Before

Let’s see.

1. Approximately one year ago today I was in a large city (Memphis) that normally does not get snow, but had lots of snow.
2. This week I have been in a large city (my own Seattle) that normally does not get snow, but had lots and lots and lots of snow.
3. Approximately one year ago I was spending a whole lot of time in the Happy Hour Hospital with my mom who, thankfully, has fully recovered.
4. This week, and again next week, I have been/will be spending a whole lot of time in the Virginia Mason hospital with– well, myself.
5. Approximately one year ago I escaped the Happy Hour Hospital for just an hour or two of relaxation at Yarniverse, still one of my fondest memories.
6. Next week I probably won’t be able to knit for a few days, but I’ll just think about escaping.  To Ireland,  Quebec,  Italy or perhaps rural France.

See any parallels there?

Now as far as names go,  the “Virginia Mason” hospital  doesn’t have quite the ring as the “LeBonheur” (Happy Hour), but I like to think of a bricklayer from one of the southern states as the inspiration  (which is totally false, but these are my little  fantasies).  Perhaps the Mason’s actual name was something perky like Melvin Teaprattle (remember him?).

So people ask me how I’m holding up.  Honestly, except for being a human pincushion for the last couple of weeks and sporting some really marvelous bruises, at first I didn’t feel much different than I did before the apocalyptic appointment.  Then, last Wednesday,  I was asked to report to the 2nd floor of the Buck Pavilion (part of the Virginia Mason complex), and discovered when I did so that I was at the Floyd and Dolores Jones Cancer Institute.  That hit me pretty hard, seeing as I was the patient.

Bit by bit I’m starting to absorb that all this is happening.  But really, I hope it’s all over before I really believe it.

Here’s me being Jamie Lee, lipstick on.  I’m thinking of this as the “Before” picture.  I hope to have the “After” picture all ready by the end of April, with hair, eyebrows and eyelashes still intact.

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