online again

Father has been gone for several years now.  I had a domain name called lesjohnston.ca to give updates on his health while he was alive and on his Estate after he passed away.  Sometime between now and back then, the server went down.  It’s been offline for a long time now – maybe a couple of years – but it is now back online.  The lesjohnston.ca domain is gone, but the permanent address for it is https://lesjohnston.allansplace.ca/ – that is, as permanent as my website will be. 

Thanks to the wayback machine at Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine, I’ve found much of the remaining data. 

Most of the dates of the entries are wrong.  I had the painstaking task of skimming through all the raw data in the MySQL / WordPress database to find each entry, but the dates all seem to be Aug. 31, 2017.  Some are correct.  If anyone wants to sift the the raw data for me to find the right dates, be my guest!  But I think it’s good enough that some of it is intact. 

of greed and bureaucracy

This isn’t really an update to say that something in particular happened.  It’s just an update showing the slow grind of bureaucracy in the BC government, unwillingness of CIBC estate department to cooperate, the communist mindset of ICBC (excluding some helpful agents and clerks), lawyers waiting for the latest process update before starting the next process (when it could have been started long before), the greed of Tammy Williams and Laura Bowman, and the pokiness of the process of selling a house. Continue reading “of greed and bureaucracy”

two years

“You’ve been gone two years now.  We all miss you.  I collected lots of things from your house that should be kept and brought them back to Alberta.  Cash is with you now, chasing his shadow.  Glenn, too, and not chasing his anymore.  We are all well here but miss you.”

house for sale

Father’s house is unofficially for sale.  I have had offers on it, but I will not make a decision until I’m in Rosedale / Chilliwack.  I will also have meetings with two real estate agents about selling it.  Unfortunately, I cannot live there.  It’s way too much house and expense for one guy (me).  I’ll probably be selling it during the last week of August, 2019. Continue reading “house for sale”

Probate finally granted

Probate has finally been granted on Father’s property.  Why did it take one-and-a-half years?  Tammy Williams (Glenn’s ex-wife) put in a claim on Glenn’s portion of the Estate.  The Will clearly states that the estate will go to whoever is living at the time.  Glenn, unfortunately, is not coming back.  Yet, Tammy put in a claim against the estate anyway and did not follow up further on it, causing Probate to be delayed by one year.  This claim had elapsed, so Probate could more forward.  The lawyer will contact me soon to discuss everything.  I’ll keep everyone posted here when the time comes.

pictures

Here’s a list of pictures taken of Les.  If you have any to add, send me the pics / videos or a link to where they are.

Allan’s (Justin”s) pictures – These are pictures and videos taken since his health issue started.  Keep in mind it’s pictures of Les as well as everything else.

Aizlynn’s (Angela’s) pictures

Sherry”s pictures – These are pictures from Father’s memorial in Manitoba.

If anyone has any other pictures to share, let me know.

Celebration of Life planned for springtime 2018

People have been asking about a Celebration of Life for Father.

Father’s favourite time of year has always been … well, not winter.  He always looked forward to spring – outdoor life, planting his garden, sneaking in some flowers here and there, sunshine, and the end of winter.

That, the fact that winter travel is less than ideal for most people, and that it would be nice to have a barbecue outside and enjoy the warm weather (hopefully), most people have said that spring would be best.

So how does the end of April sound?  If you have any days that would be best, please let me know.  And spread the word.

Celebration of Life

There is a Celebration of Life tentatively planned for sometime around Christmas.  However, people are saying that this winter’s weather will be rough, and this may be a concern for people travelling.  It could also be in the spring, depending on what everyone thinks.  If you have any ideas on this, please comment.  It’s our time to come together and do this, so please let us know if and when you can make it.

estate

Now comes the uncomfortable part of dealing with Father’s things.

Father’s Will is now in the Probate process, and the Estate is under my control.  You can contact me if you wish.

There are people asking me about his property (real property and otherwise).  All of his property will be dealt with according to his wishes.  The lawyer will send a copy of the Will to everyone who is to have access to it.

The house cannot be sold yet.  All is suspended until the Will completes Probate.  There have been many people expressing interest in purchasing the house.  This can’t and won’t happen until sometime next year, I should think.  How long is Probate?  I was told upwards of a year after application.

If you have property / belongings at Father’s house, please talk with me.  No, it won’t be sold off or taken away.  I’m in no hurry to start liquidating.  If there is something that has value to you and you wish to have it, again – talk to me.  For example, Glenn stored his Coca~Cola memorabilia there.  Les, his son, will collect these keepsakes when the time comes.  If Father owns you something, contact me.

