Autumn Reflection

Hello All

It was five years in August since Isabel contracted West Nile Neurological Syndrome. Mum has made a remarkable recovery and has had a wonderful summer and autumn of outings, sitting in the courtyard, and visiting family and friends.

Thanks to those of you who have written asking about Isabel and whether I will continue to update the blog. I put it on hold for a few months as Mum is able to make phonecalls, send emails, and write letters on her word processor. This makes it easier for her to keep in touch with people.

If you are still following the blog and would appreciate updates, please email me and let me know.

I may start it up again, and if I do so, I will contact those of you that let me know that you are still following her story.

Thanks for your care,
Catherine  

catherine.barnsley@sasktel.net

Feathered Friends

Isabel's last five years have shown that patience is needed in many aspects of daily living: dedicated therapy to improve the movement of a muscle just one cm; waiting for nurses to come after ringing a call bell; speaking slowly so friends can understand her.

Patience has been rewarded in many ways ~ and most recently at her bird feeders.

After 7 months with a visit from only one sparrow, Mum has a lively groups of goldfinches who have found her feeders on the north unsheltered side of the BICC. Mum has had bird-feeders for years at the farm and in Abernethy but her busy life meant she had little time to sit and watch them. The long daylight hours of summer while living at the BICC means there is lots of time to watch her feathered friends.

As Mum says: "I can't believe how much enjoyment I am receiving." 

Isabel's Contact Information

Phone: 306-334-2889

Canada Post: BICC, Box 340, Balcarres, SK S0G 0C0

Email:catherine.barnsley@sasktel.net

Visiting: Isabel welcomes you between 9:30 AM - 8 PM daily.
We recommend that you phone her to see if she will be there when you plan to visit.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, Everyone!

All is well with Isabel.

Mum is enjoying the low wide window sills of her room and an abundance of flowers.

"My own florist shop," she says.

She had an outing to church on Easter morning with her Robertson wool scarf wrapped around her ears for warmth. A cool Easter bonnet!

Grateful for your visits, calls, and letters.

Happy Spring!

The Month of March

Curling: and more curling to be watched......and now to the WORLDS! Thanks everyone who has sent messages and curling memorabilia to Isabel this last month.

Sunshine and lengthening days: Soon the courtyard will be clear of ice, and Isabel and Rufus lll can venture out on their own.

Amaryllis bulbs: Lil and Isabel have 5 more amaryllis bulbs reaching to the sun.

All is well.

All is well.

All is well.

North-South Friends

Isabel has a new friend and together they are growing amaryllis.

Isabel's room faces north. She loves the huge window that drops close to the floor and covers most of one side of a long wall. Her view is of caragana trees in the distance with lots of open space before the shelter belt that stops wintery winds. Closer to her window is a long brick wall and the BICC garbage takes its leave from the other side of the wall. Suppliers with large trucks drop their wares at a door near the garbage disposal. There is action outside many times each day.

When you have a large window and a private room, you give THANKS even if it is not sunlit or facing a park.

So what do you do when friends gift you with amaryllis and you don't have a sunny warm window?

You make friends with your across-the-hall neighbour.

Until the arrival of the amaryllis bulbs, Isabel and her neighbour have had little to do with each other. But Lil was the first guest at Isabel's birthday party in December and they have had their own style of conversation ever since. Lil is very very hard of hearing. One has to listen carefully to understand Isabel at the best of times even if you have good hearing. Conversation is not easy.

But Lil has a large sunny window facing south and that's all it took for a friendship to develop. Isabel's amaryllis bulbs have grown 2-3 feet in Lil's windows this winter. Lil had never seen an amaryllis but was a plant lover for many years before she moved to the BICC.

Lil talks loudly so she can hear herself (we think) and gesticulates about many things. Isabel uses varied facial expression and points. Together they discuss the progress of the bulbs and whether a nurse or housekeeper needs to be consulted about watering. They each cruise the BICC independently with their wheelchairs so this makes for easier consultations.

Isabel has learned that Lil loves watching curling as much as she does.

There are four more amaryllis bulbs to bloom. And there are four major curling events that are televised. The Scotties have kept the attention of these new friends this week. And there is still The Briar and the Women's Worlds and Men's Worlds to come.

So far the bulbs have bloomed red. We will see what March and four more weeks of calling shots from behind the glass brings before the next bulbs bloom.

Gratitude for large windows and new friendship on a cold blizzardy day in February. Scotties finals tomorrow!

