Patrice Gordon NP
Highway 20 Tatlayoko Lake, BC, Canada

These last days, as I wrap up my practice, there is much sadness and much joy. I have such powerful memories shared with so many of you. I will cherish each and every one. Sechanalyagh to all of you for reaching out to wish me well on adventures ahead.

Wishing everyone all the best for the holiday season, and health and happiness for the coming year.

If you're going in to have lab work done at the hospital lab in Williams Lake, here's how to go about it... You can still phone to make an appointment but online booking is convenient too. And no waiting! :-)

?abenanes, everyone -- It's no longer news to most of you that I'll be retiring from my role of Family Nurse Practitioner in the Chilcotin at the end of December. I'm excited about new adventures but it will be very hard to no longer be traveling regularly to the eight communities I have come to know and love. I plan to stay connected with the communities on a personal level and look forward, once we have less Covid-related restrictions, to continuing to see many of you for... horseback riding, medicine gathering, cups of tea and the like. There will be three NPs hired to provide medical services in your communities but there may be a gap between my departure and the hiring of the new NPs. As I've discussed with many of you, please know that you will not be left stranded. There will be access for everyone to virtual care - both for First Nations and non-First Nations - as an interim measure, and if in-person care is required, there will be a plan for that. I will be posting the particulars in the next couple of weeks. Sechanalyagh for being part of my world for the past almost 15 years, for all that you've taught me and for giving me the great honour of sharing your lives with me. Stand by for more info!

It's the time of year when cold symptoms are common, so lots of people are wisely being tested to see if it's a run-of-the-mill cold or if it's Covid-19. We're really pleased that so many people are coming forward to be tested and are staying isolated while they wait for their results. We try to get those results to you as soon as they're off the press and I'm thrilled that is now made even easier. When you're tested for Covid-19, you can now register (see below) to have a text sent to your cell phone the minute your negative results are available. We know it isn't easy to stay isolated if your symptoms have all cleared up while you wait for results. True we don't have cell service, but if you've got access to WiFi, you can hopefully set up WiFi calling. Every little bit helps... :-)

Seeing Covid-19 case numbers in local health areas is somewhat reassuring, but we definitely need to stay vigilant. The Okanagan is taking the brunt, for sure.

Many people have seen the attached article in the WL Tribune. The reality of COVID-19 in our region is sobering to all of us. It will hopefully be a reminder th...at were not insulated out here and instill a resurgence of care and vigilance in taking precautions to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Please be reassured that there is no risk to the public from the situation referenced in the article... There is a team of highly trained experts who make sure that anyone who is infected or is a contact is isolated until their infectious period is past. We have the tools to be safe, to be calm and to be kind. Lets all make a point of using them. See more

More new cases than the lower mainland... If you NEED to make a trip to the Okanagan, do take every precaution, knowing that Covid is close. And if you can avoid the Okanagan for the time being, that would be wise.

As of next month, families will have another option for care when a new family member is coming!

WATCH: B.C. health officials provide July 20 update on COVID-19 response in the province, as well as the latest modelling numbers and survey results. MORE: https://bit.ly/3hl1q46

A good summary of risks and how to best protect yourself and loved ones.

