such is life and we take it as it comes.

i share with you all the good (well most of it at least) so i shall begin to share with you the not so good. and i kind of need to get this off my chest and lucky for you this is my medium of late.

as you may remember if you were with me from the beginning (what feels like months but will only be 2 weeks tonight!) that the morning that i was to fly out of ottawa i had to make a last minute stop to an oral surgeon who excised a growth off my lower lip. it was so harried and last minute that my parents were waiting to drive me to the airport so that i would be able to make my flight with the "enhanced" security measures. it never really sunk in what happened or what could happen. i was told that in 10 business days the results would be in and that would be that. well last night was 10 business days and once again my faith in western medicine (or western doctors) is shaken.

what was concluded? they were able to ascertain that it was "atypical" (thanks doc but i could have told you that, in fact i think i did when i said there is a growth on my face that shouldn't be there). they were also able to ascertain that though they don't know what it is they do know that they didn't get it all the first time. lets recap.

- don't know what it is

- know it shouldn't be there

- know they didn't get it all

starting to feel my frustration?

i responded to the email from my dentist saying thanks for the update and i will see you on the 1st of june (should an appointment be available for round two). i also gave him my mom's number and told him that in my absence she could act as my proxy (calls from guatemala are expensive and god forbid the call was made from a doctor's office, you know those people with $$$$). this is where it gets good.

last night my parents called and after a nice chat i get told that june is too late. she tells me the doctors didn't realize that i'd be gone so long. (a real shame i talk in such code or else there would have been no confusion but i understand how confusing "i am leaving this morning for 4 1/2 months, i'll be back in june but you can email me the details" it really was my fault i should have given him my decoder ring prior to sharing such complex yet vital information) {are you picking up the sarcasm? cause i am laying it on pretty thick!}

the ever helpful doc told her that june was too late (what does that means when they don't know what it is?). now let me break it down again....

- they don't know what it is

- they know it shouldn't be there

- they know they didn't get all of "what ever it is" (might be bad, might not)

- they know that waiting 4 months to do what they should have properly done the first time, i too long.

- i get to go home to have my face cut open again.

now i may be being a bit harsh but this is my blog and i choose to be harsh. just as you choose to read (or not read) and just as the doc has chosen to fuck up my adventure and fun.

now let me be reasonable for a bit: yes if it is bad then going home to sort it out is the smart thing to do. yes, in the grand scheme of things one hiccup in my guatemalan adventure seems pretty insignificant. yes, should anyone around me here be diagnosed with this same issue, they would be singing a different tune (guatemalan's don't survive cancer). and this is why though i am pissed and though i am frustrated i do know that not only can i do this but i have an amazing network around me (here and at home) to help me deal with this no matter what happens.

i am waiting now to talk with the doc directly to find out when i need to be buying my ticket for my return home. please don't freak out. i am (after last night) trying to keep cool about all this and i promise i will update you (vent) as i too know more.

regardless of  the recent annoying bordering on ridiculousness life here in san pedro has been spectacular with wonderful people, local and foreign who have become great friends and family. a fun picture to change the mood.