Bad Weeks

I've had a strange couple of weeks. On Monday, July 12th, Walgreen's Pharmacy told me that my PCP, Dr. M., would not OK any more of my meds until I came in for a regular physical. I made an appointment and went to see him a week ago last Tuesday, July 20th.

Dr. M. mentioned that he hadn't seen a chest X-ray for me for some time, so we made an appointment. I went in Wednesday. Thursday his receptionist called me that I should come in on Friday, the 23rd, so that he could talk to me about the results of the X-ray.

The doctor said, "Bob, I really hate to have to tell you this, but the X-ray indicates that you have lung cancer. I'll set you up for a CT -scan. and we'll know more." I was, to put it mildly, stunned. A real "Oh, shit!" moment. He scheduled the cat-scan for Monday, July 26th, which I attended.

I had been commiserating with my best friend about his esophageal CA, but lung cancer... particularly horrifying. My mother died of lung cancer. My father died of emphysema. I know I'm mortal and I realize I must die eventually, but I could visualize myself dying as they did--gasping for air, in intractable pain. Not the way I would have chosen.

I wanted to call my daughter Joanne to tell her I was ready to move down to Tucson, but she was still in Spain. Sales meeting with son-in-law. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday not too surprisingly I slid into a black depression, and found myself studying my handguns questioningly. Then, Thursday evening on the 29th at about 6:30 the phone rang.

It was Dr. M., "I have some news."
"Lay it on me," I growled.
"It's really good news. The X-ray was read wrong. The cat-scan shows your lungs completely clear. You don't have lung cancer."

Wow! Huge weight lifted from my shoulders.

I'm not sure whether I'm very grateful to Dr. M., or very angry at him. It would have been a really ugly joke on both of us if I had used my pistol!

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(I hereby permit my friend and fellow Mensan, Yolanda Martin, to post this anecdote on
her web-log. I retain right of first publication in print media (also
known as "dead tree" media.))

Robert N. Eaton 07/31/10
2310 W. Orangewood Ave., #4
Phoenix, AZ 85021-7668
Motheaton28@aol.com