Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Ahhhhhh, memories of teargas....
Well, not quite, but the sounds, tones and feel of Robson Street reminde
d me of the 1993 run for the cup. . .not the teargas part, but the excitment and thrill of everyone suddenly a hockey fan. It was pretty cool walking up and down Robson for the last hour and not just seeing white people! You saw all races and nationalities. It's pretty cool!! The slogan for the Canucks is "We are all Canucks" and it was never more true than walking around tonight!
d me of the 1993 run for the cup. . .not the teargas part, but the excitment and thrill of everyone suddenly a hockey fan. It was pretty cool walking up and down Robson for the last hour and not just seeing white people! You saw all races and nationalities. It's pretty cool!! The slogan for the Canucks is "We are all Canucks" and it was never more true than walking around tonight!I wish I could ex
plain the sound. When you are right on Robson Street, you hear all the cheering, honking, etc. Once you are just about into my back all you can hear is a dull roar! There are police a plenty right around my corner, when I first walked out onto Thurlow and Robson Street, there was probably 10 cops on the corner. . .some dumbass thought it would be great to run into the middle of the street, take off his top and spin it around his head. Probably the first arrest or at least ticket of the night. I could smell someone smoking pot (again, there are still lots of cops around, and the smoke from the pot is right around my head!), someone else was drinking. . .it was hilarious!
plain the sound. When you are right on Robson Street, you hear all the cheering, honking, etc. Once you are just about into my back all you can hear is a dull roar! There are police a plenty right around my corner, when I first walked out onto Thurlow and Robson Street, there was probably 10 cops on the corner. . .some dumbass thought it would be great to run into the middle of the street, take off his top and spin it around his head. Probably the first arrest or at least ticket of the night. I could smell someone smoking pot (again, there are still lots of cops around, and the smoke from the pot is right around my head!), someone else was drinking. . .it was hilarious!Friday, April 06, 2007
The four days that created Canadian Unity
This is borrowed from the CBC website. Please go to the link to learn more, view pictures and see silent news clips from the four days at VimyRidge, when the Canadian Army helped to do what was thought impossible. http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/vimy/cdn_natl_memorial.html
We may marvel at the firepower of the hundreds of missiles and smart bombs used in U.S. attacks on Iraq, but an overwhelming battlefield fusillade creating shock and awe is not a new idea. In fact, Canadian soldiers fighting in the First World War were pioneers of the tactic.
It was at Vimy Ridge, a strategic 14-kilometre long escarpment that overlooks the Douai plain of France. German occupying troops controlled the ridge using a network of trenches that snaked along the crest and down into the valley, connecting with another network of natural caves. 150,000 French and British soldiers had died trying to take it back. Allied commanders believed the ridge to be impregnable.
But the Canadians had a plan, the first battle strategy for this new nation's commanders to conceive and execute on their own. Even military "experts" of the time admitted dubiously that the Canadians' plan couldn't be any worse than the British tactics at the Somme, which cost 24,000 Canadian casualties. So the Canadian army – all four divisions, totalling 100,000 men – got the go-ahead.
The ground assault had been planned meticulously for months. Full-scale replicas of the Vimy terrain were built to rehearse unit commanders on what to expect both from the enemy and from Canadian units on either side. Canadian spotters had identified and mapped about 80 per cent of the German gun positions. Five kilometres of tunnels were dug in order to move Canadian troops and ammunition up to the front without their being seen by German observers. And for a couple of weeks leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the Germans with 2,500 tons of ammunition per day.
At 5:30 in the morning on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, the assault began. It was raining. It was freezing cold. And it began with a huge artillery barrage… shock and awe 1917-style.
Over 1,100 cannons of various descriptions, from British heavy naval guns mounted on railway cars miles behind the battlefield, to portable field artillery pieces dragged into place by horses, mules or soldiers just behind the Canadian lines, fired continuously – in some cases until they exhausted their ammunition.
