Everything seemed to go fine yesterday. I spent most of the day sleeping, which was probably exactly what my body needed. The endoscopy showed no esophageal varices, which was a huge relief. The doctor did take a few biopsies of some discoloration in my throat, but that was purely precautionary and nothing to worry about—most likely just irritation from acid reflux. Today I’m left with a sore throat, but that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
This afternoon I head to the dentist to get the permanent crown for the tooth I had worked on last month. After that, I’m officially away from the office until January 5. I’ll work from home tomorrow, but otherwise things are slowing down a bit.
The weekend will be spent packing and getting ready for my trip to Alabama. My plane leaves at the painfully early hour of 5:30 a.m. Monday morning, so Sunday night will be an early one. For now, I’m just taking things one step at a time and grateful that yesterday brought mostly good news.
I hope your week is treating you gently.
Joe
The Closet Professor 
December 18th, 2025 at 7:45 am
Joe, I am delighted it all went well. But all those medics and tests must be costing you a fortune. Thankfully the UK’s National Health Service repairs us for free, but you do sometimes have to wait a bit, though for potential cancer there is a very fast testing and treatment pathway.
December 18th, 2025 at 9:09 am
Yes, it is costing me a fortune. Luckily (?), my insurance has an out-of-pocket maximum and I’ve reached. Most of what I’ve had done in the last 6 months has not cost me anything, but it also means I already had thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and it will all start over in January.
December 18th, 2025 at 11:30 am
As a follower for years, I know that your returns to Alabama can be difficult. Praying for you that all goes well.