Mom's Birthday 91 - Reuniting with my back surgeon, the great Guy Lee, MD

At 1:30, Mom called. She loved the card I painted for her.

 I wanted her to get it precisely on August 8, her b'day, so I went to a reliable PO (at the Bryn Athyn PO, the one closest to my house, it took a month for a simple post card to reach someone).

This time, I drove from my credit union in Horsham to the PO. Sam had given me directions. It was a nice new post office and Rick told me it should get there the next day.

Only $1. 12.

I erred in telling Mom I was about to leave to see my back surgeon b/c now she's gonna ask me how my back is.

I HATE talking about health problems..... except to YOU, mon cherie!

As Mom cleans out her house before the transmigration into the Big Sky, she likes me to go through her letters and then throw em out.

I painted the back of the card yellow, the way I was taught in acrylics class taught by a young man Chris, who kindly called me Ms. Matisse, cuz I like patterns.

I cut out shapes, as you can see, from a nature mag I found at Scott's, then glued em on with Elmer's Glue via Q-tip. I wear blue latex-free gloves that Rich Fleisher got me at Sam's Club. 

On the bottom, I pasted on the Marine Corps logo, wishing Mom a happy 29th - she would never tell me her age when I asked her - plus the closing lines from my late Uncle Marvin, dad's older brother, and a closing line "With love" from my dad.

Actually dad's 'with love' was cut from a letter to his future mother/law, who he referred to as Mrs. Begis. I don't believe he ever called her by name during the 36-yr marriage of my parents.

Dad served in WW2 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was a staff sergeant and a paymaster cuz he was a fast typist.

He told me he'd read 16 books a week there. 

Dad was the most disciplined person I've ever met. A great role model.

Dad died young - 59 - lung cancer that meta'd to his brain. When I was approaching my 59th b'day, I kept wondering if I'd make it. I'm 67.5 today and doing just fine. Thanks for inquiring.

Dad's death kit:



Two years ago this month, I had back surgery with the great Guy Lee, MD, of Abington hospital.

I'd been having some problems recently and wanted to see what he thot:

As I wrote out the symptoms, I remember doing the same thing for him yrs ago and that he liked reading my hieroglyphics.



Natch, I had NONE of the symptoms when Scott n I walked into his office.

He told me I may have arthritis OR that there's anudder sciatic nerve on the other side of my left leg.

The body is endlessly complicated.

Here's my main man, Guy Lee, MD.

Guy and his buddies have a rock band. In surgery, he plays Metallica. I told him a couple of new bands that I've been listening to on YouTube.

He wrote em down: Morrissey, who he's heard of, and National. 

Guy and his buddies went to see ..... who is this?

I'll tell you at the bottom of this note.

DO-GOODERS FOR MANKIND: Guy Lee and a bunch of orthopedic docs fly to Honduras once a year, in January or February, to perform surgery.

They land in the capital city of Tegucigalpa. The airport is filled with militia men. The country is one of the drug capitals of Central America. 

Lee said it has the highest murder rate in the world.

Doesn't bother this deeply religious man, who says the people are wonderful there. His son, a senior at LaSalle High School, who speaks Spanish well, may accompany him. He's thinking of going into medicine.

My sister Donna and I will meet at mom's at 5 pm.

Talked to Donna last nite and told her what I was making for the b'day dinner.

It's my "Live Forever" salad... steamed green beans, asparagus, chunks of Cabot cheese (made by small farms in VT), fresh kale, sunflower seeds, chopped onion, green & red peppers, peanuts, and a dressing from mayo, moutarde, olive oil, and fresh garlic.

"You have energy at this hour?" Donna asked. 

"Yes," I said. "I just got up from my nap."


Can this be  Ozzy Osbourne napping?