Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Chapter 55
August in Medicine Hat, early morning at Tim Hortons to grab a coffee and a fritter for my drive to Maple creek to see a couple of sales calls. Walking back to my sales van when I stop for a smokers hack. I bring up some bright red blood with my smokers junk. Now this will give anyones mind an excuse to imagine all that is to be imagined. All day thoughts were running thru my mind.
That evening back in Calgary in the clinic, The Doc sends me for an Xray and tells me to bring it back from the lab myself. I do it , and we look at it together. She points out an area just above and to the left of my heart, and says there is obviously a mass of some type there and that I should prepare myself for what she believes will be bad news. . She sets all the wheels in Motion for me and next six months are a struggle For me to try and stay in the land of the living.
Dr Grondon , a young surgeon recently here from Boston, looks at me and tells me he has done this too many times to count. First he says we will schedule ct scans and see exactly where and how big it is. Having done this , next up its to the o/r for a biopsy to confirm. So Im in the foothills for a couple of days for the tests . Later he gives me the news. It is cancer and the tumor looks like its been there for about a year. Stage 3 he tells me, wrapped around the aorta. Not all bad news he tells me. The cancer doesn’t appear to have spread to the lymph nodes. He cannot operate to remove it. So he shuffles me over to the Tom Baker Cancer clinic.
The intern sat across from me and asked me what it was I wanted from them. Off guard for a minute I thought, what do I want? Off course it’s simple. I told Him I needed all the help I could get. This is one battle I can’t fight by myself.
Doctor Bebb one of my oncologists, kneeled in front of me as I sat numbed in a trance and said John, our chances of beating this are slim, slim indeed. He was british and always seemed to in a hurry to get something done. I was in a state of disbelief. All those years of being invincible were coming to a rapid and rather disconcerting end. I’d heard of a lifetime of smoking killing people, but that would never happen to me.. Right?
They work in teams and next to walk in was Dr Colum Smith. He looks at me and then Dr Bebb and asks him if hes told me yet. Told me what I ask. You also have a spot on your Liver that we’re concerned about he tells me . This plot is getting too thick . I ask Dr Smith what he thinks of my odds and he gives me my one ray of hope.. I think its possible he tells me. First were going to do an mri and get a clear picture.
Dr Smith was and is a big advocate of clinical trials. He convinced me to enter the one just under way. It was a combination of Chemo and radiation therapies. They laid out the battle plan for me did all the body mapping so they could aim the beams of radiation with pinpoint accuracy..
Radiation in the mornings and Chemo in the afternoon. After a few weeks and the results starting to come in. The tumor was shrinking. It was a new lease on life for me. Every day I wake, I say to myself. I know I’m not immortal, but its not gonna happen today.
At one of my visits with Dr Bebb , He tells me to get my blood pressure checked. Says it would be a shame To lose me to a heart attack after getting such good results from my cancer treatments.
I was diagnosed in late august of 05 and went thru my last treatments the first week of January 06. I’ve been to see my oncologist Dr Pinellas ( Dr Smith moved to Australia ) every six months since. The last visit he tells me not come back for a year and to go out and celebrate.
Im telling you all this because I sense what you are going through. While you’re right it is an ugly disease, how you react to it , your attitude in the battle to beat it and the team you have on your side are all so important in determining the outcome. DR Smith was definitely a factor for me. He is now back in Canada Working for the Saskatchewan Cancer board in Saskatoon. My oldest daughter gave me one year rosary with St Peregrine ( the patron saint for cancer patients ) that I took to every radiation and chemo treatment. God’s help is there whether you ask for it or not.. I asked. Remember this.” the will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.
That evening back in Calgary in the clinic, The Doc sends me for an Xray and tells me to bring it back from the lab myself. I do it , and we look at it together. She points out an area just above and to the left of my heart, and says there is obviously a mass of some type there and that I should prepare myself for what she believes will be bad news. . She sets all the wheels in Motion for me and next six months are a struggle For me to try and stay in the land of the living.
Dr Grondon , a young surgeon recently here from Boston, looks at me and tells me he has done this too many times to count. First he says we will schedule ct scans and see exactly where and how big it is. Having done this , next up its to the o/r for a biopsy to confirm. So Im in the foothills for a couple of days for the tests . Later he gives me the news. It is cancer and the tumor looks like its been there for about a year. Stage 3 he tells me, wrapped around the aorta. Not all bad news he tells me. The cancer doesn’t appear to have spread to the lymph nodes. He cannot operate to remove it. So he shuffles me over to the Tom Baker Cancer clinic.
