Ontario, Canada: Durham Hospice and Hospice of London: September 16 -18, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Awake and Away—Before Dawn
How I woke at 2 am I don't know. By 2:30 I was packed and left Hipwell's Motel in Font Hill. Stars were out and the dark road was quiet. The temperature was cool. With my torch I checked the road names in the dark. Route 20 went beyond Font Hill, but I had to make sure I got on to Route 24. I didn't want to miss that road in the dark. A few cars and trucks moved on the road, but it was relatively quiet.
Route 24 had a gas station at the junction with Route 20. I bought orange juice and chocolate milk and chugged them down. By now it was about 5 am and dawn was not far away.
A Mosquito Bite to Remember
As the morning skies turned red and I wondered if that meant rain, I was walking beside a vineyard. I needed to answer the call of nature...so snuck into the bushes by the vines and dropped mu trousers.
As I did so a mosquito promptly bit my bum! I managed to swat the little vampire, but had an itchy bump on my rump!
Route 81, into Grimsby, Ontario
At Beamsville Route 81 would take me into Grimsby.
Route 81 passed amongst many wineries. At one vineyard a woman came up to me with bunches of grapes. I explained about the walk and she gave me the grapes. Thanking her I walked down the road, munching grapes and spitting out the pips in the grass by the road.
A woman called Patricia stopped and gave a $40 donation to hospice.
At 9 am I phoned Durham Hospice volunteer Gary Parks. We arranged for me to be picked up in Grimsby by about 12.30. It was all looking good.
“Carry Mace Spray and a Jackknife”
At about 10 am I went into Beamsville's Tim Hortons. A man called Wayne called me over to sit with him. Wayne had been helping school children cross the road.
Wayne was 71, but still helped with the road crossing. We talked about my walk and Wayne said I should carry a mace spray and a jackknife for protection.
Wayne had me sign a petition to stop tax increases. With my food done I used the restrooms, said goodbye to Wayne and headed off for Grimsby.
A Young Homeless Man
A young man, of about 20 walked along with me in Grimsby. His name was Robert. He was homeless and living out of his car, which had broken down. He was just walking through Grimsby to meet up with his girlfriend. I asked Robert about where the nearest motel was and he gave me directions to the 5th Wheel, a motel at a truckstop off of Casablanca Boulevard.
Gary Parks
I called the cell phone for the Durham Hospice volunteer, Gary Parks, who had kindly agreed to drive two hours to come pick me up. He was on his way. I just had to wait.
I sat on a rock outside a McDonalds, with my pack and 'Walking for Hospice' sign in front of me.
It was good to sit down, after setting off at about 2:30 an. Within 20 minutes a black pickup truck pulled up. It was Gary. We shook hands and I loaded my pack into the vehicle.
Chippewa Traditional Beliefs – Animal Totems
The trip to Whitby was interesting, to say the least. Gary was part Chippewa on his father's side. Although raised as a Catholic he also followed Chippewa traditional beliefs. Through meditation he had determined that there were nine totem animals that held importance for him.
Key amongst the totem animals for Gary was the brown bear. He described how he had brown bear energy and traits of the brown bear. He had also had dreams or visions about a white wolf and other animals. Gary had taken part in traditional ceremonies with Chippewa elders.
I talked with Gary about how I had seen an owl at the start and end of my walk through Britain and that I had also had dreams about owls and cats. On my current journey I had also seen several praying mantises.
Gary's view was that the owl held significance for me. The ability to move silently through the night, to fly and go beyond things that were dark may all hold significance for me.
The two hours that we were driving flew by as Gary explained his views and what was important to him. I was grateful that Gary had picked me up. As a hospice volunteer Gary had helped many people through difficult times. He was an amazing talker, but also a good listener.
It was interesting, too, because I had had dreams about animals. My journey in a way was also a quest to find out what was out there and to see what I could do.
Arriving at Durham Hospice
We arrived early at Whitby and Gary took me for a coffee. At around 2 pm we walked into Durham Hospice office.
As I arrived a fundraising wall was just being unveiled. Some key donors were at the hospice office. A cloth was removed from the wall to reveal silver metal rectangles and squares inscribed with the names of people and organizations that had given to the hospice. Some large squares remained blank to be inscribed when further donations were made. To the side of the squares and rectangles were metal butterflies with the names of people who donated on a regular basis.
It was good to see the supporters of the hospice being recognized on the wall.
