You can do so much!

Your normal First Reactions, after the shock of diagnoses

So you're diagnosed, and paid employment is secure.  You have questions I bet, somewhere back in your mind.  I think they are similar to these I had when I was diagnosed at that time.  "How long will I work?"  "How will this disease affect me while I work?"  "What will I do if I no longer work?"  "Can I now use Cannabis?"  All answers will come to the same conclusion and I'll save you the time of doing the life study.  The answer is "when you feel like it", and in the case of Cannabis, "if you want to".  It's legal now in Canada, even recreationally.  My question back then once I discovered it worked for helping me quit tobacco and managing my mental health was "where to find it in an illegal world", but I won't get into that here.

A few years into diagnoses

Your first reaction when you realize your job can no longer be adapted to your changing abilities is likely not healthy.  When you finally "retire at a young age"  without the kind of money you should have to retire that young, most without fore-site or not reading this post will sit back, think they are now useless and perhaps sink into a black hole of depression hard to get out of.  Many with life partners separate now, small wounds get opened up and marriages crumble or get difficult during this part.  No worries.  It will get better or die trying for the best.  It does not have to happen in quite this way, what if it didn't have to die?  What if those thoughts never came up?  In my headwas "What to do now?  Who to ask?  Where do I go for help?  Mental help is so limited in BC, even back then!  I had so many questions about MS and my future!"  Luckily you likely live in Canada, diagnosed since 2010 and are registered with the MS Society of Canada in your local area.  They have a Peer Support service available at https://mssociety.ca/support-services/ms-knowledge-network and by phone at 1-844-859-6789.  That was not available to me back then.  They do so much good now.  I just saved you years of life experience, have your life partner thank me and the Society as well.  I am writing this on Valentine's day 2019 :) Share the love.   I'll put a couple of links below too where you can positively influence the province of BC or your like minded Canadian Community as a whole, Volunteering  with medical care for all people with health care concerns in your health authority and province.  It is but one option to lift your moods.  Volunteering anywhere is one way to lift depression and promote  feelings of worthiness  Another is to get an activity you enjoy.  Walking is one.  Smiling at strangers is another.  Join a swim club, Aquafit is available in many community pools.  A club offering therapeutic horseback riding may be available too.  Let's get into volunteerism actions you can do to feel better.  Or save that for a later date.  I know you mean to get back to reading this, leave it open and come back to it.  Or go for that walk.  If you go for a nature walk or roll, it's considered affordable mental health therapy.

My biggest hats

Online

In my MS'ed up life I have many roles connected to many volunteer groups.  Online, check out and follow me on the Huddol network.  Register with the website behind the link.  I'm "bcbud024".  You can become a valuable contributor earning tokens (money) in a variety of ways explained better onsite.  In my "professional" life I am a student of life and webdesign.  I have designed a couple of websites, thanks to the education i received through IBDE and Make A Change Canada's influence with the Business Abilities course.  They are the Carefree society's website and my own.  Through my own, I manage the updates on Volunteer Prince George's website and if it ever needs a redesign, I do stand ready and able thanks to aforementioned courses which included WordPress training:)  I also manage a couple of Facebook pages for Cannabis, The MS Community of Prince George FB Group (and our international connections in a FB page) and our local MS Walk.  Some of my online duties stem from boards I sit on.  It is another way of feeling useful.

Advisory and working Boards, committees and projects

Multiple Sclerosis

My very biggest claim to fame is my connection to you, the MS Community first in Prince George BC Canada, then to our Global MS connections in Research and the community of MS affected persons.  I have done that since 2005.  I have sat as Facilitator, or your Representative of Prince George to the MS Society of Canada, overall nationally.  We saw this community held together through the loss of a local well established MS Society of Canada, BC Division Chapter office as we transitioned to the newer Northern Regional Chapter Office now located in Kamloops BC, with connections in every community with an MS Self Help group within their responsibility up to Whitehorse, YT to act as Volunteer Liaisons between the groups and the society.  It was a very familiar model, one we had while the chapter was local.  Actually the model we had here was unique and is now followed across the BC Division of the MS Society of Canada   MS affects a community which builds on a bridge of inclusiveness of all affected by the condition of MS & other diseases and conditions that MS lives with.

