Sophie's Story

   Last week the intern that I work with told me that when they write up thier case studies they cannot say things like "a diabetic person" or "an asthmatic person". They have to say "a person with diabetes" or "a person with asthma".The reason for this type of wording is because if you say "diabetic person" you are viewing them as just a disease and not a person. It is inappropriate labelling. She pointed this out because she had heard me say this once and wanted to make me aware of it as I was going to be working with other interns this summer.    This bothered me a little bit. To me this seemed to be hair splitting. The difference btween a "diabetic person" and a "person with diabetes" seemed to be very small. I wondered if my way of thinking was wrong and if I was becoming one of those out of date,out of touch health care professionals that have no business being in health care anymore.    It occurred to me t

   I was sitting in church at before the service started. The past few days had been tough mentally and emotionally. We had an angry email confrontation with distant relative and another confrontation with another family member was looming. Two young men would be singing a hymn during the church service and C and I would be playing guitar and hammer dulcimer respectively with them. The short practice session we had just finished had gone well, but my hands were shaking. I was also having a carpal tunnel flare up in my left hand due to extended computer use during the week. I wasn't sure I could play. I would much rather have been at home with the curtains closed so I could shut out the world for awhile, but I had made a commitment.   I watched as a young boy and his mother walked across the front of the chapel. As they passed by he reached out a hand and strummed the dulcimer strings. I didn't mind. I knew the boy's mother and knew that she would not allow him to harm my

   The past few weeks C has been attending Toastmaster meetings with me. Usually the guests are not called upon for Table Topics unless it looks like they might be open to trying. Helen was in charge of Table Topics and she called on C. She asked him, "If your guitar could talk, what would it way?"    It was a great question. C took a breath and then answer that his guitar would probably chide him for not practicing. I liked his answer and it got me thinking. If any of the current residents of the music room could talk, what would they say?   The music room is a little full these days. Sunshine and Alvarez live there along with a Yamaha six string,the Gibson six string electric and the banjo. Margaret and Eve, the lap harps also share the space and the dulcimer (who doesn't have a name, yet) take up one corner. We also moved the viola that I had in high school into the music room. The dry basement is not a good place for any instrument to live.    I think Alvarez wou

   I was trying to doze through the thunderstorm outside when C woke up. He said, "The power's off". I woke up and noticed that the ceiling fan was not working. I have a small clock by my side of the bed that displays the time if you tap it. I tapped it and it said 4:26. OK, I don't have to get up for another hour. I'll just get back to sleep.   Then it hit me. If the power is off, then C's cpap machine will not work. This means that C will snore if he falls back to sleep and I won't get any rest what so ever. I tried to doze a little, but the storm was pretty loud. The house shook from a couple of lightning strikes that sounded close.   We use C's phone as an alarm clock and the chiming alarm began to sound. I lay there for awhile trying to decide if I wanted to get up yet. If it was still storming out I would not be able to run and since the power was out I would not be able to use the elliptical. Then I heard the banging of the pocket door that

   Saturday morning we went down for breakfast. C ordered an omelet with a caramel roll on the side. Cinnamon and caramel rolls are the house specialty. We were expecting a demure pastry on a plate. When the server brought it out it was the size of a small loaf of bread. It was covered in homemade caramel and studded with walnuts. The server had thoughtfully brought an extra plate in case we wanted to share. I had not intended to have any, but it was so large. C served me a slice with some sauce. It was delicious, fresh and warm. We wound up having the rest of it boxed so we could take it with us.    We went back to our room, got cleaned up and checked out. Next item on the agenda was a trip to downtown Grand Rapids. The first place we went was the pharmacy I used to work at. It has a lot of gift type items and a good selection of greeting cards. While we were looking I saw my former boss. I wasn't sure he would be there. I stepped to the counter and asked the clerk if he was bus

   The invitation to Anna's graduation party had come in the mail a few months ago. Anna's mom and I have been friends for about 20 years or so. It had been about four years since we had been to visit them in Grand Rapids. This seemed like the perfect excuse to go there.    C made a reservation at the hotel we like to stay at there. I went there a few times when I lived in Grands Rapids. Anna's mom and I used to go to the lounge to have a drink and talk. We had a work meeting there too. I always thought that it was an elegant place. I told myself that once I had a job and had money I was going to stay there.   Anytime I went to Grand Rapids I did stay there. It's in a good location, there is a good restaurant and it has room service (although I've never used it). I've stayed in much grander places since then,but I still have a soft place in my heart for it.    C arranged to take a half day off work yesterday. When he came home he was like a kid out of schoo

   A few weeks ago the lesson taught at the women's group at church (also known as Relief Society) was on enduring to the end. Enduring to the end is a big thing in just about any Christian faith (that I know of). Maybe even the non-Christian faiths too, but I don't know enough to make that kind of statement. Depending on what faith you practice the bad things that happen to everyone have several causes. They are seen as punishment for sin,a way that the higher power teaches something or a test to name a few.    It was a good lesson and I enjoyed it. It has stayed in the back of my head ever since. I think this is because of my friend, Sarah. Sarah's doctor found a lump during an annual physical exam. Upon further testing it was diagnosed as a sarcoma. This is a type of cancer that originates from muscle, fat or cartilage as opposed to the cells found in places like lungs,breast or colon. The type of cell is different. Sarcomas are rare. I'm not sure what causes them,