Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen, Trinity Lutheran Church, Hamilton

An update and a birthday bash

It has been more than one month now since my heart had major problems.  During this month I have basically stayed at home and just rested as I was left very weak.  At the beginning of this week my son and his family invited me out to Swiss Chalet which I really enjoyed.  I did not take any pictures at that time as I needed a new camera as I ruined the old one!   It was entirely my own fault, I should have sprayed the cleaner onto a cloth and then wiped the camera but alas, my brain was not working properly, and I ruined the camera.  A lesson learned! 

Yesterday afternoon and into the evening I along with nine other people celebrated our friend Mohamed's birthday.

Mona, his workmate, her husband Felix and their son Amiel arranged a wonderful gathering to celebrate Mohamed's birthday.

I only knew Mona and her husband and Mohamed so I had the opportunity to get to meet some lovely new people.  

Amiel picked me up and brought me home again for which I am most thankful!

Here are some pictures.

The  birthday boy at his home

Felix, Sanjeet and Mohamed

The birthday cake  - Mona standing beside Mohamed

Two cousins from Egypt

Mona and Mohamed's cousin 

These pictures are taken by me and I am not altogether satisfied with them as the room was a little dark for my inexpensive camera.

Other people used their cell phones to take pictures so hope to see them eventually.

Mona had asked me to say a few words so I tried to make it as funny as I could and thankfully people got my sense of humour!

All in all, a lovely party and Mohamed enjoyed it very much as did we all.

Thanks for dropping by.

A not so pleasant event happened the morning 6 a.m. of February 25th, 2019

I got up early that day and took my time in rising so I would not get the vertigo which oftentimes hits me when I rise up to fast.

As I was turning off the fan in my bedroom, all of a sudden without warning or feeling ill, a current of electricity went through my body which made me stagger and almost fall.  I screamed with the shock and the pain.

I thought it might be a faulty fan as it is old - perhaps over 25 years old and used every day.  As you can imagine, I was frightened.

Within the next twenty minutes, two more shocks happened and I was nowhere near the fan.  The electric current was so fierce that when I touched anything metal sparks came off.  I realized then that my heart was acting up and each time the shock hit, it was  so severe that I screamed. 

 I was afraid to pick up the phone to call 911 as I did not want any more sparks flying as there might have been something metal in the phone so I went to my front door, and the last one hit as I opened the door. I screamed again and called for help but it was 6 a.m.  By the mercy of God, my neighbour across the hall whom I know only very casually heard me and came out.

She called 911 and stayed with me and got a few things organized for me before the paramedics came.  Those guys were great, so kind and so gentle.  They put me on my walker so that they could put me on the stretcher which was outside my door as my place is very small.  They bundled me up into a blanket but I had no coat, no clothing except a pair of slacks which I had just put on and only a tea shirt.  It was a terrible wind day that day and the blanket kept trying to flap off but fortunately we got to the ambulance okay and took off with the sirens blaring.  The paramedics told me my heart rate was far too high and I needed immediate medical attention.

We got to the Hamilton General in lickity split time and I was taken immediately into a bed in the emergency ward.  I remained there for many hours while they did some tests including blood work.  The doctors decided it was not safe for me to go home and that I should remain in the hospital on the cardiac floor for which I was most grateful as I was afraid it would happen again.  My son Ken took time off his new job and came to stay with me for a short while and then he went to work.  Once I was on the ward, he brought me some clothing plus my coat and my cane which was a marvelous help to me, plus, of course, Gemma the cat needed looking after so he did all that.

They found out that I had a virus (RSV) it is called and so I was put into a beautiful room with my own bathroom and a view from two big windows to die for.  I saw not only the lower city but also the mountain and although it was winter, it still was very breathtaking.

Once I was stabilized with my heart,  the head doctor thought it would be better for me to go home as there are so many viruses in the hospital.

I was told that I would have to remain until at least Friday - admitting date was 7 a.m. Monday morning, but the head doctor changed that due to the number of viruses in the hospital.


My neighbour John came to pick me up and he arrived just as my Pastor Dani arrived for a visit, so between the two of them, they wheeled me downstairs in a wheelchair and got me into John's truck.

John made sure he settled me in the apartment and then he walked up to the pharmacy to get the prescription which was a necessity to continue stabilizing my heart and got me some fruit while he was out doing that.

For the last few days, I have rested most of the time.  I had to call Paramed to say I had a virus as I did not want anybody else to catch it so my PSW was not allowed to come due to me still being contagious.  I have no idea how long I must remain away from people so need to find that out still.

I was left feeling extremely weak and it took a lot of courage for me to be alone again in case it happens again.  

However, my heart seems okay now and I just have to fight this virus which started with a sore throat and went to my chest and I could not stop coughing.

It is Friday today and I remain indoors but thankful to be alive, at home and for the wonderful care I received by all the medical team and my beautiful neighbours on this floor.  My club sent over food for lunch today and I plan to order from Grocerygateway.com perhaps today.  

