We're still alive!

I've written of ADLs, activities of daily living. It is the difference between a senior successfully managing life at home, or not. I was proud of myself. We NEVER put out garbage out the night before garbage day. I had to. I couldn't face the stress of doing that Monday morning with my fatigue and coughing. Out it went in the secure can. You just can't put kitchen garbage out with bears, raccoons, and coyotes. I had to this once.

All was well. No mess. WHEW!

 

It is wonderful being outside, at least. 

The wild Oregano is full of insects. If I had more energy (I was up coughing twice last night) I'd figure out this first one. The second is obvious.

Look what Merlin told me was out back: a Black-billed Cuckoo! 

COVID UPDATE: Sunday night I actually slept through the night. JB not so much. It is interesting that it attacks my weakest part, my lungs. Joe's is his nose, and his faucet continues to leak. It seems to me that COVID is attacking us in our weak spots. I have always gotten bronchitis when I had a bad cold. Joe's nasal passages, hay fever and such, is his weak point.

Monday was the last day for my Paxlovid pills. Also the last day of Joe's Lyme Disease meds, Doxycycline. I'm drinking a ton of water. It really helps. He was supposed to be checked by the doctor this morning, but that ain't happening.

Poor JB is having two naps a day. Monday, after dinner, I could not stop the coughing. Hawking up cloudy phlegm over the back deck railing – so as not to freak out Joe. I'd clear it, then sit back down. Three times. At this point I figured I best be seen by someone. Is this bronchitis or what? 

I dialled 9-1-1. The dispatcher was kind and demonstrated caring.

The female paramedic, an experienced one, was wonderful and took a full history, as well as the meds I was on. In hindsight that spared them in the ER. They were slammed. She handed in my health card, and all I had to do at that point was wait.

In the ambulance my paramedic explained the Paxlovid doesn't cure COVID, it ameliorates symptoms.  The ambulance crew set me up in the hallway. Both in masks – as I am Typhoid Mary. Hospital staff had to clear a room for me. By 9 p.m. I had a room, away from the old with oxygen masks, a poor screaming preschooler, and other vulnerable people. What a job.

The irony is that this is the room I was in for 6 hours when I had chest pains after Joe's cancer surgery. I had driven myself in as I didn't think it was a heart attack. I read a book that time. It was high blood pressure from stress. 

Anyway, back to Monday night. The one nurse wanted to know what I wanted from them. To be able to breathe? At this point, the terrible coughing spells stopped. This whackadoodle old white woman just wanted someone to listen to her lungs to rule all this out. I know they were busy. I know COVID is old hat now, but I felt diminished. 

I'd brought a book, and when I passed another couple of people on beds in the hallway, they were reading. 

Eventually I could feel an anxiety attack coming on. I'd phoned Joe twice, first letting him know I had a chest Xray. The woman that took me to that was cheerful, sweet, and kind. No one else was checking in on me. 

I'd phoned Joe at 9:15, 10:00 and 11. First to tell him I was in a room and the ambulance team had left, total professionals. Next I phoned to say I'd had the X-ray. He said he was still awake. He might still be up when I was done, but I could take a taxi. Panic. I don't know if we have taxis in Perth at 11 p.m! 

By then the anxiety kicked in. By 11:00, I opened my cell door, and most of the other patients were gone. I couldn't take it any more. I asked him to pick me up outside the ER entrance. ANXIETY was rearing its head. Worried about Joe looking after his COVID bout, and letting him get rest. This morning, we had coffee, and he went back to bed for a nap.

I called to another nurse to tell her I had to leave. I'm sure the doctors were finishing up paperwork and all, but I was falling asleep. Joe, pretty ill, needed to get to bed. A neighbour offered any help, but you can't call people to take a COVID patient home.

We arrived home at 23:24 hours. Joe went right to bed. I lay down to read more of my book (an excellent  Canadian thriller, by the way), but thought I should try sleep. In 10 minutes I was coughing. I got up, coughed up what I could, had some water, and went back to bed. I was up twice in the night coughing, but got back to sleep. 

 

I've an appointment with my GP this morning at 11. He'll interpret the X-ray for me. I am deeply suspicious that nothing else can be done for me. I loathe going into the office with COVID. I just don't know what else to do.

I am processing all this. I am very emotional, crying at the drop of a hat, and feeling guilty for taking up healthcare system time. In hindsight, I deserve it, as much as anyone. I am putting it all into perspective. 

In foresight, the news cycle has changed. With Kamala Harris' nomination, the continent, if not the world seems lighter and brighter. We had rain, and now the sun is out.

Heroes and grandparents' reflections

Email from Ontario Paramedic Association: we're getting closer to identifying the hero:

Hello Jennifer

 

Your blog came to my attention and I'd like to be able to track down the paramedic so we can pass along your tkind words.

If you can provide the street the incident occurred ,closest cross street (if possible) and an approximate time we can search for who was there in our mapping software.

