well i guess it's time to write another update here as to how i'm doing on the MS front now that i've had the procedure done. it's strange to think that it's been almost 8 weeks since i had it done in that hospital in san jose costa rica. on one level it seems impossible that so much time has passed but on another level it feels like it happened another lifetime ago.
some good news, hot off the press, is that i will be getting re-tested on aug. 25 in barrie for ccsvi. the reason why this is good is that i've been wondering if my right jugular vein that was opened during the angioplasty i received is still open or if it has re-stenosed. the clinic in barrie that did the original test, under the strong and heroic leadership of dr. sandy macdonald, has put out a call to people who have been tested there and have gone abroad for the procedure, to come back in to be re-tested to see if there have been any significant changes. i am so thrilled about this as it will give me information that i am desperate for as to if the procedure has remained successful. (as an aside, if you're donating to MS this year, i'd ask that you give to doctors like this for their research and not give to the MS society as they clearly are not listening to the pleas of those of us who live with MS.)
as for how i'm doing, well i'm doing quite well over all. i'll admit that there have been a few discouraging weeks where i have had difficulty not focusing on the things that i didn't get from the procedure that i desperately wanted. my hands and feet are still as numb as ever and for whatever reason, even though i had long come to grips with the assumption that i'd never get the feeling back in those areas, i found myself deeply lamenting that this did not change for me. i also struggle to walk very far or stand up for very long. i've finally figured out how to articulate what happens to me when i walk or stand for long. i feel like i'm getting heavier. i stand or walk and within 10 or 15 minutes i feel like i'm 400 pounds and that the earth's gravity is sucking me into it like it's a magnet and i'm a huge chunk of metal until i have no choice but to sit down.
but thankfully despite those things, the discouraged period seems to have passed for me.
i do think that some subtle improvements have happened on the bladder front. i used to have to get up every night like clockwork at 2am, 4am and 6am to pee. i seem to have eliminated the 4am visit. that's pretty huge for me. now i'm not out of the woods on this front of course, and the 2 visits i made to dumpsters today while cycling were testament to that, but i seem to have made some progress there which i am thrilled about.
the best and most significant improvements remain in my balance, strength, endurance, and fatigue. i'm hitting the gym every day and even added another 90 pounds to my leg presses this morning. i'm walking in a straight line quite regularly without toppling over. i'm cycling like a madman and have done several 40km rides thus far (i have hopes to do 50km on the weekend and am aiming for 100km before the end of the summer) i'm getting through my days at work without feeling like lying down on the floor in my office at 2pm to sleep. i feel strong, awake, and balanced. and the best thing that could have happened today happened when one of the guyswho lives at our shelter looked at me and told me i looked strong and healthy. he went on to say that whatever i'm doing, keep doing it as 'we need you here for a long time'. how great is that.
last week our family went to a family camp in the muskokas. it was there that i learned something new about my body. we swam every single day in the most beautiful, refreshing, muskoka lake. and i know that the swimming made me stronger. this camp, camp koinonia, is built on a hill and you can't go anywhere there without either walking up or down hill. for 4 of our 7 days there, i felt incredibly strong and tackled those hills full rip. and usually it was on the days when i pushed it hardest while swimming. so in light of that, i will be starting with a new physiotherapist who works in a place with a pool. i'm hopeful that this will lead to some even newer improvements. we shall see.
one last thing. there is a christian tv show called 100 huntley street that came to our home and filmed our family before we went to costa rica and asked us about our lives with MS and our faith in light of that. they will be airing that story on sept. 10 and i will be in the studio live that day to give an update as to how i'm doing.
back to koinonia to finish this post. during the week, one of my favorite people in the world, david tiessen, did the speaking. each morning, the dozen or so couples that were there gathered for one hour to discuss a christian theme. david chose to speak on the topic of wisdom. so every day, we dug deeper into the topic of the kind of wisdom that was modelled to us by Jesus when He walked amongst us. the kind of wisdom that seems foolish to most. the kind of wisdom that demonstrates leadership by servanthood. the kind of wisdom that demonstrates strength in weakness. the kind of wisdom that gives up your life for your friends. the kind of wisdom that is only found in the bruised, broken, battered body that was strung up on a cross.
so as is my tradition in ending these posts, and in light of what i was reminded of regarding wisdom last week, i will end in a prayer;
Lord Jesus,
i have been pittying myself because of my broken body and have questioned you for letting this happen to me
and you answered my prayer by reminding me of your own battered body and the beauty that is found there
help me to continue to embrace the wisdom that can only be found in weakness
and thank-you for hearing my prayer
amen
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
july 21. 4 days post liberation
so it's been exactly 4 weeks at this very moment since i was given that drug that put me to sleep and they inserted a tube into my groin whch was then snaked up through my venous system into my jugular vein where they then inflated a balloon to open a blockage that they found there.
the fact is, it all feels as surreal to me right now as it sounds. i sit here on my couch in my basement, having just listened to myself on cbc news ranting about the g20 and the vulgar misuse of $1.2B of public funds when so many people in this country need housng, looking back on the 4 weeks that have passed and i find myself questioning if it all actually happened or if it was just a dream.
but then i get brought back to reality every morning and every night when i inject myself in the stomach with blood thinning medication to help keep the blood flowing through the new openings in my body. (thank God that ends this weekend)
the day of the surgery and the night before were probably, if i were being honest, some of the most terrifying hours of my life. the night before the surgery, i almost bailed, i was so scared. and it didn't help me when i met some people over dinner that night who had some pretty scary complications from having the procedure done. i think i only decided to go through with it as i knew i'd regret it for the rest of my life if i got this close but walked away. and i'm glad i did. i have no regrets.
so what is life like 4 weeks post op? well i continue to feel great. i really can't be sure any more if my renewed energy and stamina are directly related to the surgery or if it is a result of my daily visits to the gym and my new found discipline around my diet and a really great physiotherapist. i suspect the truth is that it's a combination of the two. but i feel a lot more energy, not the same oppressive fatigue that regularly overcame me, far better balance and definitely more endurance. i even did 5 minutes on a treadmill the other morning. i haven't done that in over a year. and i cycled 25km this past sunday morning before we went to church. i was thrilled about that.
i still don't have my feeling in my hands and feet back, and my bladder issues continue to piss me off (pun intended), but overall i feel a lot healthier than i did four weeks and one day ago.
and another cool development is that the doctor in barrie that originally tested me has put a call out to people who have had the procedure to come back in for testing to see if there is any difference. so i am waiting for a call soon from barrie to go back for a follow-up test. i'm thrilled about that as i can't help but wonder if the veins are still open or if they just went back to the way they were. this will tell the tale.
so what am i learning? well much of what i have learned in these past 20 years has come from my friends in the streets. and the same is true yet again. i have been questioning God as to why He has chosen not to give me the instant healing that i have longed for. She answered that question this past saturday night as i went to an open mic night at a local drop-in that my wife erinn works at. the folks there knew all about my journey and had been praying for me and my family all throughout this thing. they also dug deep and even gave us some money for the trip which was so moving to me. i sat with a guy that i've known for more than a decade who is a christian and is also a crack addict and is on and off the street. he heard my confusion as to why God didn't answer my deepest longing in the way i wanted Him to and he related his own story to me. he said that he has cried out to God for many years to be delivered from his addictive tendancies and yet that craving still haunts him. there is nothing more in this life that he wants than to stop craving crack cocaine, but yet he continues to go back to it over and over again. he believes that maybe the purpose of not having the instant fix is so that he would continue to cry out to God in dependance on Her and that if he got cured from his addiction that maybe he would forget God altogether.
i believe that God answered my question in that encounter as i too might very well forget my longing and need for God if i didn't have this affliction in my life. i am a child of God and while i have no real clue as to how God parents me and why She chooses to do certain things in particular ways, i trust the He, the creator and sustainer of all things, knows better than i. most days that gives me great comfort.
