What Happened, Part 2:
Friday, April 9 was my appointment with the hematologist and my flight to DC. Spike accompanied me and my luggage to my appointment with Dr. Weissmann, an enormously warm, down-to-earth, reassuring woman with a New York accent and an office filled with pictures of Lance Armstrong and her eight-year-old son. Within about half an hour, I was lying on my belly in an hospital gown (which Dr. Weissmann called a "johnny coat") for a bone marrow biopsy. Dr. Weissmann told me firmly that it wasn't going to hurt, but I was pretty damn scared. I'd read and heard descriptions of the procedure and it had generally been described as extremely painful.
Lying on my stomach, I didn't see much, though Dr. Weissmann explained what she was doing as she went along. Spike watched, though, and gave me some details afterwards. I felt a sharp prick as the Novacaine was administered at my hip. Dr. Weissmann explained to Spike that the needle she was about to use was so frighteningly long because it had to get through a lot of flesh on some patients, but that little of its length would be necessary on me. I kept my eyes shut. I felt a strong but vague pressure as the needle went in. Then a strange, unpleasant sensation, quite distinct from pain, went all through my pelvis and left leg. That was the bone marrow being drawn out, and it was like nothing so much as really getting it hard on the funny bone.
The next procedure, getting a bone sample, was probably a little less intense for me, but had Spike putting her head between her legs for a while to keep from fainting. Apparently, the sight of the formidable Dr. Weissman putting most of her weight into corkscrewing an awl-like device into my hipbone was a little disconcerting.
Afterwards, Dr. Weissmann encouraged Spike and me to walk into Harvard Square and get some lunch while the lab ran its tests on the samples she'd extracted. Walking felt a little odd at first, but the sunlight and fresh air soon restored me, and we picked up sandwiches at Darwin. Ltd., a nifty sandwich shop a few blocks away.
We sat in a park by the river and ate. Over my cream cheese, salmon, caper, cucumber, tomato, and onion sandwich, I broke down into tears again, overwhelmed by fear of what I might be about to learn.
Back in Dr. Weissman's office, she cautiously told me her diagnosis, not certain, I think, how I would take it. Probably hairy-cell leukemia, she said, though she wouldn't be sure until a few days of lab tests. Leukemia's not a pretty word (okay, actually it kind of is, but its signficance and associations remove most of its charm), but I had been braced for it. Once she explained my prognosis and treatment options, I was elated. I was going to live! My eyes teared up once more--this time with relief. Could I still go down and visit my mother? Sure; my blood counts looked stable--the disease was progressing very slowly--but I should come back a day earlier.
We walked back to Harvard Square with my luggage, my legs still a
little wobbly, but my spirits immensely high. There, I left a message
with the friend Lotte was staying with, trying to cram all my news,
all my relief, shouted over the sound of Harvard Square traffic, on
that little answering machine tape an ocean away. I filled a
prescription for a drug that fights uric acid in the blood. I didn't
have elevated levels yet, but when the chemo started, the dying blood
cells would produce uric acid in quantities that would otherwise
destroy my liver. It was strangely comforting taking the first
Allopurinol pill, feeling like I had begun my treatment already.
Right before walking down into the T station, I asked Spike to stop, and ducked into the T-Mobile store that was right there. For some months I had been resisting the temptation to pick up the camera add-on for my Hiptop. It seemed like a suitably frivolous purchase for a giddy moment. The first picture I took was from inside the store, to test it. This is the second.
(to be continued...eventually)

miele vacuum by Victor:
Well done!
welding rods by Patty:
Well done!
birthstone necklaces by Janet:
Well done!
discount cameras by Ida:
Nice site!
monterey weather by Wendy:
Great work!
prague apartments by Wendy:
Thank you!
steamer trunks by Andy:
Well done!
king estate by Christine:
Thank you!
welding inspections by Rachel:
Nice site!
mattress outlet by Carl:
Nice site!
career change by Bruce:
Good design!
ford dealerships by Tracy:
Well done!
toronto jobs by Jean:
Good design!
foot care by Jill:
Good design!
kerosene heaters by Matt:
Good design!
seadoo engines by Judy:
Good design!
custom timberlands by Cassie:
Great work!
waterfall faucets by Angie:
Good design!
liquid plastics by Lena:
Well done!
liquid plastics by Lena:
Well done!
elkay sinks by Nick:
Well done!
slipcover couch by Fawn:
Nice site!
ulysses grant by Phillip:
Thank you!
infinity broadcasting by Britney:
Nice site!
darpa challenge by Nick:
Good design!
comparative advantage by Cindy:
Well done!
