So It Goes

Life is busy and dynamic on a daily basis. There's much to see, do and respond to, and so little time to analyze and make sense of it. There are four things I want to write about since my previous post.

1.  Finally, week before last, I made it to the skin cancer clinic for a full body check up. This started in February before our NZ holiday. You know how it is, before a holiday you rush to get things done. There was a growth on my forehead just in the hairline in an area of discolouration or darkening, it had been there for some months. I went to the doctor for appraisal. My bloke was on leave somewhere (working in a remote indigenous community where doctors are needed but scarce) so I saw someone else at the clinic in Berwick. This guy said it looked suspicious but it would need a longer consultation and a nurse booked also so a piece could be taken and sent for biopsy, so comeback after my holiday and book a long consultation and a nurse. I did this and booked a long session with my doc after our holiday. The clinic rang a day before my appt and said my doc, whom I must say I like and have confidence in, said he didn't want to go cutting at something he hadn't seen. I said that's fine, the thing had shrunk and I had been considering cancelling the whole thing, but look hey seeing as I'm booked just change it to a short consult and I'll parley with my man about it. He looked at it and said he didn't think there was anything to worry about but there was just one small area that was suspicious and he referred me to a skin cancer clinic where he said they have a much better camera and it would be a good idea at my age to have a check anyway due to my outside lifestyle, my age, and because I take methotrexate which gives you a greater chance of contracting melanoma. To end the story I got the all clear. The skin doc I saw, a dark skinned fellow who said he came from India, a big strong guy, told me the growth was a wart, that is why it came and went and he froze it off. In answer to my question he said he had trained in India and Australia. I said India scared me simply by virtue of its huge population of a billion people. He said yes there's  a lot of poverty but 20% of the people are very wealthy, which means 200 million very wealthy people. Mind boggling. He said I should get a check up every year or two because of the methotrexate.

2. This last week was tough. I had a museum meeting Tuesday which I chaired as the pres was away and a Puffing Billy Working Group meeting on Wednesday night. This PB business is taxing, it destroys my peace and calm and saps my mental energy. The longer it drags the more my dislike for it grows. Thursday I had to take Elvie to the eye doctor in the morning, 10.30am in Berwick. The receptionist said there was quite a queue and I could expect a time of one and and half hours to two hours so I went shopping for some nice bread at Coles, the sourdough light rye is great and I bought 5 loaves for the freezer. Then I took Pip for a walk and visited the receptionist at my dentist in the same street, a lady of Sri Lankan or Indian origin who delights me when I go to to the dentist. As I entered the street outside the little court I saw a young lady pushing a pram and she stopped and said her baby loved dogs. I picked Pip up so baby could see her close and asked the lady what was the baby's name, by this time baby was smiling and showing happiness. She said 'Santiago'. That's interesting I said, "Why Santiago?"

"Because my husband comes from there."

I told her I had been to Santiago, and that I found it to be a beautiful place but very crowded, and that there were stray dogs everywhere in the city in large numbers. Our conversation was invigourating. She told me her husband's name was Rene and his family migrated in 1988 and moved to Endeavour Hills. Her name was Flavia and she came with her family from Madras India also in 1988 when she was one year old, and she also grew up in Endeavour Hills. Her husband works for a bank looking after investment clients. You have to admire people who uprooted their lives and migrated, to Australia or anywhere. Such a huge thing to do in life. Flavia was a lovely lady whom it was my great pleasure to meet. I told her I write a blog and how to look it up, and that I would post about our meeting, when I get a chance. I hope she does. Hi Flavia. I wish you happiness and a great life for Santiago.

3. Last week nearly knocked me out. Besides the above, I was busy workwise with many orders for foliage and flowers made more difficult by other demands. Thursday I was flat out catching up and exhausted. But a great saving grace was a visit by my sister in law Margaret on Wednesday for lunch with her daughter Liz and Liz's 7 month old baby Patrick whom I had not met previously. My thoughts beforehand were on the PB meeting and all the angst I feel. But meeting Patrick transformed my mood. This wonderful little fellow smiled and squealed and grinned and seeing Lizzie, whom I have known all her life, as a mother now, and Margaret as a grandmother, lifted me out of my pit. It was beautiful. New life is wonderfully uplifting.

4. Lastly, I'm reading a fantastic book, titled 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand. It's the life story of Louis Zamperini, an American middle distance runner whose 1940 Olympic aspirations were shattered by WW11. He joined the airforce and was a bombadier in the South Pacific. A plane he was in searching for other lost airmen went down and he spent 46 days days drifting on a raft and nearly dying of thirst, starvation and exposure with two others, one of whom did die before they were picked up by the Japanese which began a long period of almost unbelievable hardship and suffering. There is so much in this story that is enlightening to me of the immensely dangerous existence of these brave young airmen. The attrition rate was high. Libby got this book from somewhere after seeing the movie, she told me I should read it. I had no interest, I saw a snippet of the movie where Louie was being beaten by the Japs and suffering extreme pain and I thought I can't handle that. Then Rickyralph came up one day and saw the book on our bookshelf and said to me it was a great read I should read it. I said no thanks I can't stand such pain. Rick said, "But it is more than that, it's a whole life story." Anyway after finishing my last book and asking Lib did she have one for me she picked up 'Unbroken' and I gave it a go. It is riveting, enlightening, and most of all inspiring.

It is almost unfathomable, the madness of war, and sadly, that it is a good theatre for psychopaths, like the Japanese corporal 'The Bird", Louis Zamperini's tormentor. Just reading about World Wars 1 and 2 is harrowing and confronting. But history is history, and we need to learn from it.

And so it goes.