goodbye becomes tomorrow
Nurse Adjusting IV
goodbye becomes tomorrow
in the corner of my galaxy
i am officially
a narcissist
goodbye becomes tomorrow
today warm hands
touch the nurse
truth howls
silent wind
IV pumps beep
autosuggestion for change
all has weight
even expressions
of the sleeping
emotionally hamstrung
out of denial
realisation:
second chance
belongs to
privileged
*********************
Written for:
Live in the Moment–dVerse Meeting the Bar
This was prompted by Victoria C. Slotto who asked to take “the challenge to be totally alive in the present and write to our perceptions.” Since I’m getting my monthly arthritis treatment at the cancer center (I don’t have cancer) I came up with this poem. This is my now, right now. I’m surrounded by cancer patients and i have two perceptions a) when people have cancer they become narcissists, and rightfully so b) it’s a privilege to get a second chance, which our affluent society let us get I am writing this from UCLA, the view is of the Ronald Regan Hospital, and what can be more of a view of affluent medicine
Also posted on:
Wordless Wednesday
Photo Credit: Bat-Ami Gordin © 2012 all rights reserved, credit if you use it, please.
Posted on March 29, 2012, in D’verse Poets Pub, Poetry, wordless wednesday and tagged dversepoets, IV treatment poetry, IV treatment verse, live in the moment, live in the moment verse, Poetry & Prompts, poetry prompt, prom, prompted poetry, Victoria C. Slotto, wordless wednesday, writing prompt. Bookmark the permalink. 36 Comments.
Verification wastes my time, and often doesn't work. I am going to stop commenting on pages that require verification one of these days.
ZONGRIK 
Don’t like that photo seeing you hooked up to the machine, but hope this is from the distant past…
perfect description of a moment in time.
Peace,
Siggi in Downeast Maine
no, this is right now this minute. i’m still hooked up for about another half hour.
Oh, dear…I wish you healed and well…
Peace and love,
Siggi in Downeast Maine
From my post and your comment…
Tammy,
Thank you for taking the time to comment (on my post on my blog).
I saw that you had answered my comment and keep you in my thoughts and prayers
as I go thru the day and at bedtime..
Peace and love,
Siggi in Downeast Maine
PS. I had checked back to see if you had mentioned if it …the photo…was current.
I remember being on both ends of the IV…nurse and patient…the constant beeping,
interrupted sleep from nurses.
Cyberhugs (((♥♥♥)))
I’m OK, it’s not a matter of healing. It just suppresses the arthritis. So I’m OK. I’m happy to have this. It keeps me out of a wheelchair, and I can move around, and be with dogs and all that…
this really is jarring to have the narcissistic concept with being hooked up to a machine… it makes the narcissism seem quite the oppose. Like the line “goodbye becomes tomorrow”
very moving, in the now, like the title too
This! is powerful. What a terrific write, and SO in the moment! The best to you, m’lady!
Goodbye has been put off once again (as don’t cancer patients often think goodbye is always lurking), today is still here, therefore it is a privileged second chance? I think you meant this to be hopeful… Hope you are feeling better soon.
I took a totally different tone from your piece, and you no doubt know what it was. second chances should be for everybody. Tammy…this was a fantastic, off the cuff capture of your now. Like those above, the picture is quite scary in itself. Write-on Word Weaver…they just keep getting better and better!
This is powerful on many levels. Thank you for your honesty in sharing this.
Wow! This brought back many memories for me: the months I spent on dialysis and the years I was the one adjusting the IV’s. Thank you for bringing with you, reminding me of gratitude for the care I’ve had. I hope the med treats you kindly, relieves your symptoms.
This is truly alive! You brought me into a world I didn’t know. A brave and strong write. Thanks so much!
Hope you are well soon…nice write!
This is really moving.
Oh wow, this is strong, moving, and powerful.
“second chance belongs to privileged” … Wow.
The first stanza is my favorite.
Amazing write in the very now. You captured it perfectly.
Rings with veracity.
“second chance
belongs to
privileged”
When my grandmother had cancer I went to each of her sessions with her and watching all of the people and their ways of dealing is so amazingly varied.
Your poem is really something, thank you and I hope you’ll be feeling better soon. 🙂
A powerful poem, which moved me greatly.
When you are surrounded by people either being cured or, you see them with no hