Category: Blog

My friend and former Fitchburg Public Library Reference Librarian Lois has moved to Fort Worth Texas to be closer to her niece. The trip was made in a specially equipped Sprinter van that drove straight from Fitchburg to Texas, stopping only for meals. According to Sylvia, it was a pretty gruesome trip. I guess all three of the staff were upset and angry, and Lois was quite uncomfortable.

But I guess all’s well that ends well. She seems happy in her new place. Lois had fallen at the Gables and broke a bone in her ankle, so was sent to rehab at the Highlands. She was interviewed and examined by the Gables, who said they wouldn’t let her back because she needed too much care. So she was moved into a tiny room on the 2nd floor, sharing a room with a 102 year old woman, who never made a peep and was always asleep, so I guess she was an ideal roommate!

But every time I went to visit her, she told me she didn’t like being there, so Sylvia found a place near her in Texas. I’m going to miss her, but I’m glad she is more comfortable there.

Marcia has been battling pneumonia, I’ve got something that is causing intense pain in my right leg, and Lois is at The Highlands.

Marcia thinks she caught a cold that led to pneumonia when she was in the hospital for her SVT thing where her heart races. They kept her overnight because she had some sort of elevated enzyme. Or something. It cleared up right away, and she was discharged the next day, March 18. But a few days later she caught a bad cold, and then pneumonia. She’s still coughing 62 days later! But thank God she’s a lot better because….

I had a lower back pain come on at least two weeks ago. I kept thinking it would get better, but last night (May 17, 2025) it became agonizing. I have never been in so much pain, tossing and turning and unable to get comfortable.

I went to urgent care this morning, and they said to go to the hospital. So I did. They checked my urine, took a CT scan, and didn’t find anything. They loaded me up with prescriptions including gabapentin, morphine, lidocaine patch, and valium. We’ll see. My back hurts as of this writing.

And as a result I didn’t go see Lois today. I’ve been going to the Highlands to see her most days. Lately I’ve been sticking one of Marcia’s airpods in her ear and playing music. She can’t hear for shit, so we don’t really talk much. I’m afraid she is nearing the end of her days. Me too.