May 28, 2008

May 28, 2009

Yesterday I had a busy day. Jen, the Nurse Educator (pictured earlier), arrived from St Paul's. Here you will see her plane about to land and another of her plane leaving, later in the day. Note the cruise ships docked. These photos were taken by me, from my balcony.

Friends Lloyd & Bill picked Jen up at the Inner Harbour Floatplane Terminal, came to get me and then we headed to Royal Jubilee Hospital. There, we went to a few departments where Jen showed a real, live, walking around, happy patient (me!), wearing the VAD (or mechanical heart pump).

After impressing the nurses, et al, we left the hospital and headed to the Bay St Fire Hall closest to my home (probably the location of the first responder in case of an emergency with me). After finding it empty (out on a call?), we went for lunch and then to the Esquimalt Fire Hall, only to be re-directed to the Yates St Fire Hall. There, Jen introduced me, showed them the VAD and gave them all the info and brochures they needed to pass on to their Fire Halls who would service this address. The BC Aumblance Services are already aware of my emergency needs.

Our chauffeurs dropped us off at home where we spent time with Hub & Han, before going to my GP, to show him the VAD. There, Mary Lois arrived to take over chauffeur duties and eventually we headed to the Inner Harbour Float Plane Terminal to bid Jen adieu and bon voyage, some seven hours after her arrival.

What a busy but necessary day! Now, if I am in need of emergency services, they will all be aware of the VAD and what they need to do for me. Of course, all my caregivers took a day's training and then spent a week with me, so they could teach the Fire and Ambulance personnel a thing or two! ;o)

Today Mary Lois took me back to the hospital for an ECG and a visit with my Cardiologist, Dr Swiggum. She is VERY pleased with my progress since the operation and in just over a week I will resume cardiac rehab in the gym next to her department.

After a late lunch, Mary Lois and I shopped and then she dropped me off at home. I slept for a few hours because of my two busy days and several sleepless nights (due to the shingles).

I am so happy to be home in beautiful Victoria, in my own bed, in my own apartment. Again I say "Home Sweet Home". Your prayers, well wishes and continual caregiving took me through this heart health crises with relative ease (OK, I had lots of pain but I've learned to forget all about that!).

I'm now looking forward to a great summer (after I "shake" the shingles!). ;o)

Thank you everyone!

May 25, 2009

Sunrise From My Very Own Balcony

May 25, 2009

I'm home and happy to be in my own bed again, after almost four months absence. I'm not complaining about Vancouver, the hospital, where I stayed..... and certainly not the 24/7 caregivers, but home is really "Home Sweet Home".

Here are a couple of photos of English Bay taken a week ago Sunday. My nephew Derek (who was walking) and I (rode on the "Harley") went down to watch the world go by on a beautiful, sunny day.




The other picture (top) is of the sun rising over Victoria, taken from my balcony very early in the morning. I sure missed the view! Next blog entry I will post photos of the cruise ships that I see from my window.

So........... now I should tell you how I am doing.

I found out Friday night that I have shingles....... left side of face, my left ear, neck and arm/hand. I have painful blotches all over those areas. With my right arm still not working 100%, because of the small stroke I had while in hospital, it's tough doing things when neither hand is working properly.

My friend Lloyd took me to a walk-in clinic Friday night and I received the diagnosis. Prior to that, I had thought I pulled a muscle on the rowing machine at the Healthy Heart exercise program on Tuesday at St Paul's. The pain in my left arm, shoulder and neck bothered me every night since then and I wasn't able to get a good night's sleep. Now I know it wasn't the rowing machine!

Another friend, Carol, was supposed to come down down from Courtenay on Saturday to stay with me for a week. However, Carol didn't have chickenpox before so she has to stay away. The doc said I have to stay away from babies/pre-school children who have not been vaccinated against chickenpox, people who have a compromised immune system and adults who have never had chickenpox. Apparently I'm not contagious to anyone else. Guess I will just be taking it easy until the pills take effect and I'm not in so much pain....... and I get some sleep! I believe it's called "becoming a hermit"!

BUT.......... don't worry! I won't waste away while fighting the shingles. Hub & Han, Bill & Lorna, Bill & Lloyd, Marg & John and Arla have all come to my rescue since Thursday, by shopping for me, baking cookies & lemon loaf (YUM!), making soups, pasta sauce and a casserole, inviting me for dinners, driving me to appointments, etc.


Others that I have spoken to on the phone are also ready and willing to do whatever is necessary for my comfort. Alma and Shaun sent a bouquet of my favourite flowers..... blue/purple Irises (no scent, so I'm not allergic to them).


I AM SO FORTUNATE to have all of you as friends and I really appreciate the caring and the offers. Thank you from the bottom of my resting heart (the mechanical heart is doing the work).

Only four more sleeps and I will be heading home........ but who's counting?

Last night, my nephew Derek, his Mother-In-Law Sheila and I went to a stage production of "Les Miserables" at the Stanley Theatre. It's the first "live theatre outing" I've had since coming to Vancouver on Feb 2nd and it was the fourth time I saw a production of Les Miz. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and loved hearing the music/songs again. How did I find out about it? I saw an ad on the side of a Davie St bus for Les Miz and coincidentially, a few days later, I saw the "YouTube" video clip of Susan Boyle singing "I Dreamed A Dream". Both of those things prompted my desire to once again see Les Miz, a musical that I love.