 

Glad to hear everyone was okay afterwards.

 

 

Robert Davidson

Commander, Special Operations

Ottawa Paramedic Service

We are getting closer to identifying the hero. More info from my son-in-law:

Jean-Luc Cooke 

Some things not included in public reports from Ottawa - like what they did for kids in my daycare this week.

Paramedic Prise: above the call | Nepean Carleton Greens

www.jeanluccooke.ca

Anthony Dimonte (Chief of Paramedics - City of Ottawa),

I just left you a voice mail prising the work of one of your paramedics.

Yesterday, as the first major snow storm had many of us in the city inconvenienced, one of your Ottawa paramedics did something special and I feel it should be shared with you and others.

My oldest daughter, Josephine, was returning in the car of our day care provider from a making a secret Christmas craft for mommy and papa.  As our provider was turning from Merivale to Hunt Club a
transport truck was unable to stop before the intersection and began to jack knife towards the car filled with children.  Needless to say our day care provider was beside herself with dread and terrible fear for
the lives of the children under her care.  As the transport was moving toward the car, an ambulance moved between the car with my daughter and 3 other children and the on-coming partially jack-knifed transport truck.


From what I've been told, there was no collision.  Our lovely day care provider was in tears after the event and your paramedic came to the car and calmly advised her to drive home, as slowly as she wants,
but drive home and clear the way for traffic.  All the way back, the paramedic followed the car full of kids to make sure they got home safe.  When we picked up our 3 year old at 5 o'clock that evening, our
provider was still visibly upset, apologised profusely and said she would never go out with the kids again in the snow.

Years of service and the events of that day left us convinced of what we already knew - we have no intention of changing our day care provider orour city!

Please pass on my thanks to your team of paramedics.

Another trip for a crew
Bless their souls

Forgive another post today, but we are both in shock. This is a tribute to a stranger who we will likely never meet. Unsung, our heroes perform deeds that only a few can observe. I watch our EMS crews. I have lauded them for years. I bow in honour. Karma has a way of coming back to us.

There are heroes and there are silent heroes.

My granddaughter is cared for by a wonderful caregiver. Shannie participates in all sorts of day care group activities. With a degree in ECE, I know what to look for in a caregiver. She keeps the kiddies busy with various activities. She sends the kids home with precious crafts. She is called 'the good mom', although my daughter, Caitlin, is an incredible mom. Both of these ladies have the patience of Job, caring for the social and emotional needs of these precious children.

Paramedics at the Bala drownings, 8/5/09

Shannie took the kids to an activity on Colonade Road, in Ottawa on Tuesday. She was driving with the kids, on a snow covered road, and saw a truck coming towards her. She managed to swerve off the road, the truck cab had stopped but the truck rear was still sliding. While she did so, a paramedic drove up beside her, passing her to come between her and the truck to protect her. What an amazing feat of heroism. Split second reactions. We are still in shock.
We are trying to contact the paramedic, but Shannie was in such a state she forgot to get his name.
I emailed the Paramedic Association in Ottawa. I hope to find him. We all owe him.  A precious little 3-year old, who just celebrated her birthday, has an angel who guards her.

My husband's take on this:
The day care provider for our granddaughter was taking her and the other kids to an event today.

All of a sudden a dump truck was coming straight for her.

A paramedic was also on the road.

The paramedic placed their vehicle between the dump truck and the car filled with little children,

our grandchild included.

Imagine,  placed their vehicle between a truck and a car of children.

Fortunately, the dump truck was able to stop before a collision occurred.

The paramedic then drove behind the day care provider back to her place.

This all turned out well, and for that we are grateful.

When Caitlin told us this, I was overwhelmed at the courage of an individual to put themselves in

harms way for strangers.

It reminded me, of another incident.

Drownings in Bala, 2009

In Calgary, I worked on the 31st floor of a high rise.

One day, we had a real fire on the bottom floor .

I was the one to see the smoke, and went around yelling at people that the alarms were not a drill, 

and to get out. Then I realized that one of my employees was too pregnant to go down 62 flights of stairs.

I stayed with her for a while, until she convinced me to go down, because the firefighters were coming

up and they would look after her, and I would just add to the problem. 

They did, and she and the baby were both fine. 

The baby is now the Prime Minister of Canada's niece.

But I never forgot, the fire fighters, coming into and up a burning building.

Gravenhurst, ON 2010

This, of course, is what firefighters, police, and paramedics do.

This is what the NYC fire fighters did when they went up the stairs of the burning towers.

It is just that this happened in our little world, and that makes it very real.

Imagine, in those few seconds, deciding to place your vehicle between a large truck and a car filled with strangers.

In a world a news of greed, stupidity, and violence, this is, well, I'm not sure what it is but what I know is that courage and selflessness are in fact real, and that we are all a little raised up, by that fact.