Brock Skywalker

Please sponsor me... again · 8 February 10

Hey Everyone!

On June 6^th, 2010 I will once again be running for a personal best at the San Diego Marathon. A personal best in speed AND in fund raising as a member of Team In Training raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC). So, here I go again, asking you to help by making a contribution! When you contribute, you are supporting LLSC‘s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. You can help by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on this link: http://tinyurl.com/brock-tnt

You will receive an email confirmation, along with a tax receipt for your donation (of $10 or more) and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation.

I’m completing this event in honour of all the people who are battling, or have battled, blood cancers, in particular my good friend Franny (who is currently in treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma), my running buddy James (a Lymphoma survivor), my grandmother Lena (a lymphoma survivor), my grandfather Bill (who died of Lymphoma) and my cousin Janice (who lost her battle with Leukemia at the age of 28).

Every five minutes, someone learns that he or she has leukemia, Hodgkin (or non-Hodgkin) lymphoma or myeloma. Every ten minutes, someone dies of a blood cancer… so I don’t need to tell you how much I stand behind and believe in this cause.
Please, donate what you can and feel free to forward this email along to anyone and everyone – my personal fund raising goal is $5000 so every little bit helps!

I offer you a huge “thank you!!” in advance for your support and I very much appreciate your generosity!!

— Brock

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CPR for Dummies · 11 January 10

On Saturday I took the “Emergency First Aid
with Level A CPR + AED” from good old St. John Ambulance and, prior fears aside, I have to say it was pretty awesome (as a general interest course and as therapy to help get me over my medical fears/phobias).

I am SO READY to put people in the Recovery Position and wail on their chests if they are in any sort of cardiological distress. I even managed to make it through the amputation and partial amputation part of the course (I did go lay down in the back of the class when I started to feel faint but I stayed conscious and the class cheered from me when they video ended and I was still watching).

As interesting as I found it and as much as I think I could actually perform the appropriate actions, should the need arise, I am still hoping I never have to use these new skills… I cling tight to the notion that the human body is filled with a beautiful and magical white light rather than the goop science says it is filled with.

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Movember! · 2 November 09

I was going to write a big blog about how I am taking part in Movember but the Edmonton Journal’s Sandra Sperounes scooped me... Damn you Sperounes!!!

Oh well, here I go anyway:

The Mo (slang for moustache) and Movember (the eleventh month of the year, formerly known as November) come together each year to create the world’s largest movement for men’s health – bringing much needed awareness and funding to men’s health; specifically prostate cancer.

The Movember Foundation challenges men to start Movember 1st (November 1st) clean shaven, then grow and groom their moustache for 30 days to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for prostate cancer.

I plan to take a photo of myself every morning for the next 30 days and post them here. The person who donates the most money to my Movember team will receive an autographed print of all 30 days! Whether you want it or not!

Sponsor me!

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Running for a Cure! · 23 January 09

On May 31^st I will be running for a personal best at the San Diego Marathon. A personal best in speed AND in fund raising as a member of Team In Training raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC). I’m asking you to help by making a contribution! When you contribute, you are supporting LLSC’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

You can help by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:

http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2038577

You will receive an email confirmation, along with a tax receipt for your donation and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation. You may also pay by cheque – send me an email and I will fill you in on how.

My grandmother, Lena Armstrong, is a survivor of lymphoma and my cousin, Janice Winsor, lost her battle with leukemia in 1996, at the age of 28. My Grandfather, Bill Dennis, was diagnosed with Lymphoma and died soon after, when I was very young… so I don’t need to tell you how much I stand behind and believe in this cause.

Please, give what you can – my personal fund raising goal is $5000 so every little bit helps!

I offer you a huge “thank you!!” in advance for your support, and very much appreciate your generosity!!

— Brock

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It's not the flu unless it is the flu! · 29 December 08

From www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Influenza (or flu) is a common respiratory illness affecting millions of Canadians each year.

Many people use the terms “flu” or “stomach flu” to describe other illnesses that may actually be a common cold or a mild case of food poisoning. There is no such thing as “stomach flu.” A true case of influenza typically starts with a headache, chills and cough, which are followed rapidly by fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches and fatigue, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and throat irritation. Children may have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but these symptoms are uncommon in adults.

