Kids Do The Darndest Things…

Last Thursday, my son Nathan was at the door getting ready for school. This usually takes place when I’ve already been at work for over an hour, so I generally don’t see his routine. But since Nathan is Nathan, his tendency is to grab his jacket and ski pants off the hanger by pulling down on them. Despite the fact that this usually works out fine for him, this occasion saw the elastic shoulder straps of his ski pants cause the plastic hanger to whip forward and strike him in the face. As is usual when he does something that he ASSUMES will get him in trouble, he told us nothing.

That night, we noticed that his right eyelid was a little bit red and this is where he revealed what had happened that morning. He claimed it didn’t hurt or sting and his vision was fine. I sighed and shook my head at his lack of self-care when walking through his daily routine and let it go. Since he appeared none worse for the wear, I assumed the redness was a result of getting smacked in the face and that was that. When I tucked him in that night, his eyelid was red but still looked normal and he still claimed no pain or stinging.

The next morning on the Friday, I woke up at my usual time (despite having set my alarm for half an hour later) and prepped mine and Nathan’s lunch. Since it was Friday, I opted for a pair of jeans and a casual top to wear with a sports coat while at the office. I left the house, sipping caffeine and glad to have reached the end of the week. I started my work day with ideas of how I would spend my weekend rolling through my head. I was deeply into one of the projects I was working on when my wife sends me this photo…

Apparently sometime during the night, his eyelid went from mildly red to something out of a bad 80’s horror flick where a parasite is setting up shop beneath the surface of the skin. He had been up for almost an hour and chose twenty minutes before his departure to grace his mother with his presence and reveal the look of his face. He still claimed it didn’t hurt or sting but obviously, this would be pause for concern for any parent.

I made the decision that we shouldn’t wait and that it should get looked at immediately. I asked my wife to contact the school and let them know Nathan wouldn’t be in, this morning. I contacted my boss and let him know the situation and I packed up my work gear for the weekend and came home. I grabbed Nathan and we headed to his doctor’s office. It was about a 45-minute wait and it took all of about ten of those minutes for Nathan to start complaining he was bored. If not for the swollen eyelid, one would assume there was absolutely nothing wrong.

When we finally got in to see the doctor, although there was no pain and no loss of vision, the doctor determined that his eyelid was infected. I asked how this could be possible from being struck and he explained that if the hanger had bacteria or was dirty, it could have easily caused an infection. He prescribed an antibiotic that would need to be taken over about a week. Luckily, it’s a liquid and apparently tastes quite nice, so he’s totally game to take it. He tried his damndest to convince me he didn’t need to go back to school. He failed.

It seems as though his eyelid is getting better. But there’s no doubt that kids have this way of eating up several hours of the day for just about anything. To hear him tell it, you’d think there was nothing wrong and he was perfectly willing to head off to school, looking like that. But just look at that photo… He says it didn’t hurt but it hurts ME just looking at it! Kids! The adventure never ends. ☯️

A Review: The Batman (Mild Spoilers)

I grew up in what on might call a “comic book-rich environment…” Alright, alright, I’m a self-professed nerd and freaking proud of it! I dabbled in a little bit of everything, including DC and Marvel as well as many of the more obscure, unknown comic labels. Despite this affinity to the drawn stories, I was always more of a Superman guy than a Batman guy. Maybe it was because I’ve always dreamed of flight as my preferred superpower. But I digress…

The 1980’s were a pretty big decade for me, having reached my teens and fully grasping the concept of the superhero genre. It also came with 1989’s “Batman,” which starred Michael Keaton as the titular hero. Considering some of the other movies I’d seen him in (not least of which was Beetlejuice) I didn’t think the movie would be much good. Although it won’t be a popular opinion, I never cared for the goofy, off-beat Adam West version of Batman. But i was proven wrong as Keaton not only did a good job and reprised the role in a sequel.

The next couple of movies weren’t really worth their salt, including bat-nipples and over-the-top neon lights and glowing weaponry and shit. It didn’t really fit with the comic-based concept of the Dark Knight. Then 2005 came along and saw Christian Bale stepping into the cape and cowl. I LOVED the background story angle and the flexibility and realism behind this version of the hero and through that Bale did a phenomenal job in all three movies, even though many diehard coming fans would disagree.

