March 6

The Diamond Judy blog has ended, but I have started a new blog titled "Into the Blue". Try googling the new title if you are interested.  I hope it works for you.  Enter this blog address if you have trouble finding the blog.

http://www.ktown56.blogspot.com/

February 23

Today was another day of planning and running around.  As usual, being busy is therapeutic.

 If I ever start a new blog, I think I will call the blog "Judy's Song".  My inspiration comes from the old TV series, "The Thornbirds".  Perhaps you will remember the reason for the title.  Apparently, the thornbird when it reaches the end of its life impales itself in a thornbush.  As the tiny bird is dying, it sings its sweetest song.  Judy's last few years have been a sweet, sweet song.  I read today that "so many people are expecting a miracle rather than being a miracle".  Judy's life was a miracle.  I cannot tell you how many good things that have happened in Judy's life that were miracles.  As tributes pour in from countless people, I am reminded over and over again of the miracle that was Judy.  Well done good and faithful servant, you have earned your rest.

February 22

Today was a busy day.  Most of the day was spent making arrangements for Friday's Celebration of Life.  Audrey and I had an appointment with the funeral home this afternoon.  Nice people. 

One of the greatest joys of today was receiving help with various aspects of Friday's Celebration.  Everyone I asked for help said, "Yes, I would be honored to help." 

A large part of the day was spent receiving numerous condolences and words of encouragement from neighbors, friends, and family.  Of course, my tears are right near the surface and so many times today, kind words, sentiments, and remembrances of Judy turned me to mush.

Now is time for a sleep.  Tomorrow will be another busy day.

Celebration of Life

A celebration of Judy's life will be held on Friday, February 26, 2:00 pm at:
Christ Church Anglican

515 28th St W

Saskatoon

 

 

February 21

My beloved Queen died this evening around 7:30 pm.  Our family gathered in Judy's room to begin saying good-bye.  As I arrived at the room, there was a stain glass angel hanging on the door.  As I entered the room, I saw Judy was lying peacefully with her left hand resting on a heart-shaped pillow placed upon her chest.  Her right hand was placed over her tummy.  A beautiful quilt with an angel was over her body.   Judy looked as lovely as ever with her face being peaceful and serene. Mary combed her bangs just the way Judy would like them. We cried.  We reminisced.  Then we laughed.  Most of the laughter was about choosing a new Queen.  Some voted for David and some voted for Audrey.  We had to phone David's son, Justin, to decide the matter.  Justin appointed Judy's mother as the first Queen and played the fanfare whenever the Queen arrived.  It was only fitting that he should choose the successor.  He chose Audrey.  We phoned David with the news of his defeat.  As consolation, he will continue as Court Jester.

Each family member and their spouse had a turn alone with Judy before we parted.  I asked Audrey to be the last to spend time with Judy alone because she has known Judy the longest. During my turn with Judy I thanked her for 34 wonderful years of marriage.  I thanked her for making me a better man.  God knew what He was doing when he joined Judy and I as husband and wife.  I also promised her that I would continue, to the best of my abilities, the traditions that she upheld so faithfully.  Most importantly, I told her that I love her and that's all that really matters.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.





Thank you

February 20

Not much new to report today.  Judy continues to rest peacefully. 

February 19

A funny thing about maintaining a vigil...everyone makes predictions about when a person will die.  Some say people hang on until some event occurs like a visit from a loved one or a special day like a birthday or anniversary.  Others look at physical signs such as skin coloration or swollen joints.  I have grown weary of hearing predictions.  All I know is: Judy will die when the time is right.  As humans, we are very impatient and cannot understand why a person would hang on when they are non responsive, but I know when all this is said and done, we will see God's wisdom in the time he appoints for Judy to take his hand and enter into a new place where there are no more tears, no more sorrow, no more chemo treatments, no more bad news, no more surgeries, no more disorganized closet space.  I know that Judy is still aware of our comings and goings.  When I entered the room today, Judy turned her head ever so slightly to acknowledge my arrival.  She does not have the strength to move her lips, but when I look into her eyes, I sense a "knowing".  She is thinking who knows what?  Did Alvin Vim the sink?  Did he water the plants?  Has he been washing the crystal by hand instead of the dishwasher?  Has Alvin paid the phone bill? What are my friends and family doing?  I really don't know what she is thinking, but she does know she is loved by many.

February 18

Thank you for your prayers.  I am feeling better today.  As usual, the appropriate medicine for me is to get active.  Yes, I visited Judy for a few hours today, but I also ran some errands and I re-potted all the succulent plants that I am keeping over the winter.  I am sure Judy will approve.

Judy was peaceful today although her breathing was somewhat erratic.  Mary spent most of the day with Judy.  Audrey and Michelle, her daughter, were up to see Judy as well.  David flew back to Toronto and will be back next Wednesday.  Life continues.

Charlie Brown says to Snoopy, "Some day we will all die, Snoopy."
Snoopy replies, "True, but on all the other days, we will not."

February 17

Another tough day.  Judy is getting weaker and still unresponsive.  The palliative nurse said she is not in pain physically.  Any discomfort is soul pain.  The nurse said she is "in between two worlds". 

February 16

No one in the family slept well last night.  I was up early so I decided to visit Judy early in the morning.  God bless the wonderful nurses.  They were giving Judy a sponge bath when I arrived just to provide her more comfort.  I took some of Judy's favourite CDs from home...Kenny G (of course), Rankin Family, and Saskatoon Children's Choir.  The first song I played was The Irish Blessing and it drew an emotional sound from Judy.  The nurse suggested she would move Judy over to the right side of the bed so I could lay beside her for a snuggle.  I removed my shoes and spent some very precious time just lying beside Judy holding her and listening to music.  After spending the morning with Judy, I went home for lunch and a catnap.  David and I returned later in the afternoon.  Again, the family went up in shifts.  After leaving the hospital, David and I went for a long walk and capped the evening off with a delicious meal at our friends' house.

