5C's Que Pasa

I am flying to Edmonton today and should arrive about 3:30PM.  My sister is picking me up at the airport and we will go straight to the hospital.  Dad has been a bit testy with me lately.  I think he misses having me there to do all of his bidding and most especially to deal with certain financial issues.  Talking on the phone is difficult for him with his hearing problem and he is generally frustrated with not being able to control everything.  I just found out a few days ago that he is not eligible for DATS ( Disabled Adult Transit Service ), as he does not meet the requirements.  We really want to take him in to get his hearing aid repaired.  By the way Costco is the only place that will not come to a hospital for repairs so think carefully about where you are going to buy your hearing aid from.  The only way would be by wheelchair in a special taxi van but Dad refuses to spend the money.  So that leaves me and my sister (hopefully she will be able to help as I think it will be a huge task ) to get him, an oxygen tank and a wheelchair into Dad’s van.  He is weak and can’t lift his legs and I am not sure how he will hoist himself up onto the seat, never mind trying to get him dressed and dealing with a urinal due to the diuretics.  I do hope it works out as he has not been outside since the end of July.  This is just one small thing I will dealing with but I do love challenges.

I am sure going to miss Colin, the girls and my house.  It is even more difficult to leave this time than it was the end of August but at least I won’t be gone so long this time.  Needless to say I am concerned about the girls having to go through wondering when I will be back all over again.  Colin still had a lot of work to do but not as intense as it was in September and he should have more time for the girls.  I have my closed toe shoes packed and mitts and ear muffs and a wool scarf so I am ready for anything.

An interior shot of an 11,613 sq ft home.

This home plus 3 others that Colin recently photographed are in the Fall/Winter edition of the Okanagan Home magazine which can be picked up here in BC for free at various drop boxes and stores.

The Edmonton river valley taken yesterday and sent to me by brother. It is a beautiful city but I don't see this on a daily basis as my route to and from the hospital is along the Yellowhead Trail, a freeway of sorts.

Guess where the next post will be from 🙁

My apologies to those I have not yet returned emails, I promise to get back to you as soon as I can.  Special bon voyage wishes to Sue & Gerry  from Penticton, BC, who are heading to the Isla ( Mazatlan, Mexico ) for the first time ever.  So happy I was able to inspire you to go and help the wee bit that I did, I just didn’t have time to meet you in person.  I hope to rectify that soon.  Safe travels.

Tick tock, goes the clock.  There are not enough hours in the day to do what needs to be accomplished.  I am beginning to fear that I won’t complete my to do list here at home before I fly back to Edmonton.  Needless to say I have a different list awaiting me there.  It does give me great satisfaction to tick things off the list but somehow other items keep getting added.  Long ago Dad told me ” you will always have a to do list until the day you die “.  I know, it is up to me to find the time to relax and enjoy the moment, however that is on hold for awhile longer.  At least I am able to take a moment and enjoy the passing geese, the chirp of a different bird and the gorgeous fall colors.

What is this? It is the result of our crack repair in the bedroom. Theses bubbles/holes run the width of the 'repaired' crack and about 5 inches high. Obviously we will need to have this redone a third time. We also noticed as new crack at the base on the window on the other side of the bed and will need to have that repaired. I wonder if that one appeared when the house was jacked up?

We got our hedges cleaned out. Cedars tend to die on the inside and can become a fire hazard if not cleaned out every so many years. I have been looking for 2 years for someone to do this.

It is a very messy and time consuming job.  I noticed this fellow working on another lot here in the park and saw that he was very meticulous.  Later in the day I approached him and asked if he was for hire.  He was for $15.00 an hour but I offered him $20.00 as I knew it was hard work.  It took Linvale 16 hours over 2 days and he got wet and cold and developed a rash on his hands.  Fortunately we had extra gloves in the RV so that helped.  He worked so hard and only took one 30 minute break each day.  He is an interesting fellow of few words, a First Nations person recently moved to this area.  I asked him about his name as it sounded French, he said that he was named by French nuns where he was born and that was all he knew.  I’m sure he has an interesting story to tell.

