I sat down to write a post this morning, and I started on several, but none of them felt right. I just didn’t have any good ideas. I think it’s mostly because I’m tired. It’s been a long week, and it’s only half over. Maybe, the rest of the week will be a little easier.
I guess one thing I could write about is how my ultrasound went on Friday. Like the blood test done at the first of the week, the abdominal ultrasound did not show any problems. Everything seemed normal. However, I’m still experiencing pain that comes and goes and varies in intensity. Although I did not see my primary doctor when I went to the clinic, he did review my test results. He believes I have an GI issue that could be viral or bacterial, and it should continue to improve. He said they have had a lot of patients with similar issues, so he really thinks it’s something that’s going around, probably because students are back in town. Anyway, he said that if it gets worse or is not better by the first of next week, he wants to do more tests to rule out an issue with my gallbladder or pancreatitis.
So right now, I’m just waiting it out and hoping it will improve if I stay on a bland diet. Ugh! I hate bland diets. The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is to keep from aggravating my digestive tract. I guess we will see. This has been lingering for nearly two weeks now.
There are certain times of year in Vermont that most people are not particularly crazy about, mainly winter and mud season. Summer is not a favorite of mine because so many places don’t have air conditioning, but I don’t mind the winters too much. I think the snow is beautiful. The only time I really hate is mud season.
Whether you like the weather in Vermont, there is one time of year that makes it all worthwhile: the beginning of autumn. When the leaves begin to change to the rich hues of yellows, red, and oranges always still mixed with a bit of green here and there, it feels like living in a postcard. Vermont is a beautiful state, but it’s so colorful this time of year.
Usually, leaf peeping season is a few weeks at most before stick season followed by winter hits us. Autumn in Vermont makes it all worthwhile. Some Vermonters don’t like this time of year because of the leaf peppers, people who come to Vermont just to see the leaves. They come from all over the world to experience Vermont in the fall. The leaf peepers usually drive slowly to take it all in and cause traffic problems constantly. They often also have no regard for private property.
Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also the perfect temperatures. It’s cool in the mornings and very mild in the afternoons. It’s that time of year when it’s the loveliest to be outside and hike the trails in the mountains just to enjoy the temperatures and the beauty of nature.
While many Vermonters complain about the tourists this time of year, it’s not that bad. Vermonters seem to be professional complainers. It’s just in their ornery nature. Vermonters have strong opinions, and they don’t mind telling you all about them. Vermonters also love their peace and quiet, which is why the tourists this time of year drive them crazy.
Leaves are not the only reason to love this time of year. It’s also apple picking season. There will be lots of apple festivals with abundances of cider and cider donuts. When it comes to donuts, I love the light airy texture of a yeast donut glazed to perfection. Few things beat hot donuts at Krispy Kreme, but since moving to Vermont, the have a definite rival with cider donuts.
Fresh cider donuts are out of this world delicious. They aren’t light like a hot Krispy Kreme donut and have a more cake like texture. However, the crispness of the outside juxtaposed with the soft velvety interior is wonderful. Instead of a glaze, they are most often dusted with cinnamon and sugar. It’s a really delicious treat.
People will also tell you about the wonders of a slice of apple pie with cheddar cheese. I’m not an apple pie fan, but people swear by the combination of apple pie and sharp cheddar cheese. To each his own I suppose. It’s certainly not the strangest of Vermont desserts, that belongs to Grape-Nuts pudding.
Quick Health Update: I had my ultrasound yesterday, and it showed now issues. My spleen, pancreas, kidneys, and gallbladder all look fine. I have a fatty liver, but that usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. When the radiologist reviewed the ultrasound images, he found no issues that could explain the abdominal pain I’ve been experiencing. The nurse practitioner I’ve been seeing forwarded the results to my primary physician for him to decide the next step. I’ll keep you posted.
I’m so glad Friday is here; it’s been a rough week. The abdominal pain I’ve been experiencing started a week ago, and I’ve had only short periods of relief. The pain has increased at times with minor pain at other times, but it’s mostly been constant pain and discomfort. I hope today’s ultrasound will provide some answers.
Regardless, it’s Friday, and I can take the weekend to rest and recover. Today, though, will be a long day. Work will be very busy today, and I have to take time out of this busy day to get the ultrasound. It’s basically going to be nonstop until about 6 pm or so. If the pain gets worse this afternoon, I can probably get out of the social event I’m supposed to attend for work, but I’d prefer that this pain not get worse.
I went yesterday to have my latest Botox treatment for my migraines. Thank goodness this is a quick procedure because like last time I was regularly receiving Botox treatments for my migraines, it becomes more painful each time. It basically turns off nerves in my head, neck, and shoulders, and when the nerves reawaken, they are more sensitive. The whole procedure takes about five minutes, and I can handle five minutes of pain if it helps to relieve my migraines.
I’m continuing to experience abdominal pain. I thought it was getting better. I was only having pain when I ate. However, it’s almost constant now. When I messaged my doctor’s clinic, they scheduled me for an abdominal ultrasound on Friday. It’s not a good time for this because a lot is going on at work. I can’t help it though. I have to take care of my health first.
On a brighter note, here’s your Isabella pic of the week:
I’m going back to work today. If we didn’t have a large event this weekend and if I didn’t have classes to prepare for, I would not be returning today. It’s only for half day today because I’m going for a Botox treatment this afternoon. With the headaches I’ve had over the last two weeks, I know it’s time for a Botox treatment. It tends to wear off around about week ten of the twelve that are supposed to separate each treatment. It’s going to be a long day because my Botox appointment isn’t until late this afternoon, so I won’t get home until late. I try to schedule these appointments in the morning so I can take the whole day off. I guess it’s good that I wasn’t able to do that this time, considering I have work to catch up on today.
