We continue with anniversary week, it being November 8th. This day last year represents my first introduction into the world of Leukemia as a morning discussion with Dr. Scully would lead to her ultimately saying that I most definitely have Leukemia. Hearing that word for the first time is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It kind of numbed me and I wasn’t quite sure what to think except that I knew another major adjustment of the bar was required. I did just that as she also informed me that I would be spending the next several weeks in room 217 on 4 North A.
What was to follow was truly one of the most terrifying, panic stricken periods of my life as I was given permission to leave the hospital for the afternoon, I was due back around 7-8 that night. Leaving the hospital around lunch time, my thoughts ran wild as I was faced with the really possibility of this being my last time outside the hospital … ever. The unknowns were so numerous that they didn’t cross my mind, I knew that I had a few precious hours of freedom granted to me and that they may be the last I would ever have. In a time like this your thoughts run virtually uncontrolled. I decided I would head back to my apartment to collect some things that I would need for my hospital stay. It was there, in a discussion with my roommate that I first said the word Leukemia. It took me a few tries to get it out, but I did manage and in the process probably scared the shit out of my roommate. After gathering up a few things and saying good-bye to my apartment I headed to one of my favourite places in the world, Signal Hill. It was a sunny afternoon, a great day to look at the city and ocean. As my time ticked on I decided to have some close friends over to my Dad’s for pizza and what was almost like a last supper. A very few of them knew my news from that morning but I suspect that they all had some idea that I was not just in for routine tests. We had a great visit and the general feeling was very positive, which I was very glad for as I didn’t want to spend those hours thinking about what I was about to face, instead we did the usual “reunion” thing and flashed back to some of the many good times that we had had together. Before I knew it my hours of freedom had come to pass and it was time to return to the hospital, but not before one last trip to “the Hill”. This time under the darkness of the night sky.
