Friday, January 1, 2016

My Stay in Hospice, Night One



Well, I will say this was certainly unexpected.  Hence the term, “unexpected.”   But for the past several nights, when I’ve been ready to go to bed at night, my body hasn’t been – not because because  I’m not sleepy but because of persitent pain.  This sets up what you might call a criss-cross across of pain across my lower left flank that extends across to my upper right flank.  The pain is surpsingnly brisk –about a 7 on scale of 10.  That’s not too much to keep me from nodding off to sleep eventually but it is enough to make it quite difficult.  


This morning I had the first morning problem with it to date. By coicidedence and completely unbeknownst to me, my hospice happened to pick tonight as the next night for our ongoing efforts to eradicate the problem altogether.  The new addition into the mix tonight will be the drug methadone – yes, that unsavory holdout from the 60’s developed with the understanding that if felt good, then it must be bad for you and vice vesa.  Well, I’ll pop my first does in about 90 minutes and I’ll let you know.  One thing is for sure:  the current system is not working.  Period.

My mental acuity continues to get worse and worse.  I sure hope this problem isn’t affecting people with far greater responsibilities mine—you know, the people who carry the nuclear launch codes, those kinds of cats.  Now is not the the time to be waxinig poetic about the competence of those kinds of people.  The time for doing that was about fifty years ago.  When it all started, in fact.  Of  course, I am overreacating. The “problem” at this sitting is limited in scope to on conversation about one guy with terminal cancer.  We don’t have any bigger problem than that, do we?

What did we say was on the tube tonight – “The Expdendibles,” about a bunch of old war buddies having it out in a duel for old nuclear weaponry the way you and I might have batted the issues back and forth over a game of  bridge 20 years ago?  This is called “entertainment.”   “Entertainment for our age,” certaintly.

Boomski.




















3 comments:

  1. Forrest, Forrest, Forrest. Sounds like you are ready for another great adventure old friend. Regardless, you know my tendency to share the unexplainable with the intent to to raise curiosity if not a chuckle.
    So... I do believe one we both knew well is trying to let us know.... this is NOT all there is. Got an invitation via Linkedin today... to add Don Fitztpatrick to my circle.
    If you see him before I do... ask him how he did that - and send me a note. I'm sure our paths will cross on the high road. Blessings and peace to you Forrest.

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    1. Forrest, all good thoughts that, yet again, these new pains, too, shall pass. You have fought an incredible battle with dignity and unbelievable poise. You've given me yet another reason that you, Sir, are a hero to me!

      Steve Wilson

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  2. I'm sure I'm one of many thinking of you day to day, especially when Mike places you in the text of Newsblues. Stay the course, Forrest!

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