It has been a very bad week. My spouse had a mastectomy for breast cancer. We have a new president whose background and philosophy are questionable. One of my favorite authors, Michael Crichton died and the economy and stock market continue to go sour.

On the bright side is that my spouse has had successful surgery and a smooth postoperative course. Her lymph node biopsies were negative and the pathology looks favorable for a complete cure. She has a great attitude and has had many expressions of love and concern from numerous friends and relatives.

Also, on the bright side is that the new president may bring us much needed change to a country and world in great turmoil. He has a big job and I am most thankful I am not in his shoes. I suspect he will find out that change is not going to be easy and is beyond what a president alone can do even with Congress on his side. If he is not successful change will again come as it has with so many before him. I just hope that we will not become a completely socialized state that rewards people for not working and penalizes those who work hard and achieve.

It was sad to hear of Michael Crichton’s death. He will always be alive in my mind. He brought us great stories like, “Jurrasic Park,” “Andromeda Strain”, “Timeline,” “State of Fear,” and “The Great Train Robbery.” These are only a few of his many excellent tales which were techno-thrillers that had a message about technology gone awry. Crichton was a physician who used medical situations as the basis for many of his stories and his TV series ER.

As far as the economy goes, it’s almost humorous. The stock market investors are schizophrenics. The stock market is like a roller coaster and is totally unpredictable. I have always dealt with matters that were fairly predictable and logical in the field of science. There is nothing predictable or logical about the stock market. All you can do is laugh about the situation.

The end of the week is certainly better than the beginning. I’m sitting with my daughter and recovering spouse on the front porch with the temperature ideal and the weather spectacularly beautiful. There is a morning after. Maybe things aren’t so bad after all. Like Shakespeare said, “Nothing is either good or bad, it’s thinking which makes it so.” I have my spouse who is now doing well, a new president who at least brings us hope for a better future, the memory and stories of a great author and a good laugh at the insanity of the stock market and the worship of the dollar.