Tuesday, August 19, 2008

How to lose weight

I lived in my little room with a bed, a wooden chair, an armoir and the bathroom down the hall. It was better than my first place in that it was more quiet, but worse in that it was several blocks farther up Manhattan. The days when I felt rich enough to ride the bus, it was OK. But often I had to walk, both down town and then in the afternoon back uptown. Let me tell you, in the afternoon it really felt like UP town. I think Manhattan Island is flat, but those two letters made it seem so much harder.

One day toward the end of my year in school, I forgot my wash cloth and didn't discover it until I was in the tub. I washed with soap on my hand, and when soaping one of my breasts I felt a good size lump. It was a scary situation. When Dr. Hansson arrived at his usual time, I asked to see him. I told him what I had discovered. He told me to go into one of the treatment rooms. He felt my lump and said: Wait here. I will go fetch the Cancer Specialist. I had of course thought about cancer but to hear it spoken aloud was a super chock.

He returned with the specialist who also felt the lump. Then the two of them stood outside the curtain and discussed my case. She is too young to worry about cancer. said S. Dr H said: I wouldn't worry about it either, but she has lost so much weight. I felt it rude to interrupt or to show I was eaves dropping. I could have said, I have been hungry a long time. And I have to walk for miles to get here. And so I had a lumpectomy the next morning. Thank God, it was not cancer.

There was a woman who lived on Staten Island who probably saved my life. I forget how we met. She said 'You are the kind of girl I would want my son to marry. Can you come for dinner on Sunday. I was asked repeatedly and every time I returned to Manhattan I had a shoe box filled with wonderful food. Without those treats I would have gotten sick.

8 comments:

Marlene said...

How brave you were to do this all on your own...I heard stories like these from my grandparents and always marveled at how hard it was then.. and what they went thru.seems like people walked more then ...it makes me sad to think of that struggle, but then that makes your character stronger! so glad you found that nice lady...and that you did not have any serious health issues.. Marlene from Cambria

MJ's doghouse said...

yummy...what was in teh snack box...do you remember...i am glad you didnt have breast cancer...then what would i be reading..lol..i am truly enjoying your blog

Anonymous said...

It must have been a worrying time for your listening to the diagnosis behind that curtain.All by yourself! What a relief that everything was O.K.

Bonnie's blog said...

is the next blog going to start.... ' The nice lady's son.....reader, I married him?' I hope not or I've spolit it for everyone! Just to say still loving your blog and telling all my firneds in England about it!

Bonnie's blog said...

of firneds is an ancient Anglo Saxon spelling of 'friends' (oops)

bothu said...

Din fantastiska blog är en riktig "nagelbitare" !!


Mina bästa hälsningar till dig "Grandma" från Sverige.


Bo Thunér i Linköping

Haphazardkat said...

Oh man. I read this and felt my heart stop--even though I knew the outcome already as you are still here with us and writing wonderful stories!
I'm so relieved it wasn't cancer.

Kat
Vancouver, WA

hello haha narf said...

generous people who share their table have a special place in heaven.

the lump must have been terrifying. i love that you worked with doctors who took immediate care of you.