Wasn't it a party?

Well Rex is better.

We are finding that the two hardest things to get sorted our have been getting the mini cooper into the country and me getting into the cancer agency.

If we were to put together all the time Ken has spent on the phone trying to get the mini cooper into the country, I would said it would likely add up to about at least 8 hours.

For some reason BMW, the makers of the mini) have created this incredible complicated system such that we will have to pay 2000 dollars to change over our car to Canadian standards. The running lights (in Canada it is law that all vehicles after a certain date must have headlights that are on all the time for safety) We actually had the car set up this way after we bought it 9 years ago. Somehow to make it officially changed over alters all of the electronics and warning lights,so the whole cluster has to be replaced. Then we need proof from the company that there are no recalls on the car. The Mini company has told us that there are no recalls, however they will not put it in writing, and in order to get a “no recalls” letter will cost us 500 dollars. So we have been going around and around with this.

The other thing is getting me into the BC cancer agency for my followups. They have all of my records showing my cancer, pathology, and all the treatments, and I have copies of all the films. They said that they needed a letter of consult from my Eugene doctor. She sent a letter that only said that I have all my records. I am not sure what her issue is and why she would not send a consult letter.

So I called the cancer agency back and asked exactly what they wanted in the letter and they said the letter has to say what she wants them to do, but I said is this not standard...?

THen I asked, perhaps I have something confused here, “do you DO followup here” they assured me that yes they DO followup of cancers.....

So I asked if I could get a letter from my primary care doctor and they said yes and she faxed letter and they said that they did not get it. So then I asked if my husband could write a letter and they said yes....

SO I figure WHAT GIVES?? If my husband can write the letter, this is obviously a formality, and apparently has nothing to do with insurance.

I guess I HAD my hopes up that things would be diferent up here, but.....

I have explained that I DO have insurance....

I guess it has always seemed that a clinic that cares for cancer patients should be compassionate to the difficulties that cancer patients go through and I really would feel SOO much better right now to at least know I have somewhere to go if I have a problem. Since I still have a lot of bleeding and pain, I just would feel better to know I have a doctor here.

So me and the mini seem to be out in the cold for now...

I have been to the dentist though...

Rex, we thought perhaps was not going to make it, with his age, and the amount of diarhea and blood that he passed it just seemed he is so frail anyways.

But we took him to vet and in the vets office he had another bloody diarhea all over the office, seemed like it was just exploding.

She was certainly impressed.

She was great, and did a full exam, we did samples of the stool and she gave us syringes and needles (we still had bags of IV fluids from when I was on Chemo) So we drew up 60 cc of fluid and injected it into the subcutaneous tissued in the neck. We actually only did this twice because he seemed to be be starting to get his appetite back by this time and gradually he has been eating and drinking.

So he seems to be fine now.

I guess it was food poisoning.

Likely all those dead fish on the beach, not sure if I mentioned that this lake is connected to the adams river which is the site of the largest salmon run in north american. They all go there to spawn in October and this past year was the largest salmon run in 100 years. and ......... they all ....died and floated down the river and the Shuswap and Little Shuswap are completely lined with dead salmon.

Since it is cold, they are frozen but the vet said that though “salmon poisoning” is not common in this area, they may carry many other infections.

So Rex is eating rice and chicken and Chewy is very jealous, and trying to figure out how HE TOO can poop out bloody diarhea so he can get some rice and chicken too.

We are expecting to get the funds from our house at the end of the month, and have been looking for an acreage out at Scotch Creek which is a small town on the Shuswap.

(Chase is on a smaller lake called the “little Shuswap”)

It is 1.6 acres on a very flat area, and backs onto a wilderness area. Would be great for gardening. It is hard to envision land, when it is covered with snow.

Anyways I will get this blog posted as I have included many of the photos from our last party. ...... of many of the wonderful people who have touched our lives in the past several years.

Just going through the pictures, they "cross section" many aspects of our lives in Bandon...... great party.

Also one shot of the "high tunnel" to show how productive it was despite freezing temperatures, the spinach and mustard greens were growing like crazy.

Today Ken and I are going into the clinic to learn the computer system and on monday we begin work....YEA>>>>

Love Janet

jankenb @ gmail.com