2/19/44 [
2946]'s ltr. to GD:
..., Illinois
Dear Gladys,
Maybe I'm not grateful to you for rushing through a copy of
the last reading. And to Mr. Cayce, double-deluxe grateful,
for taking the reading. And to Mrs. Cayce who, I bet, asked
that good question about special preparation. And to [
5070]
for phoning me. You are a WONDERFUL corp of specialists. I
was sorry [
3188] was ill that day.
When the reading was taken I was so annoyed with this
heart-skipping business that the idea of an operation had
passed from my mind. Well - "what fools we mortals be". I
didn't gather from last fall's reading that any particular
period of rest was indicated. I guess I'm the kind who has
to be knocked down and chloroformed to get an idea in my
head. I did try to get more sleep and I got the Kaldak and
have been taking that along with Vitamin A, B, D and
what-is-there. Also spent more time in meditation. But I
admit I have had a plenty heavy schedule. Time I do all the
things I ought to do at home and school there is no time to
write - which I have to do. So I do get up early and push
kind-a steadily. Now the pay-off.
Well, sir, I hope some of you can wade through this report on
doctors and help me decide what next. Last Wednesday night I
hied me in to Chicago to see one of these guys called a
specialist. First I called Dr. Ruth Taylor, whom [
3188]
knows well; she is a fine sensible doctor. She made an
appointment with Dr. Davis, head surgeon at Lying-In which is
supposed to be as good a hospital as there is in the country
for this sort of thing. I haven't the remotest prejudice
against Jews but this man is very Jewish and he knows
everything.
He said he would do a curettage to find out whether there
were any cancer in the uterus and then if there were none, he
would either use radium to stop menstruation permanently or
he would remove the uterus and both ovaries "as routine
procedure". I told him I didn't have any sign of cancer,
that the woman of my family menstruated until fifty-five or
so etc. etc. But he said heredity didn't mean a thing and he
believed in taking everything. Well, I didn't like the bird
- as you may have gathered. He's too brash. So -
I talked with Dr. Taylor. She, too, doesn't believe in
wholesale excavation. In fact she thought that prolonged
rest might take care of the trouble - providing I'd always go
to bed through a menstrual period hereafter. I could tell
her about the reading toward which she is somewhat
open-minded. But she said no one could operate while my
blood pressure was 80. She felt that two weeks preliminary
rest was absolutely necessary; anyway ten days. She thought
I would sleep most of that time and I think so myself.
Item 3 - is anybody reading this far or am I addressing the
empty world? Friday morning I went to see Dr. Musselman who
is the Best Osteopath I ever met. He wants very much to come
to the Congress. He is simple and un-proud, doesn't claim to
know everything and has the utmost faith in the readings.
Has given THERE IS A RIVER to several of his patients and a
couple doctor friends.
He made the usual examination and decided the left ovary was
enlarged and should come out but saw no reason for removing
anything else. He agreed with Dr. Taylor that the heart
disarrangement and nervous indigestion were largely the
result of deep fatigue; also agreed that no surgery should be
undertaken until my blood pressure picked up and recommended
complete rest for a week or ten days. He wanted me to see a
Dr. J. H. Bloomfield who operates at Passvant and who on the
staff of Lying-in for 15 years. Blood pressure 80.
So I saw Dr. Bloomfield. He is a big friendly person who
seemed to realize that patients were human. I felt
confidence in him and was ready to offer him my liver and
pancreas along with a collection of ovaries. But after his
examination he said all the others were mistaken and the
trouble was varicose veins in the left broad ligament. He
said the veins could be dissected out but he felt the uterus
and left ovary should be removed in order to remove the
pressure. He said there was some slight repair work to be
done also. He thought none of the trouble would shorten my
life but that I would have increasing pain and nervous
symptoms unless the surgery were performed. He also thought
I ought to have some genuine rest before the system took on
the added strain of surgery.
So here we are: one good surgeon says veins and the other
says 'innards'. Only Mr. Cayce's magic eye knows which is
right. As far as I'm concerned I could dispense with
everything between the knees and neck. All I need is a head
to think with and a couple of feet to walk around on. But I
have my heart and will power set on being a thoroughly useful
- and maybe even wise - child of God for the next fifty
years. I want to do the right thing and then I'm going to
live circumspectly.
On Monday - February 21" - I'm going back in to Mrs. [
3006]'s
and have me a week's rest flat in bed. Isn't that wonderful?
No writing, no nothin'. Bet I will sleep 20 hours out of
every 24. Of course I have a big speech scheduled for Day of
Prayer, which is February 25", but I am trying to get a
substitute. Then I will plan to have the operation about
March 3".
Now what I want to know from you-all is this: do you think
we could possibly make another short check-up on Tuesday,
February 29"? I will have had a week's rest by that time.
I intend to spend a lot of that week in cleansing my soul.
