Heart Attacks, Hospitals and Family

Not long after I posted the last post my mom called. In her calm and collected voice she informed me that the ambulance was at their house because dad was having a heart attack. How she stays so calm I will never know, because my reaction was at the other end of the spectrum. Jay rushed upstairs thinking I had cut my hand off. We jumped in the car and headed for St. Boniface hospital... not knowing what we would find when we arrived there. We actually got gas but didn’t pay for it until the next day, small towns are great!

When we arrived at the hospital mom met us outside. Dad was still in pain, and was getting pumped full of medications. I guess things got a little scary when the ambulance people couldn’t get an IV in. My dad has really bad veins from all his chemo so they couldn’t give him the medication that they wanted. It took a couple of people and tries before the IV’s were in. The bruises will probably last weeks.
We went into the emergency room dad was in and talked with him. The nurses were watching him really closely and the pain was being managed with lots of drugs. They were hoping the clot busting drug would stop the pain but it didn’t work. As a family we talked, poked fun and each other and talked some more. Being around a hospital bed isn’t that foreign to us. At midnight we sent Jay and Joel home (Ashley had gone home earlier). Mom and I prepared for a long night of waiting.

Around 1am they took dad for an angiogram to see where the blockage was and if they could get it out. Mom and I slept (at least we tried to sleep) in the waiting room and waited, and waited and waited some more. They told us that these things don’t take that long, 30 minutes or so.... but we waited for over two hours with no updates or signs of human life (the hospital seemed empty). The doctors and nurses had to be called in from home, I am sure those 1am phone calls don’t make them that happy.

Just after 3am they called us into the room to see dad. The nurse said the doctor had performed two miracles getting the two shunts in to keep the artery open. He was doped up on whatever drugs they gave him but was feeling a little better. The nurse got him settled in the cardiac care unit and we said good bye. By the time we caught a taxi (mom came in the ambulance, me with Jay) we got home at 4:30am. After cleaning up the medical supplies that the ambulance left we fell into bed and slept soundly until 7ish when dad’s cell started ringing with guys wondering why he wasn’t at work.

By 10:30 we were up again, and phone calls were the main objective for the first little while. To the hospital, to family that didn’t know yet, to update Joel, Jay, and Ashley. In my panic the night before I didn’t bring anything with me so a trip to Zellers saved the day and I picked up necessities. Mom and I headed up to the hospital to check in on dad. He was still receiving drugs, on a heart monitor, and such but was feeling better. He was very happy to learn lunch had been delivered, he couldn’t sit up so mom fed him lying down. His normal heart rhythm had returned and his stats looked good.

When we left we headed to the new condo (mom and dad had started moving, hence the over exertion and therefore the heart attack) and checked it out, and ran some errands and headed home. June (my mother-in-law) popped in to see how we were doing. We headed to Joel and Ashley’s to eat (thanks again Ash). Thankfully between Joel and Ash and Ashley’s parents I was able to borrow a car to get home (family is a wonderful thing). I made one last visit with dad before driving back home last night. Dad was up walking, and frustrated he couldn’t walk further. He was off everything but the heart monitor, he even made phone calls to work last night.

Today things sound like the improvement has continued. I am back in Riverton as Jay and I are running Space camp, exhausted today, and looking forward to getting a full night’s sleep. We are heading back to the city on Friday morning after space camp is over. We will help mom get the old house cleaned and ready for the new owners.
We don’t know when dad is coming home yet, but we hope to have the condo all set up and ready to go so he has nothing to do when he gets there. Mom has hired movers to finish up the move on Thursday morning.

I am sure the recovery will be a little slower than dad would want it to be. I hope to spend next week with mom and dad in city, to help where I can.

Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, emails, offers of help and concern, they have meant a lot to us all.

A Weekend Away

This weekend we embarked on our first camping trip. After running some errands and such in Winnipeg on Thursday morning/afternoon Jay and I headed to St. Malo Provincial Park. We set up camp in the rain/drizzle and I was thankful we had set the tent up in our basement so we had a clue what to do. I was pleasantly surprised with this campground. We had a very wooded and private site in Bay 9. Other than the campsite across the bay we couldn’t see or hear our neighbours. On the map it looked like we were a ways away from the nearest bathroom and the showers but with the many paths through the woods it wasn’t so far away.

