LAKE COUNTRY

 After the Live and Learn session at the hospital on Monday, May 28^th, Ron had a book signing scheduled at Bookland in downtown Vernon at 3 pm. Deb and John, the volunteer stroke survivor who leads the Living with Stroke sessions in Vernon, also set up a table near Ron to give out information about their program. By 3:30 pm it was obvious to all of us that our presence was not going to draw a crowd. No doubt this was due to the intense heat. The outside temperature registered on our Toyota’s dashboard had flirted with 40 degrees Celsius. Consequently I was prompted to quote from Stephen Leacock’s piece “We Have With Us Tonight” from My Discovery of England in which Leacock notes that it had been his experience that audiences are very fickle creatures. They will not turn out if it is too hot, too rainy, or too cold, or even if the event is free. And, if there is a hockey game on, you might as well forget the whole event all together.

            At the mention of Stephen Leacock’s name, John perked up. John had had his stroke seventeen years ago and today appears to have made a full recovery (although he does confess he still has trouble reading.) However, long before his stroke, he had run a newspaper in the community of Enderby and Stephen Leacock had, for a few years, owned a cabin on a nearby lake. John had often met Leacock in the town, and, as John was able to take Leacock’s disparaging quips about his paper in good humour, the two became friends. I was thrilled to learn this and to be able to claim to have met someone who had actually known Canada’s great humourist. Ron, however, was downcast. By 4pm he confessed that this was the first time he had ever been skunked. Not even one book sold! (Bookland, however, did take five.)

            Fortunately the next day the Lunch and Learn session in the Murray Ramsden Boardroom at the Kelowna Regional Hospital was packed and the book signing at Chapters in the Orchard Park Shopping Centre later in the afternoon was a success. Local Living with Stroke facilitator and stroke survivor, Jennifer Monaghan, and many members from her groups came to keep Ron busy meeting people, swapping stroke stories and signing books.

            On Wednesday Lunch and Learn was scheduled for noon in the Penticton Regional Hospital. Again, there was a good turn out of hospital staff, and Deb’s and Ron’s talks were well received. Then, we had to dash to Osoyoos where Ron was scheduled to read at the Bits and Bites Café in the Chase Valley Business Centre on Main Street. And here, (omitting a description of the last two of the many unnecessary detours I had taken us on throughout the day) Ron actually arrived only five minutes late. Again Deb had provided provisions–coffee, tea, juice and delicious cookies from the Café–and the local stroke facilitator, Barb Roth, and many people from her group were waiting. Following Ron’s talk and reading the discussion was brisk, as it usually is with stroke survivors and their caregivers. One man in particular was upset with the local policy which requires everyone to report to the closest hospital in Oliver to be seen by a doctor who then decides whether or not a referral to the Penticton Hospital is necessary. This caregiver felt that this delay had definitely worsened the effects of his wife’s stroke. He was angry for, as many of us now know, TIME IS BRAIN, and prompt treatment essential.

            Later that evening Ron and I relaxed over a superb meal at the Campo Marina Italian Restaurant in Osoyoos. However, realizing that we were due in Nelson the next day, I began to wonder if we hadn’t bitten off a little more than we could chew.

(to be con’t.)