(side note: i use 'He' and 'She' interchangeably when referring to God as i dont actually believe that God has any gender but embodies all of the perfectness of what is male and female)
so, as has been my tradition in these notes, i will end with a prayer
Father God, i trust you. while i don't always understand what you're up to, i am yours.
thank-you for the way that my life has improved since i have had this operation.
but if it's all the same to you, i'd really like to be rid of this disease once and for all. and i promise i wouldn't turn my back on you or forget you if you took it from me.
but Mother God, i remain grateful for the many blessings that i have. and i thank you for your love in my life.
i am yours
amen
the fact is, it all feels as surreal to me right now as it sounds. i sit here on my couch in my basement, having just listened to myself on cbc news ranting about the g20 and the vulgar misuse of $1.2B of public funds when so many people in this country need housng, looking back on the 4 weeks that have passed and i find myself questioning if it all actually happened or if it was just a dream.
but then i get brought back to reality every morning and every night when i inject myself in the stomach with blood thinning medication to help keep the blood flowing through the new openings in my body. (thank God that ends this weekend)
the day of the surgery and the night before were probably, if i were being honest, some of the most terrifying hours of my life. the night before the surgery, i almost bailed, i was so scared. and it didn't help me when i met some people over dinner that night who had some pretty scary complications from having the procedure done. i think i only decided to go through with it as i knew i'd regret it for the rest of my life if i got this close but walked away. and i'm glad i did. i have no regrets.
so what is life like 4 weeks post op? well i continue to feel great. i really can't be sure any more if my renewed energy and stamina are directly related to the surgery or if it is a result of my daily visits to the gym and my new found discipline around my diet and a really great physiotherapist. i suspect the truth is that it's a combination of the two. but i feel a lot more energy, not the same oppressive fatigue that regularly overcame me, far better balance and definitely more endurance. i even did 5 minutes on a treadmill the other morning. i haven't done that in over a year. and i cycled 25km this past sunday morning before we went to church. i was thrilled about that.
i still don't have my feeling in my hands and feet back, and my bladder issues continue to piss me off (pun intended), but overall i feel a lot healthier than i did four weeks and one day ago.
and another cool development is that the doctor in barrie that originally tested me has put a call out to people who have had the procedure to come back in for testing to see if there is any difference. so i am waiting for a call soon from barrie to go back for a follow-up test. i'm thrilled about that as i can't help but wonder if the veins are still open or if they just went back to the way they were. this will tell the tale.
so what am i learning? well much of what i have learned in these past 20 years has come from my friends in the streets. and the same is true yet again. i have been questioning God as to why He has chosen not to give me the instant healing that i have longed for. She answered that question this past saturday night as i went to an open mic night at a local drop-in that my wife erinn works at. the folks there knew all about my journey and had been praying for me and my family all throughout this thing. they also dug deep and even gave us some money for the trip which was so moving to me. i sat with a guy that i've known for more than a decade who is a christian and is also a crack addict and is on and off the street. he heard my confusion as to why God didn't answer my deepest longing in the way i wanted Him to and he related his own story to me. he said that he has cried out to God for many years to be delivered from his addictive tendancies and yet that craving still haunts him. there is nothing more in this life that he wants than to stop craving crack cocaine, but yet he continues to go back to it over and over again. he believes that maybe the purpose of not having the instant fix is so that he would continue to cry out to God in dependance on Her and that if he got cured from his addiction that maybe he would forget God altogether.
i believe that God answered my question in that encounter as i too might very well forget my longing and need for God if i didn't have this affliction in my life. i am a child of God and while i have no real clue as to how God parents me and why She chooses to do certain things in particular ways, i trust the He, the creator and sustainer of all things, knows better than i. most days that gives me great comfort.
(side note: i use 'He' and 'She' interchangeably when referring to God as i dont actually believe that God has any gender but embodies all of the perfectness of what is male and female)
so, as has been my tradition in these notes, i will end with a prayer
Father God, i trust you. while i don't always understand what you're up to, i am yours.
thank-you for the way that my life has improved since i have had this operation.
but if it's all the same to you, i'd really like to be rid of this disease once and for all. and i promise i wouldn't turn my back on you or forget you if you took it from me.
but Mother God, i remain grateful for the many blessings that i have. and i thank you for your love in my life.
i am yours
amen
Sunday, July 4, 2010
july 4. 11 days post liberation
well this will be my last post from my fave spot at my fave time of day here in costa rica. i'm sitting by the pool with the cool evening costa rican breeze and trying to reflect on the past few weeks. virtually impossible.
yesterday we had a full day adventure to the pacific coast where we spent an hour and a half in a river full of giant crocs. that will go down as my favorite part of the touristy section of my trip. just check out the pics i've just posted for a glimpse at the adventure. then we travelled to a tram that trook us up a mountain over a rainforest. there we saw monkeys, a toucan, 2 macaws, and a sloth. that too was awesome. and then we went to the beach and hung out there before we headed home. the place we went was called jaco (pronounced yack-o) and it was only 100 or so kms away but it felt like we were driving into an oven. if my dad were there he'd have said he was 'rendered out'. it was stinking hot. it's shocking how drastically the temp changes here withing very short distances. if i lived here i could easily manage san jose but not the coast.
anyway, tonight the whole gang ordered a pile of pizzas and had a little party together. it was quite a nice gathering of folks who were leaving to go home and folks who were just arriving. there are some really great people here, all of us convinced that this thing works and all are committed to lobbying the canadian government to get this in place for all people suffering with MS who will benefit from this. the stories here are quite dramatic. more dramatic than mine by a long shot.
as for me, i came here hoping for at least three things back that MS has taken from me. i wanted my feeling back in my hands, i wanted better control over my bladder, and i wanted to walk better. so far there seem to be no noticable changes in the first two and i'd be lying if i said i weren't dissappointed about that. especially when people here are telling stories about instant relief from those two issues. one lady had numb hands for16 years and felt her hands as soon as she woke up. when she told me this i have to be honest and ay that my initial instinct was one of jealousy and i wanted to punch her in the face and ask her if she felt that too:) but instead i hurrayed and congratulated her with as much enthusiasm as i could muster. and most of that was genuine. i truly was happy for her.
as for my walking, i have without question improved but yesterday i was reminded of how far i have to go. once i got in the ocean, the waves were massive and i could not handle the back and forth of the tide and was quickly gassed by the energy i needed to get out of there. once i made it to my towel, i knew i was cooked. now again, that was the end of the day, it was 2000 degrees, we had driven a long time, and i was already tired. but i felt the exact same fatigue i am used to feeling with MS and i was dissappointed by it.
so, for me, once again i need to be patient. so many people are reportring major breakthroughs 3-6 months post-procedure and i will stay hopeful for that.
and if i don't experience those breakthroughs, i will be ok too. i have a family who loves me and who i love back. i have so many dear friends that love and care for me and i love back (which this experience reminded me of in a powerful way). i have the best job on the planet where i get to work alongside so many wonderful, caring people as we march onward towards seeking justice for our friends on the street. and my faith in and dependance on God, the only true MS specialist, has deepened. in fact, about a year ago we began a study of the book of acts with my staff. and in the first few chapters of that book there are stories of many miracles of healing and transformation. my deepest longing when we started that was that i would have an opprtunity to see miracles too. i longed to witness the blind see and the lame to walk, and that was before i ever heard of this treatment. and God has answered my prayer as i have since witnessed first hand the lame walking again. these things aren't ancient stories that are irrelevant to us. these are real and they can and do happen now.
so, is travelling to a foreign country for an invasive experimental surgery the craziest thing i've ever done? by far
was it a successful journey? partially but only as the story unfolds will i truly know.
am i glad we did this? yes, without one iota of a doubt.
so to end this chapter of the story, i will yet again end with a prayer;
"thank-you that through this journey, I drew closer to You -- You are my comfort and strength. I pray that ultimately, whatever happens, You will be glorified through me.
amen.”
yesterday we had a full day adventure to the pacific coast where we spent an hour and a half in a river full of giant crocs. that will go down as my favorite part of the touristy section of my trip. just check out the pics i've just posted for a glimpse at the adventure. then we travelled to a tram that trook us up a mountain over a rainforest. there we saw monkeys, a toucan, 2 macaws, and a sloth. that too was awesome. and then we went to the beach and hung out there before we headed home. the place we went was called jaco (pronounced yack-o) and it was only 100 or so kms away but it felt like we were driving into an oven. if my dad were there he'd have said he was 'rendered out'. it was stinking hot. it's shocking how drastically the temp changes here withing very short distances. if i lived here i could easily manage san jose but not the coast.
anyway, tonight the whole gang ordered a pile of pizzas and had a little party together. it was quite a nice gathering of folks who were leaving to go home and folks who were just arriving. there are some really great people here, all of us convinced that this thing works and all are committed to lobbying the canadian government to get this in place for all people suffering with MS who will benefit from this. the stories here are quite dramatic. more dramatic than mine by a long shot.
as for me, i came here hoping for at least three things back that MS has taken from me. i wanted my feeling back in my hands, i wanted better control over my bladder, and i wanted to walk better. so far there seem to be no noticable changes in the first two and i'd be lying if i said i weren't dissappointed about that. especially when people here are telling stories about instant relief from those two issues. one lady had numb hands for16 years and felt her hands as soon as she woke up. when she told me this i have to be honest and ay that my initial instinct was one of jealousy and i wanted to punch her in the face and ask her if she felt that too:) but instead i hurrayed and congratulated her with as much enthusiasm as i could muster. and most of that was genuine. i truly was happy for her.
as for my walking, i have without question improved but yesterday i was reminded of how far i have to go. once i got in the ocean, the waves were massive and i could not handle the back and forth of the tide and was quickly gassed by the energy i needed to get out of there. once i made it to my towel, i knew i was cooked. now again, that was the end of the day, it was 2000 degrees, we had driven a long time, and i was already tired. but i felt the exact same fatigue i am used to feeling with MS and i was dissappointed by it.
