At this time of year I suffer from Sports withdrawal. College Football and Basketball are months away and Stanley Cup playoffs do provide some relief from the boredom but tonite...there is nada. Not even NBA playoffs. Baseball doesn't get remotely interesting until September...so what to do???? Even Dancing with the Stars is done for another season. At least when that show came on I knew that was my cue to head downstairs and hideout until the pain stopped. All I can say is how glad I am for Texas Hold'em on my Blackberry (Currently up $3.6 million).
I suppose it's nights like this where you should seize the opportunity to do family night. I guess we did...as best we could on a rainy, miserable evening. The one highlight was the two deer who wondered into our yard. They were about 30 feet from our deck. It isn't unusual to see deer in our yard, but I've never seen them that close to the house. The kids have been good this evening...only minor bouts of hair pulling, biting, and pinching. (NO not talking about Susan) The kids are now off to bed and it's quiet. The one thing that we are so thankful for is that both of them are good sleepers. Sometimes they are a challenge to get to bed...but once they are settled we don't hear from them until morning.
Tomorrow is a big day. We get to meet Nicole's Kindergarten teacher. I am confident Nicole will make a good impression. We'll leave Russell at day care...we don't want to scare anyone. On the other hand, it would be good for Russell to meet the Principal...I have no doubt they will become well acquainted in the future.
What else is new??? Winnipeg has a new hockey team? Not quite. Canada Post is going on strike? Not sure. However...we should know about both issues by the end of the week. Maybe. One I hope happens...the other I hope doesn't. If the postal workers go in strike...that will not be good for anyone at CPC. Even the threat of a strike is having a negative impact on our business. There are lots of businesses including government who are already making other arrangements. Not a good situation. Thankfully I don't have a lot to worry about crossing picket lines. It just means a detour through Tim Hortons and then up to the 2nd level skywalk and into the office. We can avoid the entrance to the building because the buildings are all connected by public access skywalks. No issues.
I guess we will see how the week will play out
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Little Steps
Every once in a while you have one of those "a-ha" moments with your kids. You are with them everyday so you don't notice how they are growing or the changes in their personality. Then; once in a while you observe them doing something that you think to yourself; "wait a minute...i don't remember seeing them do that before."
Today was one of those days. We had a follow-up visit with our ophthalmologist regarding Russell's eye surgery. I remember very distinctly taking him to an appointment in February for the pre-op assessment where he was fussy and irritable. He didn't want to play in the waiting room but didn't want to sit on my knee either. Today's trip was totally different. He was running around and playing with the toys. He was smiling and happy and OK with the world. When it came time for his examination he insisted on climbing into the examination chair on his own and he did everything on his own. Just him and the Doctor while Mom, Dad, and Nicole looked on. Was he a handful....yes....but he did it all on his own. Then we went down to the cafeteria to get some Timbits (a time honoured tradition) where he walked the entire way. This boy does not like being carried. He just needs to be watched closely and herded a little. All in all...i was amazed on how much his personality has changed since our last visit. He has a real little personality. Then there is Nicole, who takes all things in stride and is as cool as a cucumber...the total opposite of her little brother. Her only concern is "what are we doing now" and can we get "Fries"???
As far as the result of Russell's appointment...well I am attaching a picture. You tell me.
The words I heard from the Doctor was..."ideal." Now Mommy and Daddy have to concentrate on getting the boy to wear his glasses. The surgery may have straightened his eyes but he still needs the glasses. Another little challenge that we need to deal with.
