WHATEVER WAS I THINKING?

OK, I am now in a place where I can talk about the past weeks medical events.

MONDAY: The invasive x-ray that I insisted on seeing in real time. Unfortunately, I have been through this enough times to see that news wasn’t going to be the best.
THURSDAY:Saw my Wonderful Doctor! He saw the same thing in the x-ray that I saw but was in a better position to interpret the results. The best news would have been that it was time for a takedown of the ileostomy. Worst news would have been this was to be a permanent fixture in my life. (Believe it or not, I have prepared myself for that by assuming the worst.)

Luckily, Dr. Wonderful had a few more things to say about it. There are three choices.

1. Just hang around for another three or four months and see if it heals itself finally and try not to think about it. (Right, not going to happen!)

2. Have another invasive procedure that Dr. Wonderful will perform while I am knocked out so that I won’t be there to assist in the diagnosis. (Smart man.) This will give a clearer picture of what is what in there and decide if #1 or #3 is the best solution.

3. Surgical do over and start the process again. Not the best option, but a possibility that exists. Not as frightening as I once thought but not what I want either.

4. Accept my new friend as a life partner and get on with it. The down side to this is more subtle than obvious. The most obvious downside of this for me is the eventual acceptance that I will just have to deal with the effects of cruciferous vegetables in a fashion that cannot be done without having to actively participate in it.

I have finally gotten to the point that I can honestly only rely on the words of a very succinct philosopher of our times:

“And so it goes…”
— Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse-Five)