so, for me, once again i need to be patient. so many people are reportring major breakthroughs 3-6 months post-procedure and i will stay hopeful for that.
and if i don't experience those breakthroughs, i will be ok too. i have a family who loves me and who i love back. i have so many dear friends that love and care for me and i love back (which this experience reminded me of in a powerful way). i have the best job on the planet where i get to work alongside so many wonderful, caring people as we march onward towards seeking justice for our friends on the street. and my faith in and dependance on God, the only true MS specialist, has deepened. in fact, about a year ago we began a study of the book of acts with my staff. and in the first few chapters of that book there are stories of many miracles of healing and transformation. my deepest longing when we started that was that i would have an opprtunity to see miracles too. i longed to witness the blind see and the lame to walk, and that was before i ever heard of this treatment. and God has answered my prayer as i have since witnessed first hand the lame walking again. these things aren't ancient stories that are irrelevant to us. these are real and they can and do happen now.
so, is travelling to a foreign country for an invasive experimental surgery the craziest thing i've ever done? by far
was it a successful journey? partially but only as the story unfolds will i truly know.
am i glad we did this? yes, without one iota of a doubt.
so to end this chapter of the story, i will yet again end with a prayer;
"thank-you that through this journey, I drew closer to You -- You are my comfort and strength. I pray that ultimately, whatever happens, You will be glorified through me.
amen.”
Friday, July 2, 2010
july 2. canada day boxing day. 9 days post liberation
well our time here is winding down. tonight we said farewell to a couple from our group by all getting together for cake. it's that phase of our journey now when the people we've befriended are starting to leave to go home. we're three sleeps away from our own departure ourselves and are ready to go home now. but the friendships that have been formed here amongst the folks that have flown here all the way from different parts of canada run deep as we have an understanding of what each other is going through in dealing with this disease. it's bitter sweet to be winding this trip up.
and today i had two physio aqppointments as there will be no physio tomorrow or sunday. i've also befriended the two therapists these past two weeks as they have given us such great care. so i'm feeling very tired right now and am looking forward to crashing for the night. tomorrow will be a very long day as we rise at 7am and will be tourists again. we're heading first to a boat that will take us inland where we will encounter monkeys and tons of crocodiles and watch a guy feed these things up close and personal.
then we head to a canopy ride accross the top of the rainforest for an hour. then we get to hang out at the beach on the pacific ocean for a couple of hours.
then we drive back and tomorrow night a group of us are heading back to the restaurant that is owned by the guy from toronto to watch the ufc fight. so i suspect by tomorrow night i'll be far more exhausted than i currently am. but i really would regret not going to do the things we're going to do tomorrow if we don't do them. life's to short to pass these things up.
i'm still feeling good. no major improvements today but that's ok. time will tell the full tale so we will wait.
so for now i'll end with thomas merton's prayer that on this night is my own;
'MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.'
shalom
and today i had two physio aqppointments as there will be no physio tomorrow or sunday. i've also befriended the two therapists these past two weeks as they have given us such great care. so i'm feeling very tired right now and am looking forward to crashing for the night. tomorrow will be a very long day as we rise at 7am and will be tourists again. we're heading first to a boat that will take us inland where we will encounter monkeys and tons of crocodiles and watch a guy feed these things up close and personal.
then we head to a canopy ride accross the top of the rainforest for an hour. then we get to hang out at the beach on the pacific ocean for a couple of hours.
then we drive back and tomorrow night a group of us are heading back to the restaurant that is owned by the guy from toronto to watch the ufc fight. so i suspect by tomorrow night i'll be far more exhausted than i currently am. but i really would regret not going to do the things we're going to do tomorrow if we don't do them. life's to short to pass these things up.
i'm still feeling good. no major improvements today but that's ok. time will tell the full tale so we will wait.
so for now i'll end with thomas merton's prayer that on this night is my own;
'MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.'
shalom
Thursday, July 1, 2010
july 1. canada day. 8 days post liberation
a funny thing happened on the way home after my time of blogging last night. a mariachi band showed up and they picked the party up a major notch. so i ran and got erinn and we sat and listened to their last couple of tunes. then a funnier thing happened when they were done. me and erinn were walking back to our room and the band were all milling around the place and we got our pic taken with them. good times. i'm currently writing to the sounds of a very good jazz guitarist playing right here beside me. the quality of music has been redeemed since that first band we heard a week or so ago.
today was another great day here. this place in and of itself brings healing just because of the relaxed vibe here. no one actually cares what time it is.
i had physio at 9am today and they've kicked it up a major notch. i only have 2 more sessions left tomorrow and one on monday morning before we leave and so they are kicking butt now. my balance and endurance are continuing to improve in measurable ways. now i need the discipline to keep it going when i get back home.
i also had a follow-up appointment back at the hospital today with the surgeon, dr. fallas. he's a very nice guy and a great surgeon. he did an ultrasound on my neck and it showed that the newly opened veins in my jugular were still open and puming new blood through me. that was a concern i had that was alleviated today. the other awesome, tangible medical result today was that when he checked my reflexes in my arms (i didn't have any reflexes from my elbows down before the procedure) i did indeed have a reflex. that's a very good, measurable, result that is evidence that this thing is working. then the whole medical crew, neurologist, surgeon, MD, and administration came out to watch me walk and they said i looked like a totally different guy. i left the hospital feeling like a million bucks. twas a good day
then we went for dinner at a 50's diner owned and operated by a good friend of a good friend of mine in toronto (hey sam). we ate realy well and enjoyed a really nice dinner with some new friends from newfoundland who are here for the same procedure. their little boy, kyle, is 9 and he and cate have made instant friends. and cate just yesterday said that she wished she had a friend here. God does answer the prayers of little children.
tomorrow i have 2 physio appointments. and we plan to continue our relaxation by the pool, drinking fruity drinks and yes, even coffee.
the passage running through my head today that has brought me great comfort in this land of the origins of the liberation theology movement, just 8 days after my liberation treatement, is from paul's letter to the romans;
"...creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."
Amen
today was another great day here. this place in and of itself brings healing just because of the relaxed vibe here. no one actually cares what time it is.
i had physio at 9am today and they've kicked it up a major notch. i only have 2 more sessions left tomorrow and one on monday morning before we leave and so they are kicking butt now. my balance and endurance are continuing to improve in measurable ways. now i need the discipline to keep it going when i get back home.
i also had a follow-up appointment back at the hospital today with the surgeon, dr. fallas. he's a very nice guy and a great surgeon. he did an ultrasound on my neck and it showed that the newly opened veins in my jugular were still open and puming new blood through me. that was a concern i had that was alleviated today. the other awesome, tangible medical result today was that when he checked my reflexes in my arms (i didn't have any reflexes from my elbows down before the procedure) i did indeed have a reflex. that's a very good, measurable, result that is evidence that this thing is working. then the whole medical crew, neurologist, surgeon, MD, and administration came out to watch me walk and they said i looked like a totally different guy. i left the hospital feeling like a million bucks. twas a good day
then we went for dinner at a 50's diner owned and operated by a good friend of a good friend of mine in toronto (hey sam). we ate realy well and enjoyed a really nice dinner with some new friends from newfoundland who are here for the same procedure. their little boy, kyle, is 9 and he and cate have made instant friends. and cate just yesterday said that she wished she had a friend here. God does answer the prayers of little children.
tomorrow i have 2 physio appointments. and we plan to continue our relaxation by the pool, drinking fruity drinks and yes, even coffee.
the passage running through my head today that has brought me great comfort in this land of the origins of the liberation theology movement, just 8 days after my liberation treatement, is from paul's letter to the romans;
"...creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."
