Archive for the ‘feeling the pain’ Category

we’ve all got ’em

Life deals us HUMPS.  No one can escape them. No one gets off scott-free (even Tony Scott of Scott Free.) Some humps are kept hidden — like they were for Robin Williams. Others are out there for all to see — like for Gabby Giffords. Yep, struggles, challenges, humps are part of the human experience. The only alternative to giving up is facing them as best as we can.

Volunteering in the ER is an up-close-and-personal view of humans dealing with humps:  scary tests,  bad news,  challenging outcomes, embarrassing situations, and PAIN: Physical pain, emotional pain and the anxiety of waiting, waiting, waiting which is a pain in the ass. Oh and don’t forget the pain you get in your bank account when the hospital bills arrive… and arrive… and keep on keeping on.

Dealing with Pain —

facing fear

I’m amazed that so many people can handle humps with acceptance, grace and even humor.

Like –

• The 85-year-old grandfather now without quality of life thanks to an operation gone wrong, stuck with two long tubes coming out of his kidneys, rushed into the ER by paramedics after he tried to slit his wrists.  As his daughter tries to explain to police officers interviewing him that he just got bad news, the old man cracks jokes — (“May I borrow your gun to finish the job off?”) (“Not now Dad, they’ll have to lock you up!”)
• The 90-something great grandmother who suddenly discovers she has lung cancer with 3-6 months to live — (“It is what it is, guess I can go off my diet now.”)
• The Teen surfer disappointed when he learns his broken leg will keep him out of the water for the rest of the summer, who suddenly grins at me — (“Think I can drum up some sympathy sex?”)

Read the rest of this entry »

Phew!

Sometimes when I’m lucky I wake up in an unexplainably good mood and the whole day smiles with possibility. But other times (like last night) my brain storms overtime with thunderous worrywart issues that get bigger and BIGGER — I can’t budge from bed, but I can’t go back to sleep either. It’s a nightmarish, paralyzing, painful state where I’m stuck worrying about relationships (or the lack thereof), or escalating credit card bills, or an audition I blew, or something I said and now wish I hadn’t.

FAUX PAS and PROBLEMS Echo in My Ears —

And — even though I know my problems are small compared to the ones I see in the ER, or watch on the news or read in my email alerts, they’re on my mind, magnified and they belong to me —  not someone I don’t know. Emotional DRAMA zaps my common sense, causing me to act CRAZY — making things even worse than they were before. Ugh! Read the rest of this entry »

heart-wrenching emotion

Projects from personal experience connect us, move us, touch us universally. Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12 has all of the components of an unforgettable film – it makes you laugh, cry, feel and remember – long after the final credits.

The acting is so natural, it feels more like a documentary. It’s like we can read Brie Larson’s complicated mind as she struggles to maintain her reputation as “Grace All Mighty.” John Gallagher Jr.’s “Mason” (I knew I recognized him from somewhere – he’s Jim Harper in The Newsroom!) exudes a vulnerable warmth that’s rarely seen onscreen.

Bring Tissues!

If someone were to tell me that all of the teens in the Home are actually At-Risk Kids who’ve experienced OCD, depression, abandonment, abuse, you-name-it, I’d believe it. We feel their pain, share their triumphs, ache for them, root for them, keep thinking about them…keep thinking about them…keep thinking about them…

It’s obvious Destin Daniel Cretton has lived this experience in some way — his film is pure and from the heart. You’ll want to check out SHORT TERM 12 as soon as possible. Even sooner if possible! It’s A.MAZ.ING! Read the rest of this entry »

it reveals who you are

The sad news about Debbie Martin, Angelina Jolie’s Aunt, has stayed with me since I read the email alert hours ago. It’s like every day an onion is unpeeling, and we’re getting a glimpse into a very private and painful part of Angelina Jolie’s life.

That Girl’s Got Guts!

I’m in awe of Angelina Jolie’s COURAGE as she faces her genetic challenges head-on.  If we were in her shoes would we? Could we? There’s no way to know. Courage is required in-the-moment. We don’t know if we’ll meet the requirement until we’re called upon.

I’ve loved and lost someone extremely close to me to Ovarian Cancer. It’s tough on everyone. Beyond…  My heart goes out to Angelina Jolie and her family now that they’ve lost two loved ones to this awful disease.

Moments like these seem to put everything into perspective. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone’s on pins-and-needles in the ER. 24/7 an INVISIBLE STRESSBALL powers through Triage growing bigger and bigger — affecting everyone in its path. We deal with a MISHMOSH of PAIN from Patients, Family Members and Staff. Volunteers must juggle everyone’s Physical Pain, Emotional Pain, Pressure and Anxiety. Stressed-out people lose patience, get defensive, become argumentative and over-react. Everyone takes it out on each other. It’s UGLY!

This doesn’t even take into account what’s hiding in everyone’s baggage. I mean, almost everyone who’s an adult has some family member or loved one who’s fighting some sort of battle, whether it’s emotional or physical, not to mention that we all have things going wrong in our day on some level. Add to that indigestion, PMSing, bills we can’t pay and it’s a miracle we don’t all EXPLODE! Read the rest of this entry »

Will I stop
taking
two
steps
backwards
for
every
three
steps
forward?
(More hours added to my ER sentence every time I screw up, uch!) Read the rest of this entry »

be-bopping to the end

Imagine a life where you–

• Follow every new BEAT  —
• ROCK OUT with the BEST regularly  —
• Invite the world to join you.

TIMES changed, MUSIC exploded, DANCE moved in every direction —

But for the most of his 82 years, Dick Clark LOOKED THE SAME, and managed to STAY CURRENT at the same time! Read the rest of this entry »