Name: Gordon BurgessAddress: P.O. Box 699
City: Alliston
Province: Ontario
Postal Code: L9R 1V9
Country: CANADA
E Mail: chiroburgess@gmail.com
Birth Date: 21-Jun-1926
Dx. Date: 25-Sept-1997
We spent a lot of our year dealing with health issues and traveling to doctor's offices - you can read those exciting details by scrolling down to the medical "digest" which now includes both of us. But here, we will share the more upbeat and exciting parts of our 2010 journey:
First bit of excitement was the opening of the big WalMart Mall just at the bottom of our road (1 km away!) So nice to be able to run down there for that needed Litre of milk instead of going all across town!
Alliston Walmart open for business. Yesterday morning (Wednesday) marked the grand opening of Alliston's new Walmart located at 30 Dunham Dr. near Highway 89 and County Road 10. The first customers entered Walmart after Maria Rocha (centre) along with store manager Mark Blake and New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern conducted the official ribbon cutting. Copyright: Alliston HeraldApril 4th: - We had a wonderful visit and meal with Linda Story and her daughter Beth at the 60 Harbour restaurant in Toronto. Entering the restaurant, Gord had a bad fall, ruining the pants of his Sunday suit and banging his ribs and knees pretty good...sigh.
Tax time was traumatic, pressure is getting too much for Jan and her health was going downhill on several fronts. Frozen R shoulder made mousing and keyboard entry very painful. Then she discovered a lump just under the nipple of her L. breast. Took some time to get a doctor's appointment!
Family outingsbegan in April with Brenda's birthday get-together:- I think Michie was enjoying it also! I believe we were at an Indian buffet called Tandoori Flame.
May 01, 2010: - We celebrated Sarah's 7th birthday a few days late, but I think it was worth the delay:- See the photo's!
May 16th - we had a Mother's day gathering at the Mandarin. Don't seem to have had my camera with me that day!!
May 21st - we headed for the Montreal conference, staying at Gananoque that night.
The Naproxin Jan was taking for her shoulder was working wonders - not exactly pain free, but manageable although leaving her somewhat groggy: even managed some sleep lying on her back instead of sitting in a chair. Next morning we had breakfast with our dear friend Donna Thicke in a little cafe in Morrisburg called "The Basket Case" - mighty appropriate!!!!
Donna looks tanned & in great shape. She now has Gracie, a young Scotty dog for company - Great Grand-daughter of Bargie! She and her friend Jane are training to do the pilgrimage walk known as "the Camino de Santiago" across the North of Spain in September.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/
A very hot & humid weekend in Montreal but a precious time as always; a little hard to concentrate while dosed with Naproxen, but with a few extra naps in our air conditioned motel room - we made it just fine, then it was on to Ottawa and a lovely visit with Linda & Beth Story
staying overnight with them. Spoiled we are!!!! Had a meal "out" with them and Beth's sister Becky and girls also - Here we all are!
May 25th: - We had arranged to meet Mark and Patricia near Perth, Ontario and we so enjoyed this dear couple battling PCa so courageously. We met at a cafe in a little town called Balderston (famous for it's cheese!)
They are "My kind of People"!!!! both night owls and not Morning persons at all!!
Mark is very tall and has the most engaging smile - he tried to convince Gord that Taxotere was a breeze, but I don't think Gord is convinced!! We came away with a dish of Patricia's famous Apple Crumble!!!! Gord is one spoiled fellow!!!
After we left Patricia and Mark, we traveled to Peterborough and surprised one of my nursing classmates in a nursing home there. Sally has MS and it has progressed to the point she can no longer use either arm and only the fingers on her right hand. I think the visit was very appreciated as her husband, now on 3 weekly dialysis, was not in today. It was a lovely, although brief visit; we felt blessed to have managed to visit so many on this one long weekend :)
The Frozen shoulder is definitely "Thawed"!!!! almost full movement and only a few twinges here & there. Jan is trying to lengthen the time between doses.
May 30th: Gord, on his right arm just above the elbow has a deep blue bruise at least 3 1/2 inches across - an almost perfect circle. He did not like the suggestion to see his GP about it, - so Jan suggested he tell his dentist tomorrow since she would need to know if there is a bleeding problem & he said "OK" reluctantly.
