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I’m going to try to keep this a tight as a I can as it takes a lot for me to do this but I wasn’t going to let my brain tumour stop me from my unbeaten streak on my consistent here.

Spring

How does one diagnose brain function?

It’s not an easy task. We just live in denial.

I has having some memory things and issues being as fast as I usually was.

I work hard. Building what I’m building the help those that need my help.

But as I trace back into late spring, I wasn’t as fast as I was usually.

My partner and I Cheryl, who is the light of my lift and I bought tickets to Cape Town, South Africa, to See Geran my Chief Operations Manager of TCM and his whife Michelle and have a vacation for Augusts 20th - 31st.

June

This was a new push for all the stuff I wanted to film this summer.

All the videos I wanted to make.

But my capacity. I couldn’t put it together as fast as I should be able to.

I tried, but didn’t see it as what was actually going on inside my head.

I told myself I’m dealing with so much stuff.

My mothers death, lawyers, businesses.

We got through

July

July was my birthday, my girl and I blanned a big thing here but I didn’t really have the capacity to even tell many people. 10-15 people where here.

I have many that would have wanted to be here if I had just something.

But I was beginning to withdraw.

I didn’t see it as yet but looking back now, It reads like a move.

Towards the end of the month, the glitching started

My cognitive function dropped down to the 70’s.

I couldn't do things, I needed help where I didn’t before.

August

This was when it got real.

early in the month I was home, outside on my deck.

I was watching something.

Have my vision on both eyes disappeared.

the other have was static, green trails, tracking to the left.

I thought it was just “too much screen time” so I went inside and lated down on the couch.

(I’m floored that i’m actually able to write this write now. I had brain surgery 3 days ago.)

I laid on the couch for an hour and woke up full glitching. I couldn’t see.

I was having a stroke.

After that moment, I couldn’t read anymore.

I walked towards my bathroom by not before banging my head full stop against this door, as it was half open and I couldn't see it.

That was a very near life ender but made to to bed.

Cheryl asked me about the grime scene in the bathroom and I told her I bumped my head.

I was still in denial and couldn't even articulate what was happing with my mental capacity because I didn’t now.

Until I went to the hospital, I thought with was because I bumped my head but this was going on for much longer.

Cape Town

Knowing what I know now, there’s no way on God’s green earth I should’ve gone out on a plane.

But we did

Because we did not know that I had a brain tumor because I had been avoiding seeing any kind of medical treatment

I flew 18 hours to Cape Town

I had never been on a flight longer than seven hours before

Never been to Africa

Meeting was so important, and I’m so glad we were

I healed brought my levels down, but my capacity was not at 100

I knew there was something up. I just couldn’t articulate it yet.

It was a lot of travel. It was amazing.

Geran Raath is truly a king.

His wife, his kids.

What an experience he gave us.

Flight home felt like two days, but I made it back.

September. I’ve Touched Africa and Returned.

September is where it all comes to head

This is where I had another stroke

In the middle of a zoom call

There were people crying

My team got messages to Cheryl so she could come home

I was completely glitching

I couldn’t say words

Cheryl came home , and said we’re going to Toronto Western

I said no, I’m good

She looked at me with a look that I’ve never seen someone look at anybody

With a level of serious like a heart attack

She said, we’re going to the hospital

I said OK, An off we went to Toronto Western

Sept 19, Emergency, Day, One

Downtown emergency is insane in any big city

This one was the right one

It did take hours to get scanned

But it’s because I was pretty stable

If I was worse, they would’ve rushed me in earlier

But I was improving from the point that they started medicating me an emergency

I waited nine hours for a scan

With the second, the doctor saw that scan she says we have a problem

We think you have cancer in your brain and we think that it might’ve come from your lungs

And I said so, what do we do?

We’re gonna do brain surgery

I said OK

I said when

They said as soon as we can do it probably tomorrow

And I got moved from emergency on floor one to floor 5.

Sept 20-Sept 22, 5th Floor, Daily Surgery Watch

Once I knew that they were going to operate, I was so ready

I can’t tell you how prepared I was for the surgery

Mentally physically emotionally

Completely dialed

I knew the day that the surgery would happen.

But no lie waiting on the fifth floor was hard

The nurses, the security, the team, everyone was top of the top in this hospital.

I’m definitely going to do a series on the people who helped me while I was there

I’m going to photograph, everybody.

I made it through the fifth floor

Sept 23. Specialized awake brain surgery. 3:30 hrs

I think I actually might be Ne-Yo from the matrix

Going through brain surgery was so sick

I needed that to happen

Obviously, it saved my life

But it actually dialed me in in a way that I can’t really articulate here

The surgeon got all the cancer

I sat for an extra half hour for him to make sure that he got every every every bit of it

He said I’m was a trooper, patient, and super positive the whole time

They managed my pain really well

There was easily 25 people in that room

While I looked at an iPad screen and told them what I saw, that’s a book, that’s a car, that’s a plane, that’s a dog

And they re-mapped my brain, and removed all that cancer

Insane

Recovery Sept 23 Onwards.

That brings you almost up to today

I did one of the most miraculous recovery ever, which is why I was home in two days

My brain function is better by the hour

My memories are coming back

My ability to read gets better by the day

Although I’m still trying to not read, I haven’t been able to read for over a month

So I’m still going a light on that, but I believe I’ll be back at over 100% in a couple of weeks

If you made it to this very lengthy post by far the longest I’m sure I’ve ever sent to sub stack. I appreciate you.

Means a lot that you care and read this

This brought you any value any insight maybe share it with somebody

And if you wanna leave a comment, feel free although I won’t read it right away I will get to all of them and see them eventually

Love and light from Toronto Canada

I’m Steve Carty, professional photographer, value creator and educator. My goal is to teach 100,000 photographers to make an ethical living with their cameras, their ideas and their talent

PS. The fact that I wrote this today says a lot. It means I’m back. We go onward. Thanks for being a part of this thing we’re building.

I wouldn’t be alive without the amazing doctors at Toronto Western Hospital, without my beloved partner I life and love Cheryl, my advisors and healers, of course the brilliant my doctors and nurses and anesthesiologists, and pharmacy team, the entire thing was high art.

Thanks for reading and caring about my story.