Monday was a tough day for me. I didn’t sleep well Sunday night. I had run out of Niquil and even with the oxygen, I coughed and stayed awake much of the night. I had the 11am Mass and after some soup, I went back to bed. Got up for supper and just hung around my room on the oxygen till bedtime.
I did call and make an appointment with the doctor for Tuesday. Also I called and talked with Cardinal Baum. I called to wish him a happy 86th birthday and to tell him that I offered the Mass for his Mom and Dad and his stepdad. We talked about a lot of things and when I hung up, I noticed in the genealogy that his birthday is November 21, 1926 – I had misread the date. He never corrected me and could not have been more gracious. I guess that why the Swiss guard in the Vatican use to call him, “the gentleman Cardinal”. As indeed he is!!
Today, I had the 6:30am Mass. My voice sounded terrible and again I hadn’t slept well. After Mass, I went to bed till around 11am. Then I drove over to Joan Ward’s. She is back and doing therapy at Sibley hospital. She can drive, so she dropped me off and went to her therapy at noon. Then she did some shopping and picked me up and drove me to my 3pm doctor’s appointment. She did a little more shopping and then picked me up at 4:30. I drove her home and then came back to the rectory. At 5:30, I went and met the Monsignors at DeCarlo’s and just got home.
The doctor took x-rays and gave me an antibiotic and a steroid. Martino, the seminarian picked it up for me and I’ll take them when I finish writing. Also I asked if the doctor would send someone to repair the oxygen machine. I’ll tell you about it when they come. The part I need for sleeping is working. So tonight should be better.
On Wednesday, I have the 8:00am and then I hope I’ll feel up to going to the priests’ Advent Day of Recollection at 10am at the Washington Retreat House. If the coughing is under control, I’ll go.
Will write tomorrow evening.