On a day when other events eclipsed my personal news, I still have many things to be thankful for. Yes, the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre called to have me come in and remove my PICC line, but the Grand River Hospital emergency department is still in the news. ER doctors are overworked and understaffed, so much so that the entire ER ward was to have been closed this past Sunday. The Cambridge Memorial Hospital's ER is now being managed by a private company in order to solve some of its problems. It seems that there is a province-wide malaise in hospital ER departments. Throughout the Waterloo region emergency medical services are certainly in crisis. But all three hospitals seem to be keeping services alive at least. That's something to be thankful for.
I also received a phone call from my eldest son as he was walking home from our local shopping centre and passing by the Forest Heights Collegiate Institute where my youngest son is in grade twelve. Shortly after 11:00 am, the school was locked down and students either evacuated or kept in safe locations throughout the school for up to 3 hours while up to 40 police officers and 12 tactical officers searched for intruders carrying weapons. Arrests have been made and I'm happy to report that no students, including my son, were injured during the code red lockdown.
On a personal level, the skin rash is starting to abate, the PICC line was removed without any problems, and I'm beginning to feel better in general. Side effects are still quite evident - including neuropathy, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, and diarrhea - but they are starting to diminish slightly. Again, something to be thankful for.
This weekend is when Canadians celebrate thanksgiving, so it seems appropriate that so many good things are happening these days.
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