It was an incredible way to wake up the morning of April 16! It had been 48 hours since the call from the doctor’s office revealed that the results of a blood test indicated that I was suffering from a severe anemia. Within the span of three hours I was comfortably installed in Room 232 of the Oschner Baptist Hospital in New Orleans. During the first five hours of Thursday, April 15 my body received two 300 cc transfusions of type O+ blood. Mid morning I was taken to an outpatient procedure room for an endoscopy. A few hours later it was confirmed that the source of the anemia was internal bleeding in the esophagus and stomach inner walls. There was a bacterial infection that turned out positive.
On this birthday morning, Valorie‘s email wishing the Apio Verde to me was the first of a long series of emails and Facebook messages showing an overwhelming show of love and support. Just shortly after noon I was on my way home today, with 600 cc of new blood, a prescription for Nexium to heal the internal esophagus ulceration. The angiogram scheduled for the 20th has been postponed for a couple of weeks until the body replenishes the good blood. My love and gratitude to you all.
I was already feeling a great deal better, and we had a late lunch of salmon, rice and vegetables. Later in the evening still feeling remarkably better than I had in longer than I can remember but not wanting to push my luck, we choose New York Pizza in the neighborhood as the place for our private and low key celebration.
Back home, at 10 pm the phone rang… The people at the milonga at the Practice Place on Canal began to sing “happy birthday” to me led by our friend and organizer Ector… I was totally blown away by the unexpected gesture… What a great evening it had been, Cabernet, New York pizza with my dancing mariposa, and then the phone call…
On this birthday morning, Valorie‘s email wishing the Apio Verde to me was the first of a long series of emails and Facebook messages showing an overwhelming show of love and support. Just shortly after noon I was on my way home today, with 600 cc of new blood, a prescription for Nexium to heal the internal esophagus ulceration. The angiogram scheduled for the 20th has been postponed for a couple of weeks until the body replenishes the good blood. My love and gratitude to you all.
I was already feeling a great deal better, and we had a late lunch of salmon, rice and vegetables. Later in the evening still feeling remarkably better than I had in longer than I can remember but not wanting to push my luck, we choose New York Pizza in the neighborhood as the place for our private and low key celebration.
Back home, at 10 pm the phone rang… The people at the milonga at the Practice Place on Canal began to sing “happy birthday” to me led by our friend and organizer Ector… I was totally blown away by the unexpected gesture… What a great evening it had been, Cabernet, New York pizza with my dancing mariposa, and then the phone call…
Nine days later, on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, a belated birthday party was organized by Valorie and hosted by our long time friends Denise and Julio.
After tonight’s highly emotional experience being the recipient of accolades, gratitude, admiration, love and respect, I’m supercharged with emotion and full of positive energy and a desire to live forever. Thank you doesn’t seem a commensurable way to tell everyone who came to Galvez tonight how much this night meant to me. It’ll do for the time been.
THE TANGO LIFE 