May 31: Dentist told him to see his GP and possibly getting an INR to see what his clotting time is. So now he is set to call the GP in the morning and fit a visit in (somewhere).
He thinks it is the Plavex and wonders if he needs to cut back on his Vit E.
June 4th & 5th:
You can see in the picture below that Gord was faithfully wearing his splint on the L. wrist. He continues to have pain and has long since discarded the splint & the physio.
We were at the Mew Lake airfield trail, stalking Great Blue's when Jan took this shot!
Aug 28, 2010: - We returned home from Algonquin and started the medical round again until we left for Rockway Conference. We learned that our new friend Mark (see above) had lost his battle to PCa. this day. This beast is relentless.
Sept 03, 2010: - traveling by motorhome again, we camped in the driveway of our brother & sister Robert & Carole Desjardins in Vars Ontario. Such a royal welcome and spoiled as usual!
Sept 04, 2010: - Drove on to Rockway Valley, QC - the rockway road still under construction, but so much better than last year - should be all done in 2011????
Sept 06, 2010: - The last day of conference, and Gord woke up with a swollen tongue - this was his second episode and Nurse Ellie was quite concerned about it and gathered up every kind of anti-histamine and plied Gord with it - he was much better by the time we were ready to drive out of the mountains. We were about to leave, when Luke Fox phoned from his car and told us of problems on the road, and Grant suggested a different route, and Linda and Beth Story decided to go that new way, and that we should follow them.
After a stressful 5 hour journey in the rain, and mostly in the dark, on unfamiliar mountain roads and new highways with faint markings, and getting lost once or twice, we finally plugged in the GPS and just did what she told us and arrived exhausted but safe at the Desjardin campground in Vars. Next day (Sept 07, 2010) we had lunch in Ottawa with Linda & Beth Story and Carole Desjardin - who had already filled us to overflowing at breakfast !!
After that visit we drove on to find the Ottawa Campground we were going to stay in overnight, checked in and had a rest. Then met with Patricia, so recently widowed, Wendy & Gil (whom we had met the previous year) for supper at an Indian restaurant.
We had a nice long chat, ate a so-so Indian dinner - the Paneer was good! and took and gave lot's of hugs!
Gil removed his eye patch for the pictures - but looked quite dashing as a pirate! If I look a little crumpled - remember the humidity was high and I don't do heat well - left my suit jacket in the vehicle - it would have covered the creases During the meal - we had lightening, lights flickering and big thunder boomers right above us and lots of rain. Indeed a memorable occasion. Then back to our campground for a good night's rest in spite of the weather.
Sept 08, 2010: - Left Ottawa for Algonquin, stopping for lunch at a lovely picnic spot on Golden Lake. Dark storm clouds still around - so not so "Golden" this day!!!!
Was even less golden when Gord's tongue began to swell again and we used up all the anti-histamines.
Arrived at Algonquin and went to the store first; they had one over-the-counter antihistamine and we bought it, then read on the box it should not be taken without a doctor's say so by anyone over 65!
Using the "HUB" we talked with a couple of nurses on line and decided a half dose now and the other half in the morning and call our doctor as soon as his office opened! When we called Dr. Seward next morning, his directions were to head for the ER, STAT! Gord's interpretation was to drive home, park the Motorhome in the driveway, pick up the car and go to the Alliston Emerg. - you can read more about that in the Health portion of the "Digest" below.
Sep 20, 2010: - Nothing daunted, after ER and doctors appointments, we finally got back to Algonquin Click on that link and see our wildlife shots ! We had never seen a full racked Bull Moose before, or a Wolf either! Jan is beginning to experiment with VIDEO also!
DSC_0154.AVI
Oct 02, 2010: - Shelley and Peter arrive from over the Pond!!!! We had a family gathering at Pearson International then S&P came home with us for the week. We are blessed!!!!! Not much of a holiday for them since the week included doctor appointments - (groan); however on Oct 07, 2010 we had one lovely fall outing at Mono Mills conservation area and took a zillion pictures! Here are some of Jan's ; Some of Peter's ; Shelley's ; and Gord's .
Then off Shelley & Peter went to stay in Toronto with Brenda & Yvonne, with a day trip to Niagara (where Peter had first proposed) nice touch on their 10th anniversary year!!
