Rich got up early to call the endocrinologist. He was out for the day. That was just the Last Straw, and Rich stormed off to the hospital. Turned out that the doctor had looked at Rich's call and told his staff to call today to set up an appointment. Hooray, Rich gets the Pill of Death tomorrow!

We think the heart problem was probably caused by the delay they have put him through. With luck, it will clear up as his thyroid begins to act right. Last century, treatment was plenty of rest, and mortality was 50%.

Rich then went to the commissary. We had a major fight, after I asked him to get some stuff for the Food Drive and he offered some jalapeno olives we already had. Yeah, I'm in a hungry family and the main thing I want is jalapeno olives! He yelled at me, I burst into tears. It's not just Rich that is sick, it's the whole family.

It was the Great American Smokeout, which always used to be a hard day for him. He tried, but maybe only got to 10 AM. Now that he's quit for two years, though, it's really annoying that he's sick! Roni's theory is that he stopped smoking, started to eat healthy (he's really enjoying the nightly ice cream since he got sick!) and shocked his system into hyperthyroidism. It makes as much sense as our own theory. Many cases are caused by stress, such as a death in the family. We don't, however, think it was retirement, since he's been enjoying that, not stressed out about it. It's not Roni's wedding, he was beginning to feel bad before that. Maybe it's the TRIMA blood donations... they pump anticoagulant back into your system, and it's bound to have some effect on the organs. No one has this as a possible cause, but maybe if Rich and a number of other people mention it, it will be considered. (Which is sad, since they need the TRIMA. Just maybe a different way, if this is a possible side effect.) I went to the school to tutor. I looked up at the board and said "You're reading CHARLOTTE'S WEB!" "How do YOU know?" Sam asked. I pointed at the list on the board: Charlotte, Wilbur, Fern, Templeton, goose...
Well, that's the teacher reading to them. Sam struggled with the flashcards, easy sight words like "our" and "they". I did get blindsided by explaining that "ou" makes an "ow" sound just before we came across "would." Oops. Then we read TEN APPLES UP ON TOP. Sam is still not confident reading, but it's coming. This was the sixth book for the reading plan, 24 in all, so Sam got a prize from the librarian. In fact, the child picked one of the little things I had taken over to the library for the treasure chest.
The program was a terrific magic show. We picked Rich up at a nearby shopping center and took him to the Loretto school board meeting, then I took Sam home. (We cannot pick Rich up at home because CASA kids do not go to our houses!) I asked what the child wants to be when a grownup. A doctor. My first thought was "Not in this lifetime!" and my second "First, let's get you out of third grade," but of course I didn't voice either thought, only asked if there was a special kind of doctor the child had in mind. Wouldn't that be something, if this ambition continues and were fulfilled. We sure know who would be at least partially responsible! That really would be something, coming from a number of generations of high school dropouts and an unfortunate muddled childhood. It's now my ambition, too.