7 March 2012
The travelling optician, Lee, arrived as scheduled and after checking out my eyes to ensure that the cataracts had healed nicely went on to test my eyes for glasses. In the end we decided between us that I am really only needed some mild reading glasses and, although in the past, I have bought my glasses from one of these online companies like Vision Express or Spec Savers, I decided that it was not really worth the hassle as I had the optician with me. I bought a pair of glasses which should be with me within five working days.
As scheduled, the good Dr Michael arrived from Paris at lunchtime after he. After he had eaten he told us what had been going on in his life since he was last here a month or so ago. Apparently his son Tom, who is an actor, well-known in Australia, recently complained of pain in his neck and after various tests was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. This is a serious complaint which if not dealt with quickly can lead to an early death. In fact that is what Alice’s sister Mary had. Mick had spent hours on the phone organising the best medical treatment for Tom and he has already had some sessions of chemotherapy and found a fairly flat in Melbourne delivering for the time being. He had only just bought a house in Brooklyn USA however, because of the extortionate cost of medical treatment in America, Tom decided to return to Australia where much of it is free. He is fortunate that he holds both an Australian and American passport.
The good thing is that Mick will be with him over the next two or three weeks which can be critical in this illness. If the chemotherapy does not stop the rise of para-proteins in his bone marrow the prognosis is not good. On the other hand, great advances have been made since Alice’s sister Mary died from it and Mick tells me that it’s possible to get a cure provided it is caught in time. So we must just wait and hope.
Yesterday Alice and I were only discussing how unpredictable life can be. You can be sailing along in still waters on a beautiful warm day enjoying the wide expanse of calm ocean all around.’ God is in his heaven and all is well with the world’ the then suddenly something occurs which completely shatters that happiness. A road accident; a fall which causes brain damage etc and in Tom’s case a painful neck which turned out to be multiple myeloma. His acting career and that of his partner Chloe, put on hold for the time being, as indeed is the house he has just bought in Brooklyn. We can only hope that he makes a full recovery but how long it will take and what ups and downs he will have to endure on the way, this stage, no one knows.
This then will be a familiar tale too many of my readers who are suffering from a terminal illness and have absolutely no idea whether they’re going to live for three months or three yes. The same applies to their loved ones and those who care for them. The only thing you can do is try to remain positive and live every day as it comes. It is an object lesson in not taking anything for granted. Carpe diem
Paul ‘the computer’, kindly dropped in, late afternoon, just to check up and see how the new installation was going. Fortunately, I was able to say, so far so good. Certainly, Dragon seems back to its old self. Fast and 100% accurate when it comes to dictation. I’m not so sure about commands and corrections but this is something I must try out over the next day or two.
In deference to Tom, I shall not include a joke today but instead click here to see some awesome pictures of the Grand Canyon.