Today was one of those days. We had a follow-up visit with our ophthalmologist regarding Russell's eye surgery. I remember very distinctly taking him to an appointment in February for the pre-op assessment where he was fussy and irritable. He didn't want to play in the waiting room but didn't want to sit on my knee either. Today's trip was totally different. He was running around and playing with the toys. He was smiling and happy and OK with the world. When it came time for his examination he insisted on climbing into the examination chair on his own and he did everything on his own. Just him and the Doctor while Mom, Dad, and Nicole looked on. Was he a handful....yes....but he did it all on his own. Then we went down to the cafeteria to get some Timbits (a time honoured tradition) where he walked the entire way. This boy does not like being carried. He just needs to be watched closely and herded a little. All in all...i was amazed on how much his personality has changed since our last visit. He has a real little personality. Then there is Nicole, who takes all things in stride and is as cool as a cucumber...the total opposite of her little brother. Her only concern is "what are we doing now" and can we get "Fries"???
As far as the result of Russell's appointment...well I am attaching a picture. You tell me.
Monday, May 23, 2011
My Trip to Edmonton
Going to Edmonton is a bit of a strange experience. It brings up lots of emotion; good feelings and bad. When the Stollery called me, about a month ago, with an invitation to come to a retreat for the Pediatric Cardiology department I was really unsure what this was all about. It brought up lots of questions. What was the purpose? Who was attending? Why me?
As I learned more about the day, I found out that between 60-70 staff would attend the day and that 6-7 parents were invited. The agenda for the day seemed directed at staff and this brought up more concern as to why parents were invited. To get ourselves organized we, as parents, with help from the Family Centred Care Council arranged a conference call about a week before the meeting to get our ideas and thoughts together. This was a wise decision and a great experience to spend an hour or so talking to other parents and discussing things the Stollery does really well and the other things...not so much. After this call I was still a little skeptical of why we were invited...being a little pessimistic; I thought it may just be a nice PR move and not really amount to much.
So last Thursday morning I was off to Edmonton. The nice thing about this trip was that no member of my family was being admitted to hospital. I piggybacked this trip onto a work trip. I spent Thursday at Edmonton Mail Processing Plant and met our Postal Transformation team there. This was a nice diversion from hospital issues and I toured the facility and met a lot of people who were just voices on the phone to me. The trip was also very productive and the trip was starting on a good note. In the evening, I spent dinner with my cousins and Aunt in West Edmonton where we had a chance to catch up on the events of the last two years since we left Edmonton.
The Retreat
As I stated earlier...I really didn't know what to expect from the retreat. From the agenda, and seeing many of the names of those participating, I knew there would be lots of familiar faces and a lot of memories. What input we as parents would have during the day was a total mystery to me.
I arrived at the conference centre and found my name tag and saw that all of the seating was assigned. The 60-70 participants had grown to over 100. I proceeded to my table. Of the 8 people at the table I knew 4 or 5 on a first name basis. This would be a recurring theme throughout the day. All of the tables were setup so that you would have a Doctor, nurses, Techs, social workers, and child life workers sitting together. No clicks. The parents were also spread throughout the room and did not sit together. The day began with a parent who made a presentation with input from all of us parents. We had provided pictures and our own stories for her presentation. She told our stories and made a strong case for parents as advocates for their children. She, very candidly, challenged the hospital to include parents as part of the team and that their success was our success. It was an excellent presentation. This really set the tone for the entire day.
As the day continued; we had three breakout sessions where we broke into small groups to discuss three prepared topics. I was completely amazed at how many times I was asked for input on seemingly technical issues. As an example, I was asked my opinion on the hospital's effectiveness in treating chylothorax. In fact, in many situations I found myself carrying the conversation and providing a perspective from a unique point of view. I was totally amazed. As we broke for lunch; some of us parents got together and shared our experiences from the day and I found I was not alone. Many of the other parents were being peppered with questions just as I was.
At each break...there was constant stream of people who came up to me and asked about the rest of the family. No one had any idea that we were coming and especially me being from Winnipeg. Being from Winnipeg, we have had no reason to come back to see the staff...so most of the staff only remember us from our hospital stay. It was also really nice to have some long chats with a couple of people we got very close to when we were in hospital.
