Miserables

My sister has had a bad week. It began the week before when she and her husband were told that a dear friend had cancer in the kidney and only a few months to live. She discussed with his wife how to help her travel regularly to the hospital. The next day they were told he had died just 15 minutes after his wife arrived at the hospital thinking she had a few months more with him. At least the suffering was short but of course the shock was great. The funeral was this week.

At least it did not cause a clash with her regular 3 month check-up with her dermatologist. This time last year I related how she had a melanoma removed successfully. She has been visiting the same dermatologist for 20 years. Dr Collins also treated our mother so I have met her. A message on the answer phone informed her the appointment had to be cancelled and to ring for details. On ringing she was told that Dr Collins had died last month of an aggressive brain tumour within 4 weeks of diagnosis.

Another close friend of hers has had cancer for a while and is having treatment. Their group went on a little holiday together a few weeks ago and it was upsetting to see this once capable woman who used to be the organiser needing to be helped around and bursting into tears because she felt helpless and a nuisance. She and her husband sold their house several years ago, travelled around Australia, invested their money and moved into a house owned by one of their children. Like for so many these days the investment has gone and they have just been told they are to be evicted by their own children.

With tears in her eyes my sister hoped this week will be better yet she is to have the first of her cataract operations on Wednesday so it will not be a week of unbridled joy.
Please pray that this now routine operation will go well.

I also had my yearly visit to the dermatologist 2 weeks ago. He put me onto the operating table and made 4 incisions on forehead, nose and neck to obtain pathology samples. I did the shopping with 3 large bandages over my face and neck.
I returned last week to remove the stitches and get the results. The nose was a mole, the neck will just need some ointment and freezing but the forehead is a basal skin cancer (the least invasive) and will need to be cut out on June 16. He will need to make a large incision to avoid my having a permanently raised eyebrow (Oh vanity of vanities!!). After that news he then froze about a dozen pre-cancerous growths across my face which I originally expected and always dread, I would prefer to visit the dentist, so now I have a blotchy face.

Last night I attended the Blue Mountains Musical Society to which I once belonged (see various posts). They put on 'Les Miserables', quite appropriate. This is my favourite musical but luckily I had already purchased my ticket as it was a cold, wet night so staying at home was tempting.
The usher commenting on my being alone did not help my feelings. I really have no-one other than my sister with whom to attend theatre or movies.
It is over 10 years since I was a member so while I recognised a few faces, none recognised me, my hair has gone grey and I now wear glasses. I enjoyed the singing but it did not help my miserables.

I think we have had enough of "I dreamed a dream"lately so will instead give you another favourite of mine "Do you hear the people sing"