Monday, May 23, 2011

Things that made me cry today.

I don't usually cry. I'm not a crier, unless you load me up with bourbon or give me a sick kitten.

But today?

The tornado in Joplin. Der Alter Jo is from there, and some of her friends are still practicing in the triage centers set up after the tornado destroyed the hospital.

Prison conditions in California.

The woman who sat down next to me at Dr. Elf's Prosthodontic Wonderland, who'd had the right side of her jawbone taken out three years ago and had been unable to eat or swallow since. Her three wishes were to go out in public without being self-conscious, to be able to talk on the phone and be understood, and to let her grandchildren see her smile.

I was so excited for her when she walked to the back of Dr. Elf's office. She was starting something that, while it may not make her perfect, would make her whole.

And this:


My jaw dropped and I leaked tears on the way back from Dr. Elf's.

8 comments:

messymimi said...

Sick kittens get me, too. We lost two this weekend.

Joplin -- well, i can imagine, after living through Katrina and Rita and Gustav.

Hope that lady from Dr. Elf's gets all 3 wishes, and then some.

Anonymous said...

what's wrong with the prison system in CA? Prisoners get better care there than they doon most of our social medical sites in this state- need/want a sex change- you can get it in CA. Have ED- we'll even give you cialis or any other ED drug you want.

Beth Brakewood said...

If you were already planning on a trip to the fall edition of the Big City Music Festival, they will be there. I'm excited about it.

medical scrubs said...

I hate kittens, their poo get me vomit because of the smell, I just don't like it.

Joplin - my heart truly goes out to all those in Joplin.

and for the woman in Dr. Elf's-wishing her good luck.

Hospital Volunteer said...

Jo,I feel for you! Living here In St.Louis I feel my hear breaking for the poor citizens. Praying for you,your friend and Joplin

Rosanna said...

Today's, (5/25/11), front-page photograph in The New York Times shows a young couple, who lost their home in the tornado, embracing in their son's room. Their grief (on the page) is just so palpable to me............ and undeniably worth my cryin' over, too.

'Praying for all the people in Joplin. 'Also praying for Der Alter Jo, (and her friends), who practiced in the Triage Centers which were set up, i.e., after the tornado destroyed the hospital. Deeply life-altering hours and days of hard, compassionate work and anguish, all around............

Shawn Kennedy said...

Good post - I wrote about it on our blog, Off the Charts.

Shawn Kennedy

Anonymous said...

I am also not a crier but when I turned on the news and saw what happened to Joplin, I kinda lost it. Especially after seeing the interview with one of their ER docs. It hit close to home. :(