Some cut and pasted food for thought about COVID-19. Were still doing really well with no cases in our area... but the numbers are climbing in BC and we need t...o remain thoughtful and vigilant. This is lengthy but worthwhile: "We literally do not know, what we do not know." Quote From Dr. Fauci. Chickenpox is a virus. Lots of people have had it, and probably dont think about it much once the initial illness has passed. But it stays in your body and lives there forever, and maybe when youre older, you have debilitatingly painful outbreaks of shingles. You dont just get over this virus in a few weeks, never to have another health effect. We know this because its been around for years, and has been studied medically for years. Herpes is also a virus. And once someone has it, it stays in your body and lives there forever, and anytime they get a little run down or stressed-out theyre going to have an outbreak. Maybe every time you have a big event coming up (school pictures, job interview, big date) youre going to get a cold sore. For the rest of your life. You dont just get over it in a few weeks. We know this because its been around for years, and been studied medically for years. HIV is a virus. It attacks the immune system and makes the carrier far more vulnerable to other illnesses. It has a list of symptoms and negative health impacts that goes on and on. It was decades before viable treatments were developed that allowed people to live with a reasonable quality of life. Once you have it, it lives in your body forever and there is no cure. Over time, that takes a toll on the body, putting people living with HIV at greater risk for health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, bone disease, liver disease, cognitive disorders, and some types of cancer. We know this because it has been around for years, and had been studied medically for years. Now with COVID-19, we have a novel virus that spreads rapidly and easily. The full spectrum of symptoms and health effects is only just beginning to be cataloged, much less understood. So far the symptoms may include: Fever Fatigue Coughing Pneumonia Chills/Trembling Acute respiratory distress Lung damage (potentially permanent) Loss of taste (a neurological symptom) Sore throat Headaches Difficulty breathing Mental confusion Diarrhea Nausea or vomiting Loss of appetite Strokes have also been reported in some people who have COVID-19 (even in the relatively young) Swollen eyes Blood clots Seizures Liver damage Kidney damage Rash COVID toes (weird, right?) People testing positive for COVID-19 have been documented to be sick even after 60 days. Many people are sick for weeks, get better, and then experience a rapid and sudden flare up and get sick all over again. A man in Seattle was hospitalized for 62 days, and while well enough to be released, still has a long road of recovery ahead of him. Not to mention a $1.1 million medical bill. Then there is MIS-C. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Children with MIS-C may have a fever and various symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extra tired. While rare, it has caused deaths. This disease has not been around for years. It has basically been 6 months. No one knows yet the long-term health effects, or how it may present itself years down the road for people who have been exposed. We literally *do not know* what we do not know. For those in our society who suggest that people being cautious are cowards, for people who refuse to take even the simplest of precautions to protect themselves and those around them, I want to ask, without hyperbole and in all sincerity: How dare you? How dare you risk the lives of others so cavalierly. How dare you decide for others that they should welcome exposure as "getting it over with", when literally no one knows who will be the lucky "mild symptoms" case, and who may fall ill and die. Because while we know that some people are more susceptible to suffering a more serious case, we also know that 20 and 30-year-olds have died, marathon runners and fitness nuts have died, children and infants have died. How dare you behave as though you know more than medical experts, when those same experts acknowledge that there is so much we dont yet know, but with what we DO know, are smart enough to be scared of how easily this is spread, and recommend baseline precautions such as: Frequent hand-washing Physical distancing Reduced social/public contact or interaction Mask wearing Covering your cough or sneeze Avoiding touching your face Sanitizing frequently touched surfaces The more things we can all do to mitigate our risk of exposure, the better off we all are, in my opinion. Not only does it flatten the curve and allow health care providers to maintain levels of service that arent immediately and catastrophically overwhelmed; it also reduces unnecessary suffering and deaths, and buys time for the scientific community to study the virus in order to come to a more full understanding of the breadth of its impacts in both the short and long term. I reject the notion that its "just a virus" and well all get it eventually. What a careless, lazy, heartless stance. Copy and paste to share.

Has everyone heard about this survey on racism experiences? Its been shared on various community and Nation pages, but just want to make sure its out there for all. Please take this opportunity to let your voice be heard. Share widely. Sechanalyagh.

Here are some great tips on how to safely wear a non-medical mask...

Everything is so confusing these days... Here is some info about Covid-19 risk exposure with various activities.

