Hello
All,
My
company arrived last Friday, celebrated my birthday with me, and flew home
yesterday. So today is devoted to doing the laundry and getting everything back
to normal. You all know how that is.
Also,
I’m responding—by phone and e-mail—to all the birthday greetings I received.
Then there’s the catching up with six day’s worth of e-mails and the postal mail
that came—junk, bills, catalogs—during that time. I’m sure you all know how
that is also.
Here’s
another piece of news that many of you—maybe all of you—will appreciate and
understand because you, too, have received good news at a doctor’s office. Last
Thursday I saw the dermatologist who prescribed the light treatments for my
CTCL and is monitoring their effectiveness. She carefully examined my arms,
legs, and chest on which, six weeks ago, were displayed many large pink
blotches.
“Everything
on your left leg is in remission,” she announced. Then she looked at my chest.
“Same thing here.” Only a single blotch on my left arm, a swath on my right arm,
and quite a bit of my right leg—from the knee to the ankle—remain stubborn. But
all were changing color, which is a sign they are going into remission.
She
agreed that two days a week instead of three were sufficient and concluded,
“Dee, if your skin continues to respond this way, I think you’ll be able to stop
coming after the next six weeks.”
Hurrah
and Hallelujah!
Another
piece of news today concerns your comments for last week’s posting. I haven’t
had time to respond to them, but I will return to responding with this posting
and from here on out. I enjoy responding to your comments, which always make me
consider new aspects about what I’ve written.
 |
| A panoramic view of the Delphi valley in mainland Greece. |
Also,
I wanted you all to know that I’ve decided to work this year on a novel that
takes place in Bronze Age Greece around 1300 BCE. Last year I wrote 62,000
words of a first draft that is not yet completed. I’m hoping that the first
book of this proposed trilogy will be about 70,000 words after it goes through
several more drafts and a final polishing. I hope to have the manuscript in
good shape by the end of the year. But I will listen to my body. Go with the
flow. Live day by day. So nothing here is written in stone.
Finally,
I’m wondering if you have any preferences for what part of my life you’d like
to know more about. As I summarized last week,
1. “Of the years between birth and
entering the convent after college graduation, I’ve reconnoitered only my
childhood up to sixth grade at St. Mary’s Grade School in Independence,
Missouri.”
2. “I’ve shared with you the convent
novitiate years as well as my first two years on mission in Omaha, Nebraska,
after making first vows. But there are other stories yet to tell about teaching
in Seneca, Baileyville, Atchison, and Kansas City, Kansas.”
3.
“Back
in 2012, I spent several months posting about getting involved in social
justice issues when I was in my thirties. That leaves four decades yet to
explore of my life as a single woman who established a career after leaving the
convent and then retired to write and enjoy friendship.”
I’d appreciate your commenting and
letting me know any preference you might have among these three time periods.
I want to end by thanking all of you
for your good wishes last week when I posted about the CTCL appointment. On my
birthday I found myself deeply thankful for your continuing and continual
support. Peace.
All photographs from
Wikipedia.