When Ben Affleck came along next to take up the role, I believe the first words out of my m ouch were “what the fucking fuck???” This wasn’t a romcom or something out of the “view askew-iverse…“ This was the fucking Batman! I simply couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of this guy becoming a superhero. but he did it. And damn, he did it well.

Based on my reaction to Ben Affleck, I’m sure you can only imagine what my reaction to the actor chosen for this year’s “The Batman.” Now don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed the Twilight movies (And I say that without the presence of my wife forcing me to. They were great movies and I enjoyed the overall storyline). But when I heard a few years ago that they had chosen Robert Pattinson to play Batman, I could imagine hearing the sound of every brick in heaving, shitting itself at once.

Are you kidding me? Some skinny, emo-looking goofball with far too much hair is supposed to play a fearsome, muscled hero who uses fear as a weapon? When all people can think about when they look at him is how pretty he sparkles when he steps out into the sun? I was saddened and disappointed and actually had no intentions of seeing the movie. Then, the trailer came out…

Without providing spoilers on the movie, the trailer I saw involved a gang beating on an innocent civilian and they stop as they hear footsteps coming from the dark. Then, Batman walks out and proceeds to beat the living shit out of the entire gang. It was epic. It was amazing. AND, it was realistic. The Bat took some hits as opposed to being this all-destructive force that couldn’t be touched. Much the same style as how Superman took hits in the Man of Steel, Pattinson was now on my radar.

My wife and I don’t make a point of going to the movies much. It isn’t because we don’t enjoy movies, per se. rather, it’s because the cost versus reward just ins’t worth NOT waiting for it to come to one of our streaming services. But last weekend we both decided that the Batman was a movie we’d both enjoy seeing in the theatres, so we hired a babysitter and made our way out into the world to see this movie, which sat at just under three hours.

Again, without giving away TOO much, the movie started off with the storyline right off the hop. No origin story, no flashbacks. This is a big deal for fans who are exhausted at the concept of seeing Bruce Wayne’s parents get shot in an alley in EVERY BATMAN MOVIE. The parents’ death is occasionally reference but is never shown. The action is realistic in the sense that the hero isn’t using an array of unrealistic and advanced weaponry that has somehow never been thought of by others. There’s also a more realistic tinge to this film as Batman butts heads with local law enforcement, despite befriending Jim Gordon, whom he’s connected with in every comic and movie.

I don’t want to give away too much, despite having warned of some spoilers. It’s always more fun to see the movie for oneself and enjoy seeing it without knowing what’s coming. But if you’re looking for action, solid storyline and realism, the Batman was definitely worth the watch. And don’t bother sitting around for extra after-credit scenes; there was one, but it was nothing pertinent. Better to look it up online than sit through the credits. Enjoy!☯️

Pain Is Not The Point

If you practice martial arts, you’re gonna get hurt! Read that first sentence again; it’s important. Martial arts isn’t designed to be gentle, although there are some gentle aspects to it. But the reality is that if you join something like karate, you need to expect that you will, at some point, get struck, bruised, experience pain, pulled muscles, potential black eyes and even bleed. After all, this is a striking art, not cross-stitch (which can still make you bleed, FYI).

The reason I bring this up is because as time goes by, people as a whole seem to have grown in their “sensitivities” and that has often translated to the dojo environment. It surprises me, blows me away, actually how so many people join a martial art then are caught off guard or are surprised when they get hurt in some way, shape or form. I can’t necessarily speak for other styles and types but karate is a striking art and you should clearly expect that a strike may connect at some point while training.

When training in karate, we develop an eye distance to help us gauge the depth of a strike and whether or not it will impact with the surface. We usually train for striking in three ways:

1. A strike that doesn’t stop when it reaches the target. This one is usually done on a mat or a cushion as to not intentionally injure a partner. The idea is to develop one’s power and accuracy and acknowledging that stopping at the surface of a target may inadvertently cause one to pull back, reducing the strike’s effectiveness;
2. A strike that touches but doesn’t cause harm. This helps to develop accuracy and control and helps a partner to acknowledge and realize when contact has been made and whether their block was effective or not.
3. Stopping on a dime, regardless of strike power. Sensei would call this “eye distance,” and it refers to being able to execute a strike at full strength but stopping right at the surface of the target without striking it. This also plays into control and accuracy and is important when learning techniques in a controlled environment.