How I wish that was me out there on the lake with the geese. Next year for certain.

I received a call from the hospital a few days ago, it seems that Dad is being moved to a new room.  The entire unit is being moved down one floor on October 27th.  I was told the unit he is on now is considering to be failing.  What a nice term for falling apart and ready to be condemned.  It is the truth and when the bed call button doesn’t work, well you get the picture.  So Dad will be getting a renovated room with fresh paint but no TV.  The new area is still in the same old building and is not wired for TV.  At least he will be in his own room.  I haven’t yet told him about the TV, he won’t be happy.  As you know I am not  technically up to date nor motivated to be so I need some suggestions.  How am I able to provide Dad with a way to watch his sports on TV and what would the least expensive way to do so?

This scene motivated to get up from my desk to capture the moment.

Our world really is special.

So very very much to get ready for.  The hugs and faces kisses and cuddles with my girls before I have to leave again.  It will be difficult for me but can you imagine what it will be like for these two extra special dogs who have no idea of what is happening.  What is worse, is that when I return here, Colin is leaving in less than 36 hours later to fly to Winnipeg to see his Mom and shortly after he returns I leave here once again.  Very confusing for a human never mind our fur babies.

We bought two of these heaters at Costco to help us combat the wind off the lake.

Actually we have had to hire someone to come and winterize our home for as long as we stay here.  That includes heat tapes and foam around our water softener which we normally disconnect and bring inside while we are away.  We also have to heat tape the water pipes coming into our home.  You have to realize that we are basically just a regular RV except that we look fancy.  Usually we just blow out the lines before we head south and set the furnace on low and we are good to go.  Not this year.

I believe that I mentioned earlier that I finally bought some closed toe shoes, loafers in fact.  The good news is that I have found a pair of winter boots in our storage, my ears muffs, a scarf and some gloves.  I have to say that walking the girls in my open toe sandals are not so much fun, I come back with wet and dirty toes.  I just can’t walk in my closed toes as they don’t have the arch support I need.  Saving those for snow conditions.  Oh well , one day at a time.  I do think that I will be alright in the short term.  It seems that my brother is trying to sell Dad’s van, but really for $3.000.00 is it worth it?  So am I supposed to rent a car for  how many dollars????  Personally I do appreciate the effort to sell the vehicle but what I am supposed to do?

I liked the dew diamonds on this early AM shot.

I have recently discovered that this is a typical early morning in these parts, lots of fog and or low cloud.

..and so begins the end of the day, so very early , just after 6 PM.

One of our very few but special moments, this visit.

This is for you, all my sunset fans.......really not too bad for Kelowna but not my beloved Isla. Trust me, it is good for here.

This morning I was awoken by geese.  I thought that they had mostly left as I’ve only see a few here and there since I’ve been back.  But this morning the entire lake area in front of  us was filled with feeding geese, getting ready for their voyage south.  I lost count at about 90 and there were a few more.  Perhaps this was a group passing overhead and decided to stop and rest.  Love seeing and hearing the geese. I didn’t take a photo as they were very close to shore and I did not want to disturb them.

We've had some showers and many rainbows.

Finally got our windows cleaned. As you can see they were bad. Tons of spiders and webs this summer. The flowers were from Colin when I got back from Edmonton.

Colin has been busy, busy, busy and is now working for three wineries.  Last Thursday after a long day, one of the wineries sent Colin home with 2 cases of vino as a tip.  Wow! Guess what I have been drinking?  I have hardly seen him since I’ve been back, I go to bed while he does photoshop, etc. till 1 or 2 AM.  I’m up before him as I am still on Edmonton time so even in bed we are ships passing by.  Then he gets up and is out of the door in a flash and not back till dark.  Not sure if I will get all my to do’s done before I have to leave again but you can be rest assured that my to do list in Edmonton is just as long.  I know I will be as busy there as I have been here.

