Sunday in Edmonton

Hello everyone,
Well, another great walk done. I was much better on Sunday (thanks for all of your concern) and I think the reason was my new friends from Alberta. Pat and I walked Sunday with Sandra, Anne, Melany and Laurie and boy oh boy what fun we had. Melany had us laughing all the way.
Melany is from Slave Lake (a three hour drive from Edmonton, population 7,700) and she was saying how her husband calls her "Princess". Well, "Princess" decided that the family should camp for their family vacations (she has five kids). So out they went and bought a "family tent". Well, after having to spend one weekend with all the kids in one tent and being kicked by them all night and having to hold them outside the tent to pee...Princess had enough. The tent was sold the next weekend.
However, she decided a tent trailer would be better. Off the ground, a queen size bed for her and husband and a toilet. So out they went and bought a trailer. So off they went to enjoy their weekend. When they arrived at the camp site there was a bear warning and Princess does not like bears. So when the dog kept them up all night growling...they packed up the camper and went home. The camper was sold the next weekend. Princess now lives in a house on the lake.
I think I have mentioned earlier about the "seize factor" and this is now a term that is spreading across the country. Much like the term "it's a shin sweater". I cannot imagine what the "seize factor" would be after walking 60 kms in two days and then getting into a car and driving for 3!! We were all teasing Melany that she would make it home and into her garage but that would be it. She would be seized in her car! That would be OK though..she could get pizza delivered to her but when she ordered it she would have to make sure to tell the delivery boy not to go to the front door but rather deliver it to her in the garage...driver side. Her grandchildren are visiting also which would be fine because they could go and see Nana in her car and bring games and Nana would play with them there. Now I hope this seems as funny as it was after 40 kms...because let me tell ya...we were killing ourselves laughing at the visual. I hope you are out of the car by now Melany!!
One of the many great things about the walks is being able to see all of the great parks we have in this country. I have been very fortunate to travel around the world but I have not been to any country that has the parks we do. Canadians use and love the park system and cyclists are part of this group. When they drive by you they usually ring a bell to let you know they are passing on the left. Well, Princess did not know this. So as we are walking through one of the beautiful parks of Edmonton the five of us hear the bell and move over to the right. I look behind me and Princess is still on the left with a cyclist bearing down hard on her and leaning on the bell. I grab Melany just in time as the cyclist zooms by on the left. We then discover that Princess thought that after 50 kms she was the only one "hearing bells" and maybe was hallucinating a bit. She didn't realize that this was for cyclists. So for the next 10 kms we all kept repeating "I am hearing bells...anyone else hearing bells?" When I heard a bell ring before I would always think of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" but now it will be forever Melany.."I am hearing bells, anyone else hear bells???"
So with all the laughter came determination though too. These ladies were a shining example of that. Sandra, Melany and Laurie had done the walk before however for Anne it was her first. We were all sore, however Sandra had just snapped her right calf muscle two weeks earlier. Imagine that...snapping your calf muscle and then walking 60 kms. Anne had blisters all over her feet at lunch. We still had approximately 15 kms to go and think how much one blister hurts after 100 yards never mind 3 for the next 15 kms! We kept catching up and passing one you lady named Monique Spicer. She was walking by herself and limping with blisters all the way. We would keep encouraging her and we saw her at the finish. I will later post a picture of her feet once the pictures are developed. An incredible young lady. At lunch on Sunday there was one young lady cheering us in...she was on crutches. She had an injury prior to the walk and had aggrevated it so much on Saturday she was on crutches on Sunday. Another lady who was probably in her mid 50's with both knees bandaged. She made it just past the entrance to lunch and had to stop. She was in so much pain she was crying. Her friends grabbed her a chair and there she sat in the entrance to lunch in a chair crying. The medical team helped her to a waiting ambulance 15 minutes later. I thought to myself...I wonder when the last time she cried from pain. Probably giving birth. Just some incredible examples of sheer determination.
I mentioned earlier about how we take living in a large city for granted when it comes to medical care. Here is how lucky I am. Melany had a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer in Slave Lake. The community had a fund raiser her friend could rent an apartment in Edmonton while she was going through treatment. Melany took in her friend's daughter while her Mom was going through this. The bus company did not charge the daughter for bus fare to get to Melany's everyday. The husband would make the 3 hour drive each weekend to be with his wife and help her. I can't even begin to imagine what this would be like. Melany's friend is doing well now and what a great community she lives in.
So we finish the walk (and some of you have been asking how we have been finishing and each day it has been in the top 350-400) and once again the emotion hits you. It was great to be able to walk in with our new group of friends. Lots of tears, calls to the husband and lots of hugs between us. I later read in the paper (I missed this which is probably just as well) about Tammy Mattiello. She burst into tears when she saw her boyfriend holding up a sign as she finished the walk on Sunday. The sign read "You put up with breast cancer and beat it. Now it's time to put up with me forever. Will you marry me?" Tammy said "yes". Best wishes to both of you and enjoy the rest of your lives together.
Thanks to Mom and Joanne for being my courage and inspiration.
With love and thanks,
M.J.