Tribute to My People

I wish I could spell-out the names of all the great people I've met in my life, the people that invariably contributed to shape who I am. A lot of them are back, helping me with words of wisdom, support, prayers and positive thinking, keeping my energy at or above my pre-glioma levels.

I got a ride back from work yesterday and my friend said "I don't know how you can remain so calm". I believe that we all need three pillars to keep ourselves together. Below are the three pillars that have helped me before, during and will continue to help me after my glioma so I can always remain centered and positive:

Family - the constant throughout my life, the port I can always sail back to for peace. It got bigger now with wife and the little treasures we had together. My parents, my in-laws, my extended family, always there for me no matter what, with or without glioma. A friend asked me how Livia was dealing with all this. She has always been right by my side, since the first day in the hospital, and even when I was clearly devastated with the news she held tight, giving me strength and "control". But I know this is not easy on her, I can notice her stress getting progressively higher at times, but she continues to hide her anxiety about the future from me and the kids". Thank you so much for always being there for me, even when I lose it in the bad São Paulo traffic, as if she had anything to do with it...
Oh, I have to tell another Isabel story - today I was sitting in the couch showing her how Columbus got to America, how the Portuguese got to Brazil amd how the Brittish got to the US. She suddenly touches my stomach and says "daddy, you are gaining weight, you need to start exercising again" (trust me, I am still a stick, now with guts...). I told her that my commute is too long and my workout time got cut, but that once we move to a house close to work I will be right back. That's when she says "let's go downstairs to play". As soon as we get there she goes "let's jog". She is so intuitive, always reading my mind, like if she realized how much I like to run...

Friends -  I will break this one in two categories...
School and "life" friends - I have seen them sporadically, some more than others, throughout the last 20 years and they always amaze to show me how long friendships can last, how little we change and how wiser we become as we get "experienced" (OK, maybe I am stretching on this one...)
Work friends - Yesterday was my last pre-surgery day at work, and I could not stop thinking about how fortunate I am to be surrounded by people that are unconditionally supportive. Most of the people I have been working with in Brazil know me for less than one year, but it surely feels like a lot more. In contrast my former US co-workers continue to make me feel like I've never left. Not to mention friends from my first jobs, who have magically come back to my life to give me strength.

Good people of the world - every once in a while I am blessed with random acts of kindness, nice words to wish me well from people I've never met.

Thank you all for sticking with me. I am very grateful for having such an awesome circle of people.

Well, in two days I head to France. Wish me well, the first thing I will do after surgery will be to post my status (as long as I remember my password...). Joking about this has been a way to keep it in perspective. This is not the end of the world, it is a whole new beginning!

I love you all!