... ..blessing in disguise ....April 4, 2004   A couple of people have complained I haven't written much in the last month.  In web-journal circles, a couple of complaints is called a "public outcry."  To the two of you who noticed I say, relax.  I've been busy.  In my life, blessings are disguised.  Often they're in drag.  I considered this when my son had surgery this weekend. My youngest child--we'll call him Shenry--returned home from school Friday and, immediately, I sensed something was wrong.  He is a quiet lad by nature, but he was unusually quiet Friday.  He was doubled over holding his stomach while mouthing what appeared to be silent groans.  I thought he was playing Charades so I began guessing movie titles.  After an hour or so, I noticed Shenry had slumped across his bed, his head spinning in 360 degree revolutions.  I guessed The Exorcist and, in reply, my son mimed "fuck you, you idiot, I'm sick."  I took him to the hospital. The triage staff in the emergency room ascribed Shenry's symptoms to sinfulness.  Perhaps Mel Gibson has done more harm than good.  But, in their defense, my son had no fever, his white blood cell count was only slightly elevated, and he was speaking Aramaic.  I suspected an inflamed appendix and requested a CT scan.  The CT scan confirmed my diagnosis.  Emergency surgery was performed and my son is home recovering.  He is on oxycodone and seems to be doing very well, if you know what I mean.  All of which brings me to blessings in disguise. In 1995, I put off medical attention just long enough to let my appendix rupture.  I recommend against this unorthodox treatment for an inflamed appendix.  Turns out, it's not at all like lancing a boil.  When the appendix ruptures, it spews bad humors into the blood and gut thereby causing sepsis.  Sepsis has unpleasant side-effects.  Like death.  I did not die, of course, but the experience was life changing.  While I kept on drinking to insanity, I swore off even occasional sepsis.  And my horrible near-death experience was so vivid, I recalled the symptoms of appendicitis and used that knowledge to aid another.  This may not sound like a big deal to you, but when you don't remember anything else that occurred before April 1998, it's a big deal, I assure you. previous..|..current..|..archives..|..2d quarter index..|..next

©  2004 by the beastmaster