December 31

Almost midnight. I just left the hospital. Judy and I celebrated New Year's Eve together with intermittent texts from the girls feeding us a few inside jokes. Haley had invited me to join her and Dustin for the evening. Dustin had been away for 4 days snowmobiling in the mountains and I knew there are few things as romantic as spending New Year's Eve sitting on the couch watching "River Monsters" between Haley and Dustin with my grand dogs on my lap so I took a pass and spent the early part of the evening having wine and cheese with my neighbors. As I was leaving my neighbors, I had a brief visit with Jack, the rabbit who stopped by for a Happy New Year. Dr. Kanthan, Judy's surgeon dropped by today to inform her a cystoscopy will be performed sometime next week to determine whether the fistula has begun to heal. The catheter ran clearer today. We'll take that as a hopeful sign. Happy New Year, everyone.

December 30

I noticed blood in the catheter bag yesterday. Oh no, another thing for Judy to deal with. Apparently, she has a bladder infection; therefore, antibiotics are being administered. The antibiotics yielded almost instant results. There is no blood in the urine today. Nausea has continued to plague Judy for the last two days. Dear, sweet Judy is throwing up and asking the RN how her day is going. You know how she is. Hopefully, the nausea will settle down and the bladder infection will be under control so Judy can make another jailbreak soon.

December 29

Judy enjoyed her baking soda biscuits. Although David volunteered to use the baking soda biscuits for skeet shooting, they really were good and the cheese sauce that I made was truly a culinary masterpiece. The bottom line is: the Queen approved. When I visited Judy today, she was sitting in her chair reading her book. She had a good day. My task for today was to buy the Queen a pair of trekking poles. Judy has been using trekking poles for her physio exercises. Of course, I am worried because she now has two pointing poles to use on me to give directions. Oh for the days when she only had one pointy stick to deliver commands.

December 28

For the past 3 days, Judy has had intentions of coming home for a few hours, but she just hasn't felt up to the rigors of getting dressed, experiencing a blast of cold air, and leaving the security of professional care. She continues to be dogged by nausea, but she is still getting up for walks around the 5th floor and periods of sitting in her chair. We keep on staring at the fluid in her catheter, hoping for clear amber. Over the past two days, there have been longer periods when the fluid is clear, then the dreaded brown color reappears. You never fly too high or sink too low. Judy's nephew, Justin, returns to Vancouver tomorrow and David returns to Toronto on Wednesday morning. We have had a wonderful week of visits in front of the fireplace, long walks, afternoon beauty sleeps, and multiple trips to David's favorite haunt-Greek House on 33rd. Tomorrow, I plan to make tea biscuits and cheese sauce for the Queen. This is the one food that Judy has been craving, even if she has just a little taste. The Queen shall have her biscuit and eat it, too.

December 26

Judy had intended to take a day pass to attend a Boxing Day Dinner at Audrey's house, but was feeling a bit off. We visited her in the evening and she was doing quite well.

December 25

Judy had planned to be home for gift opening this morning, but she was not feeling well enough to leave the hospital. After lunch, we all went to the hospital to have Judy open her Christmas presents. When I went to pick Judy up for Christmas Dinner, she was dressed and ready to go, but she had another bout of nausea. The nurses were wonderful in getting Judy cleaned up and ready to go for Christmas. Having Judy spend Christmas with her family was their mission and they assisted Judy with zeal. One was running for catheter supplies. One was on her knees washing Judy. Another was giving Judy anti-nausea drugs through her pic line. Thank God for these wonderful angels of mercy. Judy was able to join the family at Haley's for Christmas Dinner. She sat at the head of the table and reveled in the experience of being with the family she loves dearly. These are precious times. This has been a wonderful, special Christmas. Thank you, God.

December 24

Tis the night before Christmas and I just finished doing the dishes. We have had many Christmas Eve parties at our house, but there haven't been any better than we experienced tonight. The main reason is: we had royalty in our midst. Yes. Yes. The King of Kelvington was present, but the main attraction was our beloved Queen Judy of Diamonds. David and I picked Judy up at 5 and we returned her to RUH before she turned into a pumpkin. The evening was filled with family, friends, and great food. Haley and Mary were masterful in laying out the spread in the tradition of their wonderful mother. There was love, laughter, and good conversation. A night to remember. Tomorrow morning, we will have the Queen on hand again as she doles out gifts from the Royal Treasury. Judy and I are truly blessed. Oh yeah, and Henrietta the Hen is still laying eggs and Jack is safely tucked behind the cedars in our front yard. Good night, Holy night. All is calm, all is bright.

December 23

Today, I slept in. You see, I played my final game of hockey last night and I am happy to say I went out on a high note, scoring a goal. The game was followed by a wonderful meal. Problem was: I was up from 2-4:30 digesting the meal. Oh well, I'm retired. I was up in time to get David from the airport at 11 am. After taste testing my perogies, David and I picked up Diamond Judy from RUH. As we entered our driveway, Judy said, "You don't have any visitors dropping by this afternoon, do you?" My reply was,"Absolutely not, Your Highness." There was one visitor waiting on the doorstep. Our neighbor's laying hen wandered over to our front step and laid an egg. I didn't make a fuss over the intrusion because of the cost of eggs these days. Furthermore, I like to keep peace with the neighbors because we have joint ownership of a rabbit named Jack. The next visitors dropped in at 2:30 pm. A group of four young ladies from the Saskatoon Children's Choir gave Judy a wonderful gift of songs. Kleenex time...especially when they sang Judy's all time favourite...The Irish Blessing. Thank you to Peggy and Brooklyn for the inspiration to give this gift. My job was to orchestrate the event by deception and secrecy. Judy also got to spend some time resting and some time decorating Christmas cookies with Haley and Mary. David and I returned Judy to the hospital in time for the Flash Mob in the Atrium. Of course, Judy was ready for a snooze after an eventful afternoon of singing angels, mobbing, and prank chickens. She says she still loves me in spite of my deceitful ways. Her day was wonderful and so was mine.

December 23 - Flash Mob Update

Yes, the Great Atrium Miracle is still on for 4:30pm today. Act like you're surprised when you see Judy.

December 22 - Flash Mob Alert

Judy was able to come home today for most of the afternoon. Tomorrow, we are hoping to have a repeat performance. David is arriving from Toronto in the morning; therefore, I will have an accomplice for the next week as I transport the Queen to her various gala events. Judy, if you are sneaking a peek at this blog, avert your eyes because The King is being his usual subversive self tomorrow. My plan is to walk Judy through the Atrium on the 5th floor of RUH tomorrow around 4:30 pm. If anyone wants to see Judy in the flesh, take a seat in the Atrium, an inner courtyard directly west of the main elevators. Needless to say, if you suspect a cold or flu bug, sit this one out. I will try to confirm this event on this blog tomorrow around 3:30 pm just in case Judy is not feeling well or The King has been flogged for treason. Hopefully, this little surprise will work out. Judy, if you are reading this, then you have ruined the surprise.

December 21

It's midnight and I just finished making 65 large perogies. The recipe is one that my Baba Kolach brought from Poland in 1928. Labor intensive, man! Six hours of work. It reminds me of two art activities I used to teach in school...water colors and papier mache. They seem like a good idea, then you remember why you resolved to never repeat the task again. Oh, by the way, Judy had a good day. The new pic line was inserted in the morning; therefore, tomorrow the Queen will be picked up in the Royal Carriage, then she will proceed to Silverwood Palace to check on her Northern Estate. I have most of the perogy dough scraped off the back splash, but I fear I may have missed some dough that the mix master flicked at the ceiling. I want to mention a pleasant experience that I had today when I was at McNally Robinson today. I noticed there were ukuleles for sale in various colors. I picked up one ukulele, tuned it, and strummed a few chords. Two little Chinese girls named Kayley and Sarah came up to me and asked if I could strum the same chords again. They said I was very good on the ukulele. Six and seven year-olds know ukulele talent when they hear it. I proceeded to tune another ukulele and taught them how to play a D chord. Another joy I had today was learning from my nephew's girlfriend who is a nurse on the surgery ward at RUH that many of the nurses are following my blog. They do love Judy. Of course, this makes sneaking Judy out of the hospital very difficult because they know my every move.

December 20

Judy did not get her pic line inserted today;therefore, she was not able to come home for the afternoon. Hopefully, the pic will be inserted tomorrow morning and a heist will occur in the afternoon. The good news...Judy was feeling well today and she looked as beautiful as ever. She had a shower, a blow dry, and a fresh new hospital gown with a snowflake pattern. Apparently, the LPNs reserve the snowflake jammies for The Queen. Seriously. She has influence. Judy also had her eyebrows threaded today by an esthetician. To all the men who read my blog, threading eyebrows is not a medical procedure and an esthetician is a beauty specialist not a person who wires your house. Threading is a beautification procedure to fight the uni-brow or to stop the eyebrows from growing over the eyeballs.

December 19

We had to call off the heist today. We had Judy hidden in a laundry hamper, but the nurses caught us. They heard Judy giving instructions to me on the proper operation of a laundry cart. Actually, the heist was postponed because Judy is in line to have her pic line replaced and there was a possibility the pic work would be completed this afternoon. As far as I know, Judy is still waiting for the procedure and tomorrow could be another day of waiting for the pic. Bummer! The line will be inserted by Monday at the latest. I am off to Mary's Fireside Singers Concert tonight. Judy sent Mary a text saying she will be imagining the whole concert and she will.

December 18

Judy had a good day today and we also had a good visit, as usual. The physio people continue to work with Judy on a daily basis. Today, she was practicing stairs in anticipation of the next "heist" taking place tomorrow. I already have the camouflage getaway clothes in the car and accomplices in place. I have to hit the hay now because you know what tomorrow is...Vim Day, the day after Friday.

December 17

Not much to report today. Judy had some nausea this morning and her arm is hurting in the area where the pic lines was reinserted. By the afternoon, she was feeling better. I know she was better because she started issuing royal orders. Although Judy is in her Queenly quarters, she is still sending out her servants(Audrey and yours truly) to buy Christmas gifts.

