Wednesday, July 26, 2017

False Alarm


Yesterday morning, I followed up on that mysterious letter from the dermatologist. I called his office and explained to his secretary that I was confused about the tentative nature of the diagnosis and I needed more information before agreeing to any further surgery. She promised to have the doctor contact me. And he did.

It turns out his letter referred back to my biopsy in May, not to my surgery at the end of June. In other words, it's very old information. He meant it as notification that I would need surgery -- which I have now already had, nearly a month ago! So all is well and I don't need any more.

Good grief. Why did they just send me this letter now? After I've already had surgery, received follow-up letters and moved on with my life? DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT, PEOPLE!!


Around lunchtime, Dave and I went to see the Royal Photographic Society's newest London exhibit, at the Croatian Embassy. It features work from a yearlong project called "Breathing London" -- an effort to photograph the city's parks and open spaces. About 70 photographers participated, including yours truly, and in this shot of the gallery wall you can see one of my photos -- with the yellow flowers and the caterpillar. (You can view it close-up here.) I have two others in the show as well, this one and this one. The exhibit is very well put together and I couldn't be happier.

(Photo: Near Fortune Green, last weekend.)

10 comments:

Alphie Soup said...

All's well that ends well; though it would have been preferable and far less stressful to get the right letter at the right time.
I like your caterpillar photo and also the phone box-cum-garden in the lower photo.

Alphie

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Congratulations on your exhibition pictures! My favourite is the yellow flower and caterpillar one. And good news about the forehead! Just a communication glitch.

e said...

I've gotten letters like that here, too. Very upsetting. Congratulations on the exhibition!

Linda Sue said...

Good news about your surgery/not surgery- probably keeps us both out of the slammer because I would have made good on the tincture. Congratulations , having THREE photos in the exhibit , I am sure they had difficulty not making it a one man show, It would be an easy-to-choose show - The Mr. Reed Show.

Red said...

The letter indicates that somebody isn't on the ball. They caused much needless worry.

The Bug said...

I wonder if they had to have the letter sent for their records, but didn't get it out in a timely manner? Sheesh.

I love all three pictures - congratulations!

Anonymous said...

It is weird and interesting that they sent that letter long after the fact. Not a good idea to scare patients like that.

How incredibly wonderful to see your beautiful photos in this exhibit. Congratulations!

Sharon said...

I'm so glad it was a false alarm but, yikes why on earth send a letter about something that was already done. Who knows!
Congrats on the photos in the show. I like them all. I especially like the jet trail one.

Ms. Moon said...

Now THAT is what I call good news and a good day! Major congratulations on your photo's being displayed!
So very, very cool, Steve.

jenny_o said...

Somebody messed up big-time with that letter. It must have been a huge relief to find out it was "just" a mess-up, though, and you can now stop thinking about it!

Wonderful to see your photos being recognized again! I remember the jet trail picture from a little while ago; it was an instant favourite then and it still makes me emotional - it is so perfectly framed by the craggy branch. I don't know how to explain it, but it's very moving.