Judy was mostly unresponsive today; however, I could tell she was very much aware of our presence.  She was less restless.  The care she is receiving defies description.  These wonderful people take care of the patients and their families.  Thank God we have a facility like the SMU.

February 15

Today was another tough day.  The family went to the hospital in shifts.  Judy is a fighter and, as always, she never gives up.  She loves life and will never surrender.  She will fight to the finish.  I don't know when the end will come, but the end will come when it is supposed to come.  Until then, we will wait and be at Judy's side either physically or in spirit. 

I asked David to administer last rights today.  His words were so beautiful I want to end this post with the words that he shared.

Blessed be Thou Lord God of Israel forever and ever, all things in heaven and on Earth are thine. In Jesus name we embrace Judy at this moment.

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, "Give me a light that I may tread into the unknown. And he replied, "Go into the darkness and place your hand in the hand of God. That will be to you better than light and safer than a known way."

The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and always. Amen.

Judy it is OK to let go. We all love you. The girls will be fine with the support of the good men in their lives. And Alvin will be well taken care of; I will take that on personally.

(Anointing with Holy Oil) - The Blessing of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Go in peace.

February 14

When David arrived this morning, Judy was being bathed and given a clean night gown.  She did not awaken.  After having a restless night, she was given a stronger medication for pain.  Mary and Morgan were with Judy from 11 until 1:30.  Apparently, she tried to sit up, but was unable.  I visited twice today, but she was zonked both times I was present.  Haley and Dustin reported that Judy spoke a few words in the middle of the afternoon.  She wanted a sip of water and asked to have her blankets turned down because she was hot.  She did not eat today.

February 13 Later In the Day

Judy was very restless today.  She struggled to find a position where her back would not cause her pain.  She was given medication to comfort her frequently today.  Her voice is very weak and she struggles to be coherent.  She has thoughts that she would like to express, but they are trapped inside her head.  I spent most of the morning and afternoon at the hospital.  Family members came and went.  When Mary and I left just after 5 pm, she was resting comfortably.  She did not eat today...only a couple sips of water.  During the afternoon, Judy wanted to sit up on the side of her bed.  Mary and I helped her sit up.  These are tough days for all of us, my friends.

February 13

It was the strangest thing.  I had visited Judy earlier yesterday and she was really out.  Sleeping soundly.  After I left, she woke and had a wonderful exchange with Mary. Haley was up later in the afternoon.  I had gone home to Vim, vacuum, and vacate the house of dirt, dust, and discard.  Then I had a long sleep.  I only woke because my neighbor rang the doorbell.  I had turned off my phone and Haley was trying to contact me.  She said that Judy woke again about 4:00pm and wanted Haley to get her some soup.  Judy ate a bowl of Timmy's soup and half a bun.  She was in pain, but refused painkillers because she wanted to stay awake.  Judy wanted to see David and I...right now.  I rushed to the hospital.  She was somewhat "with it".  No profound messages.  She fell asleep after an hour.

The report from this morning is: she was sleeping soundly, then woke with a lot of pain.  She is having meds and I suspect she will be resting peacefully when I get to St Pauls.

It's a roller coaster ride.

February 11

Without going into detail, I will just say that today was a day of more signs.  I must mention that Judy is very peaceful and comfortable.  Furthermore, she is receiving wonderful care.  The staff keeps family in the loop and perform their work with compassion and thoughtfulness.

On the weekend, Haley shared a wonderful message with me that she received from an old friend.  Her friend reads this blog daily and, to here, our story is a love story.  Let me tell you how the love story began. 

When I was in second, third, and fourth year of university, I rode the Number 7/Hudson Bay Park/Sutherland bus from Massey Place to the university.  Nearly every day, I saw a pretty little brunette get on the bus at the corner of 33rd and Avenue K.  Sometimes I would see the same little brunette in the cafeteria of the Education Building.  In the fall of 1977, I was driving down 2nd Avenue in Kelvington when I saw the same girl walking down the street leaving the highrises and fancy stores of Kelvington's central business district on her way to her basement suite at Annie Babacey's house.

It wasn't until the spring of 1978, that I was introduced to Judy by a friend of mine at a dine and dance.  Judy and I had a few dances and let me say right now that I have never danced with a better dancer than my dear wife.  She is poetry in motion.  As we danced, I told her I was working at Fort Battleford for the summer of '78 before starting my first teaching job in Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan.  Judy said she would be passing through Battleford with her friend, Gloria, on their way to a west coast holiday.  As promised, Judy stopped to see me on her way through Battleford because she was really interested in history...yeah, right!  We made arrangements to go out for a beverage in Saskatoon when she returned from her holiday.  Before I left for Wood Mountain, I took Judy out for a bevvy at The Pat.  When I went to pick Judy up, her dad took me downstairs to show me his running shoe collection.  Nothing strange about that!  The night ended with a civil handshake, but I was smitten.

During my first week of teaching, I received a letter from Miss Opheim.  I didn't open the letter for a long time.  My reason was: if I didn't open the letter, I could imagine all kinds of wonderful things she would say.  When I finally read the letter, the content was less than gratifying.  The letter was all about how homesick she was in Kelvington.  She craved the nightlife and amenities of the city.  Obviously, she hadn't acquired a taste for Wheat King hockey, the Kelvington Hotel Bar, and Ning's Cafe.

Things ran cool for a while, but then I got a summons from the Queen in early December.  She needed an escort for her school staff party so I drove five measly hours up to Kelvington so Judy would not be a wall flower at the staff party.  The night ended with Judy crying about some family issue that I didn't understand.  The crying things was a little "off putting" for me so I just let the phone go dead in our relationship.  We both moved on to other things.

