Turn Your Head And Cough, Please...

I've not written for the last few days because I've been sick. Tuesday I was sent to the emergency room after my weekly physical therapy appointment.

I've been coughing a storm and my blood pressure was sky high, so taking no chances, my docs thought it best I rush over and get checked out. They wouldn't permit me to drive, I shouldn't anyway because my leg hasn't completely healed from my injury last Independence Day, so I had to call around to get someone to take me. That was an ordeal enough!

Finally, I got a hold of E.J., Bruce, and Hester. Hester was still at work, but between the three of them, they worked out something to get me to the ER. I'm indebted to them for their support and love!

Now let me tell you, sitting in the ER is never fun. What's worse, is unless you're on Death's door front, you know you're gonna be sitting there forever. I got to CGOH around 5:45 PM, sat, sat, and sat further still, until about 11:30 before being called back.

While waiting, I pondered my misfortune, got into a deep funk, and started feeling sorry for myself. My health condition has been on the mend for months. It's a delicate balance and if I'm not careful, I could really wind up in deep trouble. Watching countless people pour in, mostly due to cold and flu season, all I wanted to do was bolt outta there! I couldn't eat, couldn't drink, and I dare not have a cigarette unless I wanted become friends fast with the Angel of Death. My reason for being there was to not have a stroke or a heart attack.

Smoking? No smoking! Smoking very, very, very bad thing, mister!

I'll address the smoking thing later. Yes, I know, it's a nasty habit and I must quit, pronto! Unfortunately, I've two strikes against me. Because of my demographic, the cigarette industry marketing groups target the Black and gay community, so smoking is almost unavoidable. I started smoking when I was 16 and also had relatives who smoked. Mostly all my elders in my family smoked, all my grandparents, both my father and stepfather, my stepbrothers, Uncles, Aunts, on and on.

Everyone on my mother's family has managed to quit, with the exception for me and my younger sister's husband/boyfriend/baby daddy (whatever we're calling Redmond this week...another long story). I'm hooked, addicted, and getting this monkey off my back has been a bitch and a half. I've tried numerous times and always managed to restart. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keeping trying until you beat the habit. I KNOW.

Bottom line is I'm not feeling too good emotionally or physically these days. I won't let it get me down however. I intend to kick the smoking habit and all my other ailments this year. Just bear with me. I'll post more info about my adventure at the hospital. Despite being sick, I was being little horn dog flirting with the cute PA who had to check my vitals. Cute Latino bruh, but he had a wedding ring on. Still, I had to be a little whorish, heh heh... and of course I have my little dissertation on race to post.

For those of you who taken the time to email, thank you. I value all your comments. Honorable mention goes to Aaron I want to thank for his continual praise on his blog and to Richard for his wise words of wisdom from someone who appears to have been in the trenches long before this man even knew what the racism, homophobia, and ignorance meant! I'm grateful for your perspective thus far and look forward to further conversations.

I will try to do several blog posts tonight. Until then, Be Blessed!

DT