The Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square

There are days when magic happens at Wascana and Wednesday past was one of them. Isabel eagerly awaited a visit from her longtime friends Don & Marion of Aber-Calgary whom she had not seen in nearly two years. Much water has passed under the bridge since the last visit of these old friends. Transition has happened in each of their lives as well as the lives of other close friends. Isabel & Rufus III were outside at the west doors of Wascana to greet Marion & Don as they rolled in with family members.
Late the day before, the Lysters, and Isabel had learned that Larry & Marj Middleton would once again be the featured entertainment at the Veterans' Happy Hour one floor above Mum's unit on Wednesday afternoon. Our parade of wheelchairs and walkers rolled in 40 minutes before Happy Hour began to ensure we found good seats. We were greeted by a visiting Veteran who was celebrating his 87th birthday and whom has come to help host this Happy Hour for nearly 30 years. The Women's Auxiliary to a Regina Legion (some whom have also been volunteering for more than 25 years) quickly found us chairs and offered drinks and snacks.

As Don said "Larry can make that sax talk". Marj's keyboard skills complemented the sax for an hour of easy dance music. Larry invited the crowd of 100 to identify songs. Don & Isabel were quick to call out the World War II tune: The Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square after just a few bars. We may not have been under the enchantment of nightingales in wartime London, but we were amid the magic of dance music stirring tired feet and old memories of many veterans and their spouses. Hands clasped, feet tapped, and we could all imagine summer evenings 70 years ago. As the hour was coming to a close, Marion & Don pushed away their walkers to invite their daughters to dance. Isabel's applause for this surprise performance came through the pounding of her wooden spoon on her wheelchair table.

We are grateful for longtime friends with courage and determination; younger friends with the gift of music who share it so willingly in longterm care facilities in Balcarres and Regina; and moments of magic in a longterm care facility where lives continue to find meaning through the gifts of staff and volunteers.

Gratitude Three Years Later

Isabel kept a daily diary for over 50 years. Her last entry was three years ago today, August 8, 2007.

"Feeling tough today so didn't do much; bones all sore; eyes sore & weak. Clayton helped me haul door from Joe Englot's to Foster School. Sewing Mary's school bag."

This week, Mum wrote a letter to friends who are also West Nile Neurological Syndrome Survivors and said:

"I remember the next day I felt even worse and then I don't remember a single thing, not one, until nearly Christmas when I very gradually began to 'be with it' after 4.5 mos. The rest is history. It has been 3 years of struggling, hard work, disappointments, elation as goals have been reached, growing even closer to my family, and making new friends like you and other West Nile survivors. I have learned to appreciate the therapists who work so hard to help me and never give up on me and the nurses for their care. I feel so lucky to have Wascana where I can get help and I am grateful for my many friends and relations who visit, send emails, and cards etc. that keep me sane! When I feel discouraged with my progress, I remind myself how I was 3 years ago. I keep on pedalling because I know if I stop I will fall off! I have learned much in this time and made such good friends with you and the other West Nilers, which never would have happened if that mosquito hadn't come along."

To all of you survivors and families whom we have met over the last three years..... strength and hope for the journey.

And thank you, each and every one of you, who continue to send your support our way in various forms. We are indeed grateful.

Isabel and her Gang.

A Full Moon and a Full Day

Isabel has been writing her "August letter" to friends and extended family. Her paragraph about last Saturday is a "keeper" for this week's blog update. The day was sunny with a soft breeze. The mosquitoes were nowhere to be found.

Here are Isabel's words typed on her word-pro:

"Another happy outing was July 24, when Rick and Catherine drove me to Garratts' cabin at Lake Katepwa, 60 miles from Regina for a Barnsley family gathering of more than 30 people. My girls and their families were there as well as my sister-in-law Gertie, nieces and nephews and their families, and cousins. It was a great time of visiting!

Our Abernethy Fair was the previous day, and everyone was full of tales about what a wonderful fair it was again. There were 76 horses competing and 109 exhibitors had 1300 exhibits in cooking, handwork, quilting, horticulture etc. The chocolate chip cookie class had 22 entries! The class I sponsor for youth ~ "a nutritious school lunch" ~ had 13 entries and I was happy that Mary got first and Josh second! I so enjoyed competing at the Fair for over 50 years, and I am pleased that my family including Catherine, Rick, Nancy, Bill, Megan, John, Mary and Josh all entered exhibits this year. This includes grains, flowers, and the pet show along with baking and many crafts, wild flower identification, and art work. It was the 103rd Abernethy Agricultural fair and in all those years, it has never been rained out! Amazing!!

