wine

The Team Save Janet Report is Out! #TSJ #smackdab #sunshine #okanagan

Today was another glorious summer day in the Okanagan and Janet was able to enjoy it to the fullest. Annette brought lunch for her and Janet to Connect and they enjoyed eating that outside before going for a little walk around the neighborhood. As instructed Janet went for a nap around two and when I arrived in her room at 3:30 she woke up briefly, asked if I wanted her to get up, then went right back to sleep when I said no. It was 4:15 before she opened her eyes and it took a little while for the cobwebs to clear. As soon as they did, we had a great evening.

Annette had offered to take us out for dinner and with such beautiful weather we couldn’t think of a better place than Smack Dab. We were not disappointed as we got a table outside, right on the lake with good wine, good food and good conversation. A very nice evening and Janet ate and drank everything put in front of her.

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I think she paid the price for eating a big meal as when she was in the Standing Frame tonight she complained of a side ache. Her complaint was consistent enough that I shortened her session by ten minutes and she was fine after being able to sit in her chair for a bit. We got back kinda late so the Standing Frame was all she did tonight and she promised to work hard tomorrow.

Plans for the move are starting to come together and today I found somewhere to stay that’s really close to Janet while I’m homeless. I can’t take the dog though so if anyone is willing to own Nash for five days or so let me know, otherwise I’ve no problem putting him in the kennel. He’s well looked after there.

Jess mentioned to me today that she’s having a bit of a challenge with Janet on Tuesdays in that she’s often pretty tired. It could be from getting back to Connect late Monday nights so I’m going to try bringing her back for dinner for the next two weekends and see how that goes. I’ve noticed her strength is not the same Mondays or Tuesdays so I believe we need to change the routine a little so Janet can take full advantage of her time at Connect.

Janet had a good couple of days with Annette around and we wish her a safe trip back to Vancouver tomorrow. Praying for a day of significant progress tomorrow.

The Team Save Janet Report is Out. #TSJ # Nanaimo # blueberries #roadtrip

Day two of our Nanaimo blueberry roadtrip began after a decent nights’ sleep despite the never ending squawking of seagulls. Janet was nice and bright and looking forward to the day.

The blueberry farm is south of Nanaimo in an area called Yellowpoint and is home to some of the oldest blueberry bushes in the province. We arrived around 10:30 and got right to work. Our family friends, Wendy, Tove and Neils Nielsen were recruited by my mom to help us out. Good thing too, as by noon we (they) had picked 47.5 pounds of blueberries!

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Janet did a great job picking, getting nearly a bucketful in the time we were there.

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She had a little trouble in the quality control department and surprisingly I had to remind her occasionally she was allowed to eat a few as she picked. Overall I think it was a great experience for Janet as no one was watching over her shoulder while she did something. She was on her own with me checking for quality and quantity once in a while.

The group decided to go for lunch at Cherry Point Estate Wines, a winery in Cobble Hill. It was well worth the drive as we enjoyed a nice meal, conversation and sunshine together. Can’t say I’d recommend the wine we had with lunch (Pinot Gris) but their Sparkling Rose was quite good. The food was good and very nicely presented. This was Janet’s salad and yes the flower is edible.

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After being out in the sun most of the day, Janet welcomed a little rest time when we got back to mom’s. that recharged her for a long walk around the neighborhood where we saw up close, two young eagles and two bunny rabbits along with lots of very expensive motor yachts from the USA. Janet and I tried to convince mom to go for dinner on the docks where we’ve heard the fish tacos are amazing but seniority ruled and we enjoyed a nice home cooked meal. My cousin Brent and his partner Kaj dropped in for a visit all the way from Port Alberni. Super nice to see them and we were reminded of how good the Alberni crew is. Hope to see the rest of you soon.

Tomorrow is sail away day and the drive back to Kelowna to start freezing blueberries. Praying for a solid rest tonight and a safe, enjoyable journey home.