The Canadian battle plan was simple: the withering barrage provided a screen for the Canadian troops to hide behind. Hundreds of shells would land at once, spraying plumes of muddy earth upward like a polluted version of some giant decorative water fountain. Every three minutes the 850 Canadian cannons would aim a little higher, advancing the row of shellfire forward by 90 metres.
The attacking Canadian foot soldiers were expected to keep up, advancing, taking and occupying German positions, moving forward, never stopping, never racing ahead. Falling behind would make them clearer targets for German guns mounted higher up the ridge. Getting ahead of the artillery would put them in danger of being blasted by their own guns.
The giant naval cannons focused on the reinforced concrete bunkers protecting German heavy gun emplacements. The immense but inaccurate shells sent plumes of dirt, concrete and shrapnel skyward with every impact. The craters left behind were as large as houses.
The fight to take Vimy Ridge cost Canada dearly, but it would become the cornerstone of the nation's image of its place in the world. In four days, 3,600 Canadian soldiers died, another 5,000 were wounded. But the ridge was taken, much of it in the first day. The valour of the troops, the originality of the plan, the success where larger, more established armies had failed, all contributed to a new nation's pride.
The battle was hailed as the first allied success of the long war, achieved mostly due to the innovation of using a creeping, continuous massive artillery barrage to protect squads of advancing troops. Both sides used the tactic in future battles.
But even today we're paying the cost. At Vimy and other former First World War battlefields, the ground is so full of unexploded ordnance that visitors are warned not to stray from marked pathways. The risk from shells that fell and never exploded is still so high that it's
too dangerous, nearly a century later, to walk onto the actual battlefield to search for remains of soldiers listed as "missing."
Today, there's a large park at Vimy Ridge, dedicated to Canada. The striking memorial features a 30-tonne limestone figure carved from a single block, a hooded figure representing Canada herself, gazing down on a single tomb overlooking the Douai plain.
The twin stone pillars list the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose remains were never found.
SHOCK AND AWE, 1917
We may marvel at the firepower of the hundreds of missiles and smart bombs used in U.S. attacks on Iraq, but an overwhelming battlefield fusillade creating shock and awe is not a new idea. In fact, Canadian soldiers fighting in the First World War were pioneers of the tactic.
It was at Vimy Ridge, a strategic 14-kilometre long escarpment that overlooks the Douai plain of France. German occupying troops controlled the ridge using a network of trenches that snaked along the crest and down into the valley, connecting with another network of natural caves. 150,000 French and British soldiers had died trying to take it back. Allied commanders believed the ridge to be impregnable.
But the Canadians had a plan, the first battle strategy for this new nation's commanders to conceive and execute on their own. Even military "experts" of the time admitted dubiously that the Canadians' plan couldn't be any worse than the British tactics at the Somme, which cost 24,000 Canadian casualties. So the Canadian army – all four divisions, totalling 100,000 men – got the go-ahead.
The ground assault had been planned meticulously for months. Full-scale replicas of the Vimy terrain were built to rehearse unit commanders on what to expect both from the enemy and from Canadian units on either side. Canadian spotters had identified and mapped about 80 per cent of the German gun positions. Five kilometres of tunnels were dug in order to move Canadian troops and ammunition up to the front without their being seen by German observers. And for a couple of weeks leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the Germans with 2,500 tons of ammunition per day.
At 5:30 in the morning on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, the assault began. It was raining. It was freezing cold. And it began with a huge artillery barrage… shock and awe 1917-style.
Over 1,100 cannons of various descriptions, from British heavy naval guns mounted on railway cars miles behind the battlefield, to portable field artillery pieces dragged into place by horses, mules or soldiers just behind the Canadian lines, fired continuously – in some cases until they exhausted their ammunition.
The Canadian battle plan was simple: the withering barrage provided a screen for the Canadian troops to hide behind. Hundreds of shells would land at once, spraying plumes of muddy earth upward like a polluted version of some giant decorative water fountain. Every three minutes the 850 Canadian cannons would aim a little higher, advancing the row of shellfire forward by 90 metres.
