Sunday in CinCity. The Keepin' It Real Edition.

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                                           (click on photo to enlarge and read signage)


First off, thanks to all who sympathize and have offered their hard won wisdom. I appreciate it more than I can express and I'm taking notes, trust me.

I think the best I can strive for is to take it all as it comes--hopefully, with some grace and humor, and a recognition that some things just suck. If I have to leave school, it sucks, but also does having a stroke and losing half the functioning of your brain. And it sucks that my mother who has fought and refused to take or do anything that would be helpful in preventing a stroke now has devastating consequences that substantially impact our family. And by family, I really mean Hubby and me.

The truth is she could still have had a stroke and if it wasn't this it would most likely be something else. That's life. At least that's what they say.

The last shift I worked this past Friday evening involved admitting a 47 year old who had a seizure and fell, probably straight forward and down, breaking his neck at C1-C2. That's the one you'd hope for in a hanging back in the day when hangings were the punishment of choice. Quick and brain-dead. His 48th birthday would have been Saturday. Two kids...

I know that our plans for our days are not set in stone.

What I want is to make space in my life, as it presents itself right now, and to have flexibility and the ability to be fully involved in what's going on. School demands a lot of attention to be given to it and deadlines and arbitrary timelines in which real life demands become an annoyance. Couldn't this illness, Dr's appointment, newest complaint, this theater date, this trip to the lake just wait until the end of the quarter, till my paper's finished, till I take this exam? If we're picking up more here on the home front I don't want to be constantly frantic about time and writing papers in my head while I'm grocery shopping with my mother or walking the dog with one or the other of my grrrrlies and I don't want the lion's share of these changes to fall to my husband. It could be done. But, I don't believe the benefits outweigh the known downside. I don't want to be that frustrated, stress-sandwiched gal. I want to be Doris Day in Please Don't Eat the Daisies. Down to her up-do and flat shoes and pedal pushers.

In looking for a summer photo of CinCity I stumbled across this thread on a website, Skyscraper Forum and Aaron, AKA paradox21. If you like Cincy, or if you enjoy urban photojouralism, and you have a little time I would strongly encourage (in nursespeak that means, "Just go on and do it.") you to take a look.  There are shots like this





and this



        and more. They're larger and the details more striking on the original site. Quite an impressive eye.

And, because you can't allude to him and not show him , and you know this song is now rolling around inside your head, here's the man himself. May I present Mr. Frank Sinatra...





Now I'm off to do a little housework while everyone else is otherwise occupied.

Comments

  1. GailJuly 10, 2011 at 9:58 AM

    I just read in a book, about broken lives and broken dreams...I shall just say, "the pieces still shine".

    ReplyDelete
  2. English RiderJuly 10, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    I was going to say how pretty the housekeeper manages to be. Upon closer scrutiny I see she is shutting a child in a cage. Whatever it takes to maintain one's beauty regimen. I suppose:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. RudeeJuly 10, 2011 at 6:19 PM

    It's good to have a plan, or no plan at all. Good luck with the changes you're facing. I wish your mom all of the function she can snatch back.

    ReplyDelete
  4. dsJuly 10, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Hope things work out so that you somehow can do it all. Or most of it (not you alone of course, all of you)--the most important bits...
    If nothing else, go for the updo and the flat shoes ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The PliersJuly 11, 2011 at 6:00 AM

    I just became aware of the latest news--mother's stroke, school trajectory derailed, uncertainty taking center stage--and want to say I'm sorry that the excrement has hit the ventilation system in such an attention galvanizing way.

    I have not read any comments but those above and wonder if anyone has suggested addressing your institution of higher learning with a request to take a "leave of absence" rather than packaging your leave as a "withdrawal."

    I say this, and make the distinction, because I believe that you are in a Master's program and during 12 years as an admin asst in academia, I saw many students not take advantage of the opportunity to do just that. The fact is that circumstances beyond your control are mitigating for you to cease going to classes, or at least not return to your program in fall. You have a legitimate reason for taking a LOA. That could help you when you are ready to return to classes and pick up where you left off.

    If I'm off the mark, just toss my suggestion, but if not, be sure to discuss the situation with your grad program director and even the Ombudsman's Office. The Ombudsman is your representative in situations where you need something special done that falls out of the routine for department/program directors. A medical leave of absence could make the difference between a smooth return to classes and a rocky return. Anyway... Depending upon how the payment of your fees is structured, it could also make a difference financially.

    You have no idea how much I dislike the phrase, "C'est la vie!--NOT!

    I'll be out here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pam @ FripperyJuly 11, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    I hope The Plier's solution can work for you. I understand the need to step back right now but future regret and blame is never foreseen in the midst of a sudden tragedy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. LydiaJuly 12, 2011 at 2:18 AM

    Wow. All this has been going on and I just became aware. I am so sorry about your mother and how her health problems may change your school plans. I, too, hope The Plier's idea might be the key...

    You make me realize how close I came to having to leave my adult degree completion program over a decade ago, as I graduated months prior to my mother's congestive heart failure, followed by lung cancer. I did leave my new professional job behind when it became evident that I was one who could not do it all. No regrets.

    Hugs sent.

    ReplyDelete

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Hey, thanks for your thoughts and your time:>)

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