THE ART OF HAPPINESS

I think I failed to mention that when I was first admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with AML, they also found a subdural hemorrhage on the left side of my brain. What the “H-E-double hockey sticks” does that mean? It means I had a bleed in the front, left hand side of my brain. Kinda scary. Before I came to the hospital, I had a weekend where I was really sick and violently vomiting. My doctor thinks that is what caused the bleed. My doctors have been watching me closely. I have been getting regular CT scans and MRI’s of my brain and the results have shown that the bleed stabilized. Yesterday I started getting headaches again and this prompted another CT scan. The scan showed a trace of new blood on the left side of my brain. They watch me very closely because if I have low platelet levels (which means my blood doesn’t clot very well) and I have a bleed, then we have a problem.

Unfortunately, Camp Summerlin (the fond nickname we have here for Summerlin Hospital) doesn’t have a neurosurgeon so I have been transported (yes, in an ambulance but they don’t turn the lights and sirens on) to Valley Hospital. Valley Hospital is an older hospital but there are good doctors here. Camp Summerlin is only 3 minutes from my house. Valley Hospital is probably a good 15-20 minutes away. It just makes it a bit more inconvenient but if they can get the bleed and headaches under control, then its worth seeing the neurosurgeon here. I am told I’ll only be here at Valley for a couple days in the Surgical ICU unit and then I can be transported back to Summerlin. I can get back to everything that I know and am used to.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, you just have to go with the flow. Treatment plans, timing, medications can all change on a daily basis so you have to have an open mind. Its ironic (well not actually ironic because I do believe everything happens for a reason) because I have had a couple lengthy conversations with my GI doc about a book called “Zen: The Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss. It is a short book – around 50 pages – and a wonderful read. Its not a foofy, feather-filled book about how to make your life better. It is based on the ancient practice of Zen, modern day illustrations and scientific research that shows how you can truly find happiness for yourself. I highly recommend it because it forces you to look at your life and the Universe in a completely different way than what society has taught us to look at and react to life. I have found the book very comforting during the past week and I have found myself re-reading portions that really speak to me. I was starting to get angry and upset that I was sick and stuck in the hospital. This book gave me a different perspective. I really didn’t want to get this news on my CT scan and I didn’t want to have to come to Valley. But today, I was not upset. I feel positive about what the outcome is going to be and when I will be able to speak with the neurosurgeon.