The attacking Canadian foot soldiers were expected to keep up, advancing, taking and occupying German positions, moving forward, never stopping, never racing ahead. Falling behind would make them clearer targets for German guns mounted higher up the ridge. Getting ahead of the artillery would put them in danger of being blasted by their own guns.
The giant naval cannons focused on the reinforced concrete bunkers protecting German heavy gun emplacements. The immense but inaccurate shells sent plumes of dirt, concrete and shrapnel skyward with every impact. The craters left behind were as large as houses.
The fight to take Vimy Ridge cost Canada dearly, but it would become the cornerstone of the nation's image of its place in the world. In four days, 3,600 Canadian soldiers died, another 5,000 were wounded. But the ridge was taken, much of it in the first day. The valour of the troops, the originality of the plan, the success where larger, more established armies had failed, all contributed to a new nation's pride.
The battle was hailed as the first allied success of the long war, achieved mostly due to the innovation of using a creeping, continuous massive artillery barrage to protect squads of advancing troops. Both sides used the tactic in future battles.
But even today we're paying the cost. At Vimy and other former First World War battlefields, the ground is so full of unexploded ordnance that visitors are warned not to stray from marked pathways. The risk from shells that fell and never exploded is still so high that it's
too dangerous, nearly a century later, to walk onto the actual battlefield to search for remains of soldiers listed as "missing."Today, there's a large park at Vimy Ridge, dedicated to Canada. The striking memorial features a 30-tonne limestone figure carved from a single block, a hooded figure representing Canada herself, gazing down on a single tomb overlooking the Douai plain.
The twin stone pillars list the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose remains were never found.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Life
So, it's Saturday night, I'm feeling icky (sickness seems to be flying around my work place, hopefully I'm not sick like they are!). I have to admit I'm feeling a little out of sorts. . .I feel like I'm drifting away from some friends, making new ones, and the ones that are nearest to my hearts are still there and supporting me. I guess it's the ones that I thought were my friends that I'm having some issues with, but I really shouldn't be. I have great friends. . .friends that if I called them right now needing something, they would be there for me, and they know they could ask the same of me. Maybe it's because the fairweather friends I've been friends with for a while.
I could also be sad about the fact that my cat died recently and I'm feeling some guilt about that as well. I switched to the foil cat food as I had broken my elbow and it was hard to open cans of food (pull off or with a can opener). Then I find out three weeks after Spazzy died that there might have been rat poison in the cat food? WTF? I was to take Monster in for a check up in a month but he's going in earlier. He appears fine, but then, so did Spazz. The thing that gets me about Spazzy is that he was fine, and then it was like overnight he was sick. So many of my friends expressed shock when I told them that Spazz was sick. It was like we would be around forever. Yes, he was 17 when he died. . .however, how an I be sure that the renal failure was actually renal failure and not the rat poison making it look that way? I have no proof other than the fact that it was easier for me to open foil packages for a few weeks while my arm was healing.
On the plus side I have Monster at home with his bitchy meow when he sits on my lap and I DARE to move. . .
I could also be sad about the fact that my cat died recently and I'm feeling some guilt about that as well. I switched to the foil cat food as I had broken my elbow and it was hard to open cans of food (pull off or with a can opener). Then I find out three weeks after Spazzy died that there might have been rat poison in the cat food? WTF? I was to take Monster in for a check up in a month but he's going in earlier. He appears fine, but then, so did Spazz. The thing that gets me about Spazzy is that he was fine, and then it was like overnight he was sick. So many of my friends expressed shock when I told them that Spazz was sick. It was like we would be around forever. Yes, he was 17 when he died. . .however, how an I be sure that the renal failure was actually renal failure and not the rat poison making it look that way? I have no proof other than the fact that it was easier for me to open foil packages for a few weeks while my arm was healing.
On the plus side I have Monster at home with his bitchy meow when he sits on my lap and I DARE to move. . .
