Installment #31 And so it began

     Tucker lay in his bed and felt the phantom pain.  It seemed to be his tailbone, if he had such a thing.  Maybe it was higher.  It was located right in the center of his back.  It was a pain like he had never felt.  It seemed to be inside his backbone.  He tried to think if he had strained a muscle lifting something.  Nothing came to his mind. And it did not feel like a muscle, it felt like a bone hurting.  It had only been a few days since he had seen the doctor.  How could a high PSA make him hurt like this?  It couldn’t.  He looked at the clock which showed 3:10 AM.  He could not call Cynthia this early.  And what could she do anyway?

     After a few moments he knew the pain was not going away and laying here was not making it any better.  He had taken 2 Advil and they had not touched it.  He was going to need something stronger.  Saint Mary Corwin Hospital was only a few blocks away.  He was going to have to drive himself there.  By sheer determination he put his feet into his shoes.  Luckily he had fallen asleep fully dressed so that was not a problem.  He made his way gingerly down the stairs, across the porch and into the BMW.  He caught his breathe and steeled himself for the drive.  Cleo watched from the front window as he backed onto Howard and then pulled forward to Corona.  Just a little while and everything would be better.

     The emergency room was very quiet and Tucker was very soon in a cubicle.  Blood work.  An x-ray. Questions and more questions.  Explain about the prostate cancer earlier.  Finally blessed relief in the form of a shot.  As Tucker felt the pain ebb away, he began to relax.  No he could not drive home.  Call someone.  John and Jessica lived next door.  They were both nurses so they would be up. 

     Three days later he was in the same emergency room and this time he had a ride to and from with the neighbor man.  But this was postponing the inevitable and he knew it.  He would have to tell Cynthia.  She was already suspicious of something.  He just wished he knew what was making him hurt so he could tell her.  Or get it fixed or something. 

     Tomorrow he would talk to her.  Tonight he was going to call Margie.  Margie had been a physician’s assistant before she came to work for him.  She had an extensive medical background.  He should have called her sooner.  But tonight he would remedy that.  She would know what to do and what doctor’s to contact. She had handled all his medical problems when he was in Denver, always knowing what questions to ask.  As he closed his eyes and drifted towards the bliss of the drug induced sleep he thanked God that he had Marge and David in his life.  Oh, and Cyndi.