Archive for June 26th, 2006

26 Jun 2006 Phone Buddy
Author: Gail |  Category: Haunted by Cancer, Widowhood  | 2 Comments

I got a call from Washington, DC, today. It’s taken about a month, but the Lung Cancer Alliance found me a phone buddy. One of the services that they provide as a patient advocacy non-profit organisation is a peer-to-peer network for those living with cancer, either as patients or caregivers.

When I was drafting David’s memorial program back around Christmastime, I consulted with his oncologist with regards to groups/foundations/etc. that I could suggest to memorial attendees who wished to make a donation towards lung cancer research in memoriam. The oncologist put together some materials for me, and one of the organisations he recommended was the Lung Cancer Alliance.

Memorial Program – David L. Fielding

(236 KB, PDF)

I had contacted the Lung Cancer Alliance a while ago, and after I told them my story they asked me if I was interested in speaking to someone in a similar situation to my own. I said yes, and today they called and said they’d found someone and forwarded her my phone number. She lost her husband six or seven years ago and thought I might benefit in talking to her. I wasn’t surprised it would take a while to find someone, since David died young and I’m five years younger.

So in case you’re wondering what happens to the money you’ve donated to the Lung Cancer Alliance, I can tell you it benefits not only patients, but caregivers, too.

If you’d like to purchase a silicone “Clear Skies” bracelet designed in David’s memory to support the Lung Cancer Alliance, please let me know. Thank you.

26 Jun 2006 Proper Mini
Author: Gail |  Category: Other Photogs  | 2 Comments

Proper Mini
Proper Mini by The User

Neil’s expatriated himself over to the U.K. from Vancouver since the spring, and this recent shot of his reminded me of last week, when I saw an original mini car zipping south along Jarvis Street with two big blokes in the front. The number plate?

MINSQUL

26 Jun 2006 Gail’s Impromptu Night Tour of Toronto
Author: Gail |  Category: Friends, House of Fielding, Out + About, Toronto  | 6 Comments

– or,

“That Was Fun, But I Have No Photographic Evidence!”

Not long ago I returned home from a whirlwind car tour of Toronto with Ben, who I met over a year ago, VandigicamPhotoWalking in Kitsilano and Jericho Beach. I chuckled on the way home, because it was so impromptu, and the look on Ben’s face when I showed up at the airport after 1 o’clock in the morning.

It started out with a voicemail from Rachael, but I was on the Vancouver VoIP phone when the call forwarded through to my Toronto phone number. It didn’t occur to me until later to listen to the message. Much later.

I heard:

“Ben… Washington… this week… Toronto… between one and six in the morning… coffee at airport…”

I listened to it again to figure out when this week. I was a little confused because she said arriving 12:45pm, but I figured I could just contact her to confirm which night this was happening. I read about the Washington trip on Ben’s blog the other day, but he didn’t mention when he was leaving, either.

I sent a text about quarter to midnight my time, 8:45 PST: “Got your msg–which day?”

SMS Shortly after, she sent a return SMS:

I did a little double-take at the word. Then the time.

Due to land in six minutes! I phoned Rachael and said I was on my way, then headed off to the airport, sending Ben an SMS telling him I was coming.

In the wee hours the Gardiner Expressway is an empty ribbon of concrete, so I cleared it in no time. Ben — less a beard and the pair of glasses I’d always seen him wearing before — was surprised to see me, but I’d assured him I’d given the Nacht Tour of Vancouver many a time. The main difference was, I’d lived in Vancouver for nearly 10 years but I was still not much more than a longtime tourist in Toronto.

{ continue reading… }

26 Jun 2006 Protected: Consolation
Author: Gail |  Category: Acts of Kindness  | Enter your password to view comments

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