Something tells me that Dr. Bloomfield would be open to
direction from the readings. It would be a wonderful thing
if he were. I don't mean merely wonderful for me but for
many others who may have operations. He is a distinguished
surgeon and I'm sure the Lord could use him. I'm going to
pray for him as a person and you, [
5070] & [
3188], might do
the same. I hesitate to ask people to add responsibilities
to their intercessory prayers except as interest dictates.
I still believe that illness is sin and that direct
contacting of Power is possible. But there is probably too
much scar tissue on my soul for me to do a good job. That's
a silly thing to say, though. Sometimes I think the Lord
loves saving big sinners more than little sinners...
Thanks for the beef juice note, Gladys. I never knew one was
supposed to take only a spoonful or so at a time and I've
sometimes made a cup of it and drank the whole works at once.
Bet I could live on it.
Hate to write a letter so full of personal pronouns. It even
bores me.
A great deal of love is herewith enclosed.
[Questions at end of letter]
1. Could a month's bed rest with proper diet, followed by
regulated life in the country, correct the present trouble
without surgery?
2. The surgeon - Dr. J. H. Bloomfield - diagnoses the
trouble as varicose veins in the left broad ligament. Is his
diagnosis correct?
3. He plans to remove the uterus and the left ovary. Is this
the best procedure?
4. Because a small amount of repair work is necessary, he
suggests the possibility of operating through the vagina. Is
this the best procedure?
5. Would Passavant Memorial hospital, Chicago, be a good
place for the operation?
6. Is any special pre-operative care indicated?
2/20/44 (Sunday) [
2946]'s ltr. to EC:
Dear Mr. Cayce,
Was so thrilled to get my Associate Membership card and to
have such a fine business-like basis for membership made
plain. That ought to do a lot for the Association all down
the line. Just as soon as possible I shall switch mine to an
active membership. I think it is wonderful beyond words that
your conscious mind clicks on these practical details while
your unconscious mind goes travelling into interstellar
spaces! That make you a double-barreled wonder.
You've no idea how grateful I am for the reading. Last night
I wrote a longish letter to Gladys or whoever has time to
read it, reporting progress and asking about the next step.
One big thing you did for me was get me some sleep. With the
doctors' edict in my hand saying I had to get blood pressure
above 80", I just stayed in bed yesterday and slept SIXTEEN
HOURS. My heart hasn't skipped a beat since. Maybe the big
lesson I have to learn is to stop running the world for God -
who may have plans of his own.
Am going in to Mrs. [
3006]'s tomorrow and sleep for a week.
In my waking moments I'll be thinking of you all. Will miss
your big picture which stands on my altar. But then I can
remember what you look like!
With much love to all, [
2946]
2/22/44 [
2946]'s ltr. to EC:
Chicago
Dear Mr. Cayce,
Just finished THE ESSENES and got a lot from it. Mr. Smith
[Enid Severy Smith] has done an interesting and fruitful
piece of work - the kind we need. You can surely be proud of
your leadership; it is no easy matter to get capable people
to do scholarly work. This is another proof of the
genuineness of "the work". Congratulations on this fine
pamphlet.
He [Dr. Musselman] read my check reading with much interest.
He has me building up blood pressure and then we are going
right ahead with the operation. He would like, if possible,
to know what we are operating for before we start - since two
top surgeons have diagnosed differently. If the trouble is
varicose veins in the left broad ligament, he thinks the
procedure might be different. We wonder if the reading ever
designates which of two doctors would be the better.
Personally I liked Dr. Bloomfield better than Dr. Davis - but
I don't want to be pig-headed! Dr. Mussleman likes the same
man I do. We both say, "Well, Mr. Cayce will know what we
can ask - and then he will go to sleep and answer!"
Speaking of sleep, you have nothing on me. I went to sleep
at midnight last night, woke in the daylight & saw my watch
said 2:15 so supposed it had stopped in the night & went back
to sleep. But it hadn't stopped. Mrs. [
3006] called me at
5:00 P.M. Guess you were right about needing rest.
3/23/44 EC's ltr. to [
2946] in hospital:
Mrs. [
2946]
Lying-in Hospital
59th Street & Ellis Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
Dear Mrs. [
2946]
From the last report that I had on you through Miss Goodall,
you possibly are feeling just about as physically fit as I.
I am sure your doctor, and your own good judgement tells you
that you must take care of yourself quite awhile, unless you
undo much of that which has been accomplished by the
operation.
I do hope that you are feeling fine. I am sure you have had
time to think and study and rest. Hope you have gotten a lot
of sleep and will soon be feeling you normal good self again.
6/18/44 Husband's wire:
FH16 NL=CHICAGO ILL JUN 18
EDGAR CAYCE=
ARTIC CIRCLE V=
[
2946] ARRIVES TUESDAY MORNING TRIP MUCH AGAINST DOCTORS
ADVICE IF PHYSICAL CHECK POSSIBLE IT WOULD BE GREAT BOON
CONGRESS= [...]
6/20/44 See
2946-6, a Physical Reading, for which she was
present.
Edgar Cayce Readings © 1971, 1993, 1994, 1995 by the Edgar Cayce Foundation