On that note, we may have a yard sale at some point.  TBA.

In the mean time, Laura is living there and looking after things – the house, Cash, the chickens, the yards, etc.  Please do not go to the house to talk about stuff.  She’s not going to steal stuff!  And she’s not able to sell / give you stuff.  Laura was there for Father during his last days and made this time comfortable and without worry.  Please make her feel the same.

In the mean time, we wait.

the legal

I visited the lawyer today to discuss carrying out Father’s wishes.  Most legalities are or will be completed.  Anyone mentioned in Father’s Will will be notified by the lawyer.  It is now in Probate review and will take a while to complete.  Most say it will take up to a year … or more.

In the mean time, I’ve asked Laura to stay in the house and look after it, Cash, the chickens, mail, and anything else important.  Neither of us know the duration of this.

Above all, Father was so concerned about Cash’s fate:  If Cash went to another house, he’d likely escape and run back here, the only home he’s ever known, since puppihood.

bless

I got a call from Laura and one from Ally, a social worker with Fraser Health.  I was out cycling and missed their call.

He was in hospital today for a fever – Laura thought it best to have him brought in – and is back home (or should be by now).

I called Ally back, and she told me that doctors really don’t know just how much longer Father has.  I guess it’s her job to keep me informed.  Laura told her that she keeps me informed all the time.  This is true now but only since my last visit a couple of weeks ago.  Before that, nothing.  Nonetheless, I’m informed now.

Anyway, Ally said he wasn’t getting treatment per se but, rather, pain control to keep him comfortable for ”however much time he has left”.  She tried to speculate as to how much time that was.  I suppose many people as that question.  If you’re The Lord, then yes you might give it a shot.  But we really have no accurate idea.  So I just told her that I knew he was slipping fast last time I saw him.  I said that it only matters if someone is looking after him (Laura) and that he”s not in any pain, is comfortable.  Time isn’t the important factor here.

He’s lost half his hair and is very quiet.  Laura says he hardly says a peep, but Laura walked into his room at the hospital, and he looked directly at her.  He knows.  At home, Cash licked his leg, and he didn’t cuss at him like he didn’t know him like last time, so that’s good.

This is the first time Laura stated that he doesn’t have much time left.  She has always been of the mind (outwardly, at least) that he’ll pull though … somehow.  This time isn’t one of those times.  He asked Laura to pray and tell The Lord to bless him.  Only very few times in my life have I heard him refer to The Lord.

Keep him in your prayers, please.

at home getting care

Laura called me to tell me Father is doing well at home.  He’s not able to get out of bed, so for sure not able to walk just yet, but he’s recovering and gaining strength.  An occupational therapist might be used to get him some exercise with his legs.  He might not be able to walk again, but he could also surprise everyone.

He’s eating apple sauce and other foods to get his health and strength up.  Home care staff from Fraser Health (BC government medical care in that area) come to help him turn over and to make sure he’s clean, etc.  He had some bed sores on his legs … or hips? … but they’re not open sores, so he’s doing well in that.

Laura says she hopes he’ll be able to get into his wheelchair at some point so as to wheel out to the deck to see his garden and chickens and such.  I’m hoping he’ll be able to do so soon.  As was proven in the hospital, his legs have become very weak while laying in bed without any activity.  Besides, fresh air always does people good.

pictures

Here’s a list of pictures taken of Les.  If you have any to add, send me the pics / videos or a link to where they are.

https://allansplace.ca/d/documents/pictures/Canada/family/Les%20Johnston – These are pictures and videos taken since his health issue started.  Keep in mind it”s pictures of Les as well as everything else.</li>\r\n <li><a href=”http://allansplace.ca/d/documents/users/Aizlynn/Father%20in%20hospital/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Aizlynn”s (Angela”s) pictures</a></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf anyone has any other pictures to share, let me know.’, ‘pictures’, ”, ‘inherit’, ‘closed’, ‘closed’, ”, ’90-revision-v1′, ”, ”, ‘2017-09-04 10:05:00’, ‘2017-09-04 16:05:00’, ”, 90, ‘http://www.lesjohnston.ca/2017/09/04/90-revision-v1/’, 0, ‘revision’, ”, 0),

going home again

Nurse Laura was too busy to talk to me.  So Margaret, the head nurse on the floor Father is on in Chilliwack hospital, was sure there was no way that Father could get home before Wed. next week.  Finally, after a few attempts at speaking human to her, I said, “I’m not a very commanding person when it comes to conversations – never have been – so, please, just let me speak for a minute.” –  Silence  – I explained that I didn’t want my father to die in hospital.  He should do so at home.  She softened her stance and sounded like a real person, just trying to control the conversation to obtain a desired outcome.  Is there any way of making this happen – like if I were to arrange to borrow, rent, or purchase a hospital bed so he could be transported home?  Yes, absolutely, if you can arrange it on your own, we’ll work with you on that. –  Sigh  – Bossy-boots power woman trying to ride over my ass with a steamroller.

