I’m getting a ridiculously late start writing today. Yesterday is no longer fresh in my mind but I’ll do my best to remember it. If I forget about it let’s blame it on the meds. It has nothing to do with the meds, but I was told I can get away with saying that.
Yesterday I saw my gastroenterologist. I now have a desire to call him a gastropod. I can assure you he is nothing like a snail or a slug. I have known those two words since I was 12 and first saw a GI. I have no idea why this just struck me now. My brain has a mind of its own. I need to break out of zooming into my random thoughts. Let’s get this organized. I’ll try again.
I get car service from Medicaid cleared for the next year so instead of taking two buses there, I got picked up in front of my house. Even with the driver being late that was far easier. I had to fill out a COVID-19 screening questionnaire before I saw him. I want to be honest but that can cause a problem. They list symptoms and ask if you’ve had any of them in the last two weeks. One of the symptoms is diarrhea. I have never gone two weeks without it, that’s why I regularly see a gastroenterologist, I have Crohn’s disease. When the screener sees it, they are always taken aback, and I have to explain that the oddity would be if I didn’t have it. The question should ask if you have symptoms that are unusual for you. When my allergies were worse I always coughed. I wouldn’t mean imply I had COVID-19. I won’t lie because I’m not going to try and outsmart the system. I think I know why things are done this way but that doesn’t mean I do. I’m not a doctor. I will answer questions honestly.
We discussed the results of my MRI. They were surprising, I look fine inside. I was sure I had suffered a lot of new scaring since my surgery in 2001 and that’s why I get the obstructions. He was sure that I had too. But no, it looked good. He went through the report with me line for line translating from terms of craft to English. I love that. I know lots of technical terms, but not all. He drew pictures. That’s just what my original gastroenterologist did. Now I know how they reconnected my small intestine to my large one. It wasn’t the way I thought; It’s through holes in the sides, they are not connected end to end. I’ve had this disease for 50 years but I’m still learning. I loved my original doctor because he explained things to me technically. I want to know what’s going on inside me.
There is still the question of why I get the obstructions. Next time I have one I will call him. The problem is that they always seem to happen on weekends. Next time I’ll call anyway. It would help if they could catch it in the act. While I was there I got my second dose of Hepatitis B vaccine and made an appointment for a colonoscopy. I’ve been getting those since I was 12. This time will be different as I won’t be drinking the huge jug vile liquid. The downside is that I have to fast the entire day before and drink Gatorade with a powder mixed into it. Prep used to be just the night before, with this it’s an all-day affair. The reason for the change is that the vile liquid is on backorder. I didn’t ask why but I’d bet it’s COVID-19 related. Everyone gets the COVID-19 pass.
I took advantage of being at the Hutch Campus of Montefiore to stop by the bagel store and Stop & Shop that are only three quarters of a mile away. Unfortunately, I was too late to get bagels. Then I was disappointed to find that Stop & Shop had no frozen duck legs. I was looking forward to that for Thanksgiving. I’ll try and make myself something special for the holiday, something I’ll feel thankful for.
On Sunday night I watched a Tribal Mischief Talk Show. That’ Jake Bush and Ethan Baird talking to their musician friends. They are both old friends of mine. Their guest was Willa Mamet, a relatively new friend of mine. That’s only relative to Jake and Ethan; Willa was an old friend from the moment we met. I should not be allowed in the audience with those three. I always heckle Pesky J. Nixon, Jake and Ethan’s band and I heckle Willa. Willa actually asked me to heckle when I posted a link to the show. With all of them it was hard for me to stop talking. It was via text; it wasn’t like I was talking over them. I’m good. It was so much fun; I basically spent the evening hanging out with three friends. I could see them, but they couldn’t see me.
I’m doing something similar tonight but this time the artists/friend will be able to see me as it’s on zoom. It’s part of the Music My Mother Wouldn’t Like series hosted by Bruce Swan. Bruce is a DJ that I think I met at NERFA; in any event I’ve known him for years. I still want to call him Craig Swan after the Mets’ pitcher that led the league in ERA one season. There goes my brain’s mind again. Please shut up brain’s mind. I’m racing to finish this before the show. The guests are Deni Bonet, South for Winter, Steve Dedman, and get this, Willa Mamet. Willa is going to get sick of me. I’ve known Deni 20 years; I always heckle her. This is on Zoom and others can hear me, so I have to be on best behavior. I will stick to doing it in the chat. I have written about South for Winter since Falcon Ridge 2019. They still have new band smell. They are my current obsession. They are also the last band I saw live, I entered lockdown the next day. This is an actual concert, so it will not be an evening of hanging out with my friends. I don’t even know if they will be able to see me. Just in case I better shave. Nick, Dani, and Alex met me at Falcon Ridge and Willa has seen me there too. Deni has seen me at SMAF. I look better now than I do at a festival. Yet, I feel the need to shave. Good thing. If it weren’t for my rare times seeing people in person zooming would be my only incentive to shave.
I should probably eat before the show too. Tomorrow you can hear how that went. I will try and write earlier.
Wise Madness 