Alex & Jen: The Amazing Story Behind A Sweet Marriage Proposal On The Trent University Bridge
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Peterborough Blogs
The Invisible Bully: Peterborough Boy Pens Powerful Letter About Living With A Concussion
/The PVNCCDSB shared a powerful letter on their Facebook page (see in its entirety below) from Grade 6 St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School student Jack Crawford. The 11-year-old, who plays hockey for the Minor Peewee AA Petes, wrote about what it's like to live with a concussion—"I had my own invisible bully in my brain but I couldn’t stand up to it," he eloquently says.
His mother Amelia tells PTBOCanada seeing her child suffering through this was devastating: "A concussion is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and 'traumatic' would be how I would describe this experience as a parent. To see your child suffer physically, socially and emotionally is devastating. I would tell Jack over and over again that 'God always has a way of making something good come from difficult.' Now that Jack has had a chance to tell his story, he truly feels like good has come from his struggle, which is amazing."
Jack Crawford
Here is the letter Jack wrote...
I am very lucky kid. I have a great family, I have lots of good friends, I play on a great hockey team, and school is fun. I am grateful for all of these things, but something happened to me that has changed how I felt about everything.
About one year ago, while I was outside playing, I ran straight into a pole. It sounds funny, it probably even looked funny, but it was a big deal and it changed my life. I suffered from a pretty bad concussion, and I had no idea what impact it would have on me. I thought a concussion was just a big headache, but it was so much more than that.
For about a week after my concussion, I had to miss school and after-school activities. I slept for days. I couldn’t stand to be near a light, see a screen, read or do anything that I had to focus on. I slowly started to feel okay but I was very frustrated when I started to feel a bit better and I couldn’t do anything. No TV, no reading, no screens. All I was allowed to do was go outside and walk.
I went back to school a couple weeks later, and I thought because I felt good enough to go back to school that I was totally better. I didn’t realize concussions lasted a long time. The sound of the bell bothered me and I couldn’t go out on the schoolyard because it felt like there was too much going on. My relationships with my friends seemed strange and I was really sensitive about everything. I felt like people were making me sad a lot easier than before. I was acting funny and I never thought before I spoke.
When people joked around with me I thought they were being serious and took it personally. I wasn’t myself. I tried to be cool but I was just being bold and weird. I was angry at myself for not being ‘me.’ Whenever I woke up in the morning I told myself, ‘This is a new day and I can be myself again.’ But, I would come home from school or hockey crying all the time. It seemed to me that everyone I was around didn’t like me. It was like I had my own invisible bully in my brain but I couldn’t stand up to it.
My parents did lots of things to try to help me feel better, but nothing seemed to be helping me. I was still getting good grades in school, but I could feel I didn’t have the same ability. I was missing important details because I was getting so distracted. I had trouble focusing, something changed with my concentration. Even when I was on the ice (which is my favourite place to be), I wasn’t able to pay attention. I would always be upset with myself because of that. I knew I was missing little key notes in drills, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I would cry every night after hockey because when my coaches tried to give me advice I felt like they were disappointed with me, because I was frustrated. They were really just trying to help me like they always do.
Nobody ever knew I was so upset all the time (except for my family) because I wouldn’t break down in front of anyone else. All of this happened because a bump to my head! I think it would be easier to have a cast because then everyone would see that I had something wrong with me. But I looked fine so people just thought I was being weird.
I am feeling better now. I had massages, I went to a chiropractor, my doctor, and did different vision exercises to help my brain speed. My parents make sure I eat better (because I wanted sugar all the time) and I always get lots of sleep now. So, I don’t know what made me get better, but I am glad I feel more like myself again.
I still get tired really easily, my attention still isn’t where it was before, and I know I am not the same as I was before, but that’s okay. I just want other kids to know that one concussion changed my life. I want other kids to know that even if you are feeling well enough to play sports again doesn’t mean your ability to learn and emotions are all back to normal.
I am lucky that I feel way better now. —by Jack Crawford
Jack's mom Amelia reiterates to parents the importance of taking a concussion seriously:
"My plea to other parents would be to not underestimate the devastating short and long-term effects of concussion. Your son/daughter might be upset about missing sports or activities, but our job is not to please our children—it's to protect them. Please listen to coaches, doctors, educators and, most importantly, your child, if a concussion is suspected."
PVNC has great concussion resources available here.
**Please share this post with others that you think would be interested in learning what it's like to experience this.
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There Is Free New Year’s Eve Transit Again This Year In Peterborough
/For the second year in a row, City of Peterborough & Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers have announced FREE New Year’s Eve Bus and Handi-Van Service. About 3,000 riders used the free service last New Year's and the City anticipates usage will be even higher this year.
Service will be provided on all 12 regular routes and buses will run free of charge between 7:20 p.m. on December 31st and 3:20 a.m. on January 1st. The last bus will leave Peterborough’s downtown Simcoe Street terminal at 2:40 a.m.
Don Vassiliadis, Chair of Transportation for City of Peterborough, riding a bus on New Year's Eve last year
Handi-Van service will also run during the same hours, with two vans in service. Handi-Van customer service staff will accept trip request bookings from eligible clients until 12:20 a.m. and service will continue until 3:20 a.m. Handi-van bookings are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Handi-van riders wishing to travel during peak times are encouraged to reserve their trips in advance.
Photo of transit users using the service last New Year's
The City of Peterborough and Wolfe Personal Injury Lawyers encourage residents to drink responsibly and to make their New Year’s Eve transportation plans ahead of time.
The continuation of the free New Year’s Eve Transit Service provides an additional transportation option, encouraging everyone to enjoy a safe and prosperous transition into 2017.
Route maps are available here.
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8 Great Reasons To Fill The Seats For Petes Game Against London Knights Thursday Night
/There is a buzz around the Peterborough Petes about town right now—they have won 5 straight games—and need your support this Thursday night (December 15th) against a strong London Knights team. Below are 8 great reasons to go...
1. Ugly Christmas Sweaters. The Petes are wearing really neat one-of-a-kind sweaters, with all proceeds of the jersey supporting Operation Christmas Child. Bid on a jersey here.
2. The Petes are putting a winning product on this ice this year, and have a legitimate shot at winning the East (they are in 3rd place, just 6 points back of 1st place Oshawa). They are gunning for their 6th straight victory on Thursday night.
3. The game will be broadcast coast-to-coast on Sportsnet360, and a nice, raucous building will look great on our city and fanbase.
4. There is a Free Ski-Doo MXZ Sport giveaway by Gateway Powersport & Marine ($9,000 value). This isn’t a 1 year lease or a “shoot-to-win” where someone probably won’t win—this is a free chuck-a-puck where one of the first 2,500 fans in the building will be the new owner of a snowmobile.
5. Tim Horton’s is giving away over $750 in Tim Cards.
6. There will be a tribute to radio broadcasting legend John Badham during the first TV timeout.
7. This is the only home game against the powerhouse London Knights during the regular season (we can't wait to see them in the playoffs).
8. This is the Petes' last home game ahead of the holiday break, so it's your last chance to catch them for a while. Let's rock the PMC, go with family, friends and work colleagues.
Tickets are available online, at the Collins Barrow Box Office at PMC, or by calling (705) 743-3561. Make sure you download the Petes Mobile App for iPhone or Android to stay up to date with the Petes all season long.
Peterborough's Kate Suhr Dressed Up As Ariel For An Ennismore Girl At Sick Kids Hospital
/Three-year-old Ennismore child Eliza Grace Payne is battling leukemia at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. She is a spirited and brave child who loves Disney princesses.
Her aunt is well known local musician Melissa Payne, who happens to be good friends with Kate Suhr—an actress/musician from Peterborough who is playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid theatre production at the Randolph Centre for the Arts in Toronto. Kate and Melissa got to talking and came up with the idea of Kate dropping by the hospital in character as Ariel to lift Eliza's spirits.
Eliza with her parents Chris and Mary, with Ariel (Kate Suhr)
So after her show on Sunday (December 11th), Kate went to the hospital with her stage manager from the show dressed as Ariel and surprised Eliza, who was with her parents Mary and Chris. She stayed in character the whole time.
Kate tells PTBOCanada it was one of those special days she will never forget. "Eliza is just so brave," she tells us. "I'm so grateful to have met her. Her and her parents are superheroes. I won't ever forget this day."
Swimming down the hall with Eliza
Kate, who has been reflecting a lot lately on why this happens to such young kids, tells PTBOCanada she wants to return to the hospital as Ariel again to put a smile on more kids' faces and give them hope. She wants to help them, and this is such a powerful, tangible way of doing so. She sees the impact it has, the sense of magic and awe it creates.
A hug from a Princess to Eliza...
A Petes Player Scored A Hat Trick, Look At What His Billet Family Did For Him
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Steve Lorentz file photo (via Peterborough Petes)
On Thursday night (December 8th), Peterborough Petes veteran forward Steve Lorentz scored a hat trick in the Petes 5-3 home victory over the Ottawa 67s.
Only one fan threw a hat onto the ice in recognition of Steve's hat trick accomplishment, so when the Carolina Hurricanes prospect arrived home his billet family surprised him by leaving a bunch of hats on his bed.
Here's The 2016 PTBOCanada.com Awesome List
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35 people, places & things that made this year rock!
Read MoreHere Are Conceptual Design Plans For An Urban Park Oasis In Downtown Peterborough
/New conceptual design plans have been released by the City—which is using the consultant AECOM—for what the Urban Park at Louis Street in the downtown would look like. The oasis would be located on Louis Street Parking lot (where the Peterborough Wednesday Market takes place) off of Charlotte Street.
Charlotte Street view
The conceptual design of the Urban Park has been revised to incorporate the former Shish-Kabob Hut at 220 King Street. This will be renovated to become the park facilities building.
"The Commons" area
The design has also been revised incorporating further input received by the public and stakeholders.
Design Board
There would be lots of trees and shade, a skating rink and ice trail (with an island in the middle of it) which would become a summer trail for the other seasons; an area for children; a mist area to cool off; washrooms/change-rooms; and many other great features. Basically, it has all the amenities you'd expect in an urban park, and will be an incredible addition to the downtown core.
The Ice Trail
The Summer Trail
Design Board
The Mist Grove
The Wooden Ramble
The Illustrative Plan...
On Market Days...
Weekend Of Remembrance Planned To Mark 100th Anniversary of Quaker Fire
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24 workers lost their lives on December 11th, 1916
Read MoreA Bunch Of Peterborough Police Officers Just Brought Christmas Joy To 24 Kids
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