No blog tonight or
not much of one. It has been an uneventful day although productive. Home all
day, working on neighborhood newsletter and novel and moving ahead nicely with
both. I’ve had a brief visit from Jordan, who is not feeling well and stayed
home all day, and a slightly longer visit from Jacob who came out this morning
to retrieve his leftover pizza from last night and again this evening to take
out garbage and do a few “straightening” chores I needed done before tomorrow
morning when a video crew arrives to film me for a promotional video for my hip
surgeon and his hospital. More about that after the fact.
The video should
be fun, but I had other lessons today in how medical problems take up my time.
I had an appointment already to see my general physician about a spot on my
back that I fear needs to come out—sent a photo to the doctor, and he said to
come in and they’d remove it So today I called to ask if they could also do my
clearance for eye surgery at that appointment, and I ran into what I think of
as the reception-area block. Oh, no, the doctor couldn’t possibly do that. He’d
look at the spot and if it needed to come out, I’d have to make another
appointment, and he couldn’t possibly combine it with the surgical clearance
appointment. I’d have to come in one day for blood work and then come back for
the exam. Let’s see—that’s five appointments, right? I explained that I cannot
drive and must rely on others and that was a lot of doctor appointments and a
terrible imposition on those who carry me around. The receptionist reluctantly
said she’d explain to the doctor and ask if it was all right. I told her he was
more than familiar with my situation—I’ve spent half the fall in his office,
for pity’s sake—he’d need no explanation. She called back with word it would be
okay.
All this came
about because my eye surgery is now scheduled for December 21. Awful close to
Christmas, but I guess it will be fine. I have mixed emotions—want it done in
December to get it off my mind and to roll it into other medical expenses for
this year since I think I’ll qualify for the medical deduction, which may well
go away next year. But having a definite date gives me the willies. Yes, I want
it done and over with. Last night I couldn’t read the menu or the bill in a dim
restaurant, and then, because my depth perception is off, I poured wine onto
the counter instead of into the glass.
But other than
these non-adventures, to me it’s been a day to make my heart heavy. The
congressional vote for the tax bill was not unexpected but it still hurts—it will
hurt me, but it will hurt a lot of others much more, and I worry about the poor
and sick. Congress has struck a double blow—taxes and health care, and Paul
Ryan is jubilant. Betsy DeVos has taken away protections for disabled students,
and 45 has struck down the ban on importing ivory, thus opening the way for
poachers and his own big-game hunting sons—another of his distractions from the
Russia scandal which tonight threatens to engulf Jared Kushner. Al Franken has
been accused of harassment; he apologized and called for an investigation of
himself—but the Republicans are out for blood. I’m sure outspoken Franken has
been a thorn in their sides all along, and they see a chance to get rid of him.
And they may be concerned
about Roy Moore—he would be an inconvenience, after all—but are totally
unconcerned about all the women who have come forward again today to accuse 45
or about 45’s own braggart confessions of groping and other gross details. The hypocrisy
on Capitol Hill is appalling.
I echo the blogger
who said tonight he is deeply ashamed of his country. Where have these people
come from? How have we sunk so low?
I hope to have my
optimism back tomorrow, but now I’ll just say goodnight. Try to love each other
and pray for our enemies within.
