Frenzy of "Get it Done before April One" - Kidney story published

See Part I of my Kidney story published today on Patch.com.

- Ate a huge breakfast cuz I needed strength

- Drove to the bank to deposit last nite's New Directions door receipts.

- Had an hour-long appt with my new physical therapist Amy for my newly reoccurred sciatica

- Drove to Doylestown Hospital for another steroid injection for sciatica. The pain has slightly abated. Dr Dale Wilson and Nurse Pam were as wonderful as could be. I thought to myself, Failing America has great healthcare services. Sometimes. This happened to be great. They both either hugged me or held my hand and said they'd be thinking about me on April 1.

- For a patch.com story I'm working on, drove past the Willow Grove Naval Air Base, stopped by the guard house and asked if I could take a photo of the place. The security guard said, Not Allowed. Must be invited to take a picture. She was really worried I was gonna disobey. I told her I never mess with the law. She was very nice. There was a gala today cuz the Base is partially closing down.

- Got my car inspected

- While waiting an hour for the car, I left the Firestone station and sat next door in the beauty salon to wait. Firestone has one of those obnoxious TV sets that you're forced to listen to. No way I could concentrate on the double-issue of the December New Yorker, with the address label removed, I pilfered from Doylestown Hospital.

They were very nice at the hair salon. I laughed aloud while reading the Shouts and Murmurs column by Ian Frazier titled "A Cursing Mommy Serenity Prayer."

I'd love to quote it for you but it's too fucking long.

And besides I'm eating whole almonds now, popping em into my mouth, and gotta concentrate on not breaking a tooth....or having it go down the wrong pipe and dying before I die on the operating table. Just fucking kidding, guys!

- Came home from Car Inspected and devoured the last of Fontaine's delicious chicken left over from the party while returning five or six phone calls.

- Checked emails and saw my Kidney story had been published on Patch, necessitating my sending the link to everyone I'd quoted. It is GREAT publicity for organ donation. We want YOU! Your soul will be released and will be gently floating up to Heaven like Casper the Friendly Ghost.

- Went next door and napped with Scott at 6:10 pm. Told him to wake me at 6:50. When he did, I said I can't believe I slept so long. Is the surgery over? I was kidding, of course, and walked next door just in time for my 7 pm therapy group. One person was early and was waiting in her car.

- Took out the garbaggio

- Got a pitcher of cold water and plastic cups ready for the group. I always serve cold water. I drank a cup too cuz Fontaine's chicken made me thirsty. Tomro, of course, is No Thirsty Day since I can't drink after midnite tomro nite. Was told which of my shitload of pills I should take. Toprol, Norvasc, Synthroid (lithium also knocked out my thyroid function)

BTW, this is how they discover new drugs. Hey, you don't want your thyroid function anymore? Here, I'll give you lithium for slow thyroid destruction.

- I still have two important things to do. I always send an email to my group telling what we accomplished and listing goals for next time. Can't claim it as an original idea tho I don't know of anyone who does it. Read about it in a book by the father of group therapy - Irv Yalom - who summarized sessions in group notes he mailed out to the troops.

I met Yalom once. My Hahnemann teachers hired him to come to town and talk in a huge downtown hotel with many escalators. Me and Bill Corr went. Is that his name? We were pals. Yalom walked in by himself, little Freud-like beard, and sat on a bench.

Bill and I saw him bend over and tie his shoe.

Bill told me to go over and talk to him.

What for? I said to Bill. What am I gonna say?

Oh, you'll think of something, he said.

His talk was unremarkable. Doesn't matter. It's the idea of BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS.

It makes you aspire to do great things.