Amen
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
june 30. one week post liberation
well tomorrow is canada day. we feel so far removed from all of that these days. i'm not sure but i don't think i've ever been out of canada on canada day. oh well, we're surrounded by canadians here so that's something i guess. and today a newfoundland couple and their little boy showed up for liberation. the dad has had MS for 19 years and he's ready to be done with some of the issues. so i cranked up the newfy accent this afternoon and chatted with them in hopes of making them feel a little less freaked out then they looked. it's their first time out of canada and they were still trembling from the crazy traffic they experienced on the way here from the airport. good times.
anyway, today was another slow and low day for us and it was beautiful. we sat by the pool all day and even though we're in the rainy season, it didn't rain at all.
i had another great physio day with very obvious improvements in my balance. and i was on my feet a long time today around dinner time to see if my endurance had increased and i was pleasantly surprised to have not felt the usual exhaustion once i finally decided to sit down. so we're gradually improving for sure. still lots of room to improve but i'm without question in better health than i was a week ago. i feel very good about it all.
i don't have much else to report on. cate is loving it here. she's discovered calvin and hobbes and when we read it to her she guffaws with laughter which makes me and erinn keel over laughing ourselves. we've laughed so much while we've been here. that in and of itself has been as good a therapy as we could ever pay for.
tomorrow i go back to the hospital for a checkup with the doctor. i have no idea what he'll do but i hope it doesn't involve any needles. i have to inject blood thinners into my gut twice a day, and when i was in hospital i felt like a pin cushion. but the most pain i've had in this whole process was ripping all the bandage tape off of my body. let's just say i used to be a lot hairy-er than i currently am thanks to the stickiest tape i've ever experienced. they couldn't have welded the bandages on me any better.
ok so i will once again pack it in. it's not the same tranquil night by the pool as usual. it seems it is party central here tonight. so my usual calmness over my evening blogging session is not quite here tonight. but it's all good.
my comforting passage of the evening comes from isaiah 40 again tonight;
"Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
Peace
anyway, today was another slow and low day for us and it was beautiful. we sat by the pool all day and even though we're in the rainy season, it didn't rain at all.
i had another great physio day with very obvious improvements in my balance. and i was on my feet a long time today around dinner time to see if my endurance had increased and i was pleasantly surprised to have not felt the usual exhaustion once i finally decided to sit down. so we're gradually improving for sure. still lots of room to improve but i'm without question in better health than i was a week ago. i feel very good about it all.
i don't have much else to report on. cate is loving it here. she's discovered calvin and hobbes and when we read it to her she guffaws with laughter which makes me and erinn keel over laughing ourselves. we've laughed so much while we've been here. that in and of itself has been as good a therapy as we could ever pay for.
tomorrow i go back to the hospital for a checkup with the doctor. i have no idea what he'll do but i hope it doesn't involve any needles. i have to inject blood thinners into my gut twice a day, and when i was in hospital i felt like a pin cushion. but the most pain i've had in this whole process was ripping all the bandage tape off of my body. let's just say i used to be a lot hairy-er than i currently am thanks to the stickiest tape i've ever experienced. they couldn't have welded the bandages on me any better.
ok so i will once again pack it in. it's not the same tranquil night by the pool as usual. it seems it is party central here tonight. so my usual calmness over my evening blogging session is not quite here tonight. but it's all good.
my comforting passage of the evening comes from isaiah 40 again tonight;
"Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
Peace
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
june 29. 6 days post liberation
well i'm kinda fried right now from 2 very long days so i'll write more tomorrow.
but as for how i'm feeling, i'm very certain that my balance and endurance is definitely improving. and erinn reminded me that my fatigue issues seem to have really diminished but that's hard to tell in light of how wonky our schedule is these days. i'm still numb in my hands and feet and there doesn't seem to be much improvement on the bladder front. but it's still early days and patience is a virtue, right?
all of a sudden i have a kings x song from their faith, hope, love album running through my head;
'patience is a virtue, but she won't always wait'
anyhoo, we did see a part of creation today that we never dreamed we would ever see (and i wasn't referring to the costa rican traffic but that too was harrowing and our survival was a slight miracle). for that i/we are grateful.
so my prayer, to the creator of so many wonders, to end this day is again;
thank-you
shalom
but as for how i'm feeling, i'm very certain that my balance and endurance is definitely improving. and erinn reminded me that my fatigue issues seem to have really diminished but that's hard to tell in light of how wonky our schedule is these days. i'm still numb in my hands and feet and there doesn't seem to be much improvement on the bladder front. but it's still early days and patience is a virtue, right?
all of a sudden i have a kings x song from their faith, hope, love album running through my head;
'patience is a virtue, but she won't always wait'
anyhoo, we did see a part of creation today that we never dreamed we would ever see (and i wasn't referring to the costa rican traffic but that too was harrowing and our survival was a slight miracle). for that i/we are grateful.
so my prayer, to the creator of so many wonders, to end this day is again;
thank-you
shalom
Sunday, June 27, 2010
june 27. 4 days post liberation
i'm here at my nightly spot by the pool enjoying the cool evening tropical breeze. life is a gift.
i don't have much more to report than my status update (facebook) from this morning. i could not walk in a straight line yesterday, one foot in front of the other, without my therapist having to hold on to me to prevent me from falling. today i did it almost effortlessly, without any assistance, and quite a few times. the gang i was with were applauding as it was an obvious breakthrough to everyone. high fives all round. i felt emotional but kept it together. can't cry in front total strangers...erinn was getting cate ready for the day but had they been there i'd certainly have lost it. what an emotional roller coaster. i think an addition to this whole process might be regular access to a shrink as well as the physio.
it was sunny and warm all day here and we spent the bulk of it in or by the pool. the world cup was on in the background (this place is soccer crazy which makes it very exciting. and the spanish commentators kick the british commentators butts) it was a very good day.
tomorrow after my 7:15am physio session, we board a van with our new canadian friends and head off to arenal volcano for 2 days (one night). we're really looking forward to this. there are hot springs which are apparently shockingly beautiful. we'll also spend time on the beach of the pacific ocean, eat traditional costa rican fare, wander through a small village, and our hotel room will apparently overlook an active volcano. we can't wait.
so i have no idea if there is wifi there, so it's possible this will be the last from me until tuesday evening. we'll be sure to post some spectacular pics then, and bring a health progress update as well.
we've finished one week here and are missing the comforts of home already. we are looking forward to a long, uneventful, and boring summer once we return but before then, bring on costa rica. we have two other day trips planned before we leave. one will consist of a canopy ride over the rainforest along with a boat ride on a river through the forest where we will see monkeys, tropical birds, and tons of crocs. fun stuff. the other will be a tour of another volvano and 5 falls which are supposed to be mind blowing. then we will visit a butterfly garden with 20 dcfferent species of butterfly. this was for cate but i'm secretly excited about that too.
no social commentary from me tonight (though i'm biting my tongue)
my prayer remains;
'your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven'.
i expect another glimpse of the wonder of that kingdom tomorrow
shalom
i don't have much more to report than my status update (facebook) from this morning. i could not walk in a straight line yesterday, one foot in front of the other, without my therapist having to hold on to me to prevent me from falling. today i did it almost effortlessly, without any assistance, and quite a few times. the gang i was with were applauding as it was an obvious breakthrough to everyone. high fives all round. i felt emotional but kept it together. can't cry in front total strangers...erinn was getting cate ready for the day but had they been there i'd certainly have lost it. what an emotional roller coaster. i think an addition to this whole process might be regular access to a shrink as well as the physio.
it was sunny and warm all day here and we spent the bulk of it in or by the pool. the world cup was on in the background (this place is soccer crazy which makes it very exciting. and the spanish commentators kick the british commentators butts) it was a very good day.
tomorrow after my 7:15am physio session, we board a van with our new canadian friends and head off to arenal volcano for 2 days (one night). we're really looking forward to this. there are hot springs which are apparently shockingly beautiful. we'll also spend time on the beach of the pacific ocean, eat traditional costa rican fare, wander through a small village, and our hotel room will apparently overlook an active volcano. we can't wait.
so i have no idea if there is wifi there, so it's possible this will be the last from me until tuesday evening. we'll be sure to post some spectacular pics then, and bring a health progress update as well.
we've finished one week here and are missing the comforts of home already. we are looking forward to a long, uneventful, and boring summer once we return but before then, bring on costa rica. we have two other day trips planned before we leave. one will consist of a canopy ride over the rainforest along with a boat ride on a river through the forest where we will see monkeys, tropical birds, and tons of crocs. fun stuff. the other will be a tour of another volvano and 5 falls which are supposed to be mind blowing. then we will visit a butterfly garden with 20 dcfferent species of butterfly. this was for cate but i'm secretly excited about that too.
no social commentary from me tonight (though i'm biting my tongue)
my prayer remains;
'your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven'.
i expect another glimpse of the wonder of that kingdom tomorrow
shalom
Saturday, June 26, 2010
june 26. 3 days post liberation
well it's been a bit of a drab and dreary day here in costa rica. it didn't do the normal sunny, hot morning here and it's basically been cloudy and raining all day long.
and i myself have been feeling a little like the weather today; drab and dreary. we did decide to head out of the hotel compound today and go downtown san jose. we went to a mall and it was, well, like a mall and sucked the life outta me fairly quickly. malls are just plain wrong. we did, however, eat a nice lunch at the food court and pick up a souvenir or 2.
we'll do a video of me doing a little jogging tomorrow but we didn't get around to it today. and there's been very little progress today with the exception of some marked improvement in my balance. i did get really tired of walking in the mall today and was a little saddened by my lack of endurance. i do think i had more strength than i had previously but not nearly as much as i'd hoped for. but again, we were in a life sucking mall so that didn't help much.
so, because of the weather and my lack of patience in the progress of this thing and my inability to stop thinking about the events taking place in toronto, my heart is heavy. i think mainly because of toronto, canada, and the world. it's so heartbreaking to hear of what is happening.
but to be honest, my only surprise is that people are surprised by the violence. in my opinion it was inevitable; i might even suggest all of the ingredients were a recipe for violence.
