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Compassion and Courage

Don't get me wrong, I love it here at Bailey Boushay House. By and large, I love my caregivers and I really appreciate the difficult job they do. I cannot imagine working in a hospice situation. What compassion they have! What courage!

Before I was diagnosed with ALS, I was afraid to spend time with somebody that had a potentially life-threatening illness. I had compassion but I lacked courage. Courage to accept the unacceptable...Death. The thought of losing somebody that I've come to know or worse, come to love... Well, it just rears up my separation anxiety to vibrate.

Actually, I just mis-spoke...I did have a friend who ended up with breast cancer, and I did not run. I did support her by staying friends, offering encouragement, being there for chemotherapy, being present for her mastectomy, offering to take on her beloved dog should she not make it. I knitted chemo caps for though she opted for ball caps. I knitted "Boobie socks" in breast cancer pink, that I entered into the fair and won a ribbon for. And I prayed for her to healed. But, she was the only one and I banked on her survival.

Okay, I'm not a complete fraidy cat. Thankfully.

Taking a hard, honest look at myself, makes me all the more appreciative of what I have available to me today. It also helps to console me when I feel so alienated from my friends and family.
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Location: 2720 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98112, USA

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