April 21, 2024

Posted on April 21, 2024 by widebertha

Good afternoon to all my readers. This afternoon is lovely with plenty of sunlight. It does look like spring is trying to make itself known.  At this moment it is plus 12 C.  The forecast predicts a high of plus 16.  The high for tomorrow is plus-19 C.   I remember a huge blizzard on April 29. 1996.  It was the first blizzard we encountered after moving back to Manitoba.   Last Thursday on our way to my family doctor’s appointment in Winnipeg we encountered snow, blowing snow and winds up to 90 Km./hr.  Friday we experienced rain showers which our farmers desperately need. 

Cecilia Blondahl with Grim.

As I am writing this I am listening to Cecilia Blomdahl.  As posted on her YouTube channel Cecilia Blomdahl is originally from Sweden and moved to Svalbard 8 years ago. She works as a photographer and videographer in Longyearbyen  She also works with her social media channels. Check her out on TikTok and Instagram under her handle @sejsejlija! She posts YouTube videos about her daily life in her cabin with her boyfriend Christoffer and her dog Grim.  They live just outside of Longyearbyen. Subscribe for videos about her daily life on an island near to the North Pole. They have polar bears there!  I have been watching Cecilia and Christoffer for almost a year. I am intrigued with her videos and if I was younger, I would take a trip to Longyearbyen.  

You can find the article about Scandinavian Sleep Methods at the following link: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/scandinavian-sleep-method involves partners sharing a bed but using separate duvets, comforters, quilts or blankets. That separate top bedding cuts down on disruptions, letting you hog the covers, toss and turn or get up without waking each other. It also helps couples maintain physical closeness.  You can watch Cecilia’s latest video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZrfqceSyAU.  Cecilia also talks about Why Swedish Kids Nap Outside.

My 6th month ultrasound happened on Aril 3rd.  Dr. Wong, my liver specialist is very diligent in keeping track of any further damage to my liver.

My Bronchoscopy happened on April 5th.   What is bronchoscopy? Bronchoscopy is a procedure to look directly at the airways in the lungs using a thin, lighted tube (bronchoscope). The Bronchoscope is put in the mouth and down the throat and windpipe (trachea), and passed through the airways.  The doctor administering the Bronchoscopy explained that he would do a saline wash of my lungs and then take some samples to test.  I was absolutely terrified of this procedure.  I was told that I would get a sedative and would not remember the procedure.  The worst part of the test would be the spray administered to my throat.  The doctor was absolutely right.  I woke up in the recovery room and had no recollection of what happened.  The only so-called complication was my blood pressure when I woke.  It was 63/40, and I had to wait until it reached more normal numbers before I went home.  I am still waiting for the results of the Bronchoscopy.  I can only hope and pray that they will find the root cause of my breathing problems.  I hate to admit it but as I told my family doctor, the breathing problems are getting worse. 

I have been busy translating a 62-page document written by Nickolas Zacharias for the last few weeks.  His life story begins as a young child in Ukraine after the First World War.  His story will add another document of interest to the site called https://zachariasfamilytree.com.

I hope the upcoming week will be wonderful and leave you with many memories to cherish.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

March 30, 2024

Posted on March 30, 2024 by widebertha

We are spending a quiet Easter weekend at home.  Tomorrow we are celebrating our wedding anniversary. Our daughter has invited us over for lunch. Her meals are always spectacular.

We had snow on Thursday and Friday.  The forecast for tonight is mainly cloudy with 30 percent of flurries this evening. Clearing later tonight with the wind west at 20 km/h becoming light the is evening.  The low is minus 9 with a wind chill of minus 16. Hopefully, spring will not keep us waiting too much longer. 

Since most of my recent posts have been about health issues, I decided this would be different.  Thanks to my son who purchased DNA kits for me from Ancestry.ca and from 23 and Me I have found family members I did not know existed and potential health risks I might have.  I found the health information very interesting.  I was adopted when I was six months old and the medical information noted that there was no VD or mental illness in my birth family.

According to 23 and Me I have inherited a small amount of DNA from my Neanderthal ancestors. Out of the 7,462 variants tested, they found 257 variants in my DNA that trace back to the Neanderthals. Altogether, my Neanderthal ancestry accounts for less than ~2 percent of your DNA.