May 23/20 message from Dr Rob and NP Patrice:

May 13/20 message from Dr Rob and NP Patrice: In BC, weve managed to truly flatten the curve We accomplished this together through a lot of hard work and s...acrifice. We all miss our families and close friends and those gatherings we love to participate in in our communities. Most of us in the Chilcotin, as well as the rest of BC, have held to the Ministry of Health guidelines and as a result, weve been rewarded with far less Covid impact than much of the rest of Canada. For this, we, along with all the other health care providers along Highway 20, thank everyone who has made our jobs so much easier than could have been in the past two months. It appears that we are weathering the first wave better than we could have imagined. There is a lot of talk now about the second wave. And the third. And when this will all end. Well, the experts say it will only end with things returning to a new version of normal when a vaccine accessible to everyone on the planet is available. But what happens between now and then? As we all know, there is a phased restart planned in BC, with the first lightening of recommendations starting next week. This is welcome news but also a bit anxiety-provoking. Our province has done well so far through this first wave because people used common sense, listened to the experts, and made some sacrifices. As our worlds expand outwards gradually and more contact and movement is permitted, the second wave will potentially be allowed to sneak in. We need to take it slow, stay vigilant and use our common sense, to keep that curve as flat as possible. With the long weekend coming, tempting as it is to go visiting, please stick to the non-essential travel recommendation as best you can. Along with being cautious in enlarging our worlds again, we can also help flatten the second wave by being tested if we have any symptoms that could possibly be Covid-19-related: cough, fever, shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, sore throat, unexplained aches and pains, diarrhea, loss of sense of smell or taste Because if we detect it early on in our communities we can stop Covid-19 in its tracks. Weve tested many people in our region and theyve all been negative but testing, testing, testing is the way to make sure it doesnt get a foothold in any of our communities. So if you have any symptoms, please contact your local clinic and we will discuss appropriateness of testing, then make arrangements to get it done. And if you know of someone who has been tested, take a moment to silently thank them for stepping up for the protection of our most vulnerable people. Being tested is wise and it is kind. This is not going away anytime soon. Its a time for us to all be patient, to take care of each other, to be understanding and kind to each other. This pandemic is affecting people in many different ways financially, physically, emotionally and we all need each other to get through it Chilcotin Strong. Sechanalyagh, Dr. Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

April 28/20 message from Dr Rob and NP Patrice: Many of you will have heard that there was a recent concern about an individual visiting a Chilcotin community and subsequently testing positive for Covid 19. There has been a lot of misinformation and speculation and wed like to reassure that contacts were identified and they self-isolated and have all remained well 12 days after their exposure. The Communicable Disease Unit (CDU) has evidence-based criteria for contacts. Pe...ople who do not meet these criteria, even though they may have been in the same vicinity as the individual, are not considered to be at risk. People who have been in contact with designated contacts who do not have symptoms, are also not considered to be at risk. For example, if Person B is defined by the CDU as being a contact of Covid 19-positive Person A, Person B will be self-isolating and monitored for symptoms. If Person C was in contact with Person B, Person C will not be considered to be at risk. Clear as mud? Please see the attached Questions and Answers to help set some things straight. So Covid 19 has indeed appeared on our doorstep. The important thing to remember is that as long as we are all following the Ministry of Health guidelines around social distancing, hand washing, staying home except for essential movement outside the home we are maximizing our likelihood of remaining safe. It is quite reassuring to know that we have the power to keep ourselves and our families safe, as long as we use the tools weve been given. We want to strongly emphasize the importance of compassion in these times. If an individual develops symptoms, we want them to feel safe and willing to tell us, so that we can test them. If they test positive, we can then stop the chain of transmission in its tracks. Fear of judgment and community reaction can lead to a person choosing to hide their symptoms giving the virus a disastrous opportunity to take off like wildfire. Both of us have seen this unfold with disastrous outcomes in epidemics overseas. Remember - None of us are immune. Anyone who has shopped for groceries or been outside their home for any other reason could potentially be infected. So please take a moment to imagine what it would be like if it was you or your family member who was positive for the virus. We would all want to be treated with understanding and compassion. Fear and uncertainty is likely behind a good deal of the misinformation and judgmental comments appearing on social media. This virus doesnt care where you live or who your family is it is out there and will infect wherever the opportunity presents. So please. Be kind. Show compassion. Put yourself in the shoes of others. If you are wondering if you should be tested or if you have any questions, please reach out to your local health clinic, and know that we are standing behind all of you. Sechanalyagh/Thank you, Dr. Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

