Friday, March 9, 2012

HOW TO DRIVE A BEAR CRAZEE

Really, it's simple.

All you have to do is mess with the spring weather.

Tuesday: Blizzard. Snow coming down so fast, I couldn't see the river, which is only 100 yards/metres from the apartment my cave. Heavy, wet snow.

Wednesday: Sunny, but cool. Temperatures below freezing. Where the sun was shining on the roads, melting, then turning icy. Water running in the streets in a few places.

Thursday: Combination of sun and cloud. Temperature to -6°C (21F). Streets a bit wet, often icy.

Friday (today): Mixture of sun and cloud. Temperature of about 5°C (40F). A little rivulet of water running into my cave where I was trying to do some late-winter hibernating. Running into my cave and on to my head. Lots of water running in the streets, making everything splashy, and messy, and yucky.

Best description of the situation (in Bearspeak): @$%#^*&%^@#$**

Or just, "Sigh!!"

And, no, I didn't get to hibernate. Not this winter. Not at all.

§                §                §

Some of you may recall that this time, a year ago, Bear was in hospital very briefly. My faithful companion, Her Ladyship, Miss Sadie, was trying to look after things for me. Things had gone from bad to worse. My mental and physical pain had become un-Bear-able. Even suicidal (thought Miss Sadie didn't tell you that last year).

This week, I've been back in that same un-Bear-able position. With no Miss Sadie to look after things for me.

This year, I have not been hospitalized. Fortunately. I have had a completely horrid time, and I'm not out of it yet. But at least I have not been hospitalized. I did not, and I do not, expect things to get that bad this year. It's a different year, and I have different resources available to me. Some things are better. In particular, I'm developing a better way of living with this ongoing, nagging, physical pain. YES!!!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh bear...so sorry...hang in there honey!
I have only two things to add...when you are going through hell...keep going (churchill).
and..I do know of what you speak. I hope, hope, hope, you pull through, you are in my prayers.

Rob-bear said...

® Jacqueline: Delighted to hear from you at your Niagara home. Have been tracing my father's family; most were in the Niagara Peninsula. Fascinating.

Thanks for the support!

The Blog Fodder said...

Hi, Rob. Glad to see you are showing up in print. At least I know you are still there. Not an easy go-round. The pain management classes are helping though so that is good news.

The Broad said...

Winter always seems to want to have the last word ... Congratulations on doing so well with the pain management -- you are so admirable and so brave.

Lydia said...

Bear? Need a hug? Here= (((((HUG)))))

What troubling news about the troubling time you are having. I find myself wondering who Miss Sadie is and where she went. Sorry, but I do not know the past here (other than to decipher that there were actually past winters when you hibernated).

Knowing you are feeling sad makes me relieved that you have the new pain management resources. That is at least part of the battle won.

You are much appreciated and loved, and I will be thinking of you as we head over to the coast Saturday afternoon for one night. Evidently, we are to experience a vast change from the nice, sunny days we've had lately, as they mentioned possible snow over the coast range, with not one but three huge rain systems coming our way beginning ....well, just about now!

ReformingGeek said...

I'm so sorry about that miserable weather. At least your paws should give you some grip on the ice.

I'm sending positive, healing thoughts for the pain management!

susan said...

I haven't known you for very long bear, but I'm very sorry to know it's been a year of illness followed by ongoing pain issues. The pain management clinic does seem to be helping you with the latter and that's very good news.

One question from a newby to your blog though - who is/was Miss Sadie and where is she now? She sounds to have been someone you must miss a lot.

Chatty Crone said...

Well I will add you to my prayer list - what is going on? I hope you feel better. sandie

Rob-bear said...

® Blog Fodder: This pain reduction thing is working well enough. Or so I thought. Now, I'm not so sure. Or maybe I'm just so tired that everything would hurt even if weren't in chronic pain. If that makes sense.

Helen said...

As I was walking through the Phoenix airport last week I thought I saw "Rosetta Stone" software for BearSpeak ... do you recommend it?

(my feeble attempt at bringing humor into your life)

Rob-bear said...

® Chatty Crone: To put it as simply as possible, I hurt physically from the top of my neck to the bottom of my tail — the result of several "misadventures." I have also lived with chronic depression since I was in my teens. Using some imperfect skills, I can usually manage both those kinds of pain. But often I cannot; and sometimes I become a walking disaster, so to speak. Hence, my need to get into the pain clinic.

I'm learning new skills, though I never expect to be pain free, in either way.

Thank you for your concern, Sandie.

Rob-bear said...

® Helen: I really don't know much about the Bearspeak program in Rosetta Stone. (Ever since they cancelled their program in Welsh, I've been mad at them.)

In a recent conversation with a friend, she told me about a friend of hers who knew something about it. Apparently it's Black Bearspeak. Obviously developed for eastern audiences. If you can learn Black Bearspeak, I can teach you the differences between that and my language — Brown Bearspeak. (Roughly the same thing as the differences between Yankee talk and Suthern American discourse for gentlemen and ladies — "Y'all be good," and such like.)

Clear?

Helen said...

Bear ... you made my day!

(I know a smidgen of Polar Bearspeak, I'd be willing to teach you)

For instance, Nerromiktok (what you no doubt are)

Rob-bear said...

® Helen: Glad to have made your day. That was easy. (What, exactly did I do?)

Thanks for the offer about Polar Bearspeak. I have several cousins who have invaded traditional Polar Bear territory, and might benefit from whatever i could pass on to them, from you.

Helen said...

You have a wonderful way of putting a smile on my face ... countless others too.

About Last Weekend said...

Yes, is the weather crazy. It was hot and dry here now torrential rain. No snow, now loads of it. I don't know what all the plants are doing. I feel so badly for you, hang on in there. You articulate so well what you've been going through.

Rob-bear said...

® Helen: Thank you. I'm glad I can do that.

® About Last Weekend: Well, yes; the times do seem to be a bit "out of joint." But the Canada Geese are back, so I think that officially means it's just about spring.

It appears we're going to have a dry spring, which will not be good for the farmers, or food production.