April

Buddha sits just outside my front door which just happens to be on the side of my house. If you look closely Tara looks like she is smiling with the heart sunglasses that my granddaughter put on her the other day. There is a great reason for that smile.

I was in Vancouver staying with my daughter and granddaughter.

My wife was flown by helicopter from Victoria to Vancouver for emergency brain surgery. It all happened so very fast…. On the medical side everything happened like clockwork. Decisions were made quickly, correctly, and amazing doctors saved my wife’s life. It was so very incredible and absolutely life changing.

What happened to my wife occurred while I was with her and it was very very scary.

A few weeks back I would not have even contemplated writing anything this month. It amazes me how quickly time passes.

I’m not going to tell you I got through it all by getting on my mat and practice – I did not. I have yet to attempt practice.

What happens to a person you love happens to you too.

We live in Victoria which is on an island off the mainland of British Columbia. When the ambulance took my wife to the hospital they told me to call in two hours to see how things are going – I’m not allowed to go with her.

An hour and a half later I call to see what’s up and what the doctor says scares the shit out of me. He asks me where I live and if I’m close to the hospital. He tells me if I come right now I might be able to see her before they fly her to Vancouver. It’s almost as if he’s telling me this may be the last time I see her alive. I get there just in time and walk beside her stretcher as they roll her to a transport for the short trip to the helicopter pad.

I head home, immediately throw some clothes in a suitcase and some stuff for my wife and head to the ferry. Next ferry is not until 7:00pm, then there is an hour and a half ferry ride, and then 40 minutes to the hospital.

I arrive at the hospital. My daughter, a nurse who lives in Vancouver and is fully vaccinated was able to talk herself into where my wife is. They won’t let me in. I talk with my daughter on the phone and she tells me my wife is stable.

They operated in the morning and it went as good as it could possibly go. She is recovering well and is expected to recover fully.

Staying positive for some reason was not difficult but there was one moment, after, while in the bathroom, as I sat and thought about all that had happened; tears poured down my face as I pondered what could have been.

As a person with MS; stress has its way of breaking me down. Particularly because stress just amplifies whatever your “brand” of MS is. And as a yogi I could try and take my mind off events with practice but I have yet to try to do that and I don’t think that’s even possible.

I did get on my mat with my granddaughter as I taught her the first sun salutation. Inhale up, exhale down, inhale head up, exhale step back – Chaturanga. I emphasize CHAT-UR-ANGA in a deep deep voice – it makes her laugh and in turn me too. It was fun and we both laughed which took my mind off all what has transpired. I even recited the invocation and my granddaughter said, “granddad, did you make that up”…… it was a much needed fun few moments.

It all happened so very very fast and although this did not happen to me, it happened to me. The charge nurse in Victoria told me “I’ve seen this before it’s going to be ok”. Seeing the glass half full and the positive influence was always how this would turn out. There was no other way to look at it.

We are now back in Victoria where all is much much better – that is the reason Tara is smiling.

So many thanks go out to the amazing work that all these professional individuals did. From the 911 person, paramedics, emergency doctors, technicians, nurses, helicopter pilot, and surgeons. They are out there on the front lines coming into contact with individuals during a pandemic – it’s really quite selfless and that is a huge understatement. If any one of these links failed it would have been a much different result.

If you come into contact with people who’s life is all about helping. You too will be in awe of how all these individuals are so calm, professional, positive, and competent. I’m so thankful for their expertise.

I usually sign off by saying “Be safe” but this time I want to say

Be Love.