Monday, November 26, 2007

Sprigs of honesty


My friend N has been visiting a friend at the hospice for the last week. The woman is
dying from cervical cancer and is having a hard time in every respect. N has been determined to visit her friend as often as possible. However, she's picked up a really bad cold/chest infection, which I seem to have managed to get too.

So I've had a lost weekend in bed, cuddling a hot water bottle, tissues and some cough mixture. I've not felt so rough for a very long while.

It's a real pain as my husband has a week off and we had hoped to catch up on things around the house,including painting the bathroom. Maybe I'll feel more like it tomorrow.

And N now has a request for help and advice from another woman whose just been diagnosed with skin cancer that will require extensive facial surgery.

It is hard when you achieve "survivor" status, because it's natural for people to want to talk to you about the disease and for you in turn to feel like you should help, but it can also be a really draining experience.

I wouldn't know N if she hadn't reached out to me when we met while walking our two ginger muts. But I do worry about the toll it takes on her health and well-being, but I also know that she wouldn't have it any other way.

Today I had the camera with me on the couch and played at snapping things in the room, after I'd got bored with afternoon TV, well that's not strictly true I just put it off as I was crying at old soppy old black and white films, like "How Green Was My Valley". I like this shot of wee sprigs of honesty in three very tactile, organic vases that I bought from IKEA a few weeks ago.

And this a fav on my i-pod. It's called "Be good or be gone". "Child actor eyes" - a brilliant description and, "I have become an aerial view of a coastal town that you once knew" .

10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing your thoughts! i really appreciate the lessons learned here. and i love the video!

1:11 am  
Blogger Lucy said...

Your sprigs of honesty are always treasured! A beautiful photograph, and a cherishable post. Hugs and courage to you and your friend.

5:58 pm  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

That video made me cry because i am always moved at sheer inspiration - especially when it's someone young. his serious face too cracked me up! Loved it.
Hope you recover soon. You do so much for others you deserve a bit of r&r and recovery time.

1:39 am  
Blogger Pat said...

There's nothing wrong with having a weep over an old movie and its all part of coddling yourself when you're feeling rough. I'm sure you, in turn, give support to your friend who is giving support - it spreads and its good. Don't rush into getting back in harness too soon. If you were a man you would be recovering from'flu.

12:32 pm  
Blogger apprentice said...

Thanks all. It's Wednesday, went outside today for the first time in almost a week. I've been sent to the spare room for persistant coughing, but feel like I'm on the mend, though drained of energy.

Although I actually wrote something for the first time in almost two weeks, so that's encouraging.

And thebathroom is painted -husband drove me mad retouching the ceiling. Who lies in the bath spotting missed bits -sheesh!

3:51 pm  
Blogger Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Hope you're on the mend, sweets.

Who is the bloke singing the song? He's fresh and cosy all at once.

7:09 pm  
Blogger Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Lovely shot of the sprigs of honesty. Is that really what they're called?

7:11 pm  
Blogger Wanderlust Scarlett said...

Hope you are feeling better, love the black and white photo, the black and while movies, and the video.

Scarlett & Viaggiatore

9:33 pm  
Blogger Kim Ayres said...

I don't know whether you've been over to The Storytellers Blog at all, but I wondered whether it's something you might enjoy being a part of. Sam and Pat already contribute and it's open to anyone who would like to record wee tales, either their own or favourites they'd like to share with others.

Some stories we write don't really fit into books or even blogs, but are ideal to just listen to.

If you're interested, please get in contact - my email address is on my profile - and I'll happily add you to the contributors to upload your won stories. Check out the FAQs if you have any technical queries, or email me direct.

11:32 am  
Blogger f:lux said...

I love your picture of honesty - delicate study in white.

4:58 pm  

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