flyer magazine by Debbie:
Good design!
infinity group by Fawn:
Thank you!
hawthorn berries by Ann:
Well done!
horse silhouettes by Howard:
Nice site!
soap network by Angie:
Great work!
london trains by Nick:
Nice site!
closet storage by Otto:
Great work!
worker compensation by Lane:
Well done!
funeral quotes by Karl:
Great work!
italian gourmet by Cory:
Thank you!
sterling vineyards by Lee:
Nice site!
xtreme wildlife by Terry:
Good design!
pablo honey by Zack:
Thank you!
rim locks by Chad:
Great work!
used seadoos by Lane:
Good design!
wifi software by Candice:
Thank you!
home contractors by Don:
Well done!
motorcycle clutches by Angie:
Well done!
trumpet scales by John:
Nice site!
blackberry inn by Judy:
Well done!
webcams live by William:
Great work!
brain waves by Brad:
Nice site!
2005 f350 by Candice:
Well done!
domain auction by Naomi:
Good design!
web site hosts by Nathan:
Thank you!
aluminum boat sales by Sarah:
Great work!
canon digital cameras by Veronica:
Nice site!
spyware stormer homepage by Holly:
Nice site!
best computer deals by Patrick:
Thank you!
desk top computers by Barbara:
Well done!
hanging pot rack by Nathan:
Thank you!
free greeting cards by Steven:
Thank you!
cheap chrome wheels by Colin:
Thank you!
collectible porcelain dolls by Tammy:
Good design!
1985 chevrolet corvette by Marla:
Well done!
cities in california by Irene:
Thank you!
web hosting sites by Ingrid:
Great work!
buying cigarettes online by Rachel:
Great work!
hankison air dryers by Mary:
Good design!
food service manager by Greg:
Thank you!
vernon real estate by Monica:
Great work!
the money store by Howard:
Nice site!
old paper money by Justin:
Thank you!
projector replacement bulbs by Adrianna:
Nice site!
construction hard hats by Abby:
Thank you!
wheelchair ramp plans by Gloria:
Well done!
pickup truck flatbeds by Janice:
Good design!
3p9ytfxu2c by ttglgeim2p:
khem5x992n7elwv [URL=http://www.1065019.com/436106.html] hu6wdhq9 [/URL] nnbyouub4i8fl
vy54rrb1aq by n7rfzdi1u3:
wl0wmbaeix [URL=http://www.673109.com/516471.html] 18tkyrn12q [/URL] 42n42azu87
at power supply by Luke:
Thank you!
compaq notebook battery by Janice:
Nice site!
cordless brad nailer by Ann:
Good design!
cobra gps 1000 by Gabriel:
Well done!
bike gravity stand by Elaine:
Great work!
laptop computer desks by Timothy:
Thank you!
headboards for beds by Lena:
Thank you!
comforts of home by David:
Good design!
inuyasha hentai by inuyasha hentai:
Good Site . Nice work.
milf camps by milf camps:
Good Site . Nice work.
valium by valium:
Good Site . Nice work.
outdoor heat lamps by Maggie:
Good design!
veterans administration foreclosures by Rhonda:
Great work!
bike spinner rims by Fawn:
Thank you!
diamond promise ring by Peggy:
Nice site!
interracial sex stories by interracial sex stories:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur nude by amateur nude:
Good Site . Nice work.
xenical by xenical:
Good Site . Nice work.
free amateur porn by free amateur porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
Zyban by Zyban:
Good Site . Nice work.
Buy Xenical by Buy Xenical:
Good Site . Nice work.
Morphine Sulfate by Morphine Sulfate:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy insulin by buy insulin:
Good Site . Nice work.
flomax online by flomax online:
Good Site . Nice work.
ephedrine products by ephedrine products:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy diovan by buy diovan:
Good Site . Nice work.
risperdal abilify zyprexa by risperdal abilify zyprexa:
Good Site . Nice work.
cheap atenolol by cheap atenolol:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy aspirin by buy aspirin:
Good Site . Nice work.
avelox side effects by avelox side effects:
Good Site . Nice work.
aspirin online by aspirin online:
Good Site . Nice work.
advair by advair:
Good Site . Nice work.
health effects of caffeine by health effects of caffeine:
Good Site . Nice work.
concerta vs adderall by concerta vs adderall:
Good Site . Nice work.
cheap cyclobenzaprine by cheap cyclobenzaprine:
Good Site . Nice work.
cephalexin online by cephalexin online:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy concerta by buy concerta:
Good Site . Nice work.
Celcom Caller Ringtone by Celcom Caller Ringtone:
Good Site . Nice work.
