One good thing that I learnt from my Mum was how assertively to tell sales callers that, “We don’t do business on the phone.” The first time I said that, I was about five, and the caller laughed a lot! It was probably the emerging actress in me and my attempt at a grown […]
The Highlights of Grey Hair
I’ve used highlights for many years now; my main reason has been to cover the numerous grey hairs that I’ve had since my early 20s. I blame the parents 😉 (Sorry Dad!) When genes from both sides of the family include grey hair from a relatively early age, what hope is there for […]
Finding Hope When Hopes Are Crushed
One line just means that the test is working correctly; you need two lines for a positive pregnancy test. I used to take tests sometimes in the first year, when every little symptom was cause for hope that the other line might appear. I don’t usually bother now. The only time that I’ve had two […]
It’s not about Crying all the Time: It’s ok to Laugh Sometimes Too!
A team of medical staff stood around my bed discussing my case in worried tones. None of them were sure what to try next for me. It was the third severe allergic reaction in a week that I’d had to different forms of Prednisolone. It was now confirmed that I wasn’t just allergic to an […]
Whose Pain Hurts the Most?
Putting Pain and Stress on the Scales I hate scales of 1 to 10. Do you know the kind I mean? On a scale of 1 to 10 how stressful is this situation for you? On a scale of 1 to 10 how much does this impact your life? A couple of years ago, just […]
Listening to, and Learning from, Those who have Suffered
When I picked up the phone, it was with trepidation and a feeling of inadequacy. What could I possibly say in the light of such a sudden, inexplicable crisis that a loved one was facing? I was in shock but yet somehow I had to respond. There were no words. I felt impotent. About 15 […]
What Motivates us as we Respond to Someone’s Pain?
Platitudes and Painkillers We live in a society, and at a time in history, where we expect for pain to be dealt with quickly. Something hurts, and we reach for painkillers. If one doesn’t work, we try something stronger. We expect these medicines to help and if they don’t, we’re off to the doctors demanding more […]
Withdrawing from the Platitudes
One of the ways that many survive the platitudes is to withdraw from them, or rather from anyone who might be likely to use them. I know because of the conversations that I’ve had with some of these people and because of the friendships that have formed. When those who are going through a rough […]
Greetings and an Introduction to Platitudes
There are several people that I hold responsible for my having finally decided to start a blog! You know who you are 😉 Thank you for the encouragement. If I say anything controversial, a definite possibility at some point, then you can share the blame with me! I’m very generous like that 🙂 What not […]