I’m getting pretty technical and for the purposes of this post, perhaps I needn’t be. But if you read that short list again, you’ll notice that the consistent terms in all three categories are control and accuracy. One could easily argue that in a real fight scenario, all accuracy and control goes out the window. One is basically just trying to survive. While this MIGHT be true, the control and accuracy we train for in the dojo helps to develop the muscle memory that we would carry into the street, if such an unfortunate incident ever occurred.

The important thing to remember is to respect your fellow students. Regardless of belt or rank, regardless of skill level, having respect for your partner/opponent and recognizing that accidents happen and never trying to o intentionally harm them will ensure a richer learning environment for all concerned. That being said, it’s important to recognize that even the most skilled and senior of students can slip and make mistakes. If you get struck, remember that this is a striking art and all part of the overall martial arts journey.

And if you strike someone while training, apologize sincerely and carry on with the exercise (unless your partner is unable to continue). Being humble shows greater strength than puffing out one’s chest and saying something like “you should’ve blocked!” Yes, maybe I should have. But mutual respect is how we all climb the martial arts ladder. Remember this, the next time you’re icing an injury or nursing a pulled muscle. It’s all part of the journey. You want injury-free? Go join a chess club. ☯️

If Your Ego Won’t Fit Through The X-ray Machine, It Needs To Be Checked…

I’ve trained with more martial artists over the decades than I could ever possibly hope to count… Different schools, different styles and different personalities notwithstanding, not everyone views what they’re doing the same way. For example, I’ve often noticed that children and teenagers will often be quite proud of being in karate and may occasionally even brag about their skills and prowess.

But it’s important to remember that there’s a big difference between pride and ego. Ego is one’s sense of self-importance or self-esteem. It can be an important part of a person’s overall existence but becomes a problem if it inflates beyond certain healthy levels. It’s possible for one to have an inflated ego where they genuinely believe they’re better than everybody else or have greater skills than everyone else.

Honestly, there’s no room for that shit in traditional karate. I’m well aware that some school shave students like this; I’ve even TAUGHT students like this but it usually never ends well. I was reminded of this recently when I was training at. The Shotokan dojo. I’ve always been very confident in my skills, even in recent years. But I was quickly reminded that time and age are rarely kind and there will always be others who may be more skilled. Squaring off against another student who happens to be half my age and weight but skilled to the same degree was all I needed as a sobering reminder.

Another fantastic aspect that reminded me of this, is when one of the instructors came to me after class ended last week and asked me to teach him one of my Uechi Ryu katas. I was more than happy to oblige and he patiently worked through the beginnings of Sanchin, which is ironically the first and last karate that we learn. We got to discussing how, if one is willing to set aside their egos and learn, rank meant nothing and there was always something more to be gained. Especially when experienced practitioners from different styles are willing to share with one another.

It brought me to believe that I made a good choice in choosing this school as the next leg of my martial arts journey. But it also reminded me of all the times that I’ve dealt with someone who bragged they were the best and had a better style, only to get flattened when they faced me. And maybe a few times when people practicing something I thought less of, flattened ME in much the same way. There’s no room for ego.

The important detail is to go in with an open mind. Check your ego at the door and be willing to listen, learn and absorb. This is truly the only way to be successful in one’s martial arts training. As the old story goes, it’s hard to add to a cup which is already full. If you walk into a dojo with a bunch of pre-conceived notions or opinions, regardless of your rank or skill level, you’ll fail before you even begin. And THAT would be a loss to everyone concerned. Food for thought… ☯️

What’s The Price Of A Sheet Of Paper?

Education is the cornerstone of society. I’ve spent my entire life hearing those words from my father, teachers and instructors. And to a degree, they were correct. One can’t expect to get through life without learning something. The method and means behind HOW we obtain that education has changed throughout the years. For example, my grandfather never obtained a school education. He went on to fight in the Second World War and came home to make a living by working at the local paper mill and supported a full family with seven children. Not too shabby, for someone without a high school diploma.

Even my mother dropped out of school somewhere around the tenth grade and tentatively entered seminary school, dropped out and went on to work as a manager for a major retailer. Try to pull that shit off, now! I can almost promise you that trying to get through life without a minimum high school diploma is difficult at best. Not impossible, mind you but difficult. I remember some twenty years ago when I applied for a janitorial job in southern New Brunswick. I remember wondering WHY they required the applicants to hold a high school diploma for that particular position. But such is the state of the western world; education is valued as much as experience, even though you’d better have some of the latter as well.

