I had a physical last week, the first in a number of years, although I’ve had a complete blood work-up annually for at least the last decade. Part of the physical was a chest x-ray.
The doctor’s office called today to tell me that the x-ray revealed a spot on one lung, and they want to do a cat scan to see if it’s anything to be concerned about. I can have this done at time that’s convenient for me…as long as it’s between 1:30 and 1:32 p.m. tomorrow.
Well.
Let me say that in my heart of hearts, I believe there is nothing to this. I’ve never smoked, never been exposed to secondhand smoke in any meaningful quantity. I have no symptoms of anything out of the ordinary — aside from the splitting headaches, temporary blindness in one eye, and inability to complete a th…um, where was I? Just kidding, of course, except for the last thing, and my wife will tell you I’ve had that on my plate for going on 31 years now. Anyway, after receiving the call, I went for a 20 mile bike ride. I’m sure this is just a precautionary move, a wise thing to do, but ultimately not important.
OTOH…my mind is really good at coming up with doomsday scenarios: will I be the strong hero type through the experimental and traumatic treatment, or will I whine incessantly? Will I burn through all our 401Ks and IRAs while pursuing exotic treatments, leaving us destitute, homeless and probably dependent on a Windows machine, or will my blogger friends start a fund that will not only pay all my expenses but leave enough to begin a foundation for future victims of the newly-discovered disease that now bears my name? Will I look at this post tomorrow evening and chuckle, or will it be the demarcation for a new chapter in the pitifully short time left to me before I shuffle off this mortal strand?
Do you hear violins? I’m sure I hear violins.
I’m glad your’re joking about it, because I was thinking that maybe your blogger friends could scrape up enough for a nice canoe so we could give you a Viking funeral…if there’s water enough out there to push you off from shore.
Good luck, sir…
FireAnt Gazette Prayer Request
Eric Siegmund at the excellent Fire Ant Gazette went to the doc the other day and they found a spot on his lung. He’s being a great sport about it – there’s a good chance it’s probably nothing – but he has a cat scan tomorrow and I figured tha…
Oh, cool! A Viking funeral…I never even thought of that! You’re right, though; the water thing could be a problem. You could possibly float a canoe down the Pecos River right outside Imperial, although the fire could pose something of a hazard, what with the nearby oil and gas wells and such. Still, I do appreciate the offer.
Hope everything is okay Eric. I think being buried at sea is kind of cool, particularly if you have never had anything to do with sailing or the water.
Dan, your comment is a reminder for me to blog someday about my experience as a Sea Scout…in the middle of a desert!
I’ll be thinking good thoughts for ya today. I’m guessing the x-ray tech probably got distracted and screwed up the thang. It’s so hard to find good help these days. 🙂 Keep us posted!
Thanks, Kevin! I’m wonderin’ now if I shoulda mentioned my pierced nipple to the tech…
Didn’t seem like a big deal at the time.
It was probably the Zippo lighter in your shirt pocket during the X-Ray.