Hi again, James! This is a continuation of my previous message to you:

"I hope you have a speedy recovery." How do you breach
that with, "Nineteen-years and counting..."?

You've probably heard the expression "a nine days' wonder"... I guess
the majority of folks have little or no experience with conditions which aren't
resolved within that time & their attention span may be similarly limited. :-Q

No, it's not a sliver that will work its way out, and
unless the person with the well wishes has something
comparable in their life, we have to accept their well
wishes with the intent they were delivered.

Uh-huh. They don't quite know what to say... but neither do we. :-)

Salt in a wound

Toughens the skin & assists granulation when applied correctly, as we
learned from a wonderful nurse at BCCH. Cats & dogs have the right idea. Most
human beings, OTOH, presuppose an insensitive application of dry granules. ;-)

or teaspoon of sugar to make the medicine go down????

Arghh! Speaking as a parent who actually tasted the vile stuff which
Nora's otherwise healthy instincts told her to throw up in the oncology ward...
and who asked her nurse for more information about the specific location of the
taste buds... I would recommend unsweetened apple juice. The spoonful of sugar
is a typical SJ answer. It sounds logical on the surface & it may work in some
cases. When it doesn't, you may prefer to consult a nerd like me... [chuckle].

Who better, than a person who is mired in stink to
explain the smell?

Agreed. Life in a pediatric oncology ward is a culture shock. After
an experience like that, I can't go out into the world again & see things quite
the way others do. I'm not criticizing your use of metaphor here. I'm playing
with general & personal connotation in such a way as to add factoids which some
readers might find useful. Another example of black humour, I suppose.... :-)

If someone thinks you could better deal with your
situation(s), maybe they have never experienced the
bouquet.

Yes. The three of us have received some *very* nice compliments from
people who understand what's going on in our lives. As long as there are a few
bouquets like that once in awhile, we can keep such things in perspective. :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)