Posted on July 28, 2015 under Storytelling with 7 comments

” Sunny side up!”

 

 

“You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative …”

Accentuate the Positive – Sam Cooke

Some people have everything and want more. Others appear to want little, having found joy and contentment in its purist form.

Pat Evans had it all. She was a successful teacher, admired by her peers.  She was fiercely independent and was athletic, participating in several sports. She had just acquired a new English Springer dog and was about to take possession of a new home the very day her world was turned upside down. In the early hours of a late September morning thirteen years ago, Pat’s car was struck by a moose and, in an instant, she became a quadriplegic.

The house deal never did go through.

She was rushed to the nearest hospital in Baddeck. She already realized that she was in very bad shape. As she lay in her hospital bed, immobilized, she stared up at the ceiling and mused to herself: “Well missy, this could go either way. You can be sad and angry the rest of your life or you can just suck it up and get on with it.” Luckily for every person that knows Pat, she chose the latter. But this was no surprise to her friends. She had always been a “cup half full” kind of person.

Prior to the accident Pat had never been hospitalized. Once there, however, she became fascinated by all the technology, and by the way the medical fraternity was able to help patients in their darkest hours. She spent about six months in the provincial rehab centre before moving back to her beloved Cape Breton. She arrived to her new home on the lake, designed specifically for her physical challenges. There had been no compromising on one feature: she had to be able to see the water.

Not many people would see it this way but Pat claims that “If I were going to have an accident, I couldn’t have picked a better time.” First of all, there was the stroke of luck that someone was following close behind her when her car left the road, enabling first responders to find her quickly after she hurtled down an embankment and into some trees. She had insurance at the time that allowed her to build the home she needed along with all of the specialized equipment. She requires assistance 24 hours a day and has been blessed with wonderful caregivers.

And, speaking of caregivers, sometimes things are just meant to be. Pat’s first caregiver was Debbie Hibbs, who was aching from the loss of her son in a tragic plane accident. During their very first face to face meeting, they talked about many things. Pat mentioned that, by necessity, she would be using the internet a great deal to communicate with the outside world. And like many people do, Pat had a name for her computer: Melvin. I’m sure there was an audible gasp when Debbie disclosed that this was the name of her beloved son. Debbie had silently prayed to Melvin to find her a job. He knew where to send her.

Debbie says that in the six and a half years that she spent with Pat, she never heard her complain. Not even once.

Throughout my conversation with Pat she repeated the refrain “I am so lucky. There are other people who are worse off than me.” I’m sure that most able bodied people wouldn’t see it this way. “I didn’t change as a result of the accident.” she maintains. “I am who I am.”

And who is Pat Evans? Simply put, she is one of most uplifting people that you could meet anywhere. She has always surrounded herself with like-minded, positive people. “I have no time for negativity!” she declares.   Pat points to family and friends who never deserted her. And who would probably tell me that they receive much more than they give, thanks to this inspiring woman.

“My family are all nuts,” Pat claims. Even when she was in hospital and on a ventilator, they teased her unmercifully because they could get away with it. As in most large families, good natured ribbing is a given. Her legendary verbosity was compromised for a time but soon she was able to come right back at them.

Pat’s former colleagues come in a group several times a year including Christmas, when they roll up their sleeves and decorate the house. One of them commented that Pat was the embodiment of the expression from Epictetus: It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

And what has been the hardest part of this life-changing journey? “It took me a long time to accept that I wouldn’t be able to return to teaching. It was the only time during this whole ordeal that I cried.”

But one would argue that Pat never stopped teaching. She has inspired children when she has visited schools to give talks and she has a profound impact on young people who have disabilities. On a recent trip to the Mayflower Mall, she noticed a young boy in a wheelchair who looked to be about seven. He was marvelling at Pat’s ride, which she activates by head movements through a neck device called a Peachtree. After explaining how it worked, she asked him if he wanted to race. One can only imagine the stares from the mall patrons as Pat and the young boy spent a few joyous moments of exuberance together.

Pat has had the travel bug her whole life. Prior to the accident she had visited Australia and New Zealand on a number of occasions. She was and is a firm believer in “not putting off tomorrow what you can do today”. That spirit of wanderlust continues as she travels south in the spring of each year.

Getting from A to Z is not easy for Pat. Nothing is easy, but her indefatigable and unwavering spirit and zeal for life outstrip the many barriers she faces on a daily basis. During our conversation, Pat mentioned that she had to wear a halo for a long period of time during her recovery. I suggested that she still had one! We had a good laugh over that; one of many chuckles shared throughout the afternoon.

Her dog, Abbey, has been her constant companion. Abbey knows Pat’s routine every bit as well as do her caregivers. She lays low in the morning, but once the wheelchair swings into action, Abbey does likewise and is there by Pat’s side. In the early, dark hours after the accident, Abbey discovered Pat’s lap. They’ve been inseparable since then.

And when asked what is her greatest joy (besides family, friends, caregivers and Abbey!), Pat is quick to reply; “I love to be outside in the sunshine.”

I’m not sure if Pat can sing (I bet she can!) but I suspect that she knows the lyrics to this song:

”Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side, Keep on the sunny side of life. It will help us every day; it will brighten all the way If we’ll keep on the sunny side of life.”*

Next time I’ll bring my guitar.

* Keep on the Sunny Side of Life – Ada Blenkhorn/Howard Entwisle

Posted on July 27, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

Join me for some tunes and stories

 

 

Here I go, shamelessly promoting an upcoming gig at the Visitor Information Centre. As mentioned in a previous post, I hadn’t been to the VIC for years ( decades? ) until recently , after sharing a table with them at Saltscapes. It is one of the best kept secrets in Antigonish. The centre is staffed by knowledgeable and pleasant people who are wonderful ambassadors for our community. I am going to put on a show on Monday, August 3^rd. at 2:00 p.m. to help shed a light on the VIC. Grab a chair and join me and some of my friends for some music and a bit of story telling. I am lining up the musicians and am hoping to have a few of my musical children as guests… and a few other surprises. There will be refreshments.

And speaking of events, the Antigonish Art Fair moved indoors last Friday with the prospects of inclement weather ( snow?! ). The event was held at the Market Square ( the rebranding of the Mall ) and a large crowd enjoyed an evening of art, music and food. There was a stellar lineup of performers on stage including the irrepressible Sunshine Sue who is one of the best children’s entertainers you will ever meet. Here’s a name to watch out for: Clifton Pettipas. He was the last performer of the night and it was unfortunate that most of the crowd had disbursed. He is an amazing young talent who has a great voice and can handle a guitar with the best of them. We’ll definitely bring him back for an encore performance.

Upcoming stories….

“Michael’s Mitts” is the story of Michael MacDonald of Red Islands, just up the road from Johnstown in Cape Breton. The central theme of the story is his rather large hands and what he had used them for. One of my favorite passages in the story is about his time in Toronto, training in the same gym as the legendary heavyweight, George Chuvalo. When I asked him if he ever entered the ring with Chuvalo , he replied,” No. And that’s why I’m still alive today.” Michael has a keen sense of humor and we shared many laughs during a two hour lunch. You will meet “Johnny Rye” and “Neily John the Widow “ when the story is published. Stay tuned.

Coming up this week is the amazing story of Pat Evans, a “glass half full” kind of gal. She lives in George’s River, Cape Breton along with her dog, Abbey. Pat requires 24/7 care after she became a quadriplegic thirteen years ago when she hit a moose on her way to work. This is a great story and should be required reading for everyone. ( Not because I am the author but because of the content! ). Pat has agreed to come to Antigonish this fall to do a talk at the library. “Positively Pat” will appear in a few days at Week45.

