Comments on: It’s the Real Thing

By: sas

sas — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:42:08 +0000

you are a trooper for sticking it out.

By: leah

leah — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:28:07 +0000

have done this, with my dad. it’s a very surreal experience. it’s good you got some thoughts out, you are a good husband and son in law.

my husband only visited once when my dad was in the hospital, his boss even told him he should stop working and go see his father in law, dying in the hospital.

By: 3boys1mommy

3boys1mommy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:10:41 +0000

Nurses are angels! I’m exited to hear Vartan is better.

p.s I sip my tequila… it’s like I’m not even really Mexican.

By: deb

deb — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:15:29 +0000

The first post I read of yours was about the young women you sexually harassed because of your own issues. Then I read this post, you struggling with the same things we all struggle with, life, sickness, death and I realize that we are all the same. All composed of ugly and beautiful, darkness and light, all of us connected by our unfailing humanness.

I’m a nurse, I care for all kinds of people and it is my belief that we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, to be seen as humans first, flawed second. Your post pushed me to put my money where my mouth is.

By: lisa

lisa — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:10:55 +0000

There is nothing dignified about suffering. I just lost my mother on November 5th of ’09 and it was a horrific experience. After 8 and a half months of watching her slowly fail(I cared for her 3 days a week)I was spent. My brothers were spent. She died in her bed at home surrounded by many people those last 3 days. It was a wretched experience to listen to her breathe those last few hours. I wanted the pain to end for her. I can’t get it out of my head. The sounds, the smells and the suffering. I will spend my last days in a nursing home to spare my girls the anguish of having to be the ones responsible.

By: Paris Parfait

Paris Parfait — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:32:36 +0000

What a tough time for Vartan and for Sophia and her mom – and you. Excellent point about Vartan and his roommate wanting to be known as something other than a sick old man. Sigh. Life is hard and so unfair. A moving post, Neil.

By: mamatulip

mamatulip — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:33:12 +0000

This reminds me a lot of the time I spent with my mother in the hospital.

Hang in there.

By: Jade

Jade — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:28:37 +0000

I visited my husband’s grandmother at nursing home frequently before she died; the sheer delight on her face when she saw me and listened while I told her the myriad boring details of my days made the atmosphere, the too-bright lights, the visceral assault on my sense completely worth it.

By: teahouseblossom

teahouseblossom — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:36:45 +0000

Beautiful writing, Neil. I am sure he was happy, wherever his mind had taken him. He has had a life well led.

By: Aunt Becky

Aunt Becky — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:34:32 +0000

I’m a nurse too. Sending you and Sophia my love.