February Ice-Fishing & Picnicing

With an above average warm winter and less snow than usual, Isabel took care of February cabin-fever by springing out of the BICC for three different outings this week. We drove to the valley and toured Katepwa & Mission Lakes, Katepwa townsite and Sandy Beach. If you have a cottage there, and Isabel knows where it is, we probably saw it. We noted many less fishing huts on the lakes than usual and only three vehicles on the ice on that sunny afternoon. Any idea how thick the ice is this winter? The sun was warm enough shining through the car windows to open the windows a crack as we cruised along.

Yesterday at (early) supper time, Isabel's nurse hooked her food PEG bag to a telescopic pole on her power-chair and we headed outside to sit in the sun. Isabel declared that she was going on a picnic in February. Today she sat in the sun at the main entrance and dreamt of Mexico (where she has never been!).

A coffee party in Abernethy and attending another hockey game in the Balcarres Rink made for a good week! Isabel was able to walk through all the rooms of her friend's new four-room suite in Abernethy. Thank you Wascana therapists for your dedication that helped enable an outing and a walk like this one!

Robbie Burns and Saturday Hockey

Isabel enjoyed Robbie Burns Day (January 25) once again this year with her usual visit from Eileen and lively activities with BICC friends. Her Irish friend, George, shared Scottish sayings (with an English translation provided by the Recreation Staff). Mum wore her Dad Charlie's Robertson Tartan hand-sewn shirt circa 1960. Tartan in today's image.

Three days later she was off to the Balcarres hockey rink! Her first outing to an ice rink in 5 winters! Mum sat out near the ice for most of three periods bundled up and cheering on grandson Josh from the sidelines (enclosed building but not heated where she sat). Others of us jumped up and down to stay warm. It was a great outing on a wonderful sunny winter day.

Who would have ever predicted that this could happen again in Isabel's life?

Oh, and those Scottish sayings? Here are a few:

• I'll gie ye a skelpit lug! - I'll give you a slap on the ear.
  
  
• Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye! - What's meant to happen will happen.
  
  
• Skinny Malinky Longlegs! - A tall thin person.
  
  
• Lang may yer lum reek! - May you live long and stay well.

• Black as the Earl of Hell's Waistcoat! - Pitch black.
  
  
• Failing means yer playin! - When you fail at something at least you're trying.
  
  
• Mony a mickle maks a muckle! - Saving a small amount soon builds up to a large amount.
  
  
• Keep the heid! - Stay calm, don't get upset.
  
  
• We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns! - We're all God's children, nobody is better than anybody else - we're all equal.
  
  
• Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs! - Don't try to teach someone something they already know.
  
  
• Dinnae marry fur money! - Don't marry for money - you can borrow it cheaper.
  
  
• Is the cat deid? - Has the cat died? Means your trousers are a bit short - like a flag flying at half mast.
  
  
• Haud yer wheesht! - Be quiet.
  
  
• Noo jist haud on! - Now just hold it, slow down, take your time.
  
  
• Hell slap it intae ye! - Means it's your own fault.
  
  
• I'm fair puckled! - I'm short of breath.
  
  
• Ah dinnae ken. - I don't know.
  
  
• It's a dreich day! - Said in reference to the weather, when it's cold, damp and miserable.

Traditional Dance & Drumming

The File Hills First Nations brought their traditional dancing and drumming to the BICC this weekend with the encouragement of Calvin, one of the BICC nurses. The BICC is located in a geographical area of Canada that includes many First Nations communities, and thus a number of their residents are residents of the BICC.

Traditional dancers and drummers and singers livened up the facility on Saturday afternoon with Calvin as MC introducing his community's culture through music and dance. Calvin's five year old grandson drummed along with the adult drummers and Isabel says: "I wonder they don't break the drums, they play so hard." Mum was touched to have one of the dancers recognize her as an old neighbour and come to speak with her.

We are grateful for the creative work of the BICC Recreation Department who provides such a variety of entertainment and opportunities to learn.

Stay tuned for Robbie Burns Day next!

Catching January's Sunny Rays

As meteorologists have predicted, the Canadian prairies are experiencing up-and-down temperatures this winter. Snowfall is down; temperatures are record-breaking (warm) and then occasionally dip down to normal (well below 0 Celsius for a day or two). On January 9th, Isabel sat outside in her warm wool Robertson tartan cape for 15 minutes breathing in fresh air and soaking up the sun. Yesterday was cold and so windy that her Christmas wreath wired to the bird feeder outside her window blew off. Mum's room faces north and she does not see sunrises or sunsets but the lovely windows facing east in the public halls of the BICC enable her to catch some sun inside, too. Days are lengthening. Isabel remarked that it is in the next few days that Bert (Dad) used to remark that the days are lengthening and the eastern sky light and pink as he headed out to feed the cows. The deep, dark cold of the early weeks of January are quickly passing.