Friday, March 02, 2007
Diary of a broken elbow - part four
So, Monday, I'm in the hospital, its the day I decide to go home (I was given the decision of which day to go home, see below) and I started my period.. . .and, what do you know, the hopsital doesn't have tampons or pads, just these genormous pads they give women that have just had babies. . .yah, huge! I won't say what I texted my friends but it was pretty funny.
I was given the option of going home either on Monday or Tuesday and if I was able to go home on Monday then I could go home whenever I got a ride to the hospital. Two of my coworkers came to pick me up once I got all my prescriptions and what I needed to do at home. Oh, it was so good to get home, but the best part was when I went outside and smelt fresh air for the first time in six days!!! So awesome! Seriously, I was in heaven.
As soon as I got home, my coworker ran over to IGA to pick up some groceries for me while another coworker stayed with me while I was trying to figure out where to get my prescriptions. After she came back, we went to London Drugs to get my morphine. I'm sitting there dressed like a crazy person, my pain killers were wearing off, my cramps were bad, my allergies were giving me a headache and my cramps from my period were hugely bad! lol, it actually made me laugh!
I get home, pass out on my couch for a while (while cuddling my cats. . .they were happy I was home!)
Tuesday I decide to have a bath. I probably should have thought about how to get out of the bathtub. I had a bath because I wanted to wash my hair (it was getting gross) and as stuck there for about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get out! Was hilarious!
OK, I had a very bad day today so I'm drinking a really strong vodka and cranberry. I'll post more tomorrow.
I was given the option of going home either on Monday or Tuesday and if I was able to go home on Monday then I could go home whenever I got a ride to the hospital. Two of my coworkers came to pick me up once I got all my prescriptions and what I needed to do at home. Oh, it was so good to get home, but the best part was when I went outside and smelt fresh air for the first time in six days!!! So awesome! Seriously, I was in heaven.
As soon as I got home, my coworker ran over to IGA to pick up some groceries for me while another coworker stayed with me while I was trying to figure out where to get my prescriptions. After she came back, we went to London Drugs to get my morphine. I'm sitting there dressed like a crazy person, my pain killers were wearing off, my cramps were bad, my allergies were giving me a headache and my cramps from my period were hugely bad! lol, it actually made me laugh!
I get home, pass out on my couch for a while (while cuddling my cats. . .they were happy I was home!)
Tuesday I decide to have a bath. I probably should have thought about how to get out of the bathtub. I had a bath because I wanted to wash my hair (it was getting gross) and as stuck there for about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get out! Was hilarious!
OK, I had a very bad day today so I'm drinking a really strong vodka and cranberry. I'll post more tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Diary of a broken elbow - part three
So I left off waking up in post-op. This was the only part of my hospital experience I did not like. I remember trying to wake myself because I was really confused. I checked the time and it was about 3:00 or 3:30pm. There was a nurse trying to feed me water but I kept fighting her off. Reflecting upon it, I felt like once I was having to move back upstairs, my bed was just pushed aside, the nurse didn't check on me again and I was sitting there for a good 20 minutes before someone came to take me back upstairs. I didn't like this part of my hospital stay so I'm not going to talk about it that much.
Friday night, three of my friends came by for a visit (I got in trouble from the same nurse as the night before, my friends were there until about 9:30pm). And! I finally got to eat after two days! Woohoo! Liquid diet (not alcohol!), I got jello! Yummy...so, I got two bites of jello, three sips of mint tea (my friends brought it for me), and a few sips of juice into me. It was like this until Saturday night when I had some chicken.
My first night out of surgery was very painful. I was trying to not scream out in pain. About four times that night I need "break-through" medication (where they would pump me full of morphine through my IV). It wasn't fun at all. It was hard to get through the night and most of Saturday without them. The girls all came by again during the day one and of the girls loaned me her TV phone so I could check my emails, watch a little TV when I wanted, was awesome!!! Of course, one of the nurses made fun of me for now having TWO cell phones. hehehehe.
