Friday, March 13, 2009

Difficulties

Lately I've been thinking about the difficulties of having Jim live with us.

One: I don't have any place to put Karen when she comes home from college.

Two: The complications of Type I diabetes are life-threatening. I've been there when these life-threatening complications are happening; nursed him through them, saved his life a few times. It's difficult living with -- and loving -- someone who you're not sure is going to make it through the day. Will today be another emergency room day? Will we sleep through the night or will his blood sugar go low at 2:00 am again? When that happens I have to try to get glucose syrup into him and when he comes back to consciousness change his soaking wet clothes and sheets.

How many times now have I held him like a baby while trying to get glucose into his system? Five or six, I guess. How many ketoacidosis incidents? Three or four.

It will be like this for the rest of my life.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Value Added

Co-worker Zach J. made an interesting comment yesterday -- when he was in a relationship, he hoped he would be a value-added boyfriend.

I honestly hadn't thought of the relationship issue that way. But of course if makes sense. Why bother doing it if your significant other doesn't add something to your life? Why should I have to tiptoe around on egg shells for the privilege of being his girlfriend?

Right now, for $300 a month, he gets two bedrooms, a family room, unlimited use of the washing machine, no utilities or phone, a yard for his trampoline, 24-hour nursing care, back rubs and sex.

I get $300 bucks, sex, get to give back rubs but don't get any, get to worry, don't have a place to put my children when they come home, don't have a family room or sewing room or hobby room, get to be up all night dealing with ketoacidosis or bottomed-out blood sugar, get to waste my time watching TV.

What value has been added to my life?