Dad seems to be holding him own, no worse and no better.  He just may be around a lot longer than those doctors indicated.  Sadly he is starting week 10 of the same old hospital food/slop, it is on a 7 day rotation.  He is very tired of it and every now and them someone will bring him in something different to taste. At least in long term care the menu is on a 16 week rotation.  He is still not on the list for long term care and I now have a call into his MD to discuss this very thing.  Dad really wants to be settled in his final home, surrounded by personal things.  I have been nagging about it to the MD for 2 weeks now but I am about to get rather vocal about it.  There are 400 people on the wait list and it can take a very long time or a short time, it all depends on many factors as I have been told.

Forgot to mention that while in Edmonton I did a fun thing and went to a Grade 12 class lunch reunion. It had been set up as 2 of us were there from out of town. I'm the one in the mirror. We were an all girls school group and a small class of I think about 30.

I would have had a great time if my sister had not been calling me every 5 minutes from the hospital. I'm still getting a number of calls here from family everyday.

As you can see I have lost a lot of weight.  I lost 6.7 lbs alone during September and a total of 24 lbs since the end of April.  My clothes keep falling off my waist or sliding off my shoulder.  I have been able to wear some of my smaller sized clothes here at home.  Certainly not looking forward to Edmonton and the cold weather.  I have a few pairs of pants and some sweaters so that will be my main wardrobe.  I finally bought a pair of closed toe shoes the other day that I can wear with socks.  Haven’t worn loafers forever, I only wear open toe shoes, year round and wear the same clothes year round.  I have one set of fleece joggers that I wear for the few days that we travel south in the cold and I never ever leave the RV.  I am so leary of driving in the snow, not sure how I will manage but no sense crossing that bridge until I come to it.  It has been close to 40 years since I last did it.  Why do you think I left that place and headed to the West Coast and now winter in Mexico?

While I was gone there were several accidents not far from us on Duck Lake and now one due to a bear. I feel bad for the bear. Mid August I had to hit my brakes to allow a large deer to pass by. I was sad as we are encroaching on their territory.

You might remember that we had this crack repaired several months ago. Well it came back.

So since I have been home we have had the house laser leveled and sure enough this particular corner was out 1/4 inch. This time I made sure that he taped the crack as well as mud it 3 times. This afternoon he finally put the second coat of paint on. Let us hope that this is it!! I don't need to deal with this. However I am more than happy that the repair is done once again and hopefully for the last time, completed!

Not a Mexican sunset but not too shabby for Kelowna.

Needless to say at 4:30PM Edmonton time, still no call from the MD!!!

Decisions need to be made.  What to do, what to do?  Colin is so busy working, everyday one or two new jobs come in.  I have no idea how he does it as he goes from 7:00AM till 1:00AM or later each day.  We seldom talk never mind see each other.  This only serves to show me how difficult it must have been for him while I was away.  I am going non stop everyday so I have no idea how he managed.  We have so little time to talk, never mind make big decisions.  In the end I know that he will say ” Contessa, whatever you want to do is fine with me”.

That leaves me to try and come up with a plan that is fair to both of us.  I have the idea of continuing my 2 weeks here at home and 2 weeks with Dad in Edmonton until the end of November.  By then I should have an idea if Dad’s condo is going to sell.  The listing runs out end of December.  I don’t plan to re list the condo until the spring if it does not sell.  However if it does sell I need to be here, not to sign the papers ( that can be done from anywhere ) but more to empty the condo and have it cleaned for the new owners.  Actually my sibs could do it if they wanted to ????@@@!####!!!!

Dad seems to be really settling in where he is and is happy with the staff and his space.  Sadly the sibs are not going as often as I would like to visit and support him, but who am I to judge?  They, as I do, only have one father so it is up to them to decide how they want to spend their last months with their father.  Actually Dad is doing pretty good.  Not sure if I mentioned before but he has cheated death many times over the years so who really can say how long he will be with us.  I am beginning to think longer that what the doctors say!  He has still not been put on the list for long term care but maybe that is not a bad thing as he is very content in his current surroundings.  So do I push the doctor to sign the papers to put Dad on the list or do I just let nature take its course and see where this playing with meds, etc. will take us?  I don’t like that it has been suggested that he decrease his fluids.  He already is only allowed 1.5 litres and really if he wants to drink more so let him, after all his heart is failing and why make him suffer.  Let him enjoy his remaining time as he wants.  Heck if it was me I would be chugging the wine and eating pasta at every meal.

