Life can change in the blink of an eye and most of you reading this know that.
My husband, Shayne, and I recently experienced a life event that shook us up. After feeling chest pain for a few weeks, Shayne finally let me make him an appointment with a doctor.
We learned that he was having a minor heart attack, which was a huge shock to us both (he's 43 years old). He was taken from the Pemberton Health Centre to St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver.
We spent the next three weeks there while Shayne waited for and recovered from quadruple bypass surgery. Not living near the hospital added a layer of stress but knowing that he was in good hands helped us get through this crisis.
Shayne is finally back in Pemberton recovering and we still have a long way to go.
The level of love, care and support that we have received from the community (friends, colleagues, neighbours, strangers, health practitioners and beyond) has left us speechless, which is a rare occurrence for me. I wanted to drop a note to all of you amazing humans to thank you for being in our lives.
This experience has been both taxing and humbling, but your compassion has helped us to navigate this chapter of our lives.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who donated money, gift cards, time and professional services because it has really helped us out.
If you aren't feeling like yourself or just don't feel 100-per-cent awesome, go to the doctor. Your health and your life are so important to both you and everyone around you.
Blair Kaplan Venables // Pemberton
