Hospitals, Heart Conditions and Tiny Miracles

February 28, 2011 By

One week ago today, my husband Jamie entered Good Samaritan Hospital. The three days that ensued were among the most frantic and stressful of our married lives.

Jamie had originally set a doctor’s appointment to undergo some routine testing for the chest pain he had experienced during aerobic activity. Almost immediately he was admitted into the Clinical Decision Unit as the doctors forged forward for a diagnosis and treatment.
No abnormalities showed up on his EKG nor on the other tests the doctors performed so they decided he should spend the night for monitoring and then put him on the treadmill at 7 a.m. the next morning.

If you’re not familiar with sluggish Jamie in the morning, that alone might have killed him.

Sure enough as his heart rate rose, the chest pain began. The problem is, though he was hooked up to every contraption in the hospital, no abnormalities showed up on the EKG and the cardiologist was stumped.

“Oftentimes the EKG doesn’t show what’s really going on,” the doc explained. “We performed the treadmill test on a patient and everything looked fine. We sent him home and he had a heart attack the next day.”

I’m not sure if that was supposed to be comforting?

For the next step, Jamie was given an angiogram (where a thin tube is placed into a blood vessel in the groin and X-rays are taken of the blood flow in an artery). The diagnosis was finally reached: there was significant damage to Jamie’s left and central arteries that was caused by his cancer radiation treatments 12 years ago. This resulted in 70% blockage and the resulting pain.

The cardiologist sat me down to discuss the options. The first he presented was bypass surgery, which I don’t know about you, but the mere mention almost made me have a heart attack. Fortunately, he was reluctant to pursue this because of Jamie’s young age (there is a big chance of having to redo it in 10-15 years) and risks associated with the damage the radiation has caused.

The temporary solution is he underwent another less invasive surgery to install stints to open up the blockage. They were not able to access all the problem areas without doing bypass surgery but they hope this process, along with blood thinning medication he will need to be on the rest of his life, will help alleviate the problem.

The surgery went smoothly but I had a wake-up call. I went through a range of emotions during those three days: uncertainty over what his conditions meant, dread the doctors wouldn’t find a diagnosis and then bald-face fear as I faced the very possible possibility that I could be left to raise our two young children without the love of my life. (On Wednesday, Mile High Mamas will feature guest blogger Catherine who lost her husband in an accident a few years ago).

To sustain me through it all were loving friends and family who offered words of support, watched my kids and brought us meals. I truly felt sustained and comforted during some of the most difficult moments. On the day of Jamie’s surgery, I rushed to retrieve my son from preschool and drop him off at a neighbor’s.

As I put the keys in the ignition, the horn started incessantly honking as the gauges and lights went haywire. We have have occasionally had this electrical issue but it had been over a year since the last incident. Incredulously, I marveled that it chose this moment of all moments to act up…and I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically.

Knowing there was a very great liklihood this electrical firestorm would drain the battery rendering me unable to get to the hospital in time, I turned to the Man Upstairs. I said a little prayer with as much certitude and humility as I could muster: “Dear Lord, if you can help Moses part the Red Sea, I KNOW you can make this car start working.”

And you know what? That is exactly what happened almost immediately.

It was a small test of faith amongst so many big trials.

But the biggest blessing of all is having my husband home.

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT MILEHIGHMAMAS.COM

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Health, Jamie

On the road to recovery

February 24, 2011 By

Let’s face it: We all need a bit of humor after the week we’ve had (did I mention I’ve also been sick?) Most importantly, Jamie is HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL and is doing well.

Of course, that didn’t stop me from hovering over him like an aircraft while he slept last night to ensure he was still breathing.

C’mon fess up: you’ve done that when your babies were sick, right?

On Monday, I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of it all but today, I just need a laugh. I’ve had a couple of great emails forwarded that I’d like to share.

The first one about “Kelpto Cat” caught stealing over 600 items on video camera is from my mother-in-law.

Neighbors beware: I’m putting Fat Kitty to work.

And this one is from my neighbor Angella. Of course, no irreverence is intended but it’s a perfect fit because it deals with a blond Canadian.

Too bad she isn’t a Pollack, too.

Blonds Explaining Easter

Three blondes died and found themselves standing before St. Peter. He told them that before they could enter the Kingdom of Heaven, they had to tell him what Easter represented.

The first blonde, an American, said “Easter is a holiday where they have a big feast and we give thanks and eat turkey.”