The Carefree Transportation Society

The Carefree Transportation society has been in operation since 1971.  They pioneered Accessible Public Transportation in British Columbia.  Many improvements in BC Transit's accessible and inclusive design including the development of the HandyDART door to door transportation fleets for those who cannot use the pubic system for any reason started out with the ideas and objectives of the early society.  Carefree was also one of the founders of the Accessible Transit Action Committee (ATAC) along with officials of BC Transit in Prince George (PG Transit) Pacific Western Transportation and PG Taxi.  I am treasurer for the Carefree Society  as well as their Web Designer and past chair of ATAC.  Carefree also manages the Taxi Saver program in Prince George, those are used to pay for trips with PG Taxi and covers the fare for persons with a disability.  A person buys a $40.00 sheet of tickets worth $80.00 of rides.  They are to be used only outside of HandyDART's regular hours for travel around the city only.

The Patent Voices Network

In the mid 2000's around 2006/07 The Patient Voices Network (PVN) came to Northern British Columbia to Northern Health.  The movement had actually began a few years earlier, introducing the health authorities of BC to an early model of "Patient Engagement".  Our first slogan was "every one is a patent".  We adapted another slogan, "Nothing about me without me"   Wasn't much longer and one of the supporting societies, "Impact BC" provided an umbrella for PVN to grow.   Towards 2015 Impact BC changed focus and PVN began the quest to find a new supporting Partner.   We had thought about one, but their goals were slightly different then the mandates PVN developed over the years since it was formed and we wandered about the province doing "PVN engagements"  with health authorities throughout the province.  The BC Patent Safety and Quality Council (BCPSQC) was formed about 2009 and became PVN's supporting partner by 2015.  BCPSQC had partnered with several Canadian Provincial Health Authorities that were adapting the Patent Engagement Strategies.  In BC our new partnership with BCPSQC  had brought the BC SUPPORT Unit to engage patient oriented research with regional SUPPORT units in every health authority.  They soon joined national PVN Members to SUPPORT units in most of the provinces, with partnerships with the "Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research" (SPOR)  and The British Columbia Academic Health Science Network (BCAHSN).  We've got the healthiest province in the country and 3rd best globally.  Patent Voices played a huge part in making BC that way with patent involvement at all areas of Health Care management.  I am a BC SUPPORT Unit member on the Patient Council and an "Activated Patent"  of PVN.

Handy Circle Resources Society

The Handy Circle Resources Society started out in the mid 1990's as the Handy Circle Promotions Society and became active in the accessibility of Prince George. Founded by Vivian Candy, she was an outspoken advocate for accessible public areas like sidewalks and trails.  Vivian had lost the use of her legs due to Diabetes which took her life by 2009.  She hired Mrs Lorraine Young as Office manager around 1995.  HCRS is a resource center for people with a disability.  Lorraine is still the office manager. I began volunteering there about 2005 and was hired sometime between 2012-2014.  I do some computer maintenance and instruction as well as networking with various organizations like the City of Prince George Advisory Committee on Accessibility,  the MS Society of Canada (Prince George Chapter when we had one), The Prince George Mental Health Consumer Council and various media outlets.  I am the Emcee for many of their public events.

You don't have to be as active as me but...

I am so busy because of my mental health.  You might not be as crazy as I seem, I certainly hope not anyway.  When I was diagnosed with Multiple Scleroses in 2000 and "retired" early in April 2002, I went kind of crazy.  Thanks to a former venue to treat Mental Health in Adults I took a workshop on Assertiveness which gave me the tools to take charge of my life, end a 35 year addiction to Tobacco at 39, and proved to me that in order to remain sane, I would need to do something and I began to donate my time to various organizations.  I encourage you to do what makes you happy.  If get frustrated looking for gainful employment then offer to volunteer someplace.  Most people find that rewarding, and that's just therapeutic in its own way.  You could even volunteer with the MS Walk in your community!  That's coming fast here in Prince George, the banner on top of this page counts down to the event happening at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park on 17th Ave in Prince George.  If you are a Prince George resident living with MS I encourage you to join the Self Help group's team (the "Self Helpers") or form one of your own from anywhere in Canada.  You may donate to our team too from that link.  A Self Help Group team's earnings have 10% returned to the community unrestricted for their use.  Thank you in advance and we'll see you there!

What is the hype about Gut Bacteria?

So much research focused on our guts...