So what to do?  I thought that perhaps we could think about heading south the end  of November.  Maybe go to Arizona or California.  I found that the flights between Phoenix and Edmonton were cheaper than what I am paying between here and Edmonton.  So I could still travel to Edmonton every two weeks if I chose to.  However I really don’t want to drive in the snow and sub zero temps day after day. Not sure if remember how to do that.  Heck I don’t even own any closed toe shoes never mind clothing to deal with  Northern Edmonton winters.   Tonight it is supposed to be -5C/23F in Edmonton and this is only October 2nd, I can’t imagine what November would be like.  But I would do it if I had to.  But do I need to?  I moved away years ago and we have our own life.  By the end  of November I will have spent many hours with Dad.  The first MD told me at the end of August that Dad only had 2 months left.  By the end of November he will be at 3 months and deep in my heart I think he is good for at least another 3, if not more months.

When I suggested Arizona to Colin his only comment was why not Mazatlan?  The Isla is only 2.5 days  of driving south of the US border.  In all honesty, the airfare is double what it would be out of Arizona or California but it is still doable.  It is only money.  It is not likely that I would have to travel back to Canada every month and needless to say I would keep on top of things on a daily basis.  We do have obligations re our RV site on the Isla.  The owner of the RV Park needs to know ASAP if we are coming or not as he could rent out our site as it is a prime site.  We are allowed to take one year off for personal reasons and still have our site for the next season.  So we could forgo the Isla and stay here in Canada all winter or in a boring inland RV Park somewhere in the US which we would not be happy with.  Colin and I live for being on a beach somewhere, anywhere.  I think we would shrivel up if stuck somewhere away from a water view.  If we stay here we will have to hire someone to winterize our home, which we will likely have to do anyway if we stay to the end of November.  Gosh I just can’t see us loading the RV in the cold or traveling south thru Ely Nevada then end of November!!  I know the girls will be devastated by snow.   I took them out in the golf cart today to pick up the mail at 5PM and it was 50F and they were shivering, well, so was I.  That made me think of how cold it will be tonight in Edmonton, -5C/23F tonight as mentioned earlier.  What to do?

Is it wrong to take 3.5 months on the Isla instead of 5 (plus travel to & fro )?  When Dad dies I will be spending many many months dealing with his affairs, taxes and the estate.  My job will just be beginning.  I am so tired and don’t seem to be catching up thus far this week.  So much to do here and I am still dealing with Dad’s affairs on a daily basis as I would on the Isla.  I think I need a 4 month break.  I am so torn.  The thing is, I am giving so much right now and of course I will be later….don’t I deserve a break?  Then I begin to think that I am being selfish.

Yes I know that I only have one father.  He is proud and wants to have alone time to read his paper and to watch his sports on TV.  When I am there every day, day after day he does not relax and is waiting for me to direct his time.  I am surprised at how he seems to be adapting to his surroundings and enjoying his days and the staff.  If it was the opposite you can be reassured that I would be there in an moment.  As it is, I would have two more months to build a rappor with the staff and be assured of his happiness. On the other hand what if he gets transferred to long term care?  Can’t the sibs handle it?  Of course I can always fly in from where I am.

Dad has been telling everyone that I am leaving for Mexico mid October as per the usual.  I have been telling him that Colin has so much work ( an exaggeration  ) that  we can’t leave until December 1st so the stage has been set.  I really hate to have to have Colin give up his music that he derives so much pleasure from while in Mexico and to miss the Culiacan International Guitar Festival mid March.  We also have to deal with stored items but I am sure my friends  on the Isla would take care of payments for another year if need be.  So many things to think about.  I also have 2 new sets of RVers making their way to the Isla for the first time ever because of me and my blog as well as one couple and their dog staying at Carmelita’s for 5 months.  It hurts to miss meeting these people and showing them all of what the Isla and Mazatlan have to offer them.  At the same time I know that they would understand if we did not get there this season.

What to do?

What to do?