Fennel in the Fire

JJ was supposed to get a full body CT Scan before his surgery, but the hospital had neglected to scan his chest. So Thursday morning we had to get one done. The woman who scheduled the scan gave us a choice of where to have it, and EJ chose to have it done at an imagining center near the doctor’s office instead of at the hospital. He said it was easier to get to, although I would have gotten lost if I had had to take JJ by myself. I can find the hospital because it’s down the street from where I used to work. I get lost very easily.

I checked the date and time of the scan several times through the week to make sure I had it correct. Both EJ and I are tired and stressed enough that we find ourselves forgetting things. Just this afternoon, for example, I carefully removed the seeds from the fennel plant I had been drying. I had grown the fennel in my herb garden. I was looking for a container to put the seeds in, and then forgot what I was doing and threw them in the woodstove. I was so appalled when I realized what I had done. Fatigue and stress are definitely affecting us a bit, even though otherwise we are doing pretty well.

When we arrived at the center on Thursday, the woman at the counter said she didn’t see JJ’s appointment listed. Then she said, “Oh, his scan is scheduled for tomorrow, not today!” I showed her my piece of paper with the information on it. It said the scan was that day and time. Someone had written down the information incorrectly. It wasn’t my mistake! It’s an hour drive there, so my heart sunk at the thought of having to come back tomorrow. However, the lady said she’d try to fit us in since we were already there.

After she got the information she needed, she showed us a waiting room and we sat down. I’ve been observing the colors of hospitals and doctor rooms. I hate blue doctor’s offices and hospitals. Blue makes the rooms feel cold and unfriendly. (In fact, science fiction and horror movies are often filmed with a bluish tint to set the mood of high-tech, dystopian, or horror scenes.) I like warm colors that are more inviting. This waiting room was a warm color. It was Halloween day and somewhere back in the inner rooms was a motion sensing decoration. Periodically we could hear OOOOOOOoooooooo groans. It was sort of creepy, but also funny.

JJ was more nervous this time than last time. Last time he didn’t know what to expect. This time he knew what the “milkshake” tasted like and what it felt like to have an IV in his arm. However, he left and was back in about ten minutes. He didn’t have to have a milkshake or IV. It was surprising.

Friday was the day I decided to tackle the college dilemma again. I struggle to know what to do with it, since every action requires information that I need from someone else. EJ and I decided to drive to the college so we could talk to people face-to-face. The women in the Student Center were helpful and now I know my next step with them, which is to talk to the teachers more specifically about whether or not JJ can do their assignments from home, and if he can get an Incomplete if he can’t get his work completed before the term ends. I’ll get started on that next week.

Since we are now pretty much in a holding plan, waiting to meet with the doctor again, I find myself a bit tired and just wanting to veg out. We have signed up for free 30 days subscription to Amazon Prime and Netflix so we can watch movies while JJ recovers. When I’m not busy going to the store, fixing meals, cleaning the house, talking to the college, and conversing with friends, I am snuggled with a blanket and a cat or two, enjoying movies. Sometimes I doze a bit on the loveseat.