Oct 11, 2010: - Just days before Jan's date with the surgeon - Thanksgiving with all the family!
Oct 13, 2010: - Jan's mastectomy surgery at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Oct 14, 2010: - Jan comes home from PMH!
Oct 15, 2010: - Shelley & Peter fly back to England
Oct 23, 2010: - Nathan's birthday celebration canceled because of Gord's flu bug!
Nov 10, 2010: - Gord wrote, and passed his Driver renewal test!
Nov 26, 2010: - After one of our visits to Markham Stouffville Hospital, we had another nice visit and lunch with Jean & Phil - this time at Cora's. It was brunch for me and I was most surprised to be served a small pitcher of molasses to pour over my "buckwheat blessings" Different!!!!
Dec 02, 2010: - Our friend and accountant, Lia arrives to work on already late Corporate taxes. Gord also canceled his dental appointment, will we ever get these dentures fitted?
We immediately went to lunch with our friend Millicent, testing out a brand new restaurant in Alliston.
Dec 04, 2010: - My birthday, but the weather has us hunkered down and going nowhere,
Lia, however headed home this morning!
Dec 05, 2010:
- More snow - Gord is certain the Deck roof will collapse!!! Alliston and Beeton are actually in the weather news! Gord fell while trying to clear the snow from the car, but no damage done - too much snow breaking his fall.
Dec 08, 2010: - The Plough arrives and we escape again; able to drive to prayer meeting and back and the next day we attended Gord's "Stroke Group" get- together at Lu & Linda's lovely home.May 01, 2010: - We celebrated Sarah's 7th birthday a few days late, but I think it was worth the delay:- See the photo's!
May 16th - we had a Mother's day gathering at the Mandarin. Don't seem to have had my camera with me that day!!
May 21st - we headed for the Montreal conference, staying at Gananoque that night.
The Naproxin Jan was taking for her shoulder was working wonders - not exactly pain free, but manageable although leaving her somewhat groggy: even managed some sleep lying on her back instead of sitting in a chair. Next morning we had breakfast with our dear friend Donna Thicke in a little cafe in Morrisburg called "The Basket Case" - mighty appropriate!!!!
Donna looks tanned & in great shape. She now has Gracie, a young Scotty dog for company - Great Grand-daughter of Bargie! She and her friend Jane are training to do the pilgrimage walk known as "the Camino de Santiago" across the North of Spain in September.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/
A very hot & humid weekend in Montreal but a precious time as always; a little hard to concentrate while dosed with Naproxen, but with a few extra naps in our air conditioned motel room - we made it just fine, then it was on to Ottawa and a lovely visit with Linda & Beth Story
staying overnight with them. Spoiled we are!!!! Had a meal "out" with them and Beth's sister Becky and girls also - Here we all are!May 25th: - We had arranged to meet Mark and Patricia near Perth, Ontario and we so enjoyed this dear couple battling PCa so courageously. We met at a cafe in a little town called Balderston (famous for it's cheese!)
They are "My kind of People"!!!! both night owls and not Morning persons at all!!
Mark is very tall and has the most engaging smile - he tried to convince Gord that Taxotere was a breeze, but I don't think Gord is convinced!! We came away with a dish of Patricia's famous Apple Crumble!!!! Gord is one spoiled fellow!!!
After we left Patricia and Mark, we traveled to Peterborough and surprised one of my nursing classmates in a nursing home there. Sally has MS and it has progressed to the point she can no longer use either arm and only the fingers on her right hand. I think the visit was very appreciated as her husband, now on 3 weekly dialysis, was not in today. It was a lovely, although brief visit; we felt blessed to have managed to visit so many on this one long weekend :)
The Frozen shoulder is definitely "Thawed"!!!! almost full movement and only a few twinges here & there. Jan is trying to lengthen the time between doses.
May 30th: Gord, on his right arm just above the elbow has a deep blue bruise at least 3 1/2 inches across - an almost perfect circle. He did not like the suggestion to see his GP about it, - so Jan suggested he tell his dentist tomorrow since she would need to know if there is a bleeding problem & he said "OK" reluctantly.
May 31: Dentist told him to see his GP and possibly getting an INR to see what his clotting time is. So now he is set to call the GP in the morning and fit a visit in (somewhere).