April 18/20 message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice:

April 8/2020 Message from NP Patrice and Dr Rob: Take a moment to reflect on this statement: I would rather miss my family and friends for a few months than... never see them again In the past 24 hours, four more people have died from COVID 19 in BC. In the past few days, weve been hearing reports of people in many communities west of Williams Lake getting together, some partying, some visiting but getting slack with the social distancing and stay at home guidance from our Provincial Health Officer. This worries us terribly and makes us think that weve maybe not sent a strong enough message. We hear a lot of Well, it was just a couple/few of us and were not sick but heres the deal: You may be one of the people who shows few or no symptoms of COVID 19 but is still passing it along to others. Staying in your community for 2 weeks is not the same as self-isolating. If you have been, not even into Williams Lake, but just to the General Store in any community, to the clinic, to the post office, to the band office, to the picnic table by the lake or to ANY place where others outside your household have been, you could possibly have been exposed. And you can then pass the infection on to people who are not able to fight off the virus successfully. They could become very ill. They could die. This is happening all over the province, all over the world -- and we need to understand that we are not safe out here unless we are VERY serious about the guidelines. Kids can also be healthy carriers of the COVID 19 virus and we know how difficult it is to keep children maintaining social distancing rules. This is a really hard thing. The sun is shining, kids want to be outside to play with their friends. But they can NOT be permitted to play together right now unless they live in the same household. Not with cousins from the house down the road. Not with healthy-looking kids from across the street. We need to be so strict about this. For the safety of our elders and vulnerable. We are fortunate that we can AS A HOUSEHOLD UNIT, be outside because we live where there is space to have that freedom without being in contact with others. But dont plan to meet up with other families at the park/beach/trails when there are kids involved who will not have the capacity to understand how critical social distancing is. Adhering strictly to the social distancing rules is also for the protection of another group of people who are in limited supply: Your health care providers. Thats us. Your NP, your doctor, your nurses, your health staff. Every time you get together, youre increasing the chance of being infected. When someone is sick and needs to be tested, it is us who come to do the test and then help arrange for care. It is the nurses in your community who may be involved if someone gets very sick suddenly. These situations increase the risk to us. Any disregard of the guidelines increases the chances that we are affected, no matter how careful we are. If we fall ill, who will replace us? Who then will care for you? We are working hard for you Please do your part to protect us. We can not stress strongly enough how serious this is. Its a global pandemic but it is also here on our doorstep. If you have to shame your friends/family/neighbours to encourage cooperation, then do so. The experts are warning that this may be about to take off in Canada we can be protected or we can be part of the crisis It is up to us to do the right thing. In case anyone is unclear about the guidelines: Stay home as much as possible Maintain social distance at least 6 feet from anyone outside your household when you do have to be around others Wash your hands often and well Cover your cough/sneeze If you need health care/advice, call ahead to your clinic We are here for you. Lets pull together. Sechanalyagh, Dr. Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

Did you know that if you drink a fair bit of alcohol, suddenly stopping can be FATAL? -- Its true. Dr Rob and I have some concerns that with isolation and stopping travel, some people who drink every day might suddenly run out of alcohol and try to stop drinking "cold turkey" without medical support. This is REALLY dangerous. We have ways to help you cut down safely. Please reach out and we can talk about it. Meanwhile, heres some background info...

