Eulogy, dyslogy and rheumatology

stickywicket

Today, my dear friend G's funeral was about as upbeat as a funeral can be. Readings were about love rather than doom and gloom. It was the eulogy that did for me. By my reckoning it lasted 1/3 minute for every year of G's life (She was 61.) By the end of it I was planning my own funeral.

"What's the opposite of eulogy?" I asked my dearly beloved later as we sat in the small, stuffy rheumatology waiting room clutching our plastic WRVS cups of tea.

"Malogy?" he suggested. It sounded not quite right - more Latin than Greek (I discovered later it should be dyslogy) but what the hell.

"I don't want to be canonised at my funeral" I explained (thinking, as the words left my mouth that, with my family in charge, it was hardly likely. "I want people to tell it like it was." Tentatively, I suggested "She was an argumentative and stubborn b-gg-r but not a control freak ......"

"..... she frequently insisted" added my dear husband, entering into the spirit of things a touch eagerly I felt.

Down in rheumatology there was good and bad news. Good news - I can reduce the methotrexate again to 17.5 mgs and, after a couple of months to 15 mgs if that goes well. Bad news - my October sojourn in re-suss may well have been caused by my wonky neck or by the RA affecting my vocal chords. (Vocal chords? Why the hell does it need my vocal chords? It's already got every one of my joints.) So, it was on to X-ray.

Depending on the X-ray results I might need an MRI and I might need surgery. Oh great! I've really been missing surgery. I haven't had any for ....ooooh.....two and a quarter years. Still, if it helps me to avoid re-suss and keep breathing it's got to be a plus. I quite like breathing. I've been doing it for years. More good news - presumably it shouldn't affect my travel insurance as it's due to a condition (RA) they already know about.

However, all you recently diagnosed RA virgins and semi-virgins who may be reading this, don't worry about your own necks/vocal chords going the same way. It took mine 50 years of RA, most of them before DMARDs had appeared on the scene, to get like this.

OK, some more adjectives for my malogy/dyslogy. 'Annoying', 'aggressive', 'arrogant' will do for a start. Now for the 'B's.....

dreamdaisy

I would suggest that canonisation is the least of your worries but that would be rude so I won't.

Bs? Bitchy and beastly don't apply, bossy possibly, how about beautiful or even brave? Cs: there's a curmudgeonly streak (but very fine)(fine as in thin), cantankerous? No, too strong, oh I can feel two stickywicket alphabets coming on - a eulogy and dyslogy (new word stored in word bank, thank you). I will do my best.

What a day indeed: funeral then rheumatology. More surgery? Well, why not? You must be having withdrawal symptoms by now. Oh sticky, life is sometimes just one damned thing after another. I suspect you will approach this in your usual brisk, no-nonsense kinda way but it must grate. Of course your greedy RA wants your vocal chords, it is a glutton of the highest order. It is good news on the meth tho - that can only be a good thing.

amusing, beautiful, clever, direct, educated, forthright, generous, helpful, incisive, jaunty, kindly, learned, musical, naughty, open, positive, questioning, rational, steady, truthful, understanding, valued, wise, eXpressive, youthful, zingy.

I will PM you the other one! DD

julie47

morning stickywicket

What a day you had yesterday. I am so sorry about your friend.

Why is there always good and bad news at rhummy appointments.
I am sorry that you have to have more xrays on your neck and then possible surgery. I will keep my fingers crossed that it will not be the case.
But like you say if it helps with your breathing well yes it has to be done.

As collywobble says we like you breathing...

Enjoy the weekend
And take care
Juliepf x

stickywicket

collywobble wrote:

your friend G - how would she react, I wonder, knowing what "plans" she has inspired you to think about?

"Worth her weight in titanium" might be a good start

Collywobble, G would enjoy it. That's why I didn't much like the eulogy. She had a wicked sense of humour which is why we got on. (See the poem)

As for the titanium quote - I shall leave instructions for it to go on my gravestone but, if funds are a bit low, my lot are quite likely to abbreviate it to the first 3 words.


Julie - 'Why is there always good & bad at rheumatology appointments?' I guess because that's life. Sometimes it's the single Highland malts and sometimes it's just the dry ginger. You have a good weekend too.

DD - re the canonisation being the least of my worries - you did suggest it, albeit briefly. Maybe you're a long lost family member. You think on the same lines.

Perusing your list, are you suggesting I'm not 'easy-going'??? And, what happened to 'sexy'? (Oh, I remember.) 'Beautiful'? - I think your cyber glasses need adjusting. As I'm 'truthful' though I guess I must just humbly go along with the rest. (What happened to 'humble'?)

ironic

Hi Stickywicket,
It is so sad to say good bye to a friend, I suppose we are different people to everyone we know. The main thing is you remember how she was and hang on to the light in her life.

I do hope the x-rays show a positive result and you don’t have to have further surgery.
Good news about reducing to mtx.
Lv, Ix

tillytop

Hello Stickywicket

What a difficult day you had yesterday. I am so sorry about your friend.

As for the rheumy appt, very much a mixed bag eh? I hope you don't have to wait too long to find out about what's what with your neck/vocal chords.

Finally, just to say that you have an amazing way with words

Tilly xxx

stickywicket

Thanks ironic and tillytop. G and I had a lot of fun together working to help people less fortunate than ourselves. It doesn't get much better than that.

As for the neck/vocal chords - they'll do what they have to do and, as it's obviously necessary, I won't have a problem with that. Maybe if they fiddle with my vocal chords I'll end up with a half-decent singing voice. That'd surprise everyone!

skezier

Hi Sticky,

I thought I had missed this..... well the brain is void of cells just now (oh yeah like there are ever many in there )

I done my own and its more of an apology I ain't as good as people think....... well will think if i die....

hey the vocal cord thing... the pa got mine and I will watch and see what they are thinking of doing about yours.... I got a huge epiglottis and the voice goes weird if it bothers to come out at times....

The singing bit... i was the other way round and now can only do bass.... Cris x

stickywicket

skezier wrote:

The singing bit... i was the other way round and now can only do bass.

I was never much of a singer but, these days, I seem to be a low tenor with a range of about 1/2 octave. I'll ask my son if he can find us something scored for bass, tenor and various animals. (Carnival of the Animals?)