Sister Act. Fun times with Ontario peeps. #TSJ

This was pretty much a fun filled week for Janet as her sister Leslie and her husband Gavin were here for most of it and the weather finally kicked into summer mode.

Thursday started off slow as Janet seemed rather tired in the morning but her energy increased as the day wore on. Jess reported that Janet made it through her parallel bars workout but was nodding off by eleven. Mary Lou gave a similar report saying Speech was pretty much a none starter. I couldn’t really think of why Janet would be so tired. She says she isn’t sleeping well at night but there’s no accurate way to measure that. I considered making a quick doctor’s appointment for her but her doctor is on vacation until July 9th and I didn’t see any point in going to the substitute. By the time we were on our way downtown for an appointment Janet was starting to perk up and by the time we got home she was fairly bright. We went for a nice long walk while Leslie and Gavin made dinner which we enjoyed very much, including a glass of wine, something Janet hasn’t had much of lately. Her conversation skills were good and she was even cooperative about going back to Connect. There was a meltdown in the car on the way out there as she expressed her disbelief in the fact she is doing really well. She was quite emotional but got it together by the time we arrived and managed a half hour in the Standing Frame. That was all I was going to ask for as it had been a busy day. I still haven’t learned to stop nagging her about water and that night Janet actually swore at me about it. I’ll take it as a positive expression of her feelings although at the time I told her she was being quite rude which of course brought the tears. Janet ended the night with a spectacular pole transfer to her bed ninety percent unassisted.

Friday started out a little better than Thursday and Janet was waiting for me in the living room knowing she was going home for the weekend and Leslie and Gavin were there. The big event of the day was wine touring to the four wineries in our neighborhood, Tantalus, Summerhill, St. Hubertus, and CedarCreek. Everyone had a great time and Janet hung in there very well drinking water in between each stop with only a gentle reminder. We all loved the wines at Tantalus,

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thought Summerhill was delightfully tacky,

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learned from our friend Dominic the wine maker at St. Hubertus,

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and agreed CedarCreek is gorgeous.

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Dinner was a massive amount of sushi enjoyed outside until around nine when Janet started getting a little cold. That’s what hot tubs are for and just before eleven I said goodnight to a tuckered out Janet.

I don’t know if it was the wine, sushi or the relaxing hot tub but Janet woke up Saturday morning in one of the brightest moods yet. I’ve never heard her laugh so hard and loud as she did while telling Leslie the story of when Heather accidentally ate a huge glob of wasabi. You could hardly understand a word she was saying but every once in a while a key word would pop through and you could follow the gist of the story. But the story didn’t matter as it was pure joy watching Janet laugh so much. The laughter continued as we hauled out some old dresses Janet had from her grandmother and Leslie tried them on for fun. I have to say they weren’t as hideous as I thought they were going to be. We got out for a nice walk before lunch then it was time for a swim. Or so I thought. Apparently twenty nine degree water is too cold for sensitive little Janet so back to the hot tub we went as we spent a nice afternoon on the deck. This was Leslie and Gavin’s last night in Kelowna so we planned a dinner out at a new restaurant called Smack Dab. In the process of getting ready I left Janet on the toilet while I fed the dog. A few minutes later I heard a cry come from the bathroom so I ran back to find Janet in tears on the edge of the seat telling me “I want to get up and put my makeup on myself”. Wow, where did that come from? No one had mentioned make up to her that I heard so I was really impressed with that statement and how she thought she could get up and do that on her own. One day. Dinner outside by the lake was yummy and a terrific way to start the farewell proceedings for Leslie and Gavin.

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Dessert in the hot tub at home was a fun way to end the day.

Leslie and Gavin had to leave us at eight AM Sunday and Janet woke up at 7:30 but was too tired to get up, so the goodbyes took place bedside, which limited the tears, thank goodness. It was fun having some Ontario peeps around for the week and Janet benefitted immensely from all the social activity. The first part of Sunday was pretty quiet. We made it to church but Janet was kinda sleepy and had a good nap when we got home. The pool was a little warmer as was the air temperature so Janet got some good swimming in, doing the best kicking she’s done yet. The house got super hot by dinner time so we headed downstairs for the evening and watched So You Think You Can Dance. A pretty good recovery day for Janet.

