The
Squamidian Report – Feb. 23 / 13
Issue #561
Including:
From Ewan
The Ontarion
Hi All,
First and most important, a very happy birthday to Vivyan and wishes for many more to come. Enjoy your day.
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So here's the deal.....it's not that there are no interesting things happening around here lately, it's just that I've been a bit pre occupied with my own issues. As some of you know, I went in for hernia surgery. I'm well aware that several of you have had much, much more critical, or extensive, or invasive procedures, some life threatening and life saving and I don't for one second think that mine is even remotely in the same league. But, this is what I'm writing about because its foremost in my mind right now and there hasn't been much of an opportunity to explore other topics.
I went in on Wednesday morning for hernia surgery. Turns out it was a double hernia, which is probably a whole lot better than doing two singles. I'm just guessing but I would think its best to do everything at the same time if at all possible. It took about 6 weeks from diagnosis to getting it dealt with. We have a small but capable hospital here, and an amazing array of health care professionals. Thats due mostly to the fact that this is where the outdoor lifestyle is and many of those professionals deal with sports related injuries and younger patients, heck, the average age in Squamish is around 40.
Used to be that this kind of thing meant several days in hospital. Not any more, its conveyor belt surgery. In and out in 4 hours. And quite disappointing, I don't even remember falling asleep, or being 'put out' or whatever its called. It was general anesthesia. I remember telling the nurse that it was pretty boring laying there looking up at the ceiling and the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery with the most godawful pain I've ever felt. I've had both shoulders dislocated (at separate times) and had to let them pop back in themselves because there was no one around to help, but this was worse. And I could swear the staples they use to quickly and efficiently patch me back together are at least 4 inches long and heated to a glowing red hot. Anyway, I woke up and was told to rest for a few minutes. When they finished unhooking me from the monitoring stuff I was told I could get dressed because they had called for my ride. I doubt anyone wants to read the words that were going through my head as I struggled to get my cloths back on and I will confess to giving up on my undershorts. Wasn't worth it. Getting dressed was bad enough, when they wheeled me out to the car I discovered that I had to get out of the chair and into the car. By the time that was done I was shaking from head to foot. Interesting thing about a general compared to a local, I've had locals where they give you a potent sedative and apparently I get quite argumentative and opinionated but don't remember being so. To the best of my knowledge I was fairly clear headed and didn't give 'the wife' a hard time on the way home.
You have no idea how bitterly painful it was to get out of the car and then climb the stairway up to the living level. Luckily we have a couple of guest rooms on the main level because going up another set of stairs, or anywhere, was out of the question. 'The wife' somehow got me onto the bed and supported with pillows. I was beyond done. Poor Willow didn't know what was wrong but she knew something was. She took one sniff and parked herself on the mat beside the bed. She has been keeping a loyal vigil ever since. I made one horrendous and exhausting trip to the little boy's room (all of 10 feet) and that pretty well shut me down for the night.
The next day, Thursday wasn't near as bad as long as I didn't try to move. Mending is under way. By Friday I was able to sit myself up without being assisted and could even hobble out to the living room to watch the news. That pretty well exhausted me and I went back and slept the morning away. I have no idea how long it will be before I can actually do anything, every day will be a bit better than the one before. By the way, if the layout or formatting of this issue is out a bit, or if it didn't get sent to the right people, it's because I'm doing it on my little netbook computer as I lay on my back trying desperately not to move too much.
doug
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From Ewan
Hello all!
It has been far too long. First of all Greg, I am so sorry to her about your hands, you deserve better! I hope that you are back to 100% quickly.
Last Christmas my friend called to invite me to go out to Calgary. That was supposed to happen a while ago, and he may be moving in the near future. Once again I was looking for something to distract me from a broken heart so off I went. Plus this was a chance to learn how to downhill ski. I tried it a little when I was a teenager but didn’t get very far. Learning to ski seems like a good idea for someone who is about 9 years old, rather than 39. On the other hand it is probably better to learn at 39 than 59. It really was an amazing opportunity! All I really had to do was fly out there, and pick myself up each time I fell.
Aj has been my friend for years, although we didn’t see each other as much since he moved out West. He picked me up from the airport, provided a place to stay, valuable ski instruction and lots of fun. The first day he drove us out to Nakiska, where they held the XV Olympic Winter Games. Before I left I had promised my Mom and a couple of others that I would not go on black diamond runs. At the end of the first day I went down a steep hill, after Aj, and was immediately congratulated for my first black diamond. It was great! The hill made for a perfect, fast run across a wide open space with no one around.
The first day was brutal though. I fell a bunch of times, and was once t-boned by a kid. That girl was small, but with her helmet on she was like a cannon ball! I landed on my side, which is one of only two or three minor injuries which I still feel a couple weeks later (when I go to the gym). For some reason my right thumb took much of the brunt. Overall though I was looking forward to more. The next day I returned to the same spot for an official lesson and some more fun. My confidence increased through the week.
I skied five days of seven. One of them Aj advised me not to go because it would have been close to -40 C on the chair lift. Yikes! I’m glad he kept his eye on the weather! When two pair of long underwear, pants and snow pants is no longer enough it’s time to just stay in. I was actually dead on my feet by Tuesday anyway. Picking one’s self up to keep skiing is actually exhausting. That day I went for a walk in Calgary in real winter cold (still nothing like -40 C though).
Eventually I moved to a bigger resort, called Sunshine in Banff. For me is was actually fun just to drive Aj’s truck in to the mountains to get to the ski hills. The views were amazing, from the road and from the top of the chair lifts. There were some great runs and I learned a lot. It wasn’t always easy though. One big lesson was that it is a lot more fun to crash in to fresh powdery snow rather than ice. Technically the powder is much better for skiing too, but I really noticed the crashing. By the end I could appreciate skiing on better snow, it does make a difference. There are some pictures on Facebook for anyone interested. Unfortunately there are none of me crashing. Remarkably the camera survived.
I between Aj cooked dinner and we played cards (a great game called Citidel). Most evenings I was pretty beat. I took the second last day off, got my first professional massage on the Hyatt (great!) and visited my friend Shawn and his family in Cochrane. It was good to see them again, see their baby all grown up and meet the other three kids for the first time. Aj had run in to some car trouble and didn’t want to risk the truck until the car was out of the shop. So Shawn lent me his truck for the last day. Many thanks to him! Aj was free again so we went back to Sunshine for my last day before flying out. That was the best day of skiing. It left me wanting more too.
There was no way I could thank Aj enough. By the time I got on the jet home I was tired, bruised and stiff. But I know how to ski, basically, and I can’t wait to do it again. In fact I’ll need to go again soon or risk forgetting too much. It won’t be the same here in Ontario but I bet I can get one or two really good days in.
At one point I somehow landed on my chest, high on the left side. That still smarts a little, particularly when I go to the gym. It also reminds me of a broken heart! So I really escaped very little. It also makes me think that as I get older I might stop crashing on to my chest so often. At least that seems like it would be a good idea. After all was said and done good’ol Mt trashmore seemed small indeed.
Talk to you soon!
Ewan
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THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
Thought I’d give it a try this week since my hand is coming along ok. I had the stitches out on Tuesday and have to do little or nothing with the hand for yet another week. The palm of my hand looks like Frankenstein’s forehead but it won’t be long before it’s back to normal looks wise. The Dr said it’ll take about 6 weeks for the hand to return to feeling better but he also said it could take several months before it’ll be forgettable. He said that some tenderness and soreness can occur for 6 months or more. The fingertips of all but my pinkie are still numb and the feeling will be like that for quite a while too, according to the Doc. Oh well, even now, my hand is much better than it’s been for over two years so I’m happy!
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While I’m talking about medical stuff, I want to wish Doug a speedy and full recovery from his surgery!
I hope Sue is taking good care of him and I hope she has a good recipe for chicken soup. It’s good for what ails you. Wouldn’t you know it, just when I’m incapacitated the snow starts to build up and I can’t get out and do my favourite winter activity of working my snow blower! It’s pretty much the only thing about winter that I like to do no matter how cold and blustery it gets out there! LOL! Just my luck! Oh well, there’s always my second fave thing to do in winter and that’s drive around in the snow with the Jeep in 4 x 4! I just love to watch the faces on all the 2 wheel drivers that are spinning their asses off while I drive past them like it’s summer time. I’m sure when it’s time to trade in the Jeep for a newer vehicle I’ll probably get another 4 x 4 of some sort if not another Jeep. I’ve gotten completely hooked on the Jeep over the past 10 years and I wouldn’t spend another winter in life without my four-wheel drive!
The only other thing I’m missing this winter is being in Florida for the month of February but maybe next year we’ll get back down there once again.
Well, the hand is getting fatigued once again so I’m going to bid you all a fond farewell until next week.
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report.
Bye for now… Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
Did you know that the nerves in your hand are snow white in colour when as the Doctor put it “They’re happy!” and yellow when they are not?
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Have a good one..
the doug
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