I descend from a long line of female ancestors that can be traced back to eastern Africa over 150,000 years ago. These are the people of my maternal line, and my maternal haplogroup sheds light on their story.

My maternal haplogroup is K1b1b1. As my ancestors ventured out of eastern Africa, they branched off in diverse groups that crossed and recrossed the globe over tens of thousands of years. Some of their migrations can be traced through haplogroups, families of lineages that descend from a common ancestor. My maternal haplogroup can reveal the path followed by the women of my maternal line.

Haplogroup L:  If every person living today could trace his or her maternal line back over thousands of generations, all of our lines would meet at a single woman who lived in eastern Africa between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago. Though she was one of perhaps thousands of women alive at the time, only the diverse branches of her haplogroup have survived to today. The story of my maternal line begins with her.

Haplogroup K1 is a relatively old branch of haplogroup K that traces back to a woman who lived approximately 22,000 years ago. She and her early descendants likely lived in the Middle East, where the K haplogroup traces its origins and continues to have a strong presence. Then, about 12,000 to 15,000 years ago, some women carrying K1 likely joined early migrations that moved west into Europe. The Ice Age was ending and temperate forests spread over the previously frigid continent. Human populations that had been blocked by massive ice sheets now expanded into the interior. Others came later, entering Europe with the spread of agriculture from the Middle East about 8,000 years ago.  Today, members of K1 can be found throughout Europe, the Middle East, and even in Central Asia.  My maternal haplogroup, K1b1b, traces back to a woman who lived approximately 11,000 years ago.  Today K1b1b is relatively uncommon among 23andMe customers.  Today, I share my haplogroup with all the maternal-line descendants of the common ancestor of K1b1b, including other 23andMe customers.

Mitochondrial DNA:  Maternal playgroups are determined by sets of genetic variants in a tiny, unusual loop of DNA called Mitochondrial DNA  (mtDNA). As the name suggests, mtDNA is found in the mitochondria, small but mighty structures inside our cells that turn fuel from the food we eat into energy.

Mitochondria evolved over billions of years from an independent bacterial cell that was engulfed by another cell. Instead of becoming lunch, the bacterium helped its new host use oxygen to produce energy. Over time it completely lost its independence and became an integrated part of the larger cell. (from 23 and Me).

Ötzi the Ice Man also belonged to haplogroup K.  Ötzi the Iceman was discovered in 1991, protruding from a snow-bank high in the Alps near the Austrian-Italian border. His 5,300-year-old remains turned out to be so well preserved that researchers were able to construct a detailed account of his life and death. Chemical analysis of Ötzi’s teeth indicates he came from the Italian side of the Alps. He had suffered during the year before his death with whipworm, a stomach parasite that was found in his digestive tract. Yet he was fit enough to climb 6,500 feet in elevation during the day or two before he met his end in a rocky alpine hollow. Ötzi apparently was murdered, struck by a stone arrow point that was found lodged in his left shoulder. The twisted position of his body indicates that the murderer, or one of his accomplices, pulled the arrow’s shaft out of Ötzi’s prone body.

Yet whoever killed Ötzi did not take the valuable and finely wrought copper axe that he carried with him — an indicator that at the age of 45, the Ice Man may have been a figure of some importance in his community. Recently, scientists who were able to extract DNA from Ötzi’s remains discovered that he belonged to haplogroup K, which reaches levels of 20 to 30% in present-day populations in the region. But Ötzi’s maternal line, which fell into the K1 family of haplogroup K, did not match any of the branches that are known today. His maternal line must have died out in the 5,300 years since Ötzi’s death. (from 23 and Me).

If you find this information interesting check out 23 and Me for further information.

 

 
Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

March 7, 2024

Posted on March 7, 2024 by widebertha

It is nearly lunchtime.  I will try to complete this blog post today. It is -11 C at the moment.  The forecast for the rest of the day calls for continued clouds with a 60 percent chance of light snow. The wind will be southwest at 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light this afternoon. High minus 8. The wind chill is minus 20 this morning and minus 13 this afternoon. UV index 2 or low.  Apparently, the forecast temperature for early next week is +9C. These fluctuating temperatures are not kind to my old bones.  

The last week has been free of blood work or doctor’s appointments.  I saw my cardiologist on February 28th for my routine 6-month check-up.  He assured me that my heart issues had not changed.  I am always so grateful when I hear that there is no change.  The CT scan of my lungs will take place on March 13th.  I am making an effort to not think about the scan and the result.

