Pragmatist
Pragmatist

I was on my way downtown to get a CT scan, when this idiot woman pulled out in front of me.  She pulled out from my right to make a left turn into the roadway going the opposite way I was traveling. There was not one single car behind me for more than a block, maybe two blocks.  I stood on my brake pedal, tires screeching, smoking, turned the wheel to the right, and missed her by this ( ) much. I don't think she realized how close she came to being T-boned.  If I hadn't had a right lane to turn into, I would have to go to the curb or hit her.  Hitting the curb would have damaged my front end; hitting her would have damaged both of us.  If I had had to choose the curb, the silly twit would have gone on her way, unaware of any danger, and I wouldn't have had any witnesses to declare that I was not at fault.  C'est la vie, I guess.  Anyway, I proceeded on my way, thanking my Guardian Angel for once again saving me from disaster.

And I still got to my downtown appointment on time. Half hour early, as instructed, to fill out pages and pages of personal and medical information. You all know the drill. When I was finally taken in to the examination room, it turned out that there was some question as to whether I was allergic to iodine, which was the contrast solution for the CT scan.  Someone finally decided that, in spite of my reaction to shellfish, there would likely be no reaction to the iodine solution. Also, my daily dose of prednisone would likely protect me if I did have a reaction.

Okay, all that being resolved, I was finally allowed to lie down on the table and be put through the scanner. After the initial scan, the IV iodine was started.  Oooo, what a sensation!!  I started feeling warmth in my throat, then the warmth flowed down the inner body all the way to the pelvis.  And another scan.

Then after a minute or so, I was moved thru the scanner again, with another dose of the IV iodine.  Warmth again, only more so. I thought I'd break out in a sweat.  The scan complete, I was moved out of the scanner range, the IV removed, and a thick wad of cotton applied to soak up/stop the bleeding from the vein. The cotton had to be removed and replaced with another wad, as the first one was soaked. That happens every time now that I'm on Warfarin. You should see the bruise on the antecubitus!!  I'd never get away with being a needle doper.

When I sat up, I was woozy, dizzy.  Sat there for awhile, while the technician encouraged me to sit.  Finally was able to get up and walk without falling on my face.  Went back to the dressing room, clothed myself and walked out with goodbyes from the staff.  

Had to pay one dollar to get out of the parking, as that was the fee for any number of hours for handicap parkers.  Otherwise, I would have been charged the regular fee.  Get home and find that my telephone had been trying to  run off the hook. I can stay home and the phone is silent for days on end. Just let me leave for awhile, and everybody wants to talk to me.

Late that afternoon, I got a call from a friend who invited me to dinner.  She had a deck built on the backside of her house, and she wanted to inaugurate it with dinner with a friend.  I always enjoy a dinner cooked by someone else, but I must say that this woman cannot, absolutely cannot, put a meal together with everything coming off the stove, out of the oven and out of the fridge at the same time. I was a bit late arriving, and it was still an hour before the soup was ready.  Even before that, she had to go to her little herb garden in a bowl to snip the pieces of herbs she wanted in the salad.

If I had called a friend at 5:00 o'clock and she didn't arrive until 6:30, the dinner would have been waiting, unless I had specified a later hour.  Dinner is ready, completely ready, when I say it will be.  Some corn chips in the meantime helped me survive the wait. I think it was 7:30 when the tasty hot vegetable bisque came out.

Then came the salad, eventually, with lemon-oil dressing. Very nice.  The lemon juice came from a tree in her back yard, and the herbs from her herb garden in a bowl.

I was invited for spaghetti, but what was served was noodletti. Oh, and the sourdough bread (which I brought) had been heated in the oven with butter and garlic. Tasty!

I was stuffed, and the hostess brought out cookies and hot tea.  By this time, the sun had long set, and it was getting chilly, so we moved indoors. 

I was honored to be her first guest to enjoy the deck and have a meal.  I've reserved first place when she gets her hot tub.

All of a sudden, it's 10:00 at night, and I'm overdue for my anti-twitch meds. I bade her goodnight, with thanks for honoring me. And for the good food.  Drove home with eyelids propped open.


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