Hi Folks I am writing inquiring about the next chapter in Charlie's story and her recent surgery for an adenoma related tumor. Her very positive message with reference to her return to work in a demanding nursing career after two operations and her positive approach to her current situation should not be overlooked, I was married with three small children, the fourth having passed away in October, 1973 when I experienced loss of peripheral vision, hearing, and mobility in early January, 1974. My supervisory position with Health and Welfare Canada - Incoime Securities Program was taken on by someone else, we had to look for help from outside to operate MacCallum's Fishing Tackle Service Centre, The Trading Post and the Universal Bookkeeping and Accounting Services franchise for Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec as I lay in that hospital bed or sat up in a chair, wasting away for the first six months of 1974. I was totally disabled, my wife was destraught with the death of our first born daughter, Theresa Anne, born with spinal bifida and cystic fibrosis and I was gradually becoming a vegetable, everyone lost as to the reason for my losd of vision, hearing, mobility and health. Everyone was at a loss as to what to do with me when the staff at the Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, told my wife that I was being discharged from the hospital to her care the last week of June, 1974. Rather than going home to my wife and three young children, Mary Colleen, 6, Raymond, 4, and Phillip, 2, my parents and grandparents invited us to go up to their cottage, where it was felt that between the three of them, all nurses by trade, they could care for me until an answer presented itself. My wife, Mary Louise opted to flee the marriage and my battle with life, keeping the children out of my life through July 28, 1978, when she lost her battle with cancer. In the interim, Dr Embre, a next door neighbour on Grande Lake heard about my situaion, arranging for me to be admitted into the Ottawa Civic Hospital over the Canada Day Weekend, (July 1, 1974) , surgery being commenced around 7 am July 6, 1974 for the removal of a pituiatary adenoma.and a second tumor, not identified until into the surgery, an acoustic neuroma. I gradually regained my hearing, vision and equiplbrium over a period of about a year but to my dismay, Health and Welfare Canada and the Public Service of Canada would not allow me to return to work in an accounting situtation where I would be enhaiing fumes from such toxics as correcting fluids, inks from ballpoint pens, magic markers and specially treated carbonless papers. I was not so much of an invalid though that my doctors would stand in my way as I accepted a calling from God to dedicate my life to Him, commencing my studies towards my Bachelor of Theololgy, specializing in Volunteer Administration. I think that the experience I had leading up to my surgery in 1974, then the deaths of my wife, July 28, 1978, mom's parents, October 17, 1978 and dad, November 19, 1978 should have been enough to kncok me down completely but ..... our family had God with us, uniting mom, the children and I in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. I completed my Bachelor of Theology in Volunteer Administration in the spring of 1979, a miracle in the eyes of all who had cared for me before and aftert my surgery of July 1974. In June, 1983, I completed my Master of Christian Education, specializing in Communicative Arts while at the same time working part-time in an Administrative Services 4 position with Health and Welfare Canada: Health Protection Branch My studies towards my Doctorate of Christian Education, as well as my career in the federal government came crashing to a hault February 16, 1984 when I slipped on black ice, on the NCC Pathway, leading to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton's Rapid Transit Station serving the Northwest section of the Nation's Capital. I was the 7th of 8 victims to fall on the stretch of black ice, between the hours of 6 pm, February 15, 1984 and 7 am, Feburary 16, 1984, when I went down. I will conclude by sharing the fact that 31 years after my initial surgery, July 6, 1974, I have retired to a retirement home in Owen Sound, Ontario, knowing that Gpd had and has a plan for me. It is just 21 years since my fall on the black ice left me with a Class III separation of my right shoulder, a compund fracture of my right elbow, and a fracture of my right femur at the hio joint. Twenty four hours after the orthopedic damage was repaired, again at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Drs Embree, Atack and Richard were operating again, draining blood and fluid away from the vicinity where the pituiary adenoma had encased the optic nerve 10 years before, as well as the buildup of blood and fluid in the mid brain, lower brain and brain stem. The government did not have any faith in me returning to work after the lastest brain trauma, but doors were opened for me to share these life experiences and God's healing grace since I relocated from Ottawa to Maford, then Owen Sound on the shores of Georgian Bay, almoost 20 years ago. I am serving as Treasurer/Bookkeeper with our Church Congregation, helping the Board of Truestees and Finance Committee stay on top of the $3.5 million dollars that have been bequested to the Church in parishioners estates in the past three years, I am co-chair of the Nominating Committee, recuiting 17 new persons to serve on committees responsbile for programs and services within the Church hierecby. Personally I am on the Outreach Committee, Worship Committee and Worship Planning Committee as well as representing the Committes on Council. How do I do it. I have resided in retirement homes in the Owen Sound area for extended periods of time twice since 1998, having moved into my current accommodation in September, 2002. Receiving support with my meals, nursing care services, cleaning and laundry services has enabled me to take on up to 40 hours a week at the Church, while at the same time enjoying leisure time with my peers at the Royal Canadian Legion.GOD HAS TOUCHED MY LIFE WITH MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE. WHAT MORE CAN I SAY. People say I am a good listener so if their is a need for any of you to vent your feelings and frustrations or to seek prayer support renenber where you can find me .. under the screen name, Gampa60 or my email addresss with Yahoo and AOL, [EMAIL PROTECTED] and [EMAIL PROTECTED]. Helping people as a good listener is actually a tonic for me. |