Free Motorola Ringtone by Free Motorola Ringtone:
Good Site . Nice work.
free big tits by free big tits:
Good Site . Nice work.
flights to florida by Phillip:
Thank you!
custom built laptops by Ida:
Nice site!
diamond nose studs by Ryan:
Thank you!
marble fireplace mantel by Nancy:
Thank you!
free fonts by free fonts:
Good Site . Nice work.
american flags by american flags:
Good Site . Nice work.
ear by ear:
Good Site . Nice work.
atomic clock by atomic clock:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur incest family porn by amateur incest family porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
nude beaches by nude beaches:
Good Site . Nice work.
viagra by viagra:
Good Site . Nice work.
tamiflu Online by tamiflu Online:
Good Site . Nice work.
website marketing by website marketing:
Good Site . Nice work.
las vegas by las vegas:
Good Site . Nice work.
bass pro shops by bass pro shops:
Good Site . Nice work.
rihanna mp3 by rihanna mp3:
Good Site . Nice work.
atv accessories by atv accessories:
Good Site . Nice work.
genuine by genuine:
Good Site . Nice work.
recovery chat rooms by Adrianna:
Good design!
solar heating panels by Kimberly:
Well done!
college basketball brackets by Rebecca:
Thank you!
braun coffee grinders by Steven:
Good design!
casino by casino:
Good Site . Nice work.
birthday poems by birthday poems:
Good Site . Nice work.
poker by poker:
Good Site . Nice work.
sports betting by sports betting:
Good Site . Nice work.
oxycodone by oxycodone:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy zyprexa by buy zyprexa:
Good Site . Nice work.
welding projects by welding projects:
Good Site . Nice work.
clonazepam by clonazepam:
Good Site . Nice work.
thai girl by thai girl:
Good Site . Nice work.
panty hose by panty hose:
Good Site . Nice work.
free pantyhose gallery by free pantyhose gallery:
Good Site . Nice work.
chinese girls by chinese girls:
Good Site . Nice work.
grannies n fatties by grannies n fatties:
Good Site . Nice work.
hairless pussy by hairless pussy:
Good Site . Nice work.
pregnant teenagers by pregnant teenagers:
Good Site . Nice work.
pee hole by pee hole:
Good Site . Nice work.
girls piss by girls piss:
Good Site . Nice work.
desperate girl pee by desperate girl pee:
Good Site . Nice work.
office storage cabinets by Diana:
Great work!
best hot tubs by Paula:
Good design!
bmx bike parts by Lane:
Nice site!
las vegas coupons by Kathy:
Nice site!
cough by cough:
Good Site . Nice work.
iodine by iodine:
Good Site . Nice work.
cortisol by cortisol:
Good Site . Nice work.
albuterol by albuterol:
Good Site . Nice work.
insurance quote by insurance quote:
Good Site . Nice work.
clonidine by clonidine:
Good Site . Nice work.
estrogen by estrogen:
Good Site . Nice work.
free online games by free online games:
Good Site . Nice work.
fluoride by fluoride:
Good Site . Nice work.
las vegas by las vegas:
Good Site . Nice work.
cheap phentermine by cheap phentermine:
Good Site . Nice work.
adipex by adipex:
Good Site . Nice work.
credit card by credit card:
Good Site . Nice work.
search engine submission by search engine submission:
Good Site . Nice work.
burberry scarves by Jason:
Well done!
womens pants by Simon:
Good design!
olympus camera by Terry:
Well done!
avelox by avelox:
Good Site . Nice work.
online casinos by online casinos:
Good Site . Nice work.
hawaiian by hawaiian:
Good Site . Nice work.
flexeril by flexeril:
Good Site . Nice work.
home made porn by home made porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur porn by amateur porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
cool clocks by Roy:
Well done!
naples weather by Sherry:
Thank you!
hawaiian flowers by Brad:
Great work!
money orders by Justin:
Great work!
amateur sex by amateur sex:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur teens by amateur teens:
Good Site . Nice work.
anal penetration by anal penetration:
Good Site . Nice work.
eminem ass like that by eminem ass like that:
Good Site . Nice work.
personalized pens by Holly:
Thank you!
seat mexico by Vincent:
Great work!
home appliances by Jody:
Thank you!
portable canopy by Christine:
Great work!
ass traffic by ass traffic:
Good Site . Nice work.
nice butt by nice butt:
Good Site . Nice work.
ass hole by ass hole:
Good Site . Nice work.
thong g string ass by thong g string ass:
Good Site . Nice work.
girls shaving by girls shaving:
Good Site . Nice work.