In the fall of 1980, I moved to Prairie River where I was principal of a three room school.  Judy had moved to Saskatoon and was teaching at South Corman Park School.  She had turned 25 and said, "My goodness, I am 25 and I am not married. I'm going to be an old maid." So she decided to farm some of her former prospects.  I was the second person she called.  In fact, she called me on the first Friday of the school year to tell me she had sent me a letter and she suggested that we get together for a visit the next time I came to Saskatoon.  I said, "I am going to Saskatoon this weekend."  I also told her that I had become a born again Christian so...watch out!  She replied, "Yeah. Yeah. Whatever."

Well, we got together that weekend and we have been together ever since that first weekend of September in 1980.  Judy would travel to Prairie River when the weather was right and I would usually travel to Saskatoon most weekends.  In October of 1980, I broke my leg riding a horse and had to be air ambulanced into Saskatoon.  The upside of the broken leg was having to spend two whole weeks with Judy.  On the first day of Christmas holidays, I told Judy I loved her as we sat in front of her Christmas tree.  How appropriate for Mrs. Christmas.  On New Year's Day, I proposed to Judy and we were married on July 18, 1981.

Together, we have built a house and created a home for two wonderful daughters.  Indeed, the girls are the most wonderful manifestation of the love Judy and I have for each other.  There is so much of Judy in both girls.  They have appropriated all that is best in Judy.  Judy has created a legacy that will live on in her girls.  Judy will always be with us.  So there you have it The Love Story of the King and Queen.

February 10

I arrive at Judy's room just before noon.  Judy is partially awake.  She finds the strength to sit up on the side of her bed.  I hugged her then held both her hands.  Judy says, "I need to have a conversation with you, but I don't know what to say."  She starts to cry.
I say, "You know I love you, don't you?"
Judy replies, "You know I love you too."
I replied, "Then that's all that needs to be said."

Judy did not make it out of bed today.  She is very tired and frustrated with being in a confused state.  Her appetite is waning as well.  Her consumption today was the cream cheese of the Tim Horton's bagel she requested.  She did not eat lunch or supper.  Another frustration for Judy is her lack of fine motor control.  She is not able to take oral medications without assistance.  When we visited Judy later in the evening, she was more coherent mainly because she had a long sleep between 2:30 pm and 7:00 pm.  Even in her most confused state, she is still as regal and beautiful as ever.  No complaints.  No self-pity.  Always putting others first.  God Bless the Queen.

February 9

Judy slept most of the day today.  When the meds wear off, there is pain.  When the meds are in effect, there is fatigue and confusion.  David, Audrey, and I visited Judy in the early afternoon.  She was very groggy.  She requested that she have no visitors until she is feeling in more of a visiting mood. 
This afternoon, David and I prepared a roast chicken dinner for the girls and their guys.  Audrey brought her world famous layered salad.  I roasted the chicken and prepared the cheesy mashed potatoes.  David made a delicious homemade stove top stuffing.  The neighbor lady provided tarts for dessert.  All seven of us bombarded the chicken ranch next door for happy hour before we returned to our house for dinner.  We had a great time laughing, crying, and supporting one another.

February 8

Judy was quite tired today.  She asked Audrey, David, and me to hold off visiting until after noon.  When I arrived, we went for a little walk.  Audrey gave Judy a foot rub and David flirted with a 99 year old woman from down the hall.  Judy said she was wanting to go shopping with Mary to buy a fascinator.  Now, for all the gents who read this blog, you have another word to learn. A fascinator is: a woman's "head decorator", both "delicate" and "often frivolous," is designed to fascinate.  I am guessing this head decoration would be for Mary's wedding.  I find it fascinating there is such a thing.

We left around 3:30 because Judy had been given her meds.  When Mary visited at 5:30, Judy was still not awake.  Given Judy's present energy level, I am definitely curbing the number of people who visit Judy.  With due respect, I must say that Judy loves you all dearly, but she is not craving more visitors.  Those who wish to see her will have to be satisfied with photos and memories for the time being. In fact, Judy has asked for a sign to be posted on her door saying "No Visitors".  I understand everyone's desire to see Judy because they love her dearly, but rest assured no one in our family will consider you less a friend if you do not ask for a visit.  I do not mean to offend by taking this stand; however, I am sure that people can appreciate how difficult being the gatekeeper can be. 

February 7

We had another party in the Queen's bedroom today.  David, Haley, Dustin, Mary, Morgan, Audrey, and I all squeezed in to Judy's room.  Another advantage of the SMU rooms...there is room for a person who likes to rock, some comfy chairs, and big chairs for those who like to share.  David sat on the floor because he is Friendly.  We had a glorious time being together and Judy just laid there and took in the conversations.  Today was a wonderful time spent together in the presence of the Queen.

February 6

David and I went to the hospital to help Haley load Judy into the car for her excursion to the florist where they met Mary.  Something new that Judy is contending with is swollen feet and ankles.  Getting the little Judy shoes on the swollen Judy feet was a challenge.  Judy's excursion lasted two hours.  When she returned to the SMU, she was due for a long sleep.  David and I returned to visit Judy around 5:00 pm.  She was well rested; therefore, she was bright-eyed and bushy tailed. 
David and I rescued my son in law, Dustin, from a day of flower sniffing by leading him astray.  He joined David and I for some "shotgun therapy" at the Wakaw farm.  David, Dustin, and I handled a major snow man infestation at the farm, then we headed to the Crossroads for the usual post therapy banquet.  Another day well spent.

February 5

The day begins at 4:00 am when I wake up for the first time.  Sometimes I sleep in until 5.  I usually take a minimum of two hours to resume sleep.  By the time I fall asleep again, David leaves for his 6 am Starbucks on Broadway.  His greatest satisfaction in life is getting one of the big leather chairs so he can enjoy his vente skinny vanilla latte and his philosophy books.  David's next stop is Judy's room where he has a quality time with his big sister.  By 9 am, David returns to quarters to pick me up so he can transport me to volleyball.  When volleyball is over at 11:15, I wait outside like the neglected child of an unreliable parent for David to pick me up.  When David finally arrives, we pursue the 6000 calorie limit that he requires to stay alive.  Then it is nap time.  After nap time, David and I pay homage to the Queen who usually sleeps from 12:00-3:30 pm.  After our visit to the Queen, we return to quarters so David can splash with his tub toys and I go to the neighbors for Happy Hour and to feed the chickens in their garage.  The final act before bed time is to rely on the charity of friends for sustenance then head back to quarters for sleepy time.  Ah yes, a day in the life of a King.
Oh, by the way, Judy had a good day.  She is resting more each day.  The girls plan to take Judy to the florist tomorrow to pick out flowers for Mary's wedding.  Dave and I are off to the Farmer's Market for a morning cinnamon bun then we are traveling to the farm for more shotgun therapy.  When we return to Saskatoon, we will report to the Queen on the number of snowmen we wasted. 
Now, it's time for my pre-game nap.  Hockey begins in two hours.

February 4

Yesterday, David and I took Judy to Audrey's place for supper.  We left the hospital around 4:30 armed with syringes of saline, painkillers, and Gravol.  Judy was a little piggy.  She ate two cannelloni, cheese, crackers, veggies, dip, coleslaw, cheesecake, half a barley sandwich, and two glasses of fermented grapes.  She was tired by 7:00; therefore, we returned the Queen to St. Pauls.  As a side note, the meal she enjoyed going south eventually went north. 
Today, Judy spent the morning with Mary so they had a quantity time together.  Later in the afternoon, Audrey, David, and I had a little party with Judy.  As usual, she was entertained by her little brother who shaved his head as bald as a pool ball in support of a cousin who has been diagnosed with leukemia and undergoing chemo at RUH.  Audrey's duty to the Queen was to trim her hooves.  My job was to sit in the recliner rocker playing with the controls.  Chair goes up.  Chair goes down.  I also re-positioned Judy's table because the table had moved 3cm out of square.
Rest assured, Judy is being well cared for.

February 2

The first day in the SMU was a success.   The staff is amazing as their pre billing.  Judy found out her nurse's mother went to school with Judy's mother.  I found out one of Judy's doctors was raised in Wadena.  Kelvington is to Wadena as Dog River is to Wollerton, but I'm too big a man to carry on the fued. The approach in the SMU is somewhat different than what Judy has experienced in the last 17 weeks.  The staff do not routinely check vitals or blood tests.  There is no IV pole.  Medicines are injected through the PICC line or administered orally rather than IV bags. If she has pain, she gets pain killers.  If she is nauseous she get anti-nausea drugs.  If Judy is hungry, she eats; if she is thirsty, she has some water, ginger ale, or tea.  Starbucks must be imported.  Timmy's is right downstairs. Judy is developing a callous on her thumb from using her remote control to change channels on her flat screen TV. Judy's first impression of the room was positive because the baseboards were monochromatic.  I don't know what that means, but I think it is good. Trust Judy to notice the color of the baseboards.  By the way, she used monochromatic to describe the clothes I wore to church on Sunday.  Judy does love the big words.  Her all time favorite is still "ethereal", but "monochromatic" seems to be a strong second.

February 1

As I was on my way to the hospital this afternoon, I got a call from the RUH Palliative Care Coordinator.  She informed me there was a room available at the SMU.  After I arrived at Judy's room, we met with the coordinator and worked out the logistics of moving Judy.  Seeing the staff from the surgery ward offer their heartfelt good wishes to Judy was heartwarming.  They are an amazing group of human beings.  I am not just saying this because they read this blog.  Judy and I will forever have all of them in our hearts.
We traveled by ambulance to St. Pauls and arrived around 8:00 pm.  One of the ambulance drivers was from The Center of the Universe a.k.a. Kelvington.  No wonder he was bright, congenial, and in possession of a great sense of humor. We were introduced to the staff in the SMU, then David and I spent some time helping Judy settle in to her new quarters.  From Judy's room, she can see her childhood home at 1116 Avenue K.  The room has comfortable chairs and a flat screen TV.  When David and I left, Judy was getting ready to count sheep. Sweet dreams, Sweet Judy Two Shoes.

January 31

Judy had another good day.  She is eating more now and experiencing less nausea.  Although she is covering less distance due to back pain, she has 2 or 3 walks per day.  I think I mentioned yesterday that I took her an "Unbeetable" Booster Juice.  She polished the Booster Juice off today.  I am concerned with Judy turning into a mooch.  I am having to upgrade from "tall" to "grande" at Starbucks because Judy is taking more and more of my Decaf Caramel Machiatto Half Sweet Extra Hot as each day passes.
Mary and Judy were working on the guest list for Mary's wedding in September.  Mary planned a wedding in 5 days earlier this month.  Now, she has planned a wedding in 5 days again, but the wedding does not occur until September 17.  I am expecting Mary to give me a deadline for my fatherly wedding speech any day now so she can have it proofread and approved by the Queen.  David arrives tomorrow so I will have a house guest for the coming days.  Time for more shotgun therapy, I'm sure.