Insight, one of Australia’s favourite shows fearlessly delves into issues and host, Kumi Taguchi provides a safe space for ordinary people to talk to each other without judgment.  One subject discussed was the relationship between breast cancer and alcohol (wine) consumption. Alcohol consumption contributes to roughly 7,000 cancer cases each year in Canada. Most of those cases are breast or colon cancer, followed by cancers of the rectum, mouth and throat, liver, esophagus and larynx.  Before listening to the Insight documentary I did not know that there was a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer.

I am hoping and praying that the CT scan scheduled for March 13th will finally give me some answers.  Living life with a breathing problem can quickly become a nightmare.  One issue that I have mentioned before is Pulmonary fibrosis. According to Google, this is a disease where there is scarring of the lungs called fibrosis which makes it difficult to breathe. This is because the scarring causes the tissues in the lungs to get thick and stiff. This makes it hard to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream.  According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms are as follows:

Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis may include:

  • Shortness of breath.
  • Dry cough.
  • Extreme tiredness.
  • Weight loss that’s not intended.
  • Aching muscles and joints.
  • Widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes, called clubbing.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis is another concern.  I have previously written about this as well.  My lung specialist ordered the upcoming CT Scan to confirm or deny a diagnosis of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.  All I can do at this point is think positive thoughts and hope and pray for a good outcome.  According to the American Lung Association Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is typically divided into two types based on how long you have been affected and how severe your symptoms are.  An attack of acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually occurs four to six hours after a short period of intense exposure to the substance you are allergic to. You may feel as if you have caught the flu when an acute attack occurs. Common symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, headache and cough. These symptoms may last for as little as 12 hours to a few days and will resolve if further exposure is avoided.  Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis develops after numerous or continuous exposures to small amounts of the allergen. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, tiredness, coughing that lasts weeks or months and weight loss that gets progressively worse. Over time, some people with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis develop clubbing of fingers and toes and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis.

Painting of the Zachariasfeld, Estate located in South Russia.

Painting of the Zachariasfeld, Estate located in South Russia.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

February 19, 2023

Posted on February 19, 2024 by widebertha

Good afternoon.  Another lovely sunny day in Southeastern Manitoba.  The temperature is minus 1.  Seems like spring is early this year.  The high humidity is not my friend.

It has been a month of ups and downs.  One of my difficulties is knowing how to cope with disappointment and discouragement.  “The word discouragement comes from the root word courage. The prefix dis- means “the opposite of.” So discouragement is the opposite of courage. When we are discouraged, we have lost the motivation to press forward. The mountain seems too steep, the valley too dark, or the battle too fierce, and we lose the courage to continue”. (Author Unknown)  Disappointment breeds discouragement.  I am trying to find a way to beat discouragement but for me, it is a constant battle.  People who experience constant pain twenty-four hours a day must learn to keep their discomfort to themselves.  We cannot expect healthy people to understand what our life is like.  They soon tire of hearing about our complaints and who can blame them?   Part of my daily struggle involves looking for the positive in my life.  Some days I succeed and other days I fail miserably.  Some days my mental health works in my favour and I immerse myself in writing my blog and on my genealogy site.  On good days the blog and genealogy site help to chase away the doom and gloom.  When I write about the horrors members of my extended family were subjected to my pain and illness seem like minor inconveniences.

Another aspect of my life that is slowly changing is my belief system.  I have realized that no matter what our physical limitations are we have a reason to be here.  We all have our individual talents as well as limitations.  Our world is rapidly changing and people with a strong faith are ridiculed.  People quickly forget about the atrocities perpetrated in the past.  The atrocities continue accompanied by lies and false information.  I have realized that I do believe in the faith instilled in me by my parents.  I have also realized that time spent strengthening my belief is time well spent.  It also helps me deal with the life that I have been dealt.

Club 48 is successful which is a positive development and helps to keep discouragement at bay.  To reiterate Club 48 is open to women born in 1948 who attended school in and around Steinbach, Manitoba.  The positive response from members has been encouraging and uplifting.   To find out more about the club please email steinbachclub48@gmail.com.

