graceland's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Knock Knock This week has been bizarre. I came down with a high fever and chest cold that sounded a lot like bronchitis. That kept me out of work on Wednesday. I just laid feverish in my bed, sleeping for more than 24 hours. Miserable. I went to the drug store for meds, broke out in a sweat and became lightheaded and the cashier said "Cookie, are you okay? Are you going to make it?" "Yes, it's...a cold...I'm sick..." not that she couldn't guess that from the arsenol of cold meds I bought. They offered to have someone walk me to my door, but I thanked them and rushed out. I mustered up the energy to go to work today. I showered and while in the shower I heard my roommates mom calling up to me. I thought she was telling me that I had a call. I heard, "Grace. Grace! GRACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEE! Call..." and then I heard something that sounded like "911." My roommates mom is living with us for a few months while she gets treated for cancer. I opened the bathroom door and shouted "yes?" and didn't get a response, so I assumed she was just telling me that she was leaving for her appointment. I finished showering and stepped out, to find her sitting outside the bathroom door on the stairs, holding my phone. "What's up?" I asked. "Did you said something about calling 911?" "Yes, I called them." "Why?" "I thought I was having a heart attack." "*Are* you having a heart attack?" "Well, I don't think so now, but I thought I was then. Should I call them back and cancel?" "You can't call 911 back and cancel. Just lay down and try to relax until they get here." I go into my room and throw on some clothes, then run down stairs dripping wet to make sure she's still breathing and the FDNY are already in my living room. "Hello. Who are you?" one of the firefighters. "I'm Grace, I live here, who are YOU?" I ask right back. Then the EMT's arrive. Then another set of EMT's arrive. Suddenly there are 8 strapping straight men standing in my living room and I am breaking out in cold sweats from my fever, with blotches on my face and my neck, no makeup and dripping wet hair. Upon the arrival of the EMT's the FDNY was free to go, but they loved the apt and were asking questions about the setup, how long we've lived here etc, so finally I said, "Can I give you a tour?" (It's reflex, I'm accustomed to being a hostess) and before I gave it another thought I was pointing out two full-baths and the wall we constructed ourselves. (They were impressed. They couldn't get over how huge my apt. is. Standard reaction, it *is* a great apt.). Then the FDNY left and the mom was getting an EKG, I chatted with the EMT's, asking them if they thought I had bronchitis and as they asked me about my symptoms, the head EMT guy joked and said, "we're responding to one call at a time here." Right, right. So they took her to the hospital and I promised to move her car for her so she wouldn't get ticketed. Now I am walking around the neighborhood trying to find her car, which I found and discovered was stick. I haven't driven a stick since I was 19 and even then, I never drove it well. I was passable. Passable doesn't fly for parking on the street in Manhattan. I call my roommate and alert her of the whole situation and she tells me let it get ticketed. So I run back to my apt to continue getting ready and finally make it to work about 10:30am. Sweating with a fever. Oh, and I got my period this morning. So that pretty much sums up my week. And that I'm so sick I haven't had a cigarette since Saturday, but you know what? I'm having one tonight. In this town it's easy to get caught up with being young and free and privileged and forget that these days of youth and health are precious and that real hard times are just down the road and they ain't missing a knock on anyone's door. So we'd all just better enjoy what we gots and be ready for the knock. 'Cause that knock is comin', like it or not. 7:50 p.m. - 2004-12-09 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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