Asking for a Re-Blog

…………….This may be of interest to authors who are looking for more publicity. ~ Dennis

Colonoscopy – 9 April 2014

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“Hi Dennis, I haven’t seen you for the past couple of days.”

“Hi Chuck, I couldn’t stop Monday, because I was running late for work. Yesterday, I took my wife to the doctor for tests. We’re still waiting for the results.”

“The last time I had any medical problems was when I had an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and a colonoscopy. Because of my pacemaker I was not allowed to have an anesthetic.  They had to have a doctor on hand who used these magnets on my chest. I don’t know exactly what he was doing, but it had to do with regulating my heartbeat. I was watching the monitor. It would go blip….blip….blip….blip, blip,blip, blip blip, blip. That’s when they got concerned.

“That colonoscopy really hurt. I needed to have it because had internal bleeding. I noticed it when I when I had a bowel movement. I immediately stopped taking my blood thinners and took a taxi to Emergency.

“Getting back to the colonoscopy; I could feel that tube going up, up, up. It was more painful the higher it got.  I asked, ‘Are you just about finished?’ The doctor said, ‘Yes, just hold on, only a couple of more inches.’ Then it really started to hurt.  I said, ‘Any more and I’m likely to pass out.’ ‘Just about there… There, were finished.’ My knuckles were white from grabbing the side of the mattress. Anyway, they found the source of the bleeding and an operation stopped it.

“They nearly killed me in that hospital. After the operation I asked the doctor when I should start taking my blood thinners again. He said  I could start right away. I said “That’s not right!” They even took me to a psychiatrist to find out why I was refusing the blood thinners.  I told him, The last time I was in hospital and started taking my blood thinners immediately, I nearly bled to death.

“I used to have a lady friend. This was back in 2002, we’re not together any more. She used to keep a close eye on what I ate. She was actually too skinny. We’d have some awful rows about eating. The problem with her was she was too precise. She’d start a conversation with, ‘I got up this morning at six thirteen.’ Not six ten or six thirty, but six thirteen. Then she’d tell me what she had for breakfast. Twenty minutes would go by before she said anything relevant.  If I have something to say, I get the facts out and leave it.

“I have to keep my weight at about one hundred and fifty. The doctor told me not to go above that. One time, I went for a check up, he weighed me and said I was ten pounds over. I felt great and told him so. He said, ‘Lose the weight!’ I looked at his big stomach and said, ‘You lose the weight!’

“I don’t eat that much. I don’t stop for breakfast. I’ll have coffee with a few friends. Later, I’ll have coffee with some other friends. On my way home, I’ll stop for a slice of pizza and a piece of cake. That’s it for the day.

“I feel happy today. We’re still around the freezing mark but it’s going to get warmer. I can’t wait for the warm weather, then I can get rid of this bulky winter clothing. A few women stopped to chat and to put money in Chuck’s cap. I recognized them as regulars. They all wished him well. It was good to see a smile on his face.

“I handed him a card for coffee at Tim Horton’s. He asked, “I hope I’m not rude by asking, but how much is on the card?

“Five dollars.” I said.

“That’s good to know.  I’ve invited a lady friend to join me for coffee. Some people give me cards with a dollar twenty on it.  I can’t buy a coffee for that; they start at a dollar thirty-two. I remember back in 1960 when you could get a coffee for ten to fifteen cents. That’s progress for you.”

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Book Cover Preview

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This is the first idea my publisher put together for the cover of my book. What do you think? If anyone has suggestions for suitable images in the public domain, I’d appreciate you letting me know.  I’ve checked nearly everything on Google. Because of privacy reasons, and regards for my safety, I can’t use actual photos of the people who have participated in these conversations.

The first book will be three hundred and seventy pages. I have a second book in the works of about four hundred pages. Prices will be kept low, to make it affordable to everyone. All proceeds will go to the people I have written about.

The stories will continue as soon as the weather improves. I see Chuck most mornings, but everyone else is staying indoors to keep warm.

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