-=> Ardith Hinton wrote to James Bradley <=-   
      
    JB>  "I hope you have a speedy recovery." How do you breach   
    JB>  that with, "Nineteen-years and counting..."?   
      
      
    AH>           You've probably heard the expression "a nine   
    AH> days' wonder"... I guess the majority of folks have little   
      
   This is the first time.   
      
    AH> or no experience with conditions which aren't resolved   
    AH> within that time & their attention span may be similarly   
    AH> limited.  :-Q   
      
   Including the individuals tasked with assisting us? (sic.)   
      
      
    JB>  wishes with the intent they were delivered.   
      
      
    AH>           Uh-huh.  They don't quite know what to say... but   
    AH> neither do we.  :-)   
      
   Well said!   
      
      
    JB>  Salt in a wound   
      
      
    AH>           Toughens the skin & assists granulation when   
    AH> applied correctly, as we learned from a wonderful nurse at   
    AH> BCCH.  Cats & dogs have the right idea.  Most human beings,   
    AH> OTOH, presuppose an insensitive application of dry   
    AH> granules.  ;-)   
      
   I heard HO2, and alcohol based topical applications tend to drive an infection   
   in, where a brine tends to suck it out. True????   
      
      
    JB>  or teaspoon of sugar to make the medicine go down????   
      
    AH>           Arghh!  Speaking as a parent who actually tasted the vile   
    AH> stuff which Nora's otherwise healthy instincts told her to throw   
    AH> up in the oncology ward... and who asked her nurse for more   
    AH> information about the specific location of the taste   
    AH> buds... I would recommend unsweetened apple juice.  The   
    AH> spoonful of sugar is a typical SJ answer.  It sounds   
    AH> logical on the surface & it may work in some cases.  When   
    AH> it doesn't, you may prefer to consult a nerd like me...   
    AH> [chuckle].   
      
   I likely *will* consult a nerd *like* you, or *you* directly!    
      
   As a product of the company I used to keep, my first notion is to reach for a   
   salt lick, and chase it with a wedge of lemon.  I don't know if that will   
   make all "medicine" go down. (-P   
      
   (In case you hadn't noticed, I have yet to pick up that book you recommended,   
   and I'm sorry to say, the pile of stuff to do here might preclude me from   
   spending much time reading it.)   
      
      
    JB>  explain the smell?   
      
      
    AH>           Agreed.  Life in a pediatric oncology ward is a   
    AH> culture shock.  After an experience like that, I can't go   
    AH> out into the world again & see things quite the way others   
    AH> do.  I'm not criticizing your use of metaphor here.  I'm   
    AH> playing with general & personal connotation in such a way   
    AH> as to add factoids which some readers might find useful.   
    AH> Another example of black humour, I suppose....  :-)   
      
   There were kids in the cancer centre I attended, but admittedly, my time there   
   was short. As such, I don't know how the medicine smells pre or post expulsion.   
   Proof to the point.   
      
   On a tangent, is sacrilegious humour considered "black"?   
      
    JB>  If someone thinks you could better deal with your   
    JB>  situation(s), maybe they have never experienced the   
    JB>  bouquet.   
      
      
    AH>           Yes.  The three of us have received some *very*   
    AH> nice compliments from people who understand what's going on   
    AH> in our lives.  As long as there are a few bouquets like   
    AH> that once in awhile, we can keep such things in   
    AH> perspective.  :-)   
      
   I just heard, "A rose has petals and thorns." Many more of the later,   
   though....   
      
      
      
   ... James   
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    * Origin: -=-= Calgary Organization CDN (403) 242-3221 (1:342/77)