-tens of thousands of angry people from all over the world with different agendas and messages and felt injustices and no idea how to effectively communicate their rage.
-world leaders who seamingly are untouched by it all and are not apparently listening to the people.
-security people with weapons posted everywhere looking like they want a fight.
-media hounds that are blood thirsty for, well, blood.
-mix together in a bowl.
-boom!!!
what else did we expect?
so it's times like this that we'd all be wise to read the great and successfuol non-violent activists of our past. ghandi. martin luther king junior. mandela. and of course the source of all hope, love, justice, wisdom and peace, jesus. their wisdom is what we need this day.
i do think the extra blood flow in my body may just be making me full of more piss and vinegar. perhaps that's a good thing (though i'm not sure erinn or my staff or my friends will agree)
i, however, feel better already.
tonight my prayer is not about me for a change. i pray for shalom in toronto, in canada, and in the world.
your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven
amen
and i myself have been feeling a little like the weather today; drab and dreary. we did decide to head out of the hotel compound today and go downtown san jose. we went to a mall and it was, well, like a mall and sucked the life outta me fairly quickly. malls are just plain wrong. we did, however, eat a nice lunch at the food court and pick up a souvenir or 2.
we'll do a video of me doing a little jogging tomorrow but we didn't get around to it today. and there's been very little progress today with the exception of some marked improvement in my balance. i did get really tired of walking in the mall today and was a little saddened by my lack of endurance. i do think i had more strength than i had previously but not nearly as much as i'd hoped for. but again, we were in a life sucking mall so that didn't help much.
so, because of the weather and my lack of patience in the progress of this thing and my inability to stop thinking about the events taking place in toronto, my heart is heavy. i think mainly because of toronto, canada, and the world. it's so heartbreaking to hear of what is happening.
but to be honest, my only surprise is that people are surprised by the violence. in my opinion it was inevitable; i might even suggest all of the ingredients were a recipe for violence.
-tens of thousands of angry people from all over the world with different agendas and messages and felt injustices and no idea how to effectively communicate their rage.
-world leaders who seamingly are untouched by it all and are not apparently listening to the people.
-security people with weapons posted everywhere looking like they want a fight.
-media hounds that are blood thirsty for, well, blood.
-mix together in a bowl.
-boom!!!
what else did we expect?
so it's times like this that we'd all be wise to read the great and successfuol non-violent activists of our past. ghandi. martin luther king junior. mandela. and of course the source of all hope, love, justice, wisdom and peace, jesus. their wisdom is what we need this day.
i do think the extra blood flow in my body may just be making me full of more piss and vinegar. perhaps that's a good thing (though i'm not sure erinn or my staff or my friends will agree)
i, however, feel better already.
tonight my prayer is not about me for a change. i pray for shalom in toronto, in canada, and in the world.
your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven
amen
Friday, June 25, 2010
june 25. 2 days post liberation
well i'm back in my usual evening spot by the pool. the weather here is so beautiful. it's the rainy season so every day it gets real hot and sunny in the morning, then like clockwork at about 1pm it pours down rain for the afternoon, then we get this moment in the evenings of cool breezes and calmness.this is my fave part of the day. i absolutely love it. and while i am extremely interested in the events of the G20 this week in toronto and am following it closely online, and while in my heart i wish i were there joining in protest against the vulger, despicable misuse of $1B in public money for securuty that could be used for those without a home and so many other worthy and important causes in canada, i am eternally grateful for the tranquiltiy and peace i am experiencing here. and it beats being in jail...
but i digress. we had a really nice, relaxing day. swimming all morning (well i had my feet in the pool as i'm not allowed in yet due to the incision and the giant bandage on my groin area) with a 40 minute physio appointment in the middle. there are 2 therapists that work on me each day and i really love them both. they're very personable and extremely good at what they do. i have a feeling this part of the process might just be one of the most helpful parts of this whole thing. they're obviously well trained and are also willingto think outside the box. they do not screw around either. they are really giving me the gears and teaching me to balance myself by making me do tons of excercises with my eyes closed. i'm doing stuff i absolutely could not do before this whole thing started.
i definitely feel more stable and confident on my feet. my walking speed has quickened and i don't stumble around as much. erinn and cate are both convinced that i look stronger, and erinn is telling me my even colour looks better. i even decided to try an experiment of very slow jogging for about 100 feet tonight. which i did!!! i most definitely could not do that last week. maybe tomorrow i'll post a youtube video of me jogging. next year you marathon friends of mine beware. i might be right there with you kicking butt and taking names.
my hands and feet are still numb, but they seem to want to be waking up. maybe that's just wishful thinking. and i still have to pee about 20 times per day... i suppose i can live with that but it'd be nice to leave that behind too.
but for now, i'm still taking it slow. i take my surgery bandage off tonight and tomorrow i'll swim. my physio is at 10am tomorrow and after that we're gonna get out of the hotel grounds and do something touristy. we're getting a litle stir crazy and also getting sick of eating the same hotel restaurant food for three meals a day. we also just booked a 2 day, one night tour of a volcano which is supposed to be absolutely spectacular. here's the link to that if it interests you.
http://costa-rica-guide.com/Natural/Arenal.html
that'll be next monday and tuesday.
the book i've been reading while here is called 'cry the beloved country'; a book written in the 40's about racial issues in south africa (thanks jake for loaning it to me) i've been reading as much as i can about south africa in preparation for my trip there in october. this book is so beautifully, heartwrenchingly written that it has captured my heart. and today i read a section where an anglican priest was preaching to a group of blind folks. he quoted from isaiah and i read it as though it were a reminder to me today;
'do you not know, have you not heard
the Lord is the everlasting God
the creator of the ends of the earth
He will not grow tired or weary
and His understanding, no one can fathom
He gives strength to the weary, and increases to power of the weak'
to that reminder i say a joyful hallelujah
that's all for now. back tomorrow this time.
peace
but i digress. we had a really nice, relaxing day. swimming all morning (well i had my feet in the pool as i'm not allowed in yet due to the incision and the giant bandage on my groin area) with a 40 minute physio appointment in the middle. there are 2 therapists that work on me each day and i really love them both. they're very personable and extremely good at what they do. i have a feeling this part of the process might just be one of the most helpful parts of this whole thing. they're obviously well trained and are also willingto think outside the box. they do not screw around either. they are really giving me the gears and teaching me to balance myself by making me do tons of excercises with my eyes closed. i'm doing stuff i absolutely could not do before this whole thing started.
i definitely feel more stable and confident on my feet. my walking speed has quickened and i don't stumble around as much. erinn and cate are both convinced that i look stronger, and erinn is telling me my even colour looks better. i even decided to try an experiment of very slow jogging for about 100 feet tonight. which i did!!! i most definitely could not do that last week. maybe tomorrow i'll post a youtube video of me jogging. next year you marathon friends of mine beware. i might be right there with you kicking butt and taking names.
my hands and feet are still numb, but they seem to want to be waking up. maybe that's just wishful thinking. and i still have to pee about 20 times per day... i suppose i can live with that but it'd be nice to leave that behind too.
but for now, i'm still taking it slow. i take my surgery bandage off tonight and tomorrow i'll swim. my physio is at 10am tomorrow and after that we're gonna get out of the hotel grounds and do something touristy. we're getting a litle stir crazy and also getting sick of eating the same hotel restaurant food for three meals a day. we also just booked a 2 day, one night tour of a volcano which is supposed to be absolutely spectacular. here's the link to that if it interests you.
http://costa-rica-guide.com/Natural/Arenal.html
that'll be next monday and tuesday.
the book i've been reading while here is called 'cry the beloved country'; a book written in the 40's about racial issues in south africa (thanks jake for loaning it to me) i've been reading as much as i can about south africa in preparation for my trip there in october. this book is so beautifully, heartwrenchingly written that it has captured my heart. and today i read a section where an anglican priest was preaching to a group of blind folks. he quoted from isaiah and i read it as though it were a reminder to me today;
'do you not know, have you not heard
the Lord is the everlasting God
the creator of the ends of the earth
He will not grow tired or weary
and His understanding, no one can fathom
He gives strength to the weary, and increases to power of the weak'
to that reminder i say a joyful hallelujah
that's all for now. back tomorrow this time.
peace
june 24. one day post liberation
so, cate, erinn and i are sitting at our dinner table by the pool with the most beautiful breeze and listening to what may be the worst ever spanish band of all time. it's so bad it's absolutely hilarious. they've been setting up for the past half hour or so and we decided to stay here longer over our meal so that we could hear them. but now that they've started, while we are glad we stayed, it's for completely different reasons than we anticipated. they are simply horrble and we are cracking up laughing. i couldn't possibly even imagine a more surreal moment. good times.
