The Medical Trials (Part 2)

was in the middle of my famous soliloquy. The Neurologist had come by for his daily pay. He did not know and was surprised that I was being released. This was the same man who apologized for ordering a test I already had. But the Neurologist ever useful decided he would go with the flow. He started with a very sympathetic tone as he remarked,’ Well you can go home now to retire and fish and do those things you have always wanted to do. You are lucky.” Something deep inside of me was stirred with his words of ‘compassion’.

I held up my claw of my hand that looked as though I held the skull of Yorick in it. And said I cannot drive or fish with my arm and hand like this. And I relaxed and spoke very slowly, strongly, and firmly so he could understand. My words were delivered as a Shakespearean actor. These are the words as I choose to remember them. My neurologist may disagree. (My apology to Shakespeare)

“Alas, poor Doctor! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it.

"To sue, or not to sue: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"

Something is rotten in Candler. Though this be madness there is no method in it. There are more things in heaven and earth that are dreamt of in your doctoring. “What a piece of work is a doctor! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel! in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the
world! The paragon of animals! And yet to me, what is
this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no,
nor Woman neither; though by your smiling you seem
to think so..”

“Oh, my offence is rank, it smells to heave. I must be cruel only to be kind; thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.”

 I concluded with, ’Brevity is the soul of wit.” Since I knew that Shakespeare may be beyond the grasp of his knowledge, I concluded my next action would be up to him.’ The ball is in your court.’

​Thirty minutes later a back scan was ordered. The doctor came back after the test and said,’ He was sorry.’ I was staying overnight. He continued, ‘I had not noticed the swelling in your neck. They have found lesions on your spine.’ It was hard to feel triumphant.

​Stay tune as my medical trials continued. 

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