I'm glad the sun is shining because I'm reflecting on some things that suck, as a friend said to me this morning. Her situation is that she has a mysterious cognitive deficit that made it impossible for her to continue working and driving. She converses almost normally, but there is something that isn't right; she isn't able to accomplish normal household tasks. I try to help her follow the music in church, but this morning we each had different copies of the same piece of music and I just couldn't keep my place and help get her on the same line at the same time. She broke down, and after I hugged her, she said, "It sucks." Now she says she may just stay home.
I met a woman this week who smiled at me and made some hand gestures. It was obvious she couldn't talk. I learned later that she has a dreaded progressive disease which has taken away her ability to talk. It is starting to attack other muscles as well. She lives alone.
A relative has had a progressive disease for a number of years. At this time, she has lost the use of her legs and her arms are quite weak.
A friend had few symptoms, but when she finally did have some reason to get a checkup, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She has a remarkable attitude. She has to have more surgery this week, two days after her sister will have surgery for cancer.
My mom is now barely able to walk. She can feed herself, but almost everything else has to be done for her. That is now what is called "assisted living." Most people would say she should be in a nursing home. We can't figure out how much of her situation is some physical/cognitive deterioration and how much might be emotional, ie some depression. I think she is just fading away.
A long time ago I realized it is good that we don't/can't know the future. Live for now and Live for Christ now.
It is very good that we don't know the future. When it comes God walks us through it.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever read _The Hiding Place_ (Corrie Ten Boom)? She had a lot to say on that ...
ReplyDeleteTake care & God bless
Anne / WF
Yes, I read the Hiding Place, but years ago.
ReplyDeleteI learned about not wanting to know the future when my son was so sick he could have died. I spent three weeks in intensive care (and more later) at the University Hospital. He's adopted. The adoption people have you fill out this form about what physical conditions you'd accept and which you wouldn't accept. That was heavy. Who would put down that they'd accept a child who would get that sick?
oh PS, what an outstanding post. And how you are walking with friends who need you now.
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