Monday was all systems go in the morning as Janet woke very chatty and bright. She had a good Skype chat with Laurel before the first swimming session of the day. Thirty one degree water apparently is still a little cold but Janet tolerated it and swam her first full length of our pool on her tummy complete with full freestyle motion of her left arm. Impressive. Our good neighbors Barb and Gary joined us for a glass of wine that afternoon and Janet started to tire noticeably then. Nice to share Canada Day with good people though.

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Janet and I went for a nice long walk to shake the cobwebs out of her and it seemed to work. When we got back I had her try and transfer into and out of her Pontiac Vibe and she did so almost effortlessly. I managed to get the wheelchair into the back without folding any seats down and so decided to go for a spin to make sure Janet is comfortable in that car. It’s been parked since last September and I when I told Janet we were going for a ride she said “isn’t that illegal?” I was shocked she came up with that and asked her how she knew and her reply was simply “I just knew”. Indeed. It now makes total sense to use the Vibe since Janet can transfer into and out of it with only a little help from me and its more economical to run as well so the switch will be made. Our second swim session of the day was a chance to cool down if nothing else but Janet did some good kicking and loved me helping her “jump” up and down in the water. Big smiles.

Connect had some staffing shortages Tuesday so Janet was unable to do much of anything the first part of the day and complained of boredom when I arrived early in the afternoon. She did have Singing with John which she acknowledged was fun. She must’ve been bored though as she agreed to go to the gym with me and did a solid job on The Shuttle. With lots of time before dinner we set out on a very hot but interesting walk to a wildlife sanctuary down the road from Connect. Most of the wildlife was hiding from the heat but we could see the potential for some cool sightings in cooler seasons. Janet did a great job chopping up some chicken for a stir fry when we got back but then got a little negative as we practiced writing her signature for a while. She wasn’t doing very well so decided to go with the “I don’t care” and “it doesn’t matter” lines that make me mad. Garrett saved the day by taking her to the gym for a full workout that he reported was very good. Janet was in a much better mood after the exercise and wanted to go for a walk. We played I Spy along the way and she did reasonably well getting a satellite dish for something round and the sun for something setting.

Jess reported Janet had a very busy morning today with an hour and a half in the gym doing every type of exercise she knows followed by Speech with Mary Lou who reports Janet has rebounded nicely from the sleepy times last week and continues to build her vocabulary. She was in bed when I arrived just before two but wide awake so I got her up and we went on a long walk in search of a Fresca. I got a good workout, Janet got some more sun on her and we both enjoyed the drink after the long search. I had Janet practice some handwriting before dinner and was pleased with her progress. Garrett and I took her to the gym after dinner for another good go at The Shuttle followed by a good stretch from Garrett. Another request for a walk resulted in another game of I Spy along with learning compass directions. Janet and I were both impressed by how friendly people in the neighborhood around Connect are. We got lots of hellos and waves tonight. Almost makes us consider living there. Almost.

Janet continues to make progress in all areas except toileting and I’m a little concerned that she is feeling bored at Connect. Her increased brightness has allowed her to go a number of days without a nap now and its only because of the nice weather that we’ve been able to get out and do something. I think we need to find more things for her to do during the day. Praying for continued healing, more control of her right leg and perseverance in doing the good things that aren’t so much fun.

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Glad i have a Kitchen Helper. Janet getting stronger. #TSJ

Even with house guests Janet managed a nice sleep in this morning. Katie and Sarah took off for Calgary at 8 o’clock Connah(Katie’s last name)time which is 8:25 to the rest of us. Janet and I wish them well on their adventure.

