June 17, 2021,

   MRI on Monday, the 14^th, but the pills that I put under my tongue to stop the spasms during the MRI might as well have been a piece of chocolate or lump of butter.  They did nothing…zilch. And, of course, the whole thing was a disaster.  My left leg was doing an Irish jig the whole time and especially when it came to having to scan the spine, it was clear that it would never work. We has to just give up. The radiologists were very kind and thoughtful, but they didn’t think of the cost, because they quickly got in contact with an anaesthetist who said he would be free Friday morning and they quickly booked him and me for another MRI. That’s tomorrow. I may have to ask for some help from the family when I see the, what I expect to be, huge bill . I hope that we can cover it. I may have to rob an ATM. 

But to be a bit more positive, the main radiologist who was doing the job on me has the name Koleka. She didn’t know what it meant…just the name her parents gave her. So I got in contact with Nomonde, my Xhosa sister, and she said it probably comes from the verb Kholwa, which means believe, so it would mean BELIEVABLE, which can also be understood as dependable, or trustworthy. It is also used in a colloquial way to mean someone who has a soft heart and loves to smile.  I can’t wait to tell her tomorrow what her name means.

Also, on the positive side, our internet is working like a charm now. You can type to your heart’s content and you won’t be interrupted.

People ask about my health and I tell them that apart from this leg with the spasms, I am a very healthy person. Today when the doctor came he took my BP    144/63   wow. What more Could I ask for. But if any of you have some ideas about chronic constipation, any kind of miracle potions, I would be happy if you would let me in on the secret. I understand that this is the situation of a great many seniors, but I think my case is complicate by the lack of peristaltic movement to do the pushing. Sorry to talk about such mundane things but that is my life and the life of many other seniors who are too embarrassed to talk about such things. To be continued. It is past my bedtime and I go early for the MRI tomorrow.

   Let me add something. Last night, at supper, I put my two med.pills in my sweater pocket to be taken closer to   when the action starts with these bloody spasms. But I forgot to take them and went to bed and finally fell asleep  with the action still going. But at 11:20 I was awakened (must have been an angel) and realized that I hadn’t taken my meds and they would, I hoped, slow down the action so I could sleep. I was not supposed to take any food or water from midnight on, so I was just in time before the deadline, to take them with a sip of water, and then went happily back to sleep.

 

June 19, 2021 The MRI is over but I am too lazy and tired and weak to explain now. Later.