What if you opened up a storage bin and found a human being inside? ( alive! ). This is one of the many interesting tidbits to be found in my story about The Opportunity Shop. “When Opportunity Knocks” is the story of an amazing small business that has been around these parts for over 60 years. Besides providing good usable clothing and household items, the Op Shop uses its profits for the betterment of the community. It is an interesting story and will appear in next week’s Casket and on my website.

“Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”

Have a great week.

P.S. Did any of you catch the special on CNN about the 1970’s? They did a whole segment on television programming. If you are under 60 , the Saturday evening lineup of shows on CBS back in the mid 70’s won’t mean much but for us old farts, these were some of the best shows ever:

8:00 – All in the Family

8:30 – Mash

9:00 – Mary Tyler Moore

9:30 – Newhart

10:00 – Carol Burnett

If you can get a podcast of this , it will bring back a flood of memories.

Posted on July 23, 2015 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

“Go Go” the gorilla getting his teeth checked at the dentist’s office

 

 

I’m in training… again.

No, I’m not going to run the Boston Marathon again. Those days are in the rear view mirror. I love to walk and have a hankering to go on a long walk. I was in Western Newfoundland a month ago. The Trans Canada Trail happened to pass through the property of the people we were staying with. The trail goes from Port Aux Basques on the west coast to St. John’s on the east coast… a distance of approximately 900 kilometers.

I got to thinking that a walk across Newfoundland would be an adventure and might make a great book. My plan would be to walk 20-25 kms. each day and stay with locals in the small towns and villages that dot the landscape. In exchange for a room for the night, I would have my hosts tell me some stories which I would include in the book. I’m thinking that I’ll try the first leg this fall ( Port Aux Basques to Stephenville ) .

Michael MacDonald is a character. There are lots of Michael MacDonald’s but as far as I know there is only one by that name in Red Islands. Antigonishers will remember Joe Sam’s hands. Now , Michael’s aren’t quite as large but they are mitts, for sure. He has used them for labor, in the ring and holding a fiddle. I think you will enjoy hearing his story which I’m working on presently.

You’ve heard the expression “ opportunity knocks but once.” I am here to dispute this claim. In an upcoming story called “When Opportunity Knocks,” I will review the long and storied history of the Opportunity Shop. I have dropped off bags of clothing in the outside bin over the years but never spent much time inside the facility… until I spent some time researching this story. I learned a lot and there will be some things that surprise you too, including some of the interesting things they’ve found when they’ve opened the bin in the morning!

Week three of the Antigonish Art Fair is happening this Friday at Chisholm Park. The crowd at our last fair was close to 1400 and we’re hoping for another big crowd this week. Come on down and enjoy some amazing ethnic food, lots of great art, an awesome kids corner and lots of live entertainment at the gazebo.

I’m still digesting the two hours I spent with Pat Evans. Pat is a wonderful, warm and witty woman who lives in George’s River, Cape Breton. She is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. She had a terrible accident thirteen years ago when she hit a moose and instantly became a quadriplegic. While she was robbed of her independence, it hasn’t stopped her from inspiring lots of other persons with handicapped along with her care givers and everyone else she meets. Her story “Positively Pat” will appear in an upcoming edition of the Cape Breton Star as well as on my website.

I am trying to convince Pat to come to Antigonish to give a talk at the library. I will keep you posted.

Can someone explain, where and how July evaporated?

One more thing. When is the last time you visited the Antigonish Visitor Information Center ( VIC )? Like a lot of locals, I haven’t been there in a very long time, until recently. Let me tell you this: it is a gem and one of the most interesting Visitor’s Centres I’ve been in lately. I reckon that I have been in 20 or more in the United States in the past year alone. On the holiday Monday at 2:00 p.m., I will be putting on a show called “ Tales and Tunes” at the Antigonish VIC. Grab a chair and come on over. I’m hoping to have a few musical guests and will do some story telling as well.

Have a great weekend.