August 18, 2005--And now for the continuing saga of "As the Breast Turns.." I am beginning to feel like I'm in a soap opera. Today, the nurses from the surgeon and plastic surgeon's office both called me to tell me that they are terrible sorry, but they couldn't get the surgery scheduled until freakin' August 30th. Pardon my French, but this was hard to swallow. Tears came to me, not in a downpour, but at least a light mist. This means, as I'm sure everyone can calculate, means 12 more days of Anticipation (with apologies to Carly Simon). As I've bragged before, I am a very patient person. However, my patience has effaced (remember childbirth classes?)
However, all the events of today were not bad. Something extraordinary happened. I was telling my friend Anne at work that my daughter Cissy (given name Cecily) is going to come here from Grand Rapids to be here for the surgery and take care of me for a few days. Anne said she had a free ticket from SWA and would give it to us to get Cissy here. OMG, that is absolutely fabulous! I am just so incredibly grateful to Anne. This was going to cost me a bundle and likely deplete what meager savings I have. What love it takes to bestow a gift like that. Thank you Anne, from the bottom of my heart.
So, as the old saying goes, "God, give me patience and give it to me now!"

August 20, 2005--At work for the last few weeks I've been wishing that I could just stay home. But, staying home is stressful also. I needed to do some shopping today to pick up a few things for the guest bathroom. I went to Burlington Coat Factory and left in discouragement. While I was there I tried on several hats, in anticipation of being bald. When I saw myself in the mirror it really started to hit home that I am going to loose my hair. My hair was once black, but is now silver (I refuse to call it gray, that is such a drab word). It is fairly thick and coarse. I have tried to imagine what I will look like without those silver tresses. This is going to take some getting used to. The fact is, although my hair will eventually grow back, my life will never be the same.
When I was about to enter Steinmart, I ran into my friend Debby W. and her sister Joy. What a Godsend that was. I was ready to cry, and those ladies restored my good mood ("good" being a relative term). They insisted that I could find what I needed in bathroom decor and helped me to locate the shower curtain and bath mats that will work in that bright yellow bathroom.
Returning home, I continued to feel ill-at -ease. Well, that's what the Xanax is for, so I took some. At least I was able to take a restful nap, a couple of them.
Awhile back I mentioned that I had enrolled in Netflix and put numerous comedies in my queue. I've watched all of the Fawlty Towers series, and tonight Lee and I watched "Meet the Parents." We were disappointed. It wasn't all that funny. I don't know what everyone made such a fuss about. However, I understand the sequel, "Meet the Fockers," is much funnier. I sincerely hope so, as I have it also. Stay tuned for my reaction to it. Not that I'm a movie critique. I leave that to Cissy.
I continue to receive examples of love and support from my family and friends. A day doesn't go by that I don't hear from someone. And I need those reminders. Today I got a call my friend Joy T. who lives in Lubbock. It came as a welcome surprise. Then my cousins in Kansas, Darry and LaVina, sent me God's Little Instruction Book. It contains pithy sayings, backed up with scripture. For instance, "It is better to be silent and be considered a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." "Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool."--Ecclesiastes 10:3.