Not marble nor the gilded monuments (Sonnet 55) By William Shakespeare
Not marble nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme, But you shall shine more bright in these contents Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time. When wasteful war shall statues overturn, And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword nor war’s quick fire shall burn The living record of your memory. ’Gainst death and all-oblivious enmity Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room Even in the eyes of all posterity That wear this world out to the ending doom. So, till the Judgement that yourself arise, You live in this, and dwell in lovers’ eyes.
That time of year thou mayst in me behold (Sonnet 73) By William Shakespeare
That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see’st the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the deathbed whereon it must expire, Consumed with that which it was nourished by. This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
About the Poem
If you have been a longtime reader of this blog, you may remember that I love sonnets. When I used to teach British literature, my students and I spent a lot of time studying sonnets, their various forms, themes, meter, etc. I was talking to a friend yesterday and brought up Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55 (“Not marble nor the gilded monuments”) to tell him about taking my students to a cemetery to as a way to look at the sonnet’s themes of time and immortalization. This made me think of other sonnets by Shakespeare, while I knew there was a sonnet about autumn, I had to use the Academy of American Poets’ find a poem feature and search for a poem with an “autumn” theme in a “sonnet” form. Sonnet 73 was the result. This sonnet focuses on three metaphors: Autumn, the passing of a day, and the dying out of a fire.
Sonnets 55 and 73 are part of a sequence of Shakespeare’s sonnets (1-126) that talk about the “Fair Youth,” unnamed young man addressed in these sonnets who is handsome, self-centered, universally admired, and much sought after. The sequence begins with the poet urging the young man to marry and father children (sonnets 1–17). It continues with the friendship developing with the poet’s loving admiration, which at times is homoerotic in nature. Then comes a set of betrayals by the young man, as he is seduced by the Dark Lady, and they maintain a liaison (sonnets 133, 134 & 144), all of which the poet struggles to abide. It concludes with the poet’s own act of betrayal, resulting in his independence from the fair youth (sonnet 152).
“Sonnet 55” is all about the endurance of love, preserved within the words of the sonnet itself. It will outlive material things such as grand palaces, royal buildings and fine, sculptured stone; it will outlive war and time itself, even to judgement day. This is because the poem will always be a “living record”; the memory of love will stay alive within the sonnet, come what may. The effects of time, the destructive forces of war—they count for nothing.
“Sonnet 73 is one of the four sonnets Shakespeare wrote on the subject of time, the aging process and mortality. It’s a thoughtful, reflective sonnet, the voice of a person getting older, aimed at a partner whose love the speaker obviously needs. You can imagine Shakespeare writing this in late autumn (fall) or early winter when the leaves are turning yellow, orange and red, when cold weather makes the bare branches tremble and summer is long gone. The speaker hints that the music has changed along with the season.
About the Poet
William Shakespeare, regarded as the foremost dramatist of his time, wrote more than thirty plays and more than one hundred sonnets, all written in the form of three quatrains and a couplet that is now recognized as Shakespearean.
Health Update
A quick update on my health. I was able to see one of the nurse practitioners at my doctor’s office yesterday. My doctor did not have any available appointments. She believes that I have a stomach or intestinal infection, probably enteritis. She drew blood to be tested in an effort to narrow down what has been causing this pain. When I asked her if I could go back to work, she said “Absolutely not!” She said, “You obviously look like you don’t feel good and that alone is good enough reason not to let you return to work, but I also want to see what these tests show and make sure you are not contagious before I release you to return to work.” She said even if the tests come back fine, it doesn’t mean that I am not sick, it just means that it’s clearing up, and I should be back to normal in a day or so. So, I am home today awaiting the results from the blood tests.
I am still experiencing abdominal pain and not feeling well. Right now, I don’t think I’ll be going to work today. What I need to do instead is try to see my doctor. This has been a miserable weekend, and I hope I hope that I can get in to see my doctor, and he can do something about this pain. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and there is a fairly simple solution.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
-1 John 4:16
I have had some kind of stomach bug all weekend, so I am not feeling well enough to write a Sunday post. However, I thought I’d post one of my favorite Bible verses. I think in this one verse, John summed up the core belief of Christianity.
I really did not want to get out of bed this morning. I would love to just crawl back into bed and shut out the rest of the world today. It’s not because I’m depressed or anything. I’m just sleepy.
I have a bit of a headache which has seemed to get worse since I’ve been awake. Hopefully, it will improve. I have an appointment next week for another Botox treatment. I can tell it’s time. I’ve basically had a migraine since last Thursday. I got some relief yesterday because my migraine was minimal, but that has not been the norm for the past week.
Thank goodness I am working from home today. My root canal yesterday went fine. Because the nerve was already dead, there was basically no pain. More pain actually came from the migraine I had been able to feel developing all day. As for the root canal itself, I actually almost fell asleep during the procedure.it also took only an hour, not the usual two hours for the root canal. However, as the novocaine wore off, my migraine intensified. By the time I went to bed, the pain was pretty bad. I slept for about an hour before I woke with more pain. I was finally able to fall asleep, but it was difficult getting comfortable. I woke up this morning with the migraine being even worse. So, I’m glad I can relax and take it easy today while working from home.
Joe
The Closet Professor 