When the self pity sets in, you meet someone who has it so much worse.

So, I'm having a very ****ty week this week. You all may heard me whine about it this week in the menu posts.  

As I was leaving a meeting this morning I stopped at the coffee station next to the conference room for a fill up.  My office has over a hundred employees, and I've only been here for 90 days, so while I am outgoing and friendly, I'm just getting to know everyone.

As I was making my coffee, I started chatting with a woman who was making some instant oatmeal.  Just general chit chat. I  can't remember exactly what brought it up, but I asked how she was doing and she went on to tell me how tired she is because her husband is dying of kidney failure and that he's only got about 4 months to live.  She's been working part time because she's been his primary caregiver, and she's exhausted.  We talked for a while and I gave her a hug and thanked her and told her to let me know if there was anything at all I could do for her.  

I kid you not, just when I was at my lowest self pity point, I meet someone who has it so much worse than me.  I kinda feel like I really needed to run into her today.  So, if you're a praying person, or if you'd like to swing a chicken, please add Laurie to your list.  I will be.

I'm sitting here realizing how very fortunate I am.

So true Deanna, sometimes it can really put things into perspective. Hugs

Things happen for a reason... stay strong!

And prayers for Laurie and her husband 

This reminded me that July 2014 my Guy had a massive seizure out of the blue. That seizure led down a rabbit hole of illness that was awful (understatement). He ended up not able to work for nearly two full years, was in ICU not expected to live three times, and I really thought our relationship was not going to survive even if he did. It took the doctors 18 months to figure out he had adult onset epilepsy and find a medication that would control the seizures.  By that point our little world was pretty rocked.  

Today he is back at work full time and his health, all things considered, is pretty damn good.  It has been nearly a year since his last seizure and he hasn't been in the hospital for nearly that long. As I go through my days lately I forget that I almost lost him and everything that would have meant. I am grateful he is healing and working and well...him again. 

Thank you for the reminder.  Sometimes my head gets bogged down in the day to day and I forget to really appreciate how lucky I am.

I'm so glad your guy is doing better.  I can only imagine how terrifying and exhausting it would be. Hugs.  

Wow, that's some rough stuff right there!

So sad! I try very hard to appreciate how lucky I am in SO many ways, but when you hear about things like this it really does remind us that for most of us at least most of the time it is a "crappy" day or week, no where near what others deal with on a daily basis.

This sort of thing is why I never like to use the phrases "Eff My Life" or say 'could this day possibly get ANY worse?!" even when it's a rough day.....because a small part of my brain knows that when I put it in perspective my troubles are really small potatoes, and things could be much much worse.

I'll keep Laurie in my thoughts, thanks for sharing Deanna

Laurie and her husband are on my prayer list now. Thanks for sharing this Deanna.

Deanna,

Sorry you're having a rough week...sending hugs to you.

I totally get what you're saying. I'm a nurse in an ICU and every time I feel like whining (and I'm an excellent whiner), I think about some of the people I care for. Really puts things in perspective.

Will keep you and Laurie in my thoughts.

Bonnie