November 2021

Stressful month

Well, it has been one extremely stressful month. I spent the last week at Heart House in Victoria B.C. while a family member underwent open-heart surgery. Not a restful time. No matter how you look at it, heart surgeries are just plain scary even if you're not the patient, just family. The staff at Heart House were very friendly, helpful and supportive but it couldn't alleviate the worry about possible complications. Fortunately, it was an excellent surgeon in charge and the rest of the Medical Staff at Royal Jubilee Hospital were extremely good and efficient at their professions. I must say it is good to be home, and I know the patient feels exactly the same. More to the point, the patient is happiest with "real food" instead of institutional hospital meals. A pity I don't know Victoria, as my meals were generally provided by Heart house, which is a B &B so they only make breakfast, what supplies I brought with me, and the Subway attached to the hospital itself. If I never see a sub sandwich again in my life it will be too soon. Due to the COVID 19 situation and the communal nature of B & B's I spent most of my time in my room.

One benefit of the situation is the completion of chapters 3 and 4 of the second book in Surraell's series and the start of chapter 5. When I wasn't writing I was generally reading Agatha Christie and Andre Norton books I'd brought with me or visiting the patient. Fortunately it was just a Valve Replacement, as the family member in question has a very healthy lifestyle, but it is still a long recovery ( 3 months minimum) and I am the primary care-giver in the family for the person in question. It may take a while for anything new I write to make the transition from pen and ink scribbles in a paper notebook onto a computer for proper editing. It may also impede my ability to keep my electronic media sites updated, such as my Facebook page, as I am mostly concentrating my limited computer time on keeping various members of my family informed of the patient's progress.

​I know I'm not saying who the family member happens to be, but that is because I intend to honour the person's views concerning privacy. This is not a person who uses social media, or even believes in it. You can see from where I inherited my reclusive tendencies. That said, I will maintain the privacy of the hermit I'm related to. Aside from that, nothing new has occurred in October on the publishing front and due to my current family medical situation it is unlikely to for the foreseeable future.