Bone Mass Density Scan #5

Tuesday, April 17th, 6:00 a.m. we began medical appointment #57

We were headed into Ottawa Riverside Hospital for another bone mass density scan. After 15 cm snow, then 18 mm rain on Sunday/Monday, we were worried. Many of our friends in the region were without power, including our kids, who were without power for most of the day yesterday (Monday). I checked Twitter, and the hydro websites.

I am now at Colonial and Dunning road. Closed in all directions coming towards this intersection. Risk of a line of poles coming down. Hydro on scene holding up main pole and working on pinning it down. pic.twitter.com/J3zOLhoYu4

— Sgt Mark Gatien (@gatienmc) April 16, 2018

Heavy freezing rain has broken several poles near Trainyards. Crews on site. #ottnews @JeanCloutierOtt pic.twitter.com/FQkHthm5np

— Hydro Ottawa (@hydroottawa) April 16, 2018

Crews have restored power to more than 300,000 customers since the start of the storm. Crews continue restoration efforts and we expect that customers in parts of the province will be without power into tomorrow. For the latest updates, visit: https://t.co/3qDFRzGsJH #ONstorm pic.twitter.com/IIqTjFT7Ca

— Hydro One (@HydroOne) April 17, 2018

Power outages continued Tuesday morning in Ottawa.
The hospital is on Riverside, just below the red outage!

8:00 a.m.

Traffic was dense. Here I spotted two fire engines. Immediately, I was wondering what happened. These were coming out of Manotick, where the school was closed due to a power outage.

9:30 a.m., we arrived

After an hour and 34 minutes, 91 km. we were there. Whew. We arrived at the parking lot, and it didn't look good. Happily, it wasn't full, although they were close.


I wondered the efficacy of stopping in the lane. This is an access road to Riverside Dr.! (People can be so dumb!)


The machine dispensing the parking receipts were broken, he had to write out the time we entered. We'd had snow, rain, sleet, then rain!

We made it in the building!

They are doing closed bids for these pieces of art.

Apparently we didn't have to register, as we had an appointment. The signage was interesting, though. "5 ways to create a positive workplace". It caught my attention.

9:47 we were seated!

Of course, paperwork! Is he pregnant? No... This is for those being tested for osteoporosis.

This is different than the other 4 full body scans JB has had. Those were looking for signs of metastasized cancer. Those tests showed it is in his lymph nodes.
This one was to measure the density in his hip, and another spot. I forget which one, as treatment progresses.


We took our traditional selfie.

9:50 JB was called into the room for a 10:00 a.m. appointment!

When we sign in, they review JB's address and phone number. Ontario has OHIP, so it is all free. All we have to do is produce our health card. The clerk checked JB's primary physician's name, and his urologist's name, he who called for this bone density scan as a baseline during treatment.
Erica has known our urologist for twenty years, she told us when we signed in, when he was a skinny resident, and not married. He is a respected surgeon, now, and training students. He used robotic surgery to remove the cancerous prostate in 2013. We continue with treatment.

I sat with the beautiful bag my dear friend Jean made me, took out my pencil and sketchpad, and began a sketch. You see I wore my runners, despite the weather. There wasn't too much of a mess. No soakers!


The procedure took 7 minutes. I barely started my sketch. I'll have to finish another time.
Off we went, out the door to view the vista.


On the way home, lots of trees were broken from the ice and wind storm on Sunday.


Work was being done on the bridge.


Someone had an incident, someone was was in an ambulance.


Hubby, doing the photography, started having fun, I think. We drive by large homes.

The newer bridge.


One hour and 14 minutes plus 75 km later,  we made it early for lunch at Chuckles Jack in Smiths Falls. They didn't open until 11:30, we were there for 11:20. Chef Ram is a peach.

Home again, I fed the birds, put out cat litter, fetched some wood, made JB a fire, and processed by photos.
I couldn't capture the female cardinal, but the male was co-operative.

Trip to Ottawa: Part 2!

This was part 1, in case you missed it! Since hubby drives to allow me to take photos, I like to share them with him, at least.

We frequent a bird lover's store, Gilligalou, and I had a gift certificate from hubby's aunt. I bought a new feeder, because you can't have too many of those!


From there we went to Starbucks for a coffee. Sadly, it was very, very noisy as they process the coffee beans there. Poor hubby bonked his knee on the awful tables, as did the guy sitting beside him. We were happy to drink up and go.


Ottawa has had a ton of snow. The walking is treacherous. The temperatures were above freezing, up to 8 C. yesterday, and there was some flooding of streets.

@ottawacity There's a lake on the corner of Preston and Willow St @BlacksWeather #ottweather #ottawa pic.twitter.com/7aHsygkEBx

— Suzanne Lukowski (@SuzanneLukowski) February 18, 2017

Then there is GCTC. My teacher friend and I used to hold season tickets for their shows. We'd meet in Little Italy for dinner, there are lots of restaurants from which to choose!


Walking was tricky. I had to take a photo of this pair. They were walking towards me. Avoiding the slush. The woman almost walked right into me, and I stood my ground. She expected me to move to avoid her as she avoided the slush, and walked on my side of the sidewalk. Then there was the ramp. It's tricky!!!!


From there, we went back to Holland Ave., to the restaurant where we were meeting the kid. No photos, of course. He's pretty reluctant to have his photos taken. The place was packed. We could have made a reservation. They sat me upstairs, whilst hubby fed the parking metre. I said I was waiting for hubby and son. She asked my son's name. 'Terry', I said. He arrived, and they sat him with us. The server came over and said, you didn't tell me he was THE TERRY! Apparently, he likes to eat there! Needless to say, we had a terrific visit, me, Terrence and my 2nd accountant husband! (Apparently, he goes by Terrence, these days! Who knew?)



While we sat there, finishing our meal, the song Summer Breeze came on their music system. It was funny, since when Terry's father and I were just getting acquainted, I borrowed his father's record album of Seals and Crofts. I worked in Pay and Services for Canada Post on Front St. in Toronto to pay for university. His father worked upstairs.
Back to the car, and home.