In 1996, I enlisted in a local college with the intentions of studying computer programming. For those of you who weren’t around back then, it was a glorious world of Windows ’95, Visual Basic and Pascal… Duke Nukem 3D and Doom was our game of choice and I thought computers were all the rage. When I graduated high school, I wanted nothing more than to take a year off and work, raise some money and potentially buy a better car and determine what direction I wanted my life to take. My parents weren’t a big fan of this concept and effectively told me to enroll somewhere or move out. The former would basically cause the latter so I figured I should look into an education.

I had been working since I was 11 years old and had some money saved up but I also signed up for some student loans in order to pay tuition, buy books and pay rent. I started college with a lot of brave ideas in my head and many expectations for the future. I faced two problems; I was burned out from over a decade of schooling where I had been bullied an harassed for years AND I chose to take college in French. Although I’m fully bilingual, computer terminology that’s an inch long on paper in English is usually twice as long in French, causing major issues in my ability to comprehend what I had been studying.

I passed that first year in college having failed only one class but it was that one credit that would go on to determine the course of my life in a dramatic way. I returned home and started working while trying to take that one class, which I was failing for the second time. By the time that I had recognized that my current path wasn’t for me, I had started to climb into a management role at my job and decided to pursue education on a private level. The next few years saw me work a variety of jobs where I almost always reached management or supervisoral levels until I eventually enlisted in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and spent the next decade and a half serving the public.

Why am I telling you all this? The reason is quite simple. Many people believe the only path to a good, decent life is through education. And while it’s quite true that a good education can help one in life, the almighty piece of paper associated to it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A sheet of paper is worth between a penny to ten cents. That’s all that piece of paper is worth. It’s the knowledge, time and experience one gains from that education that holds the true value. Some people love taking courses and learning things and that’s fantastic. But eventually you need to focus on the experience and life lessons over the piece of paper. Food for thought… ☯️

Fear of Failure Is Fear Of Life…

It’s no secret that we make our way through life by a very twisted, convoluted road. And there are plenty of bumps along that road, no matter who you are or the environment you grow up in. But making mistakes can be a good thing. During childhood, these mistakes are seen as “life lessons.” It isn’t until we get older and creep our way into adulthood, do people start to call them “mistakes.” And I think there’s an inherent problem with this view. Although we learn valuable life lessons as children, such as not sticking a fork into a wall socket a second time (no, I’m not speaking from experience), the mistakes we make during adulthood can be valuable and teach us important lessons as well.

People are generally afraid of failing at anything they take on in life. There are many reasons for this, including the potential disappointment of others, one’s family, friends or peers. There’s also the fear that failing at something may cost one more than one is willing to bear. The big problem with viewing the world through this lens is twofold; fear of such failure will leave you stuck in a place you may not want to be and you’ll never experience growth UNLESS you first experience failure. There’s nothing worse than looking back at one’s life and recognizing that you’re stuck in the very same place you’ve always been and have learned nothing.

“Experience Is The Hardest Kind Of Teacher. It Gives You The Test First And The Lesson Afterward.”

– Oscar Wilde

Ultimately, what’s important is the attempt. If you work hard at something, build goals and try and develop yourself and your life but still fail, it’s not a loss. Life has a way of teaching us through our mistakes so that we gain experience, which we wouldn’t if life was smooth sailing without encountering any waves. An apt analogy for a Maritimer, I think! But I digress… The point is that when mistakes are made and losses occur, you can’t change them. You can’t undo them. You can only learn from them and move forward and ensure you don’t repeat these mistakes.

Mistakes are how we learn. If you lose a job, fail a test or exam, injure yourself or hurt someone you care about, it can all hold value so long as you’re willing to learn from it and ensure you don’t repeat the same mistakes. It isn’t rocket science. I’m not spouting off anything new. It’s simply a matter of recognizing that value. You’ll be better for it. And life will become all that much better. ☯️

Happy St. Paddy’s

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!In all honesty, I don’t believe I have Irish roots but one really never knows. My father was adopted and it’s thought that our background through his adoptive family included some Scottish and British. My father has been VERY red-headed throughout his entire life, as was I until about five or six years’ old when my hair darkened closer to my mother’s, so who knows? Without wanting to be stereotypical with the redhead thing, people get surprised by their ancestry. But I digress…

Saint Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday (obviously) held on March 17th that was originally observed to celebrate Saint Patrick, one of the foremost patron saints of Ireland, and the introduction of Christianity in Ireland, In recent times, the day is observed as a way of celebrating the Irish culture in general and usually sees people enjoying parties, festivals, parades and especially the wearing of green clothing. And for anyone who has better information on this holiday, please feel free to hit me up in my Contact Me link and educate me. I’m basically going on what I was told during my childhood and some snippets I’ve read online.

