Ever since the biopsy (of my thyroid gland) three weeks ago I've been jumpy every time the phone rang, and especially with the display showing the word Unknown.
I have to confess though that it's already been a bit like that for me for about 1-1½ years. Before that, I can remember a time when the phone display showing Unknown usually meant a welcome call from a friend with an unlisted phone number... Then my friend got back to work full time; and weekdays in the daytime it was no longer likely to be her calling. Instead I suddenly had constant reason to fear Unknown to mean some emergency or problem connected to my parents (because that did happen on a number of occasions).
Last week kept me on the edge again with some daytime Unknown calls that I half expected to be the hospital abut my test results, but that turned out to be just wrong number calls, or someone hanging up before I had a chance to answer (leaving me wondering...)
Yesterday, as late in the day as at 6.15 PM I did not expect the Unknown caller to be the doctor - but it was. Luckily, it was good news. She said the result of the biopsy gave no indication of malignancy, and considering that I have not really had any problems from the enlarged gland so far, she saw no reason for surgery or further examination right now. The downside is that she also said things like "contact us if you get difficulties swallowing or breathing"... Yeah. Also having pollen allergy and asthma, and entering the worst pollen season, just what I needed to keep hypochondria going...
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Hypochondria(sis): a disorder characterized by a preoccupation with body functions and the interpretation of normal body sensations (such as sweating) or minor abnormalities (such as minor aches and pains) as portending problems of major medical moment. - Hypochondrium is Greek for the anatomic area of the upper abdomen just below the ribs. Hypochondriasis was thought by the ancients to be due to disturbed function of the spleen and other organs in the upper abdomen.
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... Seriously, though, of course I'm relieved! Four years ago I spent the heat of summer in a hospital ward because of needing other kind of surgery (no hypochondria); and I assure you I've not been longing to repeat the experience.
I should have my blood tested again in about six months; which I should be able to combine with other yearly medical check-ups. So I hope I'll be able to put it aside until then (not getting too obsessed with checking my image in the mirror).
The vampire bite marks (=bruises from the biopsy) by the way had just about faded away for Friday last week, when I was going to a friend's 50th birthday party. Another relief, because that meant I could dress like a normal person without evoking curious looks or questions. (The goitre is not all that obvious in itself, unless you already know about it. I think...)
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Thinking of phone calls made me remember the photo of the old phone booth. It was one of the first I successfully experimented with in Paint Shop Pro last year, playing around with some artistic effects. I thought I had lost the edited copy in the computer crash back in the autumn; but remembered I had published it before, on the Soaring Through the World blog. So I was able to retrieve it from my Picasa album on the web. It's an old type phone booth placed outside a museum. I think it is still in use, but not sure. Phone booths of all kinds are getting rather rare these days, with almost everyone always carrying their own mobile (cell phone).
6 comments:
1st... love that phone booth, I have never seen one like it and you are right, no phone booths left here at all, just a few phones on walls in public places.
2nd....I am so happy you got good news from your phone call
3rd... i was laughing out loud when i read the rest of your story. I suffer from paranoia, which is sister to hypochondria. If someone tells me the symptoms of their disease, the next time i get one of those, i automatically assume the worst that I have what they had. I don't stop to think there are zillions of things that have the same symptoms. I also never read the paper that comes with meds for side effects because if i do, i get them right away. enjoyed this post, and feel like we are a lot alike.
4th... enjoy your day and your life and TRY not to think about the What Ifs! Ginny and I suffer from WhatIfitis....so join us as Sisters
1. Glad to hear the not-bad news!
2. That phone booth is wonderful. I love the colors and the unexpected shape! I'm so used to seeing the red and blue ones (a la Dr. Who).
I am so, so glad for your wonderful good news. I have been praying for you. This phone booth is amazing, I've never seen one like it before! It is like a splended little arcitectural building all on it's own. And the phone would be protected behind those doors. Lots of houses don't look as pretty as this phone booth! Are they all that way in Sweden, or is this just a special one?
Thanks to all who have been thinking of me/praying for me.
About the phone booth, I think this was "once upon a time" the standard model. But there have been several others. However, someone told me there was also a later period when they made new ones looking like the old ones.
I had a picture of another one of the same kind in my Picture Book blog back in March. That one is standing in our town square. If you compare the two you can see that they are of the same type but not exactly the same colouring. My guess is that the one at the museum is probably older, and the one in the town square a later replica. I could be wrong, though.
I'm really pleased for you. It's always good when the waiting is over and the outcome is positive (er, negative therefore positive, if you see what I mean).
There are not many phone boxes around these days although I am sometimes rather surprised by the places I do see them.
Good post. You capture well the angst of the unknown, the waiting, and the sense of foreboding.
When the good news comes... I try to put as much energy into celebrating and being grateful as I put into worrying about the outcome. It only seems fair, but not always easy to balance it out.
I'll click my heels for you. Congrats on the good news.
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