January 30

I was on my way for coffee with friends this morning when I got an emergency call from Judy.  She didn't like her hospital breakfast so she ordered an Bacon and Egg McMuffin and coffee from McDonalds.  I was running late so I had to move at WARP speed to get through my morning ablutions, go through the drive through at McDs, drive to RUH, find a parking spot, rush up to her palatial quarters, and deliver the Queen's breakfast.  After coffee, I delivered Judy's favourite Booster Juice in time for lunch.  Judy was a little tired this morning.  She is taking a nerve blocker and pain killers to ease the pain in her back.  The mixture of drugs makes her very sleepy.  She was ready to saw logs by the time I left her at mid day.  Apparently, she had a good afternoon nap and had good visit later in the afternoon with Mary and some close friends.  Judy now has a TV in her room; therefore, she will probably look forward to watching her favourite HGTV shows.  The Queen deserves the luxury.

January 29

The day started out a little rough for Judy.  The main source of discomfort is her lower back.  By the time I arrived at the hospital after 3 pm, she was feeling better.  Haley, Mary, and our niece, Michelle dropped by when they were done work.  Visiting in the private ward is heavenly compared to visiting the previous accommodations.  The main topic on the agenda was wedding plans. 
Over the past week, Judy, in consultation with the girls, the palliative nurse coordinator, and the palliative doctor has made a decision to access palliative care at St. Paul's Hospital.  Judy does not like to use the term" palliative" for obvious reasons.  She prefers "symptom management"; therefore, Judy is waiting for a placement at the SMU...Symptom Management Unit at St Paul's.  Everyone we talk to speaks very favorably about the SMU a.k.a. Palliative Care Unit.  All the rooms are private, spacious, and comfortable.  Parking is provided for the spouse. The staff are exceptional.  The list goes on.  Placement in the SMU depends on availability and severity of symptoms so we don't know exactly when Judy will be moved to St. Paul's.
For people who are emailing or texting Judy, please keep in mind replying to messages takes all the energy that Judy can muster.  I am sure you understand that she will likely not be able to reply to messages messages sent to her.  This is not to say, she shouldn't receive messages.  Indeed, she loves hearing from her friends.  Just don't expect Judy to reply.  Every time I write one of these directives, I feel bad because it seems I have people fretting about whether they are doing the right thing.  Trust me.  I know you love Judy and you are doing your best.  We are all trying to find our way and do what is best. 

January 28

Good News!  Judy has been transferred from a public ward to a private ward.  What a breath of fresh air!  No more room full of curtains.  No more neighboring patients listening to their TVs in the hard of hearing range.  No more squeezing 4 chairs into a space big enough for one chair.  Judy's new room is spacious, private, and bright.  Judy had a good day today.  She was not nauseous and she ate more than she has been eating.  One reason for the increased appetite is: she declined TPN.  The TPN was likely making Judy nauseous because her system was not able to digest all the nutrient.  Yesterday's news was the removal of the catheter.  She will be more able to access the washroom now that she is in a private ward. 
I need to make a clarification regarding Mary's wedding plans.  The wedding last Thursday was to make things legal in the eyes of God.  The wedding planned for September 17 will be the wedding with the dress, groomsmen, flowers, photographer, bridesmaids, church setting, wedding cake, speeches, and hoe down.  Mary, being a chip off the old block, has a book of detailed plans.  When I arrived at Judy's room today, Mary and Judy were busy adding more plans to the book. 
In sporting news, tomorrow has volleyball and hockey on the agenda.  Quoting my buddy, Rick, "Being retired is like being 12 again, except you have friends and money." 

January 26

Judy had a rough night last night.  She was awake several times because of a sore back.  When I visited her this afternoon, her catheter had been removed.  She wears a type of Depends, but the hope is that she will use the washroom.  Of course, she will have to wheel her IV pole to the washroom.  We will see how this arrangement works.  Judy is still on full foods.  She pecks away at the food on her food tray and still receives TPN in the evenings, but I believe they are cutting back on the amount of TPN.  Apparently, her nausea may be caused by having to digest too much nutrient.  Her system is not able to digest as much as before.  In other news, wedding plans are moving along.  We booked the ACT Hall this evening.  I had the pleasure of traveling out to Prairie View School today to see my old colleagues and deliver cookies to them.  For the last three weeks, I have been playing volleyball with my buddies in the Saskatchewan Senior Athletics Association.  Most of the volleyball players are people who I play 60+ slow pitch with in the summer.  Volleyball is every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30-11:30 am.  On Friday nights, I am the old timer at hockey and at volleyball, I am the young pup.  Well, I better hit the hay so I can bump, set, carry, tomahawk, and swallow my pride tomorrow at volleyball.

January 25

Judy was feeling quite tired today.  She had some nausea in the morning.  She was feeling better by evening.  I want to remind people that Judy and I share the same home email.  Judy receives sasktel email on her cell phone.  If you are sending a message to me, you should know that Judy reads the emails.  There are times when I receive messages that may be discouraging for Judy to read.  Remember, Judy is very much alive.  She does not feel sorry for herself and does not like to hear about people feeling sorry for her or people feeling sorry for themselves.  She loves to hear stories of people loving life and enjoying the good things life has to offer.  Live victoriously, my friends. Rejoice always.  Give thanks.  Sing alleluia.  You know what Judy says..."It's all good!"

January 24

I spent most of the afternoon with Judy today.  Mary and I returned from Wishart just after 1 pm.  The Queen ordered a heating pad.  Arrangements were made to have a massage therapist this afternoon as well.  A friend of Judy's who attended high school and elementary school with Judy made a special trip from Edmonton with her husband to visit Judy.   After our friends from Edmonton departed, Judy was in wedding planner mode.  Lord, help me with my attention deficit disorder.  The dance in Wishart was amazing, as usual.  I clocked about 20 polkas, a butterfly, 2 schottische, a few old time waltzes, 2 cha chas, several western two steps, and a half dozen jives.  My accommodations for the night were at the home of an old teaching colleague from Saskatoon West School Division days.  Wishart hospitality is second to none.  Rest assured, I did not starve. 

