The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can’t help it. –Leo Rosten
I got home around 5:45 pm. Saw Dr. Boehm at 12:45 to discuss how I felt. I saw him last week. Joe suggested I might be having symptoms of diabetes. (Mrs. Boehm told me to tell him to stick to being a nurse and quit trying to be a doctor!) So I went in and talked to him and he found my BP okay (usual 120/70), all my meds okay, thrilled that the Alli gives me nice bm’s with no accidents, etc. We discussed my previous labs and the sugar was a tiny bit high, nothing to worry about. Discussed my thyroid and diabetes family history. Said I’m not likely to be diabetic, but we’ll go ahead and send me for labs since it’s been awhile. Weighed me, I yelled that can’t be right, he looked like his eyes were going to pop outta his head, and he said maybe there is more of a chance than I thought. Sent me right over to Quest. I had gained 20 pounds since the last time he weighed me and now I weigh a fraking TWO HUNDRED FIFTY POUNDS. (Think of writing that across a check.) I’m to call him in the morning for results.
The loss
of the dream
Leaves nothing
the same.
— Langston Hughes, “Beale Street”
I went over immediately and had 8 tubes drawn. My favorite phleb was there. I watched her stick me from start to finish.
THEN, I had a pink spot that had to be removed from my shoulder, I think I may have mentioned this, and today was the day for that surgery. I went in, had to wait a long time, then the doc’s assistant came in to prep me. I assured her they were not cutting off my whole shoulder – the amount of stuff she pulled out and set out made me wonder! Once she had everything set, he came in and marked the area he was cutting. I didn’t realize that huge area was a playing field! Then she came back and put the LIDOCAINE in six spots, I watched again, start to finish. She asked if I was in the medical field since I watched. I told her I would normally have to be strapped down by several people to do that – I just recently changed. (Today!) Then when it was dead, the doc came in and wiped it all down again after gloving up, then took his scalpel and cut a piece out while I watched that was about 2” x 1” at least. That was neat! There was a lot of fat in there… She dabbed blood, then after the meat was in the jar, he started cauterizing the entire area. That was really weird to watch! Cooking me up! After all of that, he stitched me inside and then outside. How cool was that! She cleaned up and medicated me and then put a big bandage on and told me to do the same every day and come back in 2 weeks for the outer stitch removal and to make sure they got it all.
I did not faint, get dizzy or anything else. I guess all these years of watching medical shows have finally gotten to me!
There is only one success–to be able to spend your life in your own way.
—Christopher Morley
Things have been really weird for me lately. I told Dr. Boehm that I am still very depressed and shouldn’t be, since good things have happened. I am still working on getting my sleep back to normal and in fact, did not sleep at all last night. He thinks once the sleep is fixed, I’ll feel 100% better.
So that’s what’s up with me. You?
All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story or tell a story about them.”
— Isak Dinesen, in Hannah Arendt, THE HUMAN CONDITION, 1959
Tim did his speaking in Key West yesterday and he said it went wonderfully. I am so jealous! Where did he get all this talent? J
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/content/index.asp
Love you!
Robin J