we're at the sme table with a half dozen other canadians here for the same reason we are; all of which are feeling relieved to have this thing over with. none of us have any regrets for doing it. and it is therapeutic to be with a group of people who 'get it'.
as for me, i do feel good right now. everything went as well as we could have hoped for. they sedated me at 5:30pm yesterday and i awoke at 8:30pm; not remembering a thing but knowing it was over. they did find 2 significant blockages; one in my right jugular and the other in my xegos vein. they ballooned them both and there is new blood flow in both those areas. that can only be a good thing.
to be honest, i guess i've read too many accounts of this thing where people felt instantly better, and not enough of the majority of the accounts which outline how the recovery takes days, weeks and months to experience change in the MS stuff. so i myself had hoped for the instant fix. but my hands and feet are still numb and all the other stuff seems to be close to the way it was. the only possible changes might be that my hands are slightly different and my walking feels a little better. but it could be wishful thinking. i'm trying to keep it real.
having said all of that, i am content, at peace with the world, in absolutely no pain or even discomfort, and i believe this was the right thing to do. i also believe that somehow, some way, my health will improve over time.
but for now, the music continues on in the background and the laughter is turning to pain and we need to flee this scene before i go and throw those congas in the pool and put this band, and their audience, out of their misery:)
tomorrow i have physio at 10:30 and i will write an update after that.
again, i feel very cared for and loved by so many people and am feeling nothing but gratitude for the way that i/we have been blessed with so many people who genuinely love and care for us.
my prayer to end this day is simply this;
thank-you
d
we're at the sme table with a half dozen other canadians here for the same reason we are; all of which are feeling relieved to have this thing over with. none of us have any regrets for doing it. and it is therapeutic to be with a group of people who 'get it'.
as for me, i do feel good right now. everything went as well as we could have hoped for. they sedated me at 5:30pm yesterday and i awoke at 8:30pm; not remembering a thing but knowing it was over. they did find 2 significant blockages; one in my right jugular and the other in my xegos vein. they ballooned them both and there is new blood flow in both those areas. that can only be a good thing.
to be honest, i guess i've read too many accounts of this thing where people felt instantly better, and not enough of the majority of the accounts which outline how the recovery takes days, weeks and months to experience change in the MS stuff. so i myself had hoped for the instant fix. but my hands and feet are still numb and all the other stuff seems to be close to the way it was. the only possible changes might be that my hands are slightly different and my walking feels a little better. but it could be wishful thinking. i'm trying to keep it real.
having said all of that, i am content, at peace with the world, in absolutely no pain or even discomfort, and i believe this was the right thing to do. i also believe that somehow, some way, my health will improve over time.
but for now, the music continues on in the background and the laughter is turning to pain and we need to flee this scene before i go and throw those congas in the pool and put this band, and their audience, out of their misery:)
tomorrow i have physio at 10:30 and i will write an update after that.
again, i feel very cared for and loved by so many people and am feeling nothing but gratitude for the way that i/we have been blessed with so many people who genuinely love and care for us.
my prayer to end this day is simply this;
thank-you
d
Sunday, June 13, 2010
thoughts on experimental health care, drug companies, MS, hope, diet soda, and God (part 4 of who knows how many)
so i've been a little worried, due to some of the stuff that i've been writing lately, that our friends think that our entire lives are doom and gloom, nothing but heartache and pain and struggle. while it's obviously true that we are in a difficult season in our lives with lots of anxiety around health issues, it's also true that in the midst of all of that, and quite possibly because of it, we are still enjoying life and have lots of day-to-day joy. while these blogs are an attempt to outline the journey i/we are experiencing on the road to costa rica, and that involves articulating some of the harder stuff, i'd hate people to think that the hard stuff is eclipsing how wonderful our lives have been and continue to be. life truly is good for us and we have so many wonderful moments of happiness, love and community that we feel very honestly priviledged to have been given the many gifts that this life has brought us.
so having said all of that, i'll try and keep this one completely pain free and attempt to articulate a couple of the many moments of pure joy that we have experienced lately. actually, i'll just focus on today's events alone.
erinn and i stood up in front of the wonderful folks of our church last week and outlined the two biggest prayer requests on our hearts these days (erinn's mother elaine who had a very serious and beautifully successful surgery on friday and my upcoming surgery in 10 days time). the church has responded so wonderfully. today yet another 2 members of our church community showed up with meals for us to enjoy at dinner times so that we don't have the added day to day concerns of making food in the midst of getting through the days.
then again today, something else so incredibly wonderful happened to us that it will be impossible to say how much it really means. most of you know that erinn and i have both committed our lives to journeying alongside people who, for one reason or another, have ended up living lives of dire poverty either on the street or in marginal housing. for me it's as the director of the salvation army gateway, a 108-bed shelter for men who are currently homeless. for erinn it's as the managing director of parkdale neighbourhood church (pnc), located in one of toronto's poorest neighbourhoods. this is a small community where over 90% of the members are experiencing significant mental health issues, many of whom are homeless or living in very poor housing conditions; most do not and cannot work and therefore they have very little money to get by on.
incidentally, our career choices are another case where many people looking in on us from the outside think that our jobs are all about pain and brokenness and that we must therefore be so selflessly sacrificial to be giving of ourselves all the time. but the reality is, we get so much more out of this work than we bring to it. i know i do this out of quite selfish motives in many ways. the things that we've learned, the relationships that we've formed, the way that our faith has grown, and the joy we receive from having the priviledge of befriending such amazing people that most others have left behind, is a gift that very much brings us joy unspeakable. today was no exception.
you will all know that we needed to raise a lot of money in order to go to costa rica and have the procedure done. well, the folks at pnc love erinn so much that they wanted to contribute financially to this as well. this little group of lovely people who have almost no money, who most people would look at and feel pity and even some loathing for, have for weeks been secretly taking up offerings so that they could give some money to erinn today at church before we leave. in a little plastic baggy full of loose change and some bills (including a ton of pennies that were so obviously all that some of the folks owned but yet were willing to part with out of their love for erinn) was an amazing $157.98. this little baggy of money is more precious than gold to us- it speaks volumes to us about how deeply we really are loved by so many people. now we are faced with the sacred responsibility of spending it well.
so today, one week from the day we leave for costa rica to hopefully be set free of this disease, i feel loved and blessed.
to end this entry today, my prayer to the creator and sustainer of all things is simply this:
thank-you.
amen
we leave one week from tomorrow
so having said all of that, i'll try and keep this one completely pain free and attempt to articulate a couple of the many moments of pure joy that we have experienced lately. actually, i'll just focus on today's events alone.
erinn and i stood up in front of the wonderful folks of our church last week and outlined the two biggest prayer requests on our hearts these days (erinn's mother elaine who had a very serious and beautifully successful surgery on friday and my upcoming surgery in 10 days time). the church has responded so wonderfully. today yet another 2 members of our church community showed up with meals for us to enjoy at dinner times so that we don't have the added day to day concerns of making food in the midst of getting through the days.
then again today, something else so incredibly wonderful happened to us that it will be impossible to say how much it really means. most of you know that erinn and i have both committed our lives to journeying alongside people who, for one reason or another, have ended up living lives of dire poverty either on the street or in marginal housing. for me it's as the director of the salvation army gateway, a 108-bed shelter for men who are currently homeless. for erinn it's as the managing director of parkdale neighbourhood church (pnc), located in one of toronto's poorest neighbourhoods. this is a small community where over 90% of the members are experiencing significant mental health issues, many of whom are homeless or living in very poor housing conditions; most do not and cannot work and therefore they have very little money to get by on.
incidentally, our career choices are another case where many people looking in on us from the outside think that our jobs are all about pain and brokenness and that we must therefore be so selflessly sacrificial to be giving of ourselves all the time. but the reality is, we get so much more out of this work than we bring to it. i know i do this out of quite selfish motives in many ways. the things that we've learned, the relationships that we've formed, the way that our faith has grown, and the joy we receive from having the priviledge of befriending such amazing people that most others have left behind, is a gift that very much brings us joy unspeakable. today was no exception.
you will all know that we needed to raise a lot of money in order to go to costa rica and have the procedure done. well, the folks at pnc love erinn so much that they wanted to contribute financially to this as well. this little group of lovely people who have almost no money, who most people would look at and feel pity and even some loathing for, have for weeks been secretly taking up offerings so that they could give some money to erinn today at church before we leave. in a little plastic baggy full of loose change and some bills (including a ton of pennies that were so obviously all that some of the folks owned but yet were willing to part with out of their love for erinn) was an amazing $157.98. this little baggy of money is more precious than gold to us- it speaks volumes to us about how deeply we really are loved by so many people. now we are faced with the sacred responsibility of spending it well.
so today, one week from the day we leave for costa rica to hopefully be set free of this disease, i feel loved and blessed.
to end this entry today, my prayer to the creator and sustainer of all things is simply this:
thank-you.
amen
we leave one week from tomorrow
Thursday, June 10, 2010
so one of the main issues that come along with living with MS is that i don't actually look sick. in the past year or so since MS has become more front and centre in my life and i have had to tell people that i have the disease, people who have known me for 10 years that didn't know i had it have inevitably responded with surprise. i just don’t look sick (though some would argue differently but that’s another story for another time...)
last year, for example, when we went to disney for a week, i needed to rent a scooter in order to get through each day. and the disney people took real good care of people with mobility issues. i'd always get loaded on the bus first, and they'd have to strap in the scooter, and then i'd stand up and walk to my seat and sit down with everyone else. this would hold things up about 5 minutes every time we got on or off a bus.
a few times, after i got up and walked to my seat, i'd hear people mutter under their breath that if i could walk then why do i need the scooter. they thought i was likely faking it in order to get to the head of the lines or because i was too lazy to walk. i was so incredibly self conscious of this that i at times even ended up faking a limp from the scooter to the seat in order to prove my worthiness to the people that i was holding up. brutal.
so even though i don't look sick (again, no comments from the peanut gallery please), i'm sick.
