Unusual Motivation

Most of us need an inner cattle prod from time to time, and I'm certainly no exception.

I love my job and work a lot of hours at it. I have a large family, and I love spending time for them.
Which leaves not huge amounts of time for working on my own version of War and Peace.

Here's my "inner cattle prod," summed up in a word you've probably never heard: pheochromocytoma. 

This pesky thing nearly took me out back in 2002. Fortunately, I prevailed, and it did not. Mayo Clinic even sent me a surprise photo of the post-surgical enemy before it was chopped to bits, and I got the satisfaction of shaking my fist at it and exclaiming, "You lost, sucker!"

However, it can bite back. Meaning, it can return.

If it bites back, it bites harder because that generally means malignancy. The only way to keep pace with it is yearly screenings for life, and, trust me, I am compliant. And the screenings have always been normal.

Until this past spring, when the values came back slightly abnormal.

It was a sobering, sobering moment. 

But not a horrible moment. My endocrinologist decided to redo the test in six months as opposed to 12, unless I had symptoms (which I have not). And I decided to delay panic until I had a solid reason for it.

However, knowing circumstances could be get interesting this fall, I decided to use vacation time this year to churn out the rest of Before the Blood, just in case, well, you know. In case life got busier dealing with "it."

And scheduled my annual physical to match that schedule. 

I am happy to report this second screening was completely normal. However, I am officially prediabetic again (I was out of those woods for two years). 

My yearly appointment with my endocrinologist is the day before Halloween (how appropriate). I have a list for her because I'm ferociously attacking the prediabtes.

But unlike many of the characters in my BryonySeries, I'll be hanging around on the life side of the grave for awhile. Or so it appears.

And the prequel is written and in editing. YAY!

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff