More Days in Ontario – Visit to VON Chatham-Kent: September 19-22, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Joe Eydt from the Hospice of London shares a house with a friend of his called Mike. They offered me a place to stay AND were willing to help me in any way possible to reach London.
On the Saturday morning Joe and Mike were driving down to Niagara to visit a friend and go on a wine tour. The plan was that Mike would drop me back at Osborne Corners, I would then walk until about 6 pm, and give Mike and Joe a call so they could pick me up and give me a second night’s stay.
We left by about 9 am and Mike drove down Highway 2, through Thamesford and Woodstock and on back to Osborne Corners.
Two Days behind Schedule
By 10 am we were at Osborne Corners, near Brantford. Mike and Joe drove off and I headed on down route 5, which would then become route 2. A sign gave the kilometres to Paris as 8 and kilometres to London as 88. As such I was now at least two days behind schedule.
The roadside was lined with gravel. This was a problem, as my running shoes became full of small stones, which rubbed my feet and made it painful to walk. Every so often I would stop, hold on to a roadside sign pole, then take off my shoes to empty the gravel out.
The day was sunny, as it had been for almost a month. By about mid-day I had walked the 8 k and was approaching Paris. On the outskirts of town was a Tim Hortons coffee shop on the right and a fish and chip shop on the left. I decided on fish and chips for lunch. It was a good place. Cod and chips, with coleslaw and a pint of chocolate milk went down a treat. The batter was light and I had ketchup on the chips (which were actually chunky French fries) and vinegar on the fish.
Dangerous Bridge Crossing
By 12:15 I was back on the road. A bridge crossed over a river, but was down to one lane, because of construction. Rather than taking a detour I walked across the bridge. Several Ontario Police patrol cars had passed me and I hoped none of them would show up as I walked across the bridge. A couple of large pickup trucks had mirrors sticking out that were only inches from my left arm as they drove by. I was relieved when I finally got to the other side of the bridge.
The road turned to the right and I walked on through Paris.
A church with a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant right next to it made me laugh. It looked like a Kentucky Fried Church...with its own drive thru.
As I walked up the hill to head out of Paris a horse-drawn carriage with a bride and her bridesmaids clip-clopped on by.
The distance to reach Woodstock was over 40 kilometres from my start back at Osborne Corners.
Beyond Paris there were small towns. At Gobles I stopped at a variety store to buy orange juice and chocolate milk. A young woman inside the store had been a nurse and helped elderly people. She gave me $5 for hospice. She wished me luck.
As I walked I listened to the CD that Deb Manzella gave me back in Buffalo. I sang along to the songs and the hours passed.
At 6 pm I phoned Mike and Joe's cell phones, but got no reply. I left a voice mail on Joe's number. Then left my BlackBerry on and in my shirt pocket.
I crossed under the 401 expressway and was only about 6 km from Woodstock.
At 6.45 pm my phone rang and vibrated in my pocket. It was Joe. We arranged for them to meet me at some prominent place in Woodstock.
By 7 pm I came to a Tim Hortons coffee shop. I phoned Joe to let him know where I was.
Inside Tim Hortons it was chilly after the heat of the day. I ordered orange juice, chocolate milk, coffee and then an iced cappuccino. I had just finished the cappuccino when Joe and Mike pulled up and whisked me off to their place in London.
Animal Totems?
As I took my pack upstairs at Mike's place I noticed a praying mantis and a spider sitting on the pack. I caught the mantis in a large glass and the spider in a little plastic pot that I had my PowerPoint flashdrive in.
I thought back to Gary Parks and his beliefs about totem animals and wondered what message the mantis and spider were supposed to be giving me, other than to watch where I put my pack down. I was amazed though, because they must have sat on my pack for over an hour at Tim Hortons, and then for quite some time in Mike's car.
As Saturday came to an end I only had about 46 kilometres to go to reach London.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Mike and Joe sang in a choir at a local Catholic church and needed to be there at about 9:45 am. The plan was they would drop me off at the Tim Hortons by about 9 am. I skipped having a shower, had a quick breakfast of cereal, fruit and coffee and packed up.
By about 9:15 am I was back at Woodstock. Joe and Mike waved me goodbye. All I had to do was walk about 46 km to reach London.
Remembering Terry Fox and His Cancer Research Run
Woodstock on a Sunday was quiet. Posters about the Terry Fox Run were posted around the town. Terry Fox had one leg amputated, but had run halfway across Canada to Thunder Bay to raise money for cancer research. His cancer had become worse and he never made it across Canada. In his memory, though, runs were carried out each year to raise money. Back in 1988 I had met up with Terry Fox's mum, when she gave a talk in Detroit.
On the outskirts of Woodstock I stood on some grass and put my pack down. I was close to a propane gas tank. A young girl came up to me and said I could come into the gas station. I said I was fine and would just make a couple of phone calls and go. She looked a bit perturbed and said that there were insects in the grass. I said I would be fine...not mentioning the fact that I'd picked up a mantis and a spider the day before.
Looking Forward to My Visit to VON Hospice
I phoned up Kelly Johnston of the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses) at Chatham. Kelly gave me numbers for two newspapers. She also said she would pick me up off the road on Monday to get me to a talk for the VON at 7 pm. My next stop was looking good.
Thamesford was roughly half way between Woodstock and London. The weather, as it had been for weeks was dry and warm. Listening to my CD player I strolled on down the road.
By the time I reached Thamesford I was ready for food and drink.
Random Meeting of a Hospice Patient in a Restaurant
A Tim Hortons appeared, as if on cue. I walked on in and ordered chicken noodle soup and a turkey sandwich...with a pint of chocolate milk. As I waited for my sandwich a woman with short hair tapped my walking for hospice care sign and handed me a dollar for hospice. I sat down at the table next to the woman and her husband. I explained about the walk.
The woman's name was Linda and she was being helped by the hospice in Windsor. She had breast cancer and her right arm was swollen from lymphodema. What was good was that she was pleased to see me walking for hospice. Terry and Linda were due to be flying to Manitoba to go and see polar bears. This was something Linda had wanted to do for a long time. Linda had her husband Terry take photos of her with me and she said she would try to meet me at the Hospice of Windsor. We said our goodbyes and parted company.
Thamesford, Then and Now
Back in 1988 I had camped behind a house at Thamesford, which had a sign saying “Zen Dog Dreams .” As I walked into Thamesford I saw the building, but it was now painted a different color and looked much sharper.
At a variety store I bought more chocolate milk and orange juice. Once I'd drunk it I felt bloated, which wasn't surprising after soup sandwiches, two pints of chocolate milk and an orange juice.
I’m in London, Ontario!
By 7 pm I passed the sign for London and entered the outskirts of the city.
I phoned Mike to tell him I'd reached London. Mike told me I had 5 km to go to get to them.
As the light began to fade I walk on for about 2 hours. A couple of phone calls to Mike confirmed the way to his house. As I walked the last part, Mike came out of the house and walked me in.
It was great that I'd reached London...now though I had to reach Windsor in the next 5 days. On the gravel sided roads that wasn't going to be easy.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Laying in bed at Mike and Joe's I heard rain pouring down outside. It was good that I was inside. I woke at about 6 am, had a shower and breakfast and by 7 am was ready to roll.
Joe wished me luck. He was going to send the London Free Press newspaper article back to my wife Monica, along with some other bits and pieces. I thanked Joe for all his help and wished him luck with the building of London Hospice's residential house. Mike drove me back to the end of Adelaide Road. As I shook Mike's hand rain was falling. I thanked Mike, waved him goodbye and set off down York Street to find a way out of the city.
In my pack all my gear was in plastic bags to keep it dry.
Media Requests and Interviews
Wharncliffe Road took me south. At a side road a guy in a pickup stopped and gave me $20 for hospice. He had read about me in the London Free Press. Not long after a second person pulled up. His name was Ron.
He phoned a radio station to get them to do an interview with me, but the notice was too short. The radio producer took my website details, though, and said he would try to have it broadcast. I thanked Ron and walked on in the rain, with my red coat on, but in shorts.
At about 8:45 am, I ducked into a McDonalds to phone the two newspapers and Kelly Johnston in Chatham. The first newpaper had a voice mail. The second newspaper, Chatham This Week, put me through to a reporter called Emily. Emily had just got back from her honeymoon. She was a bit distracted, but I gave her information and she said she would talk to Kelly Johnston at the Chatham VON.
I headed down Wharncliffe Road. By 11 am I reached Lambeth and a Subway. I ordered a sub, cookies and a coke. I then phoned up Kimberley Paul, down in North Carolina. Kimberly was connected with the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and LIfeCareCenter, but also made short films, with her film company, Stray Cats. Kimberly was great to talk to. We agreed to meet up and talk about making a documentary about the walk that would involved the National Hospice Foundation, and would hopefully show hospice patients, hospice volunteers and staff.
Iced Tea – and Kelly Johnston from VON Chatham-Kent
By 11:30 I had eaten my lunch and made all the phone calls I had to make. I wondered how close I could get to Chatham. The rain came and went, but wasn't heavy.