April 5, 2020 Message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice: The world has seen some drastic changes in the month since we all started reacting to the news of this new virus. Last week Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer, gave us some good news on the trajectory of cases in BC. Along with that came the reminder that we have not reached the peak and we must ALL keep up the momentum. Our province is seeing some benefit from the early action in strong promotion of preventio...n strategies like hand-washing, cough/sneeze hygiene, no face touching as well as social distancing and self-isolation. The cooperation of so many across the province has helped flatten the curve meaning slow down the number of new cases each day. But there are still new cases being confirmed each day and we know we havent reached the peak yet. Now is when we need to make the most concerted effort to stay the course. We are so fortunate that we live where our back yard is huge and we can continue to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while still acting as though everyone outside of our household has the virus. Keep on staying home. If you have to go out and be around others outside of your household, remember the six feet rule. Remember that every trip to any setting that other people visit and possibly cough on or touch surfaces that we might then touch, whether in Williams Lake or closer to home, could potentially result in an exposure. Remember to wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. As of this morning, there were 1203 confirmed cases of COVID 19 in BC, 128 of those in Interior Health. Were doing well but we need to really dig in our heels to keep this number from climbing too much more. We both continue to schedule phone appointments as well as see urgent cases as needed. As we support our eight communities, we are very grateful to everyone for doing their part. Were all in this together. Sechanalyagh, Dr. Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon See more

Hopefully everyone was safely tucked in at home by March 25-27 but please read this if you were in the Cache Creek area on those dates. Thanks.

Message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice: If you visited the Save-on Foods Pharmacy in Sahali, Kamloops on the dates noted below, you may have been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case. Please read the Public Service Announcement below carefully and follow the self-isolation instructions noted as necessary. If you have any questions, please reach out to your local health team. Dr Rob and NP Patrice are available to provide guidance as needed. A reminder: Please act as though EVERYO...NE who is not part of your immediate household is COVID19 positive. Symptoms arent obvious so we wont know who has it and who doesnt. Its also important to kn that anyone who does have COVID19 is treated EXACTLY THE SAME as if they have respiratory symptoms of any kind, unless they are sick enough to need to be hospitalized. Stay home. Stay safe. Sechanalyagh. Dr Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

Scary but true. Take it seriously, everyone.

March 25/2020 - Message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice: We are all watching the COVID-19 epidemic worsen around the globe, including here in BC. At this point, I think everyone is familiar with what it means to distance socially, self-isolate and maintain strict hygiene with hand-washing and coughing/sneezing. If anyone has ANY questions about this, dont hesitate to reach out message NP Patrice, contact your local health care team. If you are wondering about any symptoms you ...may have, contact your local health team and they will escalate to us as necessary. While most of you are being very careful to follow the Ministry of Health recommendations, unfortunately, there are still people in our Chilcotin communities who are not taking this virus as seriously as it should be taken. We all need to conduct ourselves as though EVERYONE outside of our household contacts is COVID-19 positive. Every one of us could be infected we can NOT stress this strongly enough. It is no longer a virus that we will recognize in our midst by coughing and fever It is possible for someone to be infected and not have any symptoms. So getting together with your healthy-seeming friends is no longer an option. If you happen to be healthy and fit, you may not have severe symptoms with a COVID-19 infection, but think about your elderly family, friends, neighbours, and those with illnesses that you might not even know about that make them more vulnerable. It is of critical importance that the recommendations from the Ministry of Health are followed precisely. We are very busy 16+ hour days trying to help each of the eight communities west of Williams Lake look after our people while also preparing for our first COVID-19 case. We, along with your community nurses and health teams, need your help. Each and every one of you. Please. Please do your bit: 1) Stay home interact in person only with your household contacts 2) If you MUST be out, maintain very careful minimum 6 feet social distancing 3) If you have cough, fever, cold symptoms, use the self-assessment tool and/or contact your health team in your community who can get hold of us as needed. 4) Wash your hands as often as you can and use tissue/your elbow for cough/sneeze. 5) Avoid touching your face remind each other about this! 6) AVOID ALL SOCIAL GATHERINGS Sechanalyagh. Dr Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