So what exactly are the effects that MS has on my life right now?
1. my hands and feet are numb. i have not really felt my hands for 13 years. and the degree of numbness depends on my level of health which is often dictated by a combination of stress, the weather, and how well i'm eating and exercising.
2. fatigue. some days, especially in the afternoons which is why i like to be working at my desk by 7am on many days so that i can get some good work done, i get swallowed up by fatigue. i simply cannot function. my whole body screams at me to lie down and stop everything.
3. brain fog. whilst i have accomplished a whole lot in the 13 years of living with MS including opening a shelter, starting social purpose businesses, getting married and raising a daughter (well she's only 7 but so far so good), and finishing a masters degree, i have a brutal struggle with my short term memory. if it weren't for the wonderful inventions of blackberrys and palm pilots and yes, even the iphone, i wouldn't know where i was supposed to be next half the time. i forget a lot of stuff. i have very little recollection of my childhood. i forget people that i've known for long periods of time in my life. i forget things that me and erinn have done together. i forget stuff. and that scares the crap out of me sometimes.
4. my bladder doesn't work right. i retain urine. so when my body tells me i need to pee, which is often, i have about 2 minutes before i will pee no matter if i'm at a toilet or not. so, while i ride my bike to work or drive on the highway, more times than i care to remember i have needed to stop and hopefully find an alley or a relatively private place to go. and also more times than i care to remember, i haven't been able to make it to a private enough place and so i have had an 'accident'. not that long ago as i was cycling to work, i had to stop in an alley and while i was 'going', a self righteous woman came out her door and yelled at me for peeing on her neighbours dumpster. it took everything in me not to punch her in the face. but instead, i just told her i was really desperate and she replied by telling me that i should have gone before i left the house. again, i wanted to punch her in the face but instead i thanked her for the advice and rode away. (and secretly wished that she got struck down with the worst bladder infection of all time)
this whole bladder thing effects me in so many ways. i'm terrified of going on airplanes and dehydrate myself before i get on board. as a public speaker, i often feel the need to tell my audience that i might need to go pee at some point in the middle of my address. sometimes i've forgotten to tell them that and have needed to leave and tell the audience that i'd be back in a few minutes. if i go to a theatre i need to sit on the aisle to have easy access to the exit. i'm constantly scouting for where the nearest washroom is. i far too often have been forced to buy a drink somewhere so i could use the 'customer' washroom. i've made my way to important meetings and have had 'accidents' along the way that have forced me to go home and miss these meetings. i have to get up an average of 3 times per night to go to the bathroom (i haven't slept through the night in 10 years). this one really sucks.
5. my legs are failing me. i can no longer run or even jog. i can no longer walk for more than a kilometer (on a really good day). i can no longer stand up for more than 8-10 minutes without having to sit down.
6. i have the MS hug. it always feels as though i am wearing a girdle around my stomach that is being tightened. that tightening is again dependant on my level of health.
7. spasms. at night i spasm. sometimes my leg will straighten out and i will have no control over it. sometimes that really hurts as every muscle clenches when that happens. sometimes my whole body spasms and i straighten out and every muscle in my whole body clenches. sometimes when i sleep on my side my knees will bend and fly up to my stomach/chest and i cannot do anything about it but wait for it to end. sometimes when i stand up in the middle of the day, i can't take a step without waiting for my legs to spasm and let me keep going. no fun.
8. MS has only allowed us the one child. cate has been the most amazing and wonderful gift to us. but we both would dearly love to have had a second child. it was simply not to be, due to the disease.
so i'm listing these things because the procedure that i will have done in exactly 2 weeks, known as the liberation treatment which is so perfectly named considering the bondage that MS has had me and my family in, has been known to alleviate every single one of these issues.
and i want it to work so desperately.
just to sleep through the night for once would be such a gift. to play tag with my daughter would be worth more to me than any money. to travel to nyc with erinn and walk all day through manhattan would be a dream come true. (which if this works will be the next thing on our list)
in 2 weeks we'll know.
So my prayer this day is this:
Lord, while I know that my issues are so infinitesimally small compared to all that is wrong with the world today
i know that you still love and care for me and my family as much as you do for everyone and everything else.
and while my prayer still remains ‘your will be done’, I so desperately want your will to be that I get set free from this disease
Amen
still waiting
dion
last year, for example, when we went to disney for a week, i needed to rent a scooter in order to get through each day. and the disney people took real good care of people with mobility issues. i'd always get loaded on the bus first, and they'd have to strap in the scooter, and then i'd stand up and walk to my seat and sit down with everyone else. this would hold things up about 5 minutes every time we got on or off a bus.
a few times, after i got up and walked to my seat, i'd hear people mutter under their breath that if i could walk then why do i need the scooter. they thought i was likely faking it in order to get to the head of the lines or because i was too lazy to walk. i was so incredibly self conscious of this that i at times even ended up faking a limp from the scooter to the seat in order to prove my worthiness to the people that i was holding up. brutal.
so even though i don't look sick (again, no comments from the peanut gallery please), i'm sick.
So what exactly are the effects that MS has on my life right now?
1. my hands and feet are numb. i have not really felt my hands for 13 years. and the degree of numbness depends on my level of health which is often dictated by a combination of stress, the weather, and how well i'm eating and exercising.
2. fatigue. some days, especially in the afternoons which is why i like to be working at my desk by 7am on many days so that i can get some good work done, i get swallowed up by fatigue. i simply cannot function. my whole body screams at me to lie down and stop everything.
3. brain fog. whilst i have accomplished a whole lot in the 13 years of living with MS including opening a shelter, starting social purpose businesses, getting married and raising a daughter (well she's only 7 but so far so good), and finishing a masters degree, i have a brutal struggle with my short term memory. if it weren't for the wonderful inventions of blackberrys and palm pilots and yes, even the iphone, i wouldn't know where i was supposed to be next half the time. i forget a lot of stuff. i have very little recollection of my childhood. i forget people that i've known for long periods of time in my life. i forget things that me and erinn have done together. i forget stuff. and that scares the crap out of me sometimes.
4. my bladder doesn't work right. i retain urine. so when my body tells me i need to pee, which is often, i have about 2 minutes before i will pee no matter if i'm at a toilet or not. so, while i ride my bike to work or drive on the highway, more times than i care to remember i have needed to stop and hopefully find an alley or a relatively private place to go. and also more times than i care to remember, i haven't been able to make it to a private enough place and so i have had an 'accident'. not that long ago as i was cycling to work, i had to stop in an alley and while i was 'going', a self righteous woman came out her door and yelled at me for peeing on her neighbours dumpster. it took everything in me not to punch her in the face. but instead, i just told her i was really desperate and she replied by telling me that i should have gone before i left the house. again, i wanted to punch her in the face but instead i thanked her for the advice and rode away. (and secretly wished that she got struck down with the worst bladder infection of all time)
this whole bladder thing effects me in so many ways. i'm terrified of going on airplanes and dehydrate myself before i get on board. as a public speaker, i often feel the need to tell my audience that i might need to go pee at some point in the middle of my address. sometimes i've forgotten to tell them that and have needed to leave and tell the audience that i'd be back in a few minutes. if i go to a theatre i need to sit on the aisle to have easy access to the exit. i'm constantly scouting for where the nearest washroom is. i far too often have been forced to buy a drink somewhere so i could use the 'customer' washroom. i've made my way to important meetings and have had 'accidents' along the way that have forced me to go home and miss these meetings. i have to get up an average of 3 times per night to go to the bathroom (i haven't slept through the night in 10 years). this one really sucks.
5. my legs are failing me. i can no longer run or even jog. i can no longer walk for more than a kilometer (on a really good day). i can no longer stand up for more than 8-10 minutes without having to sit down.