Don’t be heavy, mamma; I’m your brother.

Lisa at Discount MediQuip out of Chilliwack, BC, was the very opposite.  “Yes, I can find a bed for your father from somewhere.  Just give me a minute.”  Within a minute, she came back from putting someone in a headlock (I’m sure figuratively) to get a bed for me.  The long and the short of it is that Father’s bed will be delivered by 2pm today.  Cost: $220 ($30 delivery, $30 setup, $150 rent for one month, $10 mandatory mattress cover.)

Laura (henceforth Father’s friend, not nurse at hospital) says Father will be delivered by patient transport at 4pm today.  Father was happy and ate lunch.  Yay.

The kicker was last night was when Father asked Laura if he should die in the hospital or at home.  It broke my heart to hear this.  No, Father, I don’t believe you are going to die in hospital.  You’re going home so that you can live there with your dog Cash, your 43 chickens, your beautiful back yard full of flowers, and Laura looking after you.  That’s what you’re gonna do.

trouble with meds

Laura called last night, freaked about Father’s medication and overall treatment (or lack of).  She says the hospital staff aren’t feeding him (just leave the food on a tray 4 feet away), aren’t giving him his medication for swelling and seizures, have disconnected his fluids IV, and leaving him in the supine position every day (rather than sitting up).  He’s developing bed sores on his hip and legs.

I called the hospital last night and spoke with Zee, a nurse; she says that he’s taking his meds but has been disconnected from the IV.  She doesn’t know why and says I should call Dr. Heather Leyen at 8am in the morning.

I did that, and her voicemail states that “unless you’re cancelling an appointment, don’t bother leaving a message because it won’t be returned.”  How do you like that.

Dr Heather Layen voicemail 16047922266_2017-09-01_09-08-35 e1.wav

So I phoned the hospital and spoke with a new nurse, Laura (first day with Father), inquiring about him.  She said she’d check into him and for me to call back in 45 minutes.

In the mean time, Laura (Father’s friend, not the nurse) is waiting to see Dr. Enyvari, Father’s “regular doctor”.  (In fact, he’s a walk-in clinic doctor who only accepted Father as a one-off.)

I’ll keep you posted.

home sleeping

Father is home sleeping in his newly delivered bed – at home.  Yay.  All is well once again.  Hopefully: 

  • he’ll eat well
  • he’ll have his meds regularly
    • dilantin for seizures 4-5 times per day
    • dexamethasone twice a day for swelling
  • stand up and stretch his legs now and then

Laura and the Fraser Health home care people can make sure he’s cleaned up when needed, feel well enough to talk with people again.  Laura can get some respite when needed.  All this can be done at home, not in the hospital.

I’ve kept Aunt Isobel and Aizlynn up to speed with what I know.

(Now it’s time to take care of myself – ear infection – earache, vertigo, and nausea.)

Angel’s restaurant

I’m sitting at Angel’s Japanese Restaurant at 2pm having beef udon (soup with noodles).  I just left Laura at Father’s house and was on my way to see Lou about the two guns.  I got a rattle in my gut.  I called Lou – he’s not ready yet – still babysitting his grandkids.  So, lunch at Angel’s.

I thought I’d fixed Father’s computer.  Laura said something was wrong.  I put on a couple dozen Windows Updates; no, apparently still doesn’t work.  Laura called me.  I’ll go back after lunch.

I get the impression he doesn’t much care about being angry at me anymore.  I’m hoping that’s the case and told Laura as much.  She said she’d work on him.  She’s good at that – leading him to think one way rather than a different way.  I’m counting on that because in Father’s state his mind is not good and he dwells on things too much, concentrates on certain things.

No, I’m not trying to take his house.  How could I?  Logistically, legally, and certainly physically not possible.

