What a timely and comforting article... This world certainly does feel scarier than it ever has right now. People just seem so angry and irritable and they act as if trump is their idol, some false god they worship. How they have believed in some of the things he says is beyond me! Im glad you were there to help that patient and her husband when needed. It's so scary to be short of breath and weak! When I had covid, pneumonia and then went into respiratory failure and acute kidney injury brought on by covid I was terrified!
Hi Lori, Thank you for sharing your own story of vulnerability. Being short of breath--really short of breath--is terrifying. I hear you, also, about Trump and his followers. The weirdest thing is that many of the people who voted for him did not believe the things he said. So strange. For the sake of all of us, I hope they never have to learn what a dangerous assumption that was, but I fear we all may see that he did mean what he said and some of us will pay the price. Hugs to you!
Thanks for the cyber-hug! Since losing my mom 16 months ago to lung cancer, I haven't had many hugs. Holidays are harder without her around. Plus we lost an aunt and uncle, my mom's (and thus ours) two dear friends. I know it's part of the life cycle but as I get older, it seems loss happens way too often!
I'm so sorry for all those losses. They do become more common as we age, and that is hard! I am only in Chile for the semester. My husband is on sabbatical for the year. In the spring we will be in Madrid and Barcelona. Sometimes I feel embarrassed by all this good fortune, but not taking these trips wouldn't help anyone else and I am busy writing my 4th book, which is about hope in health care, so I'm still pursuing my mission. Wouldn't have it any other way. Sending more virtual hugs and a wish for the holidays not being too painful. I am sorry!
I'm so jealous of you right now. Yes, I have to deal with trumpsters all the time when I provide in-home care for hospice patients. I keep silent and let them bray and listen to their anger enticing and fear mongering fox news pacifier. It's very difficult. I deserve combat pay.
Oh. Ugh. That sounds so terrible. I'm really sorry. I'm not sure why some conservatives feel the need to be constantly shoving their beliefs in the faces of strangers, especially someone who is in their home to help them! Four years feels like a long time. Here's hoping their euphoria cools. Good luck. You do deserve combat pay!
I was in Zimbabwe when I learned the results. They have a barely functional government and a struggling economy, which they understand- yet also great joy, generous hospitality, industriousness, and love of family. While I'm sad for my country, that was instructive. As was our time on Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, to face what bigotry can do.
Hi Nancy. The way you describe Zimbabwe is exactly how we experienced it when we were there a few years ago. The country's economy is in shambles, but there was such a generosity among the people we met and a strong sense of community. I know I only saw the culture as a privileged outsider, but what you say resonates with my experience. And yes to the damage racism can do. We also went to the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg and some of the things we saw were honestly shocking--like witnessing Jim Crow America through a prism, reflecting America's own sins back to us, and showing the magnified form they took on in South Africa. Such a waste of energy and resources over something as literally superficial as skin color. Hugs to you!
Thank you for a beautifully written article. Your words really were soothing for the angry and depressing feelings I was having about the election results and the nomination of Bobby Kennedy to head health and human services. As a cancer survivor and nurse, I find it particularly disturbing. I worry about the immune compromised children who will be put at risk if vaccines are no longer required in schools. I worry about the cutting of funds for research into new treatments and prevention of cancers and other serious illnesses. I worry about the cutting of funding for NMDP (the national marrow donor program). I worry about decimation of the Affordable Care Act. Of course, I am concerned about reproductive rights. He was elected, but those who are concerned can take action. I will be marching in the Women's March with my daughter. I will work on the mid term elections, and I will voice my concerns at every opportunity without bein confrontational. I did know about that coup in Chile. Thankfully, things are better there now. Enjoy your time there, and please keep writing your insightful columns. Have a happy Thanksgiving; enjoy the American holiday and a blessed Christmas and New Year.
Thank you for a beautifully written article. Your words really were soothing for the angry and depressing feelings I was having about the election results and the nomination of Bobby Kennedy to head health and human services. As a cancer survivor and nurse, I find it particularly disturbing. I worry about the immune compromised children who will be put at risk if vaccines are no longer required in schools. I worry about the cutting of funds for research into new treatments and prevention of cancers and other serious illnesses. I worry about the cutting of funding for NMDP (the national marrow donor program). I worry about decimation of the Affordable Care Act. Of course, I am concerned about reproductive rights. He was elected, but those who are concerned can take action. I will be marching in the Women's March with my daughter. I will work on the mid term elections, and I will voice my concerns at every opportunity without bein confrontational. I did know about that coup in Chile. Thankfully, things are better there now. Enjoy your time there, and please keep writing your insightful columns. Have a happy Thanksgiving; enjoy the American holiday and a blessed Christmas and New Year.
What a beautiful article. Bless you for your compassion for your patient and her husband, Theresa.
And thank you, too, for giving us some perspective about what is likely in store for us in the US. I, too, am sad and worried about what Trump will do. But living in Chile (or, in my case, having lived in Prague) reminds us to be grateful for our country, which I truly believe will make it through this challenge. We have to continue to treat one another as you treated your patient—as people, just like us, who we can help.