Sunday morning was great! I got bacon with my breakfast! Yummy!!! I talked to my surgeon and he told me I could leave Monday or Tuesday (I was hoping for Monday, I wanted to be in my own space). A few of my friends from work came by for a visit. I stole David's grapes (hehehe). I actually received a basket of fruit and other goodies from my dance friends on Saturday. One of the nurses actually commented he'd never seen someone receive one fruit basket, let alone two!!! But, I have to say that the green grapes helped me regain some of my appetite, which is why poor David lots his grapes out of his shopping! I had my first cup of tea today as well! Yummy! I got my friend Jan to come by with some.
I have to say that Sunday was also a very liberating day for me. This might sound very strange to you, but i was showered by one of the nurses. I so desperately needed my hair washed and it wasn't working out in the shower like we wanted so we just decided I needed a full on shower. let me tell you, to be that helpless and be able to say sure, I'll get completely naked infront of a stranger and have you help me clean myself, well, it's very liberating. I can tell you that I've responded completely different to things as they come up in my life now. I know its sounds very strange, but it was a growth experience for me.
Well, the elbow is feeling funny so I have to sign off for now!
Friday night, three of my friends came by for a visit (I got in trouble from the same nurse as the night before, my friends were there until about 9:30pm). And! I finally got to eat after two days! Woohoo! Liquid diet (not alcohol!), I got jello! Yummy...so, I got two bites of jello, three sips of mint tea (my friends brought it for me), and a few sips of juice into me. It was like this until Saturday night when I had some chicken.
My first night out of surgery was very painful. I was trying to not scream out in pain. About four times that night I need "break-through" medication (where they would pump me full of morphine through my IV). It wasn't fun at all. It was hard to get through the night and most of Saturday without them. The girls all came by again during the day one and of the girls loaned me her TV phone so I could check my emails, watch a little TV when I wanted, was awesome!!! Of course, one of the nurses made fun of me for now having TWO cell phones. hehehehe.
Sunday morning was great! I got bacon with my breakfast! Yummy!!! I talked to my surgeon and he told me I could leave Monday or Tuesday (I was hoping for Monday, I wanted to be in my own space). A few of my friends from work came by for a visit. I stole David's grapes (hehehe). I actually received a basket of fruit and other goodies from my dance friends on Saturday. One of the nurses actually commented he'd never seen someone receive one fruit basket, let alone two!!! But, I have to say that the green grapes helped me regain some of my appetite, which is why poor David lots his grapes out of his shopping! I had my first cup of tea today as well! Yummy! I got my friend Jan to come by with some.
I have to say that Sunday was also a very liberating day for me. This might sound very strange to you, but i was showered by one of the nurses. I so desperately needed my hair washed and it wasn't working out in the shower like we wanted so we just decided I needed a full on shower. let me tell you, to be that helpless and be able to say sure, I'll get completely naked infront of a stranger and have you help me clean myself, well, it's very liberating. I can tell you that I've responded completely different to things as they come up in my life now. I know its sounds very strange, but it was a growth experience for me.
Well, the elbow is feeling funny so I have to sign off for now!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Diary of a broken elbow - part two
So, I woke up for the first time in a hospital the following morning. I still had my IV drip, but they changed it to one with sugar and other vitamins (you know, to fill me up as I can't eat). I was waiting on an emergency surgery wait list for my elbow. I got told in the morning I was going to have a CT scan at some point and if there was an OR room available, then I would get surgery. Diane and Ana from work came to visit me in the morning, thank god! I was totally bored, however, I had a window and was on the 10th foor, nice view! Thankfully it was sunny, however, made my room awefully warm. First time getting up and peeing wasn't that nice either. I was pretty dizzy from no food (well, I did have that yummy IV drip, that sure was filling).