The day was emotionally exhausting. So many memories and so many familiar people. I saw the staff in a completely different context. The cardiac program in Edmonton has grown so much; I really saw a group of people who were struggling with a program that has outgrown itself. From my own professional experience I know how difficult growth is. It is extremely challenging and pushes the organization to the breaking point. I saw a different side of the staff. A group who want to take their department to a whole new level but they have no idea how to get there. I heard so many questions that indicated to me how much they want to do better. We identified a lot of weaknesses and challenges while validating a lot of success. All in all...a very amazing day.
What becomes of this day is up to the department. My understanding is that this group of people has never met like this before. I certainly hope it isn't the last. I strongly feel that the parents were certainly heard. The one thing I think became evident was the parent's commitment to the program. We are important stakeholders in the program and will certainly participate and assist the program whenever we are asked.
I spent Saturday visiting some of families we had met during our hospital stay. It was nice to catch up. Some doing well and others in some very challenging situations. During the entire trip I did not actually enter the Stollery...our conference was at an off site location. As I left Edmonton, I took a quick walk over to the hospital; walked in the doors and promptly walked out...not having any reason to be there.
As I learned more about the day, I found out that between 60-70 staff would attend the day and that 6-7 parents were invited. The agenda for the day seemed directed at staff and this brought up more concern as to why parents were invited. To get ourselves organized we, as parents, with help from the Family Centred Care Council arranged a conference call about a week before the meeting to get our ideas and thoughts together. This was a wise decision and a great experience to spend an hour or so talking to other parents and discussing things the Stollery does really well and the other things...not so much. After this call I was still a little skeptical of why we were invited...being a little pessimistic; I thought it may just be a nice PR move and not really amount to much.
So last Thursday morning I was off to Edmonton. The nice thing about this trip was that no member of my family was being admitted to hospital. I piggybacked this trip onto a work trip. I spent Thursday at Edmonton Mail Processing Plant and met our Postal Transformation team there. This was a nice diversion from hospital issues and I toured the facility and met a lot of people who were just voices on the phone to me. The trip was also very productive and the trip was starting on a good note. In the evening, I spent dinner with my cousins and Aunt in West Edmonton where we had a chance to catch up on the events of the last two years since we left Edmonton.
The Retreat
As I stated earlier...I really didn't know what to expect from the retreat. From the agenda, and seeing many of the names of those participating, I knew there would be lots of familiar faces and a lot of memories. What input we as parents would have during the day was a total mystery to me.
I arrived at the conference centre and found my name tag and saw that all of the seating was assigned. The 60-70 participants had grown to over 100. I proceeded to my table. Of the 8 people at the table I knew 4 or 5 on a first name basis. This would be a recurring theme throughout the day. All of the tables were setup so that you would have a Doctor, nurses, Techs, social workers, and child life workers sitting together. No clicks. The parents were also spread throughout the room and did not sit together. The day began with a parent who made a presentation with input from all of us parents. We had provided pictures and our own stories for her presentation. She told our stories and made a strong case for parents as advocates for their children. She, very candidly, challenged the hospital to include parents as part of the team and that their success was our success. It was an excellent presentation. This really set the tone for the entire day.
As the day continued; we had three breakout sessions where we broke into small groups to discuss three prepared topics. I was completely amazed at how many times I was asked for input on seemingly technical issues. As an example, I was asked my opinion on the hospital's effectiveness in treating chylothorax. In fact, in many situations I found myself carrying the conversation and providing a perspective from a unique point of view. I was totally amazed. As we broke for lunch; some of us parents got together and shared our experiences from the day and I found I was not alone. Many of the other parents were being peppered with questions just as I was.
At each break...there was constant stream of people who came up to me and asked about the rest of the family. No one had any idea that we were coming and especially me being from Winnipeg. Being from Winnipeg, we have had no reason to come back to see the staff...so most of the staff only remember us from our hospital stay. It was also really nice to have some long chats with a couple of people we got very close to when we were in hospital.
