I love this pic of us.....

A pic of Matthew and I with friends who also happen to be fellow PSICAN members.

We had a lovely afternoon celebrating Lynn's birthday with yummy Chinese food, and a special presentation from Chris Laursen on some historical poltergeist accounts. Chris had just gotten back from the UK where he lectured at a University in Ireland, and was invited to visit Cambridge. He also had a fascinating meeting with famed SPR investigator Guy Lyon Playfair most noted for his work with Maurice Grosse the Enfield Poltergeist case, and an authority on the subject of poltergeists in general, and was able to give us further insights into the case.

Very cool stuff, and awesome people! Definitely a highlight of this past summer for me.

I thought I'd post a quick update on Matthew's condition since we've received so many well wishes, and kind, thoughtful queries as to how he is doing.

While he is not out of the woods yet so to speak, the medications he is on are keeping his pulse rate steady, and his blood pressure under control. He is also taking extra strength aspirins to keep his blood thin, and to prevent possible blood clotting due to the atrial fibrillation.

We will find out more from the Cardiologist next week, and hopefully have a better understanding of why this happened (in at least 10% of cases they have no clues as to why according to the emergency room doctors) and where we go from here.

It was VERY SCARY....but since we both are learning so much more on this condition, its causes, and its prognosis...we are both feeling much better and more positive than we were a week ago.

Aside from having to take it easy, and not over exert himself with tasks raising his pulse rate to high (the danger being he could faint) he is almost back to his normal self......you just can't keep a good man down ...or there is no rest for the wicked .... or insert your own cliche here. He is back to work, where I am assured they are taking it easy on him, and with each passing day feeling a little more confident.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank my Sister (the best sister anyone could ever ask for) who was at the hospital with my niece in under 1/2 hour from the time I called her. They were in the middle of a hike, and must have sprinted back to the car. The kids, and the rest of the family who called almost immediately expressing concern, and wanting to help including my ex and his wife.

Then there was the flood of calls, and messages, and even blog comments.... and with the exception of one idiot who you can read about on our paranormal blog who thought Matthew was withholding some sort of paranormal secret to life after death, everyone was just great.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! We really do appreciate all of your kind words, thoughts, and gestures....it is at times like these you realise who your friends are, and how much they mean to you.

I'm not going to participate in the photo hunt this weekend. I might have if I could have readily found a good pic from my collection for the theme, but I can't and I'm in one of those moods where I don't feel like looking.

For those who don't know, we had a very stressful Sunday just past. Matthew ended up in the emergency room of our local hospital with atrial fibrillation, which in everyday talk means his heart was not beating properly. There was a real scare that he might have had a heart attack, but thankfully that was not the case.

Currently he is on heart meds, and back to work, and will see a cardiologist next week, which should hopefully give us some answers as to why this happened, and if there is anything that can be done to prevent it in the future. We already do not smoke, nor drink, nor eat red meat so who knows.....

I was going to blog about it earlier, get my feelings on the matter out, but after coming home from the hospital, and having a good long cry I've sort of felt numb about it, and not in the mood to write.

What I have been doing is reading everything I can on atrial fibrillation and the heart in general, making lists of questions, and notes on things I want to bring up to the doctor. By the time we get to the Cardiologist next week I will know far more than most non-medical personnel should know about the heart, and Matthew's particular condition. That is just how I cope with things, by filling my head with as much knowledge as I possibly can on any given subject. My Mom used to say "ignorance is bliss" for me that works in reverse, knowledge empowers me.

Trinity College, Great Hall, University Of Toronto, August 2010

Happy weekend, and happy photo hunt!

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I am not quite certain what the purpose is of the orange/rust coloured thing on the left. The photo was taken while I was away on vacation last weekend in Northern Ontario. It is located on the site of a long ago abandoned water treatment facility.

Happy Friday the 13th, happy weekend, and happy photo hunt!

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