In the afternoon they moved me to the 8th floor where the orthopedic ward was. Just before I went downstairs I got a huge orchid arrangement from the building managers of the building I fell in (just about every single nurse asked if the card said "Please don't sue us") and I got a nice fruit basket from work (however, it was also sort of mean considering I couldn't eat!). Probably about 5pm one of my coworkers came for a visit and then my friend Zamina came after work. She was there for about 20 minutes while I was snoring away, of course, she hates hospitals and was near fainting whenever she heard anything. We had to call Jan again, she didn't realize that I was in the hospital and waiting for surgery. Then we got into trouble because they were there until close to 10pm with me (visiting hours are over at 8pm).
The next morning I wake up, lots of pain, and I'm also feeling sort of sick so they hooked up a gravel drip for me. Yummy. At least it worked. I found out that I was finally going to have surgery (at this point I haven't eaten since midnight on Wednesday and this was Friday morning). I get taken for pre-op at 10am. I'm very scared. I've never had surgery before and had no idea what to expect. While I'm waiting in pre-op, I had three different people come ask me questions, the same questions. All I wanted was to be left alone to cry before surgery and everyone's asking me the same questions.
I finally get taken into the OR room about 1050am. I was actually quite interested to be in there (so that distracted me from my fear for a bit). I was a bit shocked to see a crucifix, and since everything was white, it really stood out. I was given some gas, told to count down and that's the last thing I remember before waking up in post-op.
In the afternoon they moved me to the 8th floor where the orthopedic ward was. Just before I went downstairs I got a huge orchid arrangement from the building managers of the building I fell in (just about every single nurse asked if the card said "Please don't sue us") and I got a nice fruit basket from work (however, it was also sort of mean considering I couldn't eat!). Probably about 5pm one of my coworkers came for a visit and then my friend Zamina came after work. She was there for about 20 minutes while I was snoring away, of course, she hates hospitals and was near fainting whenever she heard anything. We had to call Jan again, she didn't realize that I was in the hospital and waiting for surgery. Then we got into trouble because they were there until close to 10pm with me (visiting hours are over at 8pm).
The next morning I wake up, lots of pain, and I'm also feeling sort of sick so they hooked up a gravel drip for me. Yummy. At least it worked. I found out that I was finally going to have surgery (at this point I haven't eaten since midnight on Wednesday and this was Friday morning). I get taken for pre-op at 10am. I'm very scared. I've never had surgery before and had no idea what to expect. While I'm waiting in pre-op, I had three different people come ask me questions, the same questions. All I wanted was to be left alone to cry before surgery and everyone's asking me the same questions.
I finally get taken into the OR room about 1050am. I was actually quite interested to be in there (so that distracted me from my fear for a bit). I was a bit shocked to see a crucifix, and since everything was white, it really stood out. I was given some gas, told to count down and that's the last thing I remember before waking up in post-op.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Dairy of a broken elbow - part one
So, one lunch time (January 31) I was walking back to the office from having sushi and felt like some chocolate milk. On my way through the lobby, I feel, dislocated my left elbow as well as broke my radial head of my elbow. OH MY GOD, the pain was bad. Really bad. Something in me knew right away though that I had at least dislocated my elbow. I remembered that sound from when I dislocated my right elbow when I was a kid. The security guards tried to move me, I told them off. I tried to call Ana, but she wasn't at her desk (or the call didn't go through) so I called my boss Chris. He came downstairs, but of course the first thing out of his mouth is "If you didn't want to go Sea to Sky and work for Tony, you didn't have to go and hurt yourself". Actually, it was good he came down there, he made sure that I was distracted from the pain. I also had someone from the building managers there trying to ask me questions and I kept looking at her like, WTF do you want and why are you asking me stupid questions while I'm sitting here. I think they were scared I would sue them.
Next thing I know the ambulance is there, they're wrapping up my arm to take me to the hospital. I had some laughing gas to inhale when the pain is really bad, that stuff made me want to hurl! Of course it worked, but it made me really want to hurl. When the ambulance attendants had my arm wrapped up they tried to help me up but I got up on my own. . .hey! Bellydancing lessons came in handy for something other than dancing! I balance swords (one or two) and shamadans on my head so I'm used to getting off the floor without pushing myself up with my hands, which is what I did. Ana asked me later if I was using my dance skills to help me out.
