one didn’t go as planned mostly because of a late start. Janet didn’t get to sleep until at least 1:30 last night so I was in no hurry to have her get up this morning. We did need to get going on the missing wheelchair project though. The company I rented from apologized for their screw up and offered to drop one off today free of charge. Problem was, that wouldn’t happen until around noon and we wanted to drive to Montreal for the day. We decided to go pick up a wheelchair from their office and hit the road from there. Bad call. I selected the wrong location on my GPS and after getting relatively close to the right location we ran into a major construction project which had traffic backed up for miles. Rather than slog through it I hoped the GPS would find an alternate route, apparently there isn’t one, so by about 12:30 we finally had the wheelchair in our possession and decided it was too late to do Montreal as we were all tired of being in the car by that time.

Wanting to at least say we went to Quebec we opted to go to Gatineau and the Museum of Civilization. Janet loved the Children’s Museum and found some of the other areas interesting. We visited the museum when we were here four or five years ago, Janet didn’t really remember any if it nor has she any real memory of the other Ottawa landmarks so it’s like the first time all over again.

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It is field trip season so the museum was packed with school kids exhibiting every level of interest in the place imaginable and that was at times entertaining and at others annoying.

When in Quebec I feel you’ve gotta have some poutine and Janet agreed to pose with some as long as she didn’t have to eat it.

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Janet had hung in there really well for that first stint of the day and after a short rest at the hotel it was time for dinner out with the family. Mary and Keith arrived this afternoon as did Cam and we all met for a nice meal topped off for some of us by an Ottawa staple, Beaver Tails!

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There were limited opportunities for Janet to walk today and I notice that when she does she’s not as good at it so there may be a few trips up and down the hallways tomorrow as Janet has some serious walking to do on Saturday.

Today was Janet’s birthday and true to form, the older you get the more parties you have. We went out for a nice birthday dinner last Friday with Bonnie and Toly, today Janet received birthday wishes from some of you and tomorrow there is a big family bash at Heather and Allan’s. Janet doesn’t like a lot of attention for her birthday but she deserves it.

I have to end on a positive note and I want to start with a shout out to our friend Nora in Chicago. Cam’s girlfriend Gina is stuck there tonight due to severe weather that has cancelled dozens of flights. When we got in touch with Nora she already had a full house of “stranded” people but was willing to make room for another. Cam and Gina chose another option but I want you all to know how blessed we are to have friends willing to step up like that. Another shout out goes to the random customer who got up from his table at Starbucks to open the door and let Janet and I walk through on our way for a bathroom break this morning. A small act of kindness like that made a huge impression on us. Thanks random thirty something middle eastern dude in a suit!

Praying for a great night of sleep and for Janet to have lots of energy tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. June 17. #TSJ Travel Day

Today was a long but successful one as Janet tolerated the plane rides to Ottawa very well. We arrived two and a half hours late after a weather delay in Toronto. Because of the weather the ride from Toronto to Ottawa was a little bumpy but Janet didn’t mind at all. On both flights the Westjet crew were very friendly and helpful. That part of the trip could not have gone better. One attendant on the first leg has a son with a brain injury and we had a nice encouraging chat with her. The biggest. Challenge of course was the bathroom. Janet made two trips during the flight to Toronto and after using the first one to practice we were able to squeeze in there easier the second time. It was nice to have Courtney on the flight with us and she was a big help along the way. All was good.

Heather, Laurel and Allan met us at our hotel for a late visit and Janet was of course thrilled to see them, me too.

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The only negative of the day was our rental wheelchair that was supposed to be waiting for us at the hotel, wasn’t. So resolving that will be tomorrow’s first task. Praying for a restful night.

Janet, A Success Story. June 16. #TSJ Ready and Waiting

Janet and I spent most of today wondering why we decided to leave for Ottawa tomorrow and not today. She figures it must have been a money thing and she’s probably right, all I know is there must have been a good reason.

There wasn’t much to do today other than the last check of our packing job and cleaning the house a little. Janet skipped her nap today, wanting to be really tired so she could sleep tonight. So far there’s no indication that plan worked but she is in bed now and her eyes are closed.

We watched bits of the World Cup soccer games today and Janet saw the second half of the USA Ghana game by herself while I dropped the dog off and ran another errand. I got back just after the USA scored the winning goal and Janet was all excited telling me how “the play was all in that end then the other team scored”. It’s awesome to see her improving ability to understand what she’s watching.

For exercise today I had Janet do quite a few laps around the house and one stint of helping me wash dishes that required her to stand at the sink with me. What a great feeling to have her standing beside me, and she thought it was cool to be able to look out the window instead of at the backsplash. Hopefully that translates into more willingness to stand and walk at every opportunity.

The snores have started. Praying for a good night of rest and God’s guidance through our travel day tomorrow.

Janet, A Success Story. June 15. #TSJ Singing in the Sun Video

Today was very relaxing for Janet and I as we continue to prepare for Ottawa. There was no problem waking up at 9am Eastern Time although it was a little weird to actually be up before others in the neighbourhood. I let Janet use her wheelchair a lot this morning so she could get around and help with things easier and also so I could get my bike ride in. She happily listened to a Stuart McLean story while I was gone and gave me a good recap of it when I got back.

In trying to stay on Eastern Time, dinner was real early for us tonight but one big benefit was our patio table was still soaked in sunshine when we were ready to eat and that made the meal even more enjoyable. The fun continued after as we relaxed in the sun. I can’t describe how positive that is for Janet, she literally soaks up the warmth and is fuelled by it. I sneak shot this video as she sang along to The Swon Brothers version of Danny’s Song. It may not mean much to all of you but if you watch closely, especially at the end where Janet closes her eyes and drinks in the sun, you may get a sense of why I love her so much.

Feeling totally blessed.

Janet, A Success Story. June 14. #TSJ

This pretending to change time zone thing is not that easy, especially trying to tie it into Janet’s nap time and regular bedtime. If she’s not tired she can’t sleep. We are making progress on it though and hope to be on Eastern Time tomorrow.

Today was fairly routine save for one big moment this evening. The morning consisted of Miss Independent making her breakfast then having a bit of a giggle session with her mom on Skype. Then the work began. At risk of being old and prepared way too soon, we started packing. It feels like we are forgetting something already as Janet is packed in a very small suitcase and I’m not using my largest one either. Seems odd but good if it works.

Nash was on a sleep over with our friend Annie, who is going to look after him while we’re gone and we made a quick trip to pick him up. He was OK with coming home but seemed very comfortable at Annie’s house too. We went without the wheelchair and Janet did some nice walking up a large ramp to the front door of the building.

Nap time was a little early with the time change but Janet didn’t protest, she just didn’t sleep that long. The sun was shining bright when she woke so I plunked her out in it for forty five minutes while I made our early dinner. All warmed up and fed we headed out to church where I helped Janet walk all the way to the door to the auditorium. I then challenged her to walk down the aisle to our seats. This time there was resistance but she caved in quickly and for the first time walked freestyle all the way down the aisle and right into her seat! Outstanding!

As we continue to pretend its later than it really is we had dessert after church instead of dinner while watching some touching and amazing stories and performances on America’s Got Talent. A reluctant Janet was in bed at 9:30 real time, 11:30 pretend, saying she would not go to sleep, she’s snoring as I write.

Praying for a fun and productive Sunday on Eastern Time.

Janet, A Success Story. June 13. #TSJ

Friday the thirteenth turned out to be pretty “lucky” for us. Janet was awake fairly early so was able to have a shower. I tried having her get her breakfast while walking about the kitchen but that seemed a little too much yet. She was willing to try at least.

After running through our clothes for the trip we agreed there were a few things we both could use so we took advantage of the rain and went to the mall. Janet was very excited that we both found the things we went there for in relatively quick fashion. By the time we were home Janet had done a lot of walking and helping out so I made her a sandwich while we watched a little World Cup soccer.

Dinner tonight was a special evening out with our neighbours, Bonnie and Toly. We had hoped to walk the two blocks to The Fixx Cafe but the weather didn’t cooperate so we drove and Janet walked well through the parking lot and negotiated a three inch curb very nicely. She also gobbled up her dinner pretty quick saying it was “delicious”. That’s high praise from Janet.

Twice today I had Janet doing assisted walking in public places and each time she did so with lots of confidence. Not long ago you would get some resistance to the idea or at least a lot of looking around for who is watching. Not today, and that makes it more fun.

We are easing into running on Eastern Time so our clocks are on Alberta time tonight and we’ll switch to Central Time tomorrow and hopefully be on Eastern Time for Monday so that it’s not a big shock when we arrive in Ottawa Tuesday. I want Janet to be able to enjoy every minute she’s there.

Praying for a good night of sleep and a productive Saturday.

Janet, A Success Story. June 12. #TSJ Home for a holiday.

And so it begins. Janet is home for the next ten nights, five here then five in Ottawa, and she is very excited. It was a good day of transition for her as she did an express version of her gym routine this morning then went with the rest of the house to a park in Vernon for a picnic lunch. She has a little trouble in figuring out what to wear for outings like that and ended up over dressed for what was a warm day even though it looked cool.

The "ducky" weather is coming.

The “ducky” weather is coming.

Getting a head start on nap time.

Getting a head start on nap time.

We packed Janet up after a brief nap and drove to her doctor’s for one last round of power washing her ears. Our car went through a power wash on the way as we hit a massive thunderstorm with some of the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen. Janet was actually a little nervous about it but by the time we hit Kelowna proper it was like it hadn’t rained at all. That’s why we live here folks.

Janet was very brave at the doctor’s and her ears are now squeaky clean. My plan for her at home and on the trip to Ottawa is to do as much walking as possible and use the wheelchair only when necessary. That began nicely as soon as we got home. Janet walked in from the car to the bathroom then out to the kitchen where she chopped veggies on her own for dinner. She seems to be at a perfect height sitting in a real chair at the island for chopping and stirring. Janet did an awesome job tonight and rewarded herself with a glass of wine with dinner.

I thought if we went for an after dinner walk we might see some of the neighbours but our after dinner is closer to a lot of folk’s bedtime around here so no one was out. It was nice to get some air before watching So You Think You Can Dance. Janet made some really intelligent remarks during the show and overall is showing more improvement in the memory and awareness department. Her walking tonight was solid and she did all of her nighttime stuff in the bathroom unassisted, with no wheelchair.

Praying for a great night of sleep and a productive Friday.