Category: life

Collateral Damage

by annemariedemyen, posted in life
Fun Stuff

When the the first reports came out about Covid-19, I was amazed by the massive hospitals that were being built in China.

Part of my fascination with these hospitals came from my career in the construction industry. In 2019, we opened a new children’s hospital in Saskatchewan. It took twenty five years to ‘plan’, design and build the facility. If we were going to require a new Covid-19 hospital, it would not be built in ten days.

The other part of my fascination was the number of doctors, health professionals, and support staff who would work in these massive hospitals.  I wondered who was taking care of all of the people who would typically require health services. In most countries, certainly in Canada, there is not an overabundance of medical personnel. I wondered who could possibly be taking care of all the ‘regular’ patients.

My husband and I are fortunate in that we do not need medical intervention on a regular basis. We both have health issues which are generally controlled by our regular prescription drugs. I could be magnanimous in worrying about ‘others’.

I did think it was prudent to self isolate for the duration. I have asthma and I had pneumonia in February. At my post pneumonia check-up, I had been diagnosed with COPD. It made sense to to avoid a respiratory virus, even though I was feeling okay. A few days of warm sunny weather in April and I felt really good!

In the latter part of April,  our monsoon season arrived. Suddenly, I was struggling with the humidity. I checked out the website for our health clinic and it seemed to be business as usual.  (We have had few documented cases of Covid -19 in our province).  Still,  I was hesitant to call for an appointment as I balanced the risk of contracting the virus versus the struggle to breathe.

When I did call, I found that the clinic was booking phone consultations. That made sense. It kept the doctors safe so they could continue to help their patients and it kept vulnerable patients safe.  I requested a consultation and my doctor called a few minutes later. After a lengthy chat, he prescribed a new inhaler. He also made a call to a respiratory therapist to see if he could set up an in-person appointment for me. Unfortunately, therapists were on the long list of health providers who were not seeing patients. I tried the new inhaler and it helped a little, but it was not a great fix. On my follow up call to my doctor, he sent me for blood tests to rule out heart and/or kidney issues. The tests came back fine. He called the respiratory therapist again. They are to start seeing patients later in May and they will no doubt have a lengthy list of established clients to see. In the meantime, I wait.

I know, this condition will not be fatal. (- at least not any time soon.) I know getting stressed will just make breathing more difficult, so I focus on relaxing. I take short walks with Kat when it is not raining. I continue to do what I can – cooking, cleaning and laundry. I know it could be worse, but this is not fun. Every breath is a challenge – no effort is small. A short walk, a few stairs, lifting anything – and my heart is racing as I fight to breathe. I sit down and there is a weight on my chest. It feels like I am suffocating. It is exhausting.

I am grateful that I have access to my doctor. Grateful for the support and care he has provided despite his limitations.  I feel for anyone who is waiting for appointments, tests, procedures, treatments, operations, and therapy. It is unavoidable right now but it is still  difficult. I know.

I hope the worst of this pandemic will soon be behind us. I hope that we can soon be on the path to a new normal where people can send their kids back to school, get back to work, and once again have access to the services we rely on. Life will never be the same after Covid-19, but I look forward to the day when it is functional.

Out and About

by annemariedemyen, posted in life

Dan and I worked in the yard on Saturday. (Dan did most of the work but I am pretty sure that as his spouse I am entitled to half the credit.) Anyway, we decided to take a drive yesterday as a reward for all of ‘our’ effort.

Regina Pocket Park. The twisted green metal with the red stripe is a memorial to the Regina tornado of 1912. Fyi the ‘park’ does not look appreciably better in the summer.
Multi-million dollar bus terminal that our government built right before they closed down STC – our provincial bus line. The building is supposed to be turned into a new city police station at some point.
Saskatchewan legislative building
Side view of the Saskatchewan legislative building
At this point, Dan headed out of the city.
We drove past a church in the middle of nowhere.
This is almost the middle of nowhere.
Here it is! On a gravel road no less. 🙄
Driving past the RCMP barracks as we headed back into the city.

We made it home to have a slice of the most amazing salted caramel cake. Dan went shopping on Saturday morning and he drove ten blocks out of his way to go to the Co-op to get it for me. It was so worth it!

Signs of Spring

by annemariedemyen, posted in life

We had a couple of warmish days and a few spring showers. If we do not blow away today, we could be feeling like spring in no time!

Bedding Plants
Even our ground cedar needs a haircut
Another year with our poor old barbecue – we have been looking for a replacement for years but can’t find one with a rotisserie burner like this one and Dan loves it🤷
Greenish Grass and Dan’s ‘Tree of Enchantment’.
Almost all of our BIG Tree😉

For the Love of Elephants

by annemariedemyen, posted in life

For my second Christmas, my parents gave me a fluffy stuffed elephant. They may have been trying to insinuate something. I was a bit fluffy myself in those days.

My first elephant.

Forty years later, I started to seriously accumulate elephants. It began when my father-in-law passed away and I inherited my late mother-in-law’s elephants.

One of my mother-in-law’s favourite elephants. She received it from an artisan she met when on a cruise. She watched him make it and was so amazed by his talent that he gave it to her when it was finished.
I started buying elephants as souvenirs when we travelled. I bought this little guy for myself on our way home from my Mother’s funeral.

My husband, children and grandchildren started buying me elephants.