The other day I was checking out the channels available on Roku.  I came across something called Redeem TV.  Instead of paying a monthly fee, they ask for donations. The first documentary we watched was called Navajo Code Talkers of World War Two; a very interesting documentary.  We then watched Return to the Hiding Place, the story of the resistance fighters in the Netherlands who worked with Corrie ten Boon.  To my surprise, I found a series I watched many years ago called Sue Thomas, FBI.

My dear daughter has updated her Perfect Sentiments gift basket website at https://perfectsentiments.ca.  She has added a new section called Luxury Teas at https://www.perfectsentiments.ca/luxuryteas.  Check out the new section featuring teacups, teapots, and other accessories associated with a tea party.

It is getting late and I need to get some sleep.  Would love to hear from you in the comment section of this site.  Goodbye until next time.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 29, 2024

Posted on January 29, 2024 by widebertha

Good Afternoon.  Lovely day weatherwise with a temperature of plus 2. The humidity is high and is affecting my breathing.  My Respirologist asked me to put up with my breathing issues for longer. He said he had requested several tests including bloodwork and a special CT Scan.  He told me he would do everything he could to find the cause of my breathing issues. It seems I hear about a new ailment every time I see a doctor.

When I write about the dangerous results of high blood pressure I am trying to prevent others from having to go through what I have. A high heart rate and occasional premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) alerted my family doctor to a potential problem.  He referred me to a cardiologist. After two Echocardiograms the cardiologist diagnosed me with thickened heart muscles. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes thickened (hypertrophied). The thickened heart muscle can make it harder for the heart to pump blood. HCM affects the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber of the heart. The walls of the left ventricle become thick and stiff. Over time, the heart can’t take in or pump out enough blood during each heartbeat to supply the body’s needs.

Congestive heart failure is a long-term condition that happens when your heart can’t pump blood well enough to give your body a normal supply. Blood and fluids collect in your lungs and legs over time. Medications and other treatments help manage symptoms like swelling. Congestive heart failure is life-limiting for many.

According to my cardiologist, I needed more pain coverage because the pain caused my blood pressure to go as high as 228/119. After adjusting my medication I no longer suffered from pain-induced high blood pressure.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease where there is scarring of the lungs—called fibrosis—which makes it difficult to breathe. This is because the scarring causes the tissues in the lungs to get thick and stiff and makes it hard to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream. An inherited genetic variant (familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) usually causes HCM. Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease. Interstitial lung diseases are a group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring around the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. Inhaling hazardous chemicals can be one cause of pulmonary fibrosis. Certain diseases, medications, and genetics can also cause PF. Most often the cause is unknown. This is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

I was in a terrible state the week before my appointment with my lung doctor. I let my imagination take over and I was a mess. Turns out I got another potential diagnosis. This time the name is Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an immune system disorder in which your lungs become inflamed as an allergic reaction to inhaled microorganisms, plant and animal proteins or chemicals. This afternoon I had bloodwork done ordered by my lung doctor.  Hopefully, something shows up; something that is easy to treat.

After all these diagnoses arthritis seems like a walk in the park. The pain caused by arthritis is often debilitating but not life-threatening. With arthritis, it seems as if my bones, muscles, and joints play a game called “Where will we send the pain today.” The pain moves from my ankles, shoulders, knees, hands, hips and the list goes on.

If any of my readers have similar health issues, I would love to hear from you. Submit the story of your diagnosis and treatment. Hope you all have a wonderful week.

I wanted to include the pictures of the three Ukrainian dancers my cousin Donna cross-stitched for me. Actually, she did them for my grandson who spent 8 years in a Ukrainian Dance Group. Her cross-stitch skills are above average.  When I had my needlecraft shop, I taught cross stitch. One important skill we taught was to make sure that the back of your cross-stitch was as neat as the front of your work. Donna’s cross-stitch pieces did exactly that. Now my grandson and I have to pick out frames and have all three framed by professionals.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

January 19, 2024

Posted on January 23, 2024 by widebertha

January is almost over. It seems as you grow older time passes more quickly.  My husband and I suffered for a week at the end of December with a nasty flu which included a nasty cough.  The month of January has been one of waiting for appointments and test results.

Another temperature change is happening and it plays havoc with my poor bones.  These intense changes in temperature and barometric pressure seem to be normal this winter.  As I mentioned, January has been a  month of waiting for appointments and confirmed diagnosis. Never did I think that I would someday have heart issues and breathing problems.  However one never knows what old age has in store for us.

