Bumble, I am VERY sorry.

I did not intend at all to trivialize your (or anyone else's) pain, or to suggest that there was any sort of one-upmanship involved here (on your part or anyone else's).

Rather, I felt profoundly sad all of a sudden and was kind of dreading where this thread seemed to be headed--- Not that people would be comparing pain, mind you, but that this would become a threadful of genuinely depressing annecdotes, and that I would feel like jumping out of a window after not being able to stop myself from reading them.

Sometimes I just can't handle it, thinking about the sheer vulnerability of the flesh, the futility of so many good natured endeavors, etc.

So, Bumble, for what it's worth, please forgive me for my shortsightedness-- I had no intention of upsetting anyone, least of all you.

Kindheartedly,

Dave

Colonel Panic wrote:Getting off dope.

Seriously, if you ever decide to mess with that stuff, you need to have your head examined.

Yeah stopping a hardcore drink or drug habit is a motherfucker.
Stopping the pills was one of the more difficult things I've done. I was way, way out of control with them for years and years.
Weaning yourself of opiates after years of abusing them is a horrible, difficult, painful experience.

I once caught a Marlin while fishing in florida, I was like 15 and that was fucking hard. Took the entire day and every ounce of strength in my body to get it onboard. I sold it when we got back to the dock, paid for the entire day fishing for my pop and I and a nice ass dinner for everyone that evening.

Ekkssvvppllott wrote:Rather, I felt profoundly sad all of a sudden and was kind of dreading where this thread seemed to be headed--- Not that people would be comparing pain, mind you, but that this would become a threadful of genuinely depressing annecdotes, and that I would feel like jumping out of a window after not being able to stop myself from reading them.

Sometimes I just can't handle it, thinking about the sheer vulnerability of the flesh, the futility of so many good natured endeavors, etc.

Elegantly put, Dave - though please don't worry. I didn't feel trivialized at all, but I did feel icky for mentioning it, as I always do, and then was afraid of shutting down conversation. Bumble: shutting down threads since 2004 (as alterego 60647). All's well, friend.

I caught a marlin once too, in Bora Bora, but it was already half dead (it's nose was broken off) and only fought for like an hour. 6 1/2 feet long and 50 kilos though.



The hardest thing I have ever done was watch my dad lay in bed dying (starving and dehydrating) for a week after he had his last stroke and lost his swallowing reflex.

not to bring y'all down

bumble wrote:All's well, friend.

Salut!

My battle with depression. Though it's not nearly as bad as it was during my teens, I still have these huge dips that happen, which lead to a lot of mistakes happening as a result of the depression, the accompanying stress, etc. Shit comes in waves, indeed.

The hardest thing I've done so far, since I've had one hell of a sheltered and privileged life, has been recovering from the mess I've made of my college career. That, and battling with as many different kinds of guilt as you could imagine. But that's all.

This may mean I've had a pretty sheltered life, but... so far I'd have to say the first time it was left up to me to take a pet cat in to the veterinarian to be "put down".

You go in, you talk with the doctor, then they say "OK - I'll step out of the room for a while so you can say goodbye". Then you sit there and pet your cat, and scratch their chin, etc. while your cat looks at you like "Thanks, person - I know you love me - thank you for loving me." and you wonder if you are taking too long in the examination room, and then you say "OK", and do one more little extra pet or scratch for emphasis, and then you leave the room and give the doctor the signal and you walk out to the parking lot and drive home.

Arson Smith wrote:You go in, you talk with the doctor, then they say "OK - I'll step out of the room for a while so you can say goodbye". Then you sit there and pet your cat, and scratch their chin, etc. while your cat looks at you like "Thanks, person - I know you love me - thank you for loving me." and you wonder if you are taking too long in the examination room, and then you say "OK", and do one more little extra pet or scratch for emphasis, and then you leave the room and give the doctor the signal and you walk out to the parking lot and drive home.

Man, that's rough. Cats are awesome.

At least look on the bright side, though. You saved him a lot of pain and misery.

NerblyBear wrote:

Arson Smith wrote:You go in, you talk with the doctor, then they say "OK - I'll step out of the room for a while so you can say goodbye". Then you sit there and pet your cat, and scratch their chin, etc. while your cat looks at you like "Thanks, person - I know you love me - thank you for loving me." and you wonder if you are taking too long in the examination room, and then you say "OK", and do one more little extra pet or scratch for emphasis, and then you leave the room and give the doctor the signal and you walk out to the parking lot and drive home.

Man, that's rough. Cats are awesome.

At least look on the bright side, though. You saved him a lot of pain and misery.

definitely better than letting him linger in agony cos you didn't want to deal with potential guilt feelings about having him put down.

my folks made their last dog hang on for 4 years past when he should have been allowed to pass and during that time he was curled up and crying in pain most of his waking hours...and in his sleep toward the end.

i'm not sure i've forgiven them for that yet, in fact.