I was in the grocery store early this evening when I overheard the following conversation:
Boy: Auntie, what are these?
Auntie: Those are radishes.
It's amazing to think that a 10- or 11-year-old boy has never seen or eaten radishes before, but I guess that's par for the course in the modern diet!
It's already winter in Old Crow.
It's mild and fall-like in Whitehorse, but it's already winter in Old Crow, the Yukon's most northerly community.
I always enjoy my visits to Old Crow. Not only is it beautiful, it is the epitome of northern hospitality. I just spent a week there on a work project.
I also always enjoy my homecoming. I am always amazed at the changes in my kids when I return. All of a sudden, Halia has started using four and five word sentences and she's trying out other words that just make me laugh. The school bus is the "coo-coo bus" and Rice Crispies are "rice fee-fees". I think I like her versions of the words better.
I'll be doing a lot of travel around the Yukon in the near future. I'll post when I get the chance.
I always enjoy my visits to Old Crow. Not only is it beautiful, it is the epitome of northern hospitality. I just spent a week there on a work project.
I also always enjoy my homecoming. I am always amazed at the changes in my kids when I return. All of a sudden, Halia has started using four and five word sentences and she's trying out other words that just make me laugh. The school bus is the "coo-coo bus" and Rice Crispies are "rice fee-fees". I think I like her versions of the words better.
I'll be doing a lot of travel around the Yukon in the near future. I'll post when I get the chance.
When this picture was taken, two years ago...
It was two years ago when I took this picture. At the time, Fawn didn't want me posting it to the blog. I didn't put up too much of a fight. Now, we're ready to share it.
Before you get the impression that we physically abused our child, let me give you some context.
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Jade was having hundreds of seizures in a day. Earlier that day, Jade had had an atonic seizure (also known as a "drop seizure") onto the paved walkway leading to her aunt's house. Actually, she'd had a couple. She would have about a dozen drop seizure in a day (in addition to her other seizures). In spite of the padded helmet, she always managed to land on her face.
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Jade was eating her last meal before starting the ketogenic diet.
If you aren't familiar with it, the ketogenic diet, is a high fat, adequate protein, and extremely low carbohydrate diet. Under certain circumstances, it is used to treat cases of intractable epilepsy.
It is extremely strict and it takes a cursed lot of work, time, and attention. Everything is measured to a tenth of a gram and must be eaten in the designated fat-to-protein-to-carbohydrate proportion. There is no wiggle room and it is not an "all-natural diet"; there are side effects.
After having failed several medications, Fawn and I were losing hope. We were scared to have hope for the ketogenic diet. What if it were to fail? The diet doesn't always work. If it didn't work for Jade, then what would we do? When even the experts aren't sure why it works, how much hope can you have that it will?
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Fawn (who was pregnant with Halia) went to the hospital for painful kidney stones. The next morning, Jade and I went to the BC Children's Hospital for her induction.
Almost immediately, during the fasting stage of the diet, we saw a brightness return to Jade's eyes. Fawn, meanwhile, was doped up on morphine.
But the diet was working! Things weren't perfect, of course. We saw regression more than once - including one time that required an emergency visit to the Children's Hospital in Vancouver - but we had our daughter back. And that was amazing.
They don't know how the diet works - and it doesn't work for everyone - but for those who have seen it work, there's no wonder in my mind why they call it the "miracle diet".
It has been two years now since we started the ketogenic diet. Jade is healthy and happy and smart and amazing. From time-to-time we catch ourselves cursing how much work it is to maintain the diet, but I cannot ever forget how deeply grateful I am for the diet that saved our daughter.
It has been two years now since we started the ketogenic diet and, oh, how things have changed since then.
Before you get the impression that we physically abused our child, let me give you some context.
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Jade was having hundreds of seizures in a day. Earlier that day, Jade had had an atonic seizure (also known as a "drop seizure") onto the paved walkway leading to her aunt's house. Actually, she'd had a couple. She would have about a dozen drop seizure in a day (in addition to her other seizures). In spite of the padded helmet, she always managed to land on her face.
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Jade was eating her last meal before starting the ketogenic diet.
If you aren't familiar with it, the ketogenic diet, is a high fat, adequate protein, and extremely low carbohydrate diet. Under certain circumstances, it is used to treat cases of intractable epilepsy.
It is extremely strict and it takes a cursed lot of work, time, and attention. Everything is measured to a tenth of a gram and must be eaten in the designated fat-to-protein-to-carbohydrate proportion. There is no wiggle room and it is not an "all-natural diet"; there are side effects.
After having failed several medications, Fawn and I were losing hope. We were scared to have hope for the ketogenic diet. What if it were to fail? The diet doesn't always work. If it didn't work for Jade, then what would we do? When even the experts aren't sure why it works, how much hope can you have that it will?
When this picture was taken, two years ago, Fawn (who was pregnant with Halia) went to the hospital for painful kidney stones. The next morning, Jade and I went to the BC Children's Hospital for her induction.
Almost immediately, during the fasting stage of the diet, we saw a brightness return to Jade's eyes. Fawn, meanwhile, was doped up on morphine.
But the diet was working! Things weren't perfect, of course. We saw regression more than once - including one time that required an emergency visit to the Children's Hospital in Vancouver - but we had our daughter back. And that was amazing.
They don't know how the diet works - and it doesn't work for everyone - but for those who have seen it work, there's no wonder in my mind why they call it the "miracle diet".
It has been two years now since we started the ketogenic diet. Jade is healthy and happy and smart and amazing. From time-to-time we catch ourselves cursing how much work it is to maintain the diet, but I cannot ever forget how deeply grateful I am for the diet that saved our daughter.
It has been two years now since we started the ketogenic diet and, oh, how things have changed since then.
YWY to YXY (2 of 2)
The flight from Whitehorse to Wrigley was great, but the flight back was phenomenal. We flew somewhat eastward of our original route to avoid the weather. We were flying deep in Nahanni country.
Of course, the pictures that I "snapped on the fly" cannot come remotely close to doing the scenery justice. I want to go back there and explore the country by foot so badly.
Take a look and you'll see why.
It was a great flight back to Whitehorse. When we got back over the city, everything looked like it was part of a model.
We had flown over so much country it was hard to believe that we had left just that morning.
I've done a fair bit of flying, but I have NEVER seen country like that before.
I am a lucky guy.
Of course, the pictures that I "snapped on the fly" cannot come remotely close to doing the scenery justice. I want to go back there and explore the country by foot so badly.
Take a look and you'll see why.
It was a great flight back to Whitehorse. When we got back over the city, everything looked like it was part of a model.
We had flown over so much country it was hard to believe that we had left just that morning.
I've done a fair bit of flying, but I have NEVER seen country like that before.
I am a lucky guy.
