It didn’t start nicely. There I was sitting half way up in bed watching television in a darkened room, reaching over to get a piece of hard candy from my bed stand. My bed is a queen size, which is silly, but once in awhile company will come and I’ll head to the sofa.
This makes the room between my bureau and nightstand very close to my bed.
I leaned over to pick up the candy and dropped it on the floor. The corner of my very large, heavy bureau contacted with my forehead just over my right eye. OK, truck drivers everywhere; I’ve invented new cuss words. It hurt! And it began to swell before I had even exited my bed.
I headed to the other side of the house to show my son, Doug what his dumb mother had managed to do. Of course he was upset, looking up at me shaking his head and saying what I just knew he would say, “People are going to think I hit you.” Please understand that I’m on aspirin and blood thinners due to health problems. I bruise like you cannot believe.
Once. at a doctor’s visit when I had bumped myself into a closet door. she’d asked if, indeed, my son was abusing me. Yeah, like that’s going to happen; however, I appreciate that she asked. Just look at the current problems with that big football star and his wife. There are some real abuses, and there really are nuts like that in the world. The week got a little better.
Doug and I were waiting to go and have a fancy birthday dinner for him and playing video poker. I was close to the café and a nice older gentleman came over to me with a take-out box.
“I heard you like patty meals, and I’ve made you one,” hee said.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. When I explained to him that we were heading in for a fancy meal, he promised to hold my patty melt.
I planned on keeping it in the refrigerator at home until the next day. But later, when trying to find him, I failed and had to leave. Names often escape me and I’ve forgotten his, but I want this gentleman to know that that was one of the nicest things anybody has ever done for me and I will try and find him and get another patty melt. He will get a thank you and a kiss.
There was more to this crazy week. I’d received news from my recent PET-scan that cancer didn’t show up in any way. My cancer doctor couldn’t understand why the previous blood tests showed a real problem? Now the scan said NO. This meant going back to the hospital for more blood tests which were done just the other day. While the previous tests said yes, this one — the exact same text — said no.
Between the time I was to have that first PET scan, and actually having it, took a long time because the machine had broken down. In the meantime I had people like new friend Evelyn – with serious problems of her own – my friend Debbie from the county offices and others praying for me. You can think what ever you like, but I believe there was something in the air between Fallon and Heaven that changed things.
I’ll never forget my cancer doctor’s face when he entered that room and smiled. The PET scans had said nothing. There was a however. He wanted more blood tests just to be sure. During this last week I had the same tests again, now for the third time. All I could think about was getting all of this over with, and when the results came back — yet again — as negative, I cried.
How do you describe being that grateful for what could have meant the end of one’s life? I’m 90, dear friends, I doubt I’d ever accept surgery again, or other extraordinary measures. The main reason I’m going to continue having my checkups is that if they find anything negative they’ll keep my coping with any pain. To that gentleman at the casino, and my friends and loved ones who prayed for me — God bless you all.
I’ve decided I’m going to hang around until you’re all are sick and tired of looking at me, and keep you wondering about my son Doug. The lump on my forehead is finally subsiding. Whew!
Edna Van Leuven is a Churchill County writer and columnist. She may be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com