If you're alive, you're going to be faced with "challenges"

Man, guys...I'm sitting here on glass #2, okay, maybe #3 of white wine...I can't drink wine. Half a glass puts me out.

My boss, the man who hired me 11+ years ago when my life was in chaos, when I had been out of work for 1.5 years, when I had not one iota of self-esteem, is going in for surgery tomorrow, cancer. Bladder cancer. Long story. Knew he had something serious going on because he had blocked off a number of days for medical tests, didn't tell me what, just "medical." I figured prostate cancer, because he's in the right age group, but after some Google research on the treatment, decided it couldn't be that. Days off were staggered too much. Colon cancer, maybe, I thought. Or maybe lung cancer, given he's a heavy smoker.

So today he called me from home, a bit shaky of voice, and said his doctor had called him a short time ago, surgery scheduled tomorrow, told me it was "serious" but didn't go into further detail. I knew for certain then that it was cancer, had only speculated in my own mind prior to his call.

He went down for pre-op, then came in to tell us in person, had thought he would send an email, decided not to. He's so blasé about it all...Said the tumour was on the surface of bladder and small, caught early. I am "praying" this is so.

He didn't have a time for surgery yet, just tomorrow sometime. Expects to be off work a few weeks. But he'll need chemo after--apparently they inject the drugs directly into the organ now, not just inject generally (into your arm, for instance).

I knew something was wrong, just knew it, but couldn't say anything to anyone else, not even after he called me early this aft. So I'm glad he came in person to fill us in.

I adore this man as a boss. His partner must be beside herself. They just bought a house together (she recently sold her own home) and they're moving the second weekend in May.

He bloody well better not up and die on us, because I (selfishly) never, ever, ever will have another boss who's as laissez faire as he is, who gives up the range of flexibility we all have in terms of when we work. And less selfishly, for crying out loud, he and his sons (one in particular) have been through extremely difficult life changes and medical issues already, over the past handful of years. Enough is enough, Fates, gods, whatever.

So any positive vibes you can send his way would be appreciated, greatly. I told him that we really hoped for an update after his surgery, if his partner (or someone else) would be willing. In spite of all being together (except for one new person) for over 11 years, we'll all pretty private and don't socialize except on "state" occasions like Christmas. Maybe they won't feel comfortable calling or emailing us. Maybe I'll give their home a call in the afternoon, leave a message. One of his sons is home now from university. Surely someone could get back to us.

Man, I need more wine.

I'll be wearing my daffodil pin tomorrow, for sure. (The Canadian Cancer Society has pins around town now, rather than real daffodils, and I picked one up a few weeks ago.)

Universal Blessings, Light and Mercy to All Beings.