He thinks it is the Plavex and wonders if he needs to cut back on his Vit E.
We attended Gord's 50th Class Reunion at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. This is a picture of the Old College
on Bloor Street that Gord atte
nded graduating in 1960.
Here are more pictures of this special day:
While we were at Gord's 50th at C.M.C.C. we saw the shock therapy machine they use to break up the calcium deposits.
If that is the route the doctor's suggest (perhaps even if it isnt!) Jan can get the treatment there - not for 1 or 2 hundred dollars but for the clinic fee of $15! That's a lift to our spirit!!!
June 08, 2010: - Our eavestrough replacement and aluminum flashings were finished today. Now we cannot afford to paint for yet another year.
June 11, 2010: - We walked the "Survivor's lap" in the Alliston RELAY FOR LIFE!
Beautiful evening - the rain held off; it was slightly breezy and overcast but just a delightful night. It was the first time Jan walked as a "Survivor" as well as a Caretaker. Do wish we could have recorded one talk by a 6 + year "Caregiver" - her husband has battled multiple myeloma that long, but she spoke of the caretakers also needing to "survive"
June 19, 2010: -
Family gathering at the "Wishbone Restaurant" in celebration of Gord's 84th birthday. He continues to be very photogenic!
FUNGI AND FUN GUY!
June 29, 2010: - Had a lovely luncheon with Millicent & Norman Murphy at the "Bistro"!
Meanwhile, Gord's garden was providing colour and much pleasure - a few examples in this slide show!
HOMESTEAD 2010
July 02, 2010: - Our 50th Anniversary!
July 04, 2010: - Family celebration of our 5oth at the Mandarin. Jan made this Scrap layout (Left) in answer to a Scrap Girl's challenge.
July 09, 2010: - Attended Stroke Group B-B-Q at our friends Lu & Linda's lovely home.
Aug 06, 2010: - Brenda brought the girls up to watch the Alliston Potato Festival Parade. Next morning Dad went with them to the festival - starting with Potato Pancake Breakfast!
on Bloor Street that Gord atte
nded graduating in 1960.Here are more pictures of this special day:
While we were at Gord's 50th at C.M.C.C. we saw the shock therapy machine they use to break up the calcium deposits.
If that is the route the doctor's suggest (perhaps even if it isnt!) Jan can get the treatment there - not for 1 or 2 hundred dollars but for the clinic fee of $15! That's a lift to our spirit!!!
June 08, 2010: - Our eavestrough replacement and aluminum flashings were finished today. Now we cannot afford to paint for yet another year.
June 11, 2010: - We walked the "Survivor's lap" in the Alliston RELAY FOR LIFE!
Beautiful evening - the rain held off; it was slightly breezy and overcast but just a delightful night. It was the first time Jan walked as a "Survivor" as well as a Caretaker. Do wish we could have recorded one talk by a 6 + year "Caregiver" - her husband has battled multiple myeloma that long, but she spoke of the caretakers also needing to "survive"
June 19, 2010: -Family gathering at the "Wishbone Restaurant" in celebration of Gord's 84th birthday. He continues to be very photogenic!
June 21, 2010: - Gord's actual Natal day - we had an adventure together at AWENDA PROV. PARK - Enjoy the slide show below!
FUNGI AND FUN GUY!
June 29, 2010: - Had a lovely luncheon with Millicent & Norman Murphy at the "Bistro"!
Meanwhile, Gord's garden was providing colour and much pleasure - a few examples in this slide show!
HOMESTEAD 2010
July 02, 2010: - Our 50th Anniversary!July 04, 2010: - Family celebration of our 5oth at the Mandarin. Jan made this Scrap layout (Left) in answer to a Scrap Girl's challenge.
July 09, 2010: - Attended Stroke Group B-B-Q at our friends Lu & Linda's lovely home.
Aug 06, 2010: - Brenda brought the girls up to watch the Alliston Potato Festival Parade. Next morning Dad went with them to the festival - starting with Potato Pancake Breakfast!
Aug 22, 2010: - We celebrated Yvonne's birthday at a Portuguese Restaurant called Bairrada. Since she met Victor - everything is Portuguese!!!
The next day we set out for Algonquin in the Motor home, Yvonne came also, driving the car. It is so much nicer having her with us, we get around better and see more as her eyes are sharper than ours!
