Wednesday 22 May 2013

Blog 35 May 22, 2013

Blog 35 May 22, 2013
The 1st, 2nd and 6th
It has been a long time since a wrote a blog since (Jan 1, 2013) that I must apologies for not writing sooner. In fact I have not done much in the way of e-mails or responding to e-mails or reading comments or Jokes or witty comments, it has taken everything I had to just get through this semester.
I have been dealing with so much stuff that I just could not take on anymore. My doctor felt it necessary to keep trying to find that winning combination of lucky pills that would make it all better. After the 3rd time of trying a combination I told her for now think of it as when you get your security code wrong 3 times you loose access to that account. I told her it was for the same with me that was the third try there is no 4th!
I was trying to deal with 4 major things at that time. The 1st was my foot injury after healing one I got another, while compensating on side of foot it created another injury on the other. This meant more staying in bed and adapted transport, and for those who have never had the pleasure of adapted transport if you want to go somewhere you need the day to travel. If it is a 2hr trip you can count on 5 hours to get it done. If you have a dog, be prepared to share a taxi Car with 2 other adults and have your 80lb dog sit in your lap, Great fun and stressful on me and the dog!
So I missed some first very important dates and events. The first being it was a somber moment when the date came for the 1st anniversary of death of my very good friend Sylvain Downs, I don’t know how many times that  I wanted to call him just to say or stop by with Lucky our family still misses him. The next firs we celebrated Lucky’s 3rd birthday on Feb 14 but it was his first with us. The next first was Lucky and mine first year anniversary together as a team. We came together April 11 2012 and it has been great ever since.
We did our first year evaluation on May 3rd and went great. The next first was our youngest sons first year in College and although it is a special program trust me there was nothing special about the homework. He worked hard to learn and understand, he learned sciences, he had personal growth, he took two college courses and did really well. He had some hard times but no matter how hard or tried he was never quit! I have tell you this he is my Hero but to me and Arlene all our kids are our Hero’s!
As I am writing this Blog we are coming upon 2 major anniversaries. The first is the 2nd year of the passing of my nephew Eric I keep his picture on the wall along with Jagger because there dates are intertwined. The second is the anniversary of Jagger and have to tell you that as sad as that makes me feel, I see a lot of him in Lucky. I feel very privileged to have been a part of all of them.
The 6 anniversary of, talking at the schools. I was asked to come back and speak once again at the high school to the science class. The interesting part of this was I have now spoke to every student in the school on personal level.
It was the 1st year for Lucky and they loved him and enjoyed hearing about the whole process.
These talks are really no longer about what it is like to be visually impaired it is more about life and how you approach it. I talk about Eric and Jagger. I talk about how Eric was and his stand on bulling and talk about Jagger and how he was and on his lasts days made sure I got to the hospital and made sure I was okay.
People , ask me what are you doing with your Certificate Pastoral Ministry? I tell them sit in on one of my talks and find out!

I will be blogging more now.
We are on the Move once again wait for some more blogs we are doing our First walk- a-thon on May 26 2013 and we will doing it in our area from starting from our church and ending it will be a 4km walk.  
Here is a link to my online donation do not let the 0 donations scare you because we have raised some money.  


  

Thursday 3 January 2013

Blog 34 January 03 2013 New Start

Blog 34 January 03 2013

New Start!

I love the start of a New-Year! It gives you a chance to put away the hard times you had over the last 12 months and it gives you the opportunity to have a fresh start for 12 more months.
 I have to start by apologizing for not writing a Christmas Blog or a New-Year eve Blog. Some might say I dropped off the earth! I assure you we have not.
I have been still trying to adjust to the new medication that the doctor gave me in October and trying to heal that foot injury both are very frustrating. The foot injury is healing quite well thanks in large part to my friend who has volunteered to change my dressings and make sure that no infections occur. It is most important especially over the holiday’s.
I have had the experiences with home nurses coming to change dressings and the overall experience has not been good. The problem with that is you don’t always get the same nurse and each one has their own way of doing things which sometimes causes a problem in treatment, which in turn causes a longer healing process. So to have someone close to help with the day to day management of the wound care is great and it takes the pressure off my wife is such a blessing. 
All that aside let me share a couple of thoughts with you. As we went into the holiday’s some great things happened. Lucky and I have celebrated our 8 month anniversary together. Yes 8 months I got Lucky on the 13 of April 2012 and we are now headed in to the 9 month as a team. We are doing well together.
We finished our first semester at university and he was great. I am always amazed on how they find their way after  only once going to a place. It was like old times we got off the elevator and he would bring me to class, it was awesome, he did well! We did a lot of kilometers/miles together not as much as I wanted but a lot.
As we came into the Christmas season of 2012 I realized I was not in the same place I was in 2011. It was our first Christmas without Eric and Jagger, we did not feel much like being apart of Christmas but our youngest son took care of that.
My wife had a gastro and we did not really celebrate much. This year we sat back to remember Eric and Jagger and we told some happy stories and good things we remember. Once again our youngest son and Lucky quickly reminded us that this was a Happy, Happy, Happy time of year. Our daughter came over and spent the Christmas Eve and to share in my birthday and it was nice.   She was not ready for our youngest and Lucky getting up at 5am, our youngest for gifts and Lucky for bathroom and food, and he is quite good at reminding you when it is time to eat!
Someone once asked me what it was like to have a new guide dog so young? I answered it like being 50 years old and having a child in the terrible two’s. Like every two year old when they are quiet you go and see what they are up too. Sometimes he is in mischief taking (socks and underwear) or there perfect angels sleeping most of the time it is first one. This is his sign of being board and it is time for a walk.
I also had Lucky out in our first snow and he loved it! I stopped at the park on the way to class and you guessed it, he could not wait to roll around in the snow. Every body who walked were laughing and I think this is why we are such a good fit loves to be outside no matter what and he is always up to having fun. I have to admit that we have not been out since we got the 50cm/ 3feet of snow, snow clearing is very slow here and not good.
Our 1st Christmas and New-year with Lucky was great. He was happy to get his new bed and a toy for Christmas, his other bed did not make it after an uncomfortable night sleep. It was quiet New-Year’s eve we had our good friends over, we had some finger food we watched a funny movie until midnight and we brought in the New year. As we hugged and kissed each other
It was nice to have Lucky with us to bring in the New-year he has been a good addition to our family.
So my New-Years resolution is much the same as last year. I am not promising to lose a hundred pounds that usually doesn’t work, I will train more not hard but more. I will blog more since we have worked out this med issue. If I manage to do one or two of these resolutions I am doing good!
The most important of all resolutions are! 2013 will not be my year, I am going to make 2013 my year!
I am not waiting for something to happen I am going to make something happen. This is what I did for 2012 and it was a good year. Yes there will be bumps, but if you keep in mind to make more good things happen than bad you will have a good year!

Have more Fun! If it is not fun I am not doing it!
I have to admit with some of the bumps we had in the road, we had a lot of fun in the process, and that is the key; (don’t for get to laugh at the little things and belly laugh at the big ones)!

Happy New-Year

John & Lucky and family 
Blessings to you all.      
Lucky waiting to open gift.

Lucky looking outside.