The intern sat across from me and asked me what it was I wanted from them. Off guard for a minute I thought, what do I want? Off course it’s simple. I told Him I needed all the help I could get. This is one battle I can’t fight by myself.
Doctor Bebb one of my oncologists, kneeled in front of me as I sat numbed in a trance and said John, our chances of beating this are slim, slim indeed. He was british and always seemed to in a hurry to get something done. I was in a state of disbelief. All those years of being invincible were coming to a rapid and rather disconcerting end. I’d heard of a lifetime of smoking killing people, but that would never happen to me.. Right?
They work in teams and next to walk in was Dr Colum Smith. He looks at me and then Dr Bebb and asks him if hes told me yet. Told me what I ask. You also have a spot on your Liver that we’re concerned about he tells me . This plot is getting too thick . I ask Dr Smith what he thinks of my odds and he gives me my one ray of hope.. I think its possible he tells me. First were going to do an mri and get a clear picture.
Dr Smith was and is a big advocate of clinical trials. He convinced me to enter the one just under way. It was a combination of Chemo and radiation therapies. They laid out the battle plan for me did all the body mapping so they could aim the beams of radiation with pinpoint accuracy..
Radiation in the mornings and Chemo in the afternoon. After a few weeks and the results starting to come in. The tumor was shrinking. It was a new lease on life for me. Every day I wake, I say to myself. I know I’m not immortal, but its not gonna happen today.
At one of my visits with Dr Bebb , He tells me to get my blood pressure checked. Says it would be a shame To lose me to a heart attack after getting such good results from my cancer treatments.
I was diagnosed in late august of 05 and went thru my last treatments the first week of January 06. I’ve been to see my oncologist Dr Pinellas ( Dr Smith moved to Australia ) every six months since. The last visit he tells me not come back for a year and to go out and celebrate.
Im telling you all this because I sense what you are going through. While you’re right it is an ugly disease, how you react to it , your attitude in the battle to beat it and the team you have on your side are all so important in determining the outcome. DR Smith was definitely a factor for me. He is now back in Canada Working for the Saskatchewan Cancer board in Saskatoon. My oldest daughter gave me one year rosary with St Peregrine ( the patron saint for cancer patients ) that I took to every radiation and chemo treatment. God’s help is there whether you ask for it or not.. I asked. Remember this.” the will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
This should be posted in all schools and work places Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
If you agree, pass it on.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
If you agree, pass it on.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Last Battle
If it should be that I grow frail and weak And pain should keep me from my sleep, Then will you do what must be done, For this -- the last battle -- can't be won. You will be sad I understand, But don't let grief then stay your hand, For on this day, more than the rest, Your love and friendship must stand the test. We have had so many happy years, You wouldn't want me to suffer so. When the time comes, please, let me go. Take me to where to my needs they'll tend, Only, stay with me till the end And hold me firm and speak to me Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you will agree It is a kindness you do to me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I have been saved. Don't grieve that it must be you Who has to decide this thing to do; We've been so close -- we two -- these years, Don't let your heart hold any tears. -- Unknown
Monday, April 19, 2010
'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. Concentrate on this sentence... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.' Something good will happen to you today; something that you have been waiting to hear. There comes a point in your life when you realize: Who matters,Who never did,Who won't anymore...And who always will.So, don't worry about people from your past,There's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
Monday, April 12, 2010
I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have is memories and your picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake in which I'll never part. God has you in his keeping but I have you in my heart ♥
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A Prince of Princes
Zorro, a great and noble companion.
In dogs Heaven as of April 7,2010.
1997/04/16 to 2010/04/07
Friday, March 05, 2010
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
you might be a Canadian If.
28 Signs Showing You Might Be Canadian
>>1. You're not offended by the term "HOMO MILK".
>>2. You understand the phrase "Could you pass me a serviette, I just
>>dropped my poutine, on the chesterfield."
>>3. You eat chocolate bars, not candy bars.
>>4. You drink Pop, not Soda.
>>5. You know that a Mickey and 24's mean, "party at the camp, eh!!!"
>>6. You don't care about the fuss with Cuba. It's a cheap place to
>>go for your holidays, with good cigars and no Americans.
>>7. You know that a pike is a type of fish, not part of a highway.
>>8. You drive on a highway, not a freeway.
>>9. You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers.
