I was supposed to go to a conference in Baltimore today and tomorrow; but it has been so frustrating the last few days, I “wimped out”.
I was scheduled to have a MRI on Tuesday, February 7th, which was the last day I wrote but they couldn’t let me take my oxygen in the room because it would interfere with the MRI machine, so I came home. We had a dinner for the school board that evening and I joined them for a while. Went to bed early as I had the 6:30am Mass on Wednesday as we’re down to two priests for a couple of days.
On Wednesday, the 8th, I had the 11am as well as the 6:30 and spent the whole day working on my Christmas newsletter. It is for 2007 thru 2017 and is taking a lot of work.
On Thursday, the 9th, I had the 8am and the evening Mass and had supper with Fr. Alec. More work on the newsletter.
On Friday, the 10th, I had the 8am and the evening Mass and worked most of the day on the newsletter. I fear that it will be 16 pages but I am determined to get one out this year. My family and friends will be stunned and I must put in a statement that I am not dying. When I sent one out while I was in South America that came out before Christmas, Danny called his mom to find out if I was ill.
On Saturday, the 11th, The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, I called Fr. Mark Smith to wish him a happy birthday. Also it is the Day of the Infirmed and I offered Mass for Mark and all the sick I know. Then I met with a young girl who has been diagnosed with celiac and will have to receive a special host. You know how hard it is to be different when you’re a teenager. Keep her in your prayers. I also met with a couple from SDC. At 4pm, I had confessions and then I cooked some supper for myself – ham and eggs!
On Sunday, the 12th, Fr. Ron was preaching at all the Masses about the Cardinal’s appeal and so I just presided at the 12:30pm Mass. Rick and Peg surprised me by coming and we went to dinner at LaFerme, a nice French restaurant nearby. We had a great time and very good food. Went to bed early.
As Monday, the 13th was my DAY OFF, my doctor asked me to go to Sibley Hospital as they would allow me to have the oxygen during my MRI. Joan drove me but it was a closed one and I just couldn’t go into that tube. when I got home, I just went to bed and escaped.
Tuesday, was St. Valentine’s Day and so Joan and I picked up JoEddie, who use to work her and we went to Parkside Deli for lunch. It was her birthday and we had a nice visit and good food – I brought most of mine home to have for supper. I had the Exposition and 5:30pm Mass.
Wednesday, the 15th was very interesting. I had a very rough night and woke up almost every 20 minutes. I ached all over and couldn’t get to sleep. When I finally got out of bed, I saw that I had not turned my oxygen on. I had the cord but was getting no oxygen. A couple of time, I leaned over to the bed stand to check the oxygen but my oximeter was on my desk in the other room and I just didn’t want to get out of bed. If I had, I would have seen that the green light was not on. I really do need to have oxygen 24 hours a day now. So I learned something. I had the 8am Mass and after lunch, Joan drove me to Shady Grove Hospital for an open MRI that would allow me to have my oxygen as well. It was very easy and I was seated between two huge machines making a lot of noise. I was able to say the Rosary and it was over in less than a half hour. They gave me a disc to give my doctor. I’m glad to have all that over. I had the evening Mass and a dear friend did Exposition for me; but I was back in time for Mass. I’m in only one home tonight, so I ate some spaghetti that Humberto had left me and I went to bed early.
Today is February 16th – the 26th anniversary of Mom’s death. It seems like only yesterday that I stopped in to see her on St. Valentine’s Day, 1991. RIP. I had the 6:30 and 8am Masses, as I planed to get away early to attend the conference. I decided not to go until I had some explanation about the problem with my right foot. I’ll know something when the doctor sees the MRI disc. Since I thought I’d be away, I have no appointments. I may go to the rectory and work on the newsletter. I have a lot to do on Saturday and Sunday; so I should take advantage of the unscheduled “free day”. And now Paddy is up to date.