St. Peter said, “Noooooo,” and wouldn’t let her in.

The second blonde, a Brit, said “Easter is when we celebrate Jesus’s birth and exchange gifts.”

St. Peter said, “Noooooo,” and he wouldn’t let her in either.

The third blonde, a Canadian, said she knew what Easter was, and St.Peter said, “So, tell me.”

She said, “Easter is a Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish festival of Passover. Jesus was having Passover feast with his disciples when he was betrayed by Judas, and the Romans arrested him. The Romans hung him on the cross and eventually he died. Then they buried him in a tomb behind a very large boulder … “

St. Peter said, “Verrrrrry good.”

Then the blonde continued, “Now, every year the Jews roll away the boulder and Jesus comes out. If he sees his shadow, we have six more weeks of hockey.”

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, Jamie

Jamie’s Heart Condition Update

February 23, 2011 By

Thanks for all the concerned emails, Facebook comments and phone calls. To say the past 72 hours have been absolute chaos would be an understatement.

Jamie went to the doctor on Monday anticipating some routine testing but before he knew it, he was admitted to the hospital and they were going full-throttle for a diagnosis and treatment.

After numerous procedures, the cardiologist ascertained there is significant damage to Jamie’s left and central arteries that was caused by his cancer radiation treatments. This has resulted in 70% blockage and the resulting pain.

Options were bypass surgery, which the doc was reluctant to do because of Jamie’s age (big chance of having to redo it in 10-15 years) and risks associated with the damage the radiation has caused.

The temporary solution is he underwent another less invasive surgery to install stints to open up the blockage. They were not able to access all the problem areas without doing bypass surgery but they hope this process, along with blood thinning medication, will help alleviate the problem.

He’s still in the hospital recovering from his surgery and he wasn’t very lucid when I left. Thank you for keeping him in your prayers!

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Jamie

The Happy Birthday That Wasn’t So Happy

February 21, 2011 By


I’ve been pretty upfront that 2011 hasn’t exactly been the swellest of years but things took a turn for the worse last week. My birthday was yesterday but it was Ward Conference at church, which meant Jamie would be in meetings all day. His sister generously offered to make me a birthday dinner that night (YUM) but Jamie and I decided to celebrate on Friday while she watched the kids.

We planned to go to dinner but at the very last minute, I had a freak-out moment (not unusual in my world). My knee surgery is scheduled for Wednesday and I announced we HAD to go hiking just in case it was my last opportunity to ever do so again (overexaggeration is not unusual either). Obligingly, Jamie and I set out on a relatively steep climb and he stopped after just a few minutes.

“I can’t go on,” he said.

It was then that he revealed he’s been having heart problems. The first episode was in Crested Butte a few weeks ago and then again while he was racing around the house with Bode. This was his fourth heart “attack” in three weeks.

And yes, I freaked out. For those familiar with Jamie’s health history, he has an extensive one, including heart surgery for an arrhythmia a few years ago. This time, however, was different. He did not have the rapid heart rate but rather, a burning in his chest.

He is going to the doctor tomorrow morning and now my knee surgery may be on hold because we can’t afford to do both. Actually, we can’t afford to do either but heart problems trump knee any day.

I’m not sure what is it with birthdays but I’ve been having crummy ones the past few years. First, there was lice. Then, last year I was at the 2010 Olympic Games. This would seem like an amazing birthday and it definitely started out that way. I had breakfast with all my wonderful Microsoft peeps who bid me farewell because I was flying out later that day.

I arrived at the Vancouver airport three hours early, anticipating heavy security and a lot of crowds. There were both. I got in line and was soon asked to stand to the side as they ushered in a large group of people who were running late. I waited an hour before being able to check my luggage in. The process was frustrating but I still had plenty of time when I headed over to security.

I could tell there would be trouble just by looking at the security guard and he gave it to me.

“You cannot take two large carry-on items onto the plane.”

I glared at him but I knew he was right. I spent the next 15 minutes consolidating my items into one carry-on item–a piece of luggage I have traveled with for 10 years. When I had triumphantly crammed everything in, he snidely said, “OK, now go and see if your carry-on fits into that,” and he pointed to the metal outline that checks baggage size.

Because my bag was now bulging at the pockets, it did not fit. “You need to go back and check it in.”

We both knew darn well this particular piece of luggage was approved but the guy just wanted to be a jerk because he could. The prospect of enduring that line again was too much for me and I. Lost. It. Now, let’s keep in mind that I had been living on minimal sleep for 10 days and was a bit out of my gourd but I laid into that guy like I have NEVER laid into anyone before.

