17 October 2013: Thursday ... Daily Dancer pic, Appointment with Dr. David Maged, a haircut, a prescription from Dr. Stephen Grubbs' office

New approach to Dancer pic, from a distance and not in a stream, but still present.

Playing, for the first time since I've been home, the record player and wondering why I did not do it earlier. The sound is so rich and warm and inviting. The music?: Budapest Quartet playing Mozart - such sonority and beauty. Dad loves the Amadeus and the Griller Quartets, too.

The Budapest String Quartet in 1919.

The Griller String Quartet 


The Amadeus Quartet in the 1950s. 

To gorgeous black Labradors walk by on Nicholby led by a middle aged man and Dancer lets out a chorus of barks at 8:55 a.m. 

Wonderful FB message exchange, a first, with Nick, who was initially and still offended by my including him in a combined FB message about Jan's first chemo treatment yesterday. It went as follows:

Dad, your sentiment in the Facebook messages you send are sweet, but you've got to understand that I find it incredibly impersonal and very inappropriate for you to sign the "families" name to things that you send. I've personally spoken to and expresses my feelings to aunt Jan. This is very frustrating. I REALLY don't think that I should even need to tell you this.

So said. Firmly spoken. Will, OF COURSE, adhere to your wishes. As an aside or perhaps a major concern, I always get a response when I insult you rather than inform. Puzzling and troubling. Have a good day.

Revised, more caring elaboration of previous FB message Nick: You are my life and blood and I would never hurt you willfully. Please continue to inform me when I intrude -- please know that is not willful and always done with your best interests at heart, but it's your heart and it must lead you, not your old man -- and please know that I love you, of course as my son, but also as my best friend, in a way, and am also deeply invested in what YOU decide to do toward your future. Always and sincerely yours, dad

Dad, I love you and I'm not mad at you, but you've got to understand that this constant deluge of Facebook updates and info is not something that I personally am comfortable with or have ever really taken part in. Not to say that I don't enjoy seeing the things that you share, but you can't expect me to "like" everything when it's being uploaded all day every day. I do in fact see and appreciate it all, but our conversations are basically recaps of the last few days facebook posts.

I've never used Facebook that much

I've told you all this, so pleas don't take it personally.

Thank you so much for sharing. I never take it personally. You have done me a great service as a loving, caring son.

I try to keep at least some (admittedly illusory) semblance of privacy and separation between my online persona and real life.

Incredibly said ... love the separation. And not many people know what the hell "semblance" means, not to be Patrician, but you gots a good vocab my boy.

Wonderful appointment with Dr. David Maged, a generous and competent physician who listened intently with his laptop in hand. He had a focus and attentive nature that felt empathy but competence in his treatment of dad. He actually checked him out, my father who weighed a whopping 150 pounds and seemed so frail as he breathed in and Dr. Maged placed the stethoscope on his chest and back, took his pulse and then pressed into his abdomen for his liver and spleen. Dad weathered the exam well and put his shirt back on and his jacket. The room was chilly. One important reason for the visit was to confirm his taking over of the care of mom and he agreed wholeheartedly and promised to pay a house call to her (amazing) and he also said that dad could call anytime and that there would be no charge. Need to add his extraordinarily accommodating and nice secretarial assistant in the office, Donna, who took our information on medications, in particular Mom, who we had to bring back to the office along with her Medicare care. Such a delight and I will enjoy having a working relationship with this splendid office in the future. What a godsend. What human compassion. What love.


Afterward, we went to Millcreek Shopping Center and he had a haircut from the only woman barber in the place that has served as a barber shop for over 40 years:
He looks grim but was delighted to have a haircut. Paid her $20.