Day 3 in Hamilton General

The day started well before I even got to sleep the night before. Barry Billings, boss and friend at MedShare, sent me a hilarious email. Apparently the barbecue team I'm part of for this coming Friday's annual barbecue competition begged unfairness for me not being available, and the contest was cancelled. Anyone who knows me well knows I don't cook much, so it all sounds a little fishy to me. :) But apparently they started a WTF club in my honor ("We're Thiessen Fans" Hahahaha, yeah right ;) and are still going to gather for good times, so it's all good. :)

This morning I got my MRI! Good times. Like a party in a tube, bom-bom-bom-bom, chugga-chugga-chugga.

Shortly thereafter my doctor, head of the department of neurology here, gave me the results, and a metaphorical slap upside the head (I'll get to that). The tumor is much more easily seen on the MRI. Apparently it's about 5 cm long; not sure whether that means it's grown from 3cm, or just that they didn't get a good look at it earlier. It looks lumpy like cooked cauliflower. Apparently it also looks more on the malignant side than the benign. Good news is it also looks like the primary, and they haven't seen any metastasis. I'm going to get a copy and send out some pics of that thing. :) Anyway, I started pestering the doctor with good-natured questioning and chatter, trying to figure next steps out. It was clear that it had to come out, and the right temporal lobe is already nearly taken over by the thing, so apparently I wasn't using that part of the brain very much, because I don't seem to have any 'deficits'. Taking up space and not pulling it's weight. Good riddance! The surgery to take it out will likely happen tomorrow morning. About 3 hours long. A day in hospital, then home. An MRI and CT scan in the following week. 7-10 days after surgery the pathology of the removed material will be complete and I'll meet with a crack team of oncologists (cancer doctors) and neurosurgeons at the cancer-specialty hospital up the hill from here to decide the next steps, possibly including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He says I should expect to be at least a month away from work, though it could be played by ear, and I think he's crazy. :)

Back to the metaphorical slap upside the head. Apparently I wasn't nearly serious enough. "Keep a good attitude," he says, "but this is crazy! You should be taking this more seriously!" All because I was interestedly but not worriedly questioning him, and had a smile on my face. I must say he almost got through to me, but then I decided being happy was more fun. :)

Especially since Sonia, Evan, my parents, and my brother showed up right about then. :) Twas nice indeed to see them all, especially the little guy. Sonia brought his tricycle along, so Evan happily squeak-creaked down the shiney-floored halls, scooting around the floor. Good times. Read him his favorite book, Popcorn, and hung out with the lot.

Went for a CT scan for surgical planning. Evan rode on my lap on the wheelchair.

Sometime later, Sonia, my Mom, and Evan left for home (Evan needed his nap). Ray,Laura,Olivia,and Joe (thanks for the bracelet, Olivia) showed up for some more visiting and hugs on the way back home from Great Wolf Lodge. Always good to see them.

Took a nap; was feeling unaccountably tired, so I took nap.

Dad and Jonathan came back. Went to the caf for some beverages.

Sonia came back. Dad and Bro left. Sonia and I broke out of the Hospital, found a Swiss Chalet, and had a real meal and some good conversation. Yum. And I got finally got patched through to my sister He'l'ene on the phone. (}) (that's a hug)

I looked a little strange. Have little circle stickers on my face (for positioning against the CT scan I had in the afternoon). and tubes and bandages on/in my arms. Got some funny looks, but I didn't wind up having to 'splain. :)

My great friend Mitch crashed our little party. I had to go running out the door to flag him down, because he didn't find us at first and was starting to leave thinking he'd come to the wrong place. But he brought extra good spirits, and a good-smelling little gift basket he and his wife Kate put together. Thanks, you both! You rock.

Then it was back to the hospital, some showering/brushing/etc. prior to bed, and laying on the bed writing email. And listening to...

My great friend Don Peters in Vancouver has a tradition of inviting friends over for waffle-making every Saturday morning. For my amusement, and now yours, he put together a podcast of today's waffle adventures, a mixture of laughs, sage advice, stories, and yes, waffle mix. :) Oh yes, and certainty that I won't be dead soon.

www.saturdaywaffles.com

It's about 20 minutes long. You can download it at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4486801/Peters%20Podcast%20-%20EP%201%20--%3E%20Chris%20Thiessen.m4a

I think Sonia and I will have to go attend Saturday Waffles someday soon!

Chris Thiessen's 3 biggest tips for hospital stayers:
1. bring a cozy blanket. It's always freezing in the hospital.
2. bring ear plugs. The walls echo, there's always something going on. Sleep is good.
3. bring a laptop and a smart phone that supports tethering (e.g. iPhone). Otherwise you'll be stuck with TV and/or the promise but non-delivery of Wifi.

Tomorrow's going to be interesting, at the very least. Surgery when I stop getting bumped. A chunk of my brain taken out. Closer to going back to the home that I love, and the work that I love.

This is all an interesting trip. I'm taking it minute-minute, hour-by-hour. Enjoying the many good moments along the way. No need to dwell in anxieties about imagined futures and possibilities, if all that can do is ruin the now. While staying engaged with everything that I can actually usefully DO, now, of course.

Again, I'm so grateful all that all of you have done to make me feel loved and thought of. You are the best parts of my life.

Love,
-Chris