Living on the farm we had a lot of chores to do as there more than one or two persons could handle. I know that quite a few of you lived in either the city or in a town or village and perhaps didn't have a whole lot of chores.
One such chore that fell on my shoulders was cleaning out the chicken house. Every Saturday I had to clean that pesky old chicken house or the hen house as my mother used to call it. The chickens cackled and fluttered and made a wild dash for the outdoors. Our chickens were what they would now a days call free range chickens. Well in those younger years of mine, it was only natural that chickens be outside, feeding themselves with what ever they could find. At night we chased them all inside to keep them from any predators that might be slinking around. It was done so often, those chickens knew what to do and where to go. Brown eggs were a norm on the farm. Dark egg yokes were frequent and when that happened, we knew the hen had been outside eating the grass.
Chickens are cannibals, they will eat anything, their just like goats in a way, if they can eat it they will. Chickens will eat other chickens if left to their own devices. Mom and Dad used to buy a lot of oyster shells for them to keep the egg shells hard, if the shells were soft, it simply meant the chickens were not getting enough calcium.
During the day chicken hawks, (as we used to call them) frequented the barn yard. Quite often when we went out to the barn yard, there would be a hawk or two flying around. Every once in a while, as I was cleaning that stinky old hen house, one would try and enter into the building, pesky things they were.
Chicken manure is worse than cow or pig as far as I am concerned. The ammonia is much stronger and besides that, there were little tiny red mites that you had to be careful of. It seemed that these mites were quite common with chickens. Mom or Dad would spray the chicken house every once in a while to kill those mites. Scrape, shovel and load on the wheel barrow, carry it over to where ever it was that I was suppose to take it, sometimes there were six or seven loads to take. Not an easy job. Today it would poop me out with the shovelling, never mind pushing the wheelbarrow.
There were roosters among those chickens, and I loved to tease them. Along with the roosters, there were ganders, drakes and goats. With time on our hands, mine in particular, I would try and imitate these creatures. I actually didn't do to bad in that area as those poor creatures used to chase me around the farm yard when I did it. Every so often though they would get the best of me. In that event, up onto the top of what was called the tractor shed I would scramble out of there angry clutches. My mother had to rescue me a number of times from up there. If she only knew why I was up there in the first place she would have probably told me to stay up there as it was my own fault and figure out how to get down or give me a "talking to" as she would have put it.
Now that billy goat was another matter, he didn't like me milking the nanny goat and I didn't like milking her either. Have you ever tried to milk a nanny goat? You had to milk her from her rear, not from the side. It was actually real funny to watch mother milk her Mother usually did the milking as that old goat never bothered her. (You had to know my mother) It got where Mother had to milk the nanny because when that old billy goat saw any of us kids try to milk her he got quite upset, which is where we landed trying to get away from him. I don't even remember why we had goats in the first place.
I loved teasing the chickens, I would softly cluck at them when picking the eggs and those hens would answer back.
There was a trick to gathering eggs, you had to move slow, be gentle and talk quietly. Hens don't like noise or sudden movements. You slid your hand underneath the chicken from behind to get the eggs. If you did it from any other direction or did it fast she became quite upset. If the chicken started clucking, (her clucking was different from normal tones ) you knew she was sitting on a clutch of eggs getting ready to hatch them. She was then called a brooder. hatching her own eggs. Once in a while you saw that old rooster strutting his stuff and you knew a poor hen would be getting hit on. That hen usually became a brooder.
Now as I mentioned there were other creatures on the farm and that old gander really didn't like me at all. He took quite an offence with me trying to imitate him. So between the rooster, the goat and the gander, guess where I was quite a bit of the time. Yup, on the tractor shed roof. Let me tell you a bite from the gander hurts worse than a peck from the rooster.
We all learned how to make our chores fun and we would make games up to see who could finish first or make other games of the chores. I think back to those days and at times, wish I had the freedom I had then. I can certainly attest to that fact, even though I complained, bitterly at times, of the chores that we kids had to do. Really, in the long run, it didn't hurt us one bit. It taught us responsibility.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Past
The family had Thanksgiving on Sunday this year over at my son's place. It was hard for me being there, as I sure missed Ron at this occasion. This brings back some memories about long ago. 64 years in fact. Even before I was married.
The family was talking about when they first started school as there were some little ones there and about how soon they would be starting school. In fact, a 4 year old is in nursery school. Well I never attended nursery school or even kindergarten but I did start school when I was 4 years old. Gowancroft school in 1946 was in danger of folding as there were not enough children to keep it open. Or it was thought that it couldn't be kept open. The solution was that I would start school at the tender age of 4, straight into grade one. How well I still remember that first day of school.
Front seat, side row, terrified out of my tree. The teacher kept looking at me and it took me a few years to understand that she didn't have a clue as to what she could teach me at that age. She ended up giving me pictures to colour and to cut out. I believe that's how I spent my first day at school. Sure learned at lot.
As time went on I learned to print and count numbers. Years past and I ended up doing grade 4 or grade 6, (it was one or the other) another year, in order to put me into the right "grade". But I never really did great in school. My spelling started out with 100% and each time I write an exam my grade slowly kept coming down. Art was another topic we did and the teacher told me my imagination was putting too much into the pictures I was drawing. I had to learn to do just what was wanted and no more. How I struggled with that.
School was hard for me, I struggled throughout my school years just to make a 50% grade. It sure was different in college though. I did much better then. I finished my grade ten (10) and then I went in for LPN. I did graduate but didn't pass the grade, so go figure out how I could graduate and not make it as an LPN. From there, I did a lot of being a waitress as well as worked in a private nursing home.
I met my husband while I was taking my training, but it was a good year later when I met him again and then we became engaged. One of the best decisions of my life. He was one of a kind. About twelve years or so after we were married, both of went and received our G.E.D.
Three children later, I returned to college and took secretarial and was offered a job in the Provincial Building. I have learned many skills during my life time. Let's start from the beginning.
1. Took the LPN training
2. Nursing home (private) in Killarney
3. Waitress in Killarney
4. Worked in the laundry in Winnipeg on the irons
5. Hostess for Champs or what is known as Kentucky Fried Chicken now a days on Maryland Ave.
6. Worked as waitress in Maryland Hotel, Westward Hotel, and the Village Inn.
7. Went to work at the Souris hotel restaurant and then in the bar (so I could have Sundays off to be with the family.)
8. Joined Toastmistress, (was also called International Training in Communication and is now known as Power Talk)
9. Learned leadership skills, speaking in public, and much more.
10. Wrote and took pictures for the Brandon Sun for both feature and news articles.
11. Wrote local column for local papers, Souris Plaindealer, Boissevain Recorder and at that time, the Deloraine Star.
12. Generations (an insert of the Brandon Sun)
13. Grain News, wrote feature stories and photographs.
14. Wrote and had published numerous poems taking second place in a couple of places.
15. Did a demo record with my song.
16. Spoke at numerous places
17. At ITC (International Training in Communication) club level, I held President, secretary, treasurer, Vice president and numerous committee chairs.
18. At Council level I also held President and Secretary positions and numerous committee chairs.
a) Speech Contest
b) Writing Contest
c) Accreditation Chair
d) Membership Chair
c) and more
19. Sat on the Village of Elgin Village Board
20. Resource Coordinator for a Senior Group
21. Sitting on the Assiniboine Regional Health Board District Advisory Committee (15 year member)
22. Sitting on the board for the local Economic Development Board.
23. Marriage Commissioner (performs weddings)
24. Telemarketer
25. Sales
26. Raised three children, one who is hearing impaired, grandmother of seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
27. Driven a school bus
28. Moderately proficient on the computer.
29. Volunteer for the Elgin and Area Lions
a) President, vice, secretary and committee chairs.
30. Zone chair for the 5m13 Lions of which Elgin club is a member.
31. Was with the Legion Ladies Auxiliary and held officer position.
32. Was zone chair for the Legion Ladies Auxiliary for 2 years as well as zone secretary for 2 years.
33. For hobbies I used to collect stamps, now it's lapel pins and buttons.
34. What kind I say after 68 years of living, of course there is more here than meets the eye.
Now I am retired and cleaning out the house, I certainly don't need all this stuff I have here around me. Time to clean it out. Anyone for yard sales or auctions?
The family was talking about when they first started school as there were some little ones there and about how soon they would be starting school. In fact, a 4 year old is in nursery school. Well I never attended nursery school or even kindergarten but I did start school when I was 4 years old. Gowancroft school in 1946 was in danger of folding as there were not enough children to keep it open. Or it was thought that it couldn't be kept open. The solution was that I would start school at the tender age of 4, straight into grade one. How well I still remember that first day of school.
Front seat, side row, terrified out of my tree. The teacher kept looking at me and it took me a few years to understand that she didn't have a clue as to what she could teach me at that age. She ended up giving me pictures to colour and to cut out. I believe that's how I spent my first day at school. Sure learned at lot.
As time went on I learned to print and count numbers. Years past and I ended up doing grade 4 or grade 6, (it was one or the other) another year, in order to put me into the right "grade". But I never really did great in school. My spelling started out with 100% and each time I write an exam my grade slowly kept coming down. Art was another topic we did and the teacher told me my imagination was putting too much into the pictures I was drawing. I had to learn to do just what was wanted and no more. How I struggled with that.
School was hard for me, I struggled throughout my school years just to make a 50% grade. It sure was different in college though. I did much better then. I finished my grade ten (10) and then I went in for LPN. I did graduate but didn't pass the grade, so go figure out how I could graduate and not make it as an LPN. From there, I did a lot of being a waitress as well as worked in a private nursing home.
I met my husband while I was taking my training, but it was a good year later when I met him again and then we became engaged. One of the best decisions of my life. He was one of a kind. About twelve years or so after we were married, both of went and received our G.E.D.
Three children later, I returned to college and took secretarial and was offered a job in the Provincial Building. I have learned many skills during my life time. Let's start from the beginning.
1. Took the LPN training
2. Nursing home (private) in Killarney
3. Waitress in Killarney
4. Worked in the laundry in Winnipeg on the irons
5. Hostess for Champs or what is known as Kentucky Fried Chicken now a days on Maryland Ave.
6. Worked as waitress in Maryland Hotel, Westward Hotel, and the Village Inn.
7. Went to work at the Souris hotel restaurant and then in the bar (so I could have Sundays off to be with the family.)
8. Joined Toastmistress, (was also called International Training in Communication and is now known as Power Talk)
9. Learned leadership skills, speaking in public, and much more.
10. Wrote and took pictures for the Brandon Sun for both feature and news articles.
11. Wrote local column for local papers, Souris Plaindealer, Boissevain Recorder and at that time, the Deloraine Star.
12. Generations (an insert of the Brandon Sun)
13. Grain News, wrote feature stories and photographs.
14. Wrote and had published numerous poems taking second place in a couple of places.
15. Did a demo record with my song.
16. Spoke at numerous places
17. At ITC (International Training in Communication) club level, I held President, secretary, treasurer, Vice president and numerous committee chairs.
18. At Council level I also held President and Secretary positions and numerous committee chairs.
a) Speech Contest
b) Writing Contest
c) Accreditation Chair
d) Membership Chair
c) and more
19. Sat on the Village of Elgin Village Board
20. Resource Coordinator for a Senior Group
21. Sitting on the Assiniboine Regional Health Board District Advisory Committee (15 year member)
22. Sitting on the board for the local Economic Development Board.
23. Marriage Commissioner (performs weddings)
24. Telemarketer
25. Sales
26. Raised three children, one who is hearing impaired, grandmother of seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
27. Driven a school bus
28. Moderately proficient on the computer.
29. Volunteer for the Elgin and Area Lions
a) President, vice, secretary and committee chairs.
30. Zone chair for the 5m13 Lions of which Elgin club is a member.
31. Was with the Legion Ladies Auxiliary and held officer position.
32. Was zone chair for the Legion Ladies Auxiliary for 2 years as well as zone secretary for 2 years.
33. For hobbies I used to collect stamps, now it's lapel pins and buttons.
34. What kind I say after 68 years of living, of course there is more here than meets the eye.
Now I am retired and cleaning out the house, I certainly don't need all this stuff I have here around me. Time to clean it out. Anyone for yard sales or auctions?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The Old Ice House
It was funny and yet it was serious, at least at the time it all happened. It concerned the old ice house with the big earthen pit and the huge bricks of ice that were occasionally put down in the hole to keep everything cool. We didn't have a fridge as of yet in the house and the put was used to keep the dairy products, meat and other perishable items from spoiling. In the summer time, we children used to use the building as a play area.
Mother and Father used to ship cream in cream cans and it was here that the cream as well as the eggs were kept until it was time to ship it all to the creamery and wherever it was the eggs went. Well, somehow or the other, the door of the building had been kept open or he had dug his way in into the pit below the building. I suppose the skunk fell into the pit and couldn't get back out, but there is was busy feasting on the food that was down there.
When my father went out to the ice house to get our morning supply of cream, milk and butter, a bellow erupted from the interior of the ice house. a lively and heated discussion took place as to who was to blame, but the fact still stood that the skunk was down in the ice house pit and we were out of our dairy products for breakfast and a few days after.
Dad decided the only was to get the animal out of the pit was to shoot it. I could never figure out why he just didn't trap it. My mother was quite adamant that he not shoot the creature as it ruin the put when he did. In the end and after a period of waiting to see if the slunk would vacate, Dad shot it.
It was weeks before the pit was cleared and his clothing were irretrievable. It was soon after this that a brand new refrigerator was sitting in the corner of the kitchen.
That's all for today. Enjoy.
Mother and Father used to ship cream in cream cans and it was here that the cream as well as the eggs were kept until it was time to ship it all to the creamery and wherever it was the eggs went. Well, somehow or the other, the door of the building had been kept open or he had dug his way in into the pit below the building. I suppose the skunk fell into the pit and couldn't get back out, but there is was busy feasting on the food that was down there.
When my father went out to the ice house to get our morning supply of cream, milk and butter, a bellow erupted from the interior of the ice house. a lively and heated discussion took place as to who was to blame, but the fact still stood that the skunk was down in the ice house pit and we were out of our dairy products for breakfast and a few days after.
Dad decided the only was to get the animal out of the pit was to shoot it. I could never figure out why he just didn't trap it. My mother was quite adamant that he not shoot the creature as it ruin the put when he did. In the end and after a period of waiting to see if the slunk would vacate, Dad shot it.
It was weeks before the pit was cleared and his clothing were irretrievable. It was soon after this that a brand new refrigerator was sitting in the corner of the kitchen.
That's all for today. Enjoy.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Going To Grandma and Grandpa's
Once a month the family would gather at my Grandparent's home in La Riviere Manitoba. We would all gather there and have lively gab fests and terrific meals.
Each family had to bring an item or two to eat, as these meals were pot luck within a certain limit. I remember my mother and her sisters and my grandmother, discussing what each would bring for the next meal. This way the burden of feeding over 20 people at one time did not fall on just one persons shoulder.
My older sister, Yvonne remembers far more than I do on these trips but I will mention what I remember. I will leave her memories to herself. The earliest one I really remember is the year in which my Grandfather died. I was 8 years old at the time, (I checked back on the family tree for this). I remember thinking how cold his hands were, as he was in bed and apparently he didn't last too much longer after this. My parents insisted that I say hello and goodbye to my grandfather. To this day, all I can really remember were his cold hands.
In July of 1950 when grandfather died, my mother was with grandmother helping to look after him. She was on her way home when the steering wheel shaft broke or came undone, don't know which now, and she landed in the ditch. She was not hurt, but had some bruises and scratches. Someone was following her to tell her that her dad had died. It was definitely not a good day for my Mother. A person couldn't drive very fast in those old cars. She was driving one that was much older than the 50's.
Thereafter, as I mentioned, once a month we descended on my grandmothers' house. As I grew older and into my teens, my cousin and I would walk the sidewalks hoping to find boys. Alas we found none.
One time we went there after a tornado had hit the area. It was awful, sheep were stuck up in trees that had been bent and broken. Animal parts hung on the barb wired fence and machinery was upside down, and buildings were tossed far away from where they should have been. We learned first hand as to what a tornado can do. Another time, we walked the railroad track into La Riviere because there was a flood. The only time I remember # 3 highway was every flooded. As I crossed over the railway track I became terrified as I watched the roiling and boiling water down below me through the cracks in the tracks. Almost lost my shoes if I remember right.
Thinking back, those days at my grandmothers, drew all of the family closer together more than at any one time. After she moved into another home, we never did gather together and began loosing touch with everyone. There were over 20 over us that gathered together, swapping gossip and exchanging ideas and recipes and other tid bits. The language spoken was mainly french with the woman as that was what they spoke more easily than English. The men spoke English, as there was a mixture of Flemish and french and English among them. Mom and Dad used to argue with each other about speaking their other language instead of English as Dad nor Mom could barely understand each other's language. Wish they had taught us their language as we were growing up.
Meals were eaten in shifts with the men usually eating first. The the children in the second shift and the men were then suppose to look after the kids while the women ate and cleaned up. I never in all the times we went ever saw one of the men help with the clean up. They never knew what they missed during those cleanups after a meal. Now at a gathering, we feed the kids first to get them from under our feet.
Food was sumptuous and plentiful. Warm creamy mashed potatoes, roast beef or roast pork was served, or maybe it was chicken or a ham. Once in a while there was turkey to feast on. Butter drenched vegetables, just out of the garden or home canned, warm fresh home made bread or buns that had been kept warm in layers of towels on the way down. Desserts to dream about, from puddings to pies or maybe cakes that melted in your mouth.
I will continue this at a later date, as I have to go and licence this car so I have one to drive. Take care everyone and I will finish this another time.
Each family had to bring an item or two to eat, as these meals were pot luck within a certain limit. I remember my mother and her sisters and my grandmother, discussing what each would bring for the next meal. This way the burden of feeding over 20 people at one time did not fall on just one persons shoulder.
My older sister, Yvonne remembers far more than I do on these trips but I will mention what I remember. I will leave her memories to herself. The earliest one I really remember is the year in which my Grandfather died. I was 8 years old at the time, (I checked back on the family tree for this). I remember thinking how cold his hands were, as he was in bed and apparently he didn't last too much longer after this. My parents insisted that I say hello and goodbye to my grandfather. To this day, all I can really remember were his cold hands.
In July of 1950 when grandfather died, my mother was with grandmother helping to look after him. She was on her way home when the steering wheel shaft broke or came undone, don't know which now, and she landed in the ditch. She was not hurt, but had some bruises and scratches. Someone was following her to tell her that her dad had died. It was definitely not a good day for my Mother. A person couldn't drive very fast in those old cars. She was driving one that was much older than the 50's.
Thereafter, as I mentioned, once a month we descended on my grandmothers' house. As I grew older and into my teens, my cousin and I would walk the sidewalks hoping to find boys. Alas we found none.
One time we went there after a tornado had hit the area. It was awful, sheep were stuck up in trees that had been bent and broken. Animal parts hung on the barb wired fence and machinery was upside down, and buildings were tossed far away from where they should have been. We learned first hand as to what a tornado can do. Another time, we walked the railroad track into La Riviere because there was a flood. The only time I remember # 3 highway was every flooded. As I crossed over the railway track I became terrified as I watched the roiling and boiling water down below me through the cracks in the tracks. Almost lost my shoes if I remember right.
Thinking back, those days at my grandmothers, drew all of the family closer together more than at any one time. After she moved into another home, we never did gather together and began loosing touch with everyone. There were over 20 over us that gathered together, swapping gossip and exchanging ideas and recipes and other tid bits. The language spoken was mainly french with the woman as that was what they spoke more easily than English. The men spoke English, as there was a mixture of Flemish and french and English among them. Mom and Dad used to argue with each other about speaking their other language instead of English as Dad nor Mom could barely understand each other's language. Wish they had taught us their language as we were growing up.
Meals were eaten in shifts with the men usually eating first. The the children in the second shift and the men were then suppose to look after the kids while the women ate and cleaned up. I never in all the times we went ever saw one of the men help with the clean up. They never knew what they missed during those cleanups after a meal. Now at a gathering, we feed the kids first to get them from under our feet.
Food was sumptuous and plentiful. Warm creamy mashed potatoes, roast beef or roast pork was served, or maybe it was chicken or a ham. Once in a while there was turkey to feast on. Butter drenched vegetables, just out of the garden or home canned, warm fresh home made bread or buns that had been kept warm in layers of towels on the way down. Desserts to dream about, from puddings to pies or maybe cakes that melted in your mouth.
I will continue this at a later date, as I have to go and licence this car so I have one to drive. Take care everyone and I will finish this another time.
It Takes a Awhile To Let Go
Over the past few years, I have watched my husband struggle with his health and for a time he was able to keep things under control. But it didn't last. On Sept 1, 2010 he died peacefully beside me in his sleep.
His Doctor called him a walking miracle as he had high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure and more. I watched him in the last six months go down hill and take more and more pain killers. We always thought it was for his hip which was giving him trouble. It wasn't.
Three months ago he recieved a kit for to check for colon cancer. He fulfilled the tests and sent them in. A reply came back that a colonoscopy was to be done. As a matter of fact, a scope was done from top and bottom. Blood had been found in his stools. Nothing was found when the tests were completed but Ron began to feel more and more ill. He found his appetite decreasing and he couldn't eat because he couldn't keep the food down. He began to throw up more and more. Within a short time, he decided he had better go and see his Doctor, who prescribed some antibiotics as the Dr. thought he had contacted an infection. Ron began to have severe problems with throwing up, one of the medications he was given compounded it with side effects of the medications which said that a side effect was to throw up.
After two days of this Ron quit taking the medications and went in to see a Dr. at a walk in clinic. This Dr. took the medication away. He prescribed something else. It didn't work either. Two days later he went to another walk in Dr.
The walk in clinic was full that day and there was a number of people ahead of us. Ron was really feeling sick by this time. After waiting for over an hour, I went up to the desk and asked the receptionist if there was any way she get Ron in faster as he was threatening to leave so he could go and lay down. She asked me to wait a moment and went in to see a nurse, who called Ron into the nursing station to take his blood pressure. It was not good, and she went into see the walk in Dr. right away. Within a short period of time the Dr. came and took Ron and I into his office.
He took one look at Ron and told him that he needed to go to the hospital immediately. He suspected it was his gall bladder. Why did I not see the colour of Ron's skin? It was almost an orange yellow. To me it was a very sallow grey until the Dr. pointed out the colour. Of course, now I could see it.
The Dr. proceeded to do up all of the paperwork needed to admit Ron into the hospital. All Ron had to do was to show up which he did.
Ron told me that he might not leave the hospital. I told him that yes he would. A number of years ago his father died in the hospital with liver cancer and Ron had always held the view that he also would not live to a ripe old age. How right he was.
They did test after test after test and all they could find was a 3-5cm stone that had ended up in his stomach and a ripped tube from his gall bladder. It was sending out toxins into Ron's system and causing untold devastation. While he had been having some severe bouts of throwing up, he had forced the stone out of his gallbladder. This stone was blocking the entrance from his stomach into his intestine and causing him to throw up more also.
The first night he was in the hospital, they almost or did lose him. His kidneys and his liver had shut down. He revived and they began a series of tests. They were reluctant to give him anesthetic to take out the gall bladder because of his heart condition. His heart was twice the size of a normal heart and probably also had fluid around the heart as well.
They used a laser to blast the stone to pieces and then went back in later to see if it had all be gone. It wasn't, but they were able to fish out the piece that remained. Ron had not been able to eat anything up to now, he couldn't keep it down, so he had been fed with an intravenous and a liquid diet.
With tubes running from him in every direction, he was being kept under close observation. Eventually a shunt was put in to help drain the toxins from his liver and a catheter was put in to help monitor his liquid input and output. His yellow colour was slowly decreasing but not fast enough and the Dr. became concerned about that.
Eventually the tubes were coming out and he could begin to eat normal meals. He was anticipating his coming home. The Dr. had a final MRI done, this time from another direction. This test was the last one to be done. On Friday night, The Dr. told Ron to call in the family. That in itself as devastating news as usually the only time that is done when the news is not good.
The news was not good, he was told he had liver cancer and it was not operable. He could try cancer treatment but the results were not guaranteed. The family gathered and we tried to prepare for the worse. We weren't prepared at all for the news. He had from three weeks to six months to live. I cried and still crying as I write this. Why did such a wonderful gentle man have to die so early at the age of 67. We were going to celebrate our 50th anniversary in two years.
They put in a shunt going from his liver to his lower intestine so the toxins would continue to drain in the hope that it might extend the time he had left. He was sent home.
His friends and family rallied around him to give him the support he needed. He was surprised and humbled at the extent they showed their caring. We spent what time we could to start going through all of the business of our lives to put everything in my name. We only succeeded in a few items. One of the things we did together was to get the phone put in my name. We both made the call together, and had everything set up to be switched over on Sept 1. All that had to be done was to "pull a switck" so to say.
On Wednesday morning about 6:10 I arose and went to the bathroom as that is usually the first thing I have to do. I wandered back to the bedroom and automatically looked at Ron to see if had a comfortable night. I realized with sadness that he had died in his sleep. As I cried, I checked his pulse and his temperature. I then asked a friend that had been staying with us to check also which she did.
We needed help, but to our horror, the phone was out, we had no phone until I was reminded that I had a cell phone. The RCMP were called and arrived along with the ambulance shortly after. I would not let the ambulance workers in as Ron did not want to be resusitated. I eventually let one in to check and make sure my assumptions were correct. They were.
Eventually, after the RCMP and the ambulance crew notified him, the undertaker arrived. It was not easy watching my husband being carried away in one of those black bags. It tore my heart to pieces. During all this time MTS still had not connected my phone. After giving them a blast or two they did get it connected. They couldn't find the information that had been previously given to them. I suppose they since have found it.
I'm tempted to sue them.
The RCMP and ambulance crew were terrific and wonderful to me. I could not have asked for better courtesy from anyone. I give them an A+.
Then followed the phone calls that had to be made. I am sure we missed some people and for those people, I asked forgiveness, you were not forgotten, just missed.
Over 150 people attended his graveside funeral. It was unbelieveable. To date cards are still coming in.
I feel humbled and grateful for the condolences and thoughts of comfort arriving daily.
His Doctor called him a walking miracle as he had high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure and more. I watched him in the last six months go down hill and take more and more pain killers. We always thought it was for his hip which was giving him trouble. It wasn't.
Three months ago he recieved a kit for to check for colon cancer. He fulfilled the tests and sent them in. A reply came back that a colonoscopy was to be done. As a matter of fact, a scope was done from top and bottom. Blood had been found in his stools. Nothing was found when the tests were completed but Ron began to feel more and more ill. He found his appetite decreasing and he couldn't eat because he couldn't keep the food down. He began to throw up more and more. Within a short time, he decided he had better go and see his Doctor, who prescribed some antibiotics as the Dr. thought he had contacted an infection. Ron began to have severe problems with throwing up, one of the medications he was given compounded it with side effects of the medications which said that a side effect was to throw up.
After two days of this Ron quit taking the medications and went in to see a Dr. at a walk in clinic. This Dr. took the medication away. He prescribed something else. It didn't work either. Two days later he went to another walk in Dr.
The walk in clinic was full that day and there was a number of people ahead of us. Ron was really feeling sick by this time. After waiting for over an hour, I went up to the desk and asked the receptionist if there was any way she get Ron in faster as he was threatening to leave so he could go and lay down. She asked me to wait a moment and went in to see a nurse, who called Ron into the nursing station to take his blood pressure. It was not good, and she went into see the walk in Dr. right away. Within a short period of time the Dr. came and took Ron and I into his office.
He took one look at Ron and told him that he needed to go to the hospital immediately. He suspected it was his gall bladder. Why did I not see the colour of Ron's skin? It was almost an orange yellow. To me it was a very sallow grey until the Dr. pointed out the colour. Of course, now I could see it.
The Dr. proceeded to do up all of the paperwork needed to admit Ron into the hospital. All Ron had to do was to show up which he did.
Ron told me that he might not leave the hospital. I told him that yes he would. A number of years ago his father died in the hospital with liver cancer and Ron had always held the view that he also would not live to a ripe old age. How right he was.
They did test after test after test and all they could find was a 3-5cm stone that had ended up in his stomach and a ripped tube from his gall bladder. It was sending out toxins into Ron's system and causing untold devastation. While he had been having some severe bouts of throwing up, he had forced the stone out of his gallbladder. This stone was blocking the entrance from his stomach into his intestine and causing him to throw up more also.
The first night he was in the hospital, they almost or did lose him. His kidneys and his liver had shut down. He revived and they began a series of tests. They were reluctant to give him anesthetic to take out the gall bladder because of his heart condition. His heart was twice the size of a normal heart and probably also had fluid around the heart as well.
They used a laser to blast the stone to pieces and then went back in later to see if it had all be gone. It wasn't, but they were able to fish out the piece that remained. Ron had not been able to eat anything up to now, he couldn't keep it down, so he had been fed with an intravenous and a liquid diet.