Our morning was relaxing and stress free with Janet eating a big breakfast, Skypeing with Heather and doing a little online house hunting with me. We even managed a pretty good stretching session. During which we talked about how we could get her in and out of the pool and hot tub and I made a brief attempt at carrying Janet from her wheelchair down to the floor of our bedroom and quickly saw that there is no way I’m doing that because even if I got her down I’m not convinced I could get her back up. We read in Slow Dance where the lady was sliding out of her chair and landing on the floor butt first. Janet is not there yet and even if she was the getting back up part is still there. I’m open to suggestions y’all.

After polishing off a hamburger for lunch Janet fought me a little about going for a nap despite the fact she was falling asleep in her wheelchair. For the first time ever that I can remember Janet verbally threatened me. She said, “this will cost you a lot of money” as I was laying her down on the bed. She explained that if I loved her I would let her stay up. I got mad at her for the threat then laid beside for literally two minutes until she was sound asleep. Janet uttered another negative comment during the chat with Heather expressing her lack of confidence in her ability to stand. That one was familiar to former Janet and it could be that she is becoming more understanding of her situation. We got to keep focusing on the positives.

I woke Janet up a couple hours later and she was refreshed and recharged enough to play with Nash, drink half a glass of water then help me make dinner. We decided on linguine and clam sauce and Janet was the biggest help to me in the kitchen to date. With minimal supervision she chopped an onion, opened cans of tomatoes and clams, poured those in the pan for me. Added all the spices to the sauce, chopped peppers, tore lettuce and very casually broke snap peas in half with her thumb. She was very happy with her contribution and to celebrate we enjoyed a 2008 CedarCreek Pinot Noir which also motivated her to drink her water.

During a bio break after dinner I was having a tough time getting Janet’s pants down as she had gotten a little sweaty sitting in the sun. With no prompting she let go of my shoulder and reached down to push the left side of her pants over her hips. High five! That was a huge help and as she played it down I reinforced it as proof the visits to the gym and the stretching are paying off as she could not have done that if her legs weren’t so strong. At bedtime she did it again but in reverse as she helped pull her pants up. Very cool.

As we watched The Voice tonight Janet lounged in her wheelchair which gave a good stretch on her legs while she ate ice cream. Today was not an active day physically but I think Janet’s brain got a decent work out as did her fine motor skills. Praying for lots of rest tonight and a bright day tomorrow.

Anniversary. We celebrate ten years together. #TSJ

April 19, 2003. Lynn Valley United Church

April 19, 2003. Lynn Valley United Church


Today I am happy to say is the tenth anniversary of Janet and I being married. At our age, ten is not a huge number for married years but boy has a lot happened over that time. All seven of “our” kids are “grown up” and are out on their own, we moved to Kelowna and have been through career changes and life changes and have developed a network of friends and supporters unlike anything either of us has ever had. I am blessed to be married to Janet and we are blessed with family and friends that we love dearly.

The day together got off to a bit of a rough start as I delayed my arrival so that Janet could do her routine things, including a nap and be rested and ready for our dinner date tonight leading into the weekend at home. Janet was in bed when I got to Connect but wasn’t sleeping and after the surprise of seeing me wore off she started crying as she had been waiting for me all afternoon. I told her last night I’d see her towards the end of her nap and we would get ready to go out to dinner. She remembered the going out for dinner part well as she refused lunch but forgot about the arriving after nap time part. It’s nice to be wanted but that wasn’t the way I wanted to start the weekend. After lots of talking while laying down with her she fell asleep for an hour and awoke refreshed and determined to go out. I had brought some fancier clothes to try on her for dining out but the pants that barely fit her a month ago no longer do so back to the usual pants we went with a slightly dressier shirt than normal.