Dan bought me this elephant (piggy) bank when our granddaughter Maddy was about nine months old. She would come in and go straight to the bookshelf to feed the elephant toonies.
My son Mark picked up this ‘Ganesh’ statuette when he went to British Columbia with Erin and their son Dominic.
Gabby, Lucas and Cason picked up this cutie when my son Dan and Amanda took a family trip to California last summer.
This “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” trio of elephants was a birthday gift from my daughter Jennifer and family.
This bridge of elephants was a present from my sister Denise and her husband Ray. We went to visit them in White Rock, BC a few years ago and were able to celebrate our anniversary with them while we were there.

I have another seventy or so elephants right now. I have garden elephants, stuffed elephants, stone elephants – even a crystal elephant. I will share more pictures of my elephant friends in future posts.

Feeling Fine – Really!

by annemariedemyen, posted in dealingwithstress, life

I had no idea how detrimental my job had gotten to be to my health. Between the stress and the dust, it just wore me down gradually to the point where I had no idea how miserable I felt.

Due to concerns regarding Covid-19, I took sick leave on March 20th. It has been just a few days over a month. Fortunately, I have dodged the virus while I built up my immunity and my health in general.

The weather has been sunny and warm the last few days. I have spent a lot of time puttering around the yard, walking Kat, and generally relaxing.

I have also spent considerable time catching up on housework. I always did the basics but I just did not have the time or energy to tackle the deep clean projects. So far, I have cleaned all of the kitchen and porch cupboards, defrosted the freezer and fridge, wiped down the livingroom walls, cleaned the ceiling fans and scrubbed the floors.

Today while Dan was at work, I took down the window blinds in our bedroom, washed them in the bathtub, took them outside to dry and wiped down the bedroom walls. When I was done, I scrubbed the bathtub, took Kat for a walk, came home to make her a big batch of food and made our supper. I cannot believe I was able to do all that in one afternoon! A month ago, there is no way I would have had the strength to take the blinds down much less anything else.

Needless to say, I am pumped that I have come this far! It is so great not to have to struggle for every breath. It is so nice not to feel exhausted. I haven’t felt this well for years.😊

Earth Day 2020

by annemariedemyen, posted in life

I had every intention of writing a blog yesterday to honor Earth Day 2020.  However, it was such a beautiful spring day that I spent the day cleaning out flower beds, sweeping patios, walking the dog and starting a few more bedding plants.      Today, I am going to plant some lettuce, radishes and onions. With luck we have seen the last of any major snow storms for this season.

This morning I am relaxing on our patio looking up at our spruce tree. When I moved in here twenty years ago, this tree was no more than a foot tall. Dan’s Mother had brought it over and helped him plant it before I knew him and just days before she passed away. This tree was her final gift to him so obviously it is very special to him, and to me as well.

Today our little tree stands about forty feet tall and a good thrifty feet across. Dan has to trim it back every second year now so we can get down our walk and out our gate. It is home to numerous birds and a stopping off point for the occasional squirrel.

In a few weeks, the trees on either side of us will have their new leaves, the grass will be green, our vegetables will be growing and our flowers will start blooming.

After a long Saskatchewan winter, every warm spring day should be celebrated as Earth Day!

Doing My Part

by annemariedemyen, posted in life
Pink Super Moon – April 2020

I am not into witchcraft but I do follow a witch on Instagram. She is the sweetest person, shares my love of nature – especially trees, and she uses her witchcraft to help and heal.

Today, Ashley was doing an all day, full moon, spell for everyone who has been struggling to deal with Covid-19. As a prayer of healing for all, she was burning candles from 9 am to 9 pm.

Ashley invited anyone who was so inclined to join in with her at any time. I decided that, witch or not, I would join hands and hearts with Ashley tonight.

Thinking of You🥀

Local News in a Pandemic

by annemariedemyen, posted in life

I generally avoid watching televised news, particularly our local televised news. The quality is less than impressive, the content is questionable, and on a slow day, which is most days, they repeat it to fill time.

For the past few days, our local news providers have been on a new kick. I do not know if this is only here, but lately our local news seems obligated to include a ‘news’ clip of some parent who hosted a drive by birthday party for their poor child, who has been forced to sit out their birthday alone – in their +/- million dollar home.

Rather than calling reporters to take in this spectacular effort to convince your darling child that, even in the midst of a global crisis, they are the centre of the universe, I thought I might throw out a few alternate suggestions – for a birthday celebration or any other day during this difficult time.

1. Teach your child that over seventy thousand people have lost their lives to the corona virus and that by staying home, and forgoing a birthday party, they are doing their part to protect themselves and others from a deadly disease.

2. Teach your child that any parades should be reserved for heroes – ie doctors, nurses, medical support staff, truck drivers, supermarket and pharmacy staff, those serving free meals to those in need – all who are out there risking their own lives, to serve others

3. Teach your child to be grateful that their isolation is being spent in a beautiful home, with food on their table and family to care for them – unlike those who are in crowded makeshift medical facilities, sick and alone except for busy and exhausted care givers.

4. Teach them to do something for someone else – make a meal for the family, call a grandparent, help entertain and care for younger siblings. Even very young children can be taught to contribute in their own age appropriate way.

5. Teach them to become politically active by writing a note to a politician asking them to save lives by closing down non-essential business like non-emergency construction projects and factories and plants that are not producing essential products. Teach them to stand up to those who put money and power before lives.

There is no reason, why families cannot celebrate a birthday – even during a pandemic. They can still have presents and cake, phone calls or face time from extended families and friends, special family time together. However, I do not think anyone needs a birthday parade, I think that in our current situation it is in poor taste, and I for one definitely do not need to see it on a newscast – local or otherwise.