A Series of Fortunate Events
Time with the Family
"I got cankles!" - Jona Vark
I was fortunate to spend time with my Uncle's family. I would get to see the whole family that night, as they were celebrating my cousin's Birthday. She has three adorable kids, a daughter and two boys, all under 6 years of age. We dined at a casual Fish House. Her brother, David, and his Fiancée, Arezou, met us there. The food was delicious and it was nice to catch up with each other. We had a great time. I can't speak for the six other parties sharing the room with us. Having dinner with 3 young ones is a challenging task. One was roaming the restaurant, the other had no restraint in letting the room hear what he had to say, and thank goodness the third was bound to a highchair and Grandma's lap. Amidst all the action, birthday cards were opened, a candle was blown and nothing broke! By the time we were done, the room had cleared. I wondered if my sister knew what she was getting into. The thought wouldn’t escape my mind: in six years, this scenario would be Sarah’s to share with our family.
My cousin David and his Fiancée offered a bed hospitality. They recently purchased a beautiful new house in a cul de sac at the edge of concord. Marble counters, vaulted ceilings, and color coordinated Persian artifacts adorned the house. One flaw: Arezou owned a cat. Cats do not get along with my sinuses. I’ve learned to adapt by getting a few minutes of fresh air. Arezou offered some allergy pills as a precaution; however, I am very frugal in the use of drugs (at least the non-herbal kind…). Frugal is an overstatement. I hardly take any medication, save after my reconstructive knee surgery in 2001. I’ve been fortunately blessed with a strong immune system and I firmly believe in the power of the mind and natural healing: fresh air and good nutrition. Most prove to be addicting as I have succumbed to one drug in particular…chapstick. In the back of my mind, I believe that chapstick diminishes the body’s natural moisturizing functions so you constantly need to apply it…smart business.
Arezou is an accomplished Physicians Assistant. She is very knowledgeable in the medical field and, at the time, worked for a respected spinal surgeon. She kindly navigated through my CT images and explained a few tricks of the trade. She also translated the reports and deciphered the blood tests. We spend t a good part of the evening researching and analyzed the many pages of medical data that accumulated over the past month. The few hours we spend together were more productive than all the consults I had received to date. It felt good to have someone who showed honest compassion and care with a determined drive to find a solution. If only she could have been an expert in E.H. That would be like winning the lotto, as the experts in this field are far outnumbered by the very few patients who are diagnosed with it.
I woke up the next morning face to face with Lucy, their precocious feline. She had somehow figure out a way to open the door and make her way into my bed. It was a miracle! Not the fact that she opened the door, but that my allergies had not acted up once during my entire stay. She was a special feline. My Lucy in the sky with diamonds. David came home during his lunch hour and dropped me off at the B.A.R.T. station. We exchanged emotional good-byes and I was en route to meet with Niko and drive back down to LA. As I looked at the side view mirror, I saw a beautiful sunset dawning over the bay area. This was overshadowed by a thick fog that had lowered as we passed the San Joaquin Valley. I felt gravity pulling down towards my ankles…they had become quite swollen. Was this a side effect from Chemo? I place my ankle on the dashboard and blurt out “I have cankles!” Niko and I shared a good laugh.
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