Progress, at last

Today for the first time in three and a half weeks of hell I dealt with doctors who were on top of the situation, who provided intelligible diagnoses, and who laid out a hopeful path of treatment. First I saw a G.I. specialist at the New York Presbyterian Hospital complex on York Avenue whom my oncologist had found. She explained how both the present tumors and the scar tissue of past tumors on the lining of the small and large intestines are adhering to the outside of the intestines and are pulling and pushing them out of shape, slowing their functioning and the passage of material through them. She indicated that the opening in the intestine, the lumen, might be returned to normal size and normal movement might be restored either by a colonoscopy by itself, or by a colonoscopy in which a stent was placed at the most significant area of slowing, or, if those approaches were not viable, by surgery. She also sent me to a pain management specialist—and, incredibly, as compared with the glacial slowness with which referrals have occurred during this nightmare up to now, the latter saw me on the same day! She made some immediate adjustments in the pain killers I am taking and indicated more thoroughgoing anti-pain measures to be taken in the near future if the colonoscopy or stent did not relieve the problem. Both doctors, attractive females sexily dressed, were thoughtful, articulate, and decisive.

I was in bad discomfort throughout the day, continually moaning and sighing in pain. The friend who accompanied me to both appointments suggested as we were leaving my house for the first appointment that the G.I. doctor would probably put me in the hospital. But when I asked the doctor about this contingency, she explained clearly why nothing would be gained from that.

Notwithstanding the continued misery I am in, I feel I have been delivered from a hell of mushy vagueness, passivity, and indifference to a heaven of clarity, action, and caring responsibility. What happened today should have happened two weeks ago.

- end of initial entry -

January 18

Ed H. writes:

God works through the visible world. Rather than with a fluttering of wings, an angel appeared in the form of a competent gastro-enterologist. I will keep my Sacred Heart of Jesus candle burning in front of a copy of PNS a bit longer just to be sure.

LA replies:

I’m far from out of the woods yet. But if normal medical care can solve the intestinal problem, a miraculous healing would not be needed on that front. Of course, beyond the intestinal dysfunction, there is the cancer itself, which today’s medical science says is incurable. Kristor’s massed intercessory prayer, which he had conceived of before it was known that the intestinal problem was distinct from the cancer, requested that I be healed of all my illnesses.

Lisa F. writes:

I hope the “progress at last” soon turns into relief at last.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 17, 2013 08:03 PM | Send