anal fucking by anal fucking:
Good Site . Nice work.
phentermine by phentermine:
Good Site . Nice work.
casinos by casinos:
Good Site . Nice work.
fast cash by fast cash:
Good Site . Nice work.
arthritis by arthritis:
Good Site . Nice work.
strategy first by Veronica:
Good design!
food mold by Oscar:
Well done!
countrywide insurance by Sarah:
Great work!
personal injury by Austin:
Thank you!
cheap phentermine by cheap phentermine:
Good Site . Nice work.
homemade porn by homemade porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
april flowers by april flowers:
Good Site . Nice work.
black anal sex by black anal sex:
Good Site . Nice work.
big butts by big butts:
Good Site . Nice work.
deep anal by deep anal:
Good Site . Nice work.
paris hilton by paris hilton:
Good Site . Nice work.
business opportunities by business opportunities:
Good Site . Nice work.
girl suck a dick by girl suck a dick:
Good Site . Nice work.
cocks by cocks:
Good Site . Nice work.
ani difranco by ani difranco:
Good Site . Nice work.
hentai comics by hentai comics:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbian hentai by lesbian hentai:
Good Site . Nice work.
nice ass by nice ass:
Good Site . Nice work.
massive cock by massive cock:
Good Site . Nice work.
homemade porn by homemade porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
asian pantyhose by asian pantyhose:
Good Site . Nice work.
nice asses by nice asses:
Good Site . Nice work.
shaven fanny by shaven fanny:
Good Site . Nice work.
paul wall by paul wall:
Good Site . Nice work.
sapphire bracelet by Heidi:
Thank you!
cellulite reduction by Vicky:
Good design!
car mats by Austin:
Well done!
pelican boxes by Ivan:
Good design!
cock by cock:
Good Site . Nice work.
free blowjobs by free blowjobs:
Good Site . Nice work.
huge black cocks by huge black cocks:
Good Site . Nice work.
oxycodone by oxycodone:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy zyprexa by buy zyprexa:
Good Site . Nice work.
Nokia Ringtones by Nokia Ringtones:
Good Site . Nice work.
Ringtones by Ringtones:
Good Site . Nice work.
order butalbital by order butalbital:
Good Site . Nice work.
ephedrine diet pills by ephedrine diet pills:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy ativan by buy ativan:
Good Site . Nice work.
discount zoloft by discount zoloft:
Good Site . Nice work.
generic lipitor by generic lipitor:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy ritalin by buy ritalin:
Good Site . Nice work.
penicillin by penicillin:
Good Site . Nice work.
Prilosec by Prilosec:
Good Site . Nice work.
alprazolam by alprazolam:
Good Site . Nice work.
diazepam by diazepam:
Good Site . Nice work.
vitamin supplements by vitamin supplements:
Good Site . Nice work.
vix swimwear by Edward:
Thank you!
gps automotive by Ida:
Nice site!
alaska vacations by Abby:
Thank you!
dc by dc:
Good Site . Nice work.
aluminum by aluminum:
Good Site . Nice work.
generic viagra by generic viagra:
Good Site . Nice work.
dc by dc:
Good Site . Nice work.
hilary duff by hilary duff:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur gangbang by amateur gangbang:
Good Site . Nice work.
karen lancaume by karen lancaume:
Good Site . Nice work.
tiffany towers by tiffany towers:
Good Site . Nice work.
poker by poker:
Good Site . Nice work.
party poker by party poker:
Good Site . Nice work.
flu by flu:
Good Site . Nice work.
lipitor by lipitor:
Good Site . Nice work.
nascar stores by Zack:
Good design!
car blueprints by Rex:
Good design!
furniture beds by Sherry:
Well done!
neoprene washers by Janet:
Well done!
amateur facials by amateur facials:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur curves by amateur curves:
Good Site . Nice work.
coal by coal:
Good Site . Nice work.
blackjack by blackjack:
Good Site . Nice work.
coal by coal:
Good Site . Nice work.
clonidine by clonidine:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur naked women by amateur naked women:
Good Site . Nice work.
indian gangbang by indian gangbang:
Good Site . Nice work.
ativan by ativan:
Good Site . Nice work.
headache by headache:
Good Site . Nice work.
hot latinas by hot latinas:
Good Site . Nice work.
wife threesome by wife threesome:
Good Site . Nice work.
milf hunters by milf hunters:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbian erotica by lesbian erotica:
Good Site . Nice work.
digital recorders by Raymond:
Nice site!
kilim rugs by Howard:
Nice site!
sailing vacations by Rex:
Thank you!