December 16

Judy, Audrey, and I met with Dr. Ahmed today for Judy's oncology review. The meeting has been delayed because Dr. Ahmed has been fighting a cold. This is what we know: 1. A CT scan was taken a week before Judy had her surgery on October 7. Judy and I have known since the day before the operation that Judy has cancer in her liver. We have sat on this news because Judy wanted to protect others. You know Judy...comforting those who are falling apart trying to comfort her. 2. A second scan was taken in early November. The CT revealed there was some growth in the lesions in Judy's liver. 3. A subsequent CT has revealed there are more spots on the liver. The plan going forward is for Judy to recover from the fistula that is causing contents of the intestine to enter the urethra or the bladder to combine with urine that, in turn, drains out the catheter. Sorry for the convoluted sentence. Judy is still on sipping water for another 2-3 weeks. She is also taking a drug that slows down the action of the intestine. The goal is for the fistula to heal. The healing is more likely if there is less content in the intestine. Once the fistula has been remedied, there is the possibility of further chemo to limit the growth of the lesions in the liver. I know this is hard news for readers of this blog, but rest assured Judy is still full of fight. My cousin, Gord, has give Judy a name that she is proud of..."Tough Little Westsider". She is an inspiration to all who know her. She is mighty and brave. She says she did not come through three major surgeries in five months just to give up. While we live, we hope. We live on hope. You don't know what tomorrow will bring. Sure, there may be bad news tomorrow, but the news may be good. We cannot live in fear. We must live in today. We always leave a door open for the miraculous to come in. This much I know today: Judy is feeling well enough to come home this Saturday to spend a day with the girls and me in front of our Christmas tree. Judy will also be here on December 23 to help the girls decorate Christmas cookies. On that same day, David will arrive with his gift of hopefulness. After yesterday, we are confident Judy will be able to handle being home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the family who will revel in having Mrs. Christmas in their midst. For these things, we thank God and rejoice. Beyond Christmas Day, all I know is we will all have one another. Thank you, God, for all my family, friends, neighbors, and everyone else who surrounds us with the love and support that is inspired by You and is born from You. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

December 15

So much for the heist being secretive. Even the nurses at RUH are referring to Judy's Great Escape as "the heist". They were even complicit in smuggling bags of something or other under Judy's garments. Judy's friend, Trish, helped me spirit Judy from RUH this afternoon. I made up Judy's hospital bed to look like she was still sleeping in the bed, but the nurses discovered the ruse before we even squealed out of the parking lot. Needless to say, Judy enjoyed her afternoon immensely. Just to breathe non hospital air is a healing balm. When we got home, I made a fire in the fireplace and we listened to Michael Buble's Christmas CD. Thank goodness Judy did not request the musical stylings of Kenny G. We'll save Kenny G for Christmas Day. Did you ever notice that Kenny G music seems to attract a lot of neighborhood cats? Judy withstood the rigors of getting out for the afternoon quite well so there should be no problem in going ahead with future escapes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A great day for Judy indeed.

December 14

This blogging business is a powerful thing. After exposing my grocery list to the world wide web, I got an early visit from "The Neighbor Lady" with a pail of spuds and a pound of butter. There is never a day that passes when I do not receive an expression of love and understanding from my family, friends, neighbors, and friends. Thank you, God, for I am truly blessed. I had a great visit with Judy today. Another stand up hug. Judy had all her staples removed today. The wound looks good. After Judy sat for an hour, we went for a walk around the entire 5th floor. Judy pushed her friendly pole while I trailed along carrying the catheter bag and her upchuck basin. Tomorrow is the day of the great heist. The level of secrecy around the event rivals the Manhattan Project. I will report the results tomorrow.

December 13

Judy had a good day today. She had her four half hour sits, a little walk, and a shower. She wants to give me a grocery list this week because I have the responsibility for making stuffing on Christmas Day and my specialty...mashed potatoes. Although the weight of this responsibility is monumental, I think I will be equal to the task. I am probably capable of making the grocery list, but the Queen wants to make sure I don't forget important items like the secret ingredient in every dish - butter.

December 12

Judy, as you know, is Mrs. Christmas. Before entering the hospital back in early October, she had most of her stocking stuffers purchased. Judy's sister, Audrey, took the Christmas stockings and the stuffers up to the hospital today so Judy could stuff the stockings to perfection. Earlier in the day when during my visit with the Queen, Judy and I discussed the logistics of performing a practice run to our home during the week. We have determined who will be involved in the heist, the escape vehicle, pick up times when the nurses will have their heads turned, escape routes to our home, and the strategy for returning the loot to her penthouse suite at RUH. We also discussed repeat performances of the heist on Christmas Eve, Christmas Morn, and Christmas Dinner. Judy, of course, is the ringleader in this major operation. I will let you know later in the week if we get caught.

December 11

Another good day. Judy had a new pic line installed today. The previous pic line was removed two days ago because there was a suspected infection. The new pic line will allow Judy to have a heaping helping of TPN this evening. I must take this opportunity on a slow news day to express my appreciation for the wonderful nurses on the surgery ward. The nurses who have cared for Judy over the last nine plus weeks have been wonderful without exception. They are young, bright, energetic, responsive, and most importantly...compassionate. Judy has received remarkable care. Of course, Judy brings out the best in the nurses who care for her. There is just something about a Queen that just makes you want to serve.

December 10

Judy and I went out on a date today. When I arrived at the hospital, there was a wheelchair in her room. After attaching the IV pole along with a few bags of liquid goodies and the IV monitor, we hung the festive catheter bag and the nephrostomy bag on the chair. We also took along the just in case basin in the basket below and off we went through the fifth floor, then wonder of wonders down the elevator to the mall area. You probably know that "mall" is one of Judy's favorite words. In the mall area, we took in the aroma of Starbucks. Aroma is quite inexpensive at Starbucks; actual beverages are expensive. We looked at the Starbucks mugs, but we didn't buy. Another savings. Our next stop was the gift shop where Judy did some window shopping. From the gift shop, we took in the main skywalk and the the skywalk leading to the Cancer Center. To conclude our journey, we caught the elevator back to the fifth floor and returned to the Queen's penthouse lodgings via the atrium. In all seriousness, the journey was an absolute joy for Judy who has seen nothing but surgery ward for the last 9 weeks. Judy was feeling quite well today. She has plans to do a test run to our home perhaps next week just to see whether she can handle the planned day trips on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

December 9

The Queen actually phoned me today for some routine discipline reminders and to make sure I didn't pilfer the royal treasury. Another positive sign: the Queen has been leafing through magazines. Furthermore, the flow of fluid between her staples has virtually ceased. In fact,the wound area looks very good. Judy let me style her hair today with the blow dryer. Judy was unable to manage the blow dryer because she had a temporary IV in her right wrist. The last female that allowed me to style her hair was our dog, Tori. Judy didn't caterwaul as much as Tori, but the resulting coif was reminiscent of Tori's Beatlemania look. The only downside today was two bouts of vomiting. Again, the nausea followed periods of sitting up and going for a walk. Two steps forward, one step back. That's a net gain.

December 8

Another good day for Judy. I have a further understanding of the fistula situation in Judy. Apparently, material is seeping from her intestine into her urethra or into her bladder, then coming out with her urine through the catheter. Viewing the liquid in the catheter back has become a new pastime for those who visit Judy. Will it be brown or amber? She was up in her chair for a visit with David this morning. David, Audrey, and I had a visit with Judy in the late morning so she was occupying her throne again. For an encore, she was on the throne (no, not that one)a third time when David and I visited her late this afternoon. She had some nausea around noon, but the rest of the day seemed fine. Judy even had the energy to thumb through a Christmas magazine. Another positive sign: she asked for her ear phones and a bath robe. That tells me she is ready to listen to some Christmas music and she is planning on walking a few laps of the fifth floor. For those that are interested, the Orange Creamsicle Ensure total has increased to 49 bottles. A courier brought a 24 pack to my door today. Apparently, a dear friend called the supply company and reported the poverty of Orange Creamsicle Ensure supply in the Saskatoon area. I am guessing a somewhat sheepish supply company paid homage to the Queen by sending the 2 4 package, gratis! Ironically, Judy isn't able to enjoy the heavenly elixir because she is only able to sippy sip water for oral gratification. Fortunately, David has developed an addiction for the flavor; therefore, he is drawing down the supply to make room in our pantry. David leaves for The Big Smoke tomorrow, but he will be back in two weeks. There will be Creamsicle Ensure waiting upon his return.

December 7

Judy has had a good day, so far. When I arrived at her room, she was standing by her bed blow drying her hair. Today marked the first day I was able to give Judy a hug while she was standing. Last week, Haley posted a picture of Judy on Haley's Facebook page. For most people, the picture was the first time they viewed Judy in over two months. Many people have expressed their gratitude for seeing Judy's beautiful, smiling face. I know that people are anxious to see Judy face to face, but she is still far from being able to have visitors. People also want to send flowers or gifts; however, Judy does not have space in her room for flowers or gifts. In true Judy fashion, she does not want to have extra items in her space unless it is properly stored in Rubbermaid tubs. There is nothing she needs or wants other than your love and prayers. Similarly, I want for very little other than companionship and encouragement. I am VIM certified and a passable homemaker;therefore the house is clean/tidy and I am far from starving. But people want to help. I can't count how many people have said, "If you need anything, just ask," and people are sincere in their offer. I thank God daily for the support of my friends and family. The only thing I can offer in response to those who want to do something...anything is: you may want to ask my girls. They are leading busy lives with full time work, looking after their own households, finding time for personal wellness, and visiting Judy. You may want to ask Haley or Mary whether they need anything. "Whatsoever you do to the best of these my daughters, you do unto Judy."

December 6

Judy's struggles with nausea continued today. She was running a moderate fever late in the afternoon, but by 8:00pm her temperature was down in the normal range. Hopefully, she will have a good rest this evening and be fresh as a daisy tomorrow.

December 5

Judy had a good day. The leakage has continued to decrease. She continues to struggle with nausea. Her hair stylist was kind enough to style Judy's hair yesterday. Of course, having her hair attended to was a great encouragement. I attended our ballroom dancing Christmas party last night at the studio where Judy and I take classes. I have been the resident line dance instructor for the class. Last night, I taught the crew how to do the Disco Duck. They enjoyed the dance as much as the grade six classes I taught in years gone by. I also led the class in the Hey Baby dance I learned in Cuba last January and I introduced the class to the Perogy Dance. Thank you to the lovely ladies at ballroom dance who twirled me around the floor. I even won a prize for doing the most moves in the rumba. Most of the moves were intentional. Toward the end of the evening, I videoed the instructor and members of the class as they passed on greetings to Judy. Judy truly enjoyed watching the video today during our visit. Tomorrow is: church, hockey, trip to the country to see Audrey and Mickey's building progress, visit Judy, and evening meal at Haley's...a day of rest, indeed.

