Oh, c_q, how irritating! But your trip seems like it was very interesting.
I’m right there with you , DTE. I was thinking about your friend when I was writing about my mother. Also about a guy I know who just passed away at 56 after a 9 year battle with cancer.
I do know that you can’t provide another person with a reason to live or with a purpose in life. I try to imagine what I would be doing all day myself with little vision, no understanding of technology that might make life better, and few friends or family members around. I can only hope that I am self-aware enough not to share my personal misery with anyone who does reach out to me.
TGIF - Sooooooo happy that in a few hours I will be out of here for a couple of days. Then a 4 day work week and VACATION!!! I really can use it – been a very busy few weeks at work.
We had a visit from a long-time friend of ours who lost a son at 3 yo due to an auto-immune disease. To say they were devastated is an understatement – he and ShawSon were the same age and the moms and boys spent almost 3 years together so we were pretty shaken up too. They pulled themselves together and had quite a few kids. They drove down to our boat to spend a weekend with us. One of their other kids was really mentally disturbed and was afraid rightly that he would become violent (and more than likely kill his parents). They tried every possible treatment to no avail. They persuaded him to stay alive until 20 and then two weeks before they saw us, he killed himself (after at least a dozen attempts over the years). They wanted to see us because they knew we would understand that while they were sad, they were relieved. Every night when they went to sleep, they had to worry that the kid would be dead when they woke up. But, as they said, if life is so painful as it was with this kid and he had gamely tried everything to fix it, who were they to say he should stay alive. While the first one was devastating, the second one was not. But, I don’t know of anyone in my generation who has been through worse in life.
Shaw, they are fortunate to have a good friend in you.
Back in the days when I covered a lot of crime/justice there were a few stand-out cases that made me marvel at what some families go through. I completely understand their relief.
One of the saddest cases was the adult psychotic son of a psychiatrist who killed his father in a very gruesome manner. It was easy for people to say how could he not have seen it coming, but the truth is hope and love go a long way toward tolerance.
I generally feel grateful for the life I have. ShawSon is having a recurrence of sleep apnea and ShawD is recovering from pneumonia but appears to have turned the corner. I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning with my 92 yo mother. We have made a deal to sell her house but she doesn’t have someplace she likes to live. She is overwhelmed by cleaning the house out.
She also has to worry about my brother. I suggesting buying a place in a good town in Florida with lots of Jews she knows for my brother primarily and her. He is having a miserable time at work – being harassed by a bully department head who can get away with it because his father is Assistant Superintendent of Schools. The guy has driven out many others and hired his friends and spent lots of $$ on boondoggles. No oversight from Principal. Anyway, he is planning to retire in a year and is having health problems. He could play tennis and golf and play in bands and maybe teach at a lower salary or part-time at a private school. I think the only issue would be health insurance. She could then go to Florida in the winter, which she has always wanted to do. I found a place for $139K that is on a golf course and looks OK.
I picked up all of her tax records to summarize and bring to the accountant (I’ve done my part and will Fedex it to my assistant to tabulate), ordered her another computer, and got ShawWife to agree to talk to the new buyer about extending the sale date a few months (they probably would prefer this).
GS spent the night in emergency. Woke S and DIL up screaming late last night. Seems to have resolved itself. Not sure what it was other than a stomach issue. They are learning that having kids isn’t always easy. Next one is due in a month.
I am so troubled by the continued violence against innocents throughout the world. Sending prayers to all touched by this new senseless terrorist attack. H’s best friend and his wife leave for Italy today to visit a son stationed there with the air force. I am praying all goes well on their trip. Shaw…hope you are safe if you are in Europe.
Good thoughts, NM. They were saying on the Today Show that for years, Belgium has been very generous in letting refugees in and providing a social safety net for them. The attacks in Belgium will no doubt stiffen the resolve of all around the world who do not want to harbor refugees.
