BEGGARS CAN'T BE CHOOSERS!

It took me exactly 3 weeks to get a room at RMH (Ronald Mcdonald House). They only have 28 rooms available and too many families in need of a room. I have to admit that upon seeing the house...getting a tour...it was a bit of a disappointment. A far cry from the Westin Hotel at Harbourfront.

I did speak to a young couple who had gotten a room at RMH a few days before me....and they weren't impressed to say the least. The very 1st night they spent there...they were so exhausted at midnight that they just fell into bed. The next morning while making the bed...they saw that the bedspread had a huge bloodstain on it(on the underside of the cover)...and then noticed other old stains on the sheets. The wife broke down in tears and wanted to go back to the hotel...but they couldn't afford it. The husband kept saying...'oh please let it be blood from a little kids nose'!

I advised them to go buy sheets and pillows. If spending a little money meant they got a good nights sleep....well then its worth it. The young couple ran to buy sheets, pillows and a blanket at Walmart.

It's not the staff who does the laundry. You have the 'honor' system there. All families are expected to do their own laundry, bedding and make sure to leave the room as clean as possible for the next family.

You can just imagine if a family stays from 3 to 6 months with children....there will be stains to contend with, and some people are just cleaner than others.

I had decided to check it out...before spending any money needlessly. Well it didn't take me long to find a Sears store. I bought queen size sheets, pillows, and a blanket. Yes...this is a double bed...but I will be bringing my sheets home when I leave.

Every room comes equipped with a television set, free cable and a VCR....as well as a telephone for local calls and an alarm clock.

Several people have asked me how I like the RMH and how it compares to a hotel. Well there is no comparison. A few of the parents will soon be coming here shortly from Ottawa. And yes, I have told them to bring their own linen & towels. Well....I'm not terribly fussy. As long as I have a clean bed and bathroom, I'm happy. In describing the house....I would use the terms old, grungy, shabby, grimy and in need of fresh paint everywhere. Let's not forget that RMH depends on donations for everything from painting, caulking tubs, repairs, linen, towels & so much more.

As you can see...the furniture is painted grey and the walls are papered which adds to the gloominess of the room.

The wonderful thing about RMH is that its an 8 minute walk for me....so no buses or cabs to take.

Yes I did take pictures....as I find a picture says a lot....and I won't be accused of exaggerating! Also don't forget.....to some people....living here is better than what they have at home....and to some....a lot worse! To each his own! To many of us....this is home away from home! You make the best of it. Just shut up and deal with it!

Downstairs they have 3 separate stand-in kitchens in one to serve the families. The one thing that makes the eating area so forbidding is the pipes running through the room at the ceiling...and then again a fresh coat of paint would do wonders here. The fridge and stove & microwave in each kitchen are new and spotless. Each room has a cupboard for your groceries that you can lock. They tell you to put name tags on anything you put in the fridges...but then again....things do go missing.

The chairs in the eating area have been painted bright to make the room look cosier......but instead the room just looks crowded and cluttered.

They have a deck at the back of the house with a covered deck that is used for the smokers....or families that want to bbq.

Because the deck is at the back of the house...you don't get much of a breeze. Again...this area is small & grungy....an area where all the families go to smoke, talk or just sit.

Yes....that 'is' a baby walker you see in the picture.

It totally amazes me that there are families that will sit out there for hours on end....smoking with their young children around. Some kids have just gotten a heart transplant, kidney transplant or bone marrow transplant......and yet the parents will sit there and let their kids suck in 2nd hand smoke....and sit with them at the table.

Some of the parents even hold their kids while they chain-smoke. Young mothers are out there smoking with baby strollers.

There is no sign on the door...stating that only adults of 18 or older are welcome on the deck.

I suppose that I'm just as bad...as I feel like saying something...but at the same time...I don't want to make waves. If you're that ignorant.....that you would smoke with your kids out there.....I don't think you would welcome my criticism.

I am not in any way putting down RMH. It's a home for many families while we go through tough ordeals here in Toronto. Just be prepared. Do as you would in a motel...bring your own sheets and pillows. Also....some RMH's are much newer than this one...and are better funded. That's the bottom line.....it's all about money.

I hope you enjoyed your visit! If you have anything to donate....whether its goods or service....please don't forget your local RMH.

ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH????

Don't you just love that advertisement? I saw it on the following website on Men & Nursing.

http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/malenurses.html

We need more men in this wonderful profession. Men have so much to offer and male nurses have been getting a bad rap for a long time. This is not a profession that is just for females...it takes guts & courage & strength to do this job. I know that Mr. T loves the male nurses at Cheo....he will listen to them more than he does the females. I think that has a lot to do with him missing & needing a male mentor in his life.

The same applies here at Toronto Sick Kids. Thank God for Francis & others. They have a wonderful rapport with the kids. The kids really need to have a good relationship with the nurses, as they are hospitalized for long periods.

