Session 6 Feb 26
I arrived by car for an 11 o’clock slot and found the parking lot very crowded. One spot disappeared in front of me. I went round to the other side where someone else was leaving. A pickup truck came in the lot and stopped for the same spot. Because of the way the spot was vacated I was able to take it. A young woman jumped out of the pickup truck and was furious saying her father had his signal on for the spot. I replied that I had been in the lot first and this did not impress her. She said she believed in karma and I would be affected by this. I felt terrible but I was close to appointment time and did not offer to move. Part of me believed and still believes my position was logical and ethical but I hated her being so upset and angry. I thought she was there with her dad to support her treatment. They came in to the Atrium and sat near me. We pretended to ignore each other. I was called in changed A few minutes later in she came rather than her dad. She was the patient! I felt terrible all over again and debated with myself about whether to go and apologize. I was still debating it when I was called in. In the meantime I had another pleasant conversation with another prostate patient, an elderly man, (I use that term in awareness of being 66) who came in using a walker. He sat in his street clothes until a technician admonished him to get changed. He had a sense of how long it was going to take.

When I went in for treatment I was worried because I had not had a crap and told them so. Sure enough when they did the scan they said there was too much gas in my colon and a risk of burning it. They sent me out to try to empty my colon, my first ever order to go out and fart. To my surprise I was able to go to the can and comply. Of course I had to start drinking water again like crazy because one doesn’t easily do one without the other. Too much information you scream, it will probably get worse as time goes by. I had to text Cherie to explain events and say I would be late for picking her up, no problem at her end.

The young woman was still there at the other end of the hall. I decided I would go and apologize, saying that my concern about being late made me rude and since we were both sitting waiting I was obviously being silly. Just when I had screwed up my courage and was getting up she was called in. I will probably get another chance another day. Soon I was called in and this time all was well, meaning bladder full and bowel empty.

Here is the new twist on the scan. Since they used it to decide they could not go ahead on Friday why was it okay to go ahead on Wednesday? Nobody asked me if I had the right things full and empty. For sure I will raise it on Monday or maybe Tuesday with Dr. Szumacher or Nurse Adams.