January 22

Another "off" day for Judy, at least in the morning.  Judy was feeling a little better in the afternoon, but was very tired...no surprise given yesterday's activities.  Tomorrow, Mary and I are having our yearly Father/Daughter date.  We are going to Malanka in Wishart to polka until we drop.  Mary danced with Wishart's Hopac Dancers when she taught in Foam Lake.  The village of 120 puts on a dance and 450 people show up.  No one leaves hungry.  I remember going to Wishart with Mary last year.  I had played hockey on Thursday night and wrenched my back.  On Friday, I couldn't even walk the length of the mall because my back was very sore.  Of course, I didn't want to miss ballroom dance on Friday night so I popped a couple muscle relaxants and felt better with every cha cha cha.  On Saturday, Mary and I drove to Wishart in the afternoon, danced the night away, got back in the car and drove back to Saskatoon.  I got home at 2:30, got up at 6:00 am and played hockey at 7:20.  My psychologist says I should dial it back a notch.  Point taken.  I play hockey tonight at 11:00.  Have to run. Goodnight, couch potatoes!
P.S. We are sleeping in Wishart tomorrow night.

January 21

The dishes are all washed, food is stored away, chairs are returned to their places, floor is swept, and clothes are put away.  Now, it is time to report on the day.  The girls arrived in the early afternoon to have their friend, Nadia, apply make up.  We arrived at the hospital around 3:00.  The nurses had begun to dress Judy and hide all her tubes/bags within her dress.  There were three nurses involved in styling her hair.  I will never get tire of saying the nurses on the surgery ward are world class angels of mercy.  We were all prepared for family pictures by 4:00 pm.  Morgan was looking dapper in his new suit.  The suit even looked better when he removed the price tag.  After pictures, we went to the chapel where Uncle David performed a wonderful wedding service for Morgan and Mary.  Thank you for all your prayers for Judy because she was feeling well during the service and she even felt well enough to come home for the post wedding celebration at our house.  Everyone was thrilled to see her beautiful face.  The day went as well as we could have expected.  The only glitch was: Haley was not feeling well as a result of food poisoning from something she ate yesterday.  Mary was a radiant bride.  You couldn't wipe the smile off her face.  Who says you can't organize a wedding in 5 days.  Mission accomplished.

January 19

Judy had a rough night.  She wasn't up for her daily visit with David when he arrived at 8:00 am.  I believe they upped the dosage on her anti nausea drug.  The usual practice is to start out with a lower dosage then increase until the effective level is reached.  Because Judy was sleeping, David and I decided to make our ritual trip to the farm at Wakaw.  We made our usual stop at Crossroads Restaurant to support the Barley Growers of Saskatchewan and to have the perogy, cabbage roll, and kielbasa combo.  After lunch, we enjoyed some 12 gauge shotgun therapy at the farm.  There are some old oil cans that won't mess with Alvin and David ever again.  When we returned to the city, we visited Judy.  She was feeling better.  Haley and Mary were with Judy doing her nails and finding out how Judy wanted to make herself pretty for Thursday.  

January 18

Judy was up for physio, a shower, and a few short sessions in her chair today.  The palliative care coordinator for RUH and the palliative care doctor met with Judy today.  A decision was made to start Judy on a new anti nausea drug administered through a patch on her leg.  We will wait and see whether the drug is effective.  Wedding plans are falling into place.  The chapel is booked.  Flowers are being delivered.  The photographer is committed to the cause even though she had her own personal tragedy.  Apparently, her house burnt down.  Mary came to the house today to pick out a few dresses and shoes for Judy to wear. Alvin had his hair cut at Tragic Cuts. (When asked how I wanted my hair cut, I asked for the stylist to remove all the grey hairs and now I am bald). A special angel is making a cake.  The post celebration is planned.  The nurses have even created a space to have a post service get together at the hospital in case Judy is not well enough to join us at our home.  Judy loves these nurses and they love her.  We are overwhelmed by the love and support we continue to receive from every person who knows Judy's story. The outpouring of love and congratulatory messages Mary and Morgan have received has been heartwarming.  Joy in the midst of adversity.  Man, what a ride.

January 17

Yesterday, I got a text from Mary's boyfriend Morgan.
Hey Alvin, how's it going?
Good, I just finished my housework.
Is it okay if I stop by your place?
Sure, come on over.
Morgan arrives.  Yes, Mary and I have been talking and we would like to get married.  Do I have your blessing?  Yes, Morgan, you have my blessing.  (Now let me state here that Morgan and Mary have been together for nearly 5 years if my memory serves me correctly.  Those 5 years have been the happiest years of my daughter's life.  Morgan loves Mary very much and treats her like the lady she is.  He would never do anything to hurt her.  He pretty much does what Mary tells him to do...similar to the relationship I have with Judy.)  Later yesterday, Morgan went to Judy's bedside and said to Judy, " I love your daughter very much and I would like your blessing to ask for Mary's hand in marriage.
Of course, Mary and Morgan would like to get married soon because they would like Judy to be a part of their marriage.  If all goes according to our impromptu plans, we will have a small private ceremony at RUH chapel on Thursday evening.  Judy's brother, David, will officiate.  Hopefully, the photographer who was going to do family pictures ( a gift Haley, Mary, and I gave Judy for Christmas) will photograph the event.
Judy had another rough night.  She began with a migraine and then fought nausea for half the night.  She got some rest and was up in the morning for some breakfast and a shower.  We visited later in the afternoon.  Haley, Dustin, Mary, Morgan, David, and I had a good visit with Judy, but she was quite exhausted by the time we left.
I know people are wanting to visit Judy, but visiting really takes more energy than she has right now.  If you are wanting to visit Judy, please consult with me before making plans to visit her.  Visits have to be very short.  Five to ten minutes will have to suffice.  If she is asleep, the visit should consist of looking at her beautiful face, blowing a kiss, and mouthing an "I love you".