Don't get me wrong.....the female nurses are great too! Mr. T gets along with all of them, some better than others. Age has nothing to do with it. You can have some young nurses who act very old...........and some older nurses who are very young at heart.

I'd be fibbing if I said I never had a run-in with a nurse or doctor....but fortunately those experiences are very few.

In every profession....you will meet someone who doesn't like their job....or shouldn't be working with kids....and unfortunately I have met a few....and Unfortunately...they met me! (Both Dr's & Nurses).

I'd better stop now before I put my foot in my mouth. Enough said!

Let me say though....that the majority of nurses I've met....like 99%.... are wonderful, caring, compassionate, hard-working, inspiring, funny, thoughtful,giving,intelligent people that I am very proud to know!

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!

Would you look at the size of that meatball? next to my cellphone? That was my lunch! I have never seen a meatball that big! Only $2.69 but very filling.
I bought it at the deli counter at the Dominion Store which is open 24 hrs a day.
It was really good! The sign said 'Greek Meatballs'. They are a mixture of meat and rice & very tender! Only thing missing is the chilies!
I can't wait till Mr. T can eat again....Toronto has so many wonderful foods to try.

GIRL'S NIGHT OUT........

Today my neice Jo & her daughter...came to see us. I met them at the Westin Hotel at 6:30. It's been 2 years since I saw them last. She had asked if this was a good time to visit and I told her that actually...this was the best time. Mr. T will get his bone marrow transplant on the 17th...where they will move us to an isolation room...and he won't be leaving that room till he is well....perhaps a month...maybe longer. That goes the same for me....I will be in isolation with him. If he is not well, I won't be leaving him alone. Right now he hasn't started the nasty chemo yet....he's eating & playing his games...so its the perfect time for company. Also when he enters that room...his immune system will be wiped clean from the chemo....and it won't be a good idea for me to have company & take a chance on bringing in any germs or colds.
I will have a room at the Westin Hotel till August 3rd....or until I can get a room at Ronald Mcdonald House up the street. There is a long waiting list at Ronald Mcdonald for a room there. They have 28 rooms and all of them are booked solid. Every day you have to call and let them know that you are still on the waiting list. If you don't call.....they will assume you made other arrangements.
You 'have' to have a room while you are here for the 3 months. After being here for a week...you do want to have a good nights sleep and shower...and you need a place to store your clothing and bathroom stuff.
Once Mr. T goes into an isolation room on the 17th...there will be no room for my stuff. That's one of the reasons why you need to have a room while you are here.
We slept at the Westin the 1st night we arrived in Toronto....and I stayed there with my neice & grand-neice when they arrived as well. Otherwise I stay with Mr. T in his room.

My neice took me to the 'Old Spaghetti Factory' to eat. We had wine and pasta...and I enjoyed every bit of it. It was so nice seeing her and her daughter again. I would post a pic...but I don't think she would appreciate it. We had a great time 'catching up'...a lot of laughs and girl talk. Later we walked for miles before calling it a night. At the Westin we ended up talking till we fell asleep.

Early Friday we had breakfast at Sick Kids...and visited Mr. T. My neice was allowed to visit him as I had her name on the visitor's list....but her daughter wasn't allowed on the unit. Mr. T was allowed to go and see his cousin though in the Parents Lounge at the end of the hall. They just don't want kids on the unit itself. He really enjoyed their visit...he didn't want the visit to end. My neice went and bought him a double whopper at Burger King....and we talked & laughed for awhile. Mr. T was in a great mood...and happy to get company.
Later when Mr. T was playing his games on the computer....we walked over to the Eaton Centre. My grand-neice is 13 (going on 16) so she had some serious shopping to do. She had saved up her baby-sitting money and needed summer clothes. Right across from the Eaton Center is a store called 'Forever 21' ...great clothes at cheap prices. The store was packed with teenage girls.
I bought a dress and a skirt for my granddaughter....and my grand-neice bought herself some very nice clothes. She has great taste for her age.
Later we stopped at Mr. Green Jeans to eat. I had to try the 'edamame' appetizer. Hot soybeans with seasalt...and then had a sirloin burger. Great food. I remember going there 16 yrs ago.
My neice gave me a $100 gift certificate to Chapters....and it didn't take me long to spend it. I bought 4 books of Jodi Picoult's that I haven't read yet. Once you read one of her books...you are hooked. I bought Mr. T some art books and my neice got him sketching pencils, sketch books and erasors at Currys art store on Yonge street. We must have walked for miles and miles that day...and we all have blisters to prove it.
We went back to Sick Kids and spent more time with Mr. T and gave him the gifts we bought. He likes to sketch his gaming hero's as well as Manga characters...and now is the time for it while he sits in isolation.
Later we went back to the Westin to drop off our things....and then decided to enjoy the night life. Again we walked for miles....and we ate at the International Food Festival & visited all the vendor booths there. Next time I'll wear my sneakers. Although it was quite late...there were crowds of people everywhere. Toronto is a tourist mecca.....there is so much going on all the time...we saw mime's, and street musicians all over...vendor's and food at every corner. I'm sure we burned off everything we ate and more.
But what a great time I had....I haven't had a girls night out in ages. I was sorry to see my neice & grandneice leave the next day...but I know I'll be seeing them again soon. My granddaughter will be going to stay with my neice Jo next weekend. She'll be staying with them for 6 weeks...going to daycamp with her cousin...and enjoying her summer. My neice will also bring the girls to see me & Mr. T every 2nd or 3rd week...as she only lives an hour away. There will be more 'Girl's nights out' coming up. I hear the Caribana is coming to town early August and I hope I get to see it....people come from all over the world for the Caribana parade.
Everything depends on the success of Mr. T's bone marrow transplant. Let's hope he sails smoothly through this ordeal with little or no complications. Then we'll have something to celebrate!

