Ted...



R

Roger Hunter

Guest
...why didn't you post the details of late mom's pics here? There's something strangely moving about
seeing pictures of people aging before your eyes, kids growing older in a second, a life in a few
old photos.

As a junior houseman, I did a three month stint on a geriatric ward. These folk were generally
suffering their last undignified days or weeks on earth. There wasn't much room for personal stuff
at their bedside, but almost without exception they all had a few pictures of themselves in their
late twenties or early thirties, surrounded by their kids. It made me really depressed at the time,
and I remember thinking "Is that all my life will amount to? A few faded pictures beside my bed as I
drift away?" As I get older I realised that pictures like that *do* become the most precious thing
you own, and they record the greatest achievements in your life. It's nice to think your mother had
a fine set of photographs to look back upon and smile.

Roger.
 
I agree Roger. During my health care assistant days, you could get time to sit with people on the
geriatric wards and ask them about their photos - the stories you were told were pretty moving. Even
now (med student days), I still feel, 'is this what I'm going to become', but occasionally you talk
to people who are completely fulfilled by their lives and enjoy looking back on
it. Still - growing old? Scary as hell!

Dave
 
"David Hallsworth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> I agree Roger. During my health care assistant days, you could get time
to
> sit with people on the geriatric wards and ask them about their photos -
the
> stories you were told were pretty moving.

Absolutely true. And all these years later I can still recall some of their stories. The most
incredible gentleman I met had flown in the Swordfish attack that crippled the Bismarck in WWII.
He'd never written his story down, but he had his flying logbook and some old photos with him. We
talked for a couple of hours one night (on-call was quiet) and his detailed memory of the attack was
incredible. I tried to persuade him to use my Dictaphone and some tapes to record his tale, but he
refused saying he was happy to relate his story to individuals, but he felt that to see it in print
would make it "less personal". And, as he said, "Lad, nothing's more person than trying to kill
another fellow". He felt a tremendous affinity with the men that had gone down with the Bismarck,
and he firmly believed he'd meet them again - as courageous adversaries - in the life hereafter. I
like to believe he was right, for he died a few weeks later. Just an ordinary guy that had led an
extraordinary life.

I'm confident you'll meet many memorable souls in you time as a doctor, David. They certainly taught
me more about 'life' than I ever learnt in med school.

Best wishes with your training and future career,

Roger.
 
>and they record the greatest achievements in your life.

Kicking your legs in the air and screaming "faster, faster, harder, harder" is not much of an
accomplishment.

Bill R.

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>Whatever happed to Mary

I'm on hormones.

Bill R.

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> During my health care assistant days, you could get time to sit with people on the geriatric wards
> and ask them about their photos - the stories you were told were pretty moving.

Next to my bed will be a pic from the movie "Deep Throat". What would you ask me?

Bill R.

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On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 18:37:23 +0100, "Roger Hunter" <[email protected]> wrote:

>...why didn't you post the details of late mom's pics here? There's something strangely moving
>about seeing pictures of people aging before your eyes, kids growing older in a second, a life in a
>few old photos.
>
>As a junior houseman, I did a three month stint on a geriatric ward. These folk were generally
>suffering their last undignified days or weeks on earth. There wasn't much room for personal stuff
>at their bedside, but almost without exception they all had a few pictures of themselves in their
>late twenties or early thirties, surrounded by their kids. It made me really depressed at the time,
>and I remember thinking "Is that all my life will amount to? A few faded pictures beside my bed as
>I drift away?" As I get older I realised that pictures like that *do* become the most precious
>thing you own, and they record the greatest achievements in your life. It's nice to think your
>mother had a fine set of photographs to look back upon and smile.

Sure, I'll post the link:

http://www.citizented.com/mom.html

I, too, visited a LOT of elderly folks when I was a TV tech. Very often they lived alone and
very often they'd tell me stories and show me pictures and trinkets from their life story.

I met a guy who worked for Remington firearms his whole life. His house was an incredible
museum of Remington rifles. He had photos and target shooting trophies galore. He was a very
colorful and interesting character.

I've met retired stewardesses who flew in the post WWII-era, ex-race car drivers, retired
Apollo mission specialists and even an Oscar-winning cinematographer.

My Mom didn't fly much or win any Oscars, but she was a very patient and kind woman, so
she's still a huge success story in my eyes.

Enjoy the pictures.

- TR
- caught yet another damn cold.
 
On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 18:57:42 +0100, "Roger Hunter" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"Roger Hunter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>OK, curiosity has me by the throat. Whatever happed to Mary and the rest of the gang?

Well, let's see....

I have five siblings. We are spread out all over the place. I'll start with the eldest and
work my way down...

Henry graduated Rutgers with a B.F.A. and moved to San Francisco. He worked for Macromedia
and Apple doing black box QA. He's also instructed video art at the Art Institute of SF.
He's currently unemployed. He has a wife and 6 year old daughter.

Matt moved to Madison, Wisconsin and married. He's childfree and works for the daily paper
there as a sales manager.

Mary moved to LA and married a comedian. He was funnier than he was talented. She divorced
him and married a guy in Novato, CA with whom she had a son, Sammy. Hubby #2 was too lazy
and poor, so she left him and married a Brit. She, Sammy and hubby #3 now live in
Southampton, England.

I, of course, am the still-single electronics whiz with the mighty pen whom you all
know and love.

Tim is a pathologically introverted guy incapable of forming friendships AFAIK. He's
extremely smart but has no social skills. He lives alone in Bakersfield, CA, close
to my Dad.

Dan married a wonderful teacher named Janet and they live in nice house in Bakersfield. Dan
is working on his Masters in Public Administration. Once he graduates he will move somewhere
else in all likelihood.

My Dad is just puttering away in his condo in Bakersfield. I'm doing everything I can to get
him up and out of the house, but he's grieving and being stubborn. He's kinda poor, so I'm
working with Dan to finance a refurbish of his old kitchen. He needs it.

That's us at a glance.

- TR
- stop glancing at me!
 
Ted, I'm glad I popped in to rec.running on this evening. I will be having Easter breakfast with my
own 88-year-old parents tomorrow morning. Those photos packed a powerful punch with me. They say so
much and are beautiful. Thank you.

Mary
 
>Ted, I'm glad I popped in to rec.running on this evening. I will be having Easter breakfast with my
>own 88-year-old parents tomorrow morning. Those photos packed a powerful punch with me. They say so
>much and are beautiful. Thank you.

I just popped in to make Roger happy.

Bill R.

=============> - -- - ( o ) ( o )
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