Cast Iron

I didn't sleep well last night; worried. 

I dragged myself out of bed, shower, God Time, careful not to use all the hot water.  Ron took a bath and got dressed. 

My aunt came and drove us to the center.  We ended up waiting 2.5 hours before Ron went back.  It was freezing cold. 

After Ron went to the back, he waited another hour before they took him to surgery. 

It's OK, I understand.  It was certainly an assembly line (but, gotta pay the bills), but everyone was kind. 

I found it a bit disturbing filling out paperwork on job related insurance.  Since we are two, we don't fall under the regulation. 

But that isn't their business, in my opinion.  I don't blame the medical people, I blame regulation. 

Finally, got it all done.  Finally, Ron went off to surgery. 

I took my bill validator cleaner and gave the vending machine a good workout.  Yes, I'm a geek.  It was filthy. 

We came back, it wasn't too long before they called me back.  Ron was fine.  He is nearly always charming in a medical environment.  He was hungry.  He had to pee.  I took him to the bathroom. 

I waited outside the door, praying I wouldn't hear a thump. 

I didn't. 

Ron came out, all smiles, and we waited for the verdict. 

• Not inflammatory bowel disease of any flavor.
• Not cancer.
• Getting better
• Waiting on pathology

Good news.  I gave Doc his Beenie-weenie and a bottle of cheap strawberry wine (my attempt at a "pairing").  He laughed and accepted it graciously. 

We left. 

I drank about 9 bottles of soda.   That's about standard in a high-stress environment. 

We went to lunch.  Ron was hungry.  We found a Chili's.  Ron and I had chicken fried steak.  Yeah, I know, but Ron has a cast iron stomach.  Ron had surgery, I'm queasy. 

Of course Ron is not taking lithium, either.  Let me tell you, lithium is not a drug for wimps, for weak self pitiers.  It'll knock you flat if you don't manage it.   It's an ass-kicking drug for an ass-kicking illness. 

Anyway, I should have brought my meds, but I didn't think it would take that long.  I ended up pretty depressed on the way home.  Sad, considering it was good news. 

"A wasted day" Ron said.  It was, in some regards.  In others it was good news, and that's always encouraging. 

We got stuck in bad traffic on the way home.  I felt horrible for my aunt.  She is, as I told Ron, the perfect example of how a Christian woman should act.  She raised 4 great kids who are wonderful men and fathers (most of them). 

We talked a little about her kids.  I told her they turned out great thanks to her mothering.  She made a modest disclaimer. 

But I look at most of the people I see today, and then at my cousins, and know she had an awful lot to do with how they turned out. 

She is very generous and giving with the children, too... watching the grandbabies even if someone is snotty or running a fever.  We're all lucky to have her. 

By the time we got home, it was too late for a nap, but I did lay down for about 20 minutes after I took my meds.  Ron's asleep, or was, until #2 started playing with his lawnmowers again. 

Ron's generally a cast iron sleeper, too.