I'm back to posting after a long siege. The results of the siege were not what I had hoped for, but the neurologists are going to discuss my case over a pow wow some time in the next couple weeks to decide what the next step might be. The neurologist who was born in the same place I was (Burge Hospital in Springfield, MO)is in charge of this phase of my condition. He was in the operating room when they were putting me under the anethesia. He was also confused and thought he remembered I was from Mansfield instead of Marshfield. At least I had a good excuse for my confusion. He is from West Plains and was born in Springfield at the same hospital where Joe volunteers now but that was several years later. He's 45 and very handsome.

The staff kept me in bed from Tuesday until Saturday. They wouldn't even let me get up to go to the bathroom. They shaved my head on both sides so that I look like I have a Mohawk if it were spiked on top. I couldn't wash my hair until this Thursday when they took out the stitches. Rose and I cheated a bit and held plastic bags over the wounds before Thursday, but it felt really good to wash it thoroughly. The neurosurgeon had put the stitches in on Sunday when they removed the electrodes. Again they put me under the anasthetic and I was not 'with it' when I woke up. Goldman was there and the nurse asked me if I knew who it was. I didn't. Rose and Shirley had to be in Chicago when I got out so Goldman picked me up. Shelly brought us a delicious dinner and Margaret spent the night. People are good.

I went back to the neursurgeon on Thursday, and the nurse removed the stitches. That hurt. The doctor then explained that the test results were not what they had expected. They thought the seizures were coming from the right side of my brain, but the electrodes showed they were coming from both sides. And if they do something to both sides, it might do more harm than good. I go to my general practioner this Tuesday. I see the skin doctor on the first of February. I go back in the hospital sometime around the 5th of February. That's just an overnight stay for my IVIG. That's with a neurologist. I also have another skin cancer on my face, but I'm waiting until I have time to have that removed. I told Pete this morning that these doctors are going to start making appointments with me instead of my making appointments with them. Pete thought the doctors have turned me into a guinea pig. [And I'm repreating myself in case you haven't noticd.]

When I look in the mirror now, I'm reminded of one of Bob's favorite stories: he and I went to see Aunt Lois and she said to me "You used to be such a pretty little thing. Paused, looked me over and went on, "Well, your hair's still pretty." If the two of them could see me now, I don't know what Aunt Lois would say. She wouldn't add "Your hair's still pretty." Joe drove up one day and sat by my bedside for a long time. He called and read the blog daily, too. Of course Margaret and Rose hovered as did Chris and Goldman. Pete and Donald called and read the blog probably daily and I know Rose kept it updated. There were lots of readers on the blog. Chris jogged in the park across from the hospital and came a lot.