Thursday, April 7, 2011
humbled by life
Today I helped move my friend from Bonner General Hospital to Life Care. My friend Cindy (not her real name but I don't want to put her real name) has some unknown something going on with her body. Cindy is from Sweden, an engineer, superb skier, owns her house and has it seemingly altogether except her body went out on her the end of January and she hasn't been able to work since then. Cindy was at KMC for a stint of 10 days and given a lot of steroids so that she could start moving again. She has a lot of Multiple Syclerosis symptoms but has not been diagnosed. She was getting better and brothers and parents from Sweden came over and stayed over a month to be with her and then the last 10 days have been really tough. Last week, I gave her ride home from meditation and she started to cry in my car. The next day she was admitted to the hospital and her neurologist is on vacation and the doctor in Sandpoint doesn't know what he is doing so she is very frustrated. Today she was transferred to Life Care because she is too incapicitated to live alone at home. She can't even get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I transferred all of her stuff from the hospital to the nursing home. This kind of makes me slow down and realize who really is in control. I know from reading other blogs that there are a variety of spiritual persuasions represented here. I guess from a more Buddhist perspective it is important for me to have compassion for my friend and the suffering that she is experiencing and to be with her as she is. I feel like I have done pretty well with that but I realize that it hit me in my heart to see Cindy so vulnerable - perhaps it reminds me of my own vulnerablity too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
My heart and prayers go out to you and your friend. It is so tough at times to feel helpless to not be able to what we want. Hang onto your faith and know that just being there for her is helping her. I have had friends go through cancer and other illnesses and they have expressed how just having someone be there to listen and cry with helps.
ReplyDeleteI hope that with time the doctors will discover hte nature of her illness and be able to offer her the medical help necessary.
Gina, It sounds like you have become a true friend, willing to sacrifice and help in times of need. I know when I've had to face death or my vulnurability through dear friends it drives me to my faith to ask questions and find answers. In doing so I find peace.
ReplyDeleteYour friend must be so scared and confused with the lack of diagnosis. I am also praying for her and you for strength.
Have you ever heard the song 'Live Like You Where Dying'? It's beautiful.
Life can hubbl us in many ways.
ReplyDelete