Dinner was at Bouchons, a French bistro in downtown Kelowna. I had showed Janet the menus from there and one other restaurant that we both really like and she chose Bouchons and a great choice it was. Very good service, beautifully presented and prepared food, a good wine list and a really cute room that is bright and lively without being loud. Janet really enjoyed her dinner, even commenting on it later on her own, something that never happens. I’m sure it was the food but it could have been the wine too. Janet actually had two glasses tonight as the baked pear tartlet she started with commanded a lovely Sauternes to accompany it. A great start and it was pretty funny watching her drink the Sauternes and a glass of Viognier during the main course. Just before the mains arrived I presented Janet with an anniversary ring. Something I would not have gotten away with prior to the aneurysm. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she knew how to put it on and on the correct finger too. There is a video of the presentation on Keek.

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Janet chose ice cream at home for dessert in typical Janet style and we enjoyed that while I showed her our wedding pictures from ten years ago. There were lots of laughs, a few surprises and some memories kicking in as we scrolled through them all. We both have to laugh at the fact there isn’t one photo of just the two of us on that day. Silly us.

Janet went to bed, full and happy and looking forward to a relaxing day tomorrow.

The intent of this blog has never been to shine a light on myself at all and I don’t want you to read this next story in that way. I include it so that we all may remember the power of words and the importance of taking action.

As Janet and I were leaving Bouchons we spent a few minutes having the hostess take our picture and after that we went outside so I had room to put Janet’s coat on. While doing that a gentleman who had been at the table next to us came out of the restaurant saying he wanted to thank me. My first response to him was “for what?” but I knew by the look on his face what he was going to say next. He went on to praise me for my care and love of Janet and how inspired he was to see us together. I’m never sure how to respond to compliments like that so I reiterated by commitment to Janet and thanked him. I truly thank him for leaving his table, coming outside to shake my hand and “thank me”. Kind words delivered that way have enormous power. Janet almost cried after he left saying “that was really nice” and I am touched thinking about it now. Something prompted him to take the risk and come out and talk to us and by obeying that prompt he made two people very happy. It has been my prayer since very early on in this journey that Janet’s situation be used to inspire others. That prayer has been answered many times and I pray it is many more. If you get a chance to say a kind word to someone, anyone, do it.

Thanking God for everything.

Just Hanging Out. A nice sunny Saturday. #TSJ

Janet and I awoke to the sun streaming into the bedroom and just after Nash barked needlessly at some dog a block away. It was still nice to see the sun and the smile on Janet’s face as she is not as bothered by the dog as I am. She ordered bacon and eggs for breakfast and started with a bowl of yogurt and fresh strawberries and even drank her water without fussing. Without definite plans for the morning the choice was hers as to what we would do. A walk was tempting but it was too cold outside despite it looking like summer. Janet somehow remembered me mentioning cleaning out the rest of her closet and that’s what she chose to do. To make it more fun I hauled things out to the family room where we could enjoy the sun and have the basketball games on in the background. Janet made some good decisions and laughed at a few of the clothes we found. Lots went into donation bags and the last step we have is to try on pants and such to see if they fit her still. Most women seem to have shoe collections, Janet is definitely a shirt person, we even found some with the tags still on them.

At lunch Janet ate the neatest and cleanest I’ve seen yet. I had to help her with he last bit of soup only and I don’t think she dropped more than one crumb of her sandwich. Impressive. All day she did very well in the toileting department, and just before finishing her session before nap time she totally broke down. It was the fastest crash I’ve seen from her and I had to console her like a baby once she was in bed. Within ten minutes she was asleep and woke up almost two hours later bright and ready to go.

My former boss, Gordon, from CedarCreek, popped by for a glass of wine and a little visit and although Janet didn’t really know him well she enjoyed the chat. It could’ve been the 2011 Platinum Viognier we opened but I think it was just nice to sit in the sun and talk to another adult.

Dinner was kept simple tonight so we could watch basketball. Janet did a good job chopping onion and tried really hard to grate cheese but doesn’t seem able or to want to push down hard on things. She’s got the strength to do it just not the technique. Something to work on. My favorite basketball team lost their game tonight so I was sad but a nice ice cream dessert with Janet fixed that and I tucked her into bed shortly before ten after a pretty good day of just hanging out at home.