I wasn’t proud and it was not pretty.

I slunked back to the line and checked in my carry-on as I blubbered away. I ignored the security guard as I walked through a second time and waited in yet another line to pass through security. By this time, I was very close to missing my flight.

And I, of course, got pulled aside to have my carry-on checked. I begged the woman to please hurry because I was going to miss my flight and do you know what she said?

“Maybe you should have arrived to the airport early.”

And then came freak-out No. 2. How I HAD arrived three hours early. How I was not allowed to check-in for an hour, the security guard who made me recheck my bag and pretty much every grievance I’ve ever had with society since birth.

She let me through.

Sometimes insanity has its advantages.

But evidently in my world, birthdays don’t.

Update: Jamie went to the hospital a day early and was admitted for overnight evaluation. They’re trying to re-trigger the attack for diagnosis.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Jamie

Valentine’s Day, Denver-style

February 17, 2011 By

This is a big week chez nous with Valentine’s Day, our anniversary and my birthday all crammed into one lil’ ol’ week.

Just call February, Ambruary.

Our day started with heart-shaped pancakes.

And a girl donning her Valentine’s Day outfit from Grandma B.
She’s reenacting a heart, just in case you’re not up on your shapes.

In a move that can only be described as ambitious, I made Valentine’s cookies for all the neighborhood children and we topped off our day with a fancy fondue and Valentine cake dinner, along with handmade love notes and chocolates.

Well, at least I thought it was ambitious until my sister-in-law Jane said her menu consisted of Sambuca shrimp, potato skins, shrimp cocktail, chicken parmigiana, grilled veggies, lobster tails, coconut creme pie and creme brulee.

Note: I only complain about her overachieving gourmand tendencies when I am unable to enjoy her spoils.

But really, the highlight was an anonymous Valentine that Haddie received from one of her classmates. It read:

Be my VP. Jast kidig. And dont get sick on me agen.

Sounds like true love to me.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Hadley, holidays, Humor

Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Skiing & Non-skiing Activities: An Unprecedented Family Vacation

February 17, 2011 By

My family had an unprecedented vacation to Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR).

It wasn’t just attributed to the eight inches of fresh powder without a lift line in sight or the glistening Elk Mountains (the frozen equivalent of Shangri-La). But rather, because I skied my first double-black diamond run (Rachels)…and later managed to fall getting off the chairlift as I avoided a wayward ski-schooler.

Par for the course in a funky mountain hamlet where you should expect the unexpected.

Camp CB

Hands down, Crested Butte is my favorite Colorado mountain town (read my summer exploits) and I was positively giddy to ski Crested Butte Mountain Resort for the first time.

My family awoke to snow flurries but by the time Hadley and Bode headed to Camp CB in the Whetstone Building, it was a bluebird day with fresh powder. The children’s center’s location requires a bit of a hike in snow boots but was characteristically uncrowded (great news as it pertains to teacher-to-student ratios) and we met Bubba and Betty, the resort’s friendly mascots.

Four-year-old Bode was enrolled in the Explorers Level II program. There are two magic carpet areas (Aspen and Pine) and he spent his day on the more advanced of the two mastering his pizzas and stops. Hadley bonded with her teacher “Sparkles” and was thrilled to graduate to a Level 5 skier under her guidance.

At the end of the day, I took Haddie for a run down the Red Lady lift. She impressed me with her parallel-turning moxie so I decided to return the favor.

“Do you want to watch Mommy ski deep powder?” I [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, skiing, travel Tagged With:

What is your family’s love language?

February 14, 2011 By

Jamie and I are different.

Sure, in many ways we think alike, have the same interests and similar methodology with raising our children.

But we go about life very differently. He is low-key. Methodical. Wise.

I am not.

One of the areas in which we are most different is how we need to connect. I am physical. I crave affection. My 4-year-old son Bode is the same and we maul each other all day long with kisses and snuggles whereas my 6-year-old Hadley barely likes to be touched. Jamie is somewhere in the middle.

We both work from home and in such a setting, you would think we see each other all day. This is not the case and he often spends most of the day (and sometimes the evening) holed up in his basement den.

At the conclusion of one such day, I desperately wanted to snuggle up and just talk to him.

He just wanted to unwind by

CLICK TO READ ON AT MILEHIGHMAMAS.COM

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, Jamie

The Tale of Two Internships

February 10, 2011 By

Last week, I received permission to hire a couple of interns. Though I’ve had the tremendous support of amazing contributing bloggers (and frankly, couldn’t do it without them), I feel like I’m drowning in the day-to-day operations that include scrounging up content, planning events, doing all the social media/promotions, writing a weekly newsletter, wading through the hundreds of email pitches I receive and being expected to develop area partnerships while also growing our audience.

Forget “drowning.” Perhaps I should say I already “drowned.”

The prospect of interviewing interns has me reflecting back upon my own internships (and yes, that would be plural). I was a woman with divided loyalties. My major was Broadcast Journalism but I decided as I neared my senior year I wanted to go into public relations.

(Something about working in hickville North Dakota to “pay my dues” just didn’t appeal to me, which is what happens to most broadcast journalists).

For my final semester, I did a study abroad in the Middle East and had applied at various media outlets prior to departure. I was thrilled to be accepted as SkiUtah’s intern (the PR/marketing end of Utah’s ski industry) and while I was in Jerusalem, I was offered a spot at CNN’s Crossfire in Washington, D.C.

It was an agonizing decision but I ultimately returned to Utah to work in the ski industry. The problem was, BYU’s Communications Department required a broadcast journalism internship so I also moonlighted at KUTV 2News in Salt Lake City.

I had the best and worst of both worlds and SkiUtah was the best. My boss Amber Older had just been hired as the Public Relations Director at the same time and she had a lot of confidence in me. Utah had recently won the bid to host the 2002 Olympic Games so I toured the country doing ski shows, writing press releases, hob nobbing with journalists and becoming the Crazy Canuck ski reporter on the radio.

Juxtapose that with KUTV 2News where I was given the very lowliest of jobs (one of which included watching hundreds of hours of their cooking chef “The Gabby Gourmet” to count the number of times he referred to a specific stove so they could bill the client).

Undaunted, I resolved I wanted some real field experience so invited myself along on the morning shoots with their reporter, LeAnn. Not only was she a complete snob but she didn’t for one moment acknowledge the initiative it took for an intern to drag herself up at 4 a.m. to haul her sorry camera equipment around.

Suffice it to say, KUTV 2News was the worst.

It all worked out in the end. I jumped for joy when that miserable internship was over and I landed my first real job doing public relations at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort. All’s fair in love, war and internships.

At least that’s what I’m going to ensure the interns I hire. :)

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor

Mommy & Me Ski Lesson at Echo Mountain

February 9, 2011 By

There are Mommy & Me sign language, yoga and swim classes but why should it stop there?

At Echo Mountain it keeps going—straight down the mountain in their Parent and Me private ski lessons for 3-year-old skiers and his/her parent. The concept is brilliant and simple: Take a one-hour lesson with your child to prepare them for group instruction by age 4.

I learned to ski at a one-lift hill in Canada and there is a special place in my heart for small resorts. In addition to proximity to Denver (just 35 miles away outside of Evergreen), Echo Mountains is also about affordability and offers great ski school packages, terrain parks, and night skiing until 9 p.m. five nights a week.

Oh, and the free parking in the small lot and lack of stairs in the lodge were awesome, too.

If you’ve ever walked a mile in your ski boots or attempted to traverse down slippery steps, you know what I’m talking about.

Mommy & Me Class

This wasn’t my son Bode’s first time on skis and I’d like to say he shined but he didn’t. In fact, [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Humor, outdoors, skiing, travel

A poker face he has not

February 8, 2011 By

Last week, Denver had a cold snap that rendered everyone wussy (spoken like a true Canadian). With a mere three inches of snow on the ground, school was canceled for two days. Then, we woke up to a half a foot of snow on Sunday so church was canceled as well.

Did I mention school and church were never, ever canceled in Canada?

Because let’s face it: if snow and cold were the standard for snow days, Canadians just wouldn’t go anywhere in the wintertime.

Between all those days off and a sick mama, we’ve been playing a lot of board and card games. I love that my kids are finally old enough to play and some of our especial favorite are Uno Attack, Trouble and Sorry.

At four years old, Bode is doing a fantastic job at learning. Most of the time. When he and I were playing Uno Attack yesterday, he started placing his cards on the holder and murmured,

“OK, dere’s some red and then two blues….”

“Bode, you’re not supposed to tell me what you have in your hand.”

“I’m not telling you, Mommy. I’m telling me.”

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Humor
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