What a timely and comforting article... This world certainly does feel scarier than it ever has right now. People just seem so angry and irritable and they act as if trump is their idol, some false god they worship. How they have believed in some of the things he says is beyond me! Im glad you were there to help that patient and her husband when needed. It's so scary to be short of breath and weak! When I had covid, pneumonia and then went into respiratory failure and acute kidney injury brought on by covid I was terrified!
Hi Lori, Thank you for sharing your own story of vulnerability. Being short of breath--really short of breath--is terrifying. I hear you, also, about Trump and his followers. The weirdest thing is that many of the people who voted for him did not believe the things he said. So strange. For the sake of all of us, I hope they never have to learn what a dangerous assumption that was, but I fear we all may see that he did mean what he said and some of us will pay the price. Hugs to you!
Theresa,
Thanks for the cyber-hug! Since losing my mom 16 months ago to lung cancer, I haven't had many hugs. Holidays are harder without her around. Plus we lost an aunt and uncle, my mom's (and thus ours) two dear friends. I know it's part of the life cycle but as I get older, it seems loss happens way too often!
Are you in Chile permanently now? Take good care.
Lori
I'm so sorry for all those losses. They do become more common as we age, and that is hard! I am only in Chile for the semester. My husband is on sabbatical for the year. In the spring we will be in Madrid and Barcelona. Sometimes I feel embarrassed by all this good fortune, but not taking these trips wouldn't help anyone else and I am busy writing my 4th book, which is about hope in health care, so I'm still pursuing my mission. Wouldn't have it any other way. Sending more virtual hugs and a wish for the holidays not being too painful. I am sorry!
I'm so jealous of you right now. Yes, I have to deal with trumpsters all the time when I provide in-home care for hospice patients. I keep silent and let them bray and listen to their anger enticing and fear mongering fox news pacifier. It's very difficult. I deserve combat pay.
Oh. Ugh. That sounds so terrible. I'm really sorry. I'm not sure why some conservatives feel the need to be constantly shoving their beliefs in the faces of strangers, especially someone who is in their home to help them! Four years feels like a long time. Here's hoping their euphoria cools. Good luck. You do deserve combat pay!
I was in Zimbabwe when I learned the results. They have a barely functional government and a struggling economy, which they understand- yet also great joy, generous hospitality, industriousness, and love of family. While I'm sad for my country, that was instructive. As was our time on Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, to face what bigotry can do.
My daughter was also in Zimbabwe doing AIDS education back in the early 2000's and found the same thing.
Hi Nancy. The way you describe Zimbabwe is exactly how we experienced it when we were there a few years ago. The country's economy is in shambles, but there was such a generosity among the people we met and a strong sense of community. I know I only saw the culture as a privileged outsider, but what you say resonates with my experience. And yes to the damage racism can do. We also went to the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg and some of the things we saw were honestly shocking--like witnessing Jim Crow America through a prism, reflecting America's own sins back to us, and showing the magnified form they took on in South Africa. Such a waste of energy and resources over something as literally superficial as skin color. Hugs to you!
Thank you for a beautifully written article. Your words really were soothing for the angry and depressing feelings I was having about the election results and the nomination of Bobby Kennedy to head health and human services. As a cancer survivor and nurse, I find it particularly disturbing. I worry about the immune compromised children who will be put at risk if vaccines are no longer required in schools. I worry about the cutting of funds for research into new treatments and prevention of cancers and other serious illnesses. I worry about the cutting of funding for NMDP (the national marrow donor program). I worry about decimation of the Affordable Care Act. Of course, I am concerned about reproductive rights. He was elected, but those who are concerned can take action. I will be marching in the Women's March with my daughter. I will work on the mid term elections, and I will voice my concerns at every opportunity without bein confrontational. I did know about that coup in Chile. Thankfully, things are better there now. Enjoy your time there, and please keep writing your insightful columns. Have a happy Thanksgiving; enjoy the American holiday and a blessed Christmas and New Year.
Thank you for a beautifully written article. Your words really were soothing for the angry and depressing feelings I was having about the election results and the nomination of Bobby Kennedy to head health and human services. As a cancer survivor and nurse, I find it particularly disturbing. I worry about the immune compromised children who will be put at risk if vaccines are no longer required in schools. I worry about the cutting of funds for research into new treatments and prevention of cancers and other serious illnesses. I worry about the cutting of funding for NMDP (the national marrow donor program). I worry about decimation of the Affordable Care Act. Of course, I am concerned about reproductive rights. He was elected, but those who are concerned can take action. I will be marching in the Women's March with my daughter. I will work on the mid term elections, and I will voice my concerns at every opportunity without bein confrontational. I did know about that coup in Chile. Thankfully, things are better there now. Enjoy your time there, and please keep writing your insightful columns. Have a happy Thanksgiving; enjoy the American holiday and a blessed Christmas and New Year.
What a beautiful article. Bless you for your compassion for your patient and her husband, Theresa.
And thank you, too, for giving us some perspective about what is likely in store for us in the US. I, too, am sad and worried about what Trump will do. But living in Chile (or, in my case, having lived in Prague) reminds us to be grateful for our country, which I truly believe will make it through this challenge. We have to continue to treat one another as you treated your patient—as people, just like us, who we can help.