Praying for rest and healing, especially for the spasticity in her legs to go away.

Energizer Janet. Party all night long? # TSJ

When I arrived at Connect early this afternoon Janet was working on a bowl of chili for lunch. I had to help her speed up the process a little as we had an appointment downtown and I wanted to stop at the lab first for her Dilantin test. While she was slurping away, Karl’s puppy, Charlie, came to the table for a visit. I picked him up so Janet could pet him and I’ve not seen such a happy face on her for a while. She had a huge smile while Charlie kissed her and ate the bits of spilled chili off of her shirt saver. Apparently they have developed quite a relationship as a couple days ago Janet was sleeping in her comfy living room chair and Charlie was sleeping on her lap. Karl says he’s pretty hyper with everyone but Janet, he loves snuggling with her.

Our afternoon appointments went well and we even had time for a nice walk through City Park before going home. Janet didn’t remember being there before until we got right out to the lake where you can see the bridge. That was familiar to her. It was a beautiful day here and I’m glad we got out to enjoy some of it because when we got home it was nap time.

Janet didn’t resist the nap at all today and would have had a great one if she wasn’t woken up twice by Nash barking stupidly. I wasn’t sure how long she’d last tonight based on the sporadic sleep but it didn’t seem to phase her at all. In fact she set a record for staying up tonight and was very much engaged the whole evening.

Wayne and Brenda had invited us for dinner with Joel and Kiko and Ramona and Felis. I was confident Janet would enjoy the company but had no idea she would do as well as she did. She was smiling pretty much the whole time we were there and laughed loudly a few times and engaged in conversation a couple times too. She ate well and hardly spilled anything, she drank water, wine and coffee and gobbled up a delicious dessert. Brenda had kindly agreed to start the evening early for Janet’s benefit so we were all there by 6:30. I thought Janet would be good till maybe nine or so, it was 10:35 when we got in the car and we’d only done that because I didn’t bring her Dilantin thinking we wouldn’t be out that late. Janet was very chatty during the drive home, was in no hurry to go to sleep once we got there and in fact didn’t start snoring until about 12:30 which is why this post is so late. It was a really fun night with everyone and especially fun watching Janet enjoy herself so much.

Praying for a restful night of healing and a fun day tomorrow.

Tubeless #TSJ

Just finishing her morning routine as I arrived Janet was all smiles but her eyes showed a little apprehension as well. There was no time to spare as we headed for her doctor’s office and the much anticipated peg tube removal. Janet held it together quite nicely right up until her name was called. She calmed down as soon as we got into the room and was totally fine when her doctor came in. I wasn’t though as despite a conversation with Janet’s GI I could tell her doctor had no idea of what she was about to do. Before leaving Connect, Jess had applied a topical anisthetic around the peg site and the doctor was pleased with that work. I asked if she’d spoken to the GI and she said yes and that he repeated, “just pull it out”. And so it began. What should have taken thirty seconds took more than thirty minutes including a call to the GI for further instructions which came back as “pull harder”. Janet was very calm and patient during all of this but when the tube finally came out she burst into tears. Can’t blame her as the suddenness with which the thing loudly popped out surprised us all. In the end it was a good learning experience for us all and even if the doctor had done it a hundred times before there was no other way to do it than pull harder. Now the healing process begins with the hole apparently sealing over within a matter of hours and the wound needing care for a little over a week maybe.

This is me flushing her tube for the last time.

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Before the doctor left I made sure to ask two questions. One was about Janet traveling. Can she? If not, what has to happen before she can? The doctor’s answer was as long as Janet is strong enough to last the time it takes to go somewhere, do it. She recommended some short drives before attempting a flight anywhere and said there is nothing stopping Janet from going anywhere other than her stamina. I think I feel a sushi run to the coast coming on. My other question was about alcohol. I received a shocking yes to this one as well. No harm in having a glass of wine with dinner once in a while. Janet was smiling big as her doctor said this. Never thought I’d get that response ever. Yay!

