I started to drink the vile concoction that would clean out my bowels. I finished that well before 9:30. Elena got up and read a while. She took Copernicus for a walk. I continued to work on the computer and walk around the back yard. I was tempted to leave and forget the appointment forever. Elena came back before I could do it. We both were very anxious. I spent a lot of time in the out of doors in the sunshine. I reflected on life and my health and mortality. The construction crew showed up and worked on the house. I looked at them as they worked. Then it was noon. I gave Elena the old TDC death row warden’s comment: “It’s time.” We both felt a sense of dread and foreboding. Elena drove me to the hospital. I guided her into the parking place and we found a spot fast. We got out of the car and walked to the medical center. We had to go to another building. It was a beautiful and large waiting room. We checked in. I had to go to the bathroom one final time. I got called into the preparation area. Elena was allowed to come with me. I was taken to a gurney and told to undress. I got naked and secured my gear. We talked to a nurse who had been with Kaiser since 1981. She knew Dr. Bonnie Rendeiros. She called her Bonnie was sick at home. The nurse talked about how unhappy Bonnie was with the support she got from South San Francisco management. Elena wondered if it would be better there. Several patients were being prepared for the procedure and I heard them talking to nurses.
Another nurse came in the room. She was an older red-headed lady named Pam. She came from Dallas and had lived in Louisiana. She talked to me further. Then Dr. Lin came by. He was a tall Chinese man. He looked young but was friendly and reassuring. He pronounced my name correctly and I was floored. I found out quickly that he had perfect fluency in German and even sounded like a native German. We spoke German. I found out that he had graduated from high school in Berlin. We hit it off famously. I was relaxed. I was told what would happen next. I would get two chemicals. The second one was just like valium. I was told that some people past out and others stayed groggy but had no idea what happened to them. I waited a long time in the cold and was fearful. Pam finally wheeled me into the area where the procedure was carried out. I had to give my full name, date of birth, and what procedure I was there for. I spoke German with Doctor Lin. There was a nurse there from Haiti. I got an injection around 13:15 and it all went blank. When I came to it was 15:30. I was still in the gurney in the preparation area. The nurse helped me to get up slowly. I was groggy and could barely stand up. I got my clothes on. Elena was told to go and get the car and bring it to the waiting area. She did so. I stumbled to the car. It felt like the Tuesday night when I was comatose drunk. We drove home. Elena told me that three small polyps had been found. They appeared to be benign. I also had some hemorrhoids. We arrived at the house. I got the mail. It was nothing except Cathy Moran needed address updates. I went to bed and slept several hours. I got up in the evening and handled a phone call from Adolfo who just listed another $3 million estate. I went back to sleep and Elena came to bed around midnight.
THANK GOD THIS AWFUL ORDEAL IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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