More reasons to write

Every day in Ontario another person is diagnosed with a spinal cord injury. For some it will be because of a trauma, for others it may even be from violence. Others yet may learn that, because of a tumor or a virus, they may never walk again.

It is with this in mind that I am now writing (and have been for several months) a book. It is not a novel or a reflection on my life post collision; it is a resource. Over the past two years I have learned a lot, much of which does not appear in any book or website that I have been able to find. My stack of reference books is growing, but none so far have filled where I see a void.

My goal is to get this reference, a "roadmap to recovery", into the hands of anyone who finds themselves in acute care with an SCI. It will guide them through the people and the processes of getting the most out of the systems that are in place to help with recovery. The list of people and places involved is quite long; my stack of cards is still growing.

I have a few potential partners for this venture, but nothing sorted out quite yet. I thank Bill and Nikki for the office space - a neutral place to write!

This will be my last post on the blogger site. I am changing platforms to wordpress and it will be hosted on my NEW WEBSITE! Thanks to Michele Studhalter, I have this beautiful site - now I just have to learn how to work with it!  You will be able to continue to receive notifications of new blog posts - visit www.juliesawchuk.ca and click on the red bell at the very bottom right corner of the homepage. You can always click on "contact me" and send me a message too!

I haven't lost my touch

Back in the day, when Theo and I ran a stand at the Blyth Farmers' Market in the early 2000s, I would bake dozens of these biscuits every weekend from May long weekend until Thanksgiving. I can't even count as high as the number of these tasty things that I pumped out of my Tiny Farm Blyth (emphasis on tiny) kitchen. I had that recipe memorized and could make it my sleep - in fact I think that many mornings I was still sleeping when I made them.

For the past two years I have had lots of other hands making things in 'my' kitchen. I miss the days of baking, cooking and canning, so this afternoon I had the energy (and lack of nerve pain) to take part in supper prep. These are the result. Not bad considering that I made a single batch but doubled the yogurt and had to go back to the lazy susan for more ingredients. So much for my memory.

It likely took twice the time it used to, I suppose as I practice more I will get faster. Although I have more core strength than I did two years ago [came home two years ago this weekend] I don't have enough to work with both arms in front of me. One arm (usually my left) is needed to keep me from falling forward into what ever I have in front of me (picture my: laptop, plate of food, cutting board, mixing bowl) cutting up meat on my plate is quite a workout. My body is so off balance that my muscles and spine often protest.

The other consideration is safety. I also do not possess the core strength required to reach into the oven and pull out something hot, and one arm is not strong enough (unless they were meringues). Burns are highly likely and quite dangerous considering the fact that I may not even feel that I had one. So I get my helpers involved - but of course they are not always around.

This leads me to our new house. I have plans for a wall oven with a door that swings to the side which should make getting hot stuff out a bit easier (and safer). We will also have a cooktop that is lower than that of a regular stove so I will be able to see in the pot rather than having to lower the pot to look inside (or use a mirror that fogs up).

Now if only the kitchen fairies would come and clean up the mess I made...wait a minute, isn't that why we had kids?

Just Say No

I just had a call from my doctor. He was following up on a test I had done last week on Friday - the results were negative. This, from a health perspective, is a good thing. But it sure is not helping me otherwise. What it means is that I don't have another UTI even though all signs would point in that direction - especially today when my nerve pain is off the charts.

There was quite the ticker-tape parade that helped
me finish the 38.5km 4.5 hour ride in Hamilton.
Thanks to Theo, Dave, Dalton, Ali and Mike
for always having my back. 

One of the Men's 50m finals
that we attended on Friday.
What an experience
being in a place where
having a disability was
considered "normal".

I got up to see the kids off to school, had breakfast, checked my email and that was it - all I could manage. So I went back to bed, slept on and off until about 1:30. Theo checked in on me every so often reminding me that rest was good - it'd been a hell of a busy month. He brought me a cappuccino and I cancelled all my events for the day: physio, a meeting for accessibility and a social.

I asked my doctor "if there is no infection, then why the all symptoms?" He didn't have an answer; that's the thing about nerve pain - no one really has an answer. He asked me if I had been over doing things to which I sheepishly responded "maybe". I said "that is what October is for...rest". He asked if I had a measurable goal for resting this month. I guess I need to make some plans of a different sort.

I honestly don't know how to do that. How to say no. Elaine says that she is going to give me some lessons - but how to I say no to speaking? to helping the county become more accessible? to my family? to my friends?

Me and my mini-me, Anne, standing in the Exo.

Last week, for example, I thought would be quieter because the IPM was over. But we did Greg's ride (38.5 km in the heat on Sunday) I had two appointments, went to London to walk in the Exo (and interviewed two people for my book) and we went to Toronto on Friday to the swimming finals for the Invictus Games (saw Prince Harry and shook the hand of The Honourable David Onley former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario). Plus we had David and Anne for the week. How could I say no to any of that?

The part that really bothers me is that I had to cancel my physio appointment for today. That is the most important thing that I do right now - that is my work! I just called in sick to work - which I almost never did before. And the irony of it all is that I just wrote another column for The Citizen entitled "No Limits, No Excuses". How does anyone ever achieve "work-life balance"?

Take a deep breath, enjoy the fall sunshine and relax. Perhaps when the cat comes and sits on top of me I should just listen to her say "you are going nowhere".

I guess SAWESOME and I will stay put today and my "big plans" will be to pick Oliver up from the end of the driveway.