Root Canal

The very sound of it scares all but the bravest of souls. That was the way it was but now it strikes fear in only the very faintest of brave hearts. After breaking off my front tooth some 8 days ago I was determined to get it fixed quickly.I received an appointment immediately but my dentist cleaned up the mess and re-glued the crown. He determined that a root canal was necessary so the next day I go to another dentist who is a specialist. He must be important because I cannot remember his title nor spell it.

At any rate he took me and prepared to take off the crown. He could not remove it so began drilling down through the old crown. There was no pain but that horrible sound and smell of a high speed drill burning it's way through old tooth bone.The procedure lasted about 45 minutes and he asked me every minute how I was doing. I was trying to get to another space in my mind but he kept bringing me back to reality.

After what I thought was an eternity he stopped and said we were half way done. I never collapsed but the second half was again followed by information like we are nearing the nerve. There might be some pain as a little infection deadens the effect of the freezing. Good. I closed my eyes and thought of my time in the freezing Arctic and finally he stopped drilling and said all he had to do now was fill the hole and set the post.

Fifteen minutes more and he said it was all done, What a difference from my first root canal. It was a horrible event.This one was painless and so professional. I am looking to go back to this dentist the next time I need a root canal. Past experience [ bad] can really colour your future fears.  This was a real eye opener. These young dentists are terrific.

When Is A Barber A Hairdresser

For almost 70 years I have been having my hair cut by a barber. My early barber was either Mom or Dad. They were both good and had a barber set purchased through the Family Herald. This was a rural or farmers paper out of Winnipeg.You could get almost everything from the trade pages and we did.

Later in life I had my hair cut by one of the family except when something special was on and I went to Bert Davis  and he cut your hair for $.20. I liked to go there and wait for a while as he had girlie magazines, the ones that Mom forbade me to look at. He also had a slot machine in the back room and you could play it for pennies or nickels. This also was a no  no for Mom.

I just arrived home from Florida and attended a Easter dinner. With a broken tooth preventing me from smiling or even grinning the kids told me my hair made me look like a hippie. I decided to get to the barber.I found a dozen ways of hiding that front tooth from showing up in the family pictures but wearing a hat was out of the question.

Early yesterday morning I went to what I thought was a barber. Magic cuts was the name as I thought that for once their magic could cover up that light spot on the top of my head, I entered this bright room with no less than six lovely ladies looking for business. I was their first victim. I had been working in the yard previously and noticed my clothes looked a little out of place. This young lady came and placed some fancy clothes around my neck and asked if I wanted my hair washed before or after. I just washed my hair last night but said before.

I quickly and I mean quickly found myself laying back and a torrent of hot water completely engulfed my head, Two minutes and it was over and then she asked me how I wanted my hair cut, with scissors or clippers. I said both and she started but continued with a hundred questions. I was never asked questions before and I asked the barber what all the fuss was, all I wanted was a haircut. She firmly answered that she was not a barber but a hair stylist. Boy was I in the wrong place.

I went quiet in my shell and never looked up until she held that damn mirror over my bald spot and asked how it looked. Actually it looked worse because she cut some more hair off the top. I attempted to get out of the chair but she was not done. A variety of sprays were available. I wanted to get away and waved her smelly stuff back to the counter.

It was here I realized the difference between a barber and a hairdresser. How much I asked noting that it was senior day.Well then it will be $16.50 rather than $21.50. So the difference is $5.00 on senior day but at my barber in Cape Coral it is $8.00 every day. I learned something yesterday...if one of my family gets in that business I want them to be a hair stylist.

Fast Trip Home

As I delivered Theresa and Doris to the airport in Ft Myers I drove home with a thousand thoughts on my mind. After getting all the little tasks completed I decided to go to bed early and get a head start in the morning. I had this bad feeling about getting sleep in a house where all the windows and doors were sealed with shutters. My mind raced and I had visions of a fire and how would I make my escape. This was a negative , wasted thought as we never had a fire but my mind was convinced that it could happen.

I threw off the bed clothes and made the bed and was determined to pack the freezers and head home right away. After loading the last things in the van I went to set the security system. This is where things became unravelled. It is my habit of placing bottles of fumigating matter in each room and as I left I would activate them. Well I set the alarms and made my way to the garage. I listened for the long sound that signalled everything was OK. Before this our whole fire alarm system went bonkers. The fumigation material set off the fire alarms. I quickly re-entered the house to a horrible smell and made my way to the security box which was at the far side of the house,

With watering eyes and nerve racking sound I stopped the security system which read Police were  coming. I reset the system  and made my way out but with the smell being so bad I failed to pick up my cup of hot chocolate and ice cream bar. I left it for the ants I guess. Anyway I got in my van and at 12,39 am I started for home. The trip was quiet without the ladies but my GPS kept me on tract. As I entered South Carolina there was a weather watch and heavy rain, hail and very heavy hail pounded my van and the police halted traffic because of a tornado in the area. It passed quickly and we moved on. The place where it crossed the road was devoid of any vegetation and it was lucky there were no people or houses nearby. I arrived home at 12,30 pm and our house was empty. Theresa and Doris were at the hospital but all was well.

Doris is getting stronger and in a few days will continue with her work scrubbing floors and dishes. Actually she amazes me for her age and will get a well deserved rest for a week or two. It is good to be home to 38 degree weather and cool winds and rain but it is Ontario and it is the end of April. I always feel better when I cross the Peace Bridge and see the Welcome to Canada sign. Better still I will have an opportunity to do my duty and vote in the election.It was a fast trip home but don't you always think the way back is so much faster than the going away, I do.