Have you noticed that there has been a lot of research lately about the stuff in your tummy?  They are on We've done our own research through our lives.  We all learned in school about how the stomach aids in digesting food our experiences tell us what makes us well, what makes us sick and what we don't like to eat. We know how some foods make us happy, some have other moods associated with them and some foods cause real problems as many have allergies to it.  Commercially processed food and pesticides, all that food hype!  It's not specifically all about Multiple Sclerosis, all of humanity is affected by what goes on in the gut, even since before we were born.

How does the Gut affect humans?

Overall it has been said that the gut is another brain.  We all have a gut working hard the same way using that bacteria as it has all your life all through the history of humans.  What you eat can really affect your mood, and if you starve yourself, it weakens you sometimes to become immobile.  Same if you eat food that your body rejects or is infected with competing bacteria.  McDonald's anyone?  Generally any fast food has its problems for many sensitive people.  Reactions, silent allergies that develop into chronic illness can all be attributed to changes to the Microbiome (another term for the collective bacteria your stomach holds).  One of the diseases (and the the one I'll focus on, inspired in part by Dr Kim Lee) is Multiple Sclerosis.  It is highly affected by the gut...

From pre-birth to post-death, your gut is actively working.

Your individual collection of Gut Microbiome were given to you from your birth mother and all the diverse genetic line of women before we were who we appear to be today.  It is unique, just like the body it inhabits.  It can be influenced more by what you eat than the environment you live in.  Upon birth, your entire body is new.  Before birth, the bacteria grows and develops individual reactions from the ingestion of nutrients derived from the mother.  The microbes prepare the infant for the world they will arrive in approx 9mo from the spark of life.  All through the life it influences emotions, health outcomes and energy levels and more including mental health.  It continues after death to help the body decompose

There is a similar disease that brews completely from our Guts

Up to about 15 years ago as of 2019, a few diseases were misdiagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis.  Most commonly, it was Lyme Disease which manifests in similar fashion.  For confirmed cases of Multiple Sclerosis, some MS Flareups could be attributed to artificial sweeteners and tobacco use,  Coincidentally, those do change the structure of the Gut Microbiome in a negative way.    Helicobacter pylori (Hp) Hp Sydney Strain-1 antigen is a disease very similar to Multiple Sclerosis born in your guts.  Some of us have both or even just Hp misdiagnosed. If you are new to this disease, or even if you are a "Vet" (more than 5 years of diagnosed life) and you have questions about your diagnoses, talk to your MS Specialist about that. It could be possible it was overlooked to test for it.  Who knows.  You may be "Cured" of MS before death.  I'll leave you with a question:  Does Cannabis affect our Gut Bacteria?  Perhaps a subject for a new post perhaps on Walknroll.info

Thank you for reading about our guts

And in the end, it all gets flushed out with oils and toxins.  There is a saying about your personal plumbing system.  Just like your house, it can get backed up or have other issues voiding waste.  This sometimes can be attributed to changes in that Gut Bacteria.  Some of it is in the Lower Intestine where the Bowel voids solid waste aka Feces. For more information on Gut Bacteria. Multiple Sclerosis, misdiagnosed conditions etc, the MS Society of your nation (in Canada, the MS Society of Canada) will have accredited information they give free of charge. In addition always maintain a good relationship with at least one accredited medical professional that knows your disease and you.  If you would like to help change the path of Health Care in your Canadian health region there are links to provincial Patent Engagement teams found via the BC Patient Voices Network on their website and connected partner sites like the BC SUPPORT Unit on theirs.  At the SUPPORT Unit in your Canadian province you could even become a "Citizen Scientist".  How cool would that be?

Support more research on the Gut

To help fund more research on the Gut and other subjects leading to MS and it's effects, as well as supporting those of us living with the Disease nationally, consider a donation to our MS Walk in Prince George through our Self Help Group's Walk Team. (link will come active closer to the date where our top banner says the walk is happening soon, about 150 days before I think.  All other links should work). 10] of the money donated through our team stays in Prince George to be used for our local community.  For news about the MS Walk and other events in your community, refer to the MS Society of Canada's website and locate your area of support.

How do you handle negitive stress?

The science of Stress:

We have ample knowledge of what negative stress (NS) does to us.  Well, those of us who live with MS for more or less than than half a decade are aware of it.  In 2018, Researchers finally proved what we knew.  Awesome.  But what good is knowledge and facts without knowing how to avoid NS?  Do we just sit at home and avoid it?  Is that even a good idea?  Experts such as health authorities say "No" very loudly.

What is Stress?

Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood.  There is positive stress.  That gets infants from crawling to walking.  Learning new ways to overcome barriers.  Improvements in life.  Success in goals affecting lives including your own and family.  Those affect our disease in positive ways.  Negative stressors like arguments, angry thoughts, actions, pain are the things that do damage to those of us in all autoimmune diseases.

How to reduce stress in your life

This post would be useless without telling you how to avoid that stress.  Fact is though, you can never avoid negative stress.  You can only change it to positive stress.  But how do you do that?  There are many ways to learn "Stress Management".  The most basic way is to recognize internal negative thoughts and change them to reflect positive.  One way to do this is to force your face into the shape of a smile and hold it 10 seconds.  Try it now.  I'll count for you.  10----9----8----7----6----5----4----3----2----1.  Breath in slowly and deep, exhale just as slow.  How do you feel now?  Try it as soon as you open your eyes. This is known as the "10 second smile" exercise.  I guarantee your day will go better when you start in a good mood.  Go for a walk, but be prepared for the weather and environment you walk in.  You could even try yoga.  There is some poses for chair bound individuals and is so simple to do at home with no real expensive training or specialized equipment.  Some other activities are listed below the video posted

Mindfulness to relieve negative stress

This is a powerful way of calming your thoughts to reduce NS   Simply put, it involves sitting or lying in a quiet comfortable space, closing your eyes, breathing deeply and steadily not too fast and not thinking of anything except sensations in your body occurring during the exercise.  Be aware of your body and try to block harsh sounds distracting thoughts and interruptions.  There are free courses offered in this exercise, I will encourage you to learn and practice it often.  if you live in the region covered by the Northern Regional Chapter of the MS Society of Canada, (much of British Columbia outside the Lower mainland east of Victoria but includes Haida Gwaii and the Yukon Territory) there is a "Regional Self Help Support Group" that meets electronically or by telephone on the 4th Friday of each month.  Contact the Chapter to learn more.  Sign up for their "Messenger" newsletter sent out once a month to be aware of all MS activities affecting our MS'ed up part of the world.  We live here with a huge percent of Canada's large MS population.  The Northern Regional Support meetings are facilitated by an instructor in Mindfulness.  We also have a very active Self Help group in Prince George, as do many communities throughout the region and caregivers are as welcome as people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, just like the face to face groups in our communities

Social activity to combat stress

Social activity is great to combat negative stress.  If your community has no "live" self help group, perhaps you can start one.  For a number of years, I facilitated a group of one here.  If you would rather, join a walk group at a local mall or park or just call a buddy and set up a walk.  Find new friends on a  public transit bus. Almost all communities have some very diverse social groups and activities, many are free and all are welcome.  You will enjoy yourself if you let yourself feel free.  Accept that some NS must be ongoing, particularly grief.  It helps keep memories alive and knowledge that death is only hard on the surviving contacts.  Truly enjoy life and smile lots to overcome NS, even if grief.  Practice that "10 second smile" (described above) now.

Ending stress and this post

Simply said, Stress will never end.  This post must though.  Practice changing it all to Positive Stress.  Smile at strangers, it is incredibly therapeutic and self empowering when they smile back.  Start each day with a smile.  Laugh more often.  Praise, don't criticize.  Practice good hygiene and always find the silver lining to every situation, take value in experiences good or bad.  Try to relax at all times, and live well.  Till next post, practice smiling!

Did you enjoy this post about Stress?

Consider donating to the Prince George MS Walk through our Self Help Group's "Walk Team".  You may join there and help us inspire your contacts by raising money collectively, or simply donate to a member of the team securely with all our thanks.  10% of that donation and other monies collected by the team gets returned to the Prince George Multiple Sclerosis Self Help Group to share through the community unrestricted from MS Society restrictions and obligations.

MS Walk 2019 Prince George

Well it's getting closer every day. I just installed a widget on top, to display the time down till our MS Walk traditionally held on the last Sunday in May (find, join and donate to us on Facebook) annually, taking over Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park. Well, if we go back into the history of Prince George's MS Walk, long before the park had its rightful name returned, we would host it in June annually.  It would go from Cottonwood Island at the Nechako and Fraser confluence. It continued in June for a few years after we came to the park formally known as Ft George.  I cannot remember exactly what year May became our Walk date.  What are your favorite memories of the walk in Prince George, since before 2000 till last year as when you read? I am sure Lonny in Nelson BC (The "Event Coordinator" for the Northern Region Chapter of the MS Society of Canada) would like them for her publication.  Future  widgets will countdown to other events to happen in the Prince George Multiple Sclerosis community, a post like this will follow!  Thanks for following these posts made infrequently

MS and Cannabis. Weeducation 101

The post you have been waiting for.  I know I have waited for it to be published.  Tired of waiting I will write it myself.  Meh.  All good.  lol it's what I do anyway.  So I hope to answer your questions of this "new" thing that is happening in Canada. What is weeducation?  Is it free?

