Doctors gave Kevin Bloodworth a period; he's making it an exclamation mark
In July, medics showed Kevin Bloodworth, then 37, a picture of the tumour inside his skull and told him to tidy up his affairs. They could try surgery, but there was little hope. His life was almost over -- period.
"It looked like a jellyfish," he says.
"The main body was about the size of a baseball, but its tentacles ran all through the brain and there was no way they could get at them."
A month ago, the Orléans father of two was declared cancer free, and says: "Don't put a period where God intended only a comma."
He had no idea he was in trouble until he collapsed in July. Things happened fast once doctors found the reason a fit man suddenly had his lights switched off. Surgery was performed within days, and the body of the tumor was excised. It weighed in at seven ounces.
The tentacles were tackled with a bombardment of chemicals and radiation. Despite all the trauma the inside of his head was subjected to, he came through undamaged. He says he's unaware of any loss. Then he hesitates and says his ability as a soccer player may have declined a bit. He will never again head a soccer ball.
Come to think of it, it will lessen his communications speed. He will never again use a cellphone. A self-employed idea man and Christian activist, he used to travel to at least 15 countries a year, and his hand-held communications devices were seldom far from his ear.
Manufacturers and government tests say there's nothing to worry about, but Mr. Bloodworth has become a doubter. To his way of thinking, the tumor looked like an extension of his cellphone.
An American, Mr. Bloodworth was attending a teachers' conference in Atlanta a few years ago, and spotted among the attendees a teacher from the Ottawa Catholic School Board. Her name: Nancy-Chantel Souliere. "We were sitting in the same section, and pretty soon I was sitting right beside her."
They were married and had daughter Reece, now three, and son Maddox, now two. She teaches at St. Peter's in Orléans, and he is active in his church, The Life Centre, also in Orléans.
His reminder of mortality changed his thinking and his approach to life. He no longer focuses his attention on the world, but is zeroed in on his community. He has become a cancer warrior.
"While we went through this, we never once in six months had to prepare a dinner. Every day a wonderful meal, prepared by people at Nancy-Chantel's school or my church, appeared on our table. There was always a babysitter or a ride on request. We didn't get through this without help."
Kevin's first career was in radio, and the 15-year veteran broadcaster enjoys doing a regular Saturday morning children's show on Radio CHRI-99.1 FM, a Christian station.
"The whole situation really heightened my awareness of Orléans," he said in a story carried by the weekly Orléans Star in August. "I really want to help this community. I really want to see this community flourish."
That was in the doubtful days when he was still working on the punctuation issue. He doesn't talk about having a lot of time, but more time. "Nobody knows. Look at any grave marker and you'll see the years of birth and death. There's a dash between them. We have no control over the dates, only the dash. That's where we live our lives. That's what counts."
Currently he's making it count by working on the details of a couple of cancer causes his marketing skills came up with. He is Upward Communications, and as a skilled organizer he has most of the legwork done for a softball challenge in the spring. It will feature players from the Ottawa Senators, as well as promises of bodies from the Canadian Football League and MuchMusic.
He's working with Koyman Galleries to launch a formal evening featuring high-profile artists, as well as artists who happen to be cancer patients. Both events still require fine tuning, so he doesn't give dates.
He says he talked his way to survival. "If you believe you can't, then you'll be right. If you believe you can, you will." He focuses on that dash, and accepts that his life will end, but not before he achieves some things. And it will end not with a comma or a period, but with an exclamation mark.
That shows in the way he signs off on his notes and letters. "Here with a purpose! Kevin Bloodworth."
dbrown000@sympatico.ca
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
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Letter to the Editor
Link to story in The Gazette on Fluorescent lights and Migraines:
I just read Joe Schwarcz's article "Jury's out on link between migraines, fluorescent tubes" (The Gazette, February 1, 2009) and would like to correct some of the statements of "fact" that he made.
What perhaps Joe Schwarcz doesn't know is that CFLs generate different types of frequencies in addition to the "flicker" he refers to. Some generate UV radiation (as shown by the Health Protection Agency in the UK). Some generate enough radio frequency radiation to interfere with wireless communication (see warning on GE packages). Most generate intermediate frequencies (IF) in the kHz range that are commonly referred to as dirty electricity.
A recent survey of migraine suffers in the UK (to be published later this year) showed that 90% of the 270 who completed the survey, develop migraines when exposed to fluorescent lights. Can these 240 people all be wrong?
