Christian gives my ear a tug for every candle on my birthday cake - it's become expected at this point! After all, my parents started this tradition in 1970. But then comes the best part: indulging in delicious slice of Hungarian Esterházy cake.
Thanks to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday.
The Yonge North York BIA proudly
introduces its "Spring Lanterns" exhibit. This vibrant feature attraction brings a touch of Sichuan, China to various locations throughout our district, including shopping centres, office buildings and our famous Mel Lastman Square. The captivating traditional Chinese silk lantern displays are on debut until April 30th!
Crafted by skilled artisans in Sichuan, China renowned as the capital of traditional Chinese lantern making, these lanterns offer a glimpse into the numerous panda lanterns, paying homage to this beloved national emblem of China. Pandas, known for residing primarily in the mountains of Sichuan, symbolize the harmony between nature and culture. Yonge Sheppard Centre
#TheFluffiesChannel #yongenorthyork #YongeSheppardCentre
A vending machine for meals.•#vendingmachine #goldboxkitchen #fluffiesonthego #toronto #canadá fluffies
Our 23rd anniversary is coming up so we started to celebrate it earlier.
Visiting the traditional Canadian National Exhibition, in Toronto 🇨🇦, Eric tried the mouthwatering Donut Burger!
#DonutBurger #letsgototheex2023 #toronto #cne2023 #canada #TheFluffiesChannel #thefluffies
Visiting the traditional Canadian National Exhibition, in Toronto 🇨🇦, Eric tried the mouthwatering Donut Burger! #DonutBurger #letsgototheex2023 #toronto #cne2023 #canada #TheFluffiesChannel #thefluffies
While visiting Niagara Falls, in Ontario, Canada, we came across an ATM for cakes by the famous Carlo’s Bake Shop. Since the Fluffies like cakes, we decided to try it out.They’re all over Canada now, including 5 ATMs at Toronto Pearson International Airport !
When you need to use the bathroom, no matter where you are, it’s important to know you can do it with the right accessible toilet.Thanks Toronto International Brazilfest and Arilda De Oliveira for taking care of me!#torontobrazilfest #torontobrazilfest2023 #toronto #earlscourtpark #accessibility #accessibilityforall #brazilfest #canada #thefluffies #thefluffieschannel
TUCKED BEHIND TORONTO’S FLATIRON building (yes, New York isn’t the only one), is a whimsical, ornate fountain honoring humankind’s best friend. The fountain honors the four-legged visitors who frequent this neighborhood spot.
The three tiers of fountain include sculptures of beloved pooches, including a Great Dane puppy, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a giant Schnauzer, and a West Highland Terrier, gleefully spitting spurts of water. But dogs aren’t the only creatures you’ll find here—keep an eye out for a cat, too.
A few of the 27 dog breeds featured at the fountain are:
Fox Terrier, St.Bernard, Dalmatian, West Highland Terrier, Great Dane, Jack Russell Terrier, St.Bernard, Giant Schnauzer, Golden Retriever, Beagle, Pug, and the Bernese Mountain Dog just to name a few. Puppy sculptures of a few of the aforementioned breeds are also prominent at the fountain.
#dogfountain #dogfountaintoronto #toronto #fluffiesonthego #thefluffieschannel #thefluffies #berczypark #berczyparktoronto
Our nephew @joao_pedersen is visiting us for two months from Brazil. Last night he made one of my favorite side dishes, something called vinaigrette. This is his first time making it on his own. It is so delicious that I had three helpings.
#throwback - Bertioga, São Paulo, Brazil - May 2016. The Fluffies before TikTok!
This huge storm has caused many deaths, landslides, and lots of problems in the north coast of Sāo Paulo state, in Brazil, where our family lives. They’re doing fine because luckily there are in a part of their city where it’s out of danger.
In 2016, when we went to our cousins rewedding, we recorded this video near the beach in a city called Bertioga (not the same city where our family lives). Bertioga was also affected by the storm.
Our love and support to everyone there.