The Respirologist I saw on Thursday confirmed the diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure.  He also suggested I might have hypersensitivity pneumonitis which is rather troubling.  This would mean that I have been inhaling something that is damaging my lungs.  He is sending me for a special CT Scan which will hopefully let me know either way.  He said that I do have a thickening of my heart muscles which contributes to my breathing problems.  Hopefully, the CT Scan and blood work will provide me with a firm diagnosis.

 My goal at this point in my life is simple. I will strive not to complain, not to worry (this has always been one of my problems), and live life to the best of my ability.  Do any of you know someone who has hypersensitivity pneumonitis and if so how has it impacted their life?  If any of you have high blood pressure take it seriously. It truly is the silent killer. After 50 years of high blood pressure, I am now dealing with the consequences.

Grandson’s new addition.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

December 24, 2023

Posted on December 25, 2023 by widebertha

Wishing my readers, friends and family a Very Merry Christmas. Apparently, the roads in South Eastern Manitoba are treacherous today because of warmer temperatures and rain.  If you are out on the roads in this part of Manitoba please use extreme caution.  We hope everyone will have a safe Christmas.

We are ready for Christmas which we will celebrate tomorrow.  Daughter Natasha and son-in-law Mike will be arriving late morning. We enjoy the traditional meat perishky for our Christmas brunch. We will be the five of us this year.

Our preparations for Christmas this year have been rather mediocre.  I managed to get wreaths hung up on two outside doors. Christmas cards were of the e-card variety. I found a lady by the name of Deb who makes the most delicious meat Perishky and I ordered 8 dozen for the Christmas season.  Her website URL is  https://debsmeatbuns.ca/.  We purchased a 7 ft. slim Christmas tree which fits into corners. It is hard to downsize but we have finally decided that it is something we must do sooner rather than later.

Tomorrow the Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage dish called Holubtski will be heated and served as part of our Christmas dinner.  I will make the salad.  We will add mashed potatoes and chicken cordon bleu. Dessert will be the grandson’s favourite namely pumpkin pie.

I finally have some good news to share.  I worked up enough nerve to weigh myself the other day.  I was immensely pleased to have lost 20 lbs. in three weeks.  We decided to make a change in our eating habits.  Lunch and often supper consist of a green salad using lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, apples, and shredded cheese.

In closing, I wish you all the best during the remainder of the Christmas season and a Very Happy New Year.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

December 18, 2023

Posted on December 18, 2023 by widebertha

https://www.cafepress.ca/widebertha

Check out Widebertha’s shop for one-of-a-kind designs,

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

December 8, 2023

Posted on December 8, 2023 by widebertha

As winter approaches, there are some special holidays to look forward to. One major holiday happening in December 2023 is Hanukkah, which is a Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights.  Jewish people around the world celebrate Hanukkah. Traditions include decorating the home and gathering to light the menorah, reciting Hanukkah blessings, eating fried foods, playing Hanukkah games like a dreidel, and exchanging Hanukkah gifts.

The history of the eight-day celebration is rooted in the rededication of the Holy Temple after the Jewish people reclaimed it from the Syrian Greeks in the second century BCE. As they worked to restore the temple, they used an oil lamp fueled by a tiny bit of oil that was only supposed to last one day. The oil miraculously lasted for eight days, and that is considered the Hanukkah miracle. Hanukkah always coincides with the winter solstice.

Our temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark. We had snow late in November, then rain for a few days and now we are experiencing snow with high winds. The changes in barometric pressure and temperature sure plays havoc with my old bones. It would be nice to have snow for Christmas. Havoc on the roads happens when the temperature changes from below freezing to above freezing.

My telephone appointment with my cardiologist confirmed the diagnosis of congested heart failure and pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease where there is scarring of the lungs—called fibrosis—which makes it difficult to breathe. This is because the scarring causes the tissues in the lungs to get thick and stiff and makes it hard to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream. I had an appointment with my family doctor on November 24th. We discussed the symptoms I am experiencing and how best to cope with them. Salt and processed foods are off my acceptable food list. Fresh vegetables and fresh fruit come highly recommended. I also have to control how much fluid I consume. To keep track of the amount of fluid consumed I weigh myself in the morning and again in the evening. These restrictions will take some getting used but a small price to pay for a longer life. I have an appointment with a Respirologist in January. Respirologists, sometimes referred to as pulmonologists, are medical doctors who further specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of lung disease.

Ever since the increase in the daily intake of my blood pressure medications the readings have been normal or below normal. My cardiologist would prefer that my blood pressure readings are below the normal of 120/80. The reason for this is to prevent further thickening, stiffness and scarring of my lungs. The thickness and stiffness cause difficulty in breathing which can be a frightening experience.

Christmas is just around the corner. Thank goodness for online shopping. Peter and I accomplished a joint Holubshi making marathon last week.list; I made the grocery list; he did the shopping. I called out the ingredients and Peter mixed them together. Peter made sure that cabbage leaves were boiled enough to soften them. I put the mixture into the cooked cabbage leaves and rolled them up. We filled three roasters. Sure feels good to complete a project. After all was done, we decided to change the menu for our Christmas dinner to Holubshi with mashed potatoes and Chicken Cordon Bleu. I was fortunate to find someone who makes meat perishky. I ordered six dozen for Christmas. They are a tasty snack in between meals.

From the Human Rights Commission’s website: 

My family members in the former Soviet Union under Communist rule had to celebrate Christmas and Easter in secret. If caught the punishment was severe.

Despite the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s assertion that a day off on Christmas constitutes religious intolerance, polls show that non-Christian Canadians almost universally have no problem with the holiday.

If you celebrate Christmas or any Christian holiday, you might be intolerant and perpetuating “settler colonialism” according to a federal body in charge of human rights law.

The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) recently published a paper discussing anti-racism in the workplace, which describes the Christmas and Easter holidays as a form of discrimination and religious intolerance.

The paper’s release comes shortly after the Canadian Armed Forces issued a directive that prohibits chaplains from reciting religious prayers and mentioning God during official public functions and ceremonies, including Remembrance Day.

A statutory holiday on Dec. 25 “may adversely affect non-Christians, some of whom may therefore need to seek out special accommodations to observe their own faith holy days,” it reads.

These stances are not without potential judicial ramifications, as both commissions retain the power to enforce sanctions and penalties against employers that it deems to have engaged in “discrimination.”

Despite the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s assertion that a day off on Christmas constitutes religious intolerance, polls show that non-Christian Canadians almost universally have no problem with the holiday.

A Leger poll from last year asked Canadians who grew up non-Christian whether they were offended by the greeting “Merry Christmas.” Of the respondents, 92 percent said “no.” That same poll also asked Canadians of all religions whether Christmas and other “religious” holidays should be struck from the country’s official statutory holidays. Only six percent said “yes.”

In closing, I wish you all a wonderful and stress-free pre-Christmas season.  Don’t let the preparations for Christmas spoil the true meaning of this holiday. Try to relax and enjoy the blessings of the Christmas season.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

November 17, 2023

Posted on November 18, 2023 by widebertha

Our daughter Natasha celebrated her 53rd birthday on November 12th.  This year we celebrated at her house. We spent a lovely afternoon visiting and ended the celebration with a delicious Faspa. “Faspa” is one of those words for which there is no direct English translation. Faspa meant the gathering of family and friends, usually at 4 p.m. Sunday, for a light meal and fellowship, with an emphasis on fellowship. 

Remembrance Day in Canada happens on November 11th. My Grandfather was in the Russian Army during the First World War. Because the Russians were allies of the USA and Canada during that war my Grandfather received a pension from the Canadian government. My Grandfather was a brave man.
At the age of 28 he together with my Grandma and their three little daughters fled to Canada. My mom, even though she was just a little girl, remembers her Grandma saying goodbye to her two sons and their families before they boarded a boat on the Dnieper River to begin their journey to freedom.

Holodomor Remembrance Day happens on the 4th Saturday of November. I have included a PDF describing the man-made famines in the former Soviet Union.

HOLODOMOR – Pictures from the Genocide by Starvation 1920 – 1921 and 1930 – 1934 (1)

As far as my health issues they remain the same. I had an echocardiogram a week ago and have a consult with my cardiologist on Monday. Hopefully, I will get some answers. At the moment I am very concerned about my breathing issues. It is an awful feeling and one has to try not to panic. The three blood pressure medications I am taking are doing what we mean them to do. The change in pain medication is more effective and makes getting out of bed in the morning so much easier.

Posted in Autoimmune disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment