Over at the mighty Powerline blog, Scott Johnson publishes an exclusive statement from the great Stephen Hunter. Hunter writes about his latest Bob Lee Swagger novel, I, Sniper, and about what it was like to be a conservative journalist at liberal newspapers. Well worth reading.
I know you follow my health with passionate interest, so I’ll mention that I saw the doctor again yesterday. She told me that (contrary to my own views) I’m recovering from my bronchitis. It’s just taking a while.
I also asked her about the sore shoulder I’ve been enduring for some months, in the Norwegian manner—“No point spending money on medical advice. It’ll probably get better by itself. If it actually starts to turn blue and the fingernails fall out, then I’ll have it looked at.” I figured it was probably bursitis.
To my delight, she informed me it’s not bursitis, but tendonitis. This was gratifying, because in my mind bursitis is something old people get, while tendonitis is something that happens to young athletes. It appears I’m not doomed to feel like this for the rest of my life, but will be permitted to continue to delude myself that my gray hair is premature.
As my father used to say, it’s better to have hair turn gray than loose. Unfortunately, mine’s doing both.
AH, now Lars… In the back-ground do I hear the faint sounds of “Cry Me A River”… Or is it really the soothing stirrings of “Hearts and Flowers”?
I’m happy to hear your lungs are clearing up but
I’d dearly exchange your dense gray with my nearly bald! OR your sore shoulder for my sore ankles, knees, low back, neck …well, the list goes on…!
I’ve been retired for about 10 years now… with super expensive insurance with super high co-pay and deductible. So, I’m a bit like you when it comes to going to a doctor…. wait ’til it falls off first…
…cause it’s just too darned expensive other wise. With a $7000 to $10,000 deductible, I’m just not eager to run to the doc’s so often.
Then there the nearly $1,000 cost each month for the insurance my wife and I have, and I can’t use because of the deductible.
My 68 year old brother started complaining about growing old 16 years ago. My 98 year old dad has never complained about growing older… he just wants to keep working…retirement is a 4 letter word to him. We all have different out-looks, I guess.
Who said youth is wasted on the young, (Bertrand Russel?) I believe that. A strong healthy body and mind should be a reward for good, clean living!!
Even though we are the same age and similar Norway blood-stock… I envy your “sore shoulder”.
Getting out of bed each AM is becoming more of a challenge than it should be. I’m tending to agree with my brother, “Growing older sucks!”
I think all readers of these blogs should bow their heads for a moment and sigh a big one for this poor old character who sometimes feels sorry for himself… (OK? On the count of 3… “1…)
Swagger did indeed write a very good article as you mentioned.
I remember a newspaper column I read long ago, when I was a kid. Can’t remember the columnist’s name, though I read him weekly.
He said we do career and retirement all backwards. When a young guy is hired, they should give him a big salary, lots of benefits, show him his desk, and say, “Come in whenever you feel like it.”
As he gets older and more stable, give him more work to do, and reduce his salary gradually.
When he gets to be about 60, they should give him a cot in the back, let him eat out of the vending machines, stop his pay entirely, and never let him out of the building.
Ah…almost kinda like that!
If I may, My friend from church with the bad car accident last Sat… He had a stroke this AM on top of everything else… He doesn’t respond to pain and is only breathing with ventilation. Please pray for him if you would be so kind.
Our ast. Pastor, Mike and family also totaled their only car on black ice and another family in church totaled their car in a head on collision.
No injuries with these two accidents….all in seat belts.
Please pray for them too, please.
Do you think the Lord is trying to tell us something ?????
Will do. Telling us something? I suspect He’s always trying to tell us something.
Pardon my “duh”…..
but with three bad car accidents in my church that I am aware of and one I just missed by 1 to 2 seconds yesterday….
Do you think the Lord has something special He’s want to say to anyone; me, our church, etc…????
Seems like an awful lot of broken cars and bodies for one church… I’m not superstitious, but…
Mr. Walker,
Glad to hear you’re still on the mend. The tendonitis is a bummer but at least an amputation won’t be necessary.;-)
Mr. Book,
I hope Mr. Walker doesn’t mind another reader offering encouragement. I’m so sorry for the suffering your friend is experiencing. It sounds like our Lord may soon take him home and my prayers are with him and his family. You wonder what our Lord is trying to tell your church family by these accidents. Whatever it is, it’s nothing different than what you’ll find in the Holy Scriptures. Whenever we try to interpret experiences or coincidences, we’re more likely to go astray than to move nearer to the truth.
I think it’s from Lewis – though I don’t remember where – that I first started to understand how our Lord works in each person’s life story. When really big, unexpected things come my way, I wonder what God is trying to teach ME. But maybe this scenario, this particular scene or this act, isn’t really important in my life’s play at all. Maybe this time, I’m just a supporting actor in a scene or act in someone else’s life play. It may be that this horrible accident your friend had – and now the stroke he’s suffered – haven’t happened to teach him or his family or church anything. Maybe, right now, he’s an essential supporting actor in the very real, eternal life-or-death story of a nurse or doctor or paramedic. If so, that would be further testimony to the strength of his faith, that our Lord would use him and his family in that way. I’m sorry I’m not more articulate in explaining this; obviously I’m not a writer. Maybe Mr. Walker will more succinctly express this (because I’m sure he knows what I’m trying to say.) May the peace of our Lord be with you.
Mr. Stonechurch,
I understand what you are saying. Thanks! Being close to the subject, I have been short-sighted.
And, your words are comforting. Thank you again.
You too Lars.
I’m beginning to REALLY wonder now….
On top of the earlier posts; Today in the middle of our pastor’s 11 o’clock sermon, another of my good friends passed out with what some say might be a stroke. (he’s 84 y.o.) I got to hold his shoulders and head to provide some comfort, while the in-house doctors and nurses tended to him.
I’m not sure I should add up all the folks who have been in accidents or illnesses lately….
I think I will discuss this situation with my fellow-ship group tonight and get their opinion.
Let’s see what wisdom that will bring …..