At Home

Hello,

Leroy and I came back from MN on Saturday. Since then I have felt busy and not in the mood for writing. One of my parts of being busy was that I went to the dermatologist for an examination of my face which seems to be a hot bed of activity. I have rosacea, but I have known that for 25 years or so. Then I also have actinic keratosis which is a precancer condition that requires treatment. The third thing is seborrheic keratoses. The plan is to treat each on in succession as the first clears up. The first was the actinic keratosis for which I must apply a lotion and look terrible for a while.

I stopped at the pharmacy on my walk home where I was informed that it was too soon as they had not prepared the medicine for me. They did seem to be quite busy and left with the assurance that they would call me. It was easy to put off calling because I would rather not do that. Today no excuses came to mind so I called. I use the store which is called, but some people, not me, the Ghetto grocery store. I believe that someone had slipped up about calling me because she said they did have the prescription, but they had not filled it because it cost quite a bit of money. My share would come to $50. She questioned me, “Would you like to get this?”

To my affirmative she replied that they did not have it in this store, but she could see if some of the other stores in town had it on hand. The next closest store had one tube and I could go there to get it.

I have spent some heavy thinking time about others in my neighborhood who might need this medicine, but do not get it because the cost is beyond their means. That brings up a variety of emotions to the surface. Gratitude that we have the money for me to purchase this without any sacrifice on our part and saddened for the people around me who endure so many things that I know nothing about. I certainly cannot complain about my life.

I remember in 1980 we sponsored a refuge family. When the wife had a baby they discovered she had round worms. Their family and our family had to take one pill for round worms. The total cost was $80. I was grumbling about that expense when I read in a church magazine about the millions of people around the world who have round worms and are never treated for that. The worms do not kill them, but serious sap their energy. I was then ashamed for complaining about spending $80 because we could be rid of them and never have to worry about getting them again.

Paula