St Nicholas

It was -17C today.  And windy.  Neither of those are pleasant factors, made worse by the fact that I had to go out in that weather!  I am in the wrong country at this time of year, I know!  The cold is not my favourite season by any stretch, although I do confess that the snow scenes are beautiful, especially on the trees, even more so late in the evening when lights start to twinkle.  The beauty tends to pall when your nose hurts while breathing and your face hurts and you’re wearing 20kg of coat, boots, scarf, gloves and all the etceteras!  Jerry doesn’t like the cold, nor getting his feet wet, so he gave a disparaging sniff when he looked out the car and stayed in my (his) seat!  Don had to break out his winter jacket as well, and since he’s lost quite a bit of weight since he bought it years ago, he’s absolutely drowned in it!  I tried picking it up and almost dropped it — worse with mine — because it’s quite heavy (his is down filled) to help him put it on.  He almost couldn’t find his keys as there are so many pockets in lots of odd places with many zips.  I will ask again, why do clothing designers seem to think that women can’t manage pockets?  

Today was my PICC installation appointment.  I regret to admit that I was so worked up that I didn’t eat much today.  I wasn’t really nervous, having done this procedure twice before, but I was a little unsettled.  My appointment was at 1pm, which was fine (daylight is great, after all!  My other option was 7am, which is a cruel joke in winter!)  Got to the address, which is not in the main hospital building, but one of the other ones; they’re all connected by covered pathways.  The problem was that Don dropped me at the door with the address I was given, so I got out of the car, walked over to the doors and saw signs saying “Staff entrance, swipe access only.”  I looked around, the nearest door obviously didn’t open from the outside, then I saw a buzzer and rang it.  The receptionist let me in, I asked for the PICC room and she said that I was in the wrong building… 😳 The correct one was “just about 2 minutes walk down the hall”  I didn’t ask how fast she walked, but headed off, had to stop 3 times to ask for directions (note: not everyone in scrubs in a hospital hallway necessarily works there) until I found someone who showed me the elevator.  It was NOT a 2-minute walk… it was more like 12.  I got upstairs, gasping for air again, and was rushed into a change room to undress.  Anyway, the procedure went smoothly, I was out within about 30 minutes (allowing for the X-ray)  Don found the correct address fairly easily and was outside the door when I got off the elevator, so it was easier leaving than arriving.  I got home, drank a lot of water, and my support worker arrived not long after.  I ate something before she left, but it was not a lot.  Tomorrow is day 1 of chemo, so there will be more excitement.

Today is the feast of St Nicholas of Myra, a bishop from what is now Türkiye and who is the basis for Santa Claus.  I love the story of how he secretly gave dowries to poor girls to save their reputations and help them have lives.  I honestly think that the concept of a dowry is disgusting.  It offends me deeply to consider that wives were effectively bought and sold like livestock.  I’ve heard all the rubbish arguments about “financial independence”, “bringing value to the husband and his family” and the most stupid of all, “value to the community.”  I know that the Bible babbles on about how women are an expense and a drain, and how they only bring sorrow to their fathers until they’re married… and the other garbage that the Old Testament spewed on this subject.  I know it’s cultural and entrenched in several societies, especially in that area.  I won’t continue the rant on this, because it’s not something that I can erase and undo.  I mention it to stress his generosity, using some of his own money to help others.  That same spirit fed the original legends of Santa Claus, who makes toys for little children, and who uses his own money for the less fortunate.  That being said, the current image is not really related to the good Bishop.  Personally, I’d love it if we made more of an effort to emulate St. Nicholas’ kindness as opposed to teaching avarice where parents are pressured into buying more and more that’s just thrown away…

Sorry again; I’m upset by the contradiction between the images and the practices we use at this time of year.  I’m not against Christmas — I love it — but I prefer that the “true meaning” which is always repeated in a maudlin fashion would be demonstrated by society at large sharing kindness and love instead of stampedes at sales!  I’ll just take my curmudgeonly self off to have some fruit for a pre-bedtime snack!  Good night, and stay warm my loves!