2004 Story Set
| Date: June 11, 2004 I got home - early - on Friday. I have a databook to crash on. (One Week!! What am I? Wonder Woman? Don't answer that!) I was tired. Sometimes these weeks and weeks of driving (3-4 hours a day) and running around juggling my son's care and my work, it just suddenly crashes over me. When it does, I have learned, "LAY DOWN!" Or I may fall down. So------- in the late afternoon, I slept a bit while downloading a software update. On a dial-up, this takes time and it is better that you do no work. I only took a quick nap, got back up, checked the download, and at 7 :30 - I was deleting junk mail after rebooting the system and I spotted a message in the IN box that looked interesting. I didn't trash it (99.9% of all email is SPAM and goes to the trash, with or without my assistance). I read it - Stanford trying to reach me - I think. Not a name I would have caught. Hmmmm. Edit the Mail preferences to catch ALL Stanford med messages. So I called. 7:32 - they are gone. Left at 7:30. Something about my son's medication. Probably the FK stuff. (They cannot be clear in an email - even when they have our permission.) I ran to tell him - "Problem" and was hunting a pen. (You really did not expect me to have one by the computer station? Nooooo. Just three computers. All on-line.) I need the pen so I could call back yet again long distance and write down the next number I was to call. (Prob E1). A few minutes later - while I was still in his room - the door to his room was knocked on, his room being the garage and the door being blocked by a sofa (because it is never opened) I ran to the front door - a cop!!! A big cop. In the dead of night when you haven't called them ------ I went----- "Yes?" Understand that I have been laying down (unconscious would be a better description), I was bra-less, in a short Muu-Muu, barefoot, no makeup. He was looking for my son. I said, "You can't see him. He's a cancer patient. He's in the clean room." I am confused. Someone buying the car? Someone from the draft board? We've had that before. What's this? I am not fully awake. "Well - not all things we do are bad," ------- he said, his hand on his gun. Turns out - Stanford sent him! As soon as he started to say that I went - "Oh God - I was just trying to call them!" He said something about the medication. I am now on full alert. Interesting how your perceptions of a situation can take an abrupt change. I asked - "What did they say? He didn't remember so he went back to his screen in the cruiser. I followed after grabbing shoes. Any shoes. It was do NOT take the medication------ No FK tonight------ Levels came back high I guess. (We yo-yo this stuff.) They could have said that in the email (I now will hook ALL stanfordmed.org messages). It is hardly secret. Turns out, the cop lost his sister to cancer 1 1/2 years ago. We chatted about that a bit (I had put high-heeled sandals on by this time). DSL - MUST go to DSL so phone can ring when I am on-line. So there I am - in a housedress (MUUMUU) no bra, barefoot, no makeup - looking like I just crawled out of bed (I had). I should learn - STAY DRESSED UP ALL DAY! No - I won't - I am an old bat and I was TIRED!!!!!! Next morning - the nurses were lined up waiting for us at the hospital. "Have a visitor last night?" Smirk. Smirk. They were waiting to see our reaction. Seriously, seems they had tried to call for HOURS. Frantic. They had even tried an operator interrupt on the line. Can't do the internet. So they decided to try the police. Well, he's in his room and I am in mine and we bubble back and forth when he wants something. To do that --- we stay on-line. I was checking email (often) and never bothered to sign off in between. We gave them my son's email as a back-up - he has an alarm on his. His speakers blare. Faster response. I was doing downloads and would not have known any faster. Told them - email - email - email when the line is busy. Yes - we will get DSL. No - I will NOT get a cell phone! And I will not download software until after 7:30 PM. Egad! |
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