My Hunny Turns 50!

     My Hunny was turning the big 5 0 !  This is a very significant year; just to look back at all that he had accomplished makes me very proud to call him my husband and father of my children!           

     To think he has celebrated more birthdays’ with me than anyone else, even his own mother. He is the type who likes it low key so we tried to think of what could we do to make it memorable. 

     Especially knowing next year, my abilities would make it quite different. The thing with MSA is that it is a fast progressing disease. One year is like a decade. That is what makes this so hard; a diagnosis of MSA not only changes your life, but your loved ones' also. It is so hard when trying not to let the MSA over shadow events and live in the moment. It is always redefining my life with limits imposed by this disease. This is the biggest hurdle for me to get over. These are harsh realities.The possibility of expensive equipment and medications may be required. Mobility scooters, changing vehicle, house, voice-recognition software, medical treatment, Helpline (panic button) and types of assistive equipment or people to improve my daily living, it all comes at a price.

     You are always mourning part of yourself, you just want to live. People with MSA want to live life no differently than anyone else. We want to be able to go shopping, go to the movies, go out to eat, and enjoy life, while fully realizing that this must be done within our boundaries.

                                                      

     Speaking of living in the moment....it was my husband's moment. So, to make it memorable, we decided to celebrate all that he had done. Before coming to Ottawa my husband was in the Air Force for 27 years and since 20 of those were with me, we had met a few people over the years. After retiring from the military, 
he took a job with Public Service. He retired from the military on Friday and started the new job Monday.  
     I decided to write to the people who we knew and people he worked with and asked them to send a Birthday Wish. We collected all these letters and put a picture with these letters. We scanned all of the letters from family and friends and special memories and put them in a slide show for my husband. His family sent me pictures and letters and my family as well. Of course, the most special letters from his children, wife and son-in-law, will always be written down. All of these people confirmed what I had already known...that I married one very special man that will be by my side always. That night, our children came over and we had a nice dinner and sat and watched the slide show. It brought back some great memories! 

Paying Forward

      When we first moved to Ottawa, a few years ago, I worked for a real estate company. Each year Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa would have a golf tournament in Mont Tremblant, Quebec. Another place I wanted to show my husband. 

      I was very new to the area so did not know many places, but the ironic part is all, the money raised over the years at these golf tournaments, which I think totalled over $500,000.00 dollar’s, was donated to Elisabeth Bruyere.  Now, eight years later I am calling them for service. 

    It seems the time has come that I am going to need their Helpline. I fall each day, about a big fall once a week, and now a couple of times a week. The worse was last week while crouched down I fell backwards and hit the tub. Thankfully, I was crouched, but I had all the grout lines where the tiles and I connected.  It looked liked a new tattoo for the movie, The Fifth Element, Wind. Did not know I was the first element! 

     Well while on the floor the phone was ringing but I could not get up. This of course was very upsetting! This week I already had two falls, so the time has come to take matters into my hands before something goes into my head, so I will get a Helpline, also some of the Mermaids have offered to have their names to have a list of people to phone if I need help getting up. Another symptom of MSA.

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     So, back to where we left off... As promised in the middle of summer last year, I took my Hunny to  Mont Tremblant, Quebec. This is a small city nestled into the Laurentines, I wanted to show  him how beautiful it was. We have such gorgeous spots so close to home like this city which are only a drive away, 2 hours from Ottawa. This place is famous for skiing but it is beautiful anytime of year to me. 

There are four major golf courses, but I came to show Hunny the scenery. 

The original plan was to take the Gondola up the mountain to see the spectacular view and hike down, but my legs are not strong enough to do that. We cannot bike the routes that are all intertwined through the condos,which area available to rent.

 So we settled for shopping, and stopping and having lunch with a margarita, oh darn!

Family Visit to Quebec

                

  

   This is an important weekend for us; we are taking a family holiday and going to Quebec City. My in-law's, who I adore, live here.  It will be our first family vacation since my boy graduated from RMC. It will be more than likely my last visit without some assistance with walking. That pains my heart but I know I have to be strong for my family.  Also, this month is my mother in-law’s birthday, my son's 24^th birthday, my Hunny’s 50^th  and my daughter will be introducing her husband.  Lots of reasons to celebrate! 

     The day of my son’s birthday, unfortunately it was spent driving to Quebec, but we were all together that is the main thing. When we arrived we had a small celebration for him.  24 years old…my how time flies! We are going to celebrate with everyone tomorrow.

     The next day we went to visit Old Quebec, one of my favorite and one of the oldest cities in Canada.  When we visit here it it is like almost stepping into some place in Europe. The history, the architecture, is amazing the colors so vibrant. There are cafes, cobblestone streets, people walking with fresh banquettes and so many cheeses.  Walking is key to enjoying this city.

    The Chateau Frontenac can be seen from almost anywhere in Old Quebec. This beautiful hotel was built in the 1800's and is one of the most photographed buildings in Quebec. It sits just over-looking the St. Lawrence. The St. Lawrence  is one  of the most important rivers in North America. It takes all the run off from the Great Lakes which lead to the St. Lawrence and eventually empties into the Atlantic.

