Self-ish

P Lease Keep This Fabulous Lady in Your Thoughts Today

I’m a little nervous this morning as my wife is currently on an operating table at UMASS undergoing what is hopefully a routine procedure to check on the status of a stent they put in a few years ago. I don’t know how sending a robotic camera into the middle of someone’s brain via the vascular system can be described as routine but we do live in amazing times. She was understandably uneasy going into this but put up her usual brave front which manifested itself as general grouchiness over the past couple days.

We’ve been through this a couple times now as the stent was placed to prevent an aneurism from blowing up in her head five years ago and definitely saved her life. It still scary when they hook her up to all the various paraphernalia associated with a medical procedure and then wheel her down the hall. I’m supposed to be the strong one in the relationship during something like this but her courage puts me to shame.

The best thing about the whole affair is our location and the hospital where she’s had the procedures done. I’ve never been failed to be impressed with the UMASS Medical Center. Every single person we interacted with this morning was professional and caring. I have a well-known soft spot for nurses in general but they were at the top of their game this morning and understood the trepidationary territory we were in. They even had heated blankets for her when she was in pre-op. Everything combined towards calming a very anxious blog writer, as much as possible, despite a hopefully calm exterior. The waiting is the worst part which is what I’m decisively involved in now. Please say a little prayer if you get a chance.

Kind of Feel Like This Fisherman Must Have

We tried to keep things as normal as possible last night by going to see a movie. Since the big release was a cartoon movie we opted for Self/Less starring Ben Kingsley and Ryan Reynolds. It was sci fi thriller about a mortally ill rich man’s decision to have his mind transferred to the body of a young man. The body is supposed to be a laboratory grown “vacant” body but you know that isn’t the case which leads to the ensuing hijinks as the two minds in one body strive with each other.

While this movie has been raked over the coals by most critics I found it enjoyable, mainly due to the lead actors. There’s plenty of action as the plot plays out and a cute love story as well as some father daughter heartstring pulling. After a fairly exciting first two acts the director wimps out with a soft marshmallow landing but that’s okay, kind of what I needed last night.