A week ago, I entered the world of blogging. By the end of the week, I had decided to expand to two blogs, one for pictures and reflections on the natural world around me, Fork Creek Journal; and, this one, Ordinary Days, to keep as an open journal of my days with personal reflections and photos.
Even in retirement with no work responsibilities, life can become hectic. My husband and I try not to schedule anything for Mondays, but since my dermatologist is only working part-time in order to spend more time with her children, I had a Monday afternoon appointment.
After lunch, I completed reading and editing the latest revision of two sections of our Ennea-journaling book sent last week by my co-author and felt good about getting that back in the mail to her on the way to the doctor. It always feel good to complete something even when I’ve only been procrastinating a few days.
I have to see a dermatologist for a body scan every six months. For the last ten years, I have had a number of moles removed that were in pre-cancerous stages with the possibility of turning into melanoma. The doctor says I have all the risk factors. I have light hair, fair-skin, blue-eyes, am over 40, and my father has had melanoma. I have lots of small scars on almost every part of my body that prove my doctor doesn’t want to take any risks.
Today I only had to have two places biopsied. Sometimes, it has been as many as half a dozen. And, more good news, neither spot was big enough to require stitches.
Because I live with a chronic illness, I spend more time than I would like in doctors’ offices. I suppose no one enjoys spending time in a doctor’s office no matter how seldom. I think it is the long waits that frustrate me the most. .A friend told me recently that she changed eye doctors when she arrived for an 8:00 a.m. appointment only to find out that there were three patients scheduled with her doctor for 8:00 a.m. I don’t blame her.
I’m lucky that my dermatologist is untypically prompt in seeing her patients. I was taken in on time. I undressed, was thoroughly scanned, given numbing injections, had two biopsies done, redressed, scheduled my next appointment and walked back out the door in less than a half hour.
We drove home from the doctor on back roads through apple orchards. I love the purple hue of the apple wood of some varieties that is only obvious when the trees are bear. I especially admire the character of the oldest apple trees with all their strong gnarly limbs and unique shapes. These trees have been pruned repeatedly over the years. It keeps them healthy.
The apple trees made me think about how all my tiny mole scars and other surgery scars make me unique; and, keep me healthy. This treasured angel with one broken wing in my garden reminds me I am no less valuable because of scars or illness.
Daer Betsy, Have for the first time been to Ordinary Days, happening to see it on your other blog listed :-)
Your words there touched me deeply. I too have an angel with a broken wing in my garden and evertime I look at her she reminds me of myself and makes me smile. At times i might feel one-winged friend, but I would lend the one wing I have to any friend or loved one in need.
I also have one clay wing which I found in the earth when digging up an Iris at my mom's house. A small wing and probably from an angel that sat in her garden many a year ago. That wing rest quietly in a clay pot of Rosemary, for remembrance.
Posted by: carolyn | March 23, 2005 at 12:58 PM
Betsy, I am thrilled that you have not one, but two, blogs currently. I have always loved reading your posts on CJ and I am so happy that I have the ability to read about your life and the beautiful area in which you live on a regular basis.
Posted by: Loretta | March 24, 2005 at 07:42 AM