January 16

I mentioned in an earlier post that Judy was having a CT on Tuesday, January 12.  The results are as follows:
1.  The cancer in her body has become quite agressive.
2.  There are multiple lesions in Judy's liver.  The lesions have doubled in size since the last CT in early December.
3.  There are lesions in her lungs and in the bones of her lower back.
4.  Lymph nodes in her groin area are also cancerous.
Judy still looks as beautiful as ever.  She is still attempting to eat, but nausea continues to be a problem.  More of her day is occupied with rest.  The nursing staff has been wonderful in keeping her comfortable with anti nausea meds, heating pads, and pain killers. Judy usually showers and does physio in morning. We usually visit Judy later in the afternoon when she has had her rest.  She is still very much "with it" after her rest.  In spite of all the bad news Judy has received, she is quite serene.  She continues to charm the doctors and nurses.  Furthermore, she continues to inspire everyone who knows her...forever the teacher.  A good friend of Judy's who was a colleague at Martensville High School told me, "When we have challenging situations with students at our school, we still go by the motto of 'what would Judy do'."
As for the girls, they are coping as well as can be expected.  Of course, I would be lying if I said this is easy for any of us.  We just take life one day at a time and enjoy every precious moment we have with Judy.  The girls are very proud of their mother and strive to be like her.  Indeed, there is a lot of Judy in both of them.  Judy and I couldn't be more proud of our daughters.  They are jewels in the crown of the King and Queen.

January 14

Judy had another good day.  Although she didn't eat much lunch, she had a few bites of her roast beef dinner and she is ploughing through her orange Ensure stockpile one teaspoon at a time.  She added another duty to my cleaning list. Apparently, she informed her brother, David, that, "Sometimes Alvin cooks chicken and only uses a dish rag and dish soap to clean the counter.  He needs to use Lysol wipes to get the counter completely clean."  You see, I wasn't even aware that I was in breach of counter cleaning protocols.  Now that I know, I won't make the same mistake again.  Judy is quite proud of me for the money saving measures I have taken in her absence.  Most of the measures have been taken without her approval, but I can't tell you what they are because the Queen has snitches everywhere.  One measure I can tell you about was stealing power from my neighbors.  They just found out yesterday that their power bill and gas bill is two times as expensive as mine.  The reason for this is: I have been running the cord from my electric heater to their outdoor plug in.  I also run as many of my appliances as their circuit will tolerate.  I didn't think they would notice the spike in their bills.  I thought they would blame the outrageous bills on the fact they keep chickens in their garage.  Those brood lamps really suck the power.  Tomorrow is another busy day.  Car to the garage, play volleyball from 9:30-11:00, visit Judy, eat, afternoon nap, happy hour with my girls, dance a few dances at the Scandinavian Club, and cap the night off with late night hockey.  I'm really slowing down as I approach 60.

January 13

Judy is beginning to eat a variety of foods now. Fortunately, we have 40+ bottles of creamsicle Ensure in the pantry. She is no longer limited to sips of water because that plan wasn't yielding any results.   She has not been experiencing as much nausea now.  Perhaps the decreased nausea is due to the fact her ostomy is continuing to work. I should mention a milestone was reached today.  The number of hits on the Diamond Judy blog surpassed 40 000 today.  Now my son in law wants to purchase advertising space on my blog.  Actually, he can't afford my rates. 

January 11

Judy started the day feeling rather "off" as she describes the condition.  She had recovered by noon in time for our oncology appointment at 1:00 pm.  There was no real earth shaking news coming out of the oncology review. We know the following:
1.  Judy still has a fistula between the bowel and the bladder.
2.  There is still a chance that chemotherapy may be used to limit the growth of lesions in her liver.
3.  A CT scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the amount of cancer growth in Judy's body.
The other thing you should know is that Judy is one of the toughest little ladies on God's Green Earth.  She continues to fight, embrace hope, and rise above all the adversity that comes her way.  

January 10

Okay, we have a new problem.  Now that Judy is on fluids again, she thinks she can hog all my caramel machiatto.  I guess I will have to start ordering grande rather than tall.  Judy had a good day today.  All of her bags are filling as they should.  David and I did not visit Judy until mid afternoon because we went to see The Revenant after I got home from church.  I think Leonardo deCaprio is going to win an academy award for grunting and labored breathing.  You will understand my prediction if you have seen the movie.  Honestly though, the movie is incredible.  The cinematography and special effects are amazing.

January 9

The insertion of the nephrostomy tube was successful.  To review the bag situation...Judy has an ostomy, a catheter, and two neph bags.  The ostomy is continuing to work and as hope for, Judy is experiencing less nausea.  She is still on clear fluids.  I am not sure how honey dew melon qualifies as clear fluids, but there was a bowl of honey dew on Judy's tray and she chowed down the complete serving.  She also slurped down all her grape juice.  Reporting all these things may seem trivial to the uninformed, but followers of this blog will know this is progress.  I know many of you are probably wondering about my first session in the Mennonite Pro Leagues.  Well, there were two 50 year olds, one 59.9 year old (me), and the rest were 20 somethings.  One young guy sees me getting dressed and says," I suppose it has been a few years since you strapped on the old blades, eh?"  Now, I didn't skate circles around these guys; however, I was able to keep up and I even managed to score a couple goals.  I had a blast and I will be back next Friday night while the rest of the world is sleeping or watching The National. 