     While there we went to the Notre Dame Basilica, as we do every time we are in Old Quebec. This Cathedral is so magnificent it was built in the 1600's, but it does feel odd lighting a votive for yourself! It is worth I try....Candles are lit for prayer intentions. To "light a candle for someone" indicates one's intention to say a prayer for another person, and the candle symbolizes that prayer.

     After spending the day here, we went back to my mother-in-law's, everyone was coming to celebrate. It is going to be such fun.  Even though I won’t be joining the conversation so much as usual,  another symptom  of MSA is a problem with speech, which is really affecting me now. It is hard enough in English, then to try another language it is just so hard.  But it is fun to watch all the laughing and listening to the conversations. We had a great celebration! Everyone usually has a good time when together. 

  My mother-in-law gave my husband the vase of flowers, which were brought to the hospital 50 years ago when he was born!



Before leaving Quebec we always try to visit my father-in-law as well. We went there for  brunch and had a nice visit. It was a very happy and good trip to Quebec. 








       I still hear those words from my doctor that people with MSA tend to be in a wheel chair in 3 - 5 years, and even though I do not dwell on this it is always in the back of my mind. Next time I come to Old Quebec for sure I will be different but I am up for the challenge

A Visit From Tim's Shoe

 

      This week our special visitor arrived Tim’s Shoe. watch video .  I mentioned in an earlier post how the red carpets were out and the evidence was all over town, well I think this really because it is Canada Day (more pictures) and the fact that Kate Middleton and Prince William are going to be town also.  

      We wanted Tim’s Shoe to be part of this! This is a Nike running shoe that travels the world by request to raise awareness for MSA. What a marathon he has to accomplish.  

      So us and 300,000 other people went down to the celebrations. We were in front off the big monitors so we could see what was going on but it was getting extremely hot, 32 Celsius. Oh, I forgot to mention another symptom of  MSA is you do not sweat, therefore your body cannot cool itself off.  We knew we had to get to the shade. We tried to get out but got caught up in a mob of people. I was so glad my Hunny was there because I would have passed out of been trampled by the amount of people.  It was pretty scary!

     When we left there we walked over to the Supreme Court of Canada to get a picture of Claude and Tim’s Shoe.  We explained all about the shoe and its purpose. Our friend was very saddened. He used to be our neighbor so he would always see me out running and now to see  that it was getting hard for me to walk, he was in shock.

       
We then took Tim to Scotiabank Place where it many of stars had performed and many professional sports played. 

                                                       

      We also got a picture by Terry Fox Drive. Terry is world known he was a young Canadian who was diagnosed with bone cancer at 18 and in 1980 announced he would run across Canada to raise funds and awareness for cancer research, called The Marathon of Hope. So I felt it is still a Marathon of Hope to raise awareness and funds for research for MSA, that is why it is important to get a picture there.

     Another stop was to take Tim's Shoe to  have his picture at the world famous Rideau Canal which in the winter becomes the longest skate way in the world, 7.8 kilometers long.

We also took Tim’s Shoe to have poutine at the fromagerie in St. Albert. As far as we are concerned it is the best and just melts in your mouth. This is a French-Canadian dish of French fries, gravy and cheese curds. Yummy! 

      We rented a limo and are going to see all the hot spots around town including the Mayor Jim Watson’s office and then going to dinner.  We also learned this week that there are five people that  we know of in Ottawa with MSA.




 They are Karen Olson (she requested Tim's Shoe to Canada)
has had MSA for about 8 years. She now cannot take care of herself so is in a facility.









Deborah Pursey had MSA for about 3 years. She is a retired Registered Nurse. Lives at home with her husband.
                                   

Adrien Dawoodjee has had MSA for three years.  She was a Project Manager for Lumenera Corp., Ottawa, Ontario. Adrien also lives at home with family.   

   

  Art wade has had MSA 5 years.  Art is Colonel (Ret'd) Arthur C. Wade. He graduated from the Royal Military College in 1956, and served with distinction for many years in the Canadian Army as a member of the Royal Canadian Engineers.

Can no longer take care of himself so is in a facility.

  




and myself Brenda Paquet has had MSA 1 year.  Retired from Business Administration. I live at home with my husband. 

 For something so rare makes a person wonder….

      

We took Tim’s Shoe and explained its significance to Mayor Jim Watson and of course got pictures. Mr. Watson congratulated us on our work of bringing awareness to him and others.


      

      We then took the Tim's Shoe all over town, to the Centennial Flame,  which was first lit in 1967. According to Wikipedia, the Centennial Flame is encompassed by a fountain into which many visitors to Parliament Hill throw coins for luck. That change is gathered, washed, dried and sorted by maintenance before it is put into a government bank account.  From there the money is given to the winner of the Centennial Flame Research Award. The award, which was begun in 2005, is given “to a person with a disability to enable him or her to conduct research and prepare a report on the contributions of one or more Canadians with disabilities to the public life of Canada or the activities of Parliament”.

   


      At the end of the night we all went to have dinner to celebrate a successful trip and awareness campaign, a big than you Tim’s Shoe! More Photos