Still thought it was Grade 3 or 4
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From: John Wolford
Sent: March 10, 2005 10:38 AM
Subject: Thank you
Dear A and B,
As you know, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour on February 15th and I had surgery on February 28, to remove as much as possible. The operation went well and we have an appointment with the surgeon on Friday, where we will learn the pathology/diagnosis, to find out what kind of a tumour it is. We may have to wait for our meeting with the neuro-oncologist to find out what the roadmap for treatment will look like. That meeting will likely happen at the end of March.
There is an immense amount of support that has risen to help me with this. I never could have imagined the value, the power, of this support from friends, families, professionals - what it does, not just for me, but also for the people giving it. I am so thankful to be able to say that Teekay is an integral part of this. I have developed significant relationships with people throughout Teekay, and I feel a bond with various groups, teams and with Teekay itself. I reflect on this from time to time in "regular life" and now it comes to me again, in spades.
A, I understand that you are frequently asking about me and following my progress closely. I appreciate that you are answering my questions quickly, clearly, and caringly. I want you to know that I feel your support, and Teekay's support, wholeheartedly. I wish I could properly convey how much your support is doing for me as I work through this. It is nothing I could have expected, asked for, or even hoped for. Thank you for your time, efforts, and goodwill, they are very positive forces for me and for the people around me who are involved in this.
B, I again struggle to convey how grateful I am for your help, your goodwill, your support, during this time. Your flexibility, your responsiveness, your obvious caring and your extended arms make me really feel part of the "Teekay family", something I would never have thought possible before joining Teekay. Thank you, B, thank you.
Not only have I never been in this kind of situation before, I've never known anyone who has been. I am learning things from this that I never would have guessed. I know that different people could respond differently to this at different times, and I feel very fortunate to be where I am with it. I can see how at first glance, or from a distance, this could seem 100% dark, sad, tragic, etc - in actual fact this is not so, not even close. There are many ways that qualities of my life have risen with this, deeply and significantly.
I look forward to this being a significant bump in a long road. I can't say it's something I would have chosen, and at the same time there is much I am grateful for. I need to be patient with myself, with this, and at the same time I invite a speedy recovery. I'm pleased to say that part of my happy recovery is sitting back down at my desk.
Clearly, if I wrote down the different ways that Teekay has stepped forward - individuals, groups, and Teekay itself - this letter would easily be twice as long! I am so touched by everyone, and thankful to everyone.
If you have any questions or would like to talk about any and all of the above, I would be more than happy to do so. My "Out of Office" is turned on with my email account, but I am checking my account regularly.
Very best regards, and many thanks,
John