Here in Canada, we have one of the longest-running yearly festival for St. Patrick’s Day on Montreal. My home Province of New Brunswick also sees St. Patrick’s Day as a way of celebrating for an entire week. one can usually see a host of fun activities such as drinking green beer and enjoying traditional Irish meals. As you can see from the photo above, I’ve opted to observe by wearing a green tie to work. That’s about as far as my observance goes since my partying days are long behind me (and because they never existed).

Here’s to St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re out and about today and observing the holiday through some “colourful” celebrations, be safe, be reasonable and make certain you get home in one piece. ☘️

It’s All Fun And Fresh Laces…

I was sitting in my office yesterday and I got up for something, either a washroom break or my tenth coffee of the morning, when I felt my left shoe coming loose. now, if you wear dress shoes as part of your work or even often enough outside of work, you know that most dress shoes are made of leather and once you lace them tightly, the leather grips the lace and holds it in place. But for some reason, my left shoe became loose and the shoe slackened on my foot as I walked.

Upon further examination (a totally fancy way of saying “I checked it out), I realized that the lace had some damage to it. The best way I can describe it, is that it became “gloved.” To clarify, “gloving” is known in forensic circles as the effect of the outer layer of the hand’s tissue being forcefully scraped off to reveal the tissue beneath. Although gross, this is basically what happened to my shoe laces; the outer surface was stripped away, revealing a thinner, finer lace beneath. This finer lace provided no support and couldn’t hold its knot once tied.

I purchased a new set of laces and installed them and the problem was fixed. It also got me examining my shoes, which is not really something one does beyond tying them. I came to realize that I’ve had these shoes for over fifteen years. Made of sturdy, stout leather, they’ve served me well in various functions, events, jobs and activities. And although I know that most people would have likely scrapped them in favour of a newer pair by now, they’re still comfortable, usable and provide excellent support.

Before everyone jumps into my comments section and brings up the fact that I’ve been using a pair of shoes for fifteen years (FYI, my grandfather owned shoes for longer and went through worse than I have), I started thinking about how our world has grown to be a disposable one. Products and items last for shorter periods, usually requiring replacement as the cost of repairing them is usually higher and more time consuming than simply replacing it.

A good example would be computers and smart devices. The vast majority of people in the western world now own a smart device and/or home computer as part of their daily lives. Back in the 1980’s when I first set hands on a computer, they were considered a luxury and not an expected part of the household. But most computers these days last only a certain amount of time before they can no longer be “updated,” even if they still work just fine. This can be frustrating to someone who has spent a significant amount of money on one.

I’ve faced similar issues with my cell phones in recent years, where a phone can longer be updated to current software and stop supporting certain apps and programs as a result. This really sucks, since I’ve kept every previous generation of cell phone I have and they all work. So, if all I needed was an actual cell phone, it’d be fine. When you’re paying a substantial amount for a product designed to perform a bulk number of functions, you won’t be happy if those functions are no longer available.

I’m ranting just a little bit here, and some of you may be wondering where the connection is between replacing my shoe laces and talking about electronics. My point is that, much like my grandfather used to say, “they don’t make ‘em like they used to!” The result of this is that we now exist in a world where it has become easier to throw things away and replace them instead of trying to maintain them. I think it’s important to remember that something trustworthy that serves you up well should have every effort taken to be maintained. Food for thought… ☯️

Silver Linings For My Dark Clouds…

Despite all the sad, morbid topics I’ve covered in recent days, last week was that time again; I had a scheduled appointment with my endocrinologist. It seemed like September wasn’t that long ago but here we are, six months later! You may recall my post from a couple of weeks ago complaining about the wait times at blood labs and such… This appointment is the result of that blood work.

Visiting my endocrinologist is usually a mixed bag for me. Although eternally grateful for introducing me to the concept of carb counting and getting me on an insulin pump, my doctor is also the one who provides the results and discusses concerns surrounding all things Diabetic. So I never quite know what I might be in for.

