I don’t talk much about the “reality” of having cancer. It’s not the same for everyone. I had it twice, once for each breast and each was unrelated to the other. It was relatively minor for me other than the… Read More ›
Medical
EARLY RESULTS
It’s too soon for full results. That will take about 3 months, but I think the nurse, realizing I wanted to see something, even if it was just a hint, had them run a CBC panel yesterday. At least we… Read More ›
ONE THING I DID NOT WANT TO BE
Old, by Rich Paschall When you think of all the things you want to be when you grow up, “old” probably is not on the list. You may think about being a doctor or nurse. You may consider a lawyer… Read More ›
TO THE EYE DOCTOR
Poor Garry. One of his hearing aids is out for repair, so hearing is a bigger than usual problem. For him, hearing is always a problem but with one aid missing, it’s worse. And now, with his eyes going blurry,… Read More ›
TOMORROW AND TOMORROW
I can’t begin to tell you how very much I want to not “do” tomorrow. It’s my first iron infusion and I have zero faith in the hospital’s ability to find a functional vein. I have defeated a couple of… Read More ›
MY OLD CARCASS
Our family doctor was absolutely dead on target when he said that my problem is that I’m not absorbing iron. I was also right that some of the problem is the rheumatoid arthritis and another chunk of the problem is… Read More ›
UPDATE: MARILYN – SATURDAY PM
FLASHBACK FRIDAY On Saturday – Originally written on March 19, 2014 by Garry Armstrong. Update by Marilyn. Not all flashbacks are fun to read or remember. Eight years ago, I was in Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital trying to stay alive…. Read More ›
A DAY OF RECKONING
I’ve been fighting to get MassAdvantage to work with us rather than against us. We are their customers, people who use their doctors and hospital who they enlisted in this plan. This isn’t a national or even regional plan. It’s… Read More ›
NO PAST TENSE – RICH PASCHALL
No Longer Playing, by Rich Paschall It was a bright winter day. The sun was out. The temperature was above freezing, and it seemed like a good day to get out of the house. So, Art got into his car… Read More ›
NO MASKS AND THE RED DEATH – RICH PASCHALL
The “Red Death” had long devastated the country. No pestilence had been ever so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avator and its seal — the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains and sudden dizziness… … Read More ›
THE REST OF THE SENTENCE
Yesterday I had a routine, annual eye exam. As part of the exam, he put drops in my eyes which made my vision blurry for the rest of the day. I kept cleaning my glasses, but it was my eyes… Read More ›
TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a… Read More ›
DON’T YOU HATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS?
I went to see my doctor yesterday. We are new to one another and we needed a pow-wow. The last time I was there, I handed him a box with about 10 pounds of paper medical records in it. I think,… Read More ›
FIXED!
About 10 years ago, maybe a little longer — possibly 12 years? — Garry had Tommy John surgery on his right shoulder. It’s a hell of a surgery. Five months in a tight sling followed by months of PT. All… Read More ›
FIBBING FRIDAY? JUST FRIDAY?
FIBBING FRIDAY: BE GRATEFUL THAT IT DOESN’T LAST ALL YEAR! From PCGUY IV comes this charming list of medical terms. Who could resist this marvelous selection? sphincter, phalanges, rectum, varicose, aorta, vein, artery, alveolus, bacteria, virus Great selection! You left… Read More ›
OUR PANDEMIC LEGACY – RICH PASCHALL
What We Have Learned So Far, by Rich Paschall While we certainly have not put this long social nightmare behind us, we have learned a lot along the way. These are some of the highlights, or in most cases, lowlights…. Read More ›