a call from the DOCTOR’S OFFICE (that you don’t want to hear):

a call from the DOCTOR’S OFFICE (that you don’t want to hear): a video by iwona_kellie on Flickr.

Beginning of March 2010 a snowboarding accident left me with serious tear of my ligaments in my left knee. Because I was told that I would have to wait for MRI through the BC Health system for about a year, I decided to cough up some ‘dough’, about $600, and get it done through the private facility. The MRI showed I had a tear of my PCL and MCL After my MRI I had appointment scheduled at the Dr. Chin’s office at the Joint Preservation Centre of BC of UBC. He hoped that I didn’t need surgery, but he said that time will show. I had a follow up appointment, except Dr. Chin did not show up for that one, he send some other doctor in his place.

This is Dr. Patrick Chin’s secretary Joyce message left on my cellphone with regards to my knee injury follow up on my second MRI that was done at the beginning of January 2011. Technician at the UBC’s MRI facility told me that I will be contacted by my doctor in about 10 days after this MRI. He did not tell me the results. Now it’s almost end of March.. I left three (one per day) messages on Joyce’s (Dr. Chin’s secretary) answering machine. This is how CANADIAN HEALTH CARE does not CARE! Listen:

El Potrero Chico

… with climbing legend, Magic Ed.. “El parque recreativo Potrero Chico” is located approximately 30 km north-west of Monterrey, Mexico. The nearest town is Hidalgo, though accommodation (both camping and rooms) can be found at the border of the park. For more information, see “Potrero Select” written by Magic Ed, or “The Whole Enchilada” by Dane Bass.

Polish trends..

St. Roch’s Church in Białystok

My sister Ewa, who lives in Poland, and I were talking on Skype this morning. She was telling me about some of the Poland’s recent trends. For example, about Polish people becoming more open to gay marriage. As you know Poland is a predominantly Catholic country. One of the examples is this joke told by one of their comedians:

“Mother talks to her son about him getting married. She says: my son, why don’t you get married? Our neighbour’s daughter, she is pretty, she can cook, she can clean, she has nice big boobs, she dresses nice… Why don’t you marry her my son?

Son answers her: But I would much prefer to marry John…

Mother says: but my son, John is Jewish!”

climbing is boring..

.. some people yawn.. some people check out their cameras.. and we don’t exactly know what others are doing.. lots of time to do many different things while waiting your turn to climb..

David, Nadine and Jason. Rock Climbing @ Star Chek, Cheakamus Canyon.

‘show and tell’ on how to put a very heavy backpack on.. ?

nothing else is needed to be said.. just watch and enjoy! And practice!

my first Whistler-Blackcomb EDGE Card

After falling on my chest while snowboarding in Whistler last Saturday (just had to use my new crisp EDGE Card!), I could not laugh, sneeze, get up while lying in bed.. so I decided on Thursday that it’s time to check what the heck is going on with my ribs. My boss drove me to the Burnaby Hospital and dropped me off at the Emergency. After being quickly admitted, first.. I waited in a big waiting room; then I was transferred to a small waiting room where I was to change into a ‘very stylish blue gown’, got checked again, and… waited waited and waited. Then Mr. Doctor came in, checked me out, and sent for x-rays. I waited for an x-ray for a bit, but not too long. Very nice lady x-ray technician took two photos of my chest and sent me back to the big waiting room. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait for my doctor for to long.. X-ray didn’t show any fractures, sweet! And, feel lot better today, which is even more sweet! Lesson learned: I need to snowboard more, so that I am better and never fall again

Frosty Mountain Summit

The summit silent movie.. volume up!

At the peak of Mount Frosty, Elevation 2408 meters.

Mount Frosty, E C Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia.

Evening on the Canada Line

Evening on the Canada Line – Waterfront Station – me & the gents..

The Lamar Transit Advertising team: Dan Maure (Sales Manager), Byron Montgomery (General Manager), Iwona Erskine-Kellie (Lead Production Coordinator), and Jay Sharpe (BC Operations Manager) was invited to participate in the Canada Line pre-opening reception last Thursday August 13th 2009.

The new Canada Line was officially launched today, months ahead of schedule and under budget at a cost of $2 billion. The new Canada Line skytrain will connect downtown Vancouver and YVR International Airport in Richmond. The ride from downtown Vancouver to the YVR is expected to take 25 minutes. It is also expected that Canada Line will help to relieve traffic congestion during the 2010 Vancouver Games in February.

The service will officially start today, August 17, and will be free to use 1-9 PM PST. Regular fares will apply starting Tuesday. Celebrations are scheduled at new skytrain stations. City officials will be in attendance.

More photos from the Evening on the Canada line can be found on my Flickr.

School fire in East Vancouver

East Vancouver Khalsa School consumed by fire

 

East Vancouver Khalsa School is being consumed by the fire. This is all the smoke that could be seen from the SkyTrain window when I’m on my way to work in Burnaby on this sunny and very hot Thursday morning. This photo was taken just before 8am this morning as the train was passing the Holdom SkyTrain station. Apparently there was not much left of the building.. luckily no one was hurt. The fire crew got the fire down by about 9:30am.

red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet..

On my way back home, from one full day of hiking the Garibaldi Park trails and mountains, I’ve experienced this gigantic beautiful rainbow spread out over the Sea-to-Sky Highway..