Scene Two One week later
Mind and Body are sitting in an examining room, side by side, in painful
silence, tense and stiff, backs to the wall.
Rheumy comes in and sits down.
Rheumy: "Your test results show that you do not have RA AS SLE SS MS
GBS MG PA GCA CFS,or FM."
Mind: & nbsp; "YES!"
Rheumy: "But you do have PMR."
Body: & nbsp; "NO!"
Rheumy: "The good news is that you will recover, the bad news it may
take two years or more."
Mind and Body sit silent, shoulders sagging, heads drooping.
Rheumy: "So, how do you feel now, on a scale of 1 to 10?"
Mind: & nbsp; "Well, we have been using a different scale, the nine circles
of suffering. (Thanks,Dante!)
1 Unease
2 Discomfort
3 General crappiness
4 Distress
5 Misery
6 Wretchedness
7 Anguish
8 Torment
9 Torture
Most of the time we are between misery and wretchedness. ;
Once in a while discomfort will cover it, once it was almost
down to torment. Sort of depends on how many of Pred's
pills we take.
Rheumy: "Yes, about those pills, it would be best to take no more
than 10 to ease the side effects. How many are taking
now?"
Mind &n bsp; "Oh, 16."
Rheumy: "Reduce by 1 each week, and come back in six weeks.
Mind and Body look at each other, sigh, and slowly leave.
Scene Three
Mind is sitting on a couch looking at the lists in hand and sighing.
Body enters and goes to Mind and takes the lists.
Body: & nbsp; "What's with these lists again?"
Mind: & nbsp; "I can't help thinking about what my life used to be like.
I am not crossing off on the list like I did. There is no
satisfaction any more".
Body sits down beside Mind, takes a hand and gently pats it. Takes the
List.
Body: & nbsp; "Don"t feel so bad, look, here are some things that no longer
need doing. There are at least three, here, cross them off!"
Mind: & nbsp; "Really?:
Mind takes the list, crosses off three, then two more. Looks up at Body,
and grins.oops, please eliminate the .Don't know what happened there. Even I
don't know what they mean! LibethLibeth, love your nine circles of suffering. Inspired! Much more real than
the 1-10 pain scale. Stay creative.
GeralynAnother home run Libeth!! The 10 cirles are great too! Keep it coming
pgrLibeth,
your 7,8,9 circles of suffering say it about the best for me.
did you come up with that on your own or did you quote someone? You are good, you should think about writing a book or poetry.
Hope you are doing o.k
----------------Georgiana-----------------
pgr555
Earlier in another thread you asked if we read any good books lately
Chalktown by Melinda Haynes, it is not a new book written in 2001
I find that if I have a good book it takes my mind off my misery
Love, Georgiana
Hi Georgiana,
I had a friend who gave me the "general crappiness" line, the rest came out
of my head, and the need to express in a better way than 1-10! Writing has
always been a great release for me, in many ways. Hope it gives some
release to others.
Love to you and take care.
LibethWas just wondering where the next installment might be, was fun to reread!
Thanks for the book suggestion Georgianna... what is it about?
pgrI also owe a debt to Dante's "Divine Comedy" 's nine circles of Hell for the
format, although the words are mine.
Here is scene four of the third act of "The Afflication.
Mind and body are sitting in the examining room, side by side, backs to
the wall arms folded, eyes down. Rheumy enters, sits down.
Rheumy: "Your tests show tht you do not have an elevated sed rate, or a
high CPR. Looks like you do not have PMR. I suggest you go off
Pred pills quickly. Oh yes, go back to your PCP and see if she
can help you with your fatigue. Rheumy leaves.
Mind: "That's it?"
Body: "Looks like it.'
Five silent minutes pass.
Nurse opens the door, peers in at Mind and Body, says...
"You can leave now."
Five silent minutes pass.
Nurse opens the door, peers in at MInd andf Body, says...
"You sill here? We need this examining room."
Mind and Body sit stunned, slowly get to their feet, and slowly leave.
Critic's comment: "Huh. All science and no humanity."
Bravo!!!!!Mind and Body pause outside the examining room door,
Mind: "Let's go and find that rheumy and bop him on the head!"
Body: "Right on!"
They high five and take off down the hall.Love it!!!
pgrGreat writing again Libeth, Love it too!!! Get back on the merry go round to find a new Rheumy ASAP. Nothing like an angry PMR inflicted person to move mountains!
Thanks so much Libeth,
I really look forward to reading your posts, you have such a wonderful way with words!
Kathy
Hehehe, there are certainly a few rheumies need head-bopping!