With tubes running from him in every direction, he was being kept under close observation. Eventually a shunt was put in to help drain the toxins from his liver and a catheter was put in to help monitor his liquid input and output. His yellow colour was slowly decreasing but not fast enough and the Dr. became concerned about that.
Eventually the tubes were coming out and he could begin to eat normal meals. He was anticipating his coming home. The Dr. had a final MRI done, this time from another direction. This test was the last one to be done. On Friday night, The Dr. told Ron to call in the family. That in itself as devastating news as usually the only time that is done when the news is not good.
The news was not good, he was told he had liver cancer and it was not operable. He could try cancer treatment but the results were not guaranteed. The family gathered and we tried to prepare for the worse. We weren't prepared at all for the news. He had from three weeks to six months to live. I cried and still crying as I write this. Why did such a wonderful gentle man have to die so early at the age of 67. We were going to celebrate our 50th anniversary in two years.
They put in a shunt going from his liver to his lower intestine so the toxins would continue to drain in the hope that it might extend the time he had left. He was sent home.
His friends and family rallied around him to give him the support he needed. He was surprised and humbled at the extent they showed their caring. We spent what time we could to start going through all of the business of our lives to put everything in my name. We only succeeded in a few items. One of the things we did together was to get the phone put in my name. We both made the call together, and had everything set up to be switched over on Sept 1. All that had to be done was to "pull a switck" so to say.
On Wednesday morning about 6:10 I arose and went to the bathroom as that is usually the first thing I have to do. I wandered back to the bedroom and automatically looked at Ron to see if had a comfortable night. I realized with sadness that he had died in his sleep. As I cried, I checked his pulse and his temperature. I then asked a friend that had been staying with us to check also which she did.
We needed help, but to our horror, the phone was out, we had no phone until I was reminded that I had a cell phone. The RCMP were called and arrived along with the ambulance shortly after. I would not let the ambulance workers in as Ron did not want to be resusitated. I eventually let one in to check and make sure my assumptions were correct. They were.
Eventually, after the RCMP and the ambulance crew notified him, the undertaker arrived. It was not easy watching my husband being carried away in one of those black bags. It tore my heart to pieces. During all this time MTS still had not connected my phone. After giving them a blast or two they did get it connected. They couldn't find the information that had been previously given to them. I suppose they since have found it.
I'm tempted to sue them.
The RCMP and ambulance crew were terrific and wonderful to me. I could not have asked for better courtesy from anyone. I give them an A+.
Then followed the phone calls that had to be made. I am sure we missed some people and for those people, I asked forgiveness, you were not forgotten, just missed.
Over 150 people attended his graveside funeral. It was unbelieveable. To date cards are still coming in.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Update
I believe that finally after all these years I have finally found the answer to my feet pain. It is coming from my back. It only took umpteen years to discover that and I think I told the Dr.'s a time or two what I thought it was. Well now I am going to go to Physio therapy to start to strengthen the tummy and back muscles. Here's hoping it will help.
Sort of a mish mash today. A few days ago my grandson and I tackled some trees that needed trimming. A lesson learned. Years ago I had heat stroke and this year I learned my lesson once more. The day was not bad, around 23 or 24, bit of a breeze, but I guess I just went at it with too much vigor.
That evening when I was finished I went to see Ron in the hospital I felt sore but not to bad. I went to bed feeling like my gut had the crap kicked out of me. I took some tynol and went to sleep. I awoke with the wrenching gut pain where I had to run to make the bathroom in time. For three days I didn't eat, everything went through me like water, the fourth day, was somewhat better. Here's hoping. Lesson learned is to remember to have a cool shower or bath after working like that.
Sort of a mish mash today. A few days ago my grandson and I tackled some trees that needed trimming. A lesson learned. Years ago I had heat stroke and this year I learned my lesson once more. The day was not bad, around 23 or 24, bit of a breeze, but I guess I just went at it with too much vigor.
That evening when I was finished I went to see Ron in the hospital I felt sore but not to bad. I went to bed feeling like my gut had the crap kicked out of me. I took some tynol and went to sleep. I awoke with the wrenching gut pain where I had to run to make the bathroom in time. For three days I didn't eat, everything went through me like water, the fourth day, was somewhat better. Here's hoping. Lesson learned is to remember to have a cool shower or bath after working like that.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Sensation lost in My Feet
It all began with an annoying twitch on the right side of my right foot.
It felt like the muscles were tearing when I stretched my foot in any direction. The doctor didn't have an answer for me as to the cause. I wonder at times if they still don't. The years have past and yes, this condition has now been going on for almost 40 years and every year it is getting worse.
I could feel my legs getting more tired as each year went past and my feet getting more painful as well. I have been to a physiotherapist, reflexologist, had medications and none of it has helped with the cramping and the pain. I used to be able to lay with my feet in the air to get relief, but it also soon became a pipe dream.
It soon became horrible as I found I was able to walk less and less distance without haveing to stop and rest my legs and feet. Working as a waitress soon became a no no for me as well. In fact anything that had to do with walking and being on my feet for any length of time was impossible. Yes, I tried to learn how to cope with this over the years and in a sence I have learned how to work around it.
