My tummy hurts.
I probably have a tummy-bug, since my daughter seems to have the same thing.
Before going for chemo, we went to see the doctor on duty at our medical center, just to make sure that I was OK and not contageous.
I learned something new from the doctor. When I told him I was nauseaus, he responded: "No; you are not." (I think he liked the shock affect) Apparently, nauseous means "causing nausea". (i.e. if I am nauteous, then I make other people want to "throw up"). "You are," the doctor continued "nauseated." ("Which," he added, smiling, "is much easier to spell.")
Nauseated or not, I could go to chemo. So I went. I was anxious about arriving late, especially since I made a committment to arrive early on days that I receive Herceptin. However, last time, I arrived on time and they didn't start the Herceptin until close to 12:00, so I knew there would be time.
When I arrived, I was informed that there will be no electricity after 4:00 and the doctor recommends that you come back tomorrow. Tomorrow would not be convenient for me, for a multitude of reasons. I stood firm. I wanted the treatment today. It was obvious to all (the nurses and the doctor) that that treatment would need to be at a faster rate. I stood firm. "There is enough time," I insisted.
"You understand," the doctor explained, "that, no matter what, you are done at 4:00. The electricity is going out and we will not be working."
The pressure was substantial, but I had experience. "There is enough time," I repeated, calmly. (I was a little anxious about getting it wrong, but not able to show any doubt, lest I have to come in the next day) "There is enough time," I repeated, again, perhaps to reassure myself.
I finished, along with another woman, at 3:55 -- with five minutes to spare!
Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.
With love and optimism,
RivkA
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5 comments:
As an English teacher, though not for long, but don't tell anybody, I got a kick out of the grammar lesson.
Kol hakavod that you stuck to your demands!!
Refuah Shleimah
i think your doctor learned too much latin in med school. i agree with you and so does the online merriam-webster dictionary:
nauseous
One entry found.
nauseous
Main Entry:
nau·seous
Pronunciation:
\ˈnȯ-shəs, ˈnȯ-zē-əs\
Function:
adjective
Date:
1612
1 : causing nausea or disgust : nauseating 2 : affected with nausea or disgust
— nau·seous·ly adverb
— nau·seous·ness noun
usage Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only in sense 1 and that in sense 2 it is an error for nauseated are mistaken. Current evidence shows these facts: nauseous is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea, usually after a linking verb such as feel or become; figurative use is quite a bit less frequent. Use of nauseous in sense 1 is much more often figurative than literal, and this use appears to be losing ground to nauseating. Nauseated is used more widely than nauseous in sense 2.
Well I hope you are not nauseated (it is easier to spell!) anymore.
And glad you insisted, and your gamble paid off.
Way to go on not letting them tell you to come back! Sooo glad it worked out.
muse -- thanks!
anon (I know who you are!) -- thanks for the grammar info!!
I don't know which word I will use in future posts (I make no committment to be consistent). At least I don't have to "correct" any of my previous posts!
:-)
baila -- It is definitely easier to spell!
I like to think that I based my decision on experience.... I guess it was a bit of a gamble!
come running -- Yeah! Me too!
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