You can reach Sue at (314) 452-3685 or (314) 726-2032. You can write to her c/o Rose Holt, 905 Barnard College Lane, St. Louis, MO 63130


Tuesday, June 15, 2004, 4:00 pm Scottsdale Time

Rose and I are sitting in the Starbuck’s Coffee Shop at Barnes & Noble, just west of the Mayo Clinic where we have spent the day.

The day started with registration and a bit of an orientation. All the insurance forms and necessary precertifications were in place Part of the registration included an itinerary for my three days here with the tests scheduled along with explanations of the tests and instructions for preparing for them. From registration we went to the Neurology Offices for my initial consultation.

I met with Dr. Benn E. Smith, the neurologist here, for over two hours. Rose was allowed in for part of the session. Smith took a complete history and did a comprehensive examination, more complete than by any of my previous physicians. Dr. Smith is extremely personable and kind. He cautioned me that some 25% of cases like mine defy diagnosis. It was only faintly comforting that he told me I most probably don’t have some rare form of cancer because if I did, it would have killed me months ago. At the conclusion of all the testing, I will once again meet with Dr. Smith to hear his findings.

After a very brief break for lunch in the patient cafeteria, I went for my first test, one of those horrid EMG’s. That took another two and one-half hours, and Dr. Smith conducted some of it, a Dr. Ross a portion, and two technicians some of it.

Tomorrow morning I have to be at the Clinic at 8:00 am and testing will take up most of the day.

The Mayo Clinic is one impressive place. Like almost all the architecture in this area, it blends perfectly into the surrounding desert and mountains. Inside it is extremely modern and extremely efficiently laid out. As best we can tell after one day there, it is one of the most organized places we’ve ever seen. All the staff and volunteers bend over backwards to ease any difficulties that might arise. I found the experience there very soothing.

Our trip here yesterday could not have been any easier. Southwest Airlines and airport personnel at both airports were on hand with a wheelchair and we scooted to the head of all lines. Rose was so impressed she is thinking of feigning a handicap any time she travels.

We got to our Embassy Suite like two homing pigeons and found the people there equally accommodating. The Bell person found us a wheelchair which we are using for the days we are here, both at the hotel and in the city.

We shopped for some groceries, had a good (not great) Mexican dinner, and went to bed early, the two-hour time delay having caught up with us.

Den arranged to be here on a business trip, and we are having dinner with (actually on) him tonight.

More later when we have more to say.



9:00 pm, Tuesday

And we have more to say.

Pete called to see how we are doing. He and Janet are looking forward to having son Kelly and his two boys for the weekend. Turns out, Pete is very familiar with Phoenix and gave us some tips about this place. He asked if we were wearing our long johns. We are not. The temperature here today hit 106. Tomorrow there is the promise of 107.

We met Den south of here at the Holiday Inn near Sky Harbor Airport for dinner. He is busy with his distributor and is doing some kind of product demonstration that neither Rose nor I understood, but it is good for his business. We will no doubt have dinner again. He leaves to return to Chicago on Friday earlier in the day than we fly back to St. Louis.

I am very tired, and it is early to bed.