The symptoms are many. Here's the list and I shall go from start to now.
1. Muscles felt like they were being pulled and torn on my right foot.
2. Soon my left foot felt the same.
3. Next both my feet started to feel like they were numb.
4. Slowly the sensations began crawling up my legs.
5. Numbness started setting in on both my legs and feet.
6. The cramping started on both sides.
7. Eventually both legs became painful.
8. There is extreme pain if the soles of my feet are touched lightly.
9. There is circulation, it's been confirmed.
10. If feels like my feet are being twisted one way and then another and it is very painful when it does that.
11. I have the sensation that I am standing or walking on something, but cannot tell what it is.
12. I have torn nails off my toes and it never hurt, in fact, didn't even know I had done that until the next day.
13. I can no long enjoy site seeing, dancing or walking. Oh how I miss doing all that.
14. Now I am in constant pain a sharp, burning, twisting, cramping pain.
15. How do I cope? With the greatest of difficulties.
16. Finally had a MRI done on my back and found that I did have a protuding disk.
17. The nerves in my feet feel like they are dying. Is it possible it's coming from my back.
18. Another MRI done, and I am awaiting on the results.
I cannot walk a block unless I have to stop and rest before I venture back. I work a little and rest a little, walk a little, sit a little. At times I am despressed over the pain and frustrated at what I can and cannot do. Yes, I am on medication for depression and even the tyonel and tyonel 3 that I use is starting to become useless.
Most of my nights are broken with my feet and legs cramping so bad that I have to get back on my feet to get them to feel better. Sounds silly? I know it does. A topical medication does seem to help, so I am trying that. It does not work 100%, but it does help relax the muscles enough to let me sort of get to sleep.
Enough about my problems, I just had to get it off my chest and share the reasons as to why I don't do things I used to love doing. I have decided that if I have to, I will use a wheel chair. Danged if I am going to miss out on most of things happening in my life because my feet and legs give out. Maybe I might try a message therapist or an acupucturist. Haven't tried those yet.
God bless everyone and take care and blog to you again.
Cecile
It felt like the muscles were tearing when I stretched my foot in any direction. The doctor didn't have an answer for me as to the cause. I wonder at times if they still don't. The years have past and yes, this condition has now been going on for almost 40 years and every year it is getting worse.
I could feel my legs getting more tired as each year went past and my feet getting more painful as well. I have been to a physiotherapist, reflexologist, had medications and none of it has helped with the cramping and the pain. I used to be able to lay with my feet in the air to get relief, but it also soon became a pipe dream.
It soon became horrible as I found I was able to walk less and less distance without haveing to stop and rest my legs and feet. Working as a waitress soon became a no no for me as well. In fact anything that had to do with walking and being on my feet for any length of time was impossible. Yes, I tried to learn how to cope with this over the years and in a sence I have learned how to work around it.
The symptoms are many. Here's the list and I shall go from start to now.
1. Muscles felt like they were being pulled and torn on my right foot.
2. Soon my left foot felt the same.
3. Next both my feet started to feel like they were numb.
4. Slowly the sensations began crawling up my legs.
5. Numbness started setting in on both my legs and feet.
6. The cramping started on both sides.
7. Eventually both legs became painful.
8. There is extreme pain if the soles of my feet are touched lightly.
9. There is circulation, it's been confirmed.
10. If feels like my feet are being twisted one way and then another and it is very painful when it does that.
11. I have the sensation that I am standing or walking on something, but cannot tell what it is.
12. I have torn nails off my toes and it never hurt, in fact, didn't even know I had done that until the next day.
13. I can no long enjoy site seeing, dancing or walking. Oh how I miss doing all that.
14. Now I am in constant pain a sharp, burning, twisting, cramping pain.
15. How do I cope? With the greatest of difficulties.
16. Finally had a MRI done on my back and found that I did have a protuding disk.
17. The nerves in my feet feel like they are dying. Is it possible it's coming from my back.
18. Another MRI done, and I am awaiting on the results.
I cannot walk a block unless I have to stop and rest before I venture back. I work a little and rest a little, walk a little, sit a little. At times I am despressed over the pain and frustrated at what I can and cannot do. Yes, I am on medication for depression and even the tyonel and tyonel 3 that I use is starting to become useless.
Most of my nights are broken with my feet and legs cramping so bad that I have to get back on my feet to get them to feel better. Sounds silly? I know it does. A topical medication does seem to help, so I am trying that. It does not work 100%, but it does help relax the muscles enough to let me sort of get to sleep.
Enough about my problems, I just had to get it off my chest and share the reasons as to why I don't do things I used to love doing. I have decided that if I have to, I will use a wheel chair. Danged if I am going to miss out on most of things happening in my life because my feet and legs give out. Maybe I might try a message therapist or an acupucturist. Haven't tried those yet.
God bless everyone and take care and blog to you again.
Cecile
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