I spent most of yesterday helping someone important to me through an experience that can be pretty difficult and nerve-wracking. Because of some troubling and persistent symptoms, and because we've known at least three people who have passed unexpectedly from conditions that began with similar symptoms, an exploratory procedure was performed.
When someone you care about goes through something like this, you want to be there and do what you can to support them, although you feel pretty helpless, since the real work is in the surgeons' hands, literally. The after effects of general anesthesia are pretty odd as well so coming out of that and feeling lucid and clear is elusive for a while. It's a strange thing to witness. Of course, the medical professionals never tell you more than you need to know, responding to specific questions with well practiced cheerful ambiguity, followed by a gentle reassurance that there will be more to know in a few days.
The whole thing reminds me how much that affects our health is beyond our control, which, in turn, makes me that much more serious about attending to what I can that IS within my control with a sober, deeply respectful attitude.
It's a treasure we have at our disposal, this magnificent apparatus we call our body. It's also a profound responsibility we have to ourselves to do whatever we can to keep it in good working order, for ourselves and those we love.
Don't you think?
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