So this week I had my second surgery. Nothing major. Just a left lateral wedge resection. At least that’s what the nurses kept asking. “You’re here for a left lateral wedge resection, right?” and I’d say yes and they’d go away. Finally I had to look it up. It confirmed what I understood from my earlier conversations with the doctor. They took a wedge shaped slice off of the bottom of my left lung. As luck would have it that’s where the one remaining bit o’ cancer was so that worked out well. We drove down to Victoria on Wednesday. Thursday we showed up for the surgery. We got there before 8:00 am and waited. After a while they called me in. I changed and did final preparations for surgery, now scheduled for 10:10. 

While I waited I took the opportunity to run lines for the play. I mean I have the first act just about memorized so it was just a matter of remembering what the other actor said and then saying my line. After a while one of the nurses came by with a concerned look on her face. She’d heard me having a conversation with someone who wasn’t there and started to wonder if I had suddenly become delusional. Nobody understands us actors.

The surgery was routine. They wheeled me in. Poked me in the arm and the next thing I knew I had a few bandages on my arms, my side and I was in the recovery room. Shortly thereafter they took me to my room where I met up with Marsha. I knew things were going to be OK, because shortly after I arrived we saw this out of the window. 



Originally they had said to expect a two night stay in the hospital. But by Friday afternoon they had determined that everything looked good and they let me go. I am able to spend the whole weekend at home doing little. I take some pills for pain every few hours but otherwise all seems good.

This week also saw the departure of Margaret. She’d been staying with us for a few weeks which was nice. It was long enough to not feel like we had to do something every day. Much of the time we went about our own business while she read or otherwise took care of herself. Tuesday she went back to Minnesota. The cats especially are confused as to where the she went. One day we did wander up to Cathedral Grove with Margaret. It was damp and the trees were beautiful per usual. We did see one thing that was a surprise



The tree looks normal and so does the moss. The blood red gelatinous film though is very weird. Maybe it’s just getting ready for Halloween. 



We also saw a cute little Red Headed Woodpecker hammering away on a tree.


Last weekend had our performances of Rigoletto. It went very well. Later in the week we got the following from the Choir Master. It was a letter from someone who saw the opera:

To the Staff and Performers
 
My wife and I enjoy visiting the Parksville / Qualicum area several times each year since we bought our vacation property at The Beach Club on opening. We live in Vancouver  where we have enjoyed the Vancouver Opera for many years. Even though I had been aware that your organization existed I had not interrupted our vacations to attend until last Sunday. My wife and her visiting sister had plans that left me free and since the weather was "iffy" I thought an afternoon of music would be enjoyable. What an understatement !

I was fully expecting a charming but woefully amateurish production, what a surprise ! Your organization is to be commended for the efforts you have made to nourish the area's need for cultural enrichment. Every aspect was beyond my expectations from the Principle Singers to the Chorus, from the Musicians to the Stage Crafting, and the surprise of "subtitles" perfected the whole experience. Add to this the comfortable seating and generous legroom, one could have no complaints. Congratulations.

I will not miss another of your programmes.

Sincerely
George XXXXXXXXX

That made us feel really good. Here’s a few pictures from the event that Margaret shot.





So that's about it for this week. Not much happened but it was nice to have a quiet one for a change.