What's Up Doc?

Well, the latest happening with the Richmond clan is that Joy apparently is getting over kidney stones (I'll just go ahead and say OUCH! for all of you who have had them).

She's doing ok now but that probably explains why the weird cam isn't seeing much creativity of late - I just don't have time to deal with it.

On a funnier note we took her to the college health organization (clinic) to be diagnosed yesterday and although their "help" was certainly of dubious value, the scene in the waiting room was like something out of a tragic comedy or at least the staff of Saturday Night Live having some fun lampooning something that couldn't possibly be that bad in real life - so at least there was entertainment value to the three hours we spent there!

That is to say, there were kids who are now young adults and supposed to have a better understanding of such complex things as hygiene, acting like little third graders.... wiping noses on sleeves, coughing on each other. It was a veritable cornucopia of disease carrying young people who seemed to have no sense whatsoever of those around them. I saw this one guy walking into the clinic (as I was walking into the clinic) who had all the signs of the flu or a cold and all of a sudden I see him raising back to really let go with a good sneeze. I practically jumped sidewise to get out of his way! I was sure he had no sense of my presence nor would he have cared since he was fully involved with feeling miserable and trying to manage his coat, gloves, scarf, box of tissues and who knows what else that he was juggling on his way into the clinic. So, the act of sneezing was one additional micro-management task that he would need to handle and I figured it would not go well. It didn't. Fortunately I followed Mr. Miyagi's advice in the Karate Kid who said - "when the blow comes - don't be there!" - I wasn't.

But seriously ladies and germs, taken in aggragate, the scene in the clinic was a mixture of funny (it couldn't possibly be that bad could it? - yes... yes it is) and a parent's feeling of compassion for young people who obviously needed someone to care for them. Sheila and I personally wanted to escort each child home so they didn't have to walk home through the large quantities of snow that are piled up here from last week and the water that is everywhere. But sadly we could only care for our one child and quite frankly, we didn't really want to get too close to any of the "typhoid marys" so we did our best to keep our distance! Poor kids. I think they came to the wrong place. The well intentioned doctors at the clinic are just too over-burdened by the large quantity of sick kids wandering around in that place.

Joy said they came in looking like "death" and they left looking like "death"!

Fortunately, the hospital was a lot more helpful to us last night and Joy apppears to be on the mend and has pain killers for any residual pain so just keep her in your prayers and hopefully God's will is that she get over this and feel better.

Ah, the joys of parenting and college life!

Hope your day is healthier and happier! (Now... wonder what disease I'm going to come down with in about a week or two......... Honey! Honey! Where are the vitamins?)