At about 4 pm I'd reach Longwoods Road Conservation Area. I phoned Kelly; she said it would take about 45 minutes to reach me. She said she would drive fast.
I carried on walking towards a crossroads called Christina Road. As I walked along I heard the sound or running from behind me. A young farmer, in a tee shirt, shorts and boots stood before me holding two cans of iced tea. The man's name was Daryl and I'd just passed his farm. We talked about my walk and I told him I was being picked up by VON Chatham-Kent.
It was good to be standing there drinking the iced tea. When we had both finished Daryl took the empty cans. He shook my hand and wished me luck.
I walked on, until just after Sutherland Road. A greyish car pulled over and a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair climbed out. It was good to meet Kelly, after months of e-mails and several phone calls.
Kelly was easy to talk to and the drive to the Retro Suites Hotel in Chatham flew by. At the hotel I used the restrooms to have a wash and change from shorts into my army trousers.
Meeting Old Friends from 1988 at VON Chatham-Kent
Kelly had set up a laptop and projector for me to give my PowerPoint presentation.
The time was about 6:40 pm. People began to arrive. One woman came up to me. Her name was Mary and she had been a VON volunteer when I had walked through Chatham back in 1988. A display had pictures of me and the VON volunteers from 21 years ago...and sure enough there was Mary.
More people arrived. It was gone 7 pm when a smart looking lady with short silvery grey hair came into the room. The lady was Joan MacPhail.
Joan had taken care of me back in 1988, when I had walked into Chatham in 103 degree temperatures. I had been exhausted, but Joan had taken me to a cool motel room, arranged for food, and also taken me to the Royal Canadian Legion, who gave a large donation to the Chatham VON. It was great to see Joan again after 21 years.
The History of VON and Hospice/Palliative Care
Before I began my talk Nicole Hunter of VON explained about the history of the group at Chatham. The Victorian Order of Nurses group in Chatham had been formed in 1939 to support the local community. In 1983 Joan MacPhail was one if the nurses in the VON. Joan experienced the loss of two family members. Joan realized that there was more that could be done to take care of people with life-threatening illnesses.
What was needed was a safe place where those facing life threatening illnesses could go to share their feelings and receive help from programs designed to fit their needs.
Joan presented her idea to the VON Board and after much hard work Chatham had its own day hospice, which became known as Geranium House.
Geranium House began as a pilot project in Canada and was the only one of its kind within the VON organization. It was through Joan's hard work, ambition and tenacity that the Geranium House recruited its first volunteers for the palliative care program. That was back in 1985. Volunteers were matched with clients on a one to one basis, to meet the specific needs of the clients and their families.
Part of Joan's vision was that all of the people who worked at Geranium House, even those who worked reception, should take a course in the fundamentals of palliative care. In 2008 the Chatham Health Alliance based in the hospital in Chatham, began using VON volunteers for the care of palliative clients. VON in Canada now has this program in branches all across the country.
It was good to hear what an impact Joan had made on the care of those with life threatening illnesses.
My Talk – and Learning More about VON Chatham-Kent
Nicole introduced me and I told my story. I told of how I came to visit Chatham to draw attention to the work of VON. My part of the talk went well. A number of books were sold to raise money for the United Way program that provides part of the funding for the VON at Chatham.
Once the talk and book signing was over I talked to the VON staff about the programs they offered. The VON now had 270 volunteers in Chatham, 100 of whom were supportive care workers helping people with life-threatening illnesses. The VON group operated a Kid's Circle Program to help children from ages 4 to 18. This program helped children who were facing a life-threatening illness, or who had family members who were ill, or again if they had lost family members. The VON also ran a Peer Support Group for people living with a chronic illness.
There was bereavement support for adults. Another program was called Look Good, Feel Better: this was for women to help them with the affects of cancer treatments. There was also a Senior Exercise Program to help seniors maintain an active lifestyle in the community.
The list of programs was impressive. The Kids Circle Program was run by a young woman called Audra, who was only 25. I was struck by how young the Chatham VON staff were. What I could sense, though, was that they were committed to their work. All of them worked hard and did what they could to improve he lives of people in the Chatham area.
The visit to Chatham VON was great.
It had been short and sweet, but given me a glimpse of what was being done there.
Staying with Kelly and Derek
As the talk ended Kelly drove me back to her house. The plan was that I would be able to stay for two nights with her and her husband Derek
Kelly and Derek Johnston's house was close to the lake shore. They had two dogs: Marley and Dexter and a cat called Daisy. The house's water supply came from a well, although they also had a large water dispenser with bottles of drinking water. For me it was great.
