May 6, 2006
One of the places the low white blood cell count leads is into the area of being challenged with lesser immunities than the rest of the human race. At first, when I started into the condition, we listened to the dire warnings about staying away from sick people, especially children, public places, and so forth. Then counts would go up, counts would go down, and life would go on. Thoroughly intimidated by the news about germs and their possible evil intent toward a body such as mine, I didn’t go shopping, to church, to public areas, and I carefully screened the grandchildren before they could hug me. As the realization came that my life from now on would be lived in this territory, we began to relax the parameters and go forth more. Life almost approaches normal in this respect, except for a new dimension.
On Thursday, I went to have a requested bone density test at the local hospital. A large van with the scanning equipment inside comes and parks in the emergency entrance parking lot. You check in, and the woman who does the scanning comes and gets you. Once inside the low ceilinged area, you are asked to lie fully clothed, including shoes, on the table and the technician proceeds to set the scanner off on its tour of your body. I went, neglecting to mention anything about immunities, had actually forgotten about them on the lovely morning. I dutifully lay down on table and the scanner began when the technician sneezed twice, full bodied wet sneezes just inches from me. Instantly, my brain brought forth the old saw, “Your goose is cooked!” and I asked in what I sent forth in a neutral tone but which left my mouth strangled and hostile, “Do you have a cold?” I saw the molecules, trapped in the small space landing everywhere even as the machine chugged along over my being, and I despaired of holding my breath. She replied in that stuffy voice indicative of much mucus, “No, it’s just allergies.” “Hah” said the inner voice, “that is absolutely what they all say.” She blew her nose vigorously and sneezed again. The instant the scan was completed, I fled the space, even pushing a bit of Purell up my nose but knowing it was too late.
Now, on Saturday, I think it was allergies.