My Flickr Profile dated Aug 8, 2010

Welcome to my photostream. I have been retired now for 16 yrs and am interested in computers, digital photography and going out on daily car side trips in the spring, summer and fall. I worked in the pulp and paper industry for 33 years as a senior mechanical project engineer and retired at age 58 in 1994.. I just turned 74 years old on July 16, 2010.

One thing that really annoys me, is when someone blocks you for no reason.... come on people if you don't want to be my friend then say so !

Regarding the viewing of my photos, I suggest that you check out my sets first at: www.flickr.com/photos/pcellis/sets.

IF YOU LEAVE COMMENTS ON MY PHOTOS, PLEASE KEEP THEM CLEAN AS MY PROFILE IS RATED AS 'SAFE" BY FLICKR AND CAN BE READ BY MINORS. VULGAR COMMENTS WILL BE REMOVED!

My photographs consist of many images from Second life and many real life images of old historical stone cottages, old grist mills, old churches, antique cars, high powered speed boats, bridges, some water falls, ski hills and etc . They comprise various pictoresque views of different sites of Ontario, Quebec in Canada, Florida in the USA and London and Manchester , England.

Presently, I am using a Sony digital camera DSC-H9 , 8 MP, 15 optical zoom. Before I used a Sony Cybershot DSC-HI, 5.1 MP and 12x optical zoom. I just bought in May 2010 a new Panasonic HD Model DMC-ZS7 Lumix Camera, 12 MP.12 Optical Zoom with GPS. I carry it in my shirt pocket and having lots of fun with it.

I was born in Montreal in 1936 and spent first nine years of my life in Three Rivers. In 1945 my parents moved to Montreal where I spent my teenage years and early twenties. My father had a second summer and winter home at Christieville dans les Laurentides pres de St Sauveur des Monts. There, I learned to ski and then raced in the Laurentian ski zone as a class "C" skier.

In 1958 I went to UNB in Fredericton, NB and studied mechanical engineering. I graduated in 1963 and had my first engineering job in Sorel with Beloit. Was married in 1965 and moved to Watertown, NY in 1968 to work for Black Clawson. My son was born in the USA. Moved back to Canada in 1971 to Ottawa to work for E.B. Eddys until 1989 when I was then transferred to Papier Scott Ltee in Hull. In 1989, I was given an early retirement package at age 58 in 1994.

During my university years, I had summer jobs in Quebec city, Ste. Hyacinthe, Newfoundland and Banff, Alberta.

I am a proud bulbar polio survivor. Owing to my severe dysphagia (resulting from my acute bulbar polio in 1951 before the polio vaccine was discovered) and its late effects, I had a new Peg feeding tube installed into my stomach (on June 8, 2006) in order to prevent further damage to my lungs from aspiration when eating orally which has caused me to have bronchiectasis and to getting aspiration pneumonia seven times. I also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because I smoked 30 cigarettes a day between ages 18 and 31. My respirologist. is very much afraid if I get aspiration pneumonia I won't have much reserve lung capacity to fight it. as my lung function is only 34% of normal The risks could be quite severe This is the reason why I have a Peg tube now !. The Peg tube will be a permanent installation so I won't be eating orally again.

It has now been four years that I have been feeding myself through my PEG Tube. I find it rather restricts and limits my daily activities. I can't eat out, can't travel, can't eat orally, etc! The smell of food cooking in the kitchen drives me crazy when my wife is preparing food. I am confined to home during feedings using a 500 ml gravity feed bag on an IV pole. The actual feeding procedure is no big deal now as my wife and I have mastered all the tricks and shortcuts that are known. I do all my feedings while I am on my computer so I spend more time at my computer now. I am slowly getting use to this new lifestyle.

I have just come to realize now that my tube is my only lifeline to nourishment and survival and so I must look after it as best as I know how !! Today My wife who cares for me, crushes all my vitamins and medicines in a cast iron mortar and pestle which she injects into my PEG Tube using a 60 ml syringe. My Y-Adapter at the end of the tube only lasts one or two months.

The hole in adominal wall that accommodates my peg tube drains alot and has to be covered up all the time with sterile gauze so it won't get infected. I cleanse it every day with a saline solution, dry it thoroughly and then cover it up with sterile gauze or SeaSorb.

I had a bone density scan done in late Nov, 2006 on my lower back, left hip and left wrist and found out that I have corticosteroid (Flovent) induced osteopenia (bone thinning). Am now taking Didrocal medicine. I am a moderate risk to bone breakage !

I have had a chronic lower back problem since age twenty eight and have been seeing a chiropractor for over thirty years for monthly adjustments which have kept me upright on my feet. Now I am going twice a month as I find that my back muscles bothers me more now! I guess I am spending too much time sitting at my computer!

In the late fall of 2007, my physiatrist has now recommended that I wear a soft neck.collar at my computer and a stiff neck collar when I go out of the house for walks and etc. Had physiotherapy for my lower back for 3 months and attended 3 lectures on spine and 2 more on the lungs.

In late April 2008, a chest X-ray revealed I had aspiration pneumonia in lower right lobe as I had great difficulty breathing. Was put on antibiotics for 7 days. My oxygen levels went down to 88 % and my lung function decreased 6 %. My oxygen levels are now back to 92 % which made me happy.

Was hospitalzed from Dec 7 to Dec 11, 2008 with pneumonia in the right lung as i still cheated taking some snacks orally with a daily pint of beer. This has taught me a bitter lesson. Two bouts of aspiration pneumonia in six months. From this day forward, I will cease to take in anything orally and hence all my nourishment and medicines will go through my PEG Tube.

Had a second CT on Dec 3, 2008 and results showed a mass in my right lung and something on one of my kidneys. I am now being treated with more antibiotics based on a sputum analysis. Will have another CT scan in March, 2009. Just had my second aspiration pneumonia shot in Feb, 2009. I am still having chest physiotherapy to help me clear my lungs.

I have had a third CT lung Scan in March/09 and results showed I have an infection but not cancer in my lungs. Am schelduled to have a fourth CT Scan in six months.

As a result of an unfortunate fall in my bathtub on Good Friday, April 10, 2009 and being rushed to emergency by ambulance, x-rays revealed a compression fracture to the upper plate of vertebrae L1 of the lumbar spine and also in T11 of the thoracic spine. This was very painful !! I was on morphine for 3 weeks and had withdrawal systems for ten days and I convalest for nine months.

My occupational therapist suggested I use a walker. I am so happy with it now because when I go for 1 km walks with my better half, i am able to sit down and rest to ease my shortness of breath owing to COPD and bronchiectasis. It has been a god's send to me !!.

I have now started physiotherapy for my sore tender back muscles this week of July 6/07 to help me get rid of muscle spasms in my back in a private clinic. Modalites used are on hands kneeding of sore muscles, acupuncture and TENS. It is really helping me.

On Aug 8th, 2009 I was admitted to ICU in hospital to be intubated under ventilator and in induced coma for six days. Was in ICU for 2 weeks, in medicine for 1 week and in rehabilitation for 3 weeks for a total stay of 6 weeks. Was discharged discharged on Sept 17, 2009 to go home with my family. I had a bad lung infection and aspiration pneumonia.

On Nov 3/09 at 6:30 PM, my son, my wife and I received the H1N1 flu shot !!!

In March of 2010, I was diagnosed with aspiration pnemonia and was put on Cypro antibiotic for ten days and then was given two different antibiotics for another ten days,Mylan-Clarithromycin and Ratio-Axlavulanate.

In late May and early June 2010, I was diagnosed with Aspiration Pneumonia and was put on 750 mgs of Levofloxacin antibiotic daily for five days. My GP told me I was at very high risk to get this disease or infection. A Chest CT scan revealed that my bronchiectasis is getting worse. Saw my respiologist on July 21, 2010 and was told that my bronchiectasis will continue to worsen owing to all the damage done to the lungs from all the pnemomias , infections and inflamations I have had so far. This was not good news for me..

On June 29,2010 I went to the Endoscopy Unit at the General Hospital to have my PEG Tube changed. Luckily I did not have this procedure as my existing tube was very clean and not grungy on the inside as in the past..

On July 16, 2010 I had my 74th. birthday.

My stories about my journey with the late effects of polio can be read at pcellis.blogspot.com .

The present late effects of my acute bulbar polio attack in 1951: www.flickr.com/photos/pcellis/sets/72157594160004887/

My Webshots site: community.webshots.com/user/pcellis101

My del.icio.us links: www.del.icio.us/pcellis

MySpace web site: www.myspace.com/pcellis101

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