I’m the kind of scaredy cat person who really would rather not have any medical procedures made on his body. Really, REALLY - I am the kind of person who abhors needles (I already covered this lack of courage in another essay) and the thought of cutting and blood makes me shiver and faint.  However, I have come that point in my life when I have decided – even if I haven’t disbursed all my personal wealth (books, pictures and papers) and – even if I haven’t finished straightening out all my files (and finished writing out instructions about how to run this condominium to my mostly passive Board of Directors), I have reached a point where I know that, it really doesn’t matter.

These are the words my Mother-in-law, Lady Lil, used all the time and, you know? – she was right. It really doesn’t matter and although I am not ready, I am ready. Come what may, I am old enough to be glad I have reached seventy-seven (eight in September) years and would like to continue driving, sketching and thinking up ways to solve problems. I really am not needed by anyone except my wife, Carol, whom I dearly love and would like not to be a burden on her.

Carol had her knees done almost three years ago. She is the kind of person who does not blanch at needles and throws off worrying about operations with nary a thought except for getting prepared for all eventualities and paying all debts promptly and making and going to all appointments on time.  She has done it for so long that I have to be reminded that WE are going to do this or that as per appointment made weeks ago.

I have not quite achieved equanimity but I find I have been sleeping quite well and have stopped getting up to worry about something that is not done or due. I feel tip-top that I weighed 197 fully clothed at the hospital as I checked in this morning. Tomorrow I shall just arrive and, I hope, will be prepped quickly and knocked out before any needles pierce my flesh.

We have just met with the new doctor who will take us on after Stewart Wald retired in June. We had to chase him around today, connected and he will do fine. Thus we will have satisfied our need NOT to be inherited by Dr. Wald’s suite mate who thought we would automatically become his patients. Not so, not so. This was not to be although he thought he had acquired two new patients.

Tomorrow is the day and I think I shall be glad when it is over and I can stop thinking about my knees.