TO DO OR NOT TO DO

The bath was scalding hot which is my pleasure. Silky suds of bubble bath slicked the sides of the tub, the flicker of a Peace candle softened the dim lighting while lightly scenting the room and semi classical music topped off the mellow atmosphere. All was marvelous as I leisurely prepared for my 2:00 Doctors appointment.

My blood pressure usually gets a bit scary when I see this particular doctor for he has to power to tell me if I am clean or if my cancer is back. I pull out all the stops to put myself into a soothed frame of mind before hand to cheat the blood pressure cuff. Yes, I do spoil me and usually this "foreplay" works great.

I have a cystoscope every three months to see if the cancer is back. My particular type (bladder cancer) is notorious for coming back and has returned 8 times in the past 10 years. The constant testing is highly annoying but if caught in time, bladder cancer is very treatable. So every three months, I get a bit anxious the week before and down right edgy the day of the test. Thus the special bath to smooth out the rough edges.

All was working perfectly as I soaked in my lovely bath when I reached for something that wasn't there. Aw crap. Now ladies I am sure you will agree with me that we tend to prepare for a doctors appointment like we would for a special date. We preen, we primp, we scrub,we perfume and WE SHAVE OUR LEGS, especially when stirrups are involved.

Gents, I am sure you do the same thing (minus the leg shaving) especially if your doctor is a woman. Bet you don't have to do the stirrup thingy but then we don't have to turn our heads and cough.

The "aw crap" was because suddenly I realized that I had recently disposed of my razor after a final use and had failed to replace it with a new one. The new ones were in the "other" bathroom. My only choices were to get out,lightly dry off, slip and slide to the other bathroom for the new razor and return to the tub...or...I could not destroy the glow and just go slightly hairy to my appointment.

Sometimes I wonder why it takes me so many years to learn something. This particular truth took 70 years. Rather than break the spell of the bath, a simple thought hit me. Why was I so concerned about my legs being smooth? Was I interested in this 40 year old doctor? No way.

What was the worst that could happen if I went to the appointment with a stubble? Most likely, no one would notice. He is not a leg doctor but a urologist.

Then the final piece fell into place. He was not plying me with dinner and dancing, he was not paying for my attention....I WAS PAYING HIM. He had no right to smooth legs. Case closed.

Wow, that was freeing and I continued my leisurely bath and took my stubble to town.

The good news is that no, he did not notice or even look nor did I care if he had. Better news is that I got a clean check up and am good for 3 more months and that I will be happy and carefree for the next 11 weeks and 6 days. Life is all good.

Foot note. We are looking at a possible ice storm Thursday which means I may get to practice my survival skills and have to go blog silent if the power fails like it did last year about now. Don't know if our trees can take another beating . If that DOESN'T happen, then I'll see ya Friday.

Hope everyone in the path of this storm stays safe, warm and with full power. Keep your toes crossed.