About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year

Update: Jan. 1/08 - just got Jaclyn home and in bed, medicated. She's still in a lot of pain (naturally) but I think she'll be able to rest and heal much better in a home environment. Stitches to come out in 10 days at our family doctor's office and an appointment made with the oncologist in about a month. I think she might already be out cold so I have to go and get a prescription for Tylenol 3s for her and go get her mail. I'll be home the rest of the day keeping an eye on her.

An update: Just got a call from Jaclyn and the doctor says she can come home tomorrow! She'll be staying with me for a while so wish me good luck with the crankies she's going to go through.


I was going to do a post about Canada's health care system, but that will wait for a bit. I just wanted to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2008! Never in my life have I been so glad to see the end of a year - it's been a doozy! But I plan on celebrating with friends tonight and saying "Good riddance 2007!" and "A very warm welcome 2008!"

Last January, I started out working on my book but on Jan. 13th, I had to put it away and focus on my Dad who had two very serious strokes. By the time we got him moved out of the hospital and settled in a care home, his apartment cleaned out, and his possessions dispersed I had about 10 days to breathe. Then suddenly, my younger daughter ended up in the hospital. That was the first of two serious bouts with bipolar 2 and six months of hell until she was well enough to move into her own place in the middle of September. Then on Sept. 21, I got a call from the care home - Dad was on his way...he passed away an hour and half after I got there. After that was the funeral and then all the end-of-life business that goes along with a death. The family thought it was finally finished with all the...well, you know what...when suddenly in mid-October the same daughter started getting sick. And, you know the result of that!
So good-bye 2007 and come on in 2008! I can hardly wait to see what the year has ahead for me. Can't be any worse than last year! I'll get back to working on the book, continue going to step aerobics and the gym to get the last 10 lbs off and firm up, and try to have a holiday.
I hope all of you have a good evening, whether you're home alone watching the "ball" drop or out partying with friends. Let's all look ahead to the future with hope for world peace, too.
!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL!!!

21 comments:

MedStudentWife said...

Happy 2008,Leslie. I wish you and your family peace and happiness.

Ruth W. said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR Leslie, I am sure you can't wait till 2008 begins. You are a very strong woman indeed, but I feel you have been tested enough now...time to have fun!!!

Sienna said...

Half the first day of the new year is gone already, already!

We are close to midday 1st 08 and I think Vancouver time is around close to 5pm?

We saw in the new year with Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby; definitely a tear jerker. :)

2007 is done, and my goodness you have faced up to everything with such courage and dignity, even when you must have felt terrible despair.

I'm glad for the new year and glad your girl is healing...hope you shake off the rotten cold, thanks for being such an inspiration to all of us, and such amazing faith.

May 2008 bring you everything your heart desires, and some!

Love from Australia.

Pam

Donnetta said...

Leslie have a happy New Year! This is going to be a good one.

Donnetta

Janice Thomson said...

A very Happy New Year Leslie. Wishing the best for you in 2008. Have fun tonight.

Marie said...

hey Leslie!!! i came here straight from Josie's Blog. sorry i haven't done much blogging during the past 6 months or so. and when i came back, i've read so much about what's going on @ your end from both sylvia (heiress' child) and josie's blog. sorry to hear what you are going through. i know it isn't easy for you, but hang in there!! They say we're all like Teabags, whose true strength comes out when we're put in hot water. So just think that maybe, you're God's favorite cup of tea!

and Josie is right, YOU are our PERSON OF THE YEAR! Indeed! I second that thought!

and on this New Year's Eve, I hope life is all you ever want it to be. I hope your every dream is answered. And may you find peace and harmony. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Ingrid

Leslie: said...

Gee,thanks everyone! Ingrid, I like that analogy we're all like "teabags, whose true strength comes out when we're put in hot water." But, hey God, enough already! lol

Happy New Year to you all.

.Tom Kapanka said...

Leslie,
It has been a pleasure getting to know you this year. May 2008 be full of many more experiences and memories.
Happy New Year!
Tom

jmb said...

Happy New Year to you Leslie. I hope 2008 is a great improvement and that Jaclyn does really well now that her op is over. I am hoping for the best for the results of the path. report.

Casdok said...

Wonderful news!
A happy and healthy new year to you all!

the walking man said...

Yeah what you said back at ya.

Peace

mark

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Oh, Leslie, I didn't know about your father or that your other daughter had been so ill. No wonder you are glad to see the back of 2007! It has GOT to get better! So happy to read the good news about Jaclyn. I like that in the sidebar! HAPPY NEW YEAR with all my heart.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Happy New Year to you and all your family.

Yes lets hope 2006 is a better year for you and your family.

Great news about your daughter..love from us all in oxfordshire.

Trubes said...

Happy New year Leslie to You and Your Family. You are truly an Inspiration, I thought we`d had a bad year but it "pales into oblivion", compared to all you and your Dear family have been through !
Yes, 2008 will be a Good Year !

Best Wishes from Liverpool, England.
Health, Wealth and Happiness !

Di. xx

Anonymous said...

My dear friend:

I too am glad that 2007 is over for you and look forward to God giving you full grace for 2008 because you have endured so much. Have you gotten the results back from the tumor they found? I am still praying that those results will be excellent. How in the world could a tumor get to that size before being recognized, it's just unbelievable. Did Jaclyn complain of any discomfort prior to her finally realizing that something is not right.

I want to know all about the Canadian health system as well. I know that we get about 400,000 snowbirds from Canada between October and March. During this time it's almost impossible to get in to see a doctor here because they find our health system allows them immediate service.

Give Jaclyn a big hug from me and let me know that she truly is ok now and free from the pain.

Much love
Suzanne

heiresschild said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR LESLIE!

Leslie: said...

Suze We won't get the results for about a week, so continue to pray that we hear the word "benign." And no, she hadn't been feeling well for quite a while, but we all put it down to the bipolar and the weight gain to those drugs. It wasn't until she had 4 periods in 7 weeks and then the pain hit that we ended up at the doctor's. She has been through so much this past year so I hope things will finally turn around for her. Thanks for your concern and I will tell her you said Hi.

Nancy said...

Happy New Year to you and may it be the best year ever! Thanks for your blogging friendship this year and for your encouraging words. My prayers continue for you and your daughter, as you face the healing days ahead.

Liz Hinds said...

A very happy and healthy New Year to you and to Jaclyn. I really hope today is going to be the first day of a new beginning for you.
xx

Ruth W. said...

How wonderful to have her home again. She will recover fine because she knows she has a mother who deeply cares for her.

Smalltown RN said...

Happy New Year to you my friend I am so glad your daughter is home and you are there to care for her....she is so blessed to have you.....I wish you both a much brighter 2008....all the very best!