Day 626: The C word

My cardiologist called me the C word, at my check-up three months ago.

I  tried not to catastrophize about it.  But I was concerned,  ’cause criticism can stick. Conversely, I considered it comical, that my cardiologist could call me that!

I concocted a cunning counter-move.

My cardiologist, Dr. Deeb Salem, is considered a completely caring and competent doctor, by everybody who comes into contact with him. But ever since he called me the C word, and I’ve clinically consulted his female co-workers — I’ve called him out, concerning that circumstance.

Care to conjecture these women’s countenances when I confronted them with my cardiologist’s comment?

They were completely confused and confounded, of course.

Yesterday morning,  as I contemplated my up-coming cardiology appointment with Dr. Salem at 3 o’clock that day, I considered comprehensive conversations about

1. my congenitally corrected transposition,
2. my other cardiac conditions and concerns,
3. Dr. Salem calling me the C word,
4. et cetera.

Concurrently, I considered this:

I know the title for my next blog post!

… a cognition I see is completely c-less, in the current moment.

I started seeing C-words, consecutively, on my walk to work, including

 camera,

cop (and cars!)

crosswalk,

and more crosswalks and crossers.

I considered what music to include in today’s post, and concluded:

Of course!  I’ll include a composition by keyboardist Chick Corea!  He was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, where my father grew up!

Here’s Chelsea’s Chick Corea’s composition, Sidewalk:

(YouTube video of “Sidewalk” found here.)

Anyway, as I continued on the sidewalk, I noticed more cars and commuters.

    

You can’t completely see her, but that’s my co-worker Jan, across the crowded street. I wonder if that looked creepy to anyone — my taking that many consecutive shots of Jan.

Jan is definitely NOT the C word my cardiologist called me (although she may have used various c-words, out of my earshot, when she’s feeling cranky). I consider Jan to be other C-words: caring, compassionate, comical, and convivial.  I wonder if she considers herself those things?

Anyway, I called out to Jan and she crossed over, to see me.

After conducting individual and group therapy at work, I left for my cardiology appointment.  On the way, I encountered more C-words:

… before encountering my cardiologist.

That’s Dr. Salem, in the corridor before my check-up, calling me a “pain in the ass” to his co-worker!!

I continued my cunning scheme of calling out Dr. Salem calling me the C word, as his medical assistant, Julie, cuffed me:

Julie said, “He called you WHAT?!? That’s completely uncalled for!!” (or words to that effect).

Anyway, everybody yesterday seemed very pleased with how I’m doing, cardiac-wise. And Dr. Salem and I cracked up, several times, during my cardiology appointment.

After the appointment, I casually encountered my other cardiologist, Dr. Mark Estes, in another corridor. Continuing my consistent cracking on Dr. Salem, I said to Dr. Estes:

Dr. Salem called me a pain in the ass, today!  I’m going to put that in my blog!

When I saw Dr. Estes’s concerned countenance, I reconsidered.  Then we exchanged these comments:

Me: Okay, I may not write that. But I’m definitely including in my blog something else he called me, three months ago. He called me   … CHUBBY!!

Dr. Estes: That’s worse.

Before I conclude this “C word” post, I have to choose a category for it. How would you categorize it?  Also, are there C words I could have included here, to make it more complete?

Thanks to my cardiologists, to Chick Corea, to people from Chelsea, to c-words everywhere, and to you — of course! — for coming by, today.