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 ›
Surgery
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 ›
LIFE, DEATH, CANCER, AND DIGNITY
I don’t talk much about the “reality” of having cancer. It’s not the same for everyone and my cases (two, one for each breast and each different from the other) were relatively mild. The lymph nodes were not attacked, the… Read More ›
EIGHT YEARS AND STILL IN REMISSION (YAY) – Marilyn Armstrong
Eight years ago today I had a bilateral mastectomy for cancer. I had malignant tumors in both breasts. Two different kinds of cancer. Which, I was told, is extremely rare. One in a million. I’m always that one in a… Read More ›
WHAT’S A DAY WITHOUT A CHALLENGE? – Marilyn Armstrong
RDP #63 – CHALLENGE Lately, every day is challenging. Life is a challenge. Yesterday’s challenge was getting everything that needed doing, done. My son doesn’t have a lot of time off from work. It was the first of the month, which… Read More ›
GARRY’S COCHLEAR IMPLANT IS TODAY – Marilyn Armstrong
By the time you read this, we will be at the hospital and quite probably surgery will be underway or even finished. I guess it depends on what time zone you’re in. This is exciting stuff. Nervous-making, too. It will… Read More ›
WELCOME! LET US MAKE THIS EVENT STRESS FREE! – Marilyn Armstrong
RDP # 49 – WELCOME Nurse: Welcome to the University of Massachusetts hospital! We are here to make your experience as comfortable as possible. We’d like to get started by asking you to give us the identical information we required from… Read More ›
TO HEAR: THE OBJECT OF THE EXERCISE – Marilyn Armstrong
THE OBJECT OF THE EXERCISE: TO HEAR Yesterday, I got a call from the Audiology Department of UMass. She said she wanted to give me the rest of Garry’s official audiological follow-up appointments — as opposed to the surgical follow-ups…. Read More ›
A PAIN IN THE NECK
When Pain Decides, by Rich Paschall There are many powerful motivators in life. Money is at the top of some lists. It certainly seems to be the main motivation for many leaders of corporations and governments. Doing good, rather than doing… Read More ›
SHOCKED
SHOCKED On the table. Recently cut into pieces and then stitched back up, I was officially in shock. Well, what do they expect is going to happen? They take all the critical parts of your body out, repair them, stick… Read More ›
JUST BURY ME NOW
Oh Bury Me Now! We were watching West Wing last night. Watching it again because I need a reminder that government doesn’t have to be as horrible as it currently is. I am pretending that the show — West Wing… Read More ›
MY BIBLE BUMP – THE CYST ON MY WRIST, REDUX
I’ve got a bible cyst (also known as a bible bump) on my left wrist. No kidding. It’s not quite as funny as it sounds. It has been a nuisance for a while. Since the last round of life and… Read More ›
LITTLE WIRES – A DRAMA-FREE SOLUTION
Yesterday, out popped two little wires that have been working their way through the healing scar of my pacemaker. The first time this happened, it was one wire poking through next to the much bigger scar down the middle of my sternum. I… Read More ›
ITCH!!
For everything, there is a season. This is my season to itch. First, you wake up from surgery in screaming agony and after a while, it subsides. Little by little, it goes from agony to misery. The misery lasts months,… Read More ›
I’LL BE BACK
Daily Prompt: Never Surrender Like a lichen on a rock, I cling. Like the sun, I rise. Like the earth, I renew. I’ll be back. Friday’s the big day, though I’ll be in the hospital as of Thursday for cardiac… Read More ›
YET ANOTHER UPDATE
Surgery has been delayed. Garry got pneumonia and I got a nasty cold. Apparently coughing, sneezing and heart surgery don’t go well together. Surgery has been rescheduled for March 14th when presumably Garry will not have pneumonia and I will… Read More ›
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 