No, I’m not trying to put him in a home.  What I told him last time I was down was that I wanted a frank, honest, real conversation without things like, “No f***ing way you’re putting me in no f$$$ing home!  Enough of that.  Just talk with me.”  So he did.  I told him that if he sold his house he’d have enough money to pay the $2000 a month or so fees.  He’d not be “so doggone lonesome” as he put earlier.  He’d meet new old folks, have a bunch of old farts to play cards or pool with, eat with someone (promoting him to actually eat a decent amount).

If I were trying to take his home, why would I suggest something that would reduce his money?  That doesn’t make any sense.  I just wanted him to tell me why it was a bad idea.  He finally did.  He said he didn’t want someone else to have their thumb over him – someone else in charge of his life.  Okay, finally I get an answer.  I can respect that.

But later he thinks that I’m trying to put him in a home.  No, you old fart, I was just expecting a real conversation about it, not a knee-jerk old-folks’ reaction.

In actually fact, most seniors (with the exception perhaps of Ivor) are happier when they enter a seniors’ home.

He thinks I’m trying to change his will.  He thinks Aizlynn and I actually changed it.  …  Uh – reality check here – how could we change his will?  Only with Power of Attorney could we do that, which we don’t, didn’t, and won’t have.

Laura stated in the truck that he thinks we (Aizlynn and I) a) are trying to take his house, b) are trying to put him in a home, c) have changed his will, and who knows what else.  <sigh>  I told Laura I was tired of saying one thing and having someone think the exact opposite.  I said this, and I meant this, not that.  Just such a strange idea – why?  F###!  Get over yourself and your beliefs.  I don’t give a rat’s ass about who gets the house.  I just want him to be happy, comfortable, and as healthy as he can be in the remaining time he’s got left here – and to eventually die without hate in his heart.  Enough of that.  The world’s full of that.  Let’s not have more of it.

I have a stomach ache.  Not from the food.  I had it as I sat down.  Probably nerves.

Waiting for Lou to call.  Also done my lunch.  Very good.  (See the picture.)  Gotta go fix Laura’s computer again. 

Les Johnston website

This site is here to let everyone know how Les is doing.  Have a look at the http://www.lesjohnston.ca/about/ page for more info.

So this is the second attempt at making this happen.  While I was there at Father’s house earlier this year (2017), the internet was so slow in his house that I couldn’t put this site together.  I’m back home now and attempting to put it all together again.  I hope to have it up-to-date within a week; I start school Sept. 5 and want to get it all done by then.

There are lots of entries that will come before this.  I’m back-dating all entries up to now.

Tim”s to-go coffee

We went out to Tim’s for a to-go coffee.  We got in the car, and I turned right to go to Tim’s.  He pointed left without saying anything.  So I turned the car around and went the other way, toward Rosedale.  I asked him where we were going.  “The coffee shop, next to the garage.”  We drove by the garage.  There’s only a garage.  “Oh, I guess they’re gone.”  Maybe there was one there years ago?  Hard to say.  I think he’s thinking about the gas station that used to be there.  He’d drop by for a coffee and loiter for half an hour.  That place is closed.  We turned around.  He pointed left, toward the pub.  I told him I’m not going to a pub.  Finally he agreed, and we went to Tim’s.

exhausted

Father woke up today at 6:45AM “exhausted”.  As he was getting dressed, he said, “I think it’s gotta shit – and I think it’s shitting now.”  Yes, he was filling his nappy.  I helped him to the washroom.  After his BM, he was quite dirty.  I put him on his seat in the shower and tried my best to shower him, but he couldn’t lean forward or to the side or stand up, even a little, so I’ll let the HC workers do that. Continue reading “exhausted”

walker

Father walked today.  He used his walker for the first time.  I had to show him how to use it.  He held it out in front of him too far.  The idea is to have it under you at all times so you can put all or some of your weight on the handles.  He got it, and he walked to the living room, sat down on his chair, got up, walked to the kitchen, and sat on a kitchen chair, with my help of course. Continue reading “walker”

brain tumour

Now at Chilliwack hospital with Aizlynn.  She and I have been going back and forth from the hospital to various places.  I picked her up from the King George SkyTrain station yesterday morning.  It seems like a few days as so many things have happened since then.

I drove in to Rosedale Saturday evening and met Laura at Father’s house.  Visiting hours were over at 8PM, so we went right away and saw him.  I did not recognize him.  He was thin, with thin white hair, thin hollow face, and withered body.  It took a while to wake him up.  His left eye was droopy and didn’t open well.  It seemed he had a stroke.  I’d learn later that he in fact didn’t have a stroke.  It was in fact a tumour with swelling that was pushing against his brain.