Isn't that a pretty table?

The glass buffet plates with their pretty little cups are all sparkly, sparkly. The baskets are ready to receive warm scones, the andwich tier is ready for honey shortbread and chocolate shortbread and cheezy bites. The Teapots are ready for that hot, strong elixer of life, and all the various honies are set out with dainty little demitasse spoons for every-flavor sampling. And yet, there is something looming over it all . . .

I woke up this morning with a fever of 101 and red streaks running from the cat-bite on my palm, all the way up to my armpit. "This probably isn't a good thing." I thought to myself. So at 8AM I trundled myself down to the hospital and since urgent care doesn't open till ten, and I had the party planned for ten, I checked in to emergency. Everyone who looked at my hand said, "O my god! You were so right to come down here!" By 9, I still hadn't even seen a nurse, so I called two wonderful friends, AL and MJ, and asked them to tell the knitters that I wouldn't be able to host the party after all.

When the doctor finally got to me she took one look at my hand and said wil great approval, This is a classic cat bite! I've never seen such a perfect example of a cat bite! How long ago did it happen? Eighteen hours I bet.(she was right) I have got to get my resident to look at this!" Then she took her pen and traced around the red streaks so we could keep trak of whether they were rising or ebbing, and she had me hooked up to IV antibiotics. Oh, and she looked at the antibiotics that they had given me at Urgent Care the night before and she said, "These don't work. Why did they give you this for a cat bite?" I dunno.

Now I am home,t's after one, I look at the table all ready to party, and I feel sad. But thank God for modern medicine, the fever is down and the swelling is abating. I get to keep my arm. I'm not likely to die of blood poisoning. A home nurse will be here this afternoon to teach me how to give myself more IV antibiotics (I have a saline lock plugged into my elbow right now)and I will contunue getting antibiotics every six hours untill all the uglies are gone.

The only thing is, getting IVs leavesme so cold! I think I will make sure I have a big cup of hot sweet pepermint tea right there for the next infusion.

Meanwhile, I have Fred Astair movies on recordings, and I intend to sit quietly and devote all my energies to healing. Thank you all so, so much for you kind wishes. I'm getting better just as fast as I can.