Also, Joe Schwarcz refers to a school study where "dirty electricity" was reduced with microsurge filters and teachers' health improved. He makes the erroneous assumption that teachers could see the filters, and assumed they would be helping them and this biased their response to the questionnaire. What perhaps he doesn't realize is that dummy filters were used as well as real filters. Teachers didn't know which filters were installed at any one time. This is what is known as a "blinded" study. A good judge at a science fair would get all the facts before making pronouncements about the quality of a scientific study.
What isn't mentioned is that these filters have helped some diabetics control their blood sugar and have reduced tremors among those who have multiple sclerosis. But perhaps these improvements were all psychosomatic as well. All of the studies I mention are peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Another erroneous assumption is that those who are electrically sensitive should be able to detect when they are being exposed. This is not necessarily the case and has been one of the faulty assumptions made by other investigators. Being able to detect exposure and physiologically responding to exposure are different. We don't necessarily know that we are exposed to high UV levels from the sun but develop a sunburn if exposure is prolonged.
The real issue here is that Canada is banning incandescent light bulbs by 2012. We will all have to use energy efficient lights and currently the only affordable alternative to incandescent lighting is the CFL. After much media pressure Health Canada has finally agreed to check these bulbs for UV radiation and that information should be available by the end of this year.
People can decide for themselves if these bulbs are affecting their health. All they need to do is replace the CFLs in their home with incandescent light bulbs and if their symptoms improve after a few days then they are likely to be sensitive. The arrogance that only science can give you answers and you can't rely on your own judgement, is just that . . . arrogance.
Dr. Magda Havas, Trent Univesity.
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Andrew Lyle on 28 January 2009
Verizon has introduced a new in home personal cell phone tower that connects to your broadband connection so users can get a full signal within a 5000 square foot area. The unit connects to a broadband connection with a 300 kbps minimum connection to communicate with the closest cell tower if out of reach in either a dead zone or blacked out area.
The unit acts as a cellular base station, also referred to as "femtocell". The Network Extender is a small unit at 7.8" x 2.1" x 5.8" and weighs roughly 1lb – about the same size as a wireless router. The unit doesn't require any setup to your existing Verizon Wireless phone, or any additional plans, but requires a broadband connection and needs to be placed near a window to collect a GPS signal.
The Network Extender offers 4 channels, 3 of which can be used for active calls, for up to 50 prioritized phone numbers, and 1 channel left open for 911 emergency services. The ability to block neighbours from using the unit is an added in safeguard for the device to prevent unauthorized access within the range.
Customers could be replacing their home phones with the improved range around their home, where previously, only landlines could each. The unit is great for places with basements, hilly areas, or any other locations where cell towers have troubles reaching. The
Verizon Wireless Network Extender prices for $249.99.
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Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2009 7:23 PM
Subject: ( Open Letter to Minister of Industry Canada, The Honourable Tony Clement ) Radiation from Cellphone Towers and WiFi is ruining our atmosphere
Dear Minister
I find it hard to believe ,with all of the science pointing toward serious health effects from electromagnetic fields in our atmosphere,that you, The Minister of Industry for Canada, would even contemplate WiFi ing the whole of Canada.
Many of us Canadians are sensitive to radio wave radiation and are finding it difficult NOW, to find a place were we don't suffer from radiation, so where are we to go for safety if you radiate our entire country??
I would like to know if you read the up to date science which is telling us that EMF is dangerous to human health.as well as animals.
So you will say that Health Canada Safety Code 6 protects us from any harm from EMF which is absolutely false.Many studies show health effects at radiation levels WELL BELOW CSC6 Many people are suffering with no remedy to be found, and since our Doctors have not been informed of the symptoms related to EMF exposure,they can only send sufferers to psychiatrists who also don't know or understand the effects EMF exposure.
I knew a very fine lady that attempted suicide because she claimed that EMF made her so ill she didn't want to live. She was found in time only to be found dead later leaving behind a suicide note.The coroners report stated that she was psychotic. Would you like to see a member of your family placed in their grave with that label??I know of many Canadians that are suffering daily ,and some have had to move from their homes,me being one,in order to get away from cellphone broadcast towers.In my opinion If Industry Canada to allows One More Broadcast Tower to be set up any where in Canada .
Knowing what the up to date peer reviewed scientific studies say.You Would be committing a serious Irresponsible act which if brought before the courts I do not believe that our Canadian Constitution would allow our government to radiate our atmosphere to the point were we Canadians are getting ill from such radiation.So ,before you even think of WiFing Canada Please read the FULL BioInititive Report (website provided below.
Yours Truly
Robert Riedlinger
