
I am grateful that I work and learn on the ancestral and unceded lands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations in Burnaby and on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations in Port Moody
Jason Chan, a retired counsellor, an ordinary human being, decided to share his extraordinary life experience. He is one of my dearest friends, whom I have known for decades, and is a person that I admire.
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A Rather Different World
CHAPTER 18 - Before and after Burr Hole Operation
January 17, 2025
Both my wife, Victoria, and I believed that the heavy fall, with the left side of my face hitting the ground before Christmas in downtown Vancouver, shook my tofu-like brain violently inside the skull. I was on blood thinner to reduce the risk of stroke caused by high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. Besides, the count of my platelet was born to be always under the lowest mark of the normal range. These two factors caused a slow but continuous leakage of blood between the brain and the skull. Later I was told by a nurse that bungee jumping had a similar effect.
I was quite dull when entering the emergency on Friday February 3rd. I almost had no memory of the two days’ stay in the first hospital. What remained in my mind was that my room was located at the end of the corridor. Through a window I could see the scene of night. Besides, my young brother #4 visited me.
I also remembered that I answered repetitive questions from nurses, including my name, DOB, address, telephone number, the date of the day, and where I was. They touched my feet and looked into my pupils with a torch. “They visited every hour.” said Victoria.
I mistook February 4th as April the X, which was not quite right I knew, yet I had no other answer. I was then transferred out shortly, without any memory for the process and journey. Yet the Burr Hole Operation imprinted in my brain. After that a small vacuum container was connected with a tube to collect excessive fluid from the skull. It was in the pocket of my gown situated in front of my chest. Since I turned quite often during sleep, the container was detached. A strong worry of bacteria infection inside my skull through air alarmed me. It could be very serious. With the assurance from a nurse that reconnection was good enough, I finally settled down.
The next morning I had a good appetite and the whole set of breakfast was cleared. I asked my wife to take a picture as a memory. With a tube connected to the top left of my head, I looked like the casts from Star War. A nurse who received me during the transfer gave me a thumbs up after seeing me energized.
With a full stomach, I chatted with the male patient suffering from brain cancer remission on the bed diagonal to mine. From him I knew that the dairy industry east of Abbotsford was managed with advanced technology and computerization. He was a senior staff there responsible for feeding, cleaning, milk collection, sanitization, and transportation. The male patient next to him was a senior engineer working for a school. He was sent to the hospital after he fainted on the way to work.
The nursing coordinator briefed me on the measures for rehabilitation upon discharge. After sensing my reluctance for sick leave extension, she responded seriously and thoughtfully, saying, “Mr. Chan, you have gone through a lot. You need to treat yourself well.” Upon agreeing with her advice and acceptance of her good will, I nodded. (Patients’ medical history is presented in the service meeting every early morning.) Again we headed towards a different path.
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