One big issue is the uploading of my pump. The doctor’s office requires the uploading of my insulin pump into a database that they can access. Even though this should be a pretty straightforward thing to do, I almost always seem to have issues when I try. So this time, I got smart and uploaded the pump a week prior to my appointment in the event I had issues I had to work through. I was going to upload again the night before until I realized I had foolishly left my link meter at my office, which I required in order to tether the pump to my computer.

I figured, no harm, no fouls, right? Wrong. I was quickly told to surrender my pump so that the admin could upload the last week of readings. I found this a bit tedious since they already had six months of readings. How much of a difference could the past seven days make? Que sera, I was on their time so I turned it over. Maybe I’m just bitter because she also weighed me and announced I had gained two pounds. But I digress…

The past six months have been a bit rough for me, with losing out on one karate school, which messed up my fitness routine, to losing coverage for CGM, which messed up my blood sugar routine, to starting a new karate school, which messed up my fitness routine to getting back on CGM, which will hopefully fix many of my readings… See where I’m goin’ with this? Basically, i knew my blood sugars would be all over the place with some rather significant highs to explain.

When my doctor walked in, we discussed all these issues and he indicated it explained a lot in terms of what my readings showed. He was glad I was taking steps to fix things but he also made a point of saying that despite some of the high readings, I managed to hold my A1C at a reasonable level of 7.3, which is down from a higher reading back in September. I was pleasantly surprised.

He added some further sweetness to a not-so-bitter pill by showing me how my renal function was back to normal, blood pressure was normal, blood circulation and neurological systems were good and I apparently still have the heart of a horse (and no, I don’t mean enlarged, wise ass!). The only caveat to all the good news is that my potassium, of all things, appears to be slightly higher than normal, which will be fixed with a temporary water pill and some changes to my overall diet. I can live with that.

By the time we had reached the end of my appointment, my doctor once again called me one of his most boring patients, since I presented no challenge. He further went on to explain that if I continued on the path I was walking in terms of maintaining Diabetes control, when the time came that died, I would be one of his only patients to die WITH Diabetes instead of dying BECAUSE of Diabetes. I may just get that tattooed on my lower back…

Did I mention that my cholesterol is also down by a full point? I’m sure there’s more but I was basically gushing from the positivity so much that I think I missed some of it. In a current world where there’s so much wrong and suffering, it was nice to have some positivity for a change. AND it justifies all the hard work I put in, maintaining my blood sugars and my fitness. This is something we can all do. One your organs fail or you’re on death’s bed, it’s too late. Better to start improving now so you can appreciate the results later. Food for thought…☯️

Riding The High-wire Without A Net…(A Long Read)

Obviously, this past weekend has been a bit of a journey for me… Saying final goodbyes to any family member leaves a lasting cloud over the occasion. I’ve always fancied myself as someone very organized and capable of thinking and planning ahead. Hell, I’ve travelled to Japan and Okinawa without any concern that i was prepared SPECIFICALLY because I can count on myself to be just that: prepared. This weekend taught me just how possible it is for someone to lose their edge when faced without something that divides their mind and spirit.

Our trip started with me leaving work early, last Thursday. This was necessary in order to drop off our sons in Kindersley to spend the following night with their grandparents while we travelled to Alberta for my uncle’s funeral. I left the office in a hurry once my meetings were done and once I was home, I found myself with about an hour of down time since Nathan wasn’t back from school yet. This turned out to be a mistake for a number of reasons. Over the years, I’ve come to discover that I usually function better under pressure. The hour of down time allowed for a small window of time for me to allow my thoughts to drift on the days to come and make a few mistakes…

We took to the road once Nathan was out of school, having picked up some McDonald’s drive-thru to appease the boys while simultaneously ensuring everyone was fed without delaying us at home. We made our way as far as Rosetown, which is only about an hour east from Kindersley. My pump started to vibrate, signalling that it needed a calibration. We pulled into a local coffee chain so that everyone could stretch and get some drinks for the remainder of the trip. That’s when I took my overnight bag apart and realized that during my “down time,” I left my fuckin’ glucometer in my work bag… Thus began the weekend…

I made my peace with the fact that I could feed the pump it’s own sensor readings using the graph to ensure some accuracy. This isn’t ideal and pump trainers will usually say it’s not recommended. But for lack of any other immediate options, it would do. I fed the pump the previous sensor reading and everything went gangbusters for the night as we slept at my wife’s parents’ house for the night. The following morning, we left for Red Deer, Alberta where I would be bidding final farewells to my uncle.

