Can You Hear Me Now?

My email inbox is empty. It is EMPTY!! I give it 5 minutes before something comes in I have to deal with (30 seconds for spam, but I’m not counting that right now).

So, what’s new in my world? Not much, really. I think I’m done with “going out” for at least a week. My body is none too happy with me right now. After Shawna’s visit I didn’t slow down much and went out with the boys on Wednesday, the girls on Saturday, the family on Sunday and work in between. The rain didn’t help either… it’s just depressing and makes me feel crappy too! Yesterday I sat in the sun for a long time and that really helped. In fact, yesterday I was feeling so cruddy, and my friend Christine wanted to get together. I was in no mood mentally or physically to do much of anything. So what does she do?? Takes the bus to my new Favourite Restaurant on Earth… Aida’s Mediterranean Bistro… picks up several orders of falafels, hommus and tabbouli, and gets back on the bus and C-train and brings it over. THAT MAKES HER A SAINT. We had a delicious meal (and I’ve got lots of leftovers for today!) and then sat in the sun. It was lovely and Christine is one great friend, let me tell you, people like her don’t come along every day. Good friends can pull you through anything! I’m lucky to have so many I know I can count on.

On Sunday I went out to Strathmore to see my mom and Bob, as well as my aunt and uncle that were visiting from Winnipeg. I didn’t like them seeing me the way I felt that day… they haven’t seen me in years and I didn’t want their first impression of my health progress to be such a bad one! Ahhh well. We mostly sat around the kitchen table and talked and ate and then moved to a restaurant and talked and ate. That’s not too hard LOL I couldn’t keep it up past 8:00 though and started fading fast so Bob drove me home.

I got updated on my Grandma’s situation in Winnipeg. She has been living in a long term care facility since her massive strokes left her paralyzed and quite incoherent (among other health problems) about 8 years ago. She has always resented the fact that she was left there and not taken home, and used to get really mad at my Grandpa for leaving her. She probably could have eventually gone home with Home Care or a part-time nurse or something, but then she fell and broke her hip and that set her back. She was doing pretty good for awhile… the last time I saw her was about 3 years ago at my grandparent’s 70th wedding anniversary. She knew who I was and said three things to me: “you are a sweetheart”, “you are so cute!”, and “you need a husband” Ahahaha cute Grandma cute. It will be two years in November since my Grandpa died. I expected Grandma to go shortly after that, but she is still hanging in there. It’s pretty obvious she doesn’t want to though… she has told family she wants to die. She is 92 and has shrunk down to less than 70 pounds. All things considered, she still has a lot of the spunk she has always had (those stories to come at a later date, hahaha!) she just can’t really express herself anymore and is too tired to bother trying. I really don’t think she’s going to be around much longer, but we have all been saying that for the past 8 years, and she keeps surprising us.

Me and Grandma, January 2003

So what did I say about 5 minutes until I had to deal with an email? I just received one from a reporter at the Calgary Herald who wanted to talk to me about my opinions on a new approved MS drug. It’s called Sativex and you spray it under your tongue for pain, and it contains cannabis (yup, that’s marijuana!). I wasn’t much help to her because I don’t experience nerve pain (thank God) so I wouldn’t be seeking it out. I just gave the politically correct response that it is great news for people that experience that pain, and that I do believe marijuana used responsibly can help with that, and at least this way you can’t get in trouble. Heh. I didn’t bother mouthing off much about my general opinion of pharmaceuticals. I’m not sure if she’ll use anything I said anyway, I referred her to Ashton Embry, who is more in the know when it comes to MS than anyone else!

I bought some Red Bull. I just really wanted to try it, I’ve heard mixed reviews about the taste. I quite like it. At $2.74 per can though, I don’t think this will become a staple feature in my diet. Sorry BritBrit, I just can’t be like you, no matter how hard I try. I know, I know, it breaks my heart too.

Not sure if you heard, they’re keeping it low key, but Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are engaged. The rumour mill surrounding those two is INSANE!! Yesterday I read this tidbit. Perhaps I need to stop reading Hollywood gossip? Or not, as long as I pass it along, right? Haha I don’t believe that story, but who knows. I bet there is a lot of stuff that goes on in Hollywood we would be shocked to know about!! I like it here in my own little world, believing that true love exists, even when you are promoting a movie and kick starting your blockbuster film career. (Sidenote: The Oprah show where Tom Cruise went all fist-pounding crazy about Katie is being repeated Thursday in case you missed that insanity the first time around!!)

I’ve got falafels and hommus calling my name. Ciao!