04-26-05  23:23, Ardith Hinton told James Bradley about -Plegias  2A.

 How do, Ardith?

 JB>  numbers and policies meant to deal with the next grumpy-
 JB>  Gus to come along.

 AH> I wasn't aware of the latter, but I think one can do a lot of

...About my potential of being grumpy? Heck, get me on a topic, and I can
tear paint off walls. Jesus better help you if your in the way. {-|[

 AH> good  that way!  It certainly does seem that the squeaky wheel
 AH> gets the grease... and those who are most in need of such 
 AH> help aren't always able to advocate for themselves. By 
 AH> kicking up a ruckus we may effect changes which benefit 
 AH> them as well....  :-)

You should have seen me two years ago! I tried to admit myself twice to an
emergency room, until I was admitted by a family member involuntarily. (Had
some pretty good bruises for a couple of weeks, and a scar to prove it.)
ADAC was not equipped to feed me even an A.S.A. for pain control, so I
sequestered myself (More like barricaded myself. Long story. ;-) and
dropped the narcs from the diet myself. I was taking the limit of Extra
Strength Tylenol for a month, (After five days, the bottle tells one to
seek assistance. =8-) and to start with, I was augmenting those with
A.s.a..

I was *so* squeaky, I phoned the local 'help' line seventeen times in one
day! 
 
 JB>  Now, if I can only convince someone to give me free
 JB>  cable, roadside assistance, and a cell phone my life
 JB>  will be complete. 

 AH> Hmm.  We could use a secretary & a maid too... [chuckle].
 
...Oh ya, and a full time 'strong-back'! 
 
 AH> Uh-huh.  From what I've heard, it's probably best
 AH> not to.  I was rear- ended only six or eight months after 
 AH> after I'd obtained my driver's licence.  I kept on driving, 
 AH> however... as did a friend of ours who had a much more 
 AH> serious accident recently.  And I navigated for a car rally 
 AH> the very next day....  :-))
 
You frisky little devil, Ardith! Navigator, eh? I don't know if I would
have the scruples to do that. I've often thought about it too. I think it
would be easier to be the pilot, than the co-pilot, but whatever floats
your boat. 

 AH> Exactly.  I might have when I was younger, but I've reached
 AH> an age  now where I'm confident that my ideas are well worth paying 
 AH> attention to whether or not other folks choose to pay 
 AH> attention.  In many ways adversity can be a great teacher

"Time the avenger." - C. Hines

I've had to reel myself back from a lot of ideas, but I tend to relish that
approach, than stifling my creativity. Heck, there's enough people to shoot
you down. Why should I do their job too? 

I've found the real chore is to locate friends who can call you on your
crap, and have a good laugh about it later.

 AH> too.  When a reporter asked a fifteen-year-old SURVIVOR of
 AH> leukemia how his illness had changed him, for example, he 
 AH> said he was a lot mouthier now.  I cheered for that kid.  
 AH> I've met many such kids & I find they often have a depth of 
 AH> understanding which is relatively rare even among adults.  

My kinda guy! Buggered that a kid has to experience that kinda ugly, but
it's what they do after that counts. A classmate (GOOD guitar player!) died
after years of remission. I was saddened to hear he was using guilt trips
on his final days, but *that* was second hand news, and I have no idea what
*I* might become in his situation.

Ronnie Hawkins was probed by a reporter about another
singer/entertainer/whatever that was in the news for some controversial
behaviour. (May have been Ashley McIssac?) His answer was PRICELESS to me,
as I was a rather smart-mouthed, self righteous ... Anyway, he replied
"I can't criticize what I don't understand. I just doubt I'll ever
understand that boy." or something along those lines. He's a Texan
IMServes, so his Southern charm has a way of blending with old-world wisdom
the way only they seem capable of.

 AH> I don't hear them saying things like "Don't be silly, that
 AH> doesn't hurt!" as some adults do.  And although the teenage 
 AH> girls put on wigs when they go outside the ward, people on 
 AH> the inside generally attach little importance to what 
 AH> others look like....  :-)
 
Sinade Oconnor [sp *has* to be wrong] broke ground *big* time for bald
sexy-chicks. My sister (I think I mentioned?) needed an aneurism worked on,
and she was worried about her appearance with the chrome-dome. She looked
fine, and I told her so. After the expected retort, I pulled the Sinade
card, and I pulled it a couple of more times after that one. She now wears
a Sharon Osborn, and never looked better! If nothing else, she got a great
doo out-a the deal. <-;
 
 AH> Yes, you learn by experience & get experience by
 AH> making mistakes.  ;-)
 
Viva la screw-ups! 0-8
 
 JB>  Pretty amazing, isn't it? All but sight holds true to that
 JB>  crossed wiring I believe. 

 AH> All but hearing, actually.  Eyesight is a strange 
 AH> mixture... the right brain controls the left visual field & 
 AH> vice versa.  Nora can see with both eyes but has some 
 AH> difficulty seeing on the left side, just as my father 
 AH> did....  :-/
 
Floored again... What an amazing vessel!
 
 AH> Years ago Dallas's grandmother broke her hip.  She
 AH> decided she'd never walk again & she didn't.  It was a self-
 AH> fulfilling prophecy because she made no effort.  OTOH, a 
 AH> friend of ours broke his back & was told he'd never walk 
 AH> again
 AH> ... but he did!  I'm reminded of the joke about the fellow 
 AH> who prayed that he'd win the lottery.  Finally God reminded 
 AH> him that he had to buy a ticket....  ;-)

L! That's what dad believes. I keep asking how much he spend on those
lottery tickets. He tells me to "Shut up." 

I'm sure there is some self determination in a persons recovery, but there
is a point when nothing short of super-power is going to get a person going
again. There *is* a limit to everything. (Trying to get metaphysical.)

BTW: OTOH = ?


... James

___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20

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