Reflections on the Value of Hospice Houses
I talked to Kirsten about the plans for Durham to build a residential hospice house in Whitby. In the next 18 months the hospice would be talking to politicians and representatives from Canada's Ministry of Health. One of the key things that Durham Hospice would be discussing was how hospice care, with its reliance on volunteer support and involvement of the community, could not only give a higher standard of care, but could also save money on acute care, when compared to current hospital services. There was hope that hospitals, the Ministry of Health, but most of all the people who needed the care would all benefit from Whitby having its own residential hospice house.
For me the trip to Whitby was good. Having seen the hospice house at Hospice Niagara I had an appreciation of how it had become a focal point for hospice services, beyond the care of the hospice clients. There the sense of presence the building had was important. It had also drawn more support from the community. In a world where sense of community was not what it used to be 20 years ago, hospice was making a difference, by involving hundreds of people in taking care of others around them, and arranging social events.
As my journey to San Francisco would end in March, 2011, there was a good chance that Durham Hospice's residential hospice would be under construction by the time my walk was coming to an end. [Editor’s Note: Colin plans to resume his walk in November, 2010 from North Dakota and end in San Francisco in March, 2011. We hope he will continue blogging for NHF.]
Presentation, Interview, Dinner
The mood at the hospice was upbeat. I gave my presentation and talked to volunteers and staff.
A newspaper reporter and photographer took down details. I posed for a photo with several of the staff. The reporter took down details about my walk.
I had a marvelous turkey dinner with the staff of the Durham Hospice at Whitby. The dinner had been cooked by Nancy Bolton's mum. It was good to see the hospice's plans for growth and their upbeat optimism.
Two Hour Drive Back to Grimsby
A hospice volunteer called Judy drove me for the two hours back to Grimsby. Judy told her her story. She had hurt her back badly and been laid up in a bed for months. She vowed that if she got better she would do something useful with her life. Her back had got better and she had become a hospice volunteer: giving her time to help people wherever she could.
The two hours again flew by. Judy described herself as a “purple trillium”: as someone who was a bit different from most people. I think she was right there. She said that having heard my talk she considered me an honorary purple trillium. I was honored to be described like that.
Rest at The Fifth Wheel
Judy dropped me back at McDonald's as darkness fell. She was due to go meet a friend in Hamilton. I said goodbye and wished her luck.
As Judy drove off I headed off to find Casablanca Boulevard and a motel called The Fifth Wheel.
An overpass took me over the Queen Elizabeth Way expressway. Trucks passed me, heading down to the truckstop that was The Fifth Wheel.
In no time I'd booked in and was settled in for the night in room 107.
I bought 3 chocolate bars and some chocolate milk and ate and drank the lot. It had been a hectic and long day. It was good to lay down in bed and finally get some sleep.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I Have to Get to London, Ontario Tomorrow
I woke at 7 am, showered and packed. Leaving my gear in the room I went to The Fifth Wheel restaurant. The best option was eggs, sausages, home fries and toast...this seemed to be an ongoing theme. Still, it was good. Full up I was set up for the day.
My schedule had me needing to arrive at London, Ontario by 3:00 pm on Friday 18 September.
But First, I Have to Get to Brantford
I had arranged to be picked up off the road near a place called Brantford. Now all I had to do was get there.
Down Casablanca Boulevard I walked to reach Highway 81, which would become Highway 8.
The road left Grimsby and passed by small farms and countryside. At a small fruit stall I was given an apple by a lady called Dusanka. I gave her the website address and thanked her.
The day was hot again. I felt tired and sluggish. By about 2 pm I hit the outskirts of Hamilton. A Subway sandwich shop was a good place to get some late lunch. A little further on was a Dairy Queen, owned by a man named Arman who had originally come from Armenia. There I stopped for a frozen cappuccino... called a moolatte. The day was hot and the drink cooled me down.
Connecting with Joy Eydt from London Hospice
Once I had drunk, or rather spooned the drink down, I phoned Joe Eydt from London Hospice to let him know I was now in central Hamilton and that I would try to reach close to Brantford by 12.30 on Friday. The plan was that the executive director, Jayne Graham, would drive about 1 1/2 hours to pick me up. I thanked Joe. Joe's constant enthusiasm always cheered me up, which was good, as I now had to figure out how I would walk that distance in the time that I had.
An Aggressive Beggar in Hamilton
The walk through Hamilton took a long time, as I had to stop at lights and wait for traffic.
In central Hamilton a man came up to me begging for money. I gave him the change from my pocket, but he said he wanted more. I said no, and after a couple of protests he gave up and left me in peace. The incident had me a bit concerned about Hamilton.