Janet was absolutely fine within minutes of the extrication and we were on our way home for lunch. She had a well deserved relaxing time before we went house hunting this afternoon. We were visiting a new condo building that I was quite hopeful for but the floor plans are just too tight for someone in a wheelchair. Since we were in the area and needed a nice white wine for dinner we stopped at Discover Wines and thanks to Kris, a former CedarCreeker, we went home with a nice Desert Hills Viognier.

It was kind of late but I tricked Janet into a rest time anyways and as she was laying down she said “I’m pooped” and slept for well over an hour. She would have slept more if she hadn’t been woken up by the dog barking because some other dog was barking. She still loves him though.

Dinner was made even nicer by being able to enjoy the Viognier. It was a nice pairing with our Basa Thermidor.

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Desert was a scrumptious heart shaped macaron for two from Sandrine French Pastry and Chocolate. Thanks Sandrine! The only down side to the day was it was too short. Back at Connect Bob changed the dressing on Janet’s former peg site and coached me on how to look after it this weekend. Janet was happy the day was over and is looking forward to a more relaxing weekend.

Praying for a restful night and a strong day of rehab tomorrow. Thanking Jesus for the progress Janet has made and for all the people that have helped get her here.

Wedding Day #TSJ

A beautiful and busy day today. It all started earlier than anticipated as Janet woke up around 7:30. Thankfully she wasn’t in a hurry to get up so we were able to linger in bed for a bit before starting the day. After breakfast we got a quick Skype call in to Heather then Courtney dropped by for a visit. It was nice to get caught up with her a little bit and she cut and painted Janet’s nails in preparation for the wedding. Getting Janet dressed for the wedding was harder and took longer than anticipated but we made it right on time and naturally the bride was late so all was well anyways.

The more Janet and I go out around Kelowna the more a whole new world is opening up to me and I must say I’m not impressed. Prior to Janet being sick I was always aware of accessibility issues and certainly noticed ramps and special doors wherever we went but never looked closely enough to see how effective or well maintained those features were. Last night at the little Italian bistro in Lake Country I had to carry Janet up some stairs to get into the place as their wheelchair ramp was partially blocked by snow and only goes to a part of the restaurant we were not going to. The church where today’s wedding was held has a wheelchair ramp that was locked in different places by two by fours padlocked shut. According to the church it’s because of “skateboarders and idiots”. A gentleman unlocked one of the boards for us so we could get to the front door and with help from friends I carried Janet up the seven steps INSIDE the church so we could get to our seats. On the flip side, because of the wheelchair we were able to sit in a spot that afforded us a great view of the ceremony.

It was a beautiful wedding, very heartfelt and genuine, such a pleasure and an inspiration to witness it. There were some especially meaningful moments that reminded me how deep the commitment of marriage is. Janet and I wish Jon and Lisa a life of ever increasing love.

We had a couple of hours to rest before the reception so after a late lunch I offered Janet the chance to nap and for once she thought that would be a good idea. She had a good thirty minute power nap leaving ample time to get to the reception which was conveniently at a restaurant in our neighborhood. No stairs to negotiate at this place and a nice seat ready and waiting for Janet with lots of help from the staff got the evening off to a nice start.

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Janet enjoyed being in the lively atmosphere and despite it being a little challenging to talk had a really good time tonight. She ate well, made friends with a little preschool aged girl seated a table away from us, smiled big and greeted all those that came over to say hi. The food was outstanding and the speeches quite tolerable with Jon starting his off with “this is all new to me”. Classic. Janet’s only meltdown of the day came when she saw wine being served at every table and she said ” I’d really like some wine”. I couldn’t say yes and she cried a little. Thankfully there were lots of distractions and I was able to shift her focus.

Nine o’clock arrived and Janet suggested we get ready to go home. Pretty impressive endurance demonstrated by her today. I fully expected her to crash when we got home but it wasn’t until after eleven that she finally fell asleep after a few more candies from the candy bar at the wedding.