JULY 6, 2008 - TORONTO SICK KIDS.

Toronto Sick Kids is a huge hospital compared to Cheo. The grandkids were amazed at the sheer size of it. On the main floor they have a large cafeteria, The Terrace... where you can choose to eat from many different restaurants. They also have Starbucks, Tim Horton's, BurgerKing & a soup & sandwich restaurant.
The elevators in the Atrium are made of glass so as you go up to different levels you can see below you. It's modern, kid-friendly and very clean.
We decided to have breakfast before admitting Mr. T.
Mr. T refused to eat. He decided at first glance that he was having none of this hospital. We begged & pleaded & nagged....but nothing doing. I think Mr. T was afraid...and I don't blame him. The size alone of Sick Kids can be intimidating for someone coming from a small hospital. Finally we let him sit at the terrace, while we went to get breakfast. When we got back with our food...Mr. T was just sitting there looking so alone and sad. He wanted to go back to Cheo.
His Uncle assured him that this was just another step on his journey to good health. He explained to him that this transplant was necessary for Mr. T to have in order for him to live a long, healthy life.
I told my grandson...that I was well aware of his feelings of sadness & anger...and that he had every right to feel that way...but we were a team...and the plan was to get Mr. T well and get him home....and we needed him as the primary team member to co-operate & help us get the plan on the road. I told him this could be a wonderful experience or a dreadful one...depending on our attitude. Is our glass half-empty or half-full? It didn't take long for Mr. T to decide. He was back in good spirits in no time at all.
As soon as we got up to 8B - the Bone Marrow Unit....they were expecting us. Right away they showed us to our room. And we're in Room 70! At Cheo...we had Room 7...and at Ronald Mcdonald House we had Room 7. It seems the number 7 keeps coming up! They call this a 'step-down' room. We will be in this room till he has the bone marrow transplant on July 17th.
I am able to sleep in this room. They have a steel built-in cot with a mattress for me to sleep on...and drawers underneath for storage. He also has a bathroom which I can't use...because when you are receiving chemo....your urine is very strong...and it could be dangerous to use the same facilities. There is a shower & bathroom in the hallway for parents & caregivers to use.
My son & his wife are allowed on the Unit...but sadly...Mr. T's sister wasn't. She had to wait outside the Unit while T's uncle set up his X-box and games. Only people on the visiting list are allowed to enter the unit...no children under 18. They feel it might compromise the health of the children here. After all Mr. T has been through....we wouldn't want to endanger his health at this point. We're on our way....to new beginnings!

JULY 5, 2008 - TORONTO

I woke up at 6 a.m., to clean our room at Ronald Mcdonald House and pack the rest of our things. Again we had to say good-bye to the wonderful parents I had spent a lot of time with at RMH and the friendly staff here all wishing us success in Toronto.
Mr. T's uncle & aunt came to pick us up at 11 a.m with Mr. T's sister of course. I wanted his sister to come along with us so she could see where we would be living for the next 3 months.
We managed to stuff 3 months of living in his trunk & of course I had to leave some books behind. It was a gorgeous day. I sat in back with my 2 grandkids and we enjoyed the long drive to Toronto. Half-way there we stopped at Denny's to eat & use the facilities. After 3 months at Cheo...it was so nice to see people & traffic everywhere.
Because we stopped several times along the way...we arrived about 7 p.m. and spent the night at the Westin Harbourfront Hotel in Toronto. What a beautiful hotel...right on the waterfront.
We had pizza and later took a walk along the Queen's Quay and watched the boats come and go....and later had ice cream cones. Along the boardwalk we saw mime's and vendors & musicians entertaining the crowds of people. The grandkids enjoyed it immensely as they never really spent much time in a city.
Everybody was hot & tired...after we took our shower....it didn't take us long to fall asleep in an air-conditioned hotel room. Tomorrow we get to see Toronto Sick Kids for the 1st time.