What is Weeducation?

Weeducation is learned experiences.  Best way to obtain creditable experience is to actually have a puff.  Eat a "Medable" (that's a Cannabis editable, perhaps your first lesson in Weeducation).  Consume a small amount at first but consume the whole thing in one long sitting.  Survive happily or not, key is survival and no medical intervention is needed unless you actually hurt yourself.   Drink a blended Smoothie with some form of cannabis added.  Second best method is accredited study, self study best.  Learn the differences between raw and activated Cannabis. Learn about CBD, a component of the plant. Study the Cannabinoids beyond the hype

Sub-question "What are Cannabinoids and Endocannabinoids?"

I'll answer with a video:

Now that that sparked an interest...

Go further with second hand research.  See that raw Cannabis has an acid that makes it inert in your next study and that suggests the whole plant is better than parts of it.  Raw cannot make anyone high, it is as much of a preventive measure for all ages as we age from birth to death.  The Cannabinoids it adds to the diet are closely related to our Endocannabinoid system thought to control major parts of health and wellness.  All in all you can just chill with this webinar that was presented on  on the 3rd of October 2018 from 11-12pm, presented from the MS Society of Canada.  A blog post I've yet to read on it, from the MS Society of Canada (part of your donations to events like the MS walk occurring nationally on countdown displayed on the top banner) was written by the society President (Pamela Valentine, President and Chief Executive Officer  )in 2019.  She would love it if the Society becomes "Weeducated" to help them understand their clients.  That's us, the ones with lived experiences with this disease.  You are well on your way to becoming "Weeducated" yourself.

But is it all free?

This part is free.  Share it.  Weeducate your contacts.  "Puff Puff Pass- Share it forward! That next part of Weeducation is also free and it inspires your contact, could be a blazing partner!  Legal stores now exist for full blown weeducation but so does the original market knocking on your buddy's door, perhaps at midnight.  Many times it's understood market open 24 hrs and much less expensive, somewhat safer than legal but discretion born durning the prohibitive "Refer Madness" years.

Back home

Begin the adventure:

The trip there was uneventful. Not really boring it started out with a trip from home to the Airport.  Thanks to the partnership between PG Taxi, Airporter and because of an agreement discovered via a network of sources at Transport Canada concerning the connection between communities and departure venues such as Airports.  I wrote about that in my last post, it went through without a hitch.  The flight was good, the staff at the airport was extremly friendly and helpful, I really enjoy WestJet for these litlle adventures.  We landed at YXS and Skytrain was there to take me downtown Vancouver.  I got out from Waterfront Station on Cordover and asked Google to take me to Granville Island.

The 1st Adventure, Waterfront Stn on Cordovea St. to Aqua Ferry by West Hastings St.

Google Maps screen capture showing route between Waterfront Skytrain Stn and Granville Island Via the Ferry, and 2 land routes.

Simple right?  Google has a cool feature, as long as my phone reached Wireless which I have discovered is very common throughout the city, particularly in West Van of navagaing a path it warns may be missing sidewalks and amid heavy traffic on Highway 99 could be worrying to the pedstrian's parental figures. I exited Waterfront. The route down the South east street was the farthest, it appered to  use the Sky.  I attempted that from my Hotel and got to one of several barrers I found on the Seawall, distence being one of them when I attempted the night before departing.  I decided enroute from Waterfront that the Aqua Ferry would be wiser to arrive at the hotel and get settled.  Very cool thing about visiting Vancouver, the frequent Wifi hotspots.  For those of us who don't mind Google tracking our whearabouts that is and rolling pedestrians who canfocus both on the phone and the path ahead skillfully avoiding footed pedestrians amid stares and finger gesters from vehicales, getting wiser in navagaing those distracting turns deturing into allys to lightup through a medicianal tour of Vancouver.  "Turn left here" screamming louder and louder, then recalulating then signal lost untill I turned around and came back along my path towards the ferry launch point at Hastings.  It wasn't all that far and I found it looking for a hotspot with the second Joint which became a roach.  That was the area of town I usually stayed in so far, familular ground as I used that part of the Seawall east quite a bit for viewing and toking towards the ocean winds.  I boarded the Aqua Ferry and took a short hop across the bay to the artificial Island called Granville.

