There was a bizarre trifecta of episodes, one at home in my backyard, another during the course of the week and the third in my city which the world watched.
I aged this week . . .
First the painful episode.
I am a pretty active person overall, but when winter turned to spring this year, I suppose I decided to pack a season's worth of activities into the first weekend day. I hit the driving range and felt new muscles get a work out. Then I biked with abandon. Finally, since I have been waiting all winter, I decided to buy much and pebbles for the garden.
By the time I started working the mulch, my back gave way. The pain was so excruciating that I actually blacked out. So for the rest of the week, I pulled back and rested and worked out of home.
The pain has been subsiding - but I have yet to see a doctor - who for reasons of the city shutting down, were not available.
Next the bizarre episode.
The incident during the week is too bizarre to recount. Suffice it to say, that both my brother and my wife helped me keep my sanity and balance as I successfully negotiated my way through it. Ask me one day, when we are smoking a cigar and having a scotch on the beach in Chennai, and I will tell you the story.
Finally the tragic episode.
I cannot look at the announcement below for more than 5 seconds without getting upset. My wife introduced me to Celeste about six years ago. I went to get a hair cut every month since then. As a treat, since it is a nice salon, I take my son there once a year for his birthday.
But this year during the marathon, Celeste lost both her legs and her daughter seriously injured.
I aged this week . . .
First the painful episode.
I am a pretty active person overall, but when winter turned to spring this year, I suppose I decided to pack a season's worth of activities into the first weekend day. I hit the driving range and felt new muscles get a work out. Then I biked with abandon. Finally, since I have been waiting all winter, I decided to buy much and pebbles for the garden.
By the time I started working the mulch, my back gave way. The pain was so excruciating that I actually blacked out. So for the rest of the week, I pulled back and rested and worked out of home.
The pain has been subsiding - but I have yet to see a doctor - who for reasons of the city shutting down, were not available.
Next the bizarre episode.
The incident during the week is too bizarre to recount. Suffice it to say, that both my brother and my wife helped me keep my sanity and balance as I successfully negotiated my way through it. Ask me one day, when we are smoking a cigar and having a scotch on the beach in Chennai, and I will tell you the story.
Finally the tragic episode.
I cannot look at the announcement below for more than 5 seconds without getting upset. My wife introduced me to Celeste about six years ago. I went to get a hair cut every month since then. As a treat, since it is a nice salon, I take my son there once a year for his birthday.
But this year during the marathon, Celeste lost both her legs and her daughter seriously injured.
Note from the Salon: As some of you may already know, one of our members, stylist - Celeste Corcoran and her daughter, Sydney, were seriously injured in the Boston Marathon bombings. Celeste has lost both her legs from her knees down. Sydney suffered severe arterial damage in both of her legs.
They have a long road ahead of them - both physically and emotionally. The outpouring of emotion and support has been nothing less than amazing and the family is extremely grateful for your prayers and warm words.
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One yearns to be prudent, as we go through life. But this week, humbles me about harm that can come our way while we are doing our best for our homes and communities, for no fault of ours.
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2 comments:
WOW! “Aged” is the least, or perhaps the most succinct, way to put it.
From minor ‘catastrophe’ to major, and I’m not sure which is the most major of the latter two you mention given your reluctance to talk about one of them beyond the harrowing statement that it was so traumatic that it required “both my brother and my wife helped [you] keep [your] sanity and balance….”
From a personal relationship perspective, it would seem to me that the thing you don’t want to discuss is the more catastrophic. To the point that I’m at least taking comfort that you mention perhaps being able to talk about it “one day, when we are smoking a cigar and having a scotch on the beach in Chennai.” That tells me it’s not a terminal illness. Unless of course you consider Chennai to be heaven.
And of course, how absolutely horrible that someone like Celeste and her daughter are the victims of twisted humanity. May they never enjoy the beaches of Chennai… or virgins… temporal or otherwise.
First and foremost, it was deeply concerning to read your unusually poignant message. We all are becoming increasingly aware as to why health should be most treasured of our possessions -something many of us have taken for granted in the past- and which at this (st)age despite all what we are able to do, is unlikely to accrue further but only likely to diminish.
In fact I was meaning to ask you -for the past two weeks or so- about how has your weight loss program had gone on - that you wrote about a few weeks ago!
Hope you have recovered adequately now. Equally, hope the other episode that which you have reserved to share later, is not of a nature that is bothering you now.
Our thoughts go to your acquaintances who are seriously injured in the Boston tragedy. It is some consolation to read in the newspapers about the fundraising and the other help that is pouring in for rehabilitation.
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