The day was emotionally exhausting. So many memories and so many familiar people. I saw the staff in a completely different context. The cardiac program in Edmonton has grown so much; I really saw a group of people who were struggling with a program that has outgrown itself. From my own professional experience I know how difficult growth is. It is extremely challenging and pushes the organization to the breaking point. I saw a different side of the staff. A group who want to take their department to a whole new level but they have no idea how to get there. I heard so many questions that indicated to me how much they want to do better. We identified a lot of weaknesses and challenges while validating a lot of success. All in all...a very amazing day.
What becomes of this day is up to the department. My understanding is that this group of people has never met like this before. I certainly hope it isn't the last. I strongly feel that the parents were certainly heard. The one thing I think became evident was the parent's commitment to the program. We are important stakeholders in the program and will certainly participate and assist the program whenever we are asked.
I spent Saturday visiting some of families we had met during our hospital stay. It was nice to catch up. Some doing well and others in some very challenging situations. During the entire trip I did not actually enter the Stollery...our conference was at an off site location. As I left Edmonton, I took a quick walk over to the hospital; walked in the doors and promptly walked out...not having any reason to be there.
Monday, May 16, 2011
So....What's New
It's been a while since I posted anything. I guess it has been fairly busy. Just starting to get into the spring and summer activities. Nicole is playing soccer two nights a week and work has been steady. A few other activites seem to be filling up the time as well. Russell is still a little terror. It is nice to see the kids running around the yard. They are both really enjoying the weather and are spending a lot of time outside.
Last week was a tough week. Since September we have been getting a daily report about a friend of ours from the Stollery. A young lady who had a transplant about 10 years ago. We met her parents when Russell was in hospital and her Dad and I have been exchanging e-mails over the last year. The last few months have had some big ups and downs. Since she went into the hospital in the fall we have received a short update every day; like clockwork. Last Wednesday morning there was no update. I didn't think about it at the time but about noon i checked my e-mail again and there was a very short message indicated she had passed away. Two things come to mind in that situation. The obvious sadness but also relief that she doesn't have to endure what must have been a horrendous ordeal. This is a girl we barely knew but we felt a real attachment to as a fellow transplant family.
When I was writing out care page I felt that my task was to report what was happenning with Russell and then later on, Susan. I didn't talk a lot about the people we met or their experiences. Some of the things we saw and experienced with other families were horrible and amazing. I can't underestimate how important it was for us to be aware of what was going on around us. Not to distract us but to learn and get a better understanding of our own situation. I can't tell you how many times Susan and I would talk and say to ourselves "I am glad we aren't in their shoes."
I made a comment to someone that we have some high maintenance friends. Yes we do; but they are some amazing friends. We have another little friend (another transplant kid) at the Stollery right now...hope she can pull off another miracle (she's done it before). When you know about these situations it is easy to be fearful about what may be in store for Russell. If there is one lesson we have learned through this whole process is that every kid makes there own way and are unique. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. There is no predicting what will happen. Most of our transplant friends and many others are kids who have already beaten the odds in one way or the other. Our journey is life-long and we just have to be prepared for both the good and bad.
Last week was a tough week. Since September we have been getting a daily report about a friend of ours from the Stollery. A young lady who had a transplant about 10 years ago. We met her parents when Russell was in hospital and her Dad and I have been exchanging e-mails over the last year. The last few months have had some big ups and downs. Since she went into the hospital in the fall we have received a short update every day; like clockwork. Last Wednesday morning there was no update. I didn't think about it at the time but about noon i checked my e-mail again and there was a very short message indicated she had passed away. Two things come to mind in that situation. The obvious sadness but also relief that she doesn't have to endure what must have been a horrendous ordeal. This is a girl we barely knew but we felt a real attachment to as a fellow transplant family.
When I was writing out care page I felt that my task was to report what was happenning with Russell and then later on, Susan. I didn't talk a lot about the people we met or their experiences. Some of the things we saw and experienced with other families were horrible and amazing. I can't underestimate how important it was for us to be aware of what was going on around us. Not to distract us but to learn and get a better understanding of our own situation. I can't tell you how many times Susan and I would talk and say to ourselves "I am glad we aren't in their shoes."
I made a comment to someone that we have some high maintenance friends. Yes we do; but they are some amazing friends. We have another little friend (another transplant kid) at the Stollery right now...hope she can pull off another miracle (she's done it before). When you know about these situations it is easy to be fearful about what may be in store for Russell. If there is one lesson we have learned through this whole process is that every kid makes there own way and are unique. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. There is no predicting what will happen. Most of our transplant friends and many others are kids who have already beaten the odds in one way or the other. Our journey is life-long and we just have to be prepared for both the good and bad.
Friday, April 29, 2011
"Attachment" Issues
In the business world there is a concept called "professional distance." This is a concept that outlines best practices for mixing your personal and professional life. Especially, the relationship between an employer and employee. Mixing your personal life and professional life (if you are a boss) with an employee can cause lots of issues. I think there is also a similar concept in the medical world as medical professionals need to keep a certain "professional distance" from their patients. I know there are very clear guidlines for Doctors and Nurses relating to relationships with patients. This is becoming a much bigger issue now, as a result of social networking as it is very easy for a patient to be facebook friends with their doctor or nurse. It is a very tricky issue.
Taking it one step further...I have thought about this lots in relation to our situation in the hospital. We have been cautioned many times not to get emotionally involved with "the kid in the next bed." This is good advice as we have had so much to deal with in our own lives...it would add so much more stress to start to worry about some of the other kids you see in the hospital and risk getting emotionally involved. This has become a big issue for us lately; as in recent weeks we have received several waves of bad news regarding some of our friends we have made in the hospital. A couple of these situations are very serious and quite troubling. It really does get you down, as it just seems like one thing after another. Then you start thinking "when is it going to be our turn."
In reality, it is very difficult not to get to know and be involved with the families and staff that you meet in the hospital. We are on a first name basis with so many people. From the Lab Techs who take Russell's blood, to people you meet in the waiting room, or families we exchange e-mails with. You can't help but develop some relationships and get attached. I think it is extremely important that you maintain perspective and ensure these are"healthy" relationships. You cannot dwell on the negatives (and there are a lot of them.) As we have become friends with many families and have gone through struggles with them...we choose to be thankful and think positively about our own situation. We have had our rough times but right now we are "OK" and we choose to live in the moment. There may be some hard times ahead (for us) but thankfully...today...things are good! This does not mean we don't empathize and feel the pain others are going through. God gave us emotions for a reason...I don't think it is wrong to use them.
Taking it one step further...I have thought about this lots in relation to our situation in the hospital. We have been cautioned many times not to get emotionally involved with "the kid in the next bed." This is good advice as we have had so much to deal with in our own lives...it would add so much more stress to start to worry about some of the other kids you see in the hospital and risk getting emotionally involved. This has become a big issue for us lately; as in recent weeks we have received several waves of bad news regarding some of our friends we have made in the hospital. A couple of these situations are very serious and quite troubling. It really does get you down, as it just seems like one thing after another. Then you start thinking "when is it going to be our turn."
In reality, it is very difficult not to get to know and be involved with the families and staff that you meet in the hospital. We are on a first name basis with so many people. From the Lab Techs who take Russell's blood, to people you meet in the waiting room, or families we exchange e-mails with. You can't help but develop some relationships and get attached. I think it is extremely important that you maintain perspective and ensure these are"healthy" relationships. You cannot dwell on the negatives (and there are a lot of them.) As we have become friends with many families and have gone through struggles with them...we choose to be thankful and think positively about our own situation. We have had our rough times but right now we are "OK" and we choose to live in the moment. There may be some hard times ahead (for us) but thankfully...today...things are good! This does not mean we don't empathize and feel the pain others are going through. God gave us emotions for a reason...I don't think it is wrong to use them.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter ... and other things!