Ana came with me to the hosital (I think partly because she wanted to be in the ambulance with the sirens going!). Thank god she was there! I didn't realize half the thiings I needed to ask because of the distraction of the pain. It was hard to concentrate on the questions so she helped me out with that.
I get put into the Fast Track ER. I'm waiting for a bit for the doctor (the ER doctor was great) in a room that looks like a storeroom, and when she comes in to see me, she asks me some questions and then sends me for xrays to make sure my arm is dislocated. After my xrays (oh my god! painfull!) I get put into another room (the typical curtain rooms yhou se on TV etc). They've got me drugged up good, Ana is still there (I've told her a few times that she can go home but she tells me to shut up and stays). The ER doctor finally comes back and tells me that yes I'm dislocated, they are going to do a concious sedation to put it back together. They give me the drugs, Ana is laughing so hard she has to turn her back on me so I can't see her laughing, one of the doctors pointed it out because he thought it was pretty funny was well! I totally remember that I was really out of it!
I eventually came down from the sedation, I get sent for more xrays, guess what, I'm still dislocated. And, it looks like there's a fracture there too. I get sedated again, they do everything again, I get moe xrays to check on it, it works this time. However, now I have to wait for a surgeon to come in and see me, because maybe my fracture is more serious and I might need surgery. WHAT??? OK, so I'm totally freaked out at this point. I think it's about 730pm or so, I've been in the ER for 7 or 8 hours, Ana's starting to get hungry (and still won't go home, but calls up her roommate Cindy to come sit with me while she goes gets some dinner). Cindy sat with me for a bit while Ana went to change and get some food. Then Cindy wouldn't go home!
Finally, the surgeon (who was apparently driving from home) shows up, yah, I've broken my radial head in half, I need surgery but they aren't sure at this point if they can use my bone or if they need to do a complete replacement of the joint. Great. I'm being admitted to the hospital as wel. All of which are firsts for me.
By about 11pm, my friend Lynn comes to the ER because she realized that I really was hurt (she thought I was yanking her chain). Once she gets there I'm finally able to talk Ana and Cindy into going home (for Ana, she's been there as long as me and I've been there since 12:30pm or so). Lynn went to get me tea while the doctor's are putting a cast on me. When she came back she unveiled that she brought me some cheesecake! freak, was funny. She stayed with me right until I was admitted to the hospital and until I fell asleep, which was about 2am.
Wow, what a day. My arm is getting sore (I'm allowed to type with my left hand right now) so I'll continue my story later.
Next thing I know the ambulance is there, they're wrapping up my arm to take me to the hospital. I had some laughing gas to inhale when the pain is really bad, that stuff made me want to hurl! Of course it worked, but it made me really want to hurl. When the ambulance attendants had my arm wrapped up they tried to help me up but I got up on my own. . .hey! Bellydancing lessons came in handy for something other than dancing! I balance swords (one or two) and shamadans on my head so I'm used to getting off the floor without pushing myself up with my hands, which is what I did. Ana asked me later if I was using my dance skills to help me out.
Ana came with me to the hosital (I think partly because she wanted to be in the ambulance with the sirens going!). Thank god she was there! I didn't realize half the thiings I needed to ask because of the distraction of the pain. It was hard to concentrate on the questions so she helped me out with that.
I get put into the Fast Track ER. I'm waiting for a bit for the doctor (the ER doctor was great) in a room that looks like a storeroom, and when she comes in to see me, she asks me some questions and then sends me for xrays to make sure my arm is dislocated. After my xrays (oh my god! painfull!) I get put into another room (the typical curtain rooms yhou se on TV etc). They've got me drugged up good, Ana is still there (I've told her a few times that she can go home but she tells me to shut up and stays). The ER doctor finally comes back and tells me that yes I'm dislocated, they are going to do a concious sedation to put it back together. They give me the drugs, Ana is laughing so hard she has to turn her back on me so I can't see her laughing, one of the doctors pointed it out because he thought it was pretty funny was well! I totally remember that I was really out of it!
