Boasting a prayer room and a chapel and filled with nurses spouting things like never give up,miracles happen, I can’t help but wonder. In the past week I’ve been the cause of several heartbroken faces. All because when faced with platitudes like, you’ll be walking in no time with God’s help, I feel I have to point out that I value reality over dreams. I know I won’t be walking around like most of you, maybe ever, maybe not for years. I also know that my left arm will never spring to life. My reality is and will continue to be different, and I’m okay with that. But everyone from housekeeping staff to my father want me to build my future based on hope. The only people who speak honestly with me are 3 nurses, my  mom and my physio therapist. I prefer to face my actual future prepared. So, when someone is telling me about God, miracles and prayer. I have to point out that not everyone finds comfort in those things, but thanks for the thought.

What I really want to say is if I prayed to god for a miracle instead of having my heart tumour surgically removed, I’d be dead now.

Hospitals cause strange things to happen. In my case, hair growth and hair loss, simultaneously. Months ago, nurses shaved my body before heart surgery. Never had I shaved my upper thighs or belly both of which had a very fine blonde fuzz that couldn’t really be seen. Since being shaved ONCE, this is what they now look like  …

belly:

Not too bad.

Thighs :

Not too good.

Then there’s the hair loss, partly menopausal, partly adrenal caused by the stress of being here for 5, months. When I got here my hair was gorgeous, fairly thick and halfway down my back.  Now,

barely there.

A small issue, but annoying to be sure. I bought a nioxin product for the loss. I guess wax for the new black hairs elsewhere.

Last Thursday, my husband’s house went onto the market for sale. It’s a small house on a small lot in a sought after neighborhood. We had an amazing realtor who priced it well.  As I am to be released from hospital next month time was a factor. On Friday morning hubby saw a condo he liked. We had to sell the house because it’s not accessible for my wheelchair. On Saturday, the realtor held an open house. We had 40 plus people through the house in 3 days. Saturday afternoon we had 3 offers, 2 over asking price, one crappy. The highest offer had no conditions, by early evening, we sold the house. On  Sunday morning I was taken to see the condo in my manual wheelchair. I loved the place and fit into every room comfortably. We put an offer in for 20,000 dollars less than the asking price and yesterday the offer was accepted!

So, in the course of 5 days, we sold a house and bought a condo!  If I were superstitious, I might be stupid. enough to say someone was looking out for me, instead of crediting our talented realtor.

THANKS LYLE!

BEST DINNER EVER! Well, at least best in the past 5 months. At 4pm we put me into my new manual wheelchair and got me into the car. The drive to the hotel was hilarious. I had the biggest grin and couldn’t stop saying “yay” and “whee” the whole time. Once at the hotel the real fun began. No one knew I was coming and everyone was entirely shocked to see me.  Big hugs all around. The last person we surprised was my friend Roz, you may remember her from my post titled Getting to know you. When I was wheeled into the jewelry store where she works, her jaw hit the ground, it stayed there when she saw me stand for the first time and give her a huge hug!  Now she knew I could stand, just never saw it before.  We made it to the restaurant by 4:45pm to the shocked happy faces of my husband’s coworkers who all wanted to congratulate me on making an honest man of him and check out my engagement ring … reminder this is my big,honking, 8 karat morganite engagement ring

 

We finally got to our table at 5pm, where we were immediately served drinks.

 

My one and only bad act last night was this delicious bubbles and raspberry martini that kicked my little white ass. We ordered dinner, husband had the steak, I had the prawn cocktail followed by the best grilled cheese sandwich you’ll ever taste.

Roz joined us after work at 6pm for a drink, then we asked for the bill only to be told that the meal was paid for by management! So,we left a generous tip and made it back to hospital by 7:30pm.

BEST DINNER EVER!

 

2016 is shaping up to be the year of the dead celebrity. Starting at the tail end of last year with Motorhead front man Lemme Kilmister, the hits just kept coming, David Bowie,  Alan Rickman, Dan Haggarty,  Glen Frey,  Rene Angelil, Pat Harrington Jr.and the list goes on. It’s a sad state of affairs when your heroes die. But it’s not going to stop anytime soon. You see all these celebrities are part of the largest living generation, the baby boomers  (and older). Unfortunately, time being what it is, this trend is inevitable. So, as we all inch ever closer to our own demise, I recommend getting used to mourning your heroes, because just as everybody poops, everybody dies. Ah,life, no one gets out alive … except perhaps  …

 

I finally have something to look forward to! Yesterday, I successfully transferred from my wheelchair to hubby’s car in preparation for my first pass away from hospital. It was far easier than expected. It felt so good to have the fresh, cold air in my lungs. Tuesday will be a big day, starting with a meeting of my husband and I, my occupational therapist, physio therapist and 2 doctors discussing my release from hospital planned for February 11th  (earlier than expected )and ending with my first dinner date with my new husband, since we got hitched. Going to my favorite restaurant, in the hotel in which we both worked, I’m looking forward to surprising all the old co-workers and likely blubbering like an idiot.

I have been going back and forth between posting or not posting this,  specifically because I hate it when people try to prove how cool they are cause they met someone famous. But, as I come off geeky, I figured what the heck.

It was 1983 in September, in Vancouver B.C. Chinatown to be exact. I was 18 and a total nerd, exiting the shop in which I bought echenecea. I turned to the left and ran directly into a lanky blond fellow, we both apologized as we knelt down to pick up our things. I looked up at him,into those hypnotic mismatched eyes and spoke the most ridiculous sentence I had ever uttered before or since  … “Do you know who you are? “He grinned at my reddening face and replied,  “sometimes, do you? ” to which I responded rarely, an honour to meet you. He then gave me a peck on the cheek and sauntered off. That night I was in the audience and saw this.

The world has lost a great talent.  Be inspired by his words and do something heroic today.

Last photo, taken by photographer Jimmy King,  just 2 days before he passed.

 

Something unexpected happened yesterday, and again today. I walked! About 6 meters yesterday 11 meters today. While holding on to a handrail and with a physio therapist guiding my form. Parents were here and saw me walking today.  I didn’t expect to even try walking until I got home in march. But am thrilled to be starting now.

It should be noted that I am still a long way from walking as I once knew it. Bragging at this point seems a bit premature. Saying I’m walking is a bit like being proud of this  …