6. i have the MS hug. it always feels as though i am wearing a girdle around my stomach that is being tightened. that tightening is again dependant on my level of health.
7. spasms. at night i spasm. sometimes my leg will straighten out and i will have no control over it. sometimes that really hurts as every muscle clenches when that happens. sometimes my whole body spasms and i straighten out and every muscle in my whole body clenches. sometimes when i sleep on my side my knees will bend and fly up to my stomach/chest and i cannot do anything about it but wait for it to end. sometimes when i stand up in the middle of the day, i can't take a step without waiting for my legs to spasm and let me keep going. no fun.
8. MS has only allowed us the one child. cate has been the most amazing and wonderful gift to us. but we both would dearly love to have had a second child. it was simply not to be, due to the disease.
so i'm listing these things because the procedure that i will have done in exactly 2 weeks, known as the liberation treatment which is so perfectly named considering the bondage that MS has had me and my family in, has been known to alleviate every single one of these issues.
and i want it to work so desperately.
just to sleep through the night for once would be such a gift. to play tag with my daughter would be worth more to me than any money. to travel to nyc with erinn and walk all day through manhattan would be a dream come true. (which if this works will be the next thing on our list)
in 2 weeks we'll know.
So my prayer this day is this:
Lord, while I know that my issues are so infinitesimally small compared to all that is wrong with the world today
i know that you still love and care for me and my family as much as you do for everyone and everything else.
and while my prayer still remains ‘your will be done’, I so desperately want your will to be that I get set free from this disease
Amen
still waiting
dion
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
thoughts on experimental health care, drug companies, MS, hope, diet soda, and God (part 2 of who knows how many)
So it’s exacty three weeks today, 21 days, from the time I will be in a hospital in Costa Rica, lying on a bed, and having the ‘liberation procedure’ done on me. And the days are going very slowly by. I’m so unable to process all of the thoughts running through my head on a daily basis. Even right now as I write I am nauseous with anxiety and anticipation of the ‘what if’s?’ On one level I have never been more hopeful for something in my entire life. There are so many good things that can come of this. I am working very hard to try and not imagine what life will be like for me and my family if in fact a lot of my MS issues get left behind here. It’s even hard for me to stay away from making deals with God that if I do get liberated, I will re-commit my body and my life in even more ways than I have already. Yet I know that you don’t make deals with God. God is God.
I’ve also ben known to make promises to myself about all kinds of things around diet and exercise. I have the most brutal habits around these things and yet I’m finding it impossible not to commit to starting jogging if I find that I can actually run again. I used to jog 7km per day 15 years ago. I actually miss it but am not really sure if that’s just my head playing games with me because I can’t currently even run a step, or if I actually really miss it. But anyway, if this works I actually think I’m going to get back at it.
But yet on another level I am still trying to keep things in perspective with the full knowledge that I might go and have this done and not be any better off than I am now when it’s all over. And if that happens, it’s going to really suck. I think this is the part I’m most worried about. While I’m pretty sure I’ll get over it and get on with life over time, I’m also pretty sure that now that my hopes are so uncontrollably high for this that if it doesn’t work out I will have an extremely difficult time getting through the dissappointment of it. I’m quite certain that it won’t shake my faith, but it sure will shake me.
But as for today, I feel like an 8-year old boy wiating for Christmas. And the waiting is absolutely brutal. So much so that I think it’s zapping the energy out of me. I’m always exhausted and working really hard just to stay focused on my daily responsibilities.
Thankfully, I have a few things in my life that are still bringing me joy. My wife, my daughter, my very good friends, and my music. My band, Midrash, have a gig this Friday night and we’ve been working hard to prepare for it. One of the songs we are playing always brings me a renewed energy. I’ll quote it here to end today’s blog.
Breakthrough
Your name is Peace, Your name is Peace forever
Your name is Hope, Your name is Hope unending
We are Yours, and You are ours,
And all that’s Yours cannot be stolen away
This prayer has infused dome life in me these past few weeks. And I could use all the energy I can get.
Peace
I’ve also ben known to make promises to myself about all kinds of things around diet and exercise. I have the most brutal habits around these things and yet I’m finding it impossible not to commit to starting jogging if I find that I can actually run again. I used to jog 7km per day 15 years ago. I actually miss it but am not really sure if that’s just my head playing games with me because I can’t currently even run a step, or if I actually really miss it. But anyway, if this works I actually think I’m going to get back at it.
But yet on another level I am still trying to keep things in perspective with the full knowledge that I might go and have this done and not be any better off than I am now when it’s all over. And if that happens, it’s going to really suck. I think this is the part I’m most worried about. While I’m pretty sure I’ll get over it and get on with life over time, I’m also pretty sure that now that my hopes are so uncontrollably high for this that if it doesn’t work out I will have an extremely difficult time getting through the dissappointment of it. I’m quite certain that it won’t shake my faith, but it sure will shake me.
But as for today, I feel like an 8-year old boy wiating for Christmas. And the waiting is absolutely brutal. So much so that I think it’s zapping the energy out of me. I’m always exhausted and working really hard just to stay focused on my daily responsibilities.
Thankfully, I have a few things in my life that are still bringing me joy. My wife, my daughter, my very good friends, and my music. My band, Midrash, have a gig this Friday night and we’ve been working hard to prepare for it. One of the songs we are playing always brings me a renewed energy. I’ll quote it here to end today’s blog.
Breakthrough
Your name is Peace, Your name is Peace forever
Your name is Hope, Your name is Hope unending
We are Yours, and You are ours,
And all that’s Yours cannot be stolen away
This prayer has infused dome life in me these past few weeks. And I could use all the energy I can get.
Peace
Friday, May 28, 2010
so i thought i'd take a little time every few days over the coming weeks to try and journal my thoughts on my (and erinn's) life for the past 13 years with MS, my joys and pains along the way, my struggles with discipline especially around diet and exercise, my hope for 'liberation', and my faith in God.
i won't go into much detail here in the first of these blogs, but i'll say that i have several reasons for journaling these thoughts over the next few weeks;
1. i find it therapeutic to write out my thoughts and share them with whomever cares to read them
2. i know that if one of my friends who was very sick and wanted healing told me that he/she was going to costa rica for an experimental surgery that canadian doctors disagree with, i would at the very least likely think to myself that they were filled with false hope and chasing after the impossible. or i might even go as far as tell them they were nuts. so i want to try and articulate here why i think this is worth the try.
3. i want to journal all of the deficiencies that MS has brought my way in hopes of comparing them to what i hope will be the outcome of this procedure.
4. i hope to journal my thoughts on how my life with MS has affected my faith in God.
5. i'm currently feeling pretty low and i'm not much fun to be around these days. it started last week when i fell of my bike and bruised or cracked some ribs, which then led to a pretty significant flare up of MS related issues that have caused me to need to use a cane to walk around these days, numb hands and feet that i can hardly even feel, and fatigue so extreme that i can barely focus. and for some reason, being down motivates me to write.
so, that's the foundation of my next few weeks of journaling. our whole family boards a plane on june 21 for costa rica, and i have the procedure on june23. as far as my faith in God goes, while i often have no idea what She's up to much of the time, my faith is unwavering and strangely enough, even being strengthened through all of this. but i must admit, if all of this is to help me grow and mature, i feel like i've learned enough lessons now and would be grateful if He would let up a little for a while back in a day or so with more
peace
dion
i won't go into much detail here in the first of these blogs, but i'll say that i have several reasons for journaling these thoughts over the next few weeks;
1. i find it therapeutic to write out my thoughts and share them with whomever cares to read them
2. i know that if one of my friends who was very sick and wanted healing told me that he/she was going to costa rica for an experimental surgery that canadian doctors disagree with, i would at the very least likely think to myself that they were filled with false hope and chasing after the impossible. or i might even go as far as tell them they were nuts. so i want to try and articulate here why i think this is worth the try.
3. i want to journal all of the deficiencies that MS has brought my way in hopes of comparing them to what i hope will be the outcome of this procedure.
4. i hope to journal my thoughts on how my life with MS has affected my faith in God.
5. i'm currently feeling pretty low and i'm not much fun to be around these days. it started last week when i fell of my bike and bruised or cracked some ribs, which then led to a pretty significant flare up of MS related issues that have caused me to need to use a cane to walk around these days, numb hands and feet that i can hardly even feel, and fatigue so extreme that i can barely focus. and for some reason, being down motivates me to write.
so, that's the foundation of my next few weeks of journaling. our whole family boards a plane on june 21 for costa rica, and i have the procedure on june23. as far as my faith in God goes, while i often have no idea what She's up to much of the time, my faith is unwavering and strangely enough, even being strengthened through all of this. but i must admit, if all of this is to help me grow and mature, i feel like i've learned enough lessons now and would be grateful if He would let up a little for a while back in a day or so with more
peace
dion
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