I eventually came down from the sedation, I get sent for more xrays, guess what, I'm still dislocated. And, it looks like there's a fracture there too. I get sedated again, they do everything again, I get moe xrays to check on it, it works this time. However, now I have to wait for a surgeon to come in and see me, because maybe my fracture is more serious and I might need surgery. WHAT??? OK, so I'm totally freaked out at this point. I think it's about 730pm or so, I've been in the ER for 7 or 8 hours, Ana's starting to get hungry (and still won't go home, but calls up her roommate Cindy to come sit with me while she goes gets some dinner). Cindy sat with me for a bit while Ana went to change and get some food. Then Cindy wouldn't go home!
Finally, the surgeon (who was apparently driving from home) shows up, yah, I've broken my radial head in half, I need surgery but they aren't sure at this point if they can use my bone or if they need to do a complete replacement of the joint. Great. I'm being admitted to the hospital as wel. All of which are firsts for me.
By about 11pm, my friend Lynn comes to the ER because she realized that I really was hurt (she thought I was yanking her chain). Once she gets there I'm finally able to talk Ana and Cindy into going home (for Ana, she's been there as long as me and I've been there since 12:30pm or so). Lynn went to get me tea while the doctor's are putting a cast on me. When she came back she unveiled that she brought me some cheesecake! freak, was funny. She stayed with me right until I was admitted to the hospital and until I fell asleep, which was about 2am.
Wow, what a day. My arm is getting sore (I'm allowed to type with my left hand right now) so I'll continue my story later.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Stanley Park
So, the last few days I didn't go to work because I wasn't feeling well, however, a coworker phoned me up today and made me go for a walk today. We went around Stanley Park, which was a little sad to see all the trees down, however, it was a beautiful day and I got some good shots! Enjoy!
Monday, January 01, 2007
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Diary of a Boxing Day Addict, Part 2 - Urge to Kill....rising
So, I just got back in from round two, got lots of stuff, am now listening to the tunes I uploaded to the new iPod, and I'm so tired I'm going to bed to sleep for like five hours!!! Yes, urge to kill was rising, but I'm back at home now so it's all good. I'm pretty sure I scared a few people as it was really difficult for me to keep my mood from reflecting in my face. Whatever! I got some deals, a partial outfit for New Years and I'm back home, still alive! I didn't even spend all my money either, so I'm going to have to go shopping later this week, after the crowds have died down a little bit and I don't feel like killing anyone ;)
Diary of a Boxing Day Addict, number 1
So, I've been out and back again already. Was in Future Shop spending my gift cards from some of my friends (presents!!). I've been flip flopping for weeks now about which iPod to purchase. Finally decided on the new shuffle (so cute and tiny!) and I got the last one in the store, well, in the store for at least the moment. I think I scoped it from someone else too, opps ;)
Well, going to see how long it takes to charge the new iPod, upload some tunes and go out again. . .if it takes too long, just going out again. The stores start opening at 7am!
Well, going to see how long it takes to charge the new iPod, upload some tunes and go out again. . .if it takes too long, just going out again. The stores start opening at 7am!
Monday, December 25, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Stanley Park
I'm very sad to hear about all the damage to one of my favorite locations in Vancouver. I'm almost afraid to go to the Park. . .I don't want to see the damage.
Christmas Kitties!!!
The reason my dad put the tree up, so the cat could hang out at the top of it!
Spazz (not looking very happy with me)
Monster!
Spazz (not looking very happy with me)
Monster!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Sarita's Student Night
Marina and I went to Sarita's student night at Kalypso tonight. The performers were great! The girls dancing for their first time looked as if they were dancing for years! superb! The pictures aren't entirely great as I was sitting behind a bunch of people with big hair and had to use quiet a lot of zoom!! But, you guys will get the idea!
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