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comment by katakowsj
katakowsj  ·  4363 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Cost Of Creativity  ·  
Well said mk. As you are my brother, and the person that creatively revealed to me that I have a low grade glioma (brain tumor) as the cause of my seizures rather than stress-induced tension or a small dwarf living in my stomach, as I was ready to believe if someone in authority told me. I will now be receiving the world's best possible treatment for that glioma.

You are a great guy, especially considering how creatively I innovated problems for you when we were yournger, but more importantly you have been creative and innovative in your approach to solving the problems associated with cancer and stroke through your research at Henry Ford Hospital. Research that intersected ideally at the crossroads of the currently best known solution to a problem I now posess.

In relation to this article, I do see a great hope for the future of human creativity. Creativity, in solving problems, creates other residual problems. I expect that with the removal of part of my right temporal lobe, I will see some temporary and residual problems in my life. The neuro-oncologist, and neurosurgeon have both made me aware of the likely outcomes. In my ability to creatively view the likely outcomes of my future, I am also consciously choosing to favor the residual problems over the primary ones by far. Without creative medical intervention, my primary problems are expected to be: increasing seizure frequency, possible death or injury to me or others from an untimely seizure, certainty of increased tumor aggressiveness without ever having direct pathology of said tumor material, and accepting that choosing inaction will most certainly lead to a shorter and lower quality for my remaining life. From speaking with the experts in gliomas, as well as my communications with others in the four days since I've been aware, I am pretty firmly convinced that human civilization is at a tipping point with creativity sharing, the likes of which have never before been seen on earth. The ability that a person like me has to share the amount of information I've traded in the last four days, about a potential life-threatening condition, has only confirmed to me further that creativity is everything. We are traders of creativity and information. We trade creative solutions to creatively born problems.

Like you, I enjoy the beauty of Michigan's Upper Penninsula. We would be able to enjoy it if it was truly only old growth forest. We could not get there, but we can and that's what makes it special. Similarly, I also enjoy writing this post more than others I've written in the past. My creative thinking about what the rest of my life may or may not look like has given me perspective of life farther from the "treadmill of problems" than ever before.

Thank you brother.

-Jeff

*I would guess that the cost in watts of this email transmission is far more efficient than the amount of energy it would take to cut a field to feed a horse, to pulp the trees and bleach the paper, to ship the india ink, from Oakland County to Detroit.





b_b  ·  4363 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I want wish you all the best of luck. I know the men who will be handling your treatment. They are professionals of the absolute highest standard; there's nothing they can't do that others can. Its a bitter irony that you would be stricken with this disease, given mk's relationship to it. Your brother is a good friend and colleague of mine, so I will look forward to hearing good news from him.
katakowsj  ·  4356 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Ben. Thank you. It's been nice meeting you. One of the positives of a messy situation. Having spoken with you, my brother, and the staff of the Hermelin Tumor Team has been an eye opening experience. I never quite realized until two Thursday's ago how many limitiations I had been placing on the human experience and our ability to find solutions to the problems we encounter. I have been given, what I feel, is a rare glimpse of human ingenuity that so often gets lost in the din of our daily lives. Currently, I hope to hold this perspective as strongly as I can. It is my goal to shed as much light on the successes that such fine individuals as yourself have been setting me up for all along. If there are any specifics to which I can be helpful, please let me know immediately. On the contrary, please let me know if it is helpful to shut my yapper at any time. According to my wife, and some handy brain and behavior resources, some of my expressive "filters" have been affected, at least temporarily. The changes seem small to me so far. My wife has noticed some, but I expect some adjustments will definitely take place. Overall, the news is good. Relatively small and welcome opportunity costs are associated with my improved outlook. It all seems to relate back to economics in some way. Unlimited wants versus limited resources. Or, as the Stones said it so well, "You can't always get what you want...but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need." Gettying a bit sappy. Brain filter back on. Thank you.

Jeff

katakowsj  ·  4362 days ago  ·  link  ·  
In my conversations with the fine human beings that will be handling my treatment, I have gained a new perspective about what is possible through creativity. Surgery and the "cancer" word aside, I've can see that my ulitimate future outcomes are hardly different than anyone else I know. I've just got a little work to do starting Thursday. I am in the very best of hands.

Before I walked into the office and met my help last Friday, I could not have expected to feel as fortuitous as I do now. Both gentlemen clearly demonstrated their expertise in gliomas, but more importantly, demonstrated just as clearly, that my problem and their solutions were matched as well as anyone could ever expect.

I tend to feel stronger that people are creativity traders more than ever before.

mk  ·  4363 days ago  ·  link  ·  
No. Thank you, brother.

Watts be damned, you are worth them.

Now excuse me while I go cry a bit.

steve  ·  4363 days ago  ·  link  ·  
dang it... you made me cry at work.

Jeff - thoughts and prayers your direction - like - all I have.

katakowsj  ·  4362 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I look forward to my current situation as one of the best creative adventures that we may have together.

In addition, please disregard what I said when you grabbed some extra Upper Penninsula white pines, hemp rope, cinder blocks, and chain to whip up an actual working trebuchet on the shoreline of Lake Superior that one time.

Your creative energy easily saw beyond the limitations I placed on the situation. It wasn't until we had that damned trebuchet together that I realized that day at the beach that could easily have been ordinary and forgotten instead became one that I'll remember forever. Plus it made for a cool beach fire days later. Hot dogs and all. Thanks again.

Of course, someone could have been killed as that 30 pound stone travelled some distance into the lake. The likelyhood of that was miniscule and the I think the entire collatteral damage of that creative excercise was someone getting a pinched finger. The incredible value of that creative endeavor, the teamwork, and trust built is something I'd pinch my finger for any day.

This is quite a feeling. I trust you completely.

Jeff

thenewgreen  ·  4362 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Today I learned what a Trebuche is, thanks for that. I had always just referred to them as catapults but now I can be more specific. Best of luck with your recovery Jeff.
mk  ·  4362 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    Of course, someone could have been killed as that 30 pound stone travelled some distance into the lake. The likelyhood of that was miniscule and the I think the entire collatteral damage of that creative excercise was someone getting a pinched finger. The incredible value of that creative endeavor, the teamwork, and trust built is something I'd pinch my finger for any day.

I won't ever forget it either. I'll have to dig up the pictures and post them.

I remember our biggest mistake was using old jeans for the sling. :) Luckily they didn't give out on the backswing and send the stone into the neighbor's cottage. If we go for trebuchet 2.0, I'm sure we can get quite a bit further into the lake.

katakowsj  ·  4362 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Trebuchet 2.0? It's on like Donkey Kong bro. Don't forget, I've got weeks of semi-sedentary recovery to creatively plot out and expand on our last monstrosity. It could very well turn out that glioma is the least of my future safety concerns.