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Last Class

  • Mar. 30th, 2009 at 11:21 AM
James Unshaven
I have missed a lot of OASIS classes lately because of my health. I especially regret missing the Creative Writing classes. The last class I had scheduled for the current period was one I was particularly looking forward to: Richard Lederer was to speak on the topic of Language and Laughter. I was even hoping I could join Richard at Ruby's for lunch following the talk.

I've had an open sore on my left foot for the better part of the past year. Sometimes it has been unbearable. Apparently the three major bacterial families in the sores have been evicted and the foot is showing signs of healing. I'm still supposed to apply saline compresses twice daily but I've been taken off of all forms of antibiotic. I need help with the compresses, of course, and with applying protective covering to the sores, because I can't see the sores themselves. I am too inflexible to get myself into a position where they would be visible.

I had been told to stop walking and to avoid driving or even riding in cars. Long car trips are still out of the question, but the doctor says I can start taking walks again, short walks only, if I elevate my legs immediately after taking a walk.

Another reason I frequently miss classes is that about a one day in every three I have diarrhea. Even something so innocent as bread has been known to trigger problems. Unripe fruits are guaranteed to bring on the ailment, so I'm very careful about the few fruits I consume. I can eat about one salad a week without problems, and I love my salads. Some foods like broccoli or apples, once favorites, have to be avoided at all costs, although lately I've been able to consume small amounts of cooked cabbage with relatively few problems.

I also suffer from migraine headaches and migraine aura. I've had headaches incapacitate me for four or five days at a time. They are frequently triggered by not eating, by fasting. When I feel the aura or other signs of an impending headache, I have to take a bite of food and a bit of coffee, then retire to a quiet, dark place until it passes.

But the really big problem is pain in my back and body due to my arthritis. Sometimes the pain is triggered by the weather but most of the time I have no idea what causes it.

Yesterday I was feeling good. It appeared I would be able to attend today's class.

I had diarrhea from 4:30 to 6:30 this morning. I have no idea what triggered it. I've been very careful with my diet, to avoid such problems. My intestines are still unquiet but I haven't had any more problems so far. When my alarm went off at 7:00, though, I discovered I had a headache and that my upper back and shoulders, particularly on the right side, were hurting. When I did finally get up, after 10:00, the pain was still sufficiently intense that I had problems getting dressed.

In other words, everything but my infected foot was bothering me.

I've missed the last OASIS class I had scheduled, one I particularly wanted to attend. I'm undecided about taking any more classes in the future. I like taking classes because they're interesting and inexpensive and some, like Richard Lederer's classes, are highly entertaining.

Without the classes, the only reason I'll have for leaving the house will be to visit my doctors. And I dislike going to the doctors.
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