March 22/2020: A message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice to the people of the communities west of Williams Lake: The COVID-19 pandemic is unlike any other crisis any of us have experienced in our lifetimes. We are working flat out to be there for all of you, along with the health care teams in each community, providing whatever care and support is needed. We are so grateful to everyone who is taking this situation very seriously, but to those who are not convinced yet, ple...ase understand: Your health care teams cannot do this alone. What each of us do NOW will impact the lives of everyone in the Chilcotin, and in British Columbia, in coming weeks and months. Lives, especially those of our elders and vulnerable, depend on our actions NOW. Our province is in a state of emergency. Our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has given us the following directives: Stay home unless absolutely necessary. (This means NO gatherings with people who dont live in your home, no activity that brings you into close proximity with anyone who doesnt live with you, for example, ride-sharing. Its acceptable to be outside with your house-mates enjoying the beauty around us as long as you do not come into contact with anyone else.) Stay 6 feet away from anyone besides your house-mates if you must go out. (the width of a car or two arms-lengths apart It is not ok to be in the same vehicle!) Wash your hands frequently (soap and water is better than hand sanitizer if you have the option) Keep reminding your loved ones to do all of the above. Do not do feel alone. We are all in this together. If you feel sick or feel that you should self-isolate, we implore you to reach out to your local health care team and inform them. This applies to all of us, including healthy young people. Youth CAN get sick from this virus themselves and will then infect others our precious elders, their parents and grandparents, and other loved ones. The time is now. We cant wait one more day. Or one more hour. Together, we will literally save lives. Take care of each other and know we are here to support you. Sechanalyagh Dr. Rob Coetzee NP Patrice Gordon

Hi everyone Today I worked from home not unusual for me to spend a lot of a day connecting with people through messaging and phone calls. I talked to moms who were wondering how to talk about COVID-19 to their kids, helped people arrange prescription refills, talked about the stress of whats going on these days and how easy it is to fall into patterns of drinking more many different conversations with different people. I had teleconferences and exchanged emails, phon...e calls and instant messages with people who are working super hard to help us all stay safe, and to support Dr. Rob and I in trying to help all of you. I followed the news. But I also spent a bit of time with Rob and the dogs walking around the edge of the frozen lake, brushing the horses and shoveling manure (oh joy!). I saw Trumpeter swans and the seasons first two robins AND was delighted to discover where the Stellars jays have a nest. The sun shone beautifully on us. As we learned with the wildfires in 2017, being constantly surrounded with worrisome talk and messaging can wear us down. While were being wise and doing all those clever things like hand-washing and social distancing, its also important to take care of our mental wellness by doing things that give us pleasure and help ease the pressure of whats going on around us. Social distancing doesnt mean we have to stay in our house it means we have to stay away from other people. Were so lucky to live where there is a LOT of opportunity for many of us to be out in the fresh air. So take the kids for a walk, play outside in the sunshine shovel some manure! Or read a book, knit some socks, learn to play the guitar or speak Swahili (you can learn ALL that stuff online nowadays!) And if you are feeling like you might be drinking more than you want to and would like some help with stopping/slowing down, send me a note. Theres help. Keep taking care of yourselves and each other. Sechanalyagh. --- patrice.

Social distancing... keeping us safe.

A message to all of you -- I know it can be scary and confusing right now to try to navigate all the information AND misinformation flying around. I want to reassure everyone that we are in good shape out here in the Chilcotin as long as we all stay the course Be serious about: Hand-washing with soap and water (or sanitizer second choice)... Coughing/sneezing into tissue (throw it out immediately) or your elbow (second choice) Practicing social distancing which means staying connected by phoning, messaging, email, BUT as much as possible, avoid visiting, gathering, getting together in person. This part is so hard but please understand that it will keep you safe, and keep your loved ones safe, more than anything else you do right now. I am going to be available to support the Tsilhqotin communities as needed 7 days per week. Contact me through social media (Patrice Gordon NP) or through the nurses/staff at the clinic in your community. In recent days, it has warmed my heart to see the caring for each other that is going on in our communities we are so fortunate in so many ways. If you need me, reach out -- Im here. Times are busy but Ill get back to you as quickly as I can, I assure you. Keep on taking care of yourselves and each other. Sechanalyagh, ---- Patrice.