Happy Easter to all,
I've been fairly quiet on here lately. I guess we can assume that no news is good news. I suppose its true. I have been very busy in the past month. Managed to squeeze in a trip to Calgary in an amongst a bunch of meetings and trying to keep all of the balls in the air at home. Busy is good...keeps me out of trouble.
Thankfully, Russell has been doing great. His eyes look great after his eye surgery and we are very hopeful that the correction is permanent. His biggest achievement of late is that he has finally made it onto a growth chart. We have been getting close for a while now and we finally made into onto the curve. It's amazing to be average! Nicole starts soccer in a couple of weeks so that will be one other thing "to do."
About the election...
Inevitably health care comes up in these elections. I'll save everyone lots of hassle...want to solve health care problems? It's called cash! You can be a little more efficient or hire a doctor here or there and tweak the system...bottom line is you need tons o' cash. Any idea why we had to go to Edmonton for Russell's and Susan's care...I'll give you a guess. They have gobs of cash in their province and they can recruit and hire big name Doctors and pour cash into Alberta Health Services. It is also well known that Alberta Health is one of the more ineffciciently run provincial health care programs. So I will make a bold logical step...strong economy = better health care. It's not complicated.
If I have learned anything since getting intimately involved with health care is the huge cost, in dollars, it takes to keep someone alive. Everyone knows about the aging population and that people are living longer. People do not often talk about kids like Russell who would never see their first birthday had it not been for new (and very expensive) technology. I would love to see Russell's bill for our stay in Edmonton. I know a few facts. Our basic stay in hospital cost the Manitoba Taxpayer about $1400.00 per day. That is just a bed...nothing special. I was told that the cost of a stay in PICU can nearly double. Then add the cost of two open heart surgeries, dozens of procedures, and on an on. The cost is staggerring. I think everyone can understand that the word "thanks" means a whole lot more to us now.
My intent in not to minimize the human element of what health care is trying to do...but the harsh reality is that none of it can happen with out the dollars to support it. The biggest challenge of the next 20 years is to figure out how to pay for it. In many ways I think we will not have a lot of choice about what direction health care takes, despite what political party is in office, as it will largely be dictated by how much we can affrod to spend. Harsh...but true.
I've been fairly quiet on here lately. I guess we can assume that no news is good news. I suppose its true. I have been very busy in the past month. Managed to squeeze in a trip to Calgary in an amongst a bunch of meetings and trying to keep all of the balls in the air at home. Busy is good...keeps me out of trouble.
Thankfully, Russell has been doing great. His eyes look great after his eye surgery and we are very hopeful that the correction is permanent. His biggest achievement of late is that he has finally made it onto a growth chart. We have been getting close for a while now and we finally made into onto the curve. It's amazing to be average! Nicole starts soccer in a couple of weeks so that will be one other thing "to do."
About the election...
Inevitably health care comes up in these elections. I'll save everyone lots of hassle...want to solve health care problems? It's called cash! You can be a little more efficient or hire a doctor here or there and tweak the system...bottom line is you need tons o' cash. Any idea why we had to go to Edmonton for Russell's and Susan's care...I'll give you a guess. They have gobs of cash in their province and they can recruit and hire big name Doctors and pour cash into Alberta Health Services. It is also well known that Alberta Health is one of the more ineffciciently run provincial health care programs. So I will make a bold logical step...strong economy = better health care. It's not complicated.
If I have learned anything since getting intimately involved with health care is the huge cost, in dollars, it takes to keep someone alive. Everyone knows about the aging population and that people are living longer. People do not often talk about kids like Russell who would never see their first birthday had it not been for new (and very expensive) technology. I would love to see Russell's bill for our stay in Edmonton. I know a few facts. Our basic stay in hospital cost the Manitoba Taxpayer about $1400.00 per day. That is just a bed...nothing special. I was told that the cost of a stay in PICU can nearly double. Then add the cost of two open heart surgeries, dozens of procedures, and on an on. The cost is staggerring. I think everyone can understand that the word "thanks" means a whole lot more to us now.