The reason for the  trip

But what am I doing on a Patient Oriented Research group, to begin with?  What is any patient doing in research other than being a test subject?  What is it to begin with?  Well, there are different nonintrusive ways for researchers to gather information.  You can do it too, just become an activated patient with the British Columbia Patient Voices Network and wait for opportunities to arrive from SPOR and/or the BC SUPPORT Unit.  We are a very valuable resorce for all Canadain patients to communicate with their medical support teams.  When I was asked to introduce myself, I explaned that among other duties in my community I consider myself the Facilitator for Cannabis changes in Prince George and I could talk for hours on it.  I also explaned all the knowlwedge I have is second hand other than how it has worked on me and my MS, it needs to be proven to sceptical pharmacy trained medical professionals.  I see this as the biggest change in Canadain mediine for the coming year, if not decade and longer and perhaps a use for my voice

Going home

I checked out of Granville Island Hotel around 830am after enjoying a "Continental" breakfast of Yogurt, Muffin, Fruit and enough coffee to have a cup and fill my travel mug... The Dockside Restaurant had many pleasent views of West Vancouver.   I got slightly lost heading to the Aquabus.  All good, it was a straight line from the hotel at one end of Granville Island to anywhere "local".  Got across the bay.  Decided I had time to cruise back down the Seawall, take a picture of the distance as I had attempted to get there from Granvel Island over the Seawall and go to WaterFront Stn the night before.  I got a few blocks down, encountered one spot on the Seawall not accessible and I tipped my scooter.  Got back to Aquatic Centre Ferry Dock on Hastings and asked Google to point me in the direction of WaterFront.  2.5 Km (about 10+ blocks) later I found familiar territory on the other side of West Vancouver.  Well, that would have been the case if I followed a straight line between Hastings and swing left a block on Cordova to 601.  Through my actual moving and detouring between construction zones and areas of inaccessibility, aesthetic distractions and other turns and distractions (look- a butterfly in the city!) it took me the better part of 1.5 hrs, slightly down in battery power to arrive finally at the proper Skytrain Station which had a lift down to the trains.  I got to the airport in time to munch a Carl's Jr burger and hop on the plane after rinsing it out of my mouth with a drink of water.  Love all those shops past Security in Vancover's airport , aka YXS.

Vancouver bound 2018- The adventure before

From the 28th of June to the 1st of July 2018 the City of Vancouver will be my rolling playground.  I have an introductory meeting there for the BC SUPPORT Unit Patient Council that I will be joining.  As far as I can understand, it's about researching diseases affecting BC patients.  There are 2 persons affected by MS on the board now and I'll be the third.  I have a feeling I was chosen because of my Facilitator position at the Self Help Group and I am an Activated Patent of the BC Patient Voices Network... I joined way back when they first came to Northern Health's hometown of Prince George and expanded their reach through my Health Authority influencing patents of all walks of life and professions to the Yukon border and beyond.  All Canadain provinces have a Patient Voices network now, we're just the most influential imho here in BC.  This paragraph is written before I depart, I have a couple of things to do in advance:

1.  I need a house sitter.  My cats will need to have water changed daily, perhaps litter scooped out.  This was not an issue last time I went down.  Since then, my toilet was changed and they no longer can have that as a drinking bowl when I go for a couple of days.  Their water gets dirty when sitting just a few hours but I don't expect a house sitter to live here the whole time unless they want to and I can trust them.  Once a day with a larger container of water changed in the morning should satisfy them just fine.  I put down a larger container for their water, it stays cleaner longer but does not last 24 hrs yet.  Any larger container might be too large for them.  May try 2 large containers next.  Seems to be good that way.  Now to see if Litter boxes can go 3 days to be cleaned upon my return.  On day 2 now, no complaints from the cats.

2.  I need to ensure the Airporter knows how to book me with a mobility device coming and going.  Airport and PG Taxi have an agreement.  Traveler has a mobility device calls and requests accessible transit to the airport.  Airporter books departure and arrival makes a call to PG Taxi, who has accessible taxis.  PG Taxi will pick up the traveler.  The traveler will pay the cab driver only the Airporter shuttle's fee for the ride.  Airporter and PG Taxi square up the account as per their agreement.  When I tried, I got a clerk who knew nothing of this and denied me passage.  I contacted Michelle Kenny, Manager of Corporate Services for the PG Airport Authority and she assured me the information will now be put on their website.  I hope she will put it on both those web pages.  PG Taxi will always have accessible cars you may call them if you need them while in town (providing you have a travel-ready device).  She gave me another number to call and this should never happen again where a traveler with a mobility device is denied transport on PG Airporter.  I got my ride booked as of the 5th.  If the information is not available on either the Airport's or the Shuttle services website or a sales clerk is confused then please contact me (comment below) and I'll again contact Michelle Kenny to have it available for you when you travel.  I am not going to be the only one privileged for it.  Prince George leaves a lot to be desired regarding transportation between airport and city.  Presently Vancouver is much better for ground transportation between multiple departure points and city.  Well, after I typed this, it would be a great time to ensure my mobility device is travel ready... 

Travelers have apparently can be denied passage because of their device.  Nope, I have Gell Cells, not Lithium batteries.  It's a lightweight, and short enough.  48" end to end, Tiller folds down, the seat is removable if needed. They usually disconnect the battery, it has clips to break the connection.  It's even clean and in good condition.  I should be ready to go with it.  If you have any doubts about your device, consult the place you purchased it from, have it serviced at regularly, a user's manual perhaps, a website even if opened by a friend will help.

3.  Meetings.  Yes, there are several this month, not including phone meetings for my course at Business Abilities, available through Make A Change Canada where I am an Alumni of IBDE and BA.  I also have a couple of personal meetings for the latest and one speaking engagement described in a previous post here.  The Power Mobility Society of Prince George.  So far, We have found a new home for the Power Mobility society at the end of May, preparing for a new time on the Second Thursday of every month at 10 AM.  We have strengthened our connection to Medichair Northern BC as they offered us a room to use for our meetings at Medichair Prince George.  The first one will be on the 14th of June.  Comment below if you ride a mobility device in your community in British Columbia.  Medichair is also found servicing many of you in British Columbia.  Contact the Society by commenting below and I'll pass the information on how you can help us grow through the province to promote safe enjoyment of our needed devices.

The next 2 meetings will happen back to back on the 21st.  The first will be with the Accessible Transit Action Committee, a group of civic Transit authorities, civic officials and members of the public who ride public transit.  We discuss changes in bus routes, challenges faced by use, and we brainstorm ways to overcome and make our transit system the best in the nation for accessibility.  We've been doing that since 1995.  The latest highlight will be my experience trying to book Airporter with a non-folding mobility device.  Right after that meeting, we have an MS Self Help Group meeting, the last one before Septemeber 2018.  We will be at A&W for the "Burgers to end MS" event to be held on the 16th of August this year.  As in previous years, I cannot find a link this far from the event for this year.  It's held annually, this year $2 from every Teen burger sold will go towards MS research  Our community will be at the Southridge location in Prince George. Perhaps see you there!  If you have an aversion to burgers, there are donation tins at every till or A&W location in Canada

On the 11th of June, The community will host Lonnie Facchina, Community Services Coordinator for the Newly formed Northern Regional Chapter of the MS Society of Canada who is doing a tour around the large Northen Regional Chapter's area of concern which goes into the Yukon Territory. It should be very interesting, this is the second visit Lonnie will make to our city at the "head" of their region that mirrors Northern Health's area of responsibility for the MS Clinic of the University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George.

4. Life.  Well, won't go too deep on this.  Going out and socializing, networking and enjoying life in Prince George.  I've managed to do that since getting my head on straight in around 2005 after accepting that life is better without fighting against this MonSter inside of me and quitting Tobacco.  I had enough of the true monsters inside my head and evicted them from my thoughts.  Now the MonSter inside me is accepted and coexists in my body.  MS does not own my life, I own it.  It cannot affect me.  I will not let it. I can hurt myself way worse than the MS, it knows that and is relatively tame.  I use no DMDs.  I consume Cannabis in multiple forms when I can afford it.  I'm ready to go, stay tuned for my next post which will happen when I get on my way to Granville Island in Vancouver, BC to join the BC Support Unit Patient Council, on the 27th.  WOOT!