A Friend Has Breast Cancer

A friend who helped me through surgery and recovery has recently been diagnosed with cancer in both breasts. At first, it sounded as if her situation with cancer was better than mine, but they kept finding more, so it is about the same. Lymph node affected on left side. Mine was discovered on right after surgery, hers was discovered before surgery. She will meet with surgeon today.

I am rereading information I was given in order to help her and her family. Plan to go to hospital for her surgery, if only for a little while, to be there for her family. Then will visit her when she gets home. I have two camisoles and will give them to her for her use so she can wash them and not be stuck with wearing the same one all the time for weeks.

She is a nurse, so is more familiar with the medical system at Mercy. Of course, by now, I'm pretty familiar with it as well.

Yesterday, I knew the news wasn't good when her sister left me messages twice without leaving information about this series of biopsies. So I was pretty anxious about getting the information.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Have just reread The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and it is as timely as it was in the 1960's. The life as a child with the murder of his father and the institutionalizing of his mother, leaving him and his siblings at the mercy of the state. One insurance company - his father had two policies, one small - saying his father had committed suicide. The larger policy would have kept the family off welfare.

The life hustling on the streets, the burglary that put him in prison -- longer sentence because he was involved with a white woman. And then the conversion to The Nation of Islam, led by Elijah Muhammed. The work in the fields gathering converts to The Nation of Islam, the eventual betrayal by Elijah Muhammed, the trip to Mecca, another trip to the Mideast, and then the assassination. Leaving his wife, Betty Shabazz, four daughters, and a fifth daughter on the way. I'm not sure how his widow supported the family, other than from proceeds from the book. Decades later, Betty died from burns in a fire set in her apartment by a grandson.

He met Maya Angelou in Ghana. She then planned to come back to the U.S. and work with Malcolm X, but he was assassinated before she could work for him. The same with Dr. Martin Luther King a few years later.

I always preferred Malcolm X to Dr. King, even though both were needed in the Civil Rights movement, because Malcolm X was so blunt and direct.

Writing more

Have lots of articles to do this month for the Globe Gazette. But think the advertorial won't go far, as the deadline for ads is tomorrow, and I've only had four articles referred to me so far. One with a chiropractor who has a new baby boy, and is a bit scattered these days. Also have to have advertiser proof the article before submitting it. Three in. Waiting until Tuesday to contact the chiropractor again. At any rate, if the advertorial doesn't go, I assume the articles will go in one way or another, like they did the last time there was an advertising section that didn't sell enough ads.

Boots has turned into a real pain when I'm on the phone or have company. With company here, he won't leave me alone and is on my lap crabbing at me when I'm not petting him. With the phone, in the living room, he's on my lap. In the bedroom, he's beside me meowing. You'd think the poor creature never gets any attention or goodies in his food bowl.

Paul called and then later I got ahold of Annie, who insists I should get an older dog that is well trained and take it on walks. No dog, thank you. Even though I do indeed need to walk a lot more. Talked to Pat and Matt.

Have to take the car in for a check on the water coming from the vents on the passenger side. Right now, I don't have time to have it in the shop for two or three days, if that's what it would take. Just want to have Brad take a look at it and come up with what will be involved fixing it. That's the side that blows in dust, too, so maybe it's just the vents fouling up.