This is your brain on a cold…
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung hacking…
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung hacking, which has you thinking it must be the swine flu, because only the swine flu could have you feeling so bad…
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung-hacking, which probably isn’t the swine flu, but still has you terrified because you’ve got an 88-year-old father living under your roof who hasn’t had a pneumonia shot, ever, in his life…
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung-hacking, which probably isn’t the swine flu, but still has you terrified because you’ve got an 88-year-old father living under your roof who hasn’t had a pneumonia shot, ever, in his life – and then he falls getting out of bed at 8:30 a.m., while attempting to a) clear his oxygen cord out from under his bedroom door using his cane as an oxygen-cord sweeper, and b)carry his two urinals – complete with the previous night’s full quota – to the bathroom.
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung-hacking, which probably isn’t the swine flu, as you a) mop up last night’s quota, while b) telling the nice EMTs that, really, he’ll be o.k., if you can just get him back to bed.
This is your brain on the worst cold you’ve had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung-hacking, which really isn’t the swine flu, as your 88-year-old father begins showing signs of gut-wrenching lung hacks, like you had 2 days ago, and he’s never had a pneumonia shot, ever, in his life, and you’re ordering him out of bed at 12:15 p.m. so you can get him his meds and some breakfast/lunch before you take in your 1 p.m. conference call, and then get him over to the medical lab for chest x-rays to see if that no-pneumonia-shot-ever decision was, perhaps, a mistake.
This is your brain forgetting the worst cold you ever had since 1987, including gut-wrenching lung hacking, and the father who may have pneumonia but never has had a pneumonia shot, ever, in his life, as you begin searching out airfares and descriptions of lovely Bloomsbury hotels, 2 blocks from the British museum, thinking, “I bet London is beautiful in September,” while managing to keep out of your brain what, exactly, might happen in the next eight months that could make it possible for you to get away from the house that is, for the time being, home to said 88-year-old.
March 4, 2010 at 9:38 am03
I hope you’re feeling better since I saw you at church last Sunday. Anyone who says, “Eh, it;s just a cold,” never had a really bad one.
March 4, 2010 at 9:38 am03
I discovered your site a month or two ago from the NYT The New Old Age. Immediately I devoured yours from finish to start. Your style is unique and as compelling as your story. I am living ‘Life With Mom.’ Please know that as you’re doctoring a non-healing toe or trekking dad to yet another ‘delaying the inevitable’ appointment—there must be thousands of us doing exactly the same thing. But because of your wonderful blog, I’m able to do it with the knowledge that there’s an entire of army of ‘us’ marching in this war. I’d love to know what it is you write in your ‘real job’ and if its available for me to read? Please keep sharing, as often as you’re able, your story.
March 7, 2010 at 9:38 am03
My mother died two days ago. She was in a nursing home for nearly six years and living alone for over 40 years before that. When I married and moved West, she wouldn’t come. I called her once a week and visited her in person every 3 months or so. She could not have lived with me, in part because we tended to get into arguments all the time, but mostly because she didn’t want to leave where she was.
My daughter-in-law, who is working in Adult Protective Services, sent me to your blog and I am very thankful to find it. Your writing is very easy to read, yet professional and personal at the same time.
She sent me specifically to your Jan 10 post and I found it very helpful. I am also a writer and delighted at the distinction of “the vs. a”. Having written a blog for more than 3 years, I understand how difficult it can be to keep posting.
Thank you.
Marie Godfrey
Thank you