Friday, December 09, 2005

Encouraging health news

The results are in: May I have the envelope, please.
My blood test shows that my serum calcium level is the same as it was in November, the last time I was tested. This is very good news. My doctors are very happy. I'm very happy.
To put it another way: No gain, no pain.
Sitting menacingly in my refrigerator is a vial of medication that lowers blood calcium levels should the need arise. It's administered intravenously, which, given my aversion to needles, is not a pleasant prospect.
So for now, I get to open the refigerator and stick my tongue out at that small cardboard box with the vial inside. Or the vile inside, depending on one's perspective.
Thank you all for your good wishes and kind thoughts.
Moment to moment, breathe in, breathe out.

12 comments:

Jules said...

Awesome, glad to hear it. Do you have to go through this every month or so?

Michael said...

Hi Jules,

Thanks! I'm trying to take this ball and run with it.
Yes, these tests are regularly scheduled. They're monthly if my blood chemistry is holding steady, more frequently if one of the monthly tests picks up anything awry.

Michael said...

Thanks, g! What more tangible lesson in impermanence can a person ask for?

Michael said...

Thanks, Anu!

Lone Wolf said...

Hi Michael. I was reading how you are an editor. I thought"Awsome that is what I would like to do".
I have been thinking about going to college to persue an English Major. I'm 28 and have alot to learn(even the basics of grammer). Well as I was reading on and pondering between the scentences of my future carrer and life. I read you had cancer and it immediatily cut threw my thoughts and touched a soft spot in my heart. My heart goes out to you.
Best wishes.

PS.I really enjoy the Hakiu's you wrote on the blog.

Lone Wolf said...

I wrote a comment and not sure if it made it. I will wait and see before I write it again.

I just want to say I was looking at the website of photo's you took in japan Michael. I was very suprised to see as beautiful and interesting of photo's as these. You are very talented.

Michael said...

Hi Lone Wolf,

First, thanks so much for your kind words and good wishes, and thanks for visiting my Web site. I read your postings in the Dogen Sangha blog and on Brad Warner's blog and I like what you have to say. Sometimes, I like to think that all this Zen stuff is so intellectual and my comments on it are so sophisticated. And then I'll read your postings and I'll be reminded that it's all very simple, really, and that patting myself on the back (even though nobody sees it) really makes me look foolish.
As for pursuing an English degree, go for it! If the love and desire are there, most other details take care of themselves.

M

LBseahag said...

Congratulations on these results..

There are many more victories you are winning right now, some you are aware of, some maybe not...

Michael said...

Hey LB,

Thankyouthankyou! I'm glad you're feeling better, too.
You wrote: "There are many more victories you are winning right now, some you are aware of, some maybe not..."
How true: I'm usually the last one to know.

M

Kim said...

great news!!!!

Lone Wolf said...

Thank you for returning kind words with encouragement Michael.

Michael said...

Thanks, Kim, and my pleasure, Lone Wolf!