5/4/73 To see Milroy at 10:00 and on to Dr. Talsness. More x-rays. After he “ah”ed over them, Dr. Walter came in. He said “It is slow work but each picture is better than the last.” He then took time to talk and answer a few questions. He did me a lot more good that the damned pills. Off for Duluth by 1:30. Karen and Robin home when we got there. It was good to be with them.
5/5/73 Karen and I to lumber yard to buy board for valence. We paid $3.00 for a 1 X 8 X 10. Loving god, at that rate, we have a million bucks worth of lumber in our house. I plugged along most of day. Hung curtain rods and finished valence by time Robin came home at 5:00. The Shifskys came soon after with a full meal - everything. Very thoughtful people. Wish they could use more good thought on their 2 year old son, David. He is a wild man. Finished reading Henry Miller’s Crucible. Pretty powerful stuff. I think the cold, damp weather of Duluth is agreeing with me - or is it the good company and something to do?
5/6/73 Layna and Karen hard at upholstering. Robin back to base. I varnished two chairs to justify existence. Layna wound up cushions by 3:00 and we were off for home. I think Karen appreciated all she did. Hope to get moved tomorrow.
5/7/73 WE MOVED! Much packing, mostly by Layna, before Buck came at 10:30. A few details to take care of but we were away from 265 by 11:30. Our car and Buck’s VW loaded to hilt. We got everything into our Cadillac and Buck’s Grumman and unloaded on our dock. A minor irritant when I couldn’t light stove in our cabin. Layna did it, which irritated me, too! We had a glorious day - high of 70o, dead calm, clear. Just what doctored ordered. I feel tired, but great.
5/8/73 We have been home over a month without being able to get to Curtice Island and see the results of Buck’s winter work. Today we made it - and were we impressed! It took imagination, skill and a helluva lot of downright hard work to accomplish what he has done in transforming that old wreck of a place to a thing of beauty. Layna said, “I am proud of you, Son”. Me too! On to Lynches at Musket Inn where we saw two young people, with Ed’s help, trying to meet a deadline. They had a full year of grace but that was not enough, nor would another be. I can’t imagine how they can make a money maker out of it. Much talk about Peggy’s appearance before the zoning board. I am ashamed of the natives.
5/9/73 To clinic at 11:00 a.m. I sat, sat and sat. Part of time Layna with me. At 1:00 p.m. I got first glimpse of doctor Talsness. Another X-ray and more hemming and hawing. I tried to tell him I felt fine but x-ray said different. Now I wonder what the hell he sees. Is it TB, cancer, or what? Maybe I am borrowing trouble but under circumstances, it is hard to do anything else. A huge shot in the butt, “Come back Monday.” Whatever it is, we will know soon enough.
5/10/73 A restless night. Just what did Dr. Talsness see in that X-ray? Finally decided that I could do nothing about it and fell into a fitful sleep. Picked up Dennis Clark at 10:00. He was with us until 3:30 and confirmed our first impression that he is 1st class. His going overboard on religion isn’t our affair. He doesn’t push it on us. He helped me hook up plumbing. No leaks!
5/11/73 Between showers I cleaned eave troughs of big cabin and discovered some bum planks on deck. This is one of the most frightening aspects of keeping the island. Someone else (ADM) paid for replacement materials for many years. Can we afford it now with the present price of lumber? 32o predicted for tomorrow. Fishing season opens then. Glad I don’t feel obligated to spend day in boat.
5/12/73 Took some mail to mainland in a.m. and visited Les Pollard. Out of wind, in sun, on his dock, very pleasant. Conversation not so pleasant. A couple of old men much concerned over welfare of our homeland. Watergate, Pentagon papers, news media, environmentalists, inflation, corruption. I try to tell myself “’twas ever thus,” but my arguments to myself aren’t too convincing. Les Cleveland for dinner at 6:30. Les, the best kind of company, full of talk concerning trip to Italy. He is also a rare one in that he is a good listener. We are happy to have him for a neighbor.
5/13/73 We raked and cleaned a good share of morning. It didn’t go badly. At 2:00 to Buck and Dale’s for Mother’s Day dinner. Bernice there too. A good gathering. A big meal and then walked over to show Bernice Buck’s winter’s work. She was impressed, as were we on seeing it for second time. Back to Buck’s where we visited until 6:00. Layna received cards from Sally and Karen but no word from Byrne. That’s not bad recognition. Three out of four. It seems a shame that Byrne, who professes such strong feeling of Christ’s teaching should be the one to let his mother down. What little it takes to make her happy!
5/14/73 My worst fears confirmed (See May 10). Drs. Talsness and Walter agree that my “pneumonia” improving too slowly and they are sending me off to Minneapolis tomorrow to see a specialist. I asked “Should I be worried?” Walter said “Concerned, yes, worried, no.” He said that the Dr. Schmidt I was to see was the best in his field both for diagnosis and treatment. I guess that should satisfy me.
5/15/73 Left Falls at 11:50. Stopped at Barnum’s Woodsman Café for coffee. Truly a happy experience. Better than Cassidy’s in Hinckley. On to Sally’s by 4:50 - exactly 5 hours. Everyone seems concerned about me. Me too, but we had better wait to see what doctor says before start worrying.
5/16/73 We, Sally, Layna and I, went shopping. An interesting place at the Lob Pine. Full of hikers, skier, camper supplies. This fad is less than 5 years old and people are going overboard on it. Even had a rock wall where neophyte mountain climbers can test their skills. At 3:00 p.m. Sally and Layna took me to NW Hospital. 450 beds. I got one in room 4242 with a Bob Larson who looks good. X-rays, blood tests - the works. Being somewhat human, I am concerned as to what Dr. Schmidt will find out from all this.
5/17/73 Dr. Schmidt came at 8:30 and asked a hundred questions. He has fished on Rainy Lake as a guest of Stew Sheldon & Goalie Newhart. That was a good opener for conversation. At 9:00 I got a hypo and sent to operating room. Sodium Pentathal put me to sleep and an hour later I came to in the recovery room. By lunch time I was hungry. More x-rays, 5 of them. Still don’t know doctors verdict. Started to read The Long Ships It is better than ever. Mrs. Doctor Popoff from Graceville down hall. Her husband took over Oliver’s practice. Much to talk about.
5/18/73 Expected Dr. Schmidt at any moment, knowing full well that my future was definitely tied up with what he said. He came at 12:30 and it wasn’t good. He practically ruled out cancer but not satisfied with what he had seen in my lung yesterday. No go home for you, Johnson. Next Tuesday he goes in there again and he didn’t sound too cheerful in making the announcement. That’s that for the moment. Dr. Cecil Watson in to see me. Good. Talked to Layna several times. We aren’t happy over this situation but I am sure we are adjusted well enough to take whatever comes.
5/19/73 Dr. Schmidt to see me about 10:00 - and upshot was that I got a pass to get out for the weekend. Bob & Shirley Faegre came to see me. A short visit and we made a deal to have dinner at their place tomorrow. Sounds good. Sally & Layna to get me at 11:30 and off for home. Jim all set to see Big 10 track meet and I joined him. It took me back 50 years, only I never saw such athletes before. Truly a spectacular exhibition - which I thoroly enjoyed. Home for a nap. At 7:00, the Arnolds arrived. K.C. was already here. A good group. A couple of drinks and big feed put on by Sally. Sharp conversation by educated people. I am proud of our Sal.