The two of us enjoyed a quiet night and all day on Friday by ourselves. We enjoyed a walk to the beach and great cookie dough ice cream from the stand near the big beach. Our tent (thanks Mark and Jobina) has a big vestibule at the front. I was very thankful that during the showers we had we could sit in there and read, play cards, or eat.




Friday evening Joel and Ashley (and puppies) came to join us. They set up their camp and then we cooked dinner over the fire. The next morning breakfast was cooked and served at our site (we realized that Jay and I had too much stuff to haul back and forth so they came to us). We enjoyed another walk to the beach, more ice cream, and a sunny walk back to camp. Oh, and MANY discussions! In fact Joel and Jay mocked the chatter between Ashley and I (a sister is a great thing!!).
We brought so much food that after cooking it all up on Saturday night we realized we had more than we could eat! Of course we left room for wild berry pie irons for dessert!




Sunday morning the rain came and Joel and Ashley packed up quickly (the only benefit of a small tent is the quick set-up and take-down). Jay and I hung out and waited for the rain to stop before we packed up and headed home.
Jay and I have spent a lot of time with Joel and Ash this summer. I look back at our teenage years and laugh at the time we now spend together. I really enjoy that we now have a much closer relationship than we have ever had. I think it might have something to do with his wife, but none the less it is nice to be closer.

I really enjoyed the weekend away. I would recommend St. Malo campground to everyone, it was a great place to spend the weekend!

A Year Ago Today...

I married a great man!



I re-read my blog posts about the wedding the other day it is hard to believe it was a year ago. A day really can change the rest of your life! I loved that day, I loved wearing the dress, I loved seeing family and friends... but over the last year I have loved that that day allowed me to be married to a great guy.



He does so many little things to try to make my life easier. I have come home on many occasions to a cooked dinner, a clean house, a planned date... I was so worried that I would be responsible for so much around the house, I am grateful that he helps out and contributes.



As with anything in life this year has brought some great things and some not so great things. I am blessed to be married to a man who will stand by me in those not so great times! One of the most important things I have realized through the not so great times is that I can count on Jay to be there for me. I guess when it comes down to it that is one of the most important part of any marriage.



The last year has been a year of growth and adjusting but I am so happy that I have been able to grow and adjust with Jay. I am blessed to be married to Jay and can’t wait to spend many more years loving him.

Another Summer Weekend Over!

This summer we (as in Jay and I) are enjoying three day weekends, thanks to his built up over time he is taking Friday's off. Of course my schedule is very flexible at this point so I get to enjoy his company for three consecutive days every week!
On Friday Joel and Ashley joined us for a Blue Bomber Game. Now that Joel is married I seem to see much more of him! Ashley is a good influence on him! I really do enjoy hanging out with them!
Saturday was mow the lawn, clean the house day, although we did take a trip to Gimli to grocery shop and go for dinner. On our way we bought pic-a-pops, it has been a long time since I have had on of those tasty treats. I love them because they aren't very carbonated, I hate the fizz in normal pop! Pop out of glass bottles makes me happy, and brings me back to my trip to Dominica, where after a long hike handing out fliers we came across a little shack selling pop in glass bottles, it was a answer to our thirsty prayers!
On Sunday Mark an Jobina (and Riker and Trinity of course) came for dinner (Mark spoke at church so they were in Mennville for the day). It seems when we have company over Jay loves to cook (he likes it when we don't have company too, but it is more fun when he can serve his creation to more than just me). I get out of the cooking part, but get stuck with the dishes, not sure that is a good trade!
Not only did he cook diner but he also made a big pasta salad for lunch today and homemade chocolate chip cookies, YUMMY!!

New Look!

Winter is over and I decided a new look for my blog was in order. Of course it had to be pink, nothing else would do! If I missed you on my blog list please let me know!
This past weekend was a busy one as Jay and I helped to organize and run childcare at the EMC confrence. It actually went really smoothly, but by Sunday night it was nice to rest and relax.
We are finding a schedule as summer begins. Jay is working many evening and goes into work later in the day. If we really thought about it and planned we could enjoy breakfast together, as we won't do dinner very often. Alas, we haven't done that yet, maybe next week!
This week has been a quiet one, lazy mornings, some random chores in the afternoons, and some packing time at the school. Today I don't want to leave the house as a storm is brewing outside. Thunder can be heard and the wind looks a little wicked. A large cup of coffee and a yummy breakfast sounds like a good way to start a blustery day! I guess the rain means I won't be cutting grass today, as much as I would have liked to :)