My intent in not to minimize the human element of what health care is trying to do...but the harsh reality is that none of it can happen with out the dollars to support it. The biggest challenge of the next 20 years is to figure out how to pay for it. In many ways I think we will not have a lot of choice about what direction health care takes, despite what political party is in office, as it will largely be dictated by how much we can affrod to spend. Harsh...but true.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sniffles, Coughs, Fevers, and an Election
It's been a fairly quiet week. Yesterday was a nice sunny day, and I was able to take the kids out in the yard for a bit. Spring seems to be taking it's sweet time in getting here.
About the only excitement this week was a visit from the sneezes and sniffles. Susan, Russell, and Nicole have all been battling some form of a cold this week. Fortunately, I have been spared to this point. Our weekend, has been fairly quiet as no one is really up for anything, except Russell. He is the most active, short-tempered, beligerant little sick kid I have ever seen. A cold does not slow this kid down.
Speaking of "ill tempered" children...it seems we are in the midst of a federal election. A very brief period of time where the citizens of this country are actually asked their opinion. A unique opportunity that we should all be thankful for and give careful consideration in choosing leaders to guide our nation. Unfortunately, this is an election that no one really wants and most people don't really care about. If opinion polls hold, we will likely be right where we started at the end of this election, with another Conservative minority.
Just so you know my personal opinion...I'll be voting Conservative. I just didn't want that to be too mysterious. I respect other people's opinions and I am OK with folks who are a little more left-leaning. No one is perfect and I believe in forgiveness. I just thought it would be fun to spice this blog up a little and talk politics.
My concern is "who" will be voting and "why" do they vote. Voter turnout is actually quite pathetic. People should take this much more seriously, and I wish they would. However, if people don't care and don't educate themselves I am very happy that they don't vote. I think it is interesting that many new Canadians, those who have immigrated here only recently have a better handle on our political system than many Canadians who were born here. When you go to the polling station I think you should have to fill out a short questionnaire before you get your ballot. This shouldn't be complicated. I think when you go to the polling both you should know who the candidates are and the parties they represent. I am wondering how many people would actually get that wrong. It's kind of scary when you think about it. I think we should have an "open-mind" and consider the options when we vote, but do the rest of the country a favour and educate yourself before you vote.
About the only excitement this week was a visit from the sneezes and sniffles. Susan, Russell, and Nicole have all been battling some form of a cold this week. Fortunately, I have been spared to this point. Our weekend, has been fairly quiet as no one is really up for anything, except Russell. He is the most active, short-tempered, beligerant little sick kid I have ever seen. A cold does not slow this kid down.
Speaking of "ill tempered" children...it seems we are in the midst of a federal election. A very brief period of time where the citizens of this country are actually asked their opinion. A unique opportunity that we should all be thankful for and give careful consideration in choosing leaders to guide our nation. Unfortunately, this is an election that no one really wants and most people don't really care about. If opinion polls hold, we will likely be right where we started at the end of this election, with another Conservative minority.
Just so you know my personal opinion...I'll be voting Conservative. I just didn't want that to be too mysterious. I respect other people's opinions and I am OK with folks who are a little more left-leaning. No one is perfect and I believe in forgiveness. I just thought it would be fun to spice this blog up a little and talk politics.
My concern is "who" will be voting and "why" do they vote. Voter turnout is actually quite pathetic. People should take this much more seriously, and I wish they would. However, if people don't care and don't educate themselves I am very happy that they don't vote. I think it is interesting that many new Canadians, those who have immigrated here only recently have a better handle on our political system than many Canadians who were born here. When you go to the polling station I think you should have to fill out a short questionnaire before you get your ballot. This shouldn't be complicated. I think when you go to the polling both you should know who the candidates are and the parties they represent. I am wondering how many people would actually get that wrong. It's kind of scary when you think about it. I think we should have an "open-mind" and consider the options when we vote, but do the rest of the country a favour and educate yourself before you vote.
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