All Alone

I just returned from the airport where I left Theresa and Doris . It was a weird feeling to return to our house as empty as can be and to feel alone. With many little details to attend to I was not long feeling sorry for myself and cleaned up the stove top and repacked a few items so they would be reached within arms length as I drove home. The trip home is 2282 Kms and it takes about 23 hours. I divide the time in a 16..8  hour day.

I shall get a good sleep and be off At 3.30 or 4 am. The first five or six hours are bonus hours as there is no traffic. Along the way I love to watch the birds and animals and the time flies. I never speed and have never had a traffic violation in all the years down here.

As I have packed my last few things I look about and make a survey of the grounds to make sure all the tools and objects are secured in case of a hurricane. Our small cat which visits Theresa every day knows something is up and visits with a quiet meow to get my attention. Some cat food handles this small interruption to an otherwise silent house.

Tomorrow is our anniversary so we had a special dinner before they left. Having Doris home was cause enough for a small celebration but our anniversary made it specially good. Fresh salmon, mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables followed by strawberry shortcake was a great way to begin our migration back home. Home where our family will get together on Sunday to celebrate Easter and Family.

With all these good thoughts the house does not seem so lonely and with the good expectations of the next few days why should I feel so. Maybe I should change the title to all alone with my great thoughts of family.

Staying Focused

All my life I have been telling people to stay focused when there is a decision to be made. Now that Theresa and I are in a extremely difficult place where we have little or no control it is important I keep the advice I gave so often. With people making decisions without our input and insurance company workers following the script to make sure that every cent is protected we are at the mercy of strangers. We usually work, play and associate with folk who are known to us and we feel safe. Out in the world where you are a number its another story.

For thousands of people this situation is a daily reality and it must be scary. As we watched the mechanics of arriving at a decision as to what was to be done for Doris , I saw several layers of concern. The first was the medical team whose first and only concern should be her well being. In our case it was and a wonderful team of Dr's,Nurses and support staff did everything possible to give her the care required to make her well.

The next concern was when a procedure was suggested by the Cardiac Doctor. He had to stop and consult the insurance company. The company then evaluated the cost and decided that the procedure which was a costly  one would be done free in Canada so made the decision to transport Doris back to Canada by air ambulance. The hitch however was that there had to be a friendly receiving hospital with an available ICU bed in a isolation situation. Out of country patients have to be segregated for a period of time.

Then came the waiting. It is now 10 days and as no bed could be obtained the procedure is to be done this pm. All that time putting Doris at risk and now we wait for the results. We will sit and wait, and worry while the Dr. performs this procedure and then decides what is best for Doris based on the results. I tried to talk to the insurance company yesterday but they refused until after the procedure. As we have to make plans it leaves us in limbo.

As this saga go on I can only say how lucky we are that we have universal coverage and not private insurance where decisions are made on the basis of profit, not need. I hope and am positive about the eventual outcome for Doris, but the path to wellness is a rocky and stressful one and not one we wish to repeat. Stay Focused Henry and stay calm....yes.

Hot Work

Getting ready to close up your home in Florida is hot work. With the temperature in the nineties you feel the humidity even more. Putting on the hurricane shuttles is my hardest task as the ton of metal enclosers have to be carried from the garage and individually bolted to the wall of the house.This year I was fortunate and never had a stripped bolt or any real problem.

Putting the trees and plants to bed is a labour of love and my time spent in the yard was pleasure. I documented the growth of the trees and speculated at the increase when I return . I am always amazed at one half year growth here in Florida.

With the heat of the day we have no need for heating the pool and swimming the last few nights with the full moon and warm water was a treat.Our last few days in Florida are always special because we hear from our family that the weather is really not to good yet so stay as long as you are able. I am looking forward to getting my hands dirty in good Ontario soil and seeing the blossoms come out on our fruit trees. Living in two different worlds has its benefits and its challenges as well. Right now I welcome both and will be glad to head north in a few days.

Working With The System (medical)

Frustration is not the word about how I feel at this point as Theresa and I are attempting to get Doris much needed help. As we have Medi Pac Insurance sponsored through the Snow Birds I thought everything would be fine if we needed help. Except for a few minor needs Theresa and I were very satisfied with our coverage. Theresa's Mom who is 93 experienced difficulty a few days ago and it has been a nightmare ever since.

The first hospital was attentive and offered great service to take care of her needs. The insurance company however decided that she should be moved 40 miles away as the rates were less expensive. That receiving hospital also was great and gave her excellent care and made her comfortable and safe as as her condition had to do with the heart. The attending Doctor also gave her exceptional care but recommended that she should have a procedure which had to be approved by the insurance company.

The Medi PAC authorities decided against the procedure and made plans to medic vac her back to Canada. That was last Wednesday and here we are coming up on to Tuesday with Doris still in ICU with no move being made. Every day we visit and inquire and the same answer comes back to us. There is no Ontario Hospital with a bed to receive her. The explanation is that because she is from out of country she will require a ICU room with isolation. So here we are over a week with a needy senior lady without a home base hospital to take her in. I can see the game being played and it is so frustrating.

The attending Dr here will perform the procedure if she is not moved by tomorrow. That will mean days more here in Florida and if followup is required she will then be transferred home. The Florida hospitals are not at fault and have been fine but it is the Insurance system and their inability to get a room in Ontario.

We hope for Doris's sake this will be settled by tomorrow. I guess I am not too good working with insurance companies who put profit before people. Tonight I will go to sleep with one thing on my mind. Will tomorrow be the end of this nightmare?