We aim to update this page frequently, so call back regularly to find out what is going on in the life of one Canada's BC Coast authors.

October 14, 2009

The lavender and veggie harvests were excellent this year thanks to lots of sunshine. We distilled 3 litres of essential oil from our lavender patch - 3 times more than last year!

We've just had our annual visit from the bear to clean up any apples that we hadn't harvested, and he took his fill from the one tree that I don't like, only breaking two branches. I really hoped he'd break the whole thing down! This year we beat him to the crab apples - they were harvested and shared with neighbours and now sit as jars of jelly on our shelves.

June 16, 2009

Once again time has flown by, but this year is shaping up so much better than last. On March 24 I had a "scope" exam in Victoria, the result of which was that my plumbing was OK to be reconnected! Hooray! I will get rid of that horrid bag! May 29 saw me back on the operating table. Due to some complications the operation took a little over 4 hours and a second sugeon was brought in to assist. Despite this all went well and I was sent home after 9 days where I am now making everybody's lives misery as my recovery is slower than I would like and I want to get out and DO things! Thanks to help from good friends the garden was fully planted and we have commenced harvesting and it looks like we will have lots of fresh fruit and veggies.

December 26, 2008

I started my radiation therapy at the BC Cancer Centre in Victoria on November 25, as planned.
On November 28 my sister flew out from the UK to visit us and stayed with me at the Cancer Lodge. As she is a nurse in the UK, she was naturally very interested in the medical care here in BC. Well, quite frankly she was "blown away" with the superb standard of care I am receiving. She came with me for consultations with both my oncologists and my surgeon, and had nothing but the highest praise for them. She was also amazed at the wonderful co-ordination between the Freemasons' free travel arrangements and the Cancer Lodge. We hired a car and "did" Victoria, since my treatment only took 10 minutes or so daily and I had none of the horribly debilitating side effects that I had had with the 'chemo'. We even managed to see the wonderful Christmas decorations at the Butchard Gardens.
See me aboard the "Starship Enterprise".
Despite the weather - we've had about 50cm snow since December 13, and it is snowing as I am writing this - and with temperatures down to -14C, I've not missed an appointment and am on track for my last treatment on New Year's Eve. Hooray! There's going to be some celebration when we go to visit friends in Vancouver for a few days!

On December 9 Robin came to stay with me at the Cancer Lodge and I put on a presentation there for about 25 enthralled listeners.

