The Supersonic Spa is Open

The Supersonic Spa is open day and night. Around the clock dressings for burning skin available here. We specialize in nursing wild bile that itches from the inside. No need for suicide. Treat from the outside. An oatmeal scrub. An oatmeal based lotion. An ice pack. Cover up and lie very, very still. Shhhh, no talking.

The Supersonic Spa treatment works for any part of the body that might be on fire at any given time. If by chance the whole body is ablaze, the Supersonic Spa operator will randomly choose a body part, say, an arm or leg, and apply the treatment with instructions to focus. It’s proven to work for at least an hour.

The Supersonic Spa operator can hear things like never before. Whispers, rhythms, and breathing from another room, out in the hall, inside a burning body. Like a sixth sense that came when the force of the poison was revealed.

‘Are you OK?’ All night long. She's talking to a vital organ. She can hear it.

The infinitesimal bile ducts in the liver are starting to disentangle themselves. They’re starting to arrange themselves in a way that will let the bile process properly. The injury is in process of repair, yet the body has a long way to go. It’s shedding its entire old skin and completely new skin cells are producing rapidly. So rapidly that the burning remains. Like growing pains or birthing pains. Or a Phoenix rising. And so that is why the Supersonic Spa is open day and night. To comfort the afflicted.

The Supersonic Spa operator wears pajamas a lot and tries to take afternoon naps. The Supersonic Spa operator is afraid of the blood labs due tomorrow. The Supersonic Spa operator wants to take NyQuil and not hear everything anymore.

[January 3, 2007, Bob's Care Page]

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In reading the book, Hunger: An Unnatural History, by Sharman Apt Russell who may be my MFA mentor, I was reminded of our own deterioration when Bob was diagnosed as severely anorexic courtesy of liver failure, in 2007. The book describes several hunger experiments and one finding--besides physical and mental breakdown--is enhanced hearing. Which is what happened to me to the point where I was convinced I could hear Bob's liver.

It's amazing how things pull together even after years. I am in the midst of glorious reading of books articles, poems, essays, and websites in preparation for my first day of school in December. Thanks for coming over to the Charmer Blog. xoxoxo

With love, T