The "End"

By Bill Craig
I'm no longer a respiratory therapist, y'all.

Shit happens.....

Am I going to miss my patients? Damn right, I will! I absolutely loved taking care of sick folks and making them better, and it was a huge bonus when they saw me around town or in the grocery store and spoke to me. It made me feel like I had done something worthwhile, and even though I might not always have recognized them ("Maybe if you'd lie down, I'd recall your name!"), it made me feel good that they recognized me!

So what now?

"What now" is that I "re-invent" myself. Get back to writing, play my guitars, maybe go back to broadcasting, keep fighting this (Alzheimer's) shit, and try to help make people better in another way, and just persevere.

Y'all didn't think I was gonna bite the big one, I hope????

HELL NO! Got too much to do yet.

Okay, I know that y'all like my "theme" blog entries, so here's one to fit the title of this one: I love Ringo's drum solo, and have played it many times myself. I also like the very last line of the song...

Thanks for being my friends!



Bill

Comments

skericheri said…
Bill---The Beatles song was almost like a little bit of sugar to make the news conveyed in your entry slightly more bearable.

You're right: "Shit happens"... but... that does not mean we have to wallow around in it and pretend to enjoy it when it happens. Go easy on the 're-inventing'...You have the basics down and I like you the way you are. Instead...'Refocus' on some things that give you satisfaction and pleasure.
March 18, 2009 at 3:43 AM
Bill Craig said…
Cheri,

Thank you!

Coming up is the neuro-psych testing, and I am sooo looking forward to getting that "behind me"!

I'm keeping busy with paperwork, Social Security Stuff, etc, etc....., but there are times when I don't know what to do with myself.

My guitars and my bicycle give me "pleasure", but so did working. I know: It's just a matter of adjusting. I'll get it sooner or later. ;)

Thanks again for caring about me

Bill
March 18, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Anonymous said…
Bill,

I'm sorry you had to give up your job. I know what you mean about the patients. I'm in a medical field too.

You are such a strong person, handling this with grace, class and humor. You are an inspiration.

Aithele
March 21, 2009 at 1:59 AM
Anonymous said…
Hey Bill!

I've tried to call and tried to remember this blog id. Finally found the id on a previous post.

Sorry about the job. Now you are where I've been since May of 2005. We WILL overcome dude! I'll try your home phone again today. I need to go to the doctor at 10am today.


Now I can't recall my id and password so need to publish this as annonymous. Shit happens in the north also!
Tom
March 24, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Valerie said…
That sucks, Bill. As a fellow health care worker I know how much satisfaction you get from treating your patients. Still, now you'll have time to do "all those things" everyone always talks about. Enjoy your retirement and get busy doing other things that make you happy!

;)
Valerie (Nightingale, SDMB)
March 25, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Bill Craig said…
Hey All

(Especially Tommy and Nightingale),

I didn't really wanna come back to this thread, but I was looking to see if I had posted an entry I had saved to a draft, and I found your replies.

So here goes: Ever make a decision you regret later?

Ever make a decision you regret later that you had to own up to?

Sometimes you just gotta take one for the team (in this case, "Team Bill") ;)

Thanks for staying with me. It means a lot.

B~
April 13, 2009 at 5:48 AM
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