disney blinds by Pamela:
Great work!
heidi klum by heidi klum:
Good Site . Nice work.
two bi girls by two bi girls:
Good Site . Nice work.
shania twain by shania twain:
Good Site . Nice work.
perfect butt by perfect butt:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbian schoolgirls by lesbian schoolgirls:
Good Site . Nice work.
latina pussy by latina pussy:
Good Site . Nice work.
how to sell car insurance by how to sell car insurance:
Good Site . Nice work.
car insurance canada by car insurance canada:
Good Site . Nice work.
car rental italy by car rental italy:
Good Site . Nice work.
orlando used car by orlando used car:
Good Site . Nice work.
madonna by madonna:
Good Site . Nice work.
anal rimming by anal rimming:
Good Site . Nice work.
fist fucking by fist fucking:
Good Site . Nice work.
bj by bj:
Good Site . Nice work.
tiger electronics by Janet:
Great work!
chicago dentist by Wendy:
Thank you!
portable spas by Dixie:
Well done!
quickutz sale by Paula:
Great work!
ear by ear:
Good Site . Nice work.
free games by free games:
Good Site . Nice work.
banana by banana:
Good Site . Nice work.
home mortgages by home mortgages:
Good Site . Nice work.
anal virgin by anal virgin:
Good Site . Nice work.
thong tight ass by thong tight ass:
Good Site . Nice work.
sexy feet by sexy feet:
Good Site . Nice work.
hentai pussy by hentai pussy:
Good Site . Nice work.
panasonic camera by Samuel:
Good design!
hgh supplements by Phyllis:
Great work!
mba essay by Andy:
Thank you!
bench cushions by Ann:
Well done!
suck dick by suck dick:
Good Site . Nice work.
asian anal by asian anal:
Good Site . Nice work.
maria sharapova by maria sharapova:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur incest family porn by amateur incest family porn:
Good Site . Nice work.
heather graham by heather graham:
Good Site . Nice work.
britney spears by britney spears:
Good Site . Nice work.
credit card by credit card:
Good Site . Nice work.
phentermine by phentermine:
Good Site . Nice work.
dick in a pussy by dick in a pussy:
Good Site . Nice work.
cumshot by cumshot:
Good Site . Nice work.
angelina jolie by angelina jolie:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateur pussy by amateur pussy:
Good Site . Nice work.
dane cook by dane cook:
Good Site . Nice work.
sailormoon hentai by sailormoon hentai:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbian sex by lesbian sex:
Good Site . Nice work.
chinese girls by chinese girls:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy soma by buy soma:
Good Site . Nice work.
buy tramadol by buy tramadol:
Good Site . Nice work.
Zoloft by Zoloft:
Good Site . Nice work.
Buy Wellbutrin by Buy Wellbutrin:
Good Site . Nice work.
cock by cock:
Good Site . Nice work.
milf camps by milf camps:
Good Site . Nice work.
home equity loan by home equity loan:
Good Site . Nice work.
home based business by home based business:
Good Site . Nice work.
clindamycin by clindamycin:
Good Site . Nice work.
extra by extra:
Good Site . Nice work.
debra lafave by debra lafave:
Good Site . Nice work.
amateurs by amateurs:
Good Site . Nice work.
airline tickets by airline tickets:
Good Site . Nice work.
carbohydrates by carbohydrates:
Good Site . Nice work.
fast cash by fast cash:
Good Site . Nice work.
cortisol by cortisol:
Good Site . Nice work.
lost dvd by Rex:
Great work!
epson r300 by Phyllis:
Nice site!
lcd televisions by Ben:
Well done!
furniture direct by Tonya:
Good design!
card games by card games:
Good Site . Nice work.
gas by gas:
Good Site . Nice work.
bisexual sex by bisexual sex:
Good Site . Nice work.
swinger party by swinger party:
Good Site . Nice work.
pantyhose bondage by pantyhose bondage:
Good Site . Nice work.
jennifer aniston by jennifer aniston:
Good Site . Nice work.
ambien by ambien:
Good Site . Nice work.
fluoride by fluoride:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbian milf by lesbian milf:
Good Site . Nice work.
lesbians sex by lesbians sex:
Good Site . Nice work.
altace by altace:
Good Site . Nice work.
celexa by celexa:
Good Site . Nice work.
levitra by levitra:
Good Site . Nice work.
free casino games by free casino games:
Good Site . Nice work.
health insurance by health insurance:
Good Site . Nice work.
benicar by benicar:
Good Site . Nice work.
amitriptyline by amitriptyline:
Good Site . Nice work.
soma by soma:
Good Site . Nice work.