Day 32: Rest in Winnipeg!

Vanessa and I have finally reached a point in our trip where
describing the distance we've covered sounds absolutely ludicrous.
This morning we turned on our iphone and zoomed the map back far
enough to examine our route to date, start to finish. Seeing the line
we've travelled snake halfway across the country filled us both with a
mixed sense of awe and bewilderment. We've now travelled
approximately 2500 km to what geographically is roughly halfway across
the country. The irony is, with the route we've chosen, we still have
about two thirds of our distance to go.

Winnipeg like every place we've visited has been full of surprises.
We started our day with a visit to the Reh-Fit Centre where we held a
Q & A on our trip to date and were treated to a tour of the
facilities. Vanessa and I we're blown away by the facility itself,
but the careful thought that the staff and organizers put into their
rehab program was absoleutly inspiring. They have put a real emphasis
on creating a safe and pressure free environment where people can be
active, socialize and learn. The centre's focus on patient welfare
goes far enough to make a psychiatric assessment part of their
admission process.

After my heart surgery I volunteered at the Toronto General Hospital
visiting patients before and after cardiac surgery through a
mentorship program. One of the things we were advised to stress and
bring attention to is the mental toll surgery takes on patients. Many
understandably suffer through depression, feelings of inadequacy or
worse, as a result of surgery. I personally spent a lot of time after
my surgery dwelling on the unfairness of the situation and the effect
it would have on my life for years to come. To see this centre tackle
this issue so directly really stresses why Vanessa and I see these
programs as such an important part of recovery. They provide more
than than just physical rehabilitation. They offer mental and social
supports that are absolutely critical post surgery.

After our visit Vanessa and I ventured into the city itself and spent
the afternoon exploring the downtown. Much of our day was spent in
"The Forks" a farmers and artists market in the south east end on the
core. There we picked up some fresh veggies for the evening (which
we've been lacking) and treated ourselves to some frozen yogurt.
Winnipeg, like so many cities, is a vibrant collection of
neighbourhoods. Yesterday, as we rode into town from the west, it
almost felt as if we passed through a series of distinct towns on our
way to the core. We only wish we had the time to explore them all.

This evening Vanessa and I have enjoyed a rare 'three pan' meal in our
suite in The Place Louis Riel Hotel. They were nice enough to let us
stay for two nights where we have a king size bed that far surpasses
our air mattresses. Vanessa and I would like to take this opportunity
to say thank you for helping us take a much needed rest.

Looking to the road ahead we still have a long way to go, but our
confidence has really grown since our early days in British Columbia.
By taking our days one by one we are inching our way across the map.