December 4

Judy saw Dr. Kanthan yesterday. The plan is to be on sipping fluid for the next four and a half weeks to correct the plumbing leaks. Of course, Judy will be getting her nutrients via TPN. Dr. Kanthan said we can definitely plan to have Judy home for Christmas Day then deliver her back to her penthouse suite overlooking the river at RUH. Judy had a good start to yesterday, but the nausea blues invaded our afternoon visit. Judy and her brother have had the opportunity for some wonderful visits over the past two days and those visits have certainly given Judy a lift. Today, David and I are going up to check on his farm near Wakaw. Many of you know that I am his farm manager. I am paid in perogies, cabbage rolls, and coubassa just like in the old days. David has rewarded me greatly for overseeing the production of poplars, chokecherries, saskatoon berries, cattails, sowthistle, golden rod, many prairie grasses. My hands off approach has certainly led to a successful farming operation.

December 2

Not much new with Judy today. She still struggles with nausea especially after having a walk or sitting in her chair. Judy's brother, David, arrived today. Brother and sister had two visits today. We celebrated Haley's 32nd birthday yesterday. Haley, Dustin, Mary, and I converged on Judy's room for the gift opening and a selfie. Mary, Haley, Dustin, Morgan, David, and I met for the ceremonial pizza fest at Greek House tonight. The pizza powered me through my hockey game tonight and now it is time for beddy bye. Good night, sweet Judy.

November 30

I visited Judy around noon today. I actually remembered to bring the hoof trimmers she requested. Actually, she had to do a manicure. After all this time in hospital, she is going for a Guinness record for finger nail length. No news from the doctors today. Judy threw up a couple times. I apologize for being graphic, but people want to know how things are going. There are times when she goes 2 or 3 times without getting upset stomach, but today was not one of those times. She is still on sips of water with only IV feeding. It's hard to believe she has anything to throw up. In spite of all this, Judy does not complain. She maintains her iron will and positive attitude. Good night, Jude.

November 29

I apologize for not making a post over the last three days. The King has been busy with Royal Galas, Haley's ugly sweater birthday party, and hockey team Christmas Party. On Thursday evening, we had barbecued steak. I decided earlier on Thursday to wrestle the barbecue up onto the deck from the patio. No problem for a King. On Friday, a little birdy told Judy, "I see you have your barbecue on the deck now." Busted. The Queen didn't give permission for the movement of assets. We had a good laugh about that one. On Saturday, I dispensed with our home's land line. My new cell phone number is now the old land line number. If you have my old cell phone number in your contacts, please delete. This was another major move that I made without royal consent. Even though I am a King, at home I am only a drone in the hive. One of my dear daughters...I won't disclose whether it was Drizelda or Anastasia, ratted on me. The Queen had me on the rack today for two counts of treason. I'm hoping no one who reads this blog will tell Judy that I move her TV watching chair to the other side of the room. I am on such thin ice, it is hard to stick handle my way out of trouble. Over the last three days, Judy has been spending more time in her chair and going for walks three times a day. She is still off of food and liquids. She is only allowed to sip water. On the backside, the leakage is abating somewhat. The catheter has been running clearer. Of course, this is good news. There is not much to report from the surgeons on the weekend. It's time for my beauty sleep. Ciao.

November 26

The house is decorated. The kids are fed. We had a wonderful evening. Oh yeah, and we have stockpiled 22 bottles of creamsicle Ensure so at the rate Judy is consuming, we are good until 2017. Thank you, everyone. Today was a roller coaster so far as Judy is concerned. I received a text from Judy at 7:30 am reporting that she will likely be in hospital over Christmas. There is a leak in her small or large bowel. The CT did not reveal the exact location of the leak. One step back. Audrey and I went to visit Judy at 2:00 pm thinking she would need extra support after the news she shared. As it turned out, the information came from a surgery resident who was being a little over zealous in his speculation. Audrey and I also found out from Judy that part of October 7's surgery was the removal a section of bowel. Judy was certain she had reported this bit of information to us. The jury is out on whether I was too concussed from old timer's hockey to remember the information. Whatever the case, yes, Judy had part of her bowel removed and there may be a leak that could account for the nasty discharge that I spoke of in an earlier blog. I am still mystified when it comes to the internal plumbing that runs through the temple that is Judy. I need someone to produce a blue print for me. As far as I can determine, the bowel may be leaking into the abdominal cavity, then somehow entering the bladder, then leaking from the bladder and down to Judy's backside. Judy may have a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal connection between an organ, vessel, or intestine and another structure. Fistulas are usually the result of injury or surgery. It can also result from infection or inflammation. Inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, is an example of a disease that leads to fistulas between one loop of intestine and another. I had the chance to talk to Dr. Kanthan and he stated that everything is fine. There is no need to intervene. On a positive note, Judy was looking good. Audrey and I helped her into her chair. She was quite alert and her voice was stronger than it has been in days. Another positive: the urine collecting in the catheter was clearer. That's good. One step forward. This has been a roller coaster ride. Every time I find myself overwhelmed by the big future and the what ifs, I find comfort in refocusing my attention on today, the now. One can imagine all kinds of frightful scenarios or wonderful miracles that are down the road. I choose to look at today. Judy is here. There are steps forward that cause us to rejoice and be thankful. There are steps back that we deal with as they come. We had a wonderful visit that ended in the usual way: a kiss and an "I love you." We have today and today is good. All's well that ends well. Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

November 25

Judy's surgeon, Dr. Kanthan, is back after a holiday. He visited Judy this morning and told her the long struggle she has endured with the bladder/drain situation and the nausea issues is an exceptional occurrence. The bladder should have healed after 7-10 from surgery and she should have started eating long ago. Dr. Kanthan has recommended no fluid or food intake other than IV and TPN. Furthermore, a drug has been prescribed to dry up the abdominal area. As I understand the drug's effect, the bowel action will be slowed. The latest concern is the coloration of the fluid draining through the catheter. The fluid is beyond yellow and orange. It is brown. The discharge that is coming from between the staples is becoming more odoriferous. This, of course, is a great discomfort to Judy in many ways. There are still no results from the ultrasound that was taken yesterday. Dr. Kanthan ordered a CT scan today to help determine possible causes of Judy's symptoms. On a positive note, Judy had a few staples removed today and the wound area that is not involved in the leakage area is healing quite well. I chased down the physiotherapist today and she reported Judy is progressing on the physio end. Judy continues to endure the challenges she faces with courage and resolve. We had a good visit this afternoon. Judy knew I was on my way to play hockey at 6:15 and gave me the usual admonition...play nice and have fun. Mission accomplished. Good night.

November 24

I just got off the phone. The Queen was actually well enough to phone me. She needs more shampoo. Apologies for not posting anything on the blog for the last couple of days. Sunday was a busy day with church, lunch with the fam, visit to the hospital, and hockey in Battleford. By the way,I am glad the score clock wasn't working in Battleford Arena. Yesterday, I hosted my men's splurge club (a.k.a. Tool Time). I was busy cutting kielbasa, cheese, pickles and other healthy snacks for the Knights of the Tool Bench. Judy has been enjoying the new found supply of orange creamsicle Ensure. There are times when she feels hunger, but she does not trust her system to keep the food down. Yesterday, she said she would like to try three bites of a Subway sandwich very soon. The catheter is still doing its job; however, there is still some fluid draining from her backside. Judy is having a CT scan later this week to determine whether there is any fluid pooling in her groin area. Judy is also spending more time sitting. She describes the odd sensation of seeing the world from an upright position after being on her side for six plus weeks. Visiting someone face to face is a real treat.

November 21

Judy may have turned the corner. She has been keeping the creamsicle Ensure down and has been taking sips of ginger ale. Speaking of Ensure...on Friday I received a text from one of Judy's former teaching colleagues stating that a bottle of the right Ensure found at Werezak's Pharmacy was deposited in my mailbox. I also received a call from the manager of my ball team on Friday morning. He asked me to pick up a mystery package on my way home from teaching in Warman. As it turned out the mystery package was a 6 pack of the creamsicle Ensure aka "nectar of the gods". This is only the tip of the iceberg when acts of kindness are mentioned. Resurrection Lutheran Church took up a special collection to provide me with a parking pass for RUH. Of course, dear friends and family continue to drop off soup, baking, and other treats. Furthermore, my friends,team mates, neighbors, and family continue to provide me what I need the most-companionship, a listening ear, and conversation about normal things. Another bright spot from today was: Judy woke up this morning with a dry backside. Too early to say the bladder has healed, but there are hopeful signs. Perhaps creamsicle Ensure is like Barsleak, a product we used to pour into the leaky radiator on our 52 Fargo. Barsleak would plug the leak and off to town we would go. I know many of you will want to know how the dance went last night. I did the jive, two step, 7 step (Kelvington-style), old time waltz, cha cha, shottische, and a heaping helping of polka. The meal, from the pickled herring to the crumbkakken was top notch. I took it easy on the Aquavit, but there was plenty of "Skol!!!" echoing through the hall. I felt young again, but it was only because the average age at the Scandanavian Club is 85. There were some of the original Vikings in attendance. One guy actually thought he was "Leif the Lucky". I am not sure if he was. Good night.

November 19

The Queen occupied the royal hospital chair for two sessions today. The catheter is still delivering product, but fluid continues to seep between her staples. The root beer that was such a hit yesterday, didn't sit well today so upchuck again. While I was with Judy, she drank half of the creamsicle Ensure. I will find out tomorrow whether the Ensure stayed down. I am subbing in Warman Middle School tomorrow; therefore, I won't get to see Judy until later in the afternoon. Tomorrow night I will be dancing to the hard charging "Rythmairs" at the Scandinavian Club Dine and Dance at the Legion Hall on Spadina. If you are wanting to get a spot on my dance card, you will have to get there early. I will be fueled by pickled herring, lutefisk, and Aquavit. Skol! You can always tell a Norwegian, but you can't tell'em much.