You can see in the picture below that Gord was faithfully wearing his splint on the L. wrist. He continues to have pain and has long since discarded the splint & the physio.
We were at the Mew Lake airfield trail, stalking Great Blue's when Jan took this shot!
Aug 28, 2010: - We returned home from Algonquin and started the medical round again until we left for Rockway Conference. We learned that our new friend Mark (see above) had lost his battle to PCa. this day. This beast is relentless.
Sept 03, 2010: - traveling by motorhome again, we camped in the driveway of our brother & sister Robert & Carole Desjardins in Vars Ontario. Such a royal welcome and spoiled as usual!
Sept 04, 2010: - Drove on to Rockway Valley, QC - the rockway road still under construction, but so much better than last year - should be all done in 2011????
Sept 06, 2010: - The last day of conference, and Gord woke up with a swollen tongue - this was his second episode and Nurse Ellie was quite concerned about it and gathered up every kind of anti-histamine and plied Gord with it - he was much better by the time we were ready to drive out of the mountains. We were about to leave, when Luke Fox phoned from his car and told us of problems on the road, and Grant suggested a different route, and Linda and Beth Story decided to go that new way, and that we should follow them.
After a stressful 5 hour journey in the rain, and mostly in the dark, on unfamiliar mountain roads and new highways with faint markings, and getting lost once or twice, we finally plugged in the GPS and just did what she told us and arrived exhausted but safe at the Desjardin campground in Vars. Next day (Sept 07, 2010) we had lunch in Ottawa with Linda & Beth Story and Carole Desjardin - who had already filled us to overflowing at breakfast !!
After that visit we drove on to find the Ottawa Campground we were going to stay in overnight, checked in and had a rest. Then met with Patricia, so recently widowed, Wendy & Gil (whom we had met the previous year) for supper at an Indian restaurant.
We had a nice long chat, ate a so-so Indian dinner
Gil removed his eye patch for the pictures - but looked quite dashing as a pirate! If I look a little crumpled - remember the humidity was high and I don't do heat well - left my suit jacket in the vehicle - it would have covered the creases During the meal - we had lightening, lights flickering and big thunder boomers right above us and lots of rain. Indeed a memorable occasion. Then back to our campground for a good night's rest in spite of the weather.
Sept 08, 2010: - Left Ottawa for Algonquin, stopping for lunch at a lovely picnic spot on Golden Lake. Dark storm clouds still around - so not so "Golden" this day!!!!
Was even less golden when Gord's tongue began to swell again and we used up all the anti-histamines.
Arrived at Algonquin and went to the store first; they had one over-the-counter antihistamine and we bought it, then read on the box it should not be taken without a doctor's say so by anyone over 65!
Using the "HUB" we talked with a couple of nurses on line and decided a half dose now and the other half in the morning and call our doctor as soon as his office opened! When we called Dr. Seward next morning, his directions were to head for the ER, STAT! Gord's interpretation was to drive home, park the Motorhome in the driveway, pick up the car and go to the Alliston Emerg. - you can read more about that in the Health portion of the "Digest" below.
Sep 20, 2010: - Nothing daunted, after ER and doctors appointments, we finally got back to Algonquin Click on that link and see our wildlife shots ! We had never seen a full racked Bull Moose before, or a Wolf either! Jan is beginning to experiment with VIDEO also!
DSC_0154.AVI
Sep 25, 2010: - Reluctantly we return home, finding the colors at their best as we are leaving (sigh)
Oct 02, 2010: - Shelley and Peter arrive from over the Pond!!!! We had a family gathering at Pearson International then S&P came home with us for the week. We are blessed!!!!! Not much of a holiday for them since the week included doctor appointments - (groan); however on Oct 07, 2010 we had one lovely fall outing at Mono Mills conservation area and took a zillion pictures! Here are some of Jan's ; Some of Peter's ; Shelley's ; and Gord's .
Then off Shelley & Peter went to stay in Toronto with Brenda & Yvonne, with a day trip to Niagara (where Peter had first proposed) nice touch on their 10th anniversary year!!
Oct 11, 2010: - Just days before Jan's date with the surgeon - Thanksgiving with all the family!
Oct 13, 2010: - Jan's mastectomy surgery at Princess Margaret Hospital.Oct 14, 2010: - Jan comes home from PMH!
Oct 15, 2010: - Shelley & Peter fly back to England
Nov 10, 2010: - Gord wrote, and passed his Driver renewal test!
Nov 26, 2010: - After one of our visits to Markham Stouffville Hospital, we had another nice visit and lunch with Jean & Phil - this time at Cora's. It was brunch for me and I was most surprised to be served a small pitcher of molasses to pour over my "buckwheat blessings" Different!!!!
Dec 02, 2010: - Our friend and accountant, Lia arrives to work on already late Corporate taxes. Gord also canceled his dental appointment, will we ever get these dentures fitted?
We immediately went to lunch with our friend Millicent, testing out a brand new restaurant in Alliston.
Dec 04, 2010: - My birthday, but the weather has us hunkered down and going nowhere,
Lia, however headed home this morning!
Dec 05, 2010:
- More snow - Gord is certain the Deck roof will collapse!!! Alliston and Beeton are actually in the weather news! Gord fell while trying to clear the snow from the car, but no damage done - too much snow breaking his fall.
A smaller group than usual, but a lovely visit with those who were able to make it. Gord continued to obsess about the deck and the weight of snow, but could not find anyone available to shovel. Yvonne came up this afternoon and as we drove in the driveway from the Stroke Group party, there was snow flying off the deck! She managed to get the door open, and dig a path and lower the drifts a bit.
Dec 11, 2010: - Dale's brother Jarod,.....
and Dale himself 
came and finished the job of "Clearing the Deck" They appeared to have a ball working together. We sure appreciated the results! Come back anytime boys! That afternoon we met the rest of the family at a Toronto Mandarin to finally celebrate my birthday. Here is the
whole family after singing "The Birthday Song" and you can see the birthday JELLO and candle provided by the management! The Photo is courtesy the management also, I had to use photoshop to remove the dust specks! Unbelievably, we were snowed in again for the next three days!!!
Dec 15, 2010: - Ploughed out again! Had a phone call today canceling our appointment with the dermatologist tomorrow due to further snow warnings.
Dec 16, 2010: - We still had things to do in Barrie, and an appointment for Physio for Jan's Left arm "Range of Movement" Oh how I wish one of us had brought a camera - it was a Winter Fairyland - beautiful with heavy snow still on all the trees, wires etc....
We were both ill again over the holidays - in spite of the Flu Shot! The family all pitched in and took over the final prep; and we both managed a nice serving of Turkey dinner!
After everyone left, we eventually took ourselves to the Walk-in-clinic and were both pronounced to have Pneumonia. Doctor prescribed BIAXIN - which drug is now a "dirty word" in our household - it made Gord so sick.
Will continue to update as things happen, meanwhile we invite you to scroll down to the Health Digest below, which has links to journalings (read e-mails and forum postings) throughout the year.
Dec 11, 2010: - Dale's brother Jarod,.....
and Dale himself 
came and finished the job of "Clearing the Deck" They appeared to have a ball working together. We sure appreciated the results! Come back anytime boys! That afternoon we met the rest of the family at a Toronto Mandarin to finally celebrate my birthday. Here is the
whole family after singing "The Birthday Song" and you can see the birthday JELLO and candle provided by the management! The Photo is courtesy the management also, I had to use photoshop to remove the dust specks! Unbelievably, we were snowed in again for the next three days!!!
Dec 15, 2010: - Ploughed out again! Had a phone call today canceling our appointment with the dermatologist tomorrow due to further snow warnings.
Dec 16, 2010: - We still had things to do in Barrie, and an appointment for Physio for Jan's Left arm "Range of Movement" Oh how I wish one of us had brought a camera - it was a Winter Fairyland - beautiful with heavy snow still on all the trees, wires etc....
We were both ill again over the holidays - in spite of the Flu Shot! The family all pitched in and took over the final prep; and we both managed a nice serving of Turkey dinner!
After everyone left, we eventually took ourselves to the Walk-in-clinic and were both pronounced to have Pneumonia. Doctor prescribed BIAXIN - which drug is now a "dirty word" in our household - it made Gord so sick.
Will continue to update as things happen, meanwhile we invite you to scroll down to the Health Digest below, which has links to journalings (read e-mails and forum postings) throughout the year.
