How I See It: Reflections on spirituality, technology, and the art of everyday life

Back to Knife Dear Friends, This morning I received a phone call from my Endo (Endocrinologist). He told me that the results of the MRI are back and that the growth is 1.2 x 10 mm. This is slightly larger than what can be treated with radiation alone, so I’ll (unless they change their minds again) be going under the knife — again. My Endo said, “We want to scrape out whatever we can before the radiation.” That doesn’t sound like fun to me. I have an appointment with my surgeon — the same one who did my last surgery — on Monday. He does good work (although he could use a personality transplant). Last time there was very little pain, and it healed well (see the pic). This week I also received my copy of the pathology report. This time it indicates that they found architecture of both papillary and follicular thyroid cancer. Last time it was only papillary cancer. Follicular is a much more aggressive strain. I asked my Endo about this, and he told me that I’m still considered to ...

It's back Dear Friends, This afternoon I got a call from my doctor. He told me that the biopsy confirmed I do, in fact, have papillary thyroid cancer. This is the same cancer I had two years ago. At that time, I had my thyroid removed and underwent radiation therapy. I was told that if you’re going to have cancer, thyroid is the kind to get — it’s the most easily treated of all the cancers. But when they removed it last time, they said it was in everything they touched — parathyroid, skeletal muscles, and lymph nodes. The doctor called it “massive and extensive.” This time it has appeared in a lymph node, so the sooner I get it out, the better. Now it’s back, and I’ll be starting treatment again as quickly as I can arrange it. The doctors still want to run some tests before surgery. I’m hoping to have it done the second week of November, but there’s a lot to do before then. Sometime this week, I hope to meet with my surgeon. After the surgery comes the radiation treatment....

A brief history of my medical problems (in case you don’t already Dear friends, Looking at the updates I have been posting (on Facebook) and the notes, it occurs to me that some of you who have only recently found me again might not know why I am having these tests and problems. So here is a brief (even though it is long) summary of what has been going on the last couple of years. In late 2005 I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and they found I had lumps on my thyroid. In January I was given a needle biopsy of the thyroid. After the biopsy (I do not know if my neurological problems are connected to this biopsy, but it started within 3 days) I began having various neurological symptoms including bilateral facial paralysis (at its worst I had to pinch my mouth closed to chew), sensitivity to light and sound, double vision, blurred vision (for months my eyeglass prescription would change almost daily), changes in sense of taste, nausea, fatigue, drooping eyelids (the r...

The Ultimate Killer App—Dear Bill An Open Letter to Bill Gates,The Ultimate killer App! Microsoft Corporation Attn: Bill Gates One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-6399 Subject: The Ultimate Killer App! My Dear Mr. Gates, Let me introduce myself. My name is Odell Hathaway. I have been a computer programmer since 1977, when my parents purchased their first computer for their business—an IBM 5100 Portable Computer. This was IBM’s attempt to develop a microcomputer that, of course, was eventually overshadowed by your DOS operating system and the IBM Personal Computer. As I say, I have worked as a computer programmer for over 30 years, man and boy. I have developed and maintained software both for companies with their own computers and software (developed in-house by me), and I have worked for companies that develop software or modify other people’s software (value-added resellers). While I am a fairly good developer of new software, I have found that I am also e...

Tax States Proportionately The Columbian Serving Clark County, Washington   July 21, 2008 Our Readers' Views Tax States Proportionately Instead of the United States taxing its citizens, I would suggest the federal government should tax the states and let each state decide how it will support the federal government. Each state would be responsible for a portion of the total federal budget, based on the number of representatives it has in Congress. Washington would owe 9/435ths of the total federal budget, Oregon 5/435ths, and California 53/435ths. The more say a state has over the budget, the more it pays. Control over taxation would move closer to the people. The federal budget would be balanced, states would not ask for so much from the federal government, and as states take less money, federal control over them would decrease. States’ rights would be strengthened. ...

Even if there is a God why do we Worship? A friend told me about a question their child asked them, and I was so moved that I wrote the following answer. Your mother told me of a question you asked her recently, and it has made me think and want to give you an answer. She said you asked, “Even if there is a God, why should we worship Him?” That is a truly great question, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. The first thing that comes to mind is what is meant by worship. I know that church worship is normally what people think of — and for many, it is what’s important — but for others it’s too limiting and can sometimes try to trap God rather than worship Him. It’s like saying to God, “We’ll do all this for You, but You must be the way we say.” I’m not saying there’s nothing to be gained in church worship, but one has to be careful and stay connected to something deeper. To me, worship has a very simple meaning — Love . The two words are interchangeable. I worship my wife; I l...

Success? Lessons: Conclusions! Copyright ©, 2008 By Odell Sneeden Hathaway, III I would say that if today were my last day and I had to look back on my life I would see that while it was a painful slog, that I would never want to go through again on the whole I have done pretty dam good.  I feel that I would leave this world a somewhat better place then when I entered it.  While I may not have been an astronaut or lived some of my dreams I feel like I have lived up to the contents of those dreams. My biggest regret has to be not being able to answer my calling for The Girl I first loved.  But there are things that don’t work out.  I would loved to have been able to fly like super man as well. I am surprised that no place in this paper has my lack of having children come into play as I know I feel very bad about missing that part of my life (now that I am getting old enough that it is likely never to happen).  But I think that might ha...