1986-02 (February)

Wednesday, February 26th [1986] Radiation—middle of sixth week. Asked technician about blood from uretha; + to my relief he told me it was quite usual, even normal. He’ll inform Dr. Palmer, who’ll leave some ward for me tomorrow. Continued O’Hara’s Ourselves to Know; curious combination of good + bad. Walked two miles; Late Mozart violin Sonatas. Blood (from bladder) stopped entirely after passing of a small splinter-like scab. Louis Rubin called for Chapel Hill. He may get george garrett to write Introduction to reissue of Jordan County14 for Algonquin Press, next spring (’87) or fall, with advice from me on the particulars.

Thursday, February 27th [1986] Sent Hugs (in NY) the last of his every-other-month $900 checks; inclosed note saying so, + adding that he could always have help if he needed it + I could afford it. Mailed letters (to him, Ric Burns, + Brenda Caldwell) on way to radiation. Back home by 9:15; resumed O’Hara, midpoint by noon. Walked 2.5; played Shostakovich, Piano Quintet + Cello Sonata. Dinner at Peking: fried dumplings, fragrant pork, battered shrimp, beer.

Friday, February 28th [1986] Radiation; end of sixth week, one to go. Bank; cashed $200 check. In afternoon, bought stone-ground cornmeal at health food store on Poplar; went by Book Shelf but bought nothing; picked up a ficelle at La Baguette. Continued O’Hara to within 100 pages of the end, seeing things I didn’t see before. TV movie, “The Jerk.” Steve Martin, alas, but it also had Bernadette Peters! whom I like.