Thank-You

As some of you may know, I am currently on the fast road to recovery from brain tumors. Personally I think I'm pretty good to go. I feel great and I'm here at home climbing the walls to get out and get back to work. Unfortunately "the man" says I have to sit tight for a while longer and have radiation (first he says I have to wear pants and now this!). Well fine, like I've said before, I guess they knew what they were doing when they used the melon-baller to scoop out the bad cherries in the noggin, they may be right about this. In the mean time I'm taking things as they come. It's been a great summer hanging with the monkeys and seeing things clearly for the first time in a loooong time.Let me clarify:While I was suffering from the effects of the tumors I had absolutely no short-term memory what so ever (along with complete loss of vision in one eye and other fun side effects). During the time right before my diagnosis and my operation I was reduced to a walking shadow of not just myself but a human being. It got so bad that at one point neither I nor Amy could take care for myself any longer.I still have very little recollection of that time (as a matter of fact I have no memory of any events for the two to three months leading up to my operation) but as time goes by and I heal I am finding out more and more of what exactly went down. Some of what I hear is obviously very disturbing to me (at one point I could not recall my own children) but at the same time, some of what I hear makes me thank God every day for the people in my life and more incredibly, the people I have never met. Let me relate to you what I know so far:Yesterday I took the kids to Ontario Place because Amy's sister who works for Westjet got us tickets for their family day (she's always doing this kind of thing for us). While I was there, I was introduced to all of the great people she works with. It was while I was there that I found out that all of these people, Jenn's colleagues, who I have never met before in my life, came over to my house while I was in the hospital and helped Amy organize the house and move furniture to get it ready for the sale. As I said, I had never met these people before in my life and here they are, about 10 of them, coming over on their day off to help my family in our greatest time of need. It was also at this time that our friends Scott & Kelly took the time to come to our house (along with Paul & Deby Taylor) to help with the clean-up and packing. They did this while they were trying to raise a one year old daughter and one year old son respectively and yet they were all there taking the time to help my family. It is also during this time that our friends Karen & Blair Taylor came by with dinners so Amy would have one less thing on her mind while she was trying to deal with all of this.Another couple of examples:While I was at my sickest and awaiting my operation it got to the point where I could no longer take care of myself. I actually had to be watched constantly for my own safety. When it got to the point where it was impossible for someone from my family to be there my friend Paul would take the time from work and family to come over and just be with me. To watch me and to take care of me. You must understand the patience and caring it takes to do this while I was in the state I was in.Then there always has been and always will be my friend Kevin. He has always been the person to whom I look to for advice and guidance. He was there with me before the operation and he was there with me while I recovered. He was there in the hospital right after the operation joking with me, taking me for walks and reassuring me that I was supposed to look like Frankenstein's Monster and screw those who stared at my bruises and swelling. Yes Kevin, there is still a chance I may grow into the Hulk with the gamma radiation treatments. Thanks for lending me your purple jeans just in case.This is for them. For all of the people I have mentioned above and for all of the people I have yet to hear about. Thank-you. Thank-you for helping me when I could not help myself. Thank-you for everything you did for my family when I could not be there for them.