January 8

For all the issues that Judy is dealing with, there is a host of specialists.  Surgeon, oncologist, urologist...  The urologist met with Judy today and a decision was made to insert another nephrostomy tube.  Now Judy will have a neph tube for each kidney; therefore, there will be no urine passing through the bladder.  Judy also went on full fluids today.  She had broth at noon and supper.  the meals were accompanied by the appropriate drugs to keep the meal down.  So far, so good.  I really don't know what the overall plan is going forward.  We should know more after Monday when we have a meeting with the oncologist.  On the Alvin front: I finally got around to playing volleyball with a group from the Saskatoon Senior Athletics Association.  The group plays every MWF from 9:30-11:00 am.  A lot of the players are people I play SSAA slow pitch with in the summer.  And just to prove I am certifiably nuts, I am heading out in the minus temperatures tonight to play hockey at Archibald Arena with group of guys from Cornerstone Mennonite Church.  If you don't care for fighting in hockey, play with a bunch of "Conscientious Objectors".

January 7

I had an enjoyable day of herding cats a.k.a. teaching grade 7 at Warman Middle School.  After work, I visited Judy.  She received the cystogram results from Dr. Kanthan.  Apparently, the fistula has not healed.  In fact, the tear is larger.  This news is not actually surprising because fistula usually require surgical repair.  So the news is not surprising, just disappointing.  Judy is looking forward to tomorrow because her hair stylist is going to be styling her hair later in the afternoon.  I approved the transaction because a haircut is still cheaper than a dog license.  Oh, if Judy ever found out some of the things I write, I would be sent to the dungeon.

January 6

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone.  Khrystos Rodyvsya!!! The big news from yesterday was that Judy had her first BM in 3 months.  Now, I know this is not the kind of news that a husband shares about his wife, but the event is so long in arriving that I was passing out cigars last night to strangers in the waiting room.  Hopefully, the event will lead to good things like relief from nausea.  Judy has not received the results of the cystogram yet.  When I was visiting with my cousin, Gord, this afternoon, I was reminded of a book I read by Mitch Album titled "Tuesdays With Morrie".  Our usual meeting time is on Mondays.  I should write a book titled "Mondays With Gordie", I treasure the times we meet together on Monday afternoon.  Gord, along with a multitude of others have come along side me to show they care.  Some other books I would like to mention are as following:
1. Happy Hour With Raymond and Bridget and Jack When He Is Available
2. Drop In Any Time With Dale and Trish
3. Zuma Borscht and Nien Kukken With the Bartsches
4. Thursday Steak Nights With Ed and Jane
5. Long Distance Chats With Sister Polly
6. Sports Talk With Wayne and Vinny
7. Gourmet and Hilarity With the Oxelgrens and Craigs
8. Texts From Huatulco With Tom and Anita
9. Esoteric Chats With Cam
10. Knitting Updates With Mom
11. Coffee Time With the Loser's Club
There are so many to mention.  There is a host of other people who did not make my top 11 titles, but everyone who has shown me love and support is in my heart.  You are all angels of mercy to Judy, the girls, Judy's siblings, and me. 

January 5

I visited Judy in the morning yesterday.  She was feeling "a little off" as Judy likes to say.  She was informed a cystograph was scheduled for 1:30 yesterday.  The results will be delivered in a couple of days.  After visiting Judy, I drove up to Big Shell Lake to visit my friends, the Buswells.  Wonderful visit.  Lynna whipped up a tasty lunch, then Neil and I walked for just over 2 hours in the bush.  After Buswells, I went into the town of Shell Lake to visit the Felds.  Another great visit ending with a delicious meal.  Of course, the Felds and I had to do a ceremonial trading of my perogies for their coubassa...a very sacred Ukrainian rite. 

January 3

Not much has changed over the last 2 days.  Judy's routine is to get up in the morning for physio and a shower.  Audrey is faithfully visiting Judy every morning and makes sure the Queen's personal effects are alphabetized then placed in right angles to the equator.  Judy does like organization.  After morning activities, Judy usually has some meds that help her to rest so she can be as radiant as ever when I visit after 3 pm.  The girls have enjoyed having the luxury of time over the holidays to visit their mom every day.  Tomorrow is back to the salt mines for both girls. They are looking forward to using the can openers I gave them in their Christmas Stockings.  The can openers are used to open up a great big old can of "you know what" if students misbehave. Of course, I supplied them with cans of "you know what".  Actually, the cans are full of Stag Chili (I just turned the labels around) that their Uncle David left in my pantry so they really do contain "you know what".  Mary is quite excited because she traded in her 2011 Rav for a 2016 Corolla.  She is sentimentally attached to Corollas because she was brought home from the hospital as a newborn in our old 86 Corolla.  Judy and the girls seem to be in a good place emotionally.  Judy's condition seems quite stable.  No drastic changes.  She looks as bright and beautiful as ever.  In an earlier post, I mentioned Judy will be having a csytoscopy sometime in the coming week. Apparently, the proper term is cystograph.  Oh yeah, and pic line should actually be picc line. 

January 1

Judy texted this morning to say she was feeling quite nauseous; therefore, I planned my visit for later in the afternoon.  Haley, Dustin, Mary, and I parked at the weir and walked to RUH around 3:30 pm.  Judy was feeling better by the time we arrived.  Our lake family, the Cubbons and the Felds had sent video messages for Judy to Mary's iPhone that she was able to view during our visit.  The messages really gave Judy a lift.  The catheter continues to run clear.  Hopefully, this means the fistula is healed.  From what I have read on the internet, fistulas usually require surgery.  The upcoming cystoscopy should give a clearer indication of Judy's inner plumbing.