| Losing Independence? | |
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+9Carol Troestler dmondeo thehairymob Don Stephens joefrank Abe F. March Malcolm alice Dick Stodghill 13 posters |
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Dick Stodghill Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3795 Registration date : 2008-05-04 Age : 98 Location : Akron, Ohio
| Subject: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:54 am | |
| A Stodghill Says So blog: Any halfway intelligent person could make out a good case claiming I'm nutty as the floor sweepings at a Planter's factory. Then the defense would have its turn and I'd convince the judge and jury that I was the only sane person in the room. OK, maybe not the judge. They live in a world of their own. The point is, I've entered yet another stage of life. My entire existence has consisted of moving from one compartment to another, slamming the door behind me as I leave one and enter the next (DK, Ann, Abe and a few others here know what I mean). I often think back to one of those earlier stages, but they're over with, finished, kaput. "Allus kaput," how often I heard that during one of those earlier phases. As yet I have not come up with a new name for this latest step. Seizure Stage has a nice ring to it but lacks mass market appeal. I'll work on it. Many people know I haven't been at the top of my game for a couple of weeks. Not that the top of my game at 84 amounts to a helluva lot. But during those recent days every ailment I've had in the 21st century came back. A Homecoming celebration of sorts. Like any similar gathering, one new wrinkle was added to make it memorable. A trial run was conducted Monday while I was typing some bit of fluff. Suddenly a pair of vise grips took me by the shoulders, lifted me in the air and dropped me again. What happened? I had no idea, but it was startling. I looked down and around to see if I had been smoking a pipe and it now was in the initial stage of igniting me. I hadn't had a pipe in my mouth, but I had just Lost Time. Jackie took my blood pressure: 81 over 40 something. Low blood pressure brings on hallucination. Then yesterday morning I was loafing in my living room chair as Jackie prepared to go to the drug store. I asked her to get a package of those cheap buns with gooey icing because nothing else sounded good. She went down the hall to get her coat and purse, then stood in front of me and said they were called sticky buns. I heard that, sticky buns. The next thing I knew she was holding one of my arms, which had been swinging wildly in the air. She said my face had been distorted, although I'm not sure how she could tell the difference. Jackie called my favorite doctor and he returned the call on his new i-phone. I'm sure of that because we had been playing with it Tuesday when I went in for my monthly shot of joy juice that offsets the effect of a tumor on the pituitary gland that has been there for many years. Jackie was somewhat perturbed because she thought I should be asking medical questions and instead the doc and I were shooting at each other with various weapons on the i-phone. So yesterday he said, "We can do two things. We can put him in the hospital for ten days to two weeks and run a lot of tests. Will he agree to an operation?" He had to ask but already know the answer, "No." "OK, I'll write a prescription for anti-seizure medicine and he can come see me again in a week." So that's the way they left it, but I sure hope he has the i-phone ready to play with. Unless he has an even newer toy by then. For obvious reasons I won't be driving a car anytime soon. Some people who don't know better will say that means a loss of independence. Nonsense. A car is handy at times but it owns you, not vice versa. You want independence, watch the last few minutes of the movie Elmer Gantry. He had everything, was on top of the world, but lost it all. With only the shirt on his back and a cheap suitcase in hand containing all his worldly possessions, Elmer (Burt Lancaster) walked off into the sunset with a big grin on his face. That's independence. Whatever, I suppose some people think I should take life more seriously. Why, when it's so humorous and filled with all these many unexpected twists and turns? Not a single one of us is going to get out of it alive. Eat, drink and make merry; it all comes out the same in the end. As the drunk said as he stood up at our table a week before D-Day: "You who are about to sigh, I dalute you." It's the only way to live. |
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alice Five Star Member
Number of posts : 15672 Registration date : 2008-10-22 Age : 76 Location : Redmond, WA
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:02 am | |
| Dick,
I am so glad to see you. What a wonderful surprise. Great post! |
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Malcolm Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1504 Registration date : 2008-01-11 Location : Georgia
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:42 am | |
| Nice to hear you're here and receive your pithy update. Stay well, write often, and keep in touch.
Malcolm |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:45 am | |
| Dick, you revealed much in your post. I salute you. Prost! The time you spend with us is treasured. |
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joefrank Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8210 Registration date : 2008-11-04 Age : 75 Location : Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:04 am | |
| 10/30/3009 Dick.. Please stay well...I enjoy your writing especially on your web page... Cheers..Joe |
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Don Stephens Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1355 Registration date : 2008-01-25 Age : 85 Location : Wherever my hat's hanging today!
