One of the blogs in our favourites list is Bay of Fundy (do Google search on blogs to find it.)
Produced by irrepressible Bay enthusiast Terri McCulloch, if you are not already here it will make you want to be! Terri includes great photographs, delicious recipes and fascinating facts about the Bay - including a chance to see the tide come in in 55 seconds.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Irwin Barker Interview on Sounds Like Canada
On January 30, Shelagh Rogers did a great interview with Irwin Barker, a stand-up comic and comedy writer who has terminal cancer.
In dealing with this he decided that he was not going to let it make him bitter and angry. He talks about how he has incorporated it into his comedy, as a way he could use his gift to perhaps help others. He says that he is telling jokes in spite of cancer, not because of it, noting that you don't wan't to make the audience feel sorry for you, and that "you can make some fun of it, but it's not fun."
At one point in the interview, Barker says "I'm not cured, but I've got a victory over it. Cancer has my body, but it doesn't have me."
If you're interested in hearing the whole interview, go to the Sounds Like Canada website, January 30 program.
In dealing with this he decided that he was not going to let it make him bitter and angry. He talks about how he has incorporated it into his comedy, as a way he could use his gift to perhaps help others. He says that he is telling jokes in spite of cancer, not because of it, noting that you don't wan't to make the audience feel sorry for you, and that "you can make some fun of it, but it's not fun."
At one point in the interview, Barker says "I'm not cured, but I've got a victory over it. Cancer has my body, but it doesn't have me."
If you're interested in hearing the whole interview, go to the Sounds Like Canada website, January 30 program.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Pictures from Madeleine and Colin
Madeleine, Harvey's granddaughter, made this get well card for Wendy.
And Colin knew that a Dinosaur would help.
Feeding a tender tummy
One of the many side effects of chemotherapy is nausea and a much heightened sensitivity to odours. For a couple of days after chemo I didn't cook anything. Wendy's appetite is is for small portions of a variety of foods that don't have strong tastes or odours. Of course, I'm also trying to get a balanced diet; low in fat, balance of protien and carbohydrates, and lots of nutrients and vitamins.
I have discovered that soup is a good thing to have around. It freezes easily, can be quickly thawed in the microwave, and nothing gets thrown out in the cooking process. I tried this borscht type soup and Wendy enjoyed it.
One medium onion, finely diced
250 grams cabbage, shredded (Savoy type cabbage has less of the sulphur compounds that gives cabbage it's awful odour(
15 ml butter (a tablespoon or more if needed)
500 ml chicken stock
1 - 27 oz can diced tomatoes
250 grams diced carrots
250 grams diced potatoes (red bliss or Yukon gold - they keep their shape when boiled)
200 grams beets, peeled and sliced, or diced, or even canned beets
vinegar, bayleaves, pepper (If you are using commercial stock or canned vegetables, remember thay have plenty of salt in them. )
Yoghurt or sour cream.
Sweat the onions and cabbage in the butter in a soup pot. Do not brown them, just cook until they are limp and you've extracted the liquid out of them. Add the stock, the rest of the vegetables, tomatoes with their liquid, pepper, and bay leaf and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Taste the soup and if you want add a tablespoon or two of vinegar to give it a bit of edge. Or serve the vinegar on the table.
To serve, ladle into a bowl, add a big dollop of yoghurt or sour cream if your tummy can take it. If you start with good ingredients and treat them gently, your soup will be tasty, with a hint of the earthiness of beets and the sweetness of the carrots and tomatoes.
As we go through this, I imagine there will be other recipes.
Harvey
I have discovered that soup is a good thing to have around. It freezes easily, can be quickly thawed in the microwave, and nothing gets thrown out in the cooking process. I tried this borscht type soup and Wendy enjoyed it.
One medium onion, finely diced
250 grams cabbage, shredded (Savoy type cabbage has less of the sulphur compounds that gives cabbage it's awful odour(
15 ml butter (a tablespoon or more if needed)
500 ml chicken stock
1 - 27 oz can diced tomatoes
250 grams diced carrots
250 grams diced potatoes (red bliss or Yukon gold - they keep their shape when boiled)
200 grams beets, peeled and sliced, or diced, or even canned beets
vinegar, bayleaves, pepper (If you are using commercial stock or canned vegetables, remember thay have plenty of salt in them. )
Yoghurt or sour cream.
Sweat the onions and cabbage in the butter in a soup pot. Do not brown them, just cook until they are limp and you've extracted the liquid out of them. Add the stock, the rest of the vegetables, tomatoes with their liquid, pepper, and bay leaf and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Taste the soup and if you want add a tablespoon or two of vinegar to give it a bit of edge. Or serve the vinegar on the table.
To serve, ladle into a bowl, add a big dollop of yoghurt or sour cream if your tummy can take it. If you start with good ingredients and treat them gently, your soup will be tasty, with a hint of the earthiness of beets and the sweetness of the carrots and tomatoes.
As we go through this, I imagine there will be other recipes.
Harvey
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Hair Don't Day
On Wednesday morning, exactly two weeks after my first chemotherapy treatments, my hair started to come out in the shower. I had already decided, influenced by a wonderful book called Turning Heads, that when this happened I would have my head shaved. So, the appointment with Doug, my hair guy, was made for Friday morning.My friend Suzanne suggested going out for lunch afterwards and we arranged to meet at a lovely little Central American restaurant called Taco Pica. "We'll see who else can come" we said.
On a -20 January day, nine of us enjoyed a delicious lunch, great stories, and much hat modelling. To Suzanne, Lynn, Pat, Wanda, Annette, Felicity, Regi and Rose, thanks for joining in this odd celebration and for the hats, the laughter, the lunch and your support.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Submission to New Brunswick Select Committee on Wellness
Submission to the Select Committee on Wellness
Dear Committee Members
I was pleased to learn of the opportunity to provide input to you on this important topice. My concern is with primary health care and its inaccessibility to thousands of New Brunswickers.
I am a new New Brunswicker, who moved to this province almost 3 ½ years ago, for a professional opportunity, without any previous ties to New Brunswick.
As I settled in Saint John, I discovered that there was a number to call to find a family doctor. I did so, and was advised that I would likely get a call about doctors accepting new patients in a few months. Since then, I call periodically to ensure that my name is still on the list. As a healthy person, who has not had the need to visit my doctor frequently, this was only a minor concern.
My experience when I have needed a physician is that walk-in clinics, as they operate here, do not provide an acceptable alternative, primarily due to the lack of continuity of care. Although we know it is inappropriate, many who like me are without a family doctor have no alternative but the Emergency Department when a health issue arises.
This was true in my case, when I recently identified a problem and went to Urgent Care at St Joseph’s in order to see a doctor and get a mammogram. When the mammogram revealed a significant problem, the system responded quickly and professionally, to ensure that the best treatment available was provided – including finding a family doctor for me.
I read about, and support, plans to grow our province’s population, through immigration from other countries and other parts of Canada. Yet I wonder how our province , in good conscience, can invite newcomers to join us when we already lack the ability to provide primary health care for thousands of New Brunswickers. This is an urgent wellness issue that must be addressed in order to eliminate New Brunswick’s two tier health system, for those with and without family doctors.
Sincerely
Wendy Martindale
Dear Committee Members
I was pleased to learn of the opportunity to provide input to you on this important topice. My concern is with primary health care and its inaccessibility to thousands of New Brunswickers.
I am a new New Brunswicker, who moved to this province almost 3 ½ years ago, for a professional opportunity, without any previous ties to New Brunswick.
As I settled in Saint John, I discovered that there was a number to call to find a family doctor. I did so, and was advised that I would likely get a call about doctors accepting new patients in a few months. Since then, I call periodically to ensure that my name is still on the list. As a healthy person, who has not had the need to visit my doctor frequently, this was only a minor concern.
My experience when I have needed a physician is that walk-in clinics, as they operate here, do not provide an acceptable alternative, primarily due to the lack of continuity of care. Although we know it is inappropriate, many who like me are without a family doctor have no alternative but the Emergency Department when a health issue arises.
This was true in my case, when I recently identified a problem and went to Urgent Care at St Joseph’s in order to see a doctor and get a mammogram. When the mammogram revealed a significant problem, the system responded quickly and professionally, to ensure that the best treatment available was provided – including finding a family doctor for me.
I read about, and support, plans to grow our province’s population, through immigration from other countries and other parts of Canada. Yet I wonder how our province , in good conscience, can invite newcomers to join us when we already lack the ability to provide primary health care for thousands of New Brunswickers. This is an urgent wellness issue that must be addressed in order to eliminate New Brunswick’s two tier health system, for those with and without family doctors.
Sincerely
Wendy Martindale
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Chemotherapy Round One
Those of you who have been personally effected by cancer (or who work in health care) already know how this works, but others, like me until now, may not.
Initial treatment planned is 6 rounds of chemotherapy; each of these is a 28 day cycle. On days 1 and 8, I go to the hospital for chemotherapy (given through a pic line, rather than poking at my veins every time), each day a different drug. The day 1 drug takes longer and there were a couple of not good days afterward; the day 8 drug didn't have the same impact. From days 1 to 14 I take another chemotherapy drug by tablet, then 2 weeks for immune system to recover before we start again. Also go to the hospital weekly so that they can take blood.
In terms of side effect, the reaction is very individual, and I'm fortunate to be going into this without other health challenges. So far the anti-nausea drugs have been effective for me. I was told that in 2 weeks my hair would start to fall out, which is precisely what happened. (That story and photos coming in another post.) And I get tired more easily, have adjusted my bedtime and a number of people seem to be monitoring that I don't overdo at work.
The cancer care here has been speedy, caring and professional. Unfortunately, primary health care, in Saint John like many other parts of Canada, is inaccessible to many because of the shortage of family physicians. I've been on a waiting list for almost 3 years, until the day of the diagnosis, when my case worker found a family doctor for me. At least this problem seems to be getting public attention, but it will take time to solve.
Initial treatment planned is 6 rounds of chemotherapy; each of these is a 28 day cycle. On days 1 and 8, I go to the hospital for chemotherapy (given through a pic line, rather than poking at my veins every time), each day a different drug. The day 1 drug takes longer and there were a couple of not good days afterward; the day 8 drug didn't have the same impact. From days 1 to 14 I take another chemotherapy drug by tablet, then 2 weeks for immune system to recover before we start again. Also go to the hospital weekly so that they can take blood.
In terms of side effect, the reaction is very individual, and I'm fortunate to be going into this without other health challenges. So far the anti-nausea drugs have been effective for me. I was told that in 2 weeks my hair would start to fall out, which is precisely what happened. (That story and photos coming in another post.) And I get tired more easily, have adjusted my bedtime and a number of people seem to be monitoring that I don't overdo at work.
The cancer care here has been speedy, caring and professional. Unfortunately, primary health care, in Saint John like many other parts of Canada, is inaccessible to many because of the shortage of family physicians. I've been on a waiting list for almost 3 years, until the day of the diagnosis, when my case worker found a family doctor for me. At least this problem seems to be getting public attention, but it will take time to solve.
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