November 18

Another good day for Judy. She was given permission to sit in a chair for 10 minutes today, an odd sensation for a person who has not parked her caboose on a chair in 6 weeks. Yes, today marks 6 weeks since the operation. In the coming days, Judy will be allowed to sit in a chair for two 15 minute sessions. Judy has gone nearly 2 days without throwing up, another breakthrough. Another development: the catheter has begun to collect from the bladder. I am not sure whether you can connect the dots to the removal of the JP drain two days ago. One of the greatest joys from the day was having Mary, Haley, and I converge on Judy's royal chamber at the same time...nice to have the family together for a visit. Another joy I had today was going out to Mary's school to lead a couple sing songs with the K/1 and 2/3 classes at Hanley. Obviously, I wouldn't have ventured out on the highway if I had known Highway 11 was a skating rink. On my return to Saskatoon, I was caught in a 10 mile long parking lot because a semi trailer jackknifed in the northbound lane by Lake Blackstrap. Ah, the things you do for love.

Later on November 17

I forgot to mention the Clark Kents came in today. I picked them up on my way to the hospital. When I arrived at Judy's bedside, Judy was sawing logs. She awoke with a start and exclaimed, "Your new glasses arrived!" Amazing. She's still got it! That is to say, Judy knows when anyone has an engagement ring, a new hairdo/outfit/pair of shoes, and she can spot a newly expectant mother from across the street, and anyone with new glasses.

November 17

Judy had a good day. When I visited her in the late afternoon, she had not thrown up all day. She was craving root beer; therefore, I delivered. She also had her daily popsicle. She may have a junk food addiction. Tomorrow's treat will be a creamsicle flavored Ensure. Very rare. I looked all over the city for this flavor and finally found a bottle...in our pantry. If you see creamsicle flavored Ensure, email the name of the retailer to my home email. Today was good in other ways. The hockey team feasted on Shark meet, then the team slurped down a slow cooker full of my special turkey chili. Honestly, no left overs. One player stuck his head right in the slow cooker and finished the last serving with his tongue. I didn't even need to wash the slow cooker; I just placed it back in the cupboard. The dessert for me was scoring a goal. Very rare.

November 16

Judy had a cystogram this afternoon. They filled her bladder with a dye solution and used some type of imaging to determine what is going on with the bladder. The bladder leaked like a sieve. No fluid was retained in the bladder because there is a fissure in the bladder - a fissure that hasn't closed at all for the last 5 weeks. The abdominal drain tube called a JP was removed today. The catheter remains, but as mentioned in earlier blogs, everything from Judy's one kidney spills from the bladder and drains through the staples in Judy's backside. This means that Judy has to wear a Depends and lie on a bed pad that gets soaked with fluid and has to be changed every two hours thus Judy is not able to have prolonged periods of rest. The other kidney is drained by the nephrostomy that has been working fine for the last 5 weeks. On the other front, Judy is still plagued with nausea. Another day, another popsicle. On the home front, if you see smoke rising from our house tomorrow, it will be a result of the 5 alarm chili I am preparing for my hockey team, The Flightless Ducks. Tomorrow is my day for preparing the post game meal. We are playing the Sharks; therefore, the first course will be shark fin soup.

November 15

Still nausea. Still leaking bladder. The good news: tomorrow, the abdominal drain will be removed because the drain is not draining anything. Abdominal fluid is still leaking out between the staples on Judy's backside. Hopefully, the bladder will heal and the leaking will abate soon. Today's consumption: another popsicle. Judy continues to maintain a positive attitude and a spirit of determination. Another breakthrough: Judy wants her hair drier. A good friend suggested that I make a list of words I wish I didn't know. Here we go...nephrostomy,JP tube, catheter, Fol fox, Fol-fury, radiation, lesion, tumor, primary, metastases, CT, PET Scan, MRI, hospital parking, chemoembolization, chemo, white cell count, laproscopic, surgery, medical appointment, hospital stay, cancer. You know, when you have a cold and you don't feel like eating or even getting out of bed. Well, Judy experiences that feeling times ten every time she undergoes chemo and times who knows what every time she has a major surgery. She is an inspiration and she continues to fight for all the people who love her and pray for her. One of the greatest miracles I've seen is people who have learned from Judy's experience to live life fully, rejoice always, be thankful and forgiving, believe, have faith, hope audaciously, be kind be gracious, be kind, and do what you can to inspire others to do the same.

November 13

Judy had a rough morning with more throwing up, but by afternoon she was up for her first walk. She also had a Popsicle. Hard to view Popsicle consumption as progress, but it is progress. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Chadrin, visited Judy today. The date for removing the staples from her backside has been pushed back another week to November 25. Judy is now setting her sights on being home by early December. I will close by reminding people that tomorrow is VIM Day. My hope is that Judy has inspired all husbands to VIM the depths of the kitchen sink, dust the tops of the baseboards, use Lysol wipes on the base of the toilet, scrub the tub and shower with Mr. Clean, vacuum, damp mop, water the plants, do the laundry, dust under the couch, and whistle while you work. Good night, Judy Two Shoes.

November 12

The whirlwind trip to Kelvington and Tisdale yesterday was a success. My dear old mother gave me a care package containing fresh buns, brownies, and cookies. I was back in time to visit the Queen last night. Today was a lazy day for me. I went for a long walk beside the river and watched the air show sponsored by the local chapter of the Canada Geese. Judy had a rough day. She was not able to take her usual 3 walks because of nausea and dizziness. By late afternoon, she was feeling somewhat better. Judy's new surroundings are much brighter than the gloomy corner she has occupied for the last 5 weeks. She is next to the window with a view toward the river valley.

November 10

We went with the Clark Kents. Judy was looking quite spry today. She had been up for two longer walks today. Unfortunately, she still hasn't been eating and continues to struggle with nausea. I am off to the Kingdom of Kelvington tomorrow for Remembrance Day ceremony and will come back to Saskatoon via Tisdale where my mother lives. I am sure my mom will be firing up the cookstove tomorrow morning to bake a batch of Cinnamon buns for her youngest son. I will stop in to see Judy when I return to Toon Town.

November 9

Two steps forward, one step back. The improvement in the drainage situation that I referred to on Saturday lasted only one day. Yesterday and today, the catheter was not draining urine from the bladder. Instead, the urine is leaking into the abdomen and, in turn, seeping out between the staples in Judy's backside. Apparently, they are going to re-position the abdominal drain to more effectively drain the abdominal cavity. Judy is off all fluids until the drainage thing is figured out. She is only able to take sips of water. The surgical residents were up today and assured Judy she is going in the right direction. The other glimmer of light is Judy will be able to spend some time on her back and sitting upright in "only" nine more days. On the home front, I was roped into organizing the church Fall Supper yesterday. The supper was a resounding success, but I was too busy to enjoy the meal. I was arranging the caterer, recruiting volunteers, setting up tables, auctioning pies, and selling turkeys. I had turkey grease up to my elbows, collecting cash, and brow beating the crowd into buying leftover turkey. For an encore, I organized the carpet cleaning at the church today. Eight wonderful volunteers and I cleaned an acre of carpet today. I am giving myself a day off tomorrow to buy new eyeglasses. The queen says I am not to be trusted with picking out my own frames. I have to sign out frames to be scrutinized by Her Royal Highness. I am guessing I won't be able to get the John Lennon Roundies I always wanted. The Queen wants me in a pair of Clark Kents.

November 7

The good news coming out of today is: the hose work that occurred yesterday is yielding positive results. That is to say, most of the urine is going to the catheter bag rather than spilling into the abdominal cavity. The abdominal drain had minimal amounts today. Judy still has the nephrostomy draining one kidney and a catheter draining the other kidney via the bladder. On the other front, Judy is still having trouble with nausea. I gave her a Starbucks Gingerbread Tea Misto (Don't ever order this item: the baristas will look at you like you have two heads)and Judy really enjoyed the bevvy. You know how Judy is slightly type A. Well, you will appreciate this. Judy had some of her minions call me with a request to buy two wrist watches for her hospital bed. Why? You ask. Well, she needs to have a watch for when she is on her left side and a watch for her right side. As luck would have it, I found two watches in Judy's wristwatch pile. A trip to Walmart for two new watches was not necessary. The two watches are now in place on the rails of her bed. Thankfully, Judy has so many watches she didn't recognize the watches I delivered were recycled. You my find this hard to believe, but sometimes I don't do as I'm told. The Queen still loves me.

November 6

Judy was transported by ambulance to St. Paul's Hospital today for her cystoscopy. There were some adjustments made to the hoses that are inserted into her bladder. Apparently, one hose was too far in. I had the nurse explain today's procedure to me and I was more confused after the explanation than before. Bottom line is: the urologist who performed the procedure thinks he has corrected the problem. Healing the leak in her bladder is still going to take time. Judy is still experiencing nausea and she is still on a 4 tsp of jello diet. Thank goodness the TPN is giving her the nutrients she needs. Today's task was to paint the laundry room. I didn't ask the Queen's permission. I took the risk and completed the job. What a job it was! Moving shelving units, wardrobe, washer, dryer, freezer, and filing cabinet then scrubbing the land where dust bunnies roam took longer than actual painting. I took pictures for the Queen to inspect. She wanted to know what color of white I chose. Tomorrow, the girls are coming over to do Christmas baking for Judy. I will be cleaning house while Anastasia and Drizelda mess up the kitchen.

November 4

Judy had a CT scan yesterday and got the results today. The good news is they did not find any abscesses that would have been a root cause of her nausea. Sometime later in the week, Judy will be taken to St.Paul's Hospital for cystostomy(sp) at the Urology Center. The purpose is to see what is going on with her bladder. The leakage continues. Judy still isn't eating. Her nutrition is still coming via TPN. While I was at the hospital today, Judy was unhooked from her IV tree while she went for a walk. She only has to contend with her catheter and her nephrostomy hoses that are secured to her walker. Judy was sporting a rather elegant rooster tail hairdo today...a common technique used in bedhead styling. Of course, on Judy the rooster tail looks exactly like a Tiara - quite fitting for a queen.

