Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Progress report

I am sorry to have been out of touch for a few days. The side effects of the chemo have kept me from blogging. Last course I had only 4 good days in 14; this time I have determined to do better. So far I have had 6 bad days, but already 3 good days with the prospect of 5 more to come before course 4. But the bad days were bad enough to lay me low.

The cold induced pins and needles were worse this time lasting 6 rather than 4 days, and colic and diarrhea afflicted me yesterday.

We have completed the 1000 piece jigsaw together, though my wife put in more pieces than I did. We are about to start a new one later today.

I have been working on a major article on suffering since the weekend, which I shall publish later this week. I have managed to get Michael Ward's book on Planet Narnia and will start it soon, but I have been working my way slowly through CS Lewis's The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature, which is really a technical book for undergraduates studying that subject - hard going without a training in the Classics.

It has made me aware of the vast canyons of my ignorance, but also that everybody before the Eighteenth Century though from a very different set of assumptions from those that we use today.

4 comments:

Lucy said...

Very relieved to hear from you again, good days are always a great blessing. re C.S.Lewis, try the world of the Paston Letters..we have a good web site www.pastonheritage.co.uk but I spend a lot of time marvelling at the fifteenth century viewpoint and learning from it. This is John Paston after the Battle of Barnet: "God has showed Himself marvellously like Him that made all things and can undo again when He pleases; and I can think that in all likelihood He will show Himself as marvellous again, and that in short time...." I find that very comforting.. LC

H Paul Garland said...

I love you phrase "vast canyons of ignorance." I find that one of the nicest things about being in one's 60's is that you can openly admit your ignorance without losing face. And it seems like I have a lot more curiosity now than I did when I finished university.

Sure glad you are back blogging. You have a great many friends who think about you.

Anonymous said...

When I was recovering from my FCR infusions, I found that chilled seedless grapes were often just the thing. They were like cool drops of pleasantly flavored water.

Marcia said...

I also am glad to hear from you again. Sorry for your suffering, but glad you have someone along side to hold your hand. Many more of us are out here, waiting and praying.
Pax