Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

THAT’S ABOUT AS FUNNY AS CANCER

I have been somewhat unsettled lately due to the fact that I have been waiting for two weeks to find out the results from a biopsy that "they" decided to do on a little piece of me. I had never experienced this part of life before, at least on/with me. It was a little frightening.

The 14 days leading up to today were long, and then everything got really intense (for me) all of a sudden just before I went in to find out (hopefully) "the answer". I was trying to prepare myself so that if I got bad news or something I wouldn't just faint, although I have gotten bad news before. Still I surprised myself with the way I went into the "game mode" of alert and ready as I drove to Loveland and the Doctor's. I had even gone so far as to put on a shirt with a collar and sleeves (albeit only short ones) for the occasion.

Going into the office I was looking desperately for a sign. No one (receptionist or surgeon) was initially giving anything away in facial expressions, so that was no help. I just got your basic cheerful hellos with no eyebrow furrowed looks, and nary a glance of the dreaded "We’re so sorry Mr. Naumburg". I didn’t know if this was all good, just professional, or baaad. I saw no lightning, heard no thunder.

Hey, I'm only 52! Yeah, like that matters. They (of course) proceeded to put me in a quiet room by myself. The computer screen stared down at me from just below the ceiling. It had a menu of information available, and I had no buttons to push or keys to press. Five minutes felt like 50. Finally, there was a quick tap coming from outside the door.....

THE FICKLED FINGER OF FATE

As the days had gone by, I began to think that as unsettling and painful as this thing was, it couldn't be what they were thinking it might be, which was a possible malignancy. My thought was that I would sense if something evil like cancer was inside my body, and I didn't feel like that was what was going on. Still, I would never utter that conclusion aloud, lest saying it might make it become untrue.

Perhaps it is presumptuous for me to suppose that I will know if and when something like that ever invades my body, but that is what I think. At least that was what I was hoping a lot as the door opened...

IT'S GOOD JUST TO BE LITTLE OLD ME

The good Doctor came in and fortunately wasted no time in informing me that everything was cool it would seem. and that I appear to be fine. Well, I'm not sure if everyone would agree with that diagnosis either, but needless to say the news was welcomed, and my spirit was lifted up and out of the chair. I was out the door.

AMERICA IS A GREAT TOWN

Of course I celebrated as only I can, with a green chili cheeseburger at a nearby neighborhood Sonic. With smoothie and tip it remains only seven dollars for a little bit of my heaven here on earth. Every morsel of this "meal" was a delight. Truthfully, on this day the burger could have been made from a boot, and to me it still would have tasted perfect to the last bite.

Now if I could just get a lacrosse game on the schedule I might have a future.

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