November 2

The struggle to keep food down continues. Yesterday, Haley made Judy some of her favorite food - veggie chowder. Judy had a few spoonfuls, but four hours later she threw it all up. The word from yesterday was: the urologist had scheduled a test to determine where all the fluid is coming from and where it is going. Today, we got to see Dr. Kanthan. He has scheduled a CT scan for this week to determine whether there is something other than the factors already considered that is causing the nausea. To date, the nausea was blamed on the painkillers and the lack of bowel movement. Dr. Kanthan also reiterated the hospital stay will be a minimum 6 weeks. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Chadrin, is the one insisting the 6 week minimum hospital stay. He wants to make sure the wound on Judy's back side is stable and healing well. I delivered one of Judy's favorite foods today - key lime Greek yogurt. A half dozen spoonfuls is what she could handle. The VIM inspector was by yesterday to check the sinks, the newly painted doors, and the lint trap on the dryer. I passed the inspection. The queen will not be asking for my head on a platter. Whew!

October 31

Dr. Kanthan, Judy's surgeon, was up to see Judy today. Judy asked for her report card. Dr. Kanthan said she is not going backward; she is moving in the right direction. He also said that Judy is likely going to be in the hospital for another three weeks...not really a surprise given her progress thus far. I will start the week cancelling the appointments Judy had scheduled for November and December. The thoracic surgeon in Vancouver wanted to see Judy for a follow up appointment in early December. That's not going to happen. Judy had a good day today. The Christmas movie was delivered. Many people are just itching to visit Judy, but she is just not even close to being up to visitors. I have taken to videoing greetings on my Iphone and Judy enjoys the video greetings that I play for her. If anyone is interested in emailing a video message to my email address, I will certainly make sure Judy receives the message. RUH also has a service called "Well Wishes". You can send an email message directly to Judy. The hospital makes a hard copy that is delivered to Judy's room. Oh yeah, and I have the painted doors back on the hinges. You can assure Judy that I chose regal "Davenport Tan" over the proletarian "Alexandria Biege".

October 29

Judy had a good day. I took her sheep skin up today. The sheep skin is wrapped around her pillow for a softer surface than the sandpapery hospital pillow cases. Those of you who know Judy are aware that she is Mrs. Christmas. Judy's traditions is to watch her first Christmas movie on Halloween night. Haley has "Miracle on 34th Street" locked and loaded on her Ipad. The next step in the Christmas journey is Christmas baking on November long weekend. The girls plan to be at our house to do the Christmas baking for Judy. Hopefully, Judy will be home, but if she is not home, we will video the event for Judy. On a slow news night, I usually give a blog stat update so I am letting you know that the Diamond Judy Blog has surpassed the 24 000 hit mark. Think of it. 24 000 times people have made the decision to show their love for Judy by checking the blog because they care and they want to know how she is progressing. When I share the statistics with Judy she shakes her head in wonder.

Later on October 28

I went up to see Judy later this afternoon. She was doing much better. As I have shared in previous blogs, a positive sign is when the queen starts getting bossy. I was being quite obsequious(I always wanted to use that word - look it up) because I have gone ahead and painted all the bedroom/bathroom doors without royal assent. Thankfully, I chose the right shade of dark mocha. But seriously, Judy was up for a walk while I was there. She walked several paces and then was given a sponge bath. Before I left, Judy had slurped down half of the chocolate Boost I sneaked into the hospital. She also had 5-10 tsps of cream o' celery soup. The soup rounded out the cracker she had for lunch. They have reduced her intake of TPN to 14 hours/day from the previous 24 hours/day. The cause of her frequent nausea is the painkillers she takes to alleviate the muscle pain from laying on her side all day. The painkillers also help her to sleep. The trick is to gradually decrease her painkiller dosage at a rate that will allow her to be comfortable and sleep while not causing nausea. Judy is still leaking between the staples on her lower backside. Healing the internal leak will take time. Long journeys take longer when you are taking baby steps. Patience, patience, endurance, hope, and belief.

October 28

Judy: What have you got up for the next few days. Alvin: I have a Violence, Threat, Risk Assessment workshop on Thursday and Friday. I have a hockey game on Thursday night. Judy(fighting to keep her eyes open): So...you have a hockey workshop on Thursday night. Alvin: Honey, you just sleep and I will sit here with you. I won't leave without saying good-bye. I will just sit here and be with you. That was yesterday's visit. Judy is still getting up for her three walks/day. After each walk, she gets her shot of painkiller, then it is sleepy time again. The other highlight from yesterday was Judy, with the assistance of three nurses, was able to have a shower. Audrey was up to see Judy this morning and reported that Judy had a rough night with more throwing up. She also had more fluid draining from between her staples. The urologist was going to be looking into the latest developments this afternoon. I am on my way to RUH for my daily visit; therefore, I will post any new information when I hear the urologist's report.

October 26

I was finally feeling well enough to be able to visit Judy today. Judy ate three bites of a tuna sandwich today, her first solid food since October 6. After gorging herself on hospital tuna, she ate 4 chunks of hospital pears. Haley and Audrey reported that Judy had an evening meal of 2 tsp mashed potatoes and for the "piece d' resistance", she guzzled half a cup of Orange Boost. I know that I jest, but eating solid food in any amount is another positive sign. Judy was also out of bed for three walks today. She is going a few more steps with each stroll. As you can imagine, each stroll takes a lot of her energy. She follows each stroll with a long rest. In other news, the amount of fluid draining from her abdomen is abating - another positive sign.

October 23

Judy has made good progress over the last two days. Today, she had the NG tube removed and she has eaten two hearty meals of jello and broth. She was also up for somewhat longer walks today. I believe I reported earlier that fluid was leaking from her body around the abdominal drain; however, I found out tonight the fluid is pooling and leaking from between staples in her buttock area. There is no apparent cause for concern. This too shall pass. Judy is still in a public ward off the atrium on the fifth floor of RUH. Hopefully, she will be moved in the near future to a private ward or a ward that has natural light. I might not be seeing Judy for a couple days because I have the beginnings of a cold, but the girls and Audrey will be giving me updates that I will, in turn, relay through this blog.

October 21

The last two days have been a little tough on the Jude Meister. I am not sure if I mentioned in an earlier post that Judy had part of her bladder removed. This removal required moving one of Judy's ureter tubes (tube running from kidney to bladder) to be relocated to another area of the bladder. About 3 days after surgery, the doctors were aware there was a leak occurring at the spot where one ureter had been sewn to the bladder; therefore, a nephrostomy was used to take urine away from the ureter before reaching the leaky area on the bladder. There is still fluid leaking into the abdominal area. The fluid is being siphoned off via an abdominal drain. Yesterday, the fluid was leaking out of Judy's body where the drain tube exits her body. The pads on her bed were soaked with the fluid. When Judy was moved to a standing position, the fluids came out at a rate that caused a pool to form at her feet. On top of this occurrence, Judy's temperature was somewhat elevated (Above 38 degrees C). The surgeons checked her out and informed us that the increased amount of fluid leaking out was not a cause for alarm. Healing the leak in the bladder is just going to take time. There is no need to go back in to repair the leak. The leak will heal. In other news: 1. The staples were removed from the incision on her belly. 2. Judy is no longer on oxygen. 3. The IV tube that was in her neck has been removed. She now has a pic line in her arm for IV fluids. 4. Nausea was still a concern yesterday, but as predicted, the moving of the intestinal tract has reduced the nausea. Although Judy still has her NG tube, it was capped off today and there was no throwing up. Tomorrow, Judy may even have a taste of the jolliest food of all, Jello. 5. Judy is still very weak. She hasn't been walking. She is in a standing position long enough to place dry pads on the mattress surface. 6. Judy's sister, Audrey usually visits Judy in the morning. She reports to me about how Judy is progressing and when Judy is going to rest. I usually visit in the afternoon and the girls and/or I visit in the evening. We all try to perform personal care that is within our ability. 7. The road to recovery after this last surgery is a long one with the usual potholes along the way. We all need to realize that Diamond Judy has been through more in the last 5 months than most people experience in a life time. And that long road won't be covered in giant steps. It's going to be baby steps. Eventually, the hoses, drains, pics, ports,staples, tubes, bags, and other paraphernalia will be removed and the Queen will return to the castle where Cinderella dutifully VIMS the Royal Sink.

October 19

In today's news, the liberals win a majority, the Blue Jays win game three, and Judy's intestines finally put out product. The third item is the most important because when the intestinal tract starts to move, Judy should be able to say good bye to nausea and begin to introduce food to her diet that doesn't come from a plastic bag. Judy still has an NG tube in her nose and she is still on an IV supplement called TPN. Another significant occurrence today was: Judy had the staples removed from her abdomen. The scar on her front side runs from the pubic bone to just below her rib cage. I think the staples in her back side will not be removed for quite some time. Judy was out of bed twice today with assistance, of course. She is still very weak and the effort of taking a few steps really plays her out. She does not have the energy to do much. In fact, I try to limit my visits to a very short period of time. Judy is sticking to the most important task right now...getting plenty of rest. She is not feeling well enough to read or check messages on her iPhone. Sweet dreams, Judy. I pray that you will get a little stronger each day.

October 17

Judy ran a marathon today. By that I mean she walked from her hospital bed to the door of her ward with an entourage of two nurses, one pole (two counting me), and a walker. Actually, she ran three of these marathons today. The plan for Monday is to take the IV out of her neck and replace the IV with a PIC line in her arm. Baby steps. Tomorrow, I am off to Shell Lake for the morning and early afternoon. I am speaking at the Partners in Worship Church. I will be seeing Judy later in the afternoon. Good night.

October 16

Judy was up and around her ward 3 times today. She hasn't been able to keep food down for the last two days so I believe the surgeon has arranged for Judy to start on TPN, a milky looking IV fluid that is full of nutrition. Judy still has the NG tube in her nose, an IV in her neck, an IV in her arm, a nephrostomy(Sp)in her right side, an abdominal drain in her left side, and a catheter. She tires very easily and is still regaining her strength. I helped her turn to her right side for a short time today. This is a long process of adjusting pillows, moving hoses,and gently turning over in a manner that won't affect her wounds. Needless to say, she is nowhere near being able to have visitors. She loves you all dearly, but she is not up to seeing anyone for a long while. And I know you are dying to hear...the house cleaning is done. Vacuuming, dusting, toilets, floors, plants watered, laundry folded, beds made, ironing done, tupperware washed and returned to respective owners. Oh yeah, and I hit a home run yesterday for my senior slow pitch league. When I say senior, I mean old people not one step above midget level. I think I pulled my groin running the bases...no bat flip. Good night.

October 15

Judy was up and out of her bed 3 times today with nurse's assistance. She has her ng tube back in her nose. Still some problems with nausea. She was chowing down on jello, broth, and cranberry juice yesterday, but today was back to water and the wonderful assortment of IV bladders that hang from the festive IV tree. I delivered Judy's novel to her today and she read for a limited amount of time. Judy's pain level is only around a 2/10 level these days. The main source of discomfort is from laying on her left side all day. As mentioned before, she is being limited time on her right side because the staples used to close the wound between her buttocks are mainly on the right side. I saw the stapled area tonight and in my uneducated opinion, the wound looks good considering Judy is only 8 days past surgery. In fact, my opinion is: Judy may not have the open wound that was predicted. Again, I emphasize, my opinion. Tomorrow is house work day. Thank you to everyone who donated VIM, gave suggestions on how to use VIM, and encouraged me to get cracking with the application of VIM to the nether regions of the kitchen sink. I intend to continue cleaning with the usual VIM and vigor that I usually devote to house cleaning. Good night.

October 14

Judy had another good day yesterday. They tried capping off her ng tube to see if she could keep her food (juice and jello) down. Apparently, she still needs the ng tube because she was vomiting this morning hence the ng tube is sucking out the nasty green stuff again. The highlight of Judy's day was physio at 2:00pm. She had her hair washed and was able to use Q-tips to clean her ears. Seems insignificant to some, but you can imagine how good those two things would feel to Judy. Judy also walked 6 steps today. The news from yesterday was: the plastic surgeon said Judy would not be able to sit for 6 weeks. She will be able to walk or lay down, but no sitting. I don't know what that will mean regarding the length of hospital stay. The last bit of news from today is: she is out of the observation ward and into a room. She is still not ready for any visitors. I will keep everyone updated regarding her ability and willingness to have visitors via this blog.

October 12

Judy had a very positive day today. No complications. I visited her three times. She is looking forward to tomorrow because she will actually be out of bed albeit for a short period of time. Positive sign: she asked for her glasses. I suspect she may want me to Facetime her from home, then she can tell me where I need to dust and apply VIM.

October 11 pm

Today was a rough one for Judy. She threw up three times early this morning so an NG tube was inserted. She is back to having the old NG tube sucking the bad green stuff out of her tummy. The situation immediately improved. No more throwing up. Next issue: they discovered uric acid in the fluid that is draining from her abdomen. After two CT scans and re doing some belts and hoses(actually...not belts), I believe they have that situation under control. Transferring her to the CT scanner was a very painful process for Judy. Pray that tomorrow will be a better day of rest and healing. Hopefully, Judy will be able to upright for a few minutes in two days. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful that the girls, David, and Audrey have some time off to be with Judy each day. Surgery and recovery is a grueling process with incredible gains on some days and disappointing setbacks on other days. That little one hundred pound fighter is giving it all she's got. Thank you to everyone for praying, hoping, and caring. Good night.

October 11 am

Yesterday was a better day. Judy is still in obs. She was not as sedated as in the previous 3 days. She is quite aware of everything her family is doing and another positive sign is: she is telling the girls to drive carefully and do this, do that. Again, a hats off to the wonderful nurses in the obs unit. They are cheerful, helpful, competent, and compassionate. I watched a young nurse yesterday listening to Judy and trying to determine the best way to make her comfortable. The look of concern on her face was remarkable. Judy is still on the epidural. Another feature that is bringing Judy comfort is a compression mattress. This mattress is basically an air mattress that gives support and comfort. Judy is counting down the days to when she will be able to be off the mattress for short periods of time. Three more days of laying mainly on her left side. David and I entertained Judy last night with our golfing exploits. We videoed a You Tube sensation of me falling out of the golf cart on a sharp turn. Remarkable footage...remarkably dumb. Whatever the critics say, Judy was entertained.

October 9

Another day of pain and discomfort. The newest development is: the pain killers are being administered through an epidural. This means Judy's back is basically numbed much like your mouth when you are having dental work. Judy has been moved from the ICU to an observation ward. It goes without saying that she is a long way from being able to have visitors other than immediate family. Her eyes are only open for a few seconds at a time. Looking down the road to the time when Judy is moved to a ward, she has requested that friends and family who wish to visit should contact me first. No insult is intended in limiting access to Judy. Trying to recover and rest is difficult when visitors come unannounced and unexpected. Judy's brother, David, arrived today and his company is much appreciated at this time in our home. His gift to Judy is a little solar powered Queen Elizabeth statue that does the saucer wave whenever the sun shines. The gift brought a smile to Judy's face even through the painkiller fog. Thank you to everyone for the kindness and support you have demonstrated in so many ways to our family. We are truly blessed.

October 8

I was up to see Judy twice today. She is still in the ICU. When the girls and I visited Judy in the morning, she was quite uncomfortable. The morphine she was given to deal with pain was causing her to be nauseous. Morphine always makes Judy upchuck. As you can imagine, Judy was quite drowsy and incoherent so it was like visiting your crazy old aunty. During the day she was taken off the medication she was receiving to deal with low blood pressure. The doctors feel she is moving in the right direction on that one. The morphine has been replaced with Dilaudid(not sure of the spelling or pronunciation). Dilaudid is 5 times more potent than morphine. So far, the drug is not making her nauseous. When I visited Judy this evening, she was still quite sedated. She can utter 2 or 3 words before she nods off. She is very uncomfortable because she has to spend the majority of the time on her right side. She is allowed on her back for periods of less than 10 minutes or less. Four times a day she is allowed to lay on her left side for 15 minutes. I watched the nurse re position Judy and surprisingly, Judy is able to shift herself with a minimum of assistance. I thought she would have been more fragile and may blow a stitch by moving position, but such is not the case. She only has one hose to drain fluid from her abdomen. She actually has fewer tubes and cords and monitors and ports and IVs than she has had in previous operations. Short story: Judy is going in the right direction. She may be moved up to an observation unit soon. We will see what tomorrow will bring.

October 7 at 10:30 pm

Haley, Dustin, Mary, and Morgan came with me to the hospital tonight. Surgery ended at 8:30 pm. That's 12 hours of surgery if you're counting. I talked to the plastic surgeon, Dr. Chadrin. He said the graft on the buttock area went well. Judy had an issue with low blood pressure...not surprising considering the length of surgery. She will likely be in ICU overnight. I also discovered they only removed part of her bladder. The tubes from her kidneys to her bladder were disconnected and reattached to another area of the bladder; therefore, she will be peeing the old fashioned way. No urostomy. No bag for #1. This, of course, will be a disappointment to Judy because she will have to continue getting up at night to pee. We only got to see Judy for 5 minutes. She was quite puffy, but considering the grind she went through today, no wonder. In fact, she looked beautiful as always. Furthermore, she still had her sense of humor. I asked her whether I should use VIM on the kitchen sink everyday or once a week. She informed me that she had VIMed the kitchen sink yesterday. As you can imagine, Judy has been giving me copious instructions on how to keep the home in "Judy Shape". I will be up to see her tomorrow morning and will updating the blog as new information comes in.

October 7 at 5:45

I just got the call from the surgeon. He has finished his part and the plastic surgeon is finishing up. Judy will not be out of surgery for another hour and a half. This is what I know: 1. The surgery went well. There were no surprises. 2. Only part of the bladder had to be removed. At this point, I am not sure how the plumbing will work. I will find that information tomorrow. 3. The tumor on the sacrum was completely removed. The removal involved taking out a part of the sacra bone. 4. The affected area on her lower back was removed. As I understand the procedure, the tissue from her buttock area will be re positioned to fill in where the cancerous tissue was removed. Haley, Mary, and I will be going to the hospital later this evening to see and touch and lightly kiss the cheek of this lovely lady who is an inspiration to us all. Thank you for your prayers and support and words of encouragement. " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

October 7 at 2:30 pm

Today is the big day. I drove Judy to RUH at 6:30am. Just before entering the hospital, Judy discovers that she left her health card in the "home" purse, not the "hospital" purse. "Alvin, why didn't you tell me I put the card in my other purse?" So...Alvin booked it home to get the health card that "he" forgot. As it turns out, they let Judy in without her card because she must have been to RUH a few times in the last few years. In fact, the nurse needed a hydraulic lift to carry Judy's extensive file down to the surgical ward.

October 7 at 2:45 pm

I drove Judy to the hospital at 6:30am. After admitting, we met with the plastic surgeon. The graft area on her lower back will be stapled and stitched with non dissoluble stitches. Judy will not be able to lay on her back for at least 2 months (not a big deal for Judy because she hasn't been able to lie on her back since May). She will be kept on her side for at least 7 days before she is upright. The plastic surgeon said there is a 90% chance the graft area will be an open wound for an indefinite period. The surgeon's nurse called at noon to say that things are going well, but progress is slow. My guess is: surgery will not be completed until evening. I am sure the surgery will go beyond the 8 hours suggested earlier.

September 25

We received surprising news today. The surgeon's office contacted Judy to let her know her surgery date will be October 7. Judy has a pre op appointment with her family doctor on Monday, September 28, a CT scan on October 1, and a pre admission clinic at RUH on October 2. Although there seems to be so much to digest between now and surgery, we are relieved that we won't have a month of waiting and wondering and talking about surgery.

Latest News

Judy had an appointment with her surgeon, Dr. Kanthan, on Monday, September 21. The following points detail the results of the appointment. 1. As most people already know, Judy has a tumor in her pelvic area near the lower part of her sacrum. The tumor was first detected in 2013. In July, we found out the bumps that appeared on Judy’s back in late May were actually metastatic colorectal lesions. The lesions on her back have been very painful. Over the last two months, the symptom management team has worked with Judy to find the right mix of topical and other treatments to manage the pain. In the last week, Judy has managed to get some decent sleeps. She has two topical ointments that have given relief. Furthermore, she has a dosage of nerve blockers and sleeping pills that seems to do the trick. 2. The surgery will likely occur in late October. There will be a team of four doctors – a surgeon, neurosurgeon, urologist, and plastic surgeon. The operation will be about 8 hours. 3. The plan is to remove the lower part of the sacrum, the vagina, and the pelvic tumor. There is a possibility the bladder will also be removed or rendered non-functional. This would mean a bladder conduit or a catheter. Depending on the amount of sacrum that is removed, mobility may be affected. 4. You can do your own research on the sacrum, but the short story is: the sacrum connects the pelvis together. The sacrum is also where nerves branch out from the base of the spine. 5. Regarding the lesions on Judy’s lower back, the option of using radiation treatment is not possible because Judy had 28 radiation treatments in the area before her major operation in 2012. The surgeon will have to remove the diseased area, and then graft tissue (likely from the buttocks) into the area where the lesions are removed. There is a possibility the graft area might result in an open wound that may or may not heal. 6. In the coming weeks, Judy will have more imaging done beginning with a CT on October 2. We will also visit the plastic surgeon, Dr. Thompson and the anesthesiologist. 7. Judy had what likely be her last chemo before surgery on September 22. Judy continues to maintain a positive attitude. She is full speed ahead with the plan to have a surgery. We continue to enjoy the support of friends and family through this time of hoping, waiting, and decision making. We also continue to live our lives and enjoy the experiences of each day. We live in the present and when the future becomes our present, we will deal with each challenge as it comes. Knowing that we have hundreds of people pulling for us and surrounding us with love gives us strength. Thank you for your continued prayers, visits, meals together, coffee times, soup, cookies,and casseroles.

September 3

Judy had chemo on Monday. In preparation for chemo, she was given a cocktail of drugs to prevent a similar reaction to chemo that was experienced during the last treatment. Thankfully, the drugs allowed Judy to get some sleep on Monday afternoon, evening, and night. She was feeling well enough to join a friend for breakfast on Tuesday. Unfortunately, Judy did not get any sleep on Tuesday evening and limited sleep on Wednesday evening. Judy was able to see her G.P., Dr. Dahl, today. Dr. Dahl is very compassionate and quick to respond. She prescribed a sleeping pill. I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that Judy has some very painful bumps on her back that cause a burning pain every time she lays down. Judy has met with a pain management team from the cancer center. The team consists of a nurse, doctor, social worker, and pharmacist. As a result of the team meeting, Judy was prescribed an ointment that will relieve the pain topically. In addition, Judy is on nerve blockers. Nothing that has been tried to date has given consistent results;therefore, Judy has not had adequate sleep in quite some time. Judy had an MRI three weeks ago, but we have not received detailed results because the surgeon, Dr. Kanthan, has been on holidays. He will be back on September 8. When we get to see Dr. Kanthan, we should have a rough idea of when Judy will have surgery to remove the tumor in her pelvic area. Judy continues to live triumphantly and, as always, she is an inspiration to everyone who knows her story.

August 9

Judy had chemo on Friday morning. She had a rough time during chemo, but after a few drugs to settle her system down, the treatment was completed. Judy has had a rather sleepless week because she has some painful bumps on her back near the graft line from her 2012 surgery. Her lung function has improved greatly. Judy and I go for a half hour walk every day. She easily manages the stairs in our home. That is to say, I don't have to carry her up because she is stranded in the basement. No siree. Even though Judy had chemo on Friday, she was still able to attend a wedding yesterday. In fact, Judy and I even danced a two step before I took her home. She turns into a pumpkin at 9:00 pm.

July 24

Judy is continuing to improve day by day. Yesterday, she went down stairs twice and walked the crescent twice. Her breathing is becoming less labored and she is more active with each passing day. Today, we are going for a day trip to the lake.

July 20

We have been home since Thursday evening and I have not posted an update on Judy. Going back to Thursday, Judy felt she could manage the airports without the assistance of a wheelchair. She was wrong. We resorted to wheelchair assistance in Calgary. Judy was too winded to make the walk up the ramp when we switching planes. Once she was in a wheelchair, there were no further difficulties. On Friday, Judy visited her regular doctor, Dr. Dahl. Dr. Dahl has referred Judy to a respiratory therapist. Saturday was our anniversary and for those of you who are Facebook followers, you will already know I expressed my love for Judy by purchasing her a new weed whacker. We had a great day. First, we went to the Farmer's market, then we did a "selfie" in front of the church where we were married. Then we went for coffee at Judy's sister's place because Judy's sister, Audrey, volunteered to make pies and tarts with the Saskatoon berries I stole from over my neighbor's fence. We finished the day with a meal at Haley and Dustin's acreage. Haley made Vietnamese cold rolls and sour soup. Delicious! Yesterday, I pawned Judy off on Audrey so I could go to the lake and golf 36 holes. Judy is getting stronger as the days pass. Her voice still trails off to a whisper in the evenings. She is getting plenty of rest and learning the things she can and cannot do with her decreased lung capacity. I will close by thanking everyone for holding down the fort while we were in Vancouver. Our wonderful neighbors had the lawn manicured, the flowers were all thriving, and there was a treat basket waiting on the table. Thank you to Mary who made us brunch on our first day back and to the Bartsches for their wonderful care package. And thank you for all the cards, messages, prayers, and good wishes. We really feel cared for and loved. It is good to be back with our people.

July 16

We are on our way home in 30 minutes. I wheeled Judy up to the hospital today at 9:30. We sat in X-rays until 11:30. You know, when you are waiting for medical appointments that minutes seem like hours. Reading Zoomer magazine gets old very quickly. Our 10:45 appointment with Dr. Nasir, Judy's surgeon, was at 11:50. He wants to see Judy in 6 months time.

July 15

Tomorrow is fly day, the day before Friday and I am so excited about going home tomorrow that I have butterflies in my stomach. We have the bags packed and are ready to bolt. Judy had a good day. She actually walked down to the nearest coffee shop for a mocha. As mentioned in an earlier blog, the activity that triggers her cough is talking. Of course, this doesn't stop her from talking. Judy has been getting plenty of rest and has been comfortable enough to sleep most of the night. Today, I had a pleasant surprise. My old buddy from high school, Brian Hartzell, met me for a beverage. He flies for Air Canada and was in Vancouver for the day. This evening, Judy's nephew, Justin, met me for another megawalk to Granville Island and the seawall. Earlier today, I biked around False Creek and proceeded past Kitsalano to Jericho Point. Another milestone today: The Diamond Judy Blog reached 16000 hits. Hopefully, the next blog entry will be entered in Saskatoon. Good Night.

July 14

If you are wondering why last night's blog entry was short and to the point without a dash of Alvin, it is because "Her Royal Highness" was looking over my shoulder ready to declare, "Off with your head." Tonight, I am hunkered down in the activity room at the lodge. I have already given the Queen some warm milk, tucked her into bed, and read her a bedtime story so I am back to taking some liberties as you can see. Judy is continuing to do well. We went for our mandatory 3 walks today. Judy even included some stairs. Judy's body is learning to breathe differently. Her recovery from this surgery has been significantly better than after her first surgery. A Few Observations: 1. Remember when you were in the work world and you longed for a day when you had no obligations, chores, or tasks to complete. Be careful what you wish for. My main job here is to show up for meals three times a day. Oh yeah, and I make the beds and do the Queen's bidding. One should not wish their life away waiting for Thursday. To pass the time, I have been reading, watching Ted Talks on Netflix, and playing games on the iPad. Every morning, I borrow a bike from the lodge and do some touring. Yesterday's ride was an hour. Today, I rode for 2 hours. I have toured the Expo site, False Creek Seawall, Granville Island, English Bay, and Stanley Park. Tomorrow's plan is to tour Kitsilano Beach and south. In the evenings, I go for a one hour walk. 2. There are 24 rooms in the lodge.Judy and I are the only foreigners. Most guests are here for chemo or radiation. Seeing people wincing in pain, wearing head scarves to cover hair loss due to treatment, and discussing their battle with cancer is commonplace. Some guests have been here for months. A person we have befriended has been here since February 26. So sad. The upside is: there is a sense of community here with people becoming acquainted, building friendships, then checking out of the lodge. I always rejoice when I see someone waiting in the lobby with their suitcases packed, ready to go back to family and friends. To overcome the boredom, guests utilize the lodge's library, watch TV, read the paper, etc. By far the most popular pursuit is assembling jigsaw puzzles. Without fail, there is a group of hens and a few roosters sitting around a table discussing the fine points of jigsaws. 3. The lawns in Vancouver are wooly brown. There is no prospect of rain here for at least 5 more days. Tomorrow is another day of making the best lemonade out of the lemons we are handed.

July 13

The little lady has had a great day. We went for a short stroll this morning and walked to the end of the block this afternoon. Somewhere in between, Judy had a snooze. We have an appointment with the surgeon on Thursday morning and have already booked an afternoon flight for Thursday afternoon.

July 12

The queen is out. I wheeled her home at noon today. We just finished lunch and now it's time for a beauty sleep. On Wednesday or Thursday, Judy has an appt with the surgeon to make sure Judy is ready to spread her lungs and fly. We met with the surgeon this morning. He is not concerned with the fluid around Judy's lungs. Her lung capacity should increase over the next 6 weeks. Indeed, Judy's stamina increased steadily after the last surgery. The difference this time around is: Judy has less lung. I would recommend not calling Judy when she first comes home. Her voice weakens quickly and talking causes her to cough. As for me, I am learning to lip read. As far as written communication, Judy loves to hear greetings and encouragement from family and friends. Just don't expect her to respond immediatly. Even texting or typing is a challenge at this point. We always love to hear news from home.

July 11

Judy was not discharged today. Rough night. She had a coughing fit near midnight and pulled a muscle in her chest. After a few painkillers and extra oxygen, she slept well until 5. That's a great sleep in a hospital. Her vitals were positive this morning. Oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rate were looking good. She was not on oxygen after 5am. Judy finds that she is less likely to cough if she whispers. As you know, Judy is not exactly a loud talker at the best of times, but I have squint lines developing around my eyes and my neck is getting longer trying to hear what she is saying. The present challenge for Judy is shortness of breath. Judy is learning to take it easy. Wash your face, have a rest. Brush your teeth, have a rest. Take a short walk, have a rest. She is also learning to breath from the diaphram. Breathing from the diaphram helps to raise her oxygen levels. There is some fluid around her lung, not in her lung. The doctors are monitoring the situation. Usually, the fluids in the chest cavity are absorbed into the body. Not sure what is going on there. Given today's events, I do not think we will be returning home until later in the week. Judy will likely be checking out of the hospital tomorrow and checking into our room at the Jean C. Barber Lodge. The plan is for Judy to relax and build her strength in preparation for the flight home. On the positive side, Judy is unplugged. She is no longer sporting a heart monitor. She is also getting more bossy, a true portent of good health. The gastro-intestinal channels are also starting to deliver payload, another sign of good health. The weather is cooler again today. Much needed showers are forecast for the next 2 days. Audrey is flying back to Saskatoon tomorrow. It has been wonderful having Judy's favourite sister her for the last 3 days. I will be up early to get her on the train to the airport;therefore, I better hit the hay. Until tomorrow, keep praying for God's speed in all things Judy-related.