>>10. You know that Casey and Finnegan were not part of a Celtic
>>musical group.
>>11. You get excited whenever an American television show mentions
>>Canada.
>>12. You brag to Americans that; Shania Twain, Jim Carrey, Celine
>>Dion & Mike Myers are Canadians.
>>13. You know that the C.E.O. of American Airlines is a Canadian!
>>14. You know what a touque is.
>>15. You design your Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
>>16. You know that the last letter of the English alphabet is always
>>pronounced "Zed".
>>17. Your local newspaper covers the national news on 2 pages, but
>>requires 6 pages for hockey.
>>18. You know that the four seasons mean: almost winter, winter,
>>still winter, and road work.
>>19. You know that when it's 25 degrees outside, it's a warm day.
>>20. You understand the Labatt Blue commercials.
>>21. You know how to pronounce and spell "Saskatchewan".
>>22. You perk up when you hear the theme song from 'Hockey Night in
>>Canada'.
>>23. You are in grade 12, not the 12th grade.
>>24. "Eh?" is a very important part of your vocabulary, and is more
>>polite than, "Huh?"
>>25. We eat tuna not tuna fish because when we say tuna we assume that its fish.
>>26.We have a Tim Horton’s almost everywhere.
>>27. You know that Cajun food started out in Canada( the Cajuns are emigrants from Acadia in New Brunswick/Nova Scotia)
>>28. You actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all of
>>your Canadian friends! Then you send them to your American friends
>>just to confuse them! lolz
>>1. You're not offended by the term "HOMO MILK".
>>2. You understand the phrase "Could you pass me a serviette, I just
>>dropped my poutine, on the chesterfield."
>>3. You eat chocolate bars, not candy bars.
>>4. You drink Pop, not Soda.
>>5. You know that a Mickey and 24's mean, "party at the camp, eh!!!"
>>6. You don't care about the fuss with Cuba. It's a cheap place to
>>go for your holidays, with good cigars and no Americans.
>>7. You know that a pike is a type of fish, not part of a highway.
>>8. You drive on a highway, not a freeway.
>>9. You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers.
>>10. You know that Casey and Finnegan were not part of a Celtic
>>musical group.
>>11. You get excited whenever an American television show mentions
>>Canada.
>>12. You brag to Americans that; Shania Twain, Jim Carrey, Celine
>>Dion & Mike Myers are Canadians.
>>13. You know that the C.E.O. of American Airlines is a Canadian!
>>14. You know what a touque is.
>>15. You design your Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
>>16. You know that the last letter of the English alphabet is always
>>pronounced "Zed".
>>17. Your local newspaper covers the national news on 2 pages, but
>>requires 6 pages for hockey.
>>18. You know that the four seasons mean: almost winter, winter,
>>still winter, and road work.
>>19. You know that when it's 25 degrees outside, it's a warm day.
>>20. You understand the Labatt Blue commercials.
>>21. You know how to pronounce and spell "Saskatchewan".
>>22. You perk up when you hear the theme song from 'Hockey Night in
>>Canada'.
>>23. You are in grade 12, not the 12th grade.
>>24. "Eh?" is a very important part of your vocabulary, and is more
>>polite than, "Huh?"
>>25. We eat tuna not tuna fish because when we say tuna we assume that its fish.
>>26.We have a Tim Horton’s almost everywhere.
>>27. You know that Cajun food started out in Canada( the Cajuns are emigrants from Acadia in New Brunswick/Nova Scotia)
>>28. You actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all of
>>your Canadian friends! Then you send them to your American friends
>>just to confuse them! lolz
Monday, February 15, 2010
advice columns
Why Men don't write advice columns...
Dear Walter,
I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't driven more than a mile down the road when the engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help.
When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbours daughter. I am 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbours daughter is 22. We have been married for ten years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past
six months.
I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was sacked from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won't go to counselling and I'm afraid I can't get through to him anymore.
Can you please help?
Sincerely, Sheila
-------------------------------
Dear Sheila:
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no dirt in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.
I hope this helps.
Dear Walter,
I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn't driven more than a mile down the road when the engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband's help.
When I got home I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbours daughter. I am 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbours daughter is 22. We have been married for ten years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past
six months.
I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was sacked from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won't go to counselling and I'm afraid I can't get through to him anymore.
Can you please help?
Sincerely, Sheila
-------------------------------
Dear Sheila:
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no dirt in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.
I hope this helps.
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