I’m almost finished with the Mother Mary diamond painting I’m making for my sister, who fell last week and broke her wrist.  She’s having surgery on her wrist Thursday, so they can put some plates and screws in it to stabilize it.  My sister (for those of you who might not know,) has type 1 diabetes, and has had it since she was four.  She’s now sixty-two and has been really struggling with the complications the disease is throwing her way.  She lacks balance, and is falling a lot more often than we would hope.  I bought the painting before she fell, and when I saw it, I knew my sister would love it, and I hope she does.  I should have it completed tomorrow, and will try to get it in the mail so my sister has it when she gets home from the hospital.

I left the house today for the first time since getting back from St. Maarten….I had promised the college Rich and I attended, that I would give a seminar on interviewing, and had already postponed it a week…I didn’t want to postpone it a second time, so gave the seminar today.  I made sure none of the students were anywhere near me, and didn’t touch any of the papers that I gave them.  The papers have been in a folder for months, and I had one of the students pull them out of the folder and distribute them.  I would feel awful if I knew I gave this cold to anyone beside Rich.  It’s inevitable that we share colds.

Rich has been worrying about the fact that I can’t get rid of my cold, and today, after some serious nagging on Rich’s part, I called our family doctor to make an appointment.  Our doctor doesn’t like to give prescriptions for anything, and I know, will pat me on the back and send me home, telling me to drink more fluids and rest.  I’m taking Rich to the appointment, because he’ll push her to do more for me.  He’s a lot more aggressive with doctors than I am, and is tough on any doctors I see.  He’s physically threatened doctors that he thought were hurting me, and although they were good natured about it, have never forgotten he threatened them….So he’s a terrific advocate for me, but also a little on the scary side.  I think he’ll be fine at this appointment, or I wouldn’t be taking him.  I’ve been coughing up a lot of colored phlegm, and Rich thinks I’ve got a respiratory infection.  When I called for the appointment, I told the nurse I’ve had this cold for over two weeks, and her response, was “Have you taken any over-the-counter medications for the cold?”  Of course I have.  I’ve taken several different products, as none of them have made me feel better….Isn’t that what we all do before going to the doctor?  I felt like it was only common sense to have done so, but apparently my doctor’s office was hoping I would say no and then they would tell me to take some before coming in to see the doctor.  I hate to think that I’m wasting anyone’s time, but after two weeks and no end in sight, I guess I thought I should maybe see if there’s something else wrong, and that’s the real reason I’m not feeling better.

I’ll update you on how things go, but if I had to guess, my doctor will think I wasted her time…even though she gets paid for my visit..

I would like to get back into the craft room but don’t have the ambition to do more than placing diamond pieces on a canvas, and I’ve only felt good enough to do that since Sunday, when I started the Mother Mary portrait.  Maybe I’m under estimating what my doctor will do….And if that’s the case, it’s either because she hears a lot of stuff rattling around in my lungs, or Rich scares her into doing something.  My money’s on Rich..

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