November 12, 2008

First I must apologize for the delay in updating the site with my news, but this year has been most unkind to me. In fact, if I may quote our good Queen Elizabeth, it has been an "annus horribilis".
In February I found the dreaded lump in my left breast. Now, as Robin will tell you, my boobs have always been lumpy so we weren't especially worried but I went for a mammogram but nothing showed up, so an ultrasound scan was done and the radiologist spotted something suspicious. A partial mastectomy was carried out and the results confirmed some aggressive stage 3 cancer present with invasion of the lymph system. So under the knife again for a complete mastectomy and node removal. Seven out of eight nodes tested positive but somehow the seriousness of the situation was not immediately grasped and it was 14 weeks later - and then only after quite aggressive self advocating - that chemotherapy commenced!
All went well at first; sure my hair fell out, but everybody said I had a really nice shaped head, and it was summertime and warm, so that wasn't too bad. I felt weak and grotty but never nauseous. Life was tolerable.
Then after 9 weeks on the first cocktail of chemo drugs I started the first of 3 rounds of Docytaxel. It was OK for a few days but then I suffered the most horrendous stomach pains along with the dreaded trots. Now this was not supposed to happen, but as the hospital to which the cancer clinic was attached was having problems with an enteritis-type outbreak, the clinic doctor put it down to that. Then a few days before my next treatment I started feeling pretty OK so the doctor suggested that we go ahead with the next round - well, they are supposed to know best aren't they?
Within 4 days I was again suffering severe abdominal pains and also vomiting. In emergency at the local hospital that evening I was popped up with morphine and pumped full of saline. Amazingly - as we found out later - I was sent home again. Not for long though, for by 4am the pain was worse than ever, so Robin took me back to Emergency. This time I was admitted. X-rays showed I had a perforated colon and peritonitis, and by 3pm a medevac helicopter took off carrying me to Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria. (Some people thought I'd do anything for a second "rescue" by helicopter!) By 6:30pm I was on the operating table having my guts flushed out and a chunk of colon cut out. So I've lost a boob and part of my gut and gained a colostomy - not a very fair exchange but I am alive! Robin told me later that the ICU doctor in Port Alberni only gave me a 50:50 chance at best!
I spent a week in Victoria in the ICU with so many tubes in me I looked like a porcupine. Within two days when I roused from heavy sedation I saw the beaming faces of Lisa and Billy, my two fabulous children, who had flown immediately from PEI and Ottawa, Ontario respectively, to encourage me to fight and be strong for them and their families. They were agreat support and great company for Robin too for a week. It was sad to see them leave, but I knew then I couldn't let them all down.
I was transferred to a cramped surgical ward for my second week, and then was spirited away in the early hours of one morning to the oncology ward for a third week, but that is another story! Subsequently I learnt that the surgical ward left me with a VRE legacy! (That's one of the super bug!) So it was a pathetic little thing that Robin brought home to the farm, still suffering the side effects of the dire Docetaxel chemotherapy, an unwelcome colostomy, a 4-inch open wound in my stomach where I popped my staples, and a superbug. Not a good prospect for him.
Progress for the first 7 weeks was painfully slow, but Robin never faltered, continuing with all my chores as well his and encouraging me back to health, cooking the most enticing tiny meals for me to encourage my appetite. He also bought me a fabulous welcome home gift - a MacBook laptop!
So now the lavender harvest is in, the bushes have been trimmed, all thanks to some very special friends. I am getting stronger day by day and I have beaten the VRE bug too. There will be no more chemotherapy for me - they don't actually intend to kill me and I don't need any more surprises! Now I'm feeling human again it's time to tackle the next round of treatment, and 6 weeks of radiation will begin on 25 November.
If it weren't for Robin's quiet support and incredible strength, and the support from family and many friends, both near and far, and that of unknown well-wishers too, I wouldn't be writing this now. I am truly blessed! Thanks everyone.

April 24, 2008

Regretably the presentations scheduled for today at Lantzville and June 10th at Nanaimo have had to be cancelled. A few weeks back Maggi was diagnosed with breast cancer and has since undergone a partial then complete mastectomy of the affected breast. So she is suffering a period of forced inactivity (a relative term in her case) whilst she recovers from the surgery and awaits the pathology reports which will determine future treatments. A little reluctantly we have decided to put the farm on the market but that will allow us time to indulge in more local (BC), Canadian and world travelling. So there could well be more tales to tell.
If you are interested in what the farm has to offer or just curious as to what it looks like, please visit the farm web site.
The full web site should be uploaded in a day or two.

March 6, 2008

Where does the time go? Winter (at least on the West coast) is almost over.
Our herd mother - Beauty - a Jersey/Dexter/Hereford cross - broke a hind leg and had to be put down and her daughter Maeve escaped to find the bull on a neighbours farm!
Lady Duck failed to incubate a brood for the first time ever and the lavender has not fared well.
But that is life on a small farm.
Looking ahead; Maggi will be making presentations to the Lantzville Probus club at 9:00 am April 24 at the Costin Hall and
on June 10 at 9:30 am to the Nanaimo Probus club at the Nanaimo Yacht Club.
for details email Maggi

September 23, 2007

The autumn equinox is passed and fall has officially arrived.
Maggi will be making a presentation to the Cape Lazo Power Squadron at the White Spot, Courtenay at 7 pm on October 24.
Contact Larin Benoit at usa2canadaeh@hotmail.com

August, 2007

On July 31 Maggi held spellbound a well attended luncheon meeting of the Comox Valley Rotary Club at Courtenay's Coast Westerly hotel.