Ok, have we got it straight now? Good.

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My own private marathon · 1 July 07

So, to celebrate Canada Day I headed out on my own little half-marathon this morning and I have to say… It felt AWESOME!

You can check out my www.motionbased.com page for details, if you want.

Now I am heading out to climb a mountain… or have a nap… haven’t decided which yet.

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Five second rule? · 14 June 07

We’ve all heard it, we’ve all (sort of) lived by it, but now it seems we must change our ways… for the better!

A college professor and her students challenged the “five-second rule”, which for generations has governed how long food can remain on the floor before it becomes “too gross to eat”.

It seems the actual time is really more like 30 seconds… read more about the study at www.newsday.com.

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Chilling news · 4 June 07

I don’t know about everyone else but I am freakin’ hot and, since I work downtown, there are a million coffee places within a 3 block radius of our office. So, before you become addicted to cold coffee drinks, like I am, you better take a look at this:

• Icepresso Chiller (Second Cup, 16 oz.) – 208 calories, 3 grams of fat
• Coffee Frappuccino (Starbucks, 16 oz.) – 240 calories, 2.5 grams of fat
• Iced Creme Brulee Ristretto (Second Cup, 16 oz.) -439 calories, 21 grams fat.
• Caramel Frappuccino (Starbucks, 16 oz.) – 400 calories, 11 grams fat.
• Iced Cappuccino (Tim Horton’s, 14 oz.) – 365 calories, 17 grams fat.

Luckily it is also running season. See you on the trails!

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What Yoga has taught me · 3 June 07

Savasana (Corpse Pose) – A way of saying “I am going to lay in the middle of the floor and do nothing for a while” and sound like you are doing something awesome.

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Audiological adventures · 5 February 07

Audiogram (hearing test)

The objective of a hearing test is to measure your threshold for hearing tones and speech. During the hearing test, the Audiologist will use headphones that most often look like something you would find in an old German u-boat.

When the test starts, you will be instructed to respond each time you hear a soft tone presented in either ear. In addition, you may occasionally hear a static noise in the background (masking noise) that should be ignored. The Audiologist will measure your threshold for tones over a range of frequencies (typically, the range is 250 to 8000 Hz – the frequency range necessary to understand speech).

Speech Testing is used to measure the lowest level at which you can repeat two-syllable words and also your ability to understand and repeat single-syllable words presented at a loud volume.

Electronystagmogram (ENG)

The most common audiological test ordered for individuals complaining of dizziness or vertigo. This test records and measures voluntary and involuntary eye movements, specifically nystagmus (the involuntary back and forth jerking movement of the eyes that occurs when the entire balance system is stimulated).

The ENG is comprised of a series of subtests:

• Oculomotor Analysis – patients perform various visual tasks that involve watching a little projected square dart around a wall
• Positional Testing – patients are placed in various body positions to determine if dizziness develops and to see if nystagmus occurs
• Caloric Stimulation – small amounts of both warm and cool water are introduced into each ear canal to independently stimulate the inner ear vestibular system

The patient wear goggles housing special video cameras that track eye movement that is reported to and recorded by a computer.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

This test is performed on an individual who is resting quietly. A series of clicks are presented to each ear through special earpieces inserted into the ear canals. The audiologist can vary the intensity of the clicks. The individual wears electrodes on their head which record appropriate brainwave activity. The averaging computer in the ABR unit then analyzes the information and it is compared to normal responses. If the results of the test suggest some degree of hearing loss, you may be referred for further testing.

Electrocochleography (ECoG)

This test is an objective measure of the electrical potentials generated in the inner ear as a result of sound stimulation. This test is most often used to determine if the inner ear (cochlea) has an excessive amount of fluid pressure which can cause symptoms such as hearing loss, aural fullness, dizziness, and/or tinnitus.

A patient undergoing an Ecochg test will have several surface electrodes placed on their head. A tiny microphone and an earphone will then be inserted into the canal of the test ear. The patient will be instructed to relax while they listen to a clicking sound. No response from the patient is required for this test.

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