Derek was a former Taekwondo champion of Canada and had also been the lead singer of a band called Fletcher Munson. He now worked for the Coca-Cola company renovating and servicing vending machines.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
I woke at about 6 am and had breakfast of cereal and toast and coffee with Derek and Kelly. They were a wonderful couple and easy to talk to.
Derek left for work at around 7 and Kelly drove me back to Sutherland Road to carry on the walk. The plan was that Derek would pick me up at sometime after 4 pm when he finished work.
Starting the Day Off with Phone Calls
Kelly dropped me off and I was on my own once more.
By 8.40 I reached Melbourne, which was a small town on Route 2. I went into the variety store and ordered some food. I had to make three phone calls and decided to do it from the small diner close to the variety store. Two farmers were sitting on plastic chairs outside and about 10 more farmers sat inside. I went in and ordered coffee.
As I made the first phone call to Jackie MacKenzie in Guelph one of the farmers said the reception in the diner was bad and that the phone would cut out. He was right. I tried again and managed to get to Jackie's voice mail. I also phoned Rae Ann Cinder in Detroit and Calvin Little in Windsor. I hoped that I would be able to talk to them later in the evening.
As I sat drinking my coffee two of the farmers gave me donations for hospice. I talked to them and the waitress. They all wished me luck. It was good to meet the friendly people there in Melbourne.
Walking and Listening to Music
With the phone calls done I got back to walking.
Fields of maize and beans lay to either side of the road. At one spot there was a field with sunflowers. About a dozen turkey buzzards stood in a field of grass.
Derek had given me a CD from a live performance of his band. I put it into my CD player in the top of my pack and listened as I walked. The first song was an original song of the band. It was good. Derek's singing was good to listen too. The second song was a cover version of Redemption Songs by Bob Marley. Shivers ran down my spine and I sang along. After that two of the band members played dueling banjos on guitar and banjo. That made me smile. The recording had been made at a bar called Lesters and there was clapping and cheering from the crowd.
Listening kept my mind off the walking.
I was Googled!
By early afternoon I reached Wardsville. I was close to the edge of town when a woman rode up on a bike and stopped by me.
“Is your last name Skinner?” The woman asked. I was amazed.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“I saw your sign and Googled 'walking for hospice'. My family was helped by hospice.”
Her name was Sheila. I told her the website address for the National Hospice Foundation and Sheila gave a donation for hospice. She wished me luck and cycled off.
A Generous Jokester
A fourth donation that day came from a man called Grant. Grant had seen me miles back and then again and stopped to talk. When I said I was walking from New York to San Francisco he said:
“You know you're in Canada, right?”
I smiled at that and explained what I was up to.
On a warm, easy day it was good to talk to the people who stopped.
Returning to Kelly and Derek’s
I had wanted to get close to Thamesville, but by 4 pm I was about 15 kilometres from Thamesville.
I stopped by the roadside, just past two barking dogs and phoned Derek.
He said it would take about 30 minutes to drive out to meet me from Chatham.
I carried on feeling tired and foot sore.
By 4:40 Derek pulled up in his dark red car. He took a couple of photos of me and then we headed back to the house.
The dogs were pleased to see us. Marley liked to sniff people and Dexter liked to lick...so I was soon surrounded by 2 balls of sniffing, slobbering fur. They were friendly though, which made a change from the dogs I met on the road.
Sharing Music and Sorting Out Next Week
Back at Derek's I got a shower. Derek washed some clothes for me, which was good as my socks were now all dirty and the two of us ate a large pizza each. Kelly was a yoga instructor and was due to meet a yoga swami and be back at 10 pm. I showed Derek my sister Charlie singing with her the Counterfeit Notes on Youtube. He was impressed with her voice. I also gave Derek my CD Something Different from Buffalo, which Deb Manzella had given me. Derek liked the CD and said he would get Kelly to make a copy of it.
Once we'd eaten I made phone calls pertaining to the upcoming week.
Derek asked if I was ok to have him walk with me for a day. Having some company sounded good to me.
At 10 pm Kelly came back, with stories of a new Yoga position that had put her foot to sleep. We made plans for the following morning, where Kelly would drop me and Derek off at Clachan Road and then meet us again at about 4 pm to pick Derek back up
I would then walk on until 7 and get picked up by Calvin Little.
Kelly made copies of the Fletcher Munson CD for me and the Something Different from Buffalo CD for her and Derek. After a couple of beers it was time for sleep.
Donate in Honor of Colin Skinner
