I'm a newbie here, but have grown comfortable very quickly. Mostly lurking and learning, and am still impressed at the kindness and knowledge of the community.
Not too long ago, I participated in the Newbie Sampler project, and OB-Left was my sponsor. He was more than generous in sending me in the right direction with some great cigars. Cigars that, up until now, went unsmoked. I didn't want to dive into my sampler because I never knew when that smoke would be interrupted because I'd be called away. Nothing worse than a good cigar wasted.
The reason I had time to lurk and learn was because my mother was brought home to die via Hospice. She had a rapid deterioration in condition: dementia, COPD, and a host of other ailments. She was quite mobile and a fall danger at first. Not to mention a desire to set things afire in the gas stove burner thinking they were cigarettes (which she had long since given up). It was a frightening vigil ... I found her once lighting a plastic stick from a hand fan she tore apart, and molten/burning plastic was dripping everywhere. From then on, I could never sleep much... one ear always listening for something. Hopefully not a smoke alarm, or worse.
To complicate things, she was scheduled to go to an inpatient respite care for about five days to give me a break. A much needed break -- I was so burnt out and frazzled. Part of their processing for the facility was to do a tuberculosis skin test. Not a big deal -- she had one a few months ago and it was negative. Low and behold the new test comes back and indicates a big reaction and halts the respite idea. While the Hospice was deciding how they were going to confirm or deny the test results, she became steadily worse.
I'll save the details, but she has just passed. And while she is now in a better place (I hope), there is a chance for some peace and recuperating.
And with that, I'm going to go enjoy a nice cigar.
Not too long ago, I participated in the Newbie Sampler project, and OB-Left was my sponsor. He was more than generous in sending me in the right direction with some great cigars. Cigars that, up until now, went unsmoked. I didn't want to dive into my sampler because I never knew when that smoke would be interrupted because I'd be called away. Nothing worse than a good cigar wasted.
The reason I had time to lurk and learn was because my mother was brought home to die via Hospice. She had a rapid deterioration in condition: dementia, COPD, and a host of other ailments. She was quite mobile and a fall danger at first. Not to mention a desire to set things afire in the gas stove burner thinking they were cigarettes (which she had long since given up). It was a frightening vigil ... I found her once lighting a plastic stick from a hand fan she tore apart, and molten/burning plastic was dripping everywhere. From then on, I could never sleep much... one ear always listening for something. Hopefully not a smoke alarm, or worse.
To complicate things, she was scheduled to go to an inpatient respite care for about five days to give me a break. A much needed break -- I was so burnt out and frazzled. Part of their processing for the facility was to do a tuberculosis skin test. Not a big deal -- she had one a few months ago and it was negative. Low and behold the new test comes back and indicates a big reaction and halts the respite idea. While the Hospice was deciding how they were going to confirm or deny the test results, she became steadily worse.
I'll save the details, but she has just passed. And while she is now in a better place (I hope), there is a chance for some peace and recuperating.
And with that, I'm going to go enjoy a nice cigar.
