The Week Spent Sitting

This week was the week of sitting around medical professionals’ offices. I used to wonder why elderly people spent so much time in medical waiting rooms. Now I know! ¶ Monday was a long day beginning at 7 AM with CT scan and MRI. That always involves biding one’s time in the waiting room for an hour whilst consuming two bottles of water with something in it. So, by the time the scans were finished it was after 9. Since I was on the hospital campus I thought it a good time to stroll over to the billing office to get information for my AFLAC claim. I had a 30 minute wait for the billing person to finish with another person. ¶ Finally ran home for breakfast at 10:30. Then it was back to the campus to the Cancer Center for blood draw in the lab. The Imaging Center drew six vials earlier in the day and the lab drew four more. I thought I’d not have much blood left when they finished. I had lunch at the restaurant there and then off to see the doctor. One must check in 30 minutes early according to the instructions. I have no idea what that is all about because the doctor is usually 30 minutes late. ¶ The doctor had the usual good news from the CT scan. In other words, the lesions had not enlarged. Then we launched into the MRI. This was of the brain and brain stem. The spot that was discovered last time had enlarged. This meant that cancer was present in the brain. There was still only one spot but it was twice the size as last time. ¶ Time was spent at the scheduling desk and then at the infusion so it was 4 PM when I headed home. The day was written off as a “medical” day.

¶ Aside from the infusions every day, it was on Wednesday that I had an appointment with the radiation oncologist. From his name he is obviously Scandinavian in heritage. With his long red hair and full beard I’ve bestowed on him the nickname of “Erik the Red.” His name is not Erik but that’s beside the point. ¶ He explained the treatment I would receive which is called “Gamma Knife.” After yet another MRI the lesion would be pin-pointed, then my head encased in a metal cage with something like screws, no less, and I will be inserted in a machine which will precisely zap the lesion. “Erik” is confident that I will need only one treatment. The professionals will see to it that I am given something to relax me. That will be nice. ¶ The “team” for this procedure will be a radiation oncologist, a neurosurgeon, a neuroradiologist, a registered nurse, and a medical physicist. Oh, and I guess I’ll need to be there as well. ¶ The upshot is that on Monday I will have a spinal MRI to determine if there are cancer cells in the spinal fluid. Then the next week the more precise MRI will happen on Thursday, with another CT scan before the procedure on Friday, the 19th. All this sounds like more fun than I ever intended to enjoy in the month of March! Now you know everything that I know. ¶ Not a lot of progress has been made on the cat puzzle. Most nights I’ve been too tired from the activities of the day. I’ve also found, just like the children I used to teach, that if something is too hard I lose interest rapidly. Progress will continue until the thing is conquered.

¶ The governor of South Dakota has channeled nearly six hundred thousand dollars to her family’s business. This is from the COVID relief money she still has not spent on the people of South Dakota. One would think since we have the poorest county in the country that a dollar or two could be sent in that direction. Evidently that is not within the realm of possibility. So that brings the total that the relatives have garnered from the government close to four million, or is it five. I’ve lost track. She’ll soon be traveling to Florida where an ex-president is hosting a fund raiser for her campaign chest. It already contains a million or more. How much can one possibly spend campaigning in South Dakota where the one and only requirement for election is being a member of a certain political party. ¶ A friend has reported the appearance of daffodils and other early bloomers in his garden. That is a lovely harbinger of spring. It is not going to reach our predicted high of 60º today. It’s currently standing at 55º. Nice enough but with the breeze there is still a chill in the air. ¶ I continue to be upheld by your thoughts and prayers. Thank you so much. I’ll get back to you next week after, I hope, only one day spent in a waiting room.