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Picture taken by my friend Cyndi Leos....thank you Cyndi.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Coincidence?


Hot.
Almost dark.
Not feeling
like walking the dog.
but, I did...

On the block
below us,
  our neighbor
whose husband
has cancer,
was
getting her mail.
Walking toward me
I asked how
he was...

"Not
good"
was her reply....
he had
just
come home
from
the hospital.
He is
upset
with her
for not
allowing him
to die
at home.

The doctors
found more tumors
in his head
and chest.
The tumors
in his head
give him headaches
 making him
confused,
unable to 
 concentrate.
He mistakenly
 refused to
take his
steroids
which prevent
the headaches
and more tumors,
thinking
he
would
die...

He
is
not
eating
or
drinking.

She
must
watch.

She
must
listen
to his last
requests.

Hospice
has
come.

They came
from Chicago
to Nevada
for the
warmer weather.

He is a man
who does not know
how to slow down,
he is always busy
doing...
He trimmed
 bushes,
 scratched
his arm,
 becoming
infected...

He is
also
diabetic.

Listening
to her
share
her sadness
and
the reality
of losing
the man
she
has
loved
since
the age
of 13...

It
broke
my heart.
It was
hard not to cry
with her
when
we
hugged.

She obviously
needed
to talk.

I am
glad
I was
there
to
listen...



9 comments:

Mari said...

So very sad. I'm glad you were there to listen too.

DJan said...

This is so heartbreaking. Hopefully Hospice can support her more than they are right now. I am so glad you were there to listen to her. And to write this post, very thoughtful. Thanks for allowing me to send my prayers her way, too...

betty said...

definitely not a coincidence; I'm glad that you were able to spend some time with her and perhaps give her some comfort in hugging her and just listening to her unburden her heart for just a bit; such a sad situation for all

betty

Marylinn Kelly said...

My belief, too, that such moments are not coincidences; more like assignments. We have the choice to ignore them or refuse to acknowledge their meaning, but that is not the Donna I have come to know. You were able to give something of real value to her.

Donna B. said...

Mari, DJan,betty and Marylinn, thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for my neighbor. I felt guilt for even pausing to feel I had anything to complain about...but so heart sick for her. Thank you all for sharing this with me. Each of you are magnificient.

Sultan said...

Gosh how sorrowful

Chatty Crone said...

I am glad you were there for her too -
sandie♥

Teresa said...

i'm glad that you were there for her. i do believe that our steps are sometimes ordered by God to be in the right place at the right time for someone else.

DrSoosie said...

Donna you are a wonderful neighbor, person and friend.All you can do when someone is experiencing heartache is listen. It is the greatest gift. You cannot solve her problems or even make her feel better. But feeling like you are being heard is the kindest thing you can do. It is something she will always remember.