Life in Perspective

All of us live with challenges, obstacles, hassles, and irritations. It's just that some days contain more than we think we can handle; and yet....handle what's coming our way, we do. Today has been busy for me; a particularly active weekend day at the hospital with the beeper hardly ever quiet, unending requests, questions, and needs for input, decisions, and advice. I finally left the hospital around 2 PM and headed to get "stuff" for Mom and Dad. Batteries for their TV remote, beer and chocolate Ensure for Dad, various toiletries for Mom and a couple of prescriptions from the drugstore. It was raining and blowing mightily when I pulled into the parking lot by Bartell Drug and Metropolitan Market. Around that time my pager started going off every few minutes. Trying to multi-task, I continued making purchases while trying to talk softly into the cell phone about and with patients with miserable complaints and concerns. By the time I had all my purchases in the back end of my car, my cell phone had pooped out and I was wet, cold, and edgy.

Ahhhhh. And, now on to Mom and Dad's apartment with all the loot, stuffed into flimsy plastic bags and heavy as lead only to walk in to Mom's newly created "list" which included three items which I had not purchased and which (apparently) are needed. Trying not to lose it, I had to breathe....just breathe. I truly cannot fathom how many paper and cleaning products they use and how many chocolate drinks Dad consumes. I feel like I'd best get to Costco and buy in bulk to reduce the number of trips and the costs. If only I could get supremely organized and make one trip a week but somehow, I just can't get there. But why should I expect this? I can't even get this organized with my own shopping lists.

And then, I started talking with Carol Ann, the caregiver on duty with Mom this afternoon. She shared with me that she'd had to request a shorter shift today because "I've got 7 month old triplets at home and two are sick today and I've got to get home to help my husband". Not only does she have triplets but she has 2 other children and 2 stepchildren; a total of seven kids at home. It was clear to me right then that my moaning about having to buy dish detergent, toilet paper, and Kleenex after having just come from an outing to the store was ludicrous. I would not change places with this woman for anything; bless her heart. She has far bigger worries and concerns than I. And so it is that I am now at home on this blustery, cold evening able to write my blog and sit in a quiet house with little else to do except answer my beeper and keep close to the telephone. This seems so easy; compared.