Physiotherapy with snow today…
Fluffygate 2.0
It has been three weeks since our last Fluffygate. We decided to take a short break from the daily updates and only write when something big happens. So let me catch you up a bit.
With some help from our good friend Dan, I did some repositioning of our bedroom furniture to make it easier for Christian to get into bed and walk to the couch and/or bathroom; bought a bed rail for Christian’s side of the bed; had to buy a new toilet seat raiser as the original one was not for an elongated toilet. I ended up ordering couch raisers to raise the couch higher to make it easier for Christian to stand up from the couch. As well, we got some raisers for the dining room table so Christian can wheel his wheelchair under so he can use the laptop. Thanks Amazon ; however, a few days later I saw smaller raisers at the Dollarama next door to us.
We also had two visits from the Occupational Therapist. He suggested we get two grab bars for the shower, as well as subscribe Christian to a service that contacts 9-1-1 at the push of a button. We had already ordered a shower bench and are just waiting it to be delivered.
We have had Personal Support Workers (PSW) come in once a day to help. It is not always the same person each time.
We have done a video for our YouTube channel on the topic of accessibility and will be doing more. Feel free to watch it on the Fluffies Channel:
https://youtu.be/ielkmbIqPuo
One major issue we have is elevators and doors. They are on timers, but it seems that they are timed for people who are mobile, not people in wheelchairs. Because of this issue, when we are getting on or off the elevator, the door keeps knocking on the wheelchair. The red caps on the wheelchair brakes have disappeared and we have lost them. Next week, the wheelchair manufacturer is coming to replace them.
We have also had some experience now with WheelTrans, a paratransit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, provided by the Toronto Transit Commission. It provide
Fluffygate: Day 189 by Eric (Aug 14)
Today was an excellent day. I woke up as usual, took a power nap with Christian.
Before I went down to the rehab, I walked over to the hardware store to buy a plank for the couch. It is a few years old and sags, so I needed to go buy some plywood to put underneath the cushion to raise the couch a bit. Also, it would help Christian when he has to get up. The guy at the store was very helpful and even got me an extra 10% discount. I borrowed a cart and wheeled the plywood the three blocks back home, put it under the couch and tried it on. Perfect fit.
Then I went down to see Christian. I arrived a little after he was served lunch. I got him ready to go upstairs. While I taught my class to my student in Ostrava, Czechia, Christian did some work.
Then our friend Dan arrived. I took Christian to the second floor where there is an empty corridor and we practiced walking. I was so proud of Christian. He walked down the corridor and only stopped and sat down once and once again on the way back. Luckily I was standing behind him and he didn’t see tears of joy going down my face.
Then we went back to the roof for some more fresh air and then back to his room. He was a little tired, so Christian took a nap. Then we had dinner and watched an episode of “Instant Dream House”
When I got home, we watched the last episode of the first season of “Instant Dream House.” It is incredible that they manage to change the house in under 12 hours. I hope they will have a second season.
We then started an Egyptian Netflix series called “Finding Ola.” After a life-altering event, Ola embarks on a journey of self-discovery while dealing with the challenges of raising two children and making ends meet. We love learning about new cultures.
Fluffygate: Day 155 by Eric (July 10)
Today was a very quiet day. I went for breakfast at Denny’s. We used to go there when we were going to Montreal by bus as it was located next to the bus station, but that station has since closed. I had my favorite breakfast, the American slam - three scrambled eggs with cheese, hash brown with cheese, sourdough toast, and bacon. Gotta love cheese!
Then I arrived at Toronto General Hospital. Christian had two blood transfusions today as his hemoglobin is still under 70. The highest it got was 65. He needs to be higher than 70 to be able to get transferred back to Toronto Grace Health Centre.
Also, I learned that there is a website for the University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital) like North York General’s MyChart Network where we can have access to every test results that Christian takes. So while Christian napped, I set the account up and looked at some of the results. Some were saying he was in the right range, while a few said it was low and some said it was high. For example, his Creatine kinase level is below the standard range. This test measures the amount of creatine kinase (CK) in the blood. Then there was the CREATININE SERUM test, which is used to see if your kidneys are working normally. They were a little elevated. It is very interesting to have access to these results.