Much to be thankful for.  

Thanks for dropping in.

A cold but sunny day today

I haven't felt much like writing lately.  I see that my last post was around Christmas time.  Haven't written any poetry or short stories either which is very unlike me.

I am hoping the 'writing bug' will visit me again and I will start to become creative once more.

Speaking of creative, I have been having fun experimenting with different recipes using coconut oil.  Did you know that it can be used in some very useful ways?  For an example, for a conditioner for one's hair.

One of my Pakistani friends told me that she warms up some coconut oil from the grocery store either on the stove or in the microwave and pours it on her dry hair and massaging her scalp and hair so that it gets thoroughly spread through the hair.  She leaves it on for two hours and just goes about what she wants to do at home, then washes her hair with regular shampoo.

Being the very curious type that I am, I tried it myself and it did a fine job.  I would not want to do it every time I wash my hair, but I will do it from time to time.  My Personal Support Worker (PSW) told me how she uses it as well.  After washing her hair, she takes some coconut oil and warms it up in her fingers and then lightly spreads it around on her hair.  

Naturally I had to try that as well, and it gave a lovely shine to the hair plus my hair did not seem as dry when I used it.

I was also advised by these two ladies that coconut oil is used in cooking in many areas of the world so I also tried that.  I really like the taste and it does a good job.  Coconut oil is a little bit more expensive than vegetable oil for cooking though.  I suspect it is much more healthy to cook with it or with olive oil than vegetable oil.

Not only is coconut oil good for hair and a good taste for cooking, I also found a recipe for a deodorant that one can make easily at home.

Here it is:   Deodorant:

1/2 cup coconut oil (warm it up by leaving it in the bottle and putting it into a pot of hot water.

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup baking soda
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of essential oil such as lemongrass, or lavendar, or tea tree oil.

Mix the warm coconut oil with the essential oil of your choice, then add the dry ingredients AND MIX WELL

Then transfer it into a wide mouth small jar or a plastic container.  It can be left out on the counter to harden or if you put it into the fridge, it will harden very fast.  Use as you would use with any type of deodorant that you would spread on your arm pits.

As an experiment, I found out that it worked for almost three days without having to reapply it.  Very frugal to make and works really well, at least it did for me.

Now onto another subject.  The weather here in Ontario, Canada has been very difficult this year.  Very, very cold, ice storms, snow storms and so often older folk such as myself could not go out as it was so icy and not worth the risk of falling and ending up for months on end in the hospital and rehab facilities.

I have been borrowing about twelves books at a time from the library and thankfully I have been able to renew them via the internet when they come close to the due date.

All in all, I am fine, health is not bad, getting around on the better days outside and thankful to have friends I can talk to via the telephone as well as on the internet.  

I am looking forward to seeing Spring arrive in due course though as I do enjoy getting out and going on the many trails here and being by the waterfront.

Have a good day and keep warm and snug at home.

Thanks for dropping by.

WEIHNACHT IN DEN BERGE

Christkindl Market - Kitchener City Hall

Lots of nice things going on right now

Last Saturday Jennifer picked me up at the back door and we went to ArtWord/Artbar for the launch of another Tower Poetry Book.  I was one of the readers of my poem "Ali". 

I was afraid that I may have lost my touch with speaking before an audience, but I was fine and felt very comfortable doing so.

My poem was not an uplifting poem but rather dealt with a very sad event in my life. 

I never expected it to be chosen for this anthology but the whole book was along the same lines about thought provoking events.

After that, Anita, Ruby, Jeff, Joanne and myself went across the way to enjoy the perogies at Loaded Perogies on Colbourne St.  Very good food and lots of choices available but with perogies.  The place was clean and the staff efficient and friendly.

I hoped on the bus and used my Presto pass to get me home.  I forgot to tell the gals that the venue is not accessible.  I felt very bad about that as two of them brought their walkers and had to carry them up the stairs.  That is why I used my cane, as I knew I was getting a ride both ways.

The next nice event was our little group going to the club to eat on the patio. The weather held off nicely until we were all safely home.  We were most fortunate.  Everybody enjoyed themselves from what I learned later.  I had my camera with me but forgot to take pictures......


Other than that, not much else has been going on.  I went to get some groceries at Fresh Nations and hoped to get six more library  books but the library was closed  for staff development day. 

I went back today and got seven more books so I should be okay for a while.  I felt like an orphan without any large print books at home.  I sure appreciate the library!!!!!

I have some medical things to get done within the next week or two but nothing too drastic at all.

Thanks for dropping by.

Here are some pictures from the book launch.  Jennifer took them.

George Down - Editor in Chief   talking about the many front page designs of artist and poet Susan A.J. Davis

Me, holding my copy of the anthology

It was a nice event and many poets from elsewhere, not just Canada, can send in their work.  It costs nothing to send in except for the postage.  One can send in 4 poems for each issue.  They may, or may not, be chosen.

A Toronto poet - it was lovely to meet her.