Dr. Hottie came yesterday about 12:30. This was the first time he saw Pat out of bed, as he usually comes in the morning. Wouldn't you know, there's yet another problem: Pat has a small hernia (not in the groin, but the stomach area). However, Doc said it shouldn't be a problem unless Pat suddenly develops a sharp pain there; then I should call 911. What we thought was a growth on his eyelid, though, is gone, so it must have been a piece of fluff or something. Well, you win some and you lose some, I guess.
Shortly before Doc left, we were pleasantly surprised to have Old George stop in. I made him and Pat lunch, then left them to go to B.J.'s. I picked out a frame for the "reading" glasses they're going to give me free of charge. Ran into neighbors, the Ws. Nice people, but crepe-hangers. I don't need to be told--by implication and doleful expressions--how dismal my husband's future is; I already know that. And I sure as hell don't need to be on the receiving end of platitudes extolling my "courage" for taking care of him. Oh, well--they mean well, as the damning saying goes...
Tonight, I meet Vivian and we go to the Wellspouse dinner in Freehold--yay! You can be sure nobody's going to tell me how courageous I am or how God never gives us more than we can handle or how it's darkest before the dawn, or--aagh! Stop me before I spew more!
Wider: Speaking of doctors, Dr. Ron Paul has a thoughtful essay in Anti-War.Com entitled "Imagine An Occupied America." He illustrates what it would be like to have in the U.S.--say, a Chinese or Russian armed force, wrecking our cities and patrolling our streets. Here's a snippet:
"...why do so many Americans feel as if we have a right to a military presence in some 160 countries when we wouldn't stand for even one foreign base on our soil, for any reason? These are not embassies, mind you, these are military installations..."
Dr. Paul imagines that outraged Americans would fight back when they could--and would be called "insurgents" and "terrorists." Sound familiar?