Newsletter 27

NL 27.

Jan 2000

Dear friends,

I wrote you all about where we had been during December. I have to say, that was a scare.

While we were in Alaska I had some very strange stuff happen. I got bit by A "White Sock" which is the local slang for a no-see-um (Gnat) with an especially nasty bite, the results of which are midway between a wasp sting (without the initial pain) and a black widow. You don't know you've been bitten till the areas around it begin to swell and go numb for about 5 inches in all directions.

This from a gnat!

I got treatment in Soldatna, Alaska, from a Doc that knew what it was at first glance and treated with steroids for a week and all was well. A few weeks later I got a normal appearing canker in the corner of my cheek. You know the kind you get from biting your lip?? Heals in a few days usually. This one didn't.

After we got home, and the lesion had been there for three months (Since late Sept), I became concerned as I knew the drill for that (I was a Lab tech for three years of my AF career). As I was about to get seen, Lynn got the bad mammogram. So knowing the initial diagnosis, and the fact that it wasn't spreading, thought I could wait till Lynn got through her situation first. She was terrified for awhile and didn't need anything more on her plate.

Three days ago I went to the Doctor. I'd love to play poker with him as he took one look and got me an "ASAP" appointment with a specialist. He said it was 50/50 that it was a malignant lesion. I was referred to an excellent ENT Doc and was impressed with the fact that I was in the ENT's office that same afternoon. He gave me the straight skinny. If it was malignant (worst case) I'd get the corner of my mouth cut out through the cheek. If benign (best case) I'd just get it scooped out from the inside and that would be that.

If ya gotta face the big C, seemed a good prognosis to me. Besides I'd always been told I have a baby face, and a slight scar would add some character to it.

I was scheduled for surgery this morning and told that the biopsy would be done while I was out, and one way or the other it would be resolved today.

I have a philosophy about things like this when it's me. Whether a business crisis or personal one, I don't sweat what I don't have control over. I work what I do control. But I have never cried over spilled milk for more than a minute or two. I went in today happy to have a non-fatal prognosis either way.

My main risk was anesthesia, and after my years in the 60's was not a real concern for me. I'll leave it at that.

I got a giggle when the nurse took my initial blood pressure at 0600 before any pre-ops or drugs. She shook her head and took it three times! It was 95/50 (My normal). She asked why I wasn't nervous about surgery (even day) as most folks have drastically elevated BP's that come through there! My son and his closest friends were there with Lynn and me. Notable 'cause they work night shifts and have never gotten up that early in years! They didn't today either. They stayed up all night! LOL!

Well to make a long story short they got me in the surgical suite and the Doc was real nice. The anesthesiologist had talked with me earlier, knew I had a med background, and asked for me to tell him the brief to save time and he'd fill in what I missed. I missed nothing and he then had time to ask me a bunch of questions about RVing full time. He was great, and handled it exactly the way I appreciated. And we had time for a chat. So, in surgery he said that the stuff was very fast and to just relax.

Took about three minutes to hit, and just as I was wondering when it would, I felt the door closing fast. Cool stuff. Gotta find out what it was and ask for it if I ever have to do General again.

An hour and a half later I woke up alert and just a tad slow. He was a good Endo tuber too as I had no irritation from the intubation! Wow! Talk about a great team. The Doc was there when I woke up and simply said "Derek, ya dodged the bullet this time. It was benign, and I wouldn't have bet either way." I didn't say G.A.s out loud, nor their dispatcher. But I knew.

So I'm to be on a liquid diet today (I chose beer) don't tell! And have a bunch of stitches in my mouth that hurt less than the after effects of a novocaine shot. Once again I feel blessed to be able to hang around.

I am quitting smoking now. I know when a message has been sent, and I don't need much slapping around to get it clear. As I type this we have actual snow sticking to the ground here in Louisiana. It reminds me of home (Connecticut, where I grew up). And is just another beautiful example of the perfect present.

Ain't life wunnerful??

I would like to thank all of you for your support of my narrow written view of the world. I am by no means a writer of substance. But each of you have made me feel that I was. My feeling now is that with some work, I may have a voice that can make some small contribution to the world. I will try. Humbly and with a

gleam in my eye for each of you.

These missives have been supported by your comments, energized by your appreciation, humbling in all respects. I'll try to be worthy of your comments. And get back to my humorous tone. But as you all have kept me going, I owed you another explanation of where we've been.

Thank you all, and may your G.A.s and their dispatcher keep watch

Derek/RV