NICE WINTER, WHA???

You know, we like to say if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute, it'll change.............well maybe, but it's winter in Canada, what do you expect?

This hard frosty cold air might help kill off some earwigs, beetles and mosquitoes and mice, one could only hope. And more snow? Well, I never met a farmer who would say no to rain, and this is our winter rain. After a summer of crushing heat and drought, we should be thankful for the snowfall. It's not biblical proportions. Yet.

This week saw me being thankful for lots of things.

I've been having some back soreness, and then developed some wicked sharp pains that hit repeatedly up under my shoulder blade, into my upper arm, left side. So of course, you think, heart issue. And I'm no spring chicken anymore. Poor Jamie was ready to fly me to the moon.

The earliest I could see my doctor was Thursday, there was no emergency in Kings County, a snowstorm was pending, and there was no end in sight for the pain, so I did something I've never had to do in my 68 years.

I called 911. I was exhausted and in tears.

And I didn't know what to expect, but from the first conversation with the dispatcher to the arrival of the paramedics, I felt well looked after and taken seriously.

The heart readout was normal, although my blood pressure was up, but whose wouldn't be? And it settled down as they finished up. I was relieved at once, since it could have been my heart, I was pretty worried, as I'd never had pain like that before.

The first responders were kind, patient, professional and very thorough. They even apologized for getting water all over my clean floors, as if I cared at that point. But how courteous.

They gave me a recommendation based on their experience and they turned out to be right.

What would my analysis be?

The initial dispatcher? Excellent.

The prompt arrival of first responders? Excellent.

The consult with the pharmacists at Main St. Pharmasave? Excellent.

And a follow-up phone call from 911 to check on me? You couldn't ask for better.

I know we have a lot of problems and our health care system is "broken" but my experience was a positive one.

I often say that I never take my good health for granted and I don't.

But every now and then, something comes along to put a stick in the spokes and slow you down.

Okay, universe.

I get it.