By about 5 pm I was reaching the western edge of Hamilton. I was tired. An overpass went over an expressway. On the other side of the expressway was a Visitor's Inn hotel.
A New Plan
I came up with a plan. I would stay at the inn, eat a decent meal, then get up very early at around 2:00 am to reach Brantford.
I checked in and left my gear in the room. The restaurant at the inn was very good. I ordered corn and pumpkin soup, liver and onions and roast potatoes. It was great to have vegetables for once.
I showered, packed my gear away and went to sleep by 10 pm. All I had to do was reach Brantford by 12.30 the next day.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Walking Through Dundas in the Middle of the Night--Not Fun
How I woke at 2:00 am again I don't know. My internal body clock just kicked in.
By 2:20 I was checked out and on the streets of Hamilton. Streetlights made it easy to find my way out of the western side of Hamilton and head for Dundas.
I was surprised at the number of people who were on the streets. There were all night bars and a few unsavory looking people coming out of them. After the incident with the beggar during the day I was wary and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. This was not easy, with a huge pack with “Walking for Hospice” on the back.
A huge block of flats appeared ahead of me. Outside it were some basketball courts and there were about 10 young guys playing basketball at 3 am in the morning. I slunk by in the shadows and hoped they didn't notice me.
Hamilton ended and Dundas began just a short way on. I was looking for Governor's Road and hoping I wouldn't miss it and head out of Dundas in the wrong direction.
It wasn't long before I spotted Governor's Road. It went left and took me out of the town and into the countryside. The street lamps disappeared and the road was dark.
There were few cars on the road. For several hours I walked in peace past dark trees and fields and the occasional house.
Dawn Broke—and Deb’s Music was Fantastic
At around 6.30 the sky to the east began to brighten. I stopped to take my coat off and loaded my CD player with the CD that Deb Manzella had given me back in Buffalo.
The CD was fantastic. Several songs had beats that were good to walk to and other songs were good to sing along too. I played the CD twice over and it helped me forget that I was walking.
The roadside was gravel and filled my shoes. Every so often I would stop to pour the gravel out.
Making Good Time!
I checked on my map and saw that, miraculously, I was making good time. At 10:00 am I phoned Jayne Graham of Hospice of London to say that I was about 4 km from Osborne Corners, which was just north of Brantford. Jayne was going to start driving out and I would walk on to Osborne Corners and phone again from there.
A Wonderful Visit to Hospice of London
At around 12.30 a car pulled up on to the gravel just behind me. Jayne climbed out. She was a whirlwind of energy and I felt instantly at home with her.
Jayne had worked in television as a reporter and news anchor. She could talk up a storm and flitted from idea to idea. She drove me off to a restaurant for a club sandwich and then we headed to the hospice office on Talbot Street in London.
I tidied myself up in a washroom and was introduced to Joe Eydt, the hospice volunteer coordinator Carla, the hospice finance officer Nicki, and volunteer trainer Noella. They all made me feel welcome. After the hours of walking it was good to be amongst friendly people once more.
About 30 people arrived to hear my presentation about the walk. In the crowd was a radio reporter called Josh. He sat through my presentation and recorded what I said.
The presentation went down well. Twenty people bought books and had me sign them.
The visitors to the hospice office dispersed and Joe took me on a tour of the building.
The Differences Since 1988
When I had been in London back in 1988 the hospice gave people care in their own homes. It was great to see that the office building had rooms set aside for bereavement counseling, as well as a room for art therapy for children who had lost family members, and rooms for various therapies. There was a room where family members of hospice clients could have their hair cut and styled.
Perhaps the most important thing that Joe showed me, though, was a wall where the plans for the London Hospice residential unit had been put up.
Just as in Durham Hospice, Joe explained that within two years they hoped to have a residential hospice in London.
When I had been in London in 1988 I had given interviews and met some staff members. To see the building that was now there and hear that a new addition would be made to the hospice was wonderful. Carla and Noella now worked with around 300 volunteers and helped around 300 people each year, including bereaved family members.
What struck me most about the London Hospice was the optimism of the staff. Jayne Graham was dynamic and determined to see the hospice grow and bring care to more people in the community. Carla's role was to match volunteers to clients. Noella trained the volunteers. Joe's role was in communications and public relations.
The visit to London Hospice went well. Once the business was done the folks from the hospice took me off to a local bar for nachos, wings and Guinness. As Friday came to an end I was a happy man.
