A beautiful Thanksgiving day here in Dallas. A wonderful relaxed afternoon with family and some old friends, great food and drink and deep notions of how blessed we all are.
Late in the day, after the crowd had dwindled, we were talking about parents and aging. Susan's mother is battling severe arthritis in her legs and back and slowly losing her powers of concentration and memory. Her world has shrunk greatly in recent years, but she can still be a delight to be around. My parents lead an amazingly active life for their years, but they have their issues as well. Mom recently starting sleeping connected to an oxygen supply, a fact with which she does not seem totally comfortable.
I commented that it's not easy to admit that one's life is technologically dependent.
Helen laughed and said, "Yeah, you're one to talk!"
She's absolutely right of course. If you look back at my earlier posts, the over-arching themes are stubborn denial and resistance to increases in the level of treatment.
It was then I realized that I'm still fighting technological dependence. I was able to recount my history up to the first dialysis session and then the telling stopped. I was able to write a day-by-day account of my transplant, but it's been difficult to starting telling the story of two years on dialysis.
I guess I'm still resisting that damned life-giving machine. But I am thankful for it.
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David, "Thank You" for sharing as you do. There are threads in all your post we can all relate to regardless of where we are in our life currently.
ReplyDeleteThis post touched me as you spoke of the place your parents and in-laws are at. I simply can not pick up my mother-in-law at the retirement center and take her back without being somewhat overwhelmed with the vissutudes of life.
Be well David this Thanksgiving weekend, and let's make it a point to enjoy a glass or two of wine SOON!
Michael
David... I guess I should have signed Michael Vickery. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you know a few Michael's.
Thanks David! When I look at the photo of your folks on your facebook I am struck with how much your mother looks like mine did in her later years. Remarkable!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about our continued health can so often be technically dependent. My continued health depends not so much on technology as pharmaceuticals. Better Life through Chemistry!!
Just catching up on your blog. Really enjoy reading about your experiences. It helps me remember what my husband is feeling. I hate to be so negative about dialysis because so many people think of it as a miracle but it has been a rough road for Bruce. He told me today that the nurses at his center said that whenever someone gets a transplant they say that they will come back and visit but none ever do. I can imagine it is hard to go back there.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember anyone coming back while I was on dialysis. But I went back on the first day I was out of the hospital. It was one week to the day after my last dialysis and it felt great. Lots of smiles and hugs. Most of the patients were minority and scared of even applying for transplant. It's good for them see that transplants are successful and a better form of treatment.
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