Message from Dr. Rob and NP Patrice We are very fortunate to live in an area that is low risk for COVID-19. However, it is not NO risk. We are just one contaminated item away from having the virus in our midst. This doesnt mean we should panic it means we should all be smart and learn from what has happened and is happening in the world around us. Social distancing staying away from people unless otherwise necessary is the biggest key to preventing spread. And th...Continue reading

Lots of older people live alone and, naturally, we worry about them being able to reach out if theyre ill or injured. I dont know anything about this program except whats on the website but lets all check it out and see if it would help us care for each other even better. My 85 yr old mom lives alone on her farm - Im for sure going to see about this for her! $35/month with alarm button and auto fall-detection. https://www.telus.com///personal/livingwell-companion/home?

Protect yourself and others against viruses. In addition to the wise reminders below: **Stay home when youre sick** and **Avoid being around others who are unwell whenever possible**. Lots of bugs out there right now - Lets all try to stay healthy!!

Happy kids in the clinic is one of my FAVOURITE things... Lots of laughs and hugs today with little Izeiha at Tsi DelDel.

COVID-19 update - Its not anything to panic about, but we must also take it seriously as it affects more people in more countries. Another REALLY good reason for good hand-washing and cough hygiene practices! Heres an update from BCs Minister of Health...

Pretty icky. Soap and water is key to staying healthy while all these viruses are creeping through our communities. Teaching kids about hand-washing is soooo important... and then helping them until they can do it well on their own.

**DIABETES ROADSHOW**. Toosey/Tlesqox. I havent heard official dates for other communities yet, but theyll be in the week surrounding Tlesqoxs. Stand by - Ill post when I have confirmation.

Another beautiful day at Xeni. Its always such a joy to see these two little monkeys, Eddie and Sylvie. Look at those faces... they couldnt possibly be any cuter! But my goodness, theyre growing up too fast!!!

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade, everyone! Im recovering beautifully (and quickly!) from my fractured pelvis, and will be back working again starting on January 6. Im even riding again already and am very happy about that! I am so looking forward to seeing all of you again in the coming weeks. Sechanalyagh for your patience and your support while I was off with my injury.

Scary stuff out there - even more so than usual. If you or your family/friends are going to use, do it as safely as possible. Avoid using different drugs at the same time or using drugs and alcohol together. Dont use alone. Leave door unlocked. Tell someone to check on you. Test by using a small amount, then go slow.... Carry a Naloxone kit and know how to use it. Use at an overdose prevention or supervised consumption site if one is near you. (Ummm... if you happen to be near a city...) See more

Did you know... there are new strategies to help if alcohol is negatively affecting your life, or that of family members/friends? If I can help, please send me a message here to arrange for us to talk.

?abenanes -- Many of you will have heard that I was recently injured and will be laid up for a bit, not able to travel to communities. My biggest horse accidentally stepped on me and I have a broken pelvis - ouch. The healing is underway but I dont know how long it will be until Im driving again - a couple of weeks anyway. In the meantime, Im available still for phone appointments - just send me a message via the "Send Message" button and we can arrange to speak. Im able to help with a lot of things this way, including arranging medication refills, ordering blood work and a variety of other things. I apologize for not being available for this time and promise to be back as soon as I possibly can! Sechanalyagh. (ps - Heres Galahad, my big boy that I collided with )

Ways to protect against spread of flu: 1) Wash your hands lots 2) Avoid touching your face 3) Stay clear of sick people 4) Stay home if youre sick yourself ... 5) Get vaccinated See more