The useless extension of a more interesting tumor

One year and a half ago I found out I have a tumor that for my age, under 30's, is quite ...let's just say unexpected. From all I've read, this type of tumor appears sometime after 40's IF there are other elements that converge such as the genetic background etc. Bottom line, people with 20 something years don't make this tumor, that's the conclusion of all the medical papers and documents that I've read. And yet, here I am, not only that I grew this kind of tumor but it also has the size of a small melon. I feel so special... You have no idea...

Of course, I started visiting doctors and getting opinions. I must have visited at least a dozen only in the last year. Everybody told me I should have it operated but for me that is the last available option IF I don't find a treatment. I started searching the internet and, what do you know, there are treatments and I stated wondering why none of the doctors I've visited told me anything about this.

The answer came a few days ago when one of the doctors made a "joke" saying that he's not going to tell me his opinion unless I decide to operate my tumor at that hospital. I also understood some other doctors' reactions who asked me if I can rest in the hospital for an immediate intervention. It's not my welfare that their interested in, it's my tumor. Somehow it got scientifically more important that me.

I asked one doctor what are the chances that I live a normal life after the operation and he said "seeing and doing"; something like "I'll cut you open to analise the tumor but that happens with you afterwards is not as important". I know that there are no guarantees, that nobody can tell me exactly what's going to happen but "seeing and doing" is not exactly the professional attitude I'm looking for. But than again what do I know? I'm just a guinea pig with an attitude.

Maybe at this time, being so big, there is no other option than surgical. I do understand that and I'm preparing myself but I'm looking for a doctor who is at least as interested in my recovery and my welfare as he is in my tumor. Haven't found him/her yet. I'll keep looking.

Best Cat Support Ever

I'm sorry for bothering you kitty but you were too good to miss :)

Bucharest yesterday

Here are some pictures I took yesterday before the storm:



The next ones might need a little explaining. It's a side walk over a bridge where a lot of accidents happen. The metal protection between the sidewalk and the highway looks like this so if you ever pass by this bridge which by the way is close to a big university, a church and a park, pray for luck, a lot of it.

And this is some broken glass from the most recent accident which happened last week:

Welcome to Baneasa Airport

People never cease to amaze me. But hey, that makes life more interesting, right?

Today I needed to accompany someone to the airport so I woke up quite early. We called a cab and got to the airport 45 minutes and two wrinkles later, after enduring crazy traffic, angry Monday morning people and honks, a lot of honks.

There are two access gates to the airport, one of the two, particularly the Departures was blocked and you will never guess why.

There were two women, one was cleaning the floor and the other one was making sure nobody passed by so the wet floor won't get dirty again. She would post herself in front of you and inform you very stiffly that you can't pass because you'll leave marks on the wet floor. She was more vigilant than a "police line".

I might have been a little sleepy but the first thing that I did was to look for a "candid camera" because that was the only logical explanation I could think of at the time. To my total disappointment but not to my surprise I found no camera and realized the hard truth. It was not a joke, she was actually preventing people from entering the airport because the floor was being cleaned.

We had to wait about 20 minutes until the floor got cleaned AND it dried in order to enter the airport.

I don't know if "incredible" is the word to describe this but I'm pretty sure that these airport services are unique in the world.

The warm welcome continued when we got to the information desk to ask for clarifications regarding the flight which was delayed 4 hours and got the following answer: "It's not my problem, deal with the airline company".

Trust me, you really need a lot of control to cope with that. Maybe it's because it's Monday or maybe it's because it's the 13th, I don't know but I think that in days like this they should really give people their money back, close down, go home and come back when they feel more client oriented.

The flight hasn't took off yet so I bet this is going to be a long day. I wanted to say "a long Monday the 13th" but as much as I would like to believe that these things happen only accidentally and ruled by bad luck I know that it's actually the real, constant and undisputed reality of all days.

Eye of a Toad and Tail of a Lizard

I have recently read a very interesting book. But before I tell you about it I should probably say that I am interested in all that involves traditions, myths and superstitions. All those give important inside into people's values and priorities in life. I'm not talking here about people who live in the big cities because as important as they are economically they fail to represent the heart of a nation. I also live in a big city so I include myself when I say that. This is just something that I've noticed while traveling.

Now, getting back to the book I read, the interesting thing I learned is that, apparently, eighty percent of the swear words today are actually contractions of old curses. That makes you wonder a little bit, doesn't it? How many people have you cursed today?

The strength of a curse was given, not only by the magic of the spoken word but also by the social status of the person who would say it. So, the more important you were in the community, the more powerful was believed to be your curse.

I found that the belief that words, pronounced in the right manner, can alter the universe is present in many cultures; the most common would be the prayer. In Torah, for example, it is said that if the word Adonai is pronounced properly the world as we know it will disappear. Thank god no one succeeded.

On daily basis we pray to get to work in time or we swear the horrific traffic but we are all, from time to time, in touch with our superstitious selfs, rather we realize it or not.

My Life, My Dream, My JasminTree

When I was little, my parents use to have a jasmine tree in the front yard. For me, that tree was magical in spring. It was the highlight of my day, everyday. I would pass by it everyday on my way to school and anoint my senses with its perfume. It almost became a good luck charm.

I don't know if you ever remembered places or events by their smell rather than by an image or a sound but I do. For me, jasmine perfume became the reminder of everything home stood for: the early Danube breeze, my favorite apple tree in the yard, my mom's voice, a safe and tranquil environment, everything that was familiar to me I could find by exploring that perfume.

Unfortunately, I never found an incense or a perfume that would smell exactly like my childhood jasmine tree. If I did, I think I would have bought a huge quantity so that I could feel like home everywhere in the world.