Praying for rest and healing tonight and a relaxing Superbowl Sunday.

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Jumping the Gun #TSJ

I had an early start to the day today as I met with Janet’s GP this morning. She wanted to follow up on Janet’s seizures and increase the medication for that slightly. In my opinion Janet has rebounded very well from that day and is gaining cognitively quite well. Her doctor is confident in using Dilatin for Janet and has not experienced any real difficulties with that drug. She confirmed that she will remove the peg tube on Valentine’s Day and will talk to Janet’s GI before doing so just to make sure she does it right as this will be her first. Since Janet is eating real food now and trying to swallow her pills whole I asked if we could dump the horse pill sized multi vitamin she gets and the doc agreed. So once I check with Connie and she approves there will be no more crushing of meds for Janet. Yay! I enjoyed the chat with her doctor this morning and appreciated her calling me in to follow up on things. We will continue doing so rather than dragging Janet in when not necessary.

After doing some investigating on the condo we are looking into buying I made my way out to Connect. Janet was sitting on the couch in the living room with a big smile on her face watching TV. She seemed quite proud of herself for doing so and was in a great mood. She described her day so far as good and tried really hard to tell me she had pushed her pendant alarm for help in going to the bathroom. Garrett confirmed that she had done just that both for needing to go and when she was finished. High five! They had a reasonable workout in the gym and Garrett said he was pleased with the way her legs stretched out.

Janet and I made our way downtown for a meeting with a lawyer regarding Power of Attorney and when we informed the receptionist we were there I could see someone elses’ name in our time slot. Sure enough two minutes later that person came in. I quickly checked my calendar then the email I got from the lawyers office. Turns out my calendar app had synced a reminder from a calendar I no longer use and it appeared as an event for today when the actual meeting is tomorrow. Silly me. We used the extra time to do a little drive around downtown since we were there thinking we might see a building that looked interesting to live in. Knowing that there are few condos the size we want and most are in the complex we already looked at and didn’t like, the drive around confirmed that Invue has a lot going for it. I will take Janet there one more time before making a decision to try and buy there or not.

At home and after she played with Nash, Janet and I enjoyed a cup of tea together. Can’t remember the last time we did that. We read a letter from some family friends of Janet’s in Ontario and prepared some cards for our World Vision kids. I also showed Janet some pictures of her new found old friend Karen. Janet definitely remembers her but doesn’t recognize her yet. She gobbled down a bowl of fruit and yogurt after complaining she was hungry then I could see her getting pretty tired. It was late in the day and she had not had anything close to a rest time so I got her into bed as she complained “why are you putting me here?” Fifteen minutes later she was snoring.

I got Janet up just before Kiko and Joel arrived with a boat load of sushi for dinner. Janet had regained some energy and an appetite eating probably more sushi than she would have before getting sick. I poured some wine for Kiko and I and Janet almost immediately asked for some. I was very tempted to let her but have been told alcohol is a big no no for ABI patients. I promised her I would talk to her doctor next time we see her and also Dr. Miller. I’m sure they will say no but maybe its a soft no and a little sip here and there won’t hurt her any. I hope so as it would be really nice to enjoy some wine with Janet again. Much more fun than tea.

Janet was tucked into bed at Connect pretty late tonight, full of sushi and ice cream. Before we left the house she asked me why we were spending all that money keeping her “there” and why couldn’t she stay “here”. She got quite upset about it all but resigned herself to the situation after agreeing that working with Brian, Tez, Mary Lou and all the others was best for her right now. She asked why she only did that “in little bits”. I reminded her how tired she gets if she works out too long or plays a game too long and she totally agreed and was fine after that. Janet continues to move into a higher state of awareness and has a greater ability to express her feelings than ever before.

Today was a busy and good day for Janet. Thanks again Joel and Kiko for your friendship and food. You made our evening very enjoyable. Praying for a night of rest and healing and a productive day tomorrow.