July 10

Do you remember my predictions in an earlier blog? " The Riders will play their heart out." They did, but they lost. I'm already over it. Yes, Audrey and I were there at BC Place Stadium courtesy of Judy's cousin Gerry and his wife, Dawn. The biggest disappointment was that I didn't get to dance with the cheerleaders. In Judy news, Judy is probably getting out of hospital tomorrow. The surgeon wants her oxygen levels to be up before she is released. I won't bore anyone with details, but there are always challenges along the way when recovering from surgery. Watching monitors showing oxygen levels, blood pressure, and pulse rate is an emotional roller coaster ride. Recovery takes time. Patience patience. It's not always a joy ride. If Judy does get out tomorrow, we may fly home on Monday. One day at a time. Patience patience. But trust me, Judy is doing well and she is in good spirits. She is truly thankful for all the wonderful people who read this blog and for all the people who know what a precious diamond she is.

July 9

Audrey arrived today. It's always nice to have company when you are trekking to the hospital 3 times a day. The day started off with a bike ride around False Creek from Granville Island to the Expo 86 site and beyond. After the morning visit to the Queen's palatial quarters, I rode the Sky Train to the airport to collect little sister. After our afternoon visit, I met an old buddy of mine for coffee. Judy news: 1. The drainage tube was removed today. 2. Judy went a day without vomiting and nausea. 3. Word on the street has Judy being discharged tomorrow. We will likely have to stay at the lodge for 2-3 days minimum before being cleared to fly. The stay could be longer if there are issues that need to be resolved. 4. Judy is still on oxygen. She may need to have oxygen for the flight home and for a period of time after she returns home. 5. Judy appears stronger today. Last night, we walked 1/4 of the distance around the 12th floor. Judy needed to sit down for a rest before returning to her room. Tonight, we walked the full distance around the 12th floor with Judy yakety yaking as she walked. She made the trek without a pit stop. Thank you for your encouraging words and prayerful support.

July 8

Judy continues to improve. As predicted, the iPhone was delivered upon royal decree. The old flow meter was down to zero for a continuous 8 hours which means their is no air leaking from her lungs. The drain tube should be removed tomorrow. The catheter is out, but walking around the 12 th floor with Judy is like walking with a mangrove tree. There are still the usual residual effects of the pain meds...heartburn,constipation and nausea. Today will be her last visit with The Irreverent David Opheim who flies back to Hogtown tomorrow morning. The Princess of Graham, Judy's sister arrives tomorrow. Tonight's job: wash the queen's hair.

July 7

I start the day with a call from the nursing station. Emergency? No, Judy needs to have her novel delivered. The request from the new regent made me happy. She is well enough to read the day after her operation! After a long walk to Granville Island and a return trip along False Creek, Judy's brother, David, and I delivered the goods to the queen. She looks great. This morning, she had been up for a walk, sat in a chair for one hour, and had a sponge bath. Her breakfast consisted of jello and a cup of coffee. The observation ward is rather quiet compared to the last time Judy was in Vancouver General. She had a restful night and as usual, she has charmed the nursing staff. I told them last night before Queen Judy was delivered to the ward,"You'll love her. She is a real doll." The head nurse confirmed my assessment today. Bold predictions: 1. The catheter will be removed. 2. The epideral will be removed. 3. Nose tube will be removed. 4. Judy will ask for her beloved Iphone 6. 5. We will be watching the old flow meter will make its glacial speed move to zero. 6. I will wear out my flip flops walking to and from the hospital. 7. I will watch the Roughriders play their hearts out on Friday night at B.C. Place Stadium. 8. Judy will request that the King of Kelvington deliver dark chocolate treats to the hospital.

Later that night

Wow! Better news! I went up to see Judy this evening thinking she would already be in the observation ward. The nurses said she had not arrived, but they were just reading her information. They said the surgery was minimally invasive. I said, "You're kidding, we were told this morning that Dr. Nasir was going to open her up." Minutes later, I chanced upon Dr. Nasir coming out of the elevator. He informed me the operation was a success. His team was able to remove the remaining nodules and lesions from the left lung and a remaining nodule from Judy's upper right lung and they were able to accomplish the goal with minimally invasive surgery. Facts: 1. 2/3 of the lower left lobe was removed. 2. After the operation in April and today's surgery, Judy has 55% of her lungs remaining. 3. People can function with 50% lung capacity. 4. Judy only has one drain tube this time. I spent about 45 minutes with Judy this evening. She really is looking quite well. Her voice is still strong and she is recovering well from surgery. Just the emotional lift of knowing the surgery was minimally invasive provided Judy with a huge emotional lift. Thank God who answers prayers in the most suprising ways.

July 6 3:00 pm

I just saw Judy. Everything went well. The surgery was another 5.5 hr marathon. The doctor is calling me after his next surgery so I will give more details later this evening. i can state that her voice sounds stronger than last time. Although she is heavily sedated, Judy claims she feels better than after the last surgery. She is still in the post op area and will be moved to the observation room on 12th floor in 2-3 hours. I will see her later this evening.

July 6

We were up and on our way to the hospital for admitting at 5:30am. Judy's surgery is at 7:30. The surgeon is planning to open her up just like last operation. We were expecting this in spite of hoping for minimally invasive surgery. Judy is doing well and taking on whatever challenges come her way...such a brave lady. The surgery is supposed to be 4 hours, but I won't be able to talk to the surgeon until early afternoon. I will update the blog later in the day.

July 3

We were up at 3:30am this morning and in the air at 5:45am. Arrived in Vancouver, then checked into the lodge by 10 am. This afternoon was pre op. Pre op took most of the afternoon. This evening, I took the little lady out to the Cactus Club for dinner. Judy is feeling well. We are certainly hoping the surgeon will find the minimally invasive approach is the prefered option for surgery on Monday, but we are prepared for the same surgery as last time. Many thanks to all of you for your thoughts, love, and prayers. Thank you, as well, for all the wonderful friends and family who are looking after the homestead while we are in Van City. Our neighbors are going above and beyond the call of duty, as usual. Vancouver is sunny and hot just like Saskabush. While you are on your knees, don't forget to pray for rain.

June 13

I have been falling down on the job again. I should have posted on Monday, June 8. Judy and I met with a thoracic specialist at St.Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon on Monday for a follow up appointment to April's surgery. Xrays indicate that all is well. The lung is healing as it should. The doctor also explained that Judy's persistent cough is normal following lung surgery. The coughing should clear up in time. We found out yesterday that Judy has to be in Vancouver for July 3 rather than July 5 as earlier indicated. Surgery is still booked for the same day. The anesthetists want to see Judy for a pre op on July 3. Fortunately, I was able to switch flights and make adjustments to accommodations. The good people at Westjet did not charge us a flight change fee. Judy is feeling stronger every day. The cracked rib resulting from her last operation seems to have healed and she has minimal pain from the two areas where her drain tubes were inserted. Hopefully, the next operation will be minimally invasive and the recovery time will be shorter. We are off to the lake this weekend to watch rain from a different point of view. I am hoping to get in a couple rounds of golf. Ideally, it may be wet enough that Judy won't be able to use her pointing stick, but dry enough that I will be able to use my golfing sticks.

June 4

We just returned home after Judy's appointment with Dr. Ahmed, Judy's oncologist. He decided Judy should not have chemo tomorrow because there are only 4 weeks before Judy's next surgery. We are relieved because Judy needs to build her stamina before another major operation. The flight is booked for Vancouver and hopefully, there is room at the inn. There was another mix up in sending CT results to Vancouver, but I believe the wrinkle has been ironed out. We also found that Judy and I don't have to fly to Vancouver until July 5, the day before the operation. Judy will be having CT scan later in June, then the results will be forwarded to the surgeon in Vancouver. Judy has been doing well, although she is experiencing discomfort in her rib area. The most likely explanation is: the surgeon fractured a rib when he was going in between her ribs during the April 27 operation. We are off to the lake this weekend. Judy is still carrying her stick around pointing out jobs at the lake. Whenever work slows down, she applies the stick to my back. Thankfully, she is not the muscular type. The pain is minimal.

May 28

Judy received notice today that her next surgery will be in Vancouver on Monday, July 6. Thank you to all the friends and family who attended Judy's mother's funeral yesterday. There were very touching tributes to grandma by the grandchildren. Judy's brother offered a very heartfelt, inspired message bringing honor to his mother and describing her legacy. The whole day was a wonderful time of connecting with old friends/relatives, laughing, crying, and reminiscing.

May 24

Ten days have passed since my last post; therefore, I have been asked how Judy is doing. The answer is:great. She had her stitches removed from her drain entries on May 15. Yesterday, the butterfly bandages that were over her main incision peeled off. Her scar is just a thin pink line. Nice job of sewing. Looks impressive. Judy has been taking good care of herself. She is going for short walks to increase her stamina and she is resting often. Her appetite is good and she is not experiencing any significant shortage of breath. Judy and I took a day trip to the lake on Thursday. In the next week, she will phone Vancouver to determine whether a date has been selected for her next surgery. She will also be seeing a Saskatoon-based thoracic specialist in the near future for a follow up appointment. As usual, I am suffering in silence. My buddy, Dale Tallon, has instructed Judy to sit in a chair and point with a stick to make me aware of the chores that need to be done. The house is spic and span. The grass is mowed, recycle recycled, flower beds weeded, bedding plants in, and Judy is being chauffered to her eye brow/dentist/medical/shoe shopping appointments. She will begin to drive again in the coming days. Cinderella, Cinderella All I hear is Cinderella From the moment that I wake up First go down and clean the attic Then go down and clean the cellar You can do them both together Cinderella Someone please take Judy's stick away. Seriously though. We are both glad to be home surrounded by the love of friends and family. We are truly blessed. Judy's brother is coming tomorrow in preparation for Judy's mom's funeral on Wednesday. We will be looking forward to seeing family members who will be in town for the funeral. Furthermore, we look forward to celebrating Judy's mom's life. The funeral is on Wednesday, May 27 at 1:30 pm. Christchurch Anglican on Avenue E. Lunch to follow.