On the trip to Lake Katepwa, it was good to see the crops and green countryside on this very rainy year in Saskatchewan. The ride and transfer went even better than last time!" (end of quote)

Four hours after our arrival at Katepwa, the moon accompanied us all the way home to Wascana.

"Home" is found in so many places these days.

With gratitude again and again.

A Walk in the Summer Sun

Isabel emailed us this past week that she had been walking outside on the sidewalk. Mum headed out into the sunshine accompanied by her new tall walker; Robin, her current Physiotherapist; and Karen, Mum's longtime PT Assistant who drove Rufus-the-Third. Rufus follows behind in case Isabel needs to ride. This was Mum's first walk outside in nearly three years.

How much the rest of us can take for granted!

Mum emailed us that Robin wanted her to experience walking on an uneven surface. This was a memorable day with the hot July sun on her back and the beautiful Wascana Park around her. Thank you again, creative caring therapists whose extra effort become something "to write home about".

Yes, this photo is of Wascana Park in the summer sunshine.

Hanging Out at the Shop

Given the choice between the shops of the mall and a farm shop on the prairie, there was no question. The farm shop, it was.

On a day that threatened thunderstorms yet again (!), Isabel's friend, Don, swept out his farm shop south of Regina in preparation for a visit from Isabel. We loaded up in a shower and drove in sun through green and flooded fields under blue sky and cloud. On arrival 20 minutes later, a look at the sky convinced us to move the picnic table under the trees in to the clean shop for an afternoon of visiting. (Yes, this lovely farmstead has a house, but Isabel has not yet mastered steps up and down).

The photo is significant. Isabel is enjoying a view of the farm and prairie from the shop with her wheels beside her. Mum is now able to travel short distances by car (rather than with Rufus - her power-chair and the van). Birdsong, a garden, old friends, family and friend accompaniment, story-telling and laughter were part of the afternoon.

We drove back to Wascana in showers and arrived with clear sky overhead as we unloaded.

Thank you, Joyce and Don, for helping dreams come true!

Happy Canada Day!

June has been a banner month for Isabel and we have much to celebrate.

Quality of life is not all about achievement or success, but Isabel's significant achievements of this past month have been a heartening experience for Mum and her family.

The achievements have included:

* Participation in the "Relay for Life"; and her grand-niece's wedding reception in Moose Jaw (see previous blog postings below)

* Learning to transfer from "Rufus", her wheelchair to the passenger seat of a car (Mum can stand up, step over, sit, and swing those long legs in to the car) YES! Our first outing was to see an old friend of Shorthorn Cattle business days who lives a few blocks away. The next day we drove around the Legislature Buildings and down side streets to view lovely gardens.

* Acquiring a new walker that draws more on her strength and stamina to propel herself forward. Mum can walk up a ramp and down the hall travelling many more feet than she has in the past. What a feat!

Gratitude ~ every day! We are thankful.

And now for July 1 ~Happy Canada Day everyone!

First Big Roadtrip!

June 26 was a special day. Isabel made her first trip of out of Regina in nearly three years. She and Rufus travelled on Saturday to the wedding reception of her grand-niece Amanda Froehlich and Dale Chow in Moose Jaw. Lots of careful planning went into this big adventure and the day was a great success all around. Mum was delighted to visit with over 30 members of her Robertson family who ranged in age from 8 to 91. A special surprise was the arrival of our Scottish cousin, James Clark, from Idaho. Faithful Russ the van-driver took a late evening nap while he waited for Isabel who stayed an extra hour than she had planned! She emailed her daughters the next day: "What a great day yesterday!! I am so glad I went. Everything went so well." Prior to the event, she reminded us of the family cake knife and serving knife that have been used at Robertson and Russell family weddings for decades.

As can be expected, Mum had lots to say about the wet fields between Regina and Moose Jaw. Her comment was: "I have seen them on TV, but you have to see it to believe it." Oh, how good to see the prairies and the horizon again.

Gratitude yet again for another wonderful day in Mum's life!