Derek is my caregiver this week and his photo is posted in this blog. He will be driving me home to Victoria (yippeeee!) on Wed, May 20th. As well, I am attaching a photo of my brother Bill who kept the family updated as to my progress while in hospital, along with Hub (pictured earlier in this blog), who kept my family of friends updated. They received daily updates from Annemarie and Jen, also pictured earlier.

Now you've also seen photos of all the caregivers who took a day's training and then stayed a week with me over the ten weeks I was here at Nicola St. They are: Judy, Mary Lois, Bill, Mary Rose, Sharon, Hub, Lorna, Libby, Cameron, Derek and Pam (who took the training but because of back problems, could not spend a week here.... but I still consider her a caregiver).

Also pictured in the blog are the two drivers, Marie and Diane, the two Volunteer Coordinators, Cameron and Lois, the LVAD Nurse Educator Jen and the Clinical Nurse Specialist Annemarie.

Bill (my brother)

Deloris

Last but not least, are the two "e-mail updaters", my brother Bill who kept the family updated as to my progress while in hospital, along with Hub (pictured earlier in this blog), who kept my family of friends updated. They received their daily updates from Nurses Annemarie and Jen. WHAT A TEAM!! I am so fortunate to have all of those people in my corner and mere words cannot adequately describe my gratitude for their unselfish giving.

Speaking of unselfish giving....... even tho I mentioned it earlier (Apr 12th post), I want to again thank all of you who contributed money, phone cards, restaurant cards, grocery store cards, food, or paid for my TV service while I was in hospital.

Friends Lois (pictured earlier) and Deloris (picture attached in this blog) set up a bank account and received donations on my behalf. I also want to thank all those who sent get well and/or birthday cards as well as those who phoned or visited me. And......... you are reading this blog because Sharon (pictured earlier) was ready, willing and able to post it each time. Early in my recovery, I was not able to do a lot of typing (right hand was not working properly, due to the small stroke), so she just offered to do it........ and she is doing a great job!

How can I possibly thank everyone, except to say "THANKS! Your generosity is overwhelming".

When I get home, I hope to thank everyone personally or for those not living in Victoria....... a phone call.

Marie

Diane

As promised, I am sending photos of Diane and Marie, the two drivers who ran back and forth in their own vehicles to/from the ferry terminal in Tsawwassen and to/from the apartment here at Nicola St, which is considered "downtown". To shuttle caregivers, they would make at least a round trip per week and in the case of training days, sometimes it was twice a day. Considering Vancouver traffic, they went above and beyond the call of duty.

Also, I am posting a photo of Lois, the Volunteer Coordinator who took over from Cameron (pictured twice in a previous posting on May 7th). Late last year when I was looking for volunteer caregivers, Cameron jumped in right away and offered his services as Volunteer Coordinator. Hot on his trail was Lois who also volunteered to organize the volunteer list. When Cameron left for an extended stay in New Zealand from Dec through March, Lois stepped up to the plate and there wasn't a hiccup in the planning (through to when I go home). Between both of them, they did a great job.

In case you're wondering what I've been up to, I can say that I have been trying to get out every day for walks, in addition to Healthy Heart exercises that I attend every Tues and Thurs. On Fri, Marie came and took Cam and I out for dinner, then a drive through Stanley Park. We parked under some trees near the tennis courts and the "Fish House Restaurant" in the Park and looked up at about 150 Heron nests in the tall trees. What a sight! It's estimated there are between two and five eggs in each nest. For more info: http://vancouver.ca/parks/news/2009/090316_herons.htm

Over the weekend, Cam and I had a picnic lunch at English Bay Beach on Sat and on Sun we went back to the same area and just enjoyed watching the world go by on land and sea.

Tomorrow, my nephew Derek, from Salt Spring Island, takes over from Cameron. I will post a photo of him when I have it.

Lois

May 7, 2009 (today's 2nd post)

Be sure to see the post below. It was added today as well as the photos in this post.
In order they are, Jen (Nurse Educator - VAD), Judy, Mary Lois, Bill, Pam

May 7, 2009

Here are more photos of caregivers Libby, Cameron and Sharon plus one of Annemarie Kaan, RN, MCN, Clinical Nurse Specialist who, along with Dr Cheung (my surgeon), implemented the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD or VAD) program at St Paul's in 2002.

(In order (Annemarie, Cameron, Libby, Sharon with Shirley)

I found out yesterday that I'm the 50th person to receive a VAD since 2002. That's a pretty impressive stat for St Paul's.

I also found out this past week that I'm not going back on the heart transplant list just yet. Seems that there's a small something or other showing on my spleen. I had an abdominal CT scan done in January and again in April. I believe they both showed the same thing so I have to get another one done in July and after that, the decision re the transplant will be made.

I'm thinking positive that all will be OK and before you know it, I'll be back on that transplant list...... to hurry up and wait! Of course, that means a delay in the jive contest I mentioned earlier in the blog entries. ;o)

I'm still taking cabs to, and walking back from St Paul's or restaurants/stores along Davie St whenever possible and I continue to do Healthy Heart Cardiac Rehab twice a week. Hopefully, before I go home to Victoria (MAY 20th!), I will be able to walk up the hills on both Nicola and Davie Streets to St Paul's or shopping/restaurants on Davie.... AND walk home to this apartment afterwards.