Toronto General seems to much quieter than Toronto Grace so Christian is catching up on some I have needed sleep.
Another interesting thing is they mix genders in the rooms. In this room of four, there are two men and two women; however there is very little communication between them. We miss the friends we have made at Toronto Grace.
But the staff at Toronto General are extremely caring and attentive. Two of the nurses he had over the weekend remember us from our three day visit back in May, in a room four rooms away.
He saw the occupational and physiotherapist, which is something we don’t often see on weekends at Toront
Fluffygate: Day 140 by Eric (June 25)
Today I ended up picking up lunch for Christian at Tim Horton’s. They were starting to get ready for the Dyke March, which starts the Pride weekend in Toronto. Then Sunday is the actual Pride Parade.
It was a kind of lazy day today. We decided not to go to the roof garden today as we have plans to meet some of the friends we have made while Christian has been at Toronto Grace Health Centre upstairs and watch the parade together. I ended up taking some pics from various windows on the 4th floor of the hospital and I made this short video from Christian’s room while he took a nap.
After his nap, we watched the final episode of “Love, Victor” and our eight virtual movie of the 30th Toronto International Film Festival, “The Gaudiopolis, the Republic of Children.” We originally only got tickets for nine movies, but we added this one when we learned it was a Hungarian documentary. Then, we watched an episode of “The Equalizer.”
When I arrived home, we watched “The Presence of Love.“
Fluffygate: Day 140 by Eric (June 25)
Today I ended up picking up lunch for Christian at Tim Horton’s. They were starting to get ready for the Dyke March, which starts the Pride weekend in Toronto. Then Sunday is the actual Pride Parade.
It was a kind of lazy day today. We decided not to go to the roof garden today as we have plans to meet some of the friends we have made while Christian has been at Toronto Grace Health Centre upstairs and watch the parade together. I ended up taking some pics from various windows on the 4th floor of the hospital and I made this short video from Christian’s room while he took a nap.
After his nap, we watched the final episode of “Love, Victor” and our eight virtual movie of the 30th Toronto International Film Festival, “The Gaudiopolis, the Republic of Children.” We originally only got tickets for nine movies, but we added this one when we learned it was a Hungarian documentary. After, we watched an episode of “The Equalizer.”
When I arrived home, we watched “The Presence of Love.“
Fluffygate: Day 132 by Eric (June 17)
Today I arrived at the Toronto Grace Health Centre with my lunch. Christian went into his shower and I went to the talk to the girls next door while I waited for him.
Then we ate lunch and Christian got ready for his Occupational Therapist session. Today Christian stood for two minutes about four times. But when he did the swaying action he did it for about 70 seconds.
Once that was done, we went up to the roof garden to spend time with our friends, get some fresh air and some sun. After about an hour, Christian was feeling some chest pains, so I brought him inside and got his doctor to check him out. He thinks that maybe it was heartburn and gave him some liquid to drink. Also, one of the volunteers, who just happens to be Hungarian, baked us some mini challah loaves. When I brought him down, we tried it. It was so fluffy.
After dinner, we watched our second movie of the 30th Toronto Jewish Film Festival, “Perfect Strangers.” (See other post)
Then when I got home, we watched “Love, Victor” on Disney Plus.
Fluffygate: Day 113 by Eric (June 7)
Got to Toronto Grace Hospital a little after noon. We had lunch while watching Top Chef, but had to stop in the middle as Tuesday is rehab day. Christian did six reps for 70 seconds.
Afterwards we went up to the roof garden and sat and talked with some of the other patients. Thank god the roof garden is partly covered because it started to rain, but the part we sat under kept us safe. The rain caught our attention so we filmed it.
Then we went down to Christian’s room. We worked a bit on our bear instagram page.
Then dinner came and we continued watching the “Top Chef” episode we started earlier. There was still some time before visiting hours ended, so we watched an episode of “The Good Doctor.”
Then I left to go home. We watched two episodes of “9-1-1 Lone Star.”
