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Don’t worry! This is not going to be what my charming and dear friend, Marc calls an “ organ recital”. Those of us of a certain age will recognize this conversational pattern as an exchange of symptoms, treatments, prognoses, gossip about friends and acquaintances in our age group. This post is just to make some observations about a journey through the Quebec medical system for this hapless 78 year old.

First off, I have a very unremarkable medical history. I discovered the Camino de Santiago in Spain five years ago and it became a sort of “ home away from home” with three Camino routes tried and three stints as hospitalera ( hosts at various pilgrim inns on the Frances and Portuguese Routes. Al that walking helped my health too so when I was forced to cancel another stint as hospitalera in January of this year I felt a bit indignant.

This wasn’t supposed to happen! Doctors detected a large mass in my abdomen and thus began a long series of tests, scans, appointments with surgeons cumulating in surgery on June 10 at a large “ French” hospital where I had never been treated before.

The surgeon was a beautiful young woman, renowned as a specialist who told me as I waited for my entry into the ER that my operation would be a bit of a “Pandora’s Box”. Perhaps not the most reassuring phrase under the circumstances but at this stage I was ready to sharpen the kitchen bread knife for a DIY session. When I awoke she told me it had been a “ best case scenario” with a simple removal of a huge mass ( no, I won’t post a picture though I have one)

Here à special tribute to my daughter Elizabeth who came from Vancouver Island to help me, take care of me, support me. She is a nurse so gentle bossing was also part of the care. She made me walk, brought me edible food, kept me the best company. I am truly in her debt.

This is the only complaint I have about that hospital. The procedures were prompt, the care kind, the pain control superb. I must say I never want diloded ( sp) again. it calmed the pain of a 7 inch incision but silver octopi floating around the room were not what I was expecting as a side effect.

So, it’s over. Im walking in the park again and sitting on my balcony awaiting the next adventure

Thank god for my two kind daughters and the skilled staff of the hospital