"...I was awed by your presentation yesterday. What a life changing experience. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Please send a few photos from your trip to me today or tomorrow if you can. I send the newsletter out by Thursday evening....

Thanks very much.
Mardy Bodie-Atkin - Bulletin Editor, Courtenay Rotary Club"

July 8, 2007

Read a great review from The Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

Wow! where has the year gone?
Summer on the farm has been a madhouse. The hens went broody one after the other so we now have dozens of baby chicks running around. Beauty's calf, Maeve, became immune to the electric fence and decided that stomping the lavender was more fun than grazing with mother! Lady Duck hatched a clutch of 18 ducklings and lavender harvesting has begun.

On June 20 Maggi made another gripping presentation, this time to the Comox Valley Probus Club; over 100 enthralled listeners were present at 19 Wing Officers' Mess.

March 29, 2007

Maggi is back from a very successful series of speaking engagements at the Frazer Valley Regional Library (Murrayville, Walnut Grove, North Delta and Mission Branches), West Vancouver Yacht Club, Deep Bay Yacht Club and Comox Valley Yacht Club.

Read some reviews, see some photos or check out 'Spring on the Farm'.

February 19, 2007

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

More Reviews

December 28, 2006

The CBC News:Sunday video is now available for viewing.

December 18, 2006

Some great new reviews of the book just in.

November 30, 2006

CBC News: Sunday has graciously offered to mention Maggi's website address in the feedback section of this week's show.
Many thanks to CBC!

November 29, 2006

Well the show went to air on the 24th and, apart from a jerky audio cut towards the end, was professionally put together. Our 11 hours of filming condensed to 7 to 8 minutes! Not unlike our 6 years with Orca, over in a few minutes!
Unfortunately the presenters failed to mention Maggi's website, as had been promised, and its link was also left off the show's website - despite another segment's website being prominently displayed.
After firm, but polite, emails CBC promised to add the link to their site; this was done but they managed to corrupt the text of the link so it did not work for two days. People would naturally think there was a problem with Maggi's site, not that of the CBC - now there is something for all you conspiracy theorists to ponder!
Another flurry of emails and profuse apologies from the CBC and the link is at last working this morning!

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Meanwhile on the farm winter has set in with a vengence, so it's a continual round of breaking ice, carrying hot water to the animals and digging out. It's supposed to turn to rain tomorrow so then it will be back to wallowing knee-deep in mud - ah well, such is life on the west coast of Canada!

November 24, 2006

We've just heard the programme goes to air this Sunday, November 26.

So tune your set to "CBC News: Sunday"; 2pm in the Pacific Time Zone - check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.

November 7, 2006

A team from CBC News: Sunday - Canada's award-winning première Sunday TV News and Current Affairs programme - spent 2 days recently filming Maggi at the Port Alberni Farmers' Market - where she has been a year-round stallholder for the last 8 years; and Maggi and Robin at their farm, tucked under the Beaufort mountains by Stamp Falls Provincial Park.

The highlight, of course, was the interview section on their adventures with the ex-drug boat Orca which after sailing the southern seas was caught in Cyclone Justin, and sinking in the Coral Sea. They talk of the rescue by the Queensland Emergency Services helicopter, after being located by a US C130 (Hercules) in the vicinity; the crew of which selflessly volunteered to fly into the cyclone to carry out this heroic venture. The book is dedicated to these brave people.

October 28, 2006

A wonderful and successful private launch party was hosted by Maggi at The BatStar Cafe & Picnic. Some 60 invitees attended, enjoying a complementary buffet with fine wines available from the BatStar cellar. The evening was rounded out by some sprited readings by Maggi, which had people laughing and crying, and guests took advantage of having their books signed with a personal dedication by the author.

This was followed by an equally successful public launch party on November 2, again held at The BatStar Cafe & Picnic, with many attending.

Thank you Port Alberni for great support!