Another day with doctors-—and more

Dear friends and family,

Turns out there IS a way that Medicare could cut costs: maybe I'll write to Senator Schumer about it. Seems that the appointment I made for today with the plastic surgeon to remove this early incipient melanoma from my chest was a mandated talk-only session. I had brought my meds list, etc. Medicare insists that the talk and the procedure have to be at two separate visits. But the doc quickly decided, since my platelets had hit a new high of 96 yesterday (not too far below low normal, 150) that he would perform the procedure tomorrow, before they could go down again. So medicare has to pay him twice for something that could be done in one visit. Back I go tomorrow. My other doctors, hem and internist-cardiologist, decided that I should see a pulmonary specialist for the lungs, but that appointment won't be until next Mon. So I think, unless my hem wants me again before then, I will be free of doctors from Tues. until next Mon. Hooray! We are celebrating by going with friends to the Jolly Fisherman tomorrow for lunch, really a surprisingly good restaurant that caters to old folks like us. Did I tell you that story? maybe I did. When we moved to Long Island in the '50s, we saw lots and lots of people going into that restaurant, but they all had white hair, leading us to assume that it wasn't for us. We stayed away. Now it IS for us.

I had a lot of business emails and other correspondence to deal with today, including the momentous letter of resignation from my position as the coordinating editor of the New Variorum Hamlet project, which I began over 20 years ago. I want to spend my time on other projects, the website hamletworks.org, for example (my baby), and the edition of Measure for Measure I am doing (I AM!) with Laury, to say nothing of the essay I am writing for the Shakespeare Association of America meeting in the spring. Doesn't hurt to plan ahead.

So far the cortisone shot in my right thumb seems to be working a little. There is residual pain, but I haven't had any of the very sharp, sudden attacks that surprised me before yesterday.

A good refreshing nap in the afternoon and I was able to do some work on the website. And we went to see a free movie tonight, The Fantastic Mister Fox. I liked it moderately. "Free" wipes away certain critical faculties. We can take in a free movie at selected theaters every Tues. if we want to. The animation was remarkable; the music was good; the story was OK: a good time was had by all.

Love to all of you,
Thanks for listening,
Bernice