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:07 am | |
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thehairymob Four Star Member
Number of posts : 890 Registration date : 2008-05-05 Age : 56 Location : Scotland
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:48 am | |
| Good to see you back Dick. Hope that this is the sign you are on the mend. |
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dmondeo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 1485 Registration date : 2009-02-15 Age : 69 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:09 pm | |
| Welcome back Dick. You had us all worrying a little. I'm glad you've clawed your way back to the computer to write. Still, take it easy for a while. |
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Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:38 pm | |
| Last year I had the low blood pressure black-out experience. Much, much scarier than any of the other hell I've been through in the last year, so I know what you mean, Dick. Everything suddenly went black. The ambulance came and had difficulty getting blood pressure at all, although by then I had my eyes open and was talking. No hallucinations, just black. I now joke I didn't even have one of those experiences with angels and a white tunnel.
Avoid any more of those black outs!!!
Glad to see you back.
Carol |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:17 pm | |
| I made the mistake once of trying to say that I found it difficut to consider people I've only met on forums as "friends." I received some responses that indicated my words cut a bit. I tried to say a friend was someone whose presence you shared, a nod, a touch, a wink, a conversation with body language and a cup of tea together. How could you feel emotional about a person with whom only words have been shared? I stand corrected. A friend is someone who makes your life better. That's enough. My life is better, my thoughts clearer and my purpose in being, my raison d'etre, is enriched by those I only know by words beginning at PAMB and lasting into this forum Shelagh so kindly manages so those of us banned from PA could find each other again. A friend is back in the forum whose words we miss and whose words today remind us clearly of our humanity and the frail threads that bind us to life and sometimes break, one at a time. Thank you, Dick, for expressing with humor and candor the changes that life brings, unexpected and unwelcome but bearable. We missed you while you were disconnected from us. |
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Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:32 pm | |
| DK,
True, true words.
Carol |
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Domenic Pappalardo Five Star Member
Number of posts : 2557 Registration date : 2009-04-27
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:12 pm | |
| The worth of a mans life? When he leaves a piece of his feelings with others...you have left many with me.
Domenic |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:11 am | |
| Well, you certainly haven't lost your touch. Your new blog has all the wit, charm (Did I say that?), and style as the first one I ever read some years ago. So, take those new meds and keep'em coming. We have missed you, and have been waiting for you to come back.
Ann |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:35 am | |
| BTW, Dick, be careful - iphones can become addictive.
Ann |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Mon May 23, 2011 12:36 pm | |
| Just read this blog and thought you might enjoy reading it again. I think he knew he was in trouble, but never let that keep him down. From his posts, he lived each day as though there was no tomorrow. |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Mon May 23, 2011 1:25 pm | |
| That is the answer - every day is a lifetime; live it well. |
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Betty Fasig Five Star Member
Number of posts : 4334 Registration date : 2008-06-12 Age : 81 Location : Duette, Florida
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Mon May 23, 2011 2:08 pm | |
| - dkchristi wrote:
- I made the mistake once of trying to say that I found it difficut to consider people I've only met on forums as "friends." I received some responses that indicated my words cut a bit. I tried to say a friend was someone whose presence you shared, a nod, a touch, a wink, a conversation with body language and a cup of tea together. How could you feel emotional about a person with whom only words have been shared?
I stand corrected. A friend is someone who makes your life better. That's enough. My life is better, my thoughts clearer and my purpose in being, my raison d'etre, is enriched by those I only know by words beginning at PAMB and lasting into this forum Shelagh so kindly manages so those of us banned from PA could find each other again.
A friend is back in the forum whose words we miss and whose words today remind us clearly of our humanity and the frail threads that bind us to life and sometimes break, one at a time. Thank you, Dick, for expressing with humor and candor the changes that life brings, unexpected and unwelcome but bearable. We missed you while you were disconnected from us. Dear Diane, Like our friend Dick, your heart and honesty is always in your posts. You, too, have a way with words that cuts through the crap. I never met Dick in person, but I loved him just the same. Many of us have become true friends and never met in person. Perhaps it is the best kind of friendships....mind to mind , with out distraction. Love, Betty Betty |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Mon May 23, 2011 9:55 pm | |
| I share your feelings Betty. |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Tue May 24, 2011 4:48 am | |
| I have had some really tough days this year and am grateful for the kindnesses of people here. I still would love a reunion...some of you are lucky that you've had a chance to get together in real life. Maybe we'll get that chance yet. I may just take a drive to find your vegetables, Betty. Or Abe and his wife will stop in Florida on a trip.
Thank you for believing in the possibilities of the human spirit. |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Tue May 24, 2011 5:48 am | |
| Or Diane will stop in my village when she goes to Europe.
The options are always open. |
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alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Tue May 24, 2011 5:58 am | |
| Dick met with that loss of independence with such grace. That grace was an integral part of who he was. I'm glad to see his posts being brought back to our attention. Maybe Betty is right. Maybe he is reaching out to us.
Ann |
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dkchristi Five Star Member
Number of posts : 8594 Registration date : 2008-12-29 Location : Florida
| Subject: Re: Losing Independence? Tue May 24, 2011 10:32 am | |
| Dick, Carol and Lane all had an impact on my thinking. |
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