Paris Day 4, June 9, 2026

It’s confirmed. I am really sick, and I need some help from a doctor.  Patrise worked with the local operations coordinator for Mid America Productions, Maude, to make arrangements for an Urgent Care physician to visit me at the hotel.  (We were astounded that we could actually get a doctor to come to the hotel, rather than having to go to an emergency room. What a fantastic convenience!) 

I did not sleep well again last night due to breathing difficulties – waking up at 3:13am – and the lack of sleep has taken its toll. I woke up with my alarm clock at 7:15 am and did not want to walk across the room to turn it off. I eventually did get up, got dressed, and we hurried to grab a quick bite of breakfast at the hotel buffet.  I did not have much of an appetite, so I had tea with lemon and honey, orange juice, water and a small croissant stuffed with turkey that Patrise brought to me.  I made it a few minutes late to choir rehearsal at 8:30 a.m. (By the way, being on time is being late, because the conductor’s baton drops at 8:30 on the dot!)

Patrise helped me with breakfast and worked with Maude, to schedule a doctor to drop by after practice.  She decided to walk a little through Paris, while I was in rehearsal.  She purchased some Euro currency, fresh cherries and a bottle of water from a vendor and fresh apple tarts from a bakery.  She walked over 4,000 steps to get these items. She returned to the hotel room, she thought, to wait for me to get out of rehearsal. However, I returned to the room shortly before she did, just before she and Maude were arriving with the doctor. The doctor came to the room, checked my temperature and blood pressure -- all good there. However, just as soon as he looked in my throat -- Mon dieu!, he exclaimed -- he declared I had a full blown sinus infection, which Patrise and I suspected was the case all along. He prescribed an antibiotic (amoxicillin), and steroid (prednisone), and a nasal spray. He wrote out instructions for my treatment regime. We paid him and he subsequently left.

After he left, Patrise went immediately to the closest pharmacie (French spelling) -- you can generally find one or two within one to three blocks of anywhere you go in this city --and obtained my medicines. She returned with those, some fresh orange juice (have to get that vitamin C pumped up) and bottled water, both sparkling and still. I downed the first dosages and proceeded to lay down for a much needed nap before the evening rehearsal.

After the nap, we went to have an early dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was opened for the first time since our arrival. It was a delightful meal. Here are some photos from that experience.

Here's hope that I will be able to sleep better tonight and be on the road to recovery tomorrow. It's tough sacrificing the opportunities to see Paris once more -- a city we both love to visit -- but the purpose for this trip is the opportunity to sing great music with the TCS in wonderful Parisian venues. I am praying that I will be well enough to sing. Tomorrow night is our last informal practice with the combined American singers. Tomorrow night is our only dress rehearsal with the combined choirs and orchestra.