We had originally made arrangements to meet at my aunt’s house first, followed by going to chapel together. However, once we reached the outskirts of Red Deer, my pump vibrated an alarm indicating that my sensor had expired. Fucking lovely! All things considered, this wasn’t the worst situation I’d ever been in AND I just happened to have extras of everything in my bag EXCEPT a glucometer. Luckily, this is a non-prescription item so I was able to find a local pharmacy and pick up a cheap and outdated model of the current meter that uploads to my pump. this one would not, but it would take blood sugars readings to allow the calibration of the new sensor.

We checked into our hotel room and got ready for the service, all of which made us to late to go to my aunt’s first. Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. And this is me, we’re talking about… So it should come as no surprise when the damn sensor failed. Despite our best attempts to get the transmitter to connect with then pump properly, the sensor just wasn’t having it. I thought it would be fine, since I had just purchased a new glucometer. I would simply run on manual mode for the weekend until I got back to Regina. THAT part at least, was no big deal…

We attended the chapel and sat through the memorial service, followed by a celebration of life and a meal afterwards. In honour of my uncle’s preference, everyone started with a dessert followed by their meal. It was a great tradition but it was very high-carb. This is why after saying goodbye to my aunt and cousins, we rushed back to the hotel room to test my blood. I had to do a double take to confirm that my glucometer wasn’t in it’s case. I took my overnight bag as well as my wife’s apart to ensure it hadn’t fallen out anywhere. I travelled our route from the car to the room backwards, checking to see if it had bee dropped somewhere. Nada!

I went back to the room and tried to collect my thoughts on what I should do next. It would be about 18 to 20 hours before we would be back in Saskatchewan and I needed either a sensor or a glucometer in order to maintain my blood sugars for that period of time. I really only had one choice: I had to find an open pharmacy that would have a glucometer for sale. Since it was about 9:30 pm, I managed to find a Shoppers Drug mart that was still open. In exchange for purchasing a box of the test strips I usually used at home, they provided me with a basic meter for free, which was all I really needed. I decided to buy a box of FreeStyle Libre, as well. Considering the luck I had been having, I figured having the “poor man’s CGM” in my tricep couldn’t hurt.

The following morning saw us enjoy a lovely breakfast with my family and then we got on the road back to Kindersley. When we were halfway to the Alberta/Saskatchewan border and stopped for fuel and coffee, my wife reaches between her seat and says, “Son of a bitch…” and reveals the first glucometer I had purchased when we reached Red Deer… Now, I own enough glucometers to open my own at-home Diabetes clinic. We made our way onto Kindersley and spent the night there with my wife’s parents. We took to the road for Regina around lunchtime the following day.

Our trip back to Regina was as one might expect; crying and restless kids followed by everyone napping while I drove. We chose take-out for supper, since we were pulling into home during dinner hour and had no idea what was available in our fridge. While eating, we gave Nathan a small Tupperware container that held a half-dozen chewable multi-vitamins. he was to take one, then return it to the kitchen, out of the baby’s reach. Ultimately, he left it sitting on the edge of the dining table, just mere inches away from the baby gate. Alexander (the baby) got a hold of it and ate the remaining vitamins before we realized he had it…

You know when you’re in an elevator that goers down when you thought it’d be going up? That’s kind of the feeling I got when Laura told me what had happened. In an immediate state of analyzation, I grabbed the vitamin bottle and started looking at the ingredients and the instructions in the event a child consumed the bottle. I contacted Saskatchewan Poison Control and provided them with all the information. they were able to calculate that the effect would be minimal, including bright, fluorescent pee and dark, almost black bowel movements. Otherwise, he might have a bit of a sore tummy but would be otherwise fine and suggested we feed him a snack to help absorb the excess iron he ingested.

That was the icing on an otherwise bitter cupcake on a bullshit of a weekend. Not only did my uncle pass away, my eldest son left something out that could have potentially been toxic and deadly to his baby brother. yes, we should have been watching. To our credit and his, he DID put them on the dining room table outside of the baby gate. Little did we know that our little Alexander had long enough arms to reach them. Live and learn. Alex turned out to be fine, but it prompted a very in-depth conversation with Nathan about the perils of leaving things in his little brother’s reach. It’s surprising how the little details can lead to big problems. We got lucky this time, but live and learn… ☯️