Before the hospital stuff, there’s this, as reported by Cyclingnews:

The UCI has handed out a fine of 200 Swiss Francs to Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) after the French rider stopped to embrace his wife and celebrate with his fans on home roads during stage 7 of the Tour de France.

Bernard enjoyed a “dream moment” on the uphill part of the time trial course which was half an hour from his home, with friends and family lining every inch of the roads cheering ‘Julien!’ and holding signs that said ‘Allez JB’ as he came past.

“I was really looking forward to this day.  I knew my wife and my friends did something on the climb,” said Bernard.

“I started quite fast in the TT, and then I wanted to enjoy every second on this climb with, as you see, my friends and all my family.  It was a dream moment for me.”

But the jubilation was apparently too much for cycling’s governing body, who punished the Frenchman after the stage for “unseemly or inappropriate behaviour during the race and damage to the image of the sport”, according to the jury’s report.

A contrast in consciousness

***

I welcomed my friends Lydia and Luc to the hospital room last night.  As I related what the senior doctor had said about not yet finding the source of my blood infection, I said that his words didn’t scare me.  They made me curious.  That felt like the truth.

I woke up a few hours later … terrified.  My right foot had become redder – in intensity and span.  Even though there was no fever, my mind collapsed.  Maybe I’ve watched too many movies.  I imagined the redness climbing beyond my ankle, up the leg, into the chest, and poisoning my heart.

My goodness.  I consider myself to have evolved somewhat, thanks especially to my time with the Evolutionary Collective and to my many years of meditating.  But I was losing touch. 

The call bell is my companion, and in came my nursing friend of a few nights – Marijke.  She calmed me down.  Whew …  She and I have influenced each other.  I play cello and she used to.  She has approached the Poel music school about starting again in the fall.  I suggested my teacher Lieven in the group lesson on Thursdays at 4:00 pm.  My lesson! 

Marijke says that I’ve inspired her.  I thanked her for steering me away from thoughts of impending death.

***

There’s so much more that I want to say but the mind is slowing down.  And the body is pretty pooped too.

Mañana