An Eventful Montreal Turnaround

Couldn't sleep Thursday night, maybe 3 hours and work was a whirlwind of activity.
Got home, packed and ate to avoid rush hour, then drove to Montreal getting in about 1:30am.

Saturday was another busy one. Pace wasn't feeling well she's getting back pain and chalking it up to stress. Then there's the whole emotional experience of being back in Oka waiting for Surgery.

So the wee one and I went grocery shopping. Oh the joys of potty training, three separate trips to the toilet. She missed her nap and alternated back and for between laughing and acting out like a pint-sized Jeckyll and Hyde.

We spent a wonderful evening at Susan's. It was her annual bbq and she had originally shifted around the dates due to Pace's surgery. I caught up with a couple of old colleagues and spent time swimming with and chasing after Vianne. Susan suggested we crash there, which was a good idea considering we were seeing Pace's dad in the same area the next day. The wee one and I crashed at 10:00 (whatever happened to Bob the party machine?) Pace and Susan stayed up till 2:30. The wee one was up at 7:30 per usual. Ouch!

It was a little difficult to see Pace's dad. Tracheotomies weird me out and bring up bad memories. My Grandfather Keith never wanted medical heroic measures used to keep him alive. I still get visions of my once strong Grandfather confused, frustrated, angry as hell and unable to talk after my Dad and Aunt allowed the doctors to cut open his windpipe to keep him from choking to death. Seeing him in pain was stomach turning as the nurses vacuumed the red blood and, on the afternoon he died, brown masses of cells of something out of the hole in his throat. I elieve the tracheotomy took away his dignity and subsequently will to live.

Gilles, is 20 years younger than my Grandfather was. Although it was evident he is sick, he definately had his game face on. If not for the hole in his throat you'd think he was doing fine. Just the same way some people think that Pace is making a fashion statement with the bald/buzz-cut look.

As we were leaving the wee one gave him a kiss on both cheeks and sang her cheerful "buh-bye." His face lit up happiness. Once again the wee one leaves a wake of good humor.

I caught the 7:35 ferry and got back home at 1:00 am this morning. 7 o'clock came far too early.