Checkup
The checkups still cause
a tightness in my chest–
a primal fear
Every three months
the doctors poke and question–
Any bone pain?
Appetite OK?
Muscle weakness?
Headache?
Nausea or vomiting?
Every six months
the lab tests and x-rays question, too–
CBC? CEA? LDH? CA 27-29?
Shadow on the screen?
Each time I pray for
"within normal range"
and wonder
what I will do
if the answers
are wrong
again
(Excerpted from Fine Black Lines, (c) 1993, 2003 Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad)
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