Report of 16 July '06
Hello from the Carmel public library -
It's hot out, and freezing in here. I used to have to take a sweatshirt to all summer classes at American schools as the airconditioner would blow mightily.
I have just returned from a weekend w/ the in-laws and it was relaxing. Ate, read, hung out, talked, laughed. My mother-in-law, Janet, and her sister and brother-in-law, Anita and Norb, have adjoining farms. It's a lot of greenery, and a lovely sight. We spent a fair amount of time outdoors as one of the dogs, Fred, is dying, and all the animal lovers wanted to ensure his comfort. I think this is enviable: to die in comfortable environs, surrounded by loved ones, pain-free and accepting. This is my goal for humans in India.
The week was good - lots of patient care. A memorable one was a lady late on Friday evening, who was in w/ a migraine. I saw that she had been diagnosed w/ HIV just this May, and was sorry. She was feeling very ill, having just vomited in a bowl in the exam room, and I kept the visit short. However, I did ask her about her HIV diagnosis, and she stated she had got it from her boyfriend of 7 years. I was sorry, and said so, holding her hand and asking if she was ok. The human touch is priceless for me: through various traumatic situations, whenever anyone asked about us/me and accompanied it w/ their touch, I found the concern doubly therapeutic. This then is the goal of my Hospice, where the dying (especially, especially if they are dirt poor) are given plenty of such therapy.
And then there was the 19 yo who came in w/ STD (sexually transmitted disease) symptoms, following his girlfriend who also had the same. The young man, AB, had not used condoms w/ 3 other partners in the recent past, and when the young woman mentioned this, I said it before I could help myself: "Ma'am, why are you w/ this man?" Anyway, that's up to her to figure out, and my job to get her to insist on protection from her partner. It was then AB's turn, and I tried not to look like I wanted to wring his neck, but he said it was evident from my face that I thought he was an a--h---. Anyhoo, I laughed out loud at that one, and said he really ought to start taking care of himself; he mentioned that the 3 extra-relationship encounters happened when he and his girlfriend were on a "break." I left that up to them to figure out as well, but the whole darn encounter wiped me out. Scott, his college roommate, Craig (whose irreverence I value very highly in my life), and I discussed this over email. It was fascinating and therapeutic. Thank goodness for the presence of Scott and Craig in my existence.
My mother's b'day was last week and I called home. It was a lovely conversation, w/ a fair amount of laughter and good wishes: my parents' sense of humor is also legendary, which might be why Scott and they get along well, knock on wood. My mother, esp as she is now housebound, is eager for snail mail, and I had sent her a card and letter which had thankfully reached. She mentioned all the wishes she had received, and then my father and I chatted; I mentioned having gone to church last week at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. (My father is Christian and my mother is Hindu, and we were raised w/ both faiths in the house, which I find very broad-minded.) The church service was casual, fun, full of good music, and a rather poignant message of God always being there for us; it was run by Carolyn Scanlan-Craighead and the msg was from Kim King, and I stopped to speak w/ both of them. It was also a nice chat, and I will return to St. Luke's for this week's service.
The 3 Weiss men are well, and in the throes of exam week. Scott's presence is invaluable at this time, as I simply cannot teach those that came from my uterus - not patient enough. I can teach others, sort of, but Scott does ably w/ all.
Let me wind up. Hope all of you are well. Please do drop me a note when you can and tell me what's up w/ you.
Unw -
Renu
It's hot out, and freezing in here. I used to have to take a sweatshirt to all summer classes at American schools as the airconditioner would blow mightily.
I have just returned from a weekend w/ the in-laws and it was relaxing. Ate, read, hung out, talked, laughed. My mother-in-law, Janet, and her sister and brother-in-law, Anita and Norb, have adjoining farms. It's a lot of greenery, and a lovely sight. We spent a fair amount of time outdoors as one of the dogs, Fred, is dying, and all the animal lovers wanted to ensure his comfort. I think this is enviable: to die in comfortable environs, surrounded by loved ones, pain-free and accepting. This is my goal for humans in India.
The week was good - lots of patient care. A memorable one was a lady late on Friday evening, who was in w/ a migraine. I saw that she had been diagnosed w/ HIV just this May, and was sorry. She was feeling very ill, having just vomited in a bowl in the exam room, and I kept the visit short. However, I did ask her about her HIV diagnosis, and she stated she had got it from her boyfriend of 7 years. I was sorry, and said so, holding her hand and asking if she was ok. The human touch is priceless for me: through various traumatic situations, whenever anyone asked about us/me and accompanied it w/ their touch, I found the concern doubly therapeutic. This then is the goal of my Hospice, where the dying (especially, especially if they are dirt poor) are given plenty of such therapy.
And then there was the 19 yo who came in w/ STD (sexually transmitted disease) symptoms, following his girlfriend who also had the same. The young man, AB, had not used condoms w/ 3 other partners in the recent past, and when the young woman mentioned this, I said it before I could help myself: "Ma'am, why are you w/ this man?" Anyway, that's up to her to figure out, and my job to get her to insist on protection from her partner. It was then AB's turn, and I tried not to look like I wanted to wring his neck, but he said it was evident from my face that I thought he was an a--h---. Anyhoo, I laughed out loud at that one, and said he really ought to start taking care of himself; he mentioned that the 3 extra-relationship encounters happened when he and his girlfriend were on a "break." I left that up to them to figure out as well, but the whole darn encounter wiped me out. Scott, his college roommate, Craig (whose irreverence I value very highly in my life), and I discussed this over email. It was fascinating and therapeutic. Thank goodness for the presence of Scott and Craig in my existence.
My mother's b'day was last week and I called home. It was a lovely conversation, w/ a fair amount of laughter and good wishes: my parents' sense of humor is also legendary, which might be why Scott and they get along well, knock on wood. My mother, esp as she is now housebound, is eager for snail mail, and I had sent her a card and letter which had thankfully reached. She mentioned all the wishes she had received, and then my father and I chatted; I mentioned having gone to church last week at St. Luke's United Methodist Church. (My father is Christian and my mother is Hindu, and we were raised w/ both faiths in the house, which I find very broad-minded.) The church service was casual, fun, full of good music, and a rather poignant message of God always being there for us; it was run by Carolyn Scanlan-Craighead and the msg was from Kim King, and I stopped to speak w/ both of them. It was also a nice chat, and I will return to St. Luke's for this week's service.
The 3 Weiss men are well, and in the throes of exam week. Scott's presence is invaluable at this time, as I simply cannot teach those that came from my uterus - not patient enough. I can teach others, sort of, but Scott does ably w/ all.
Let me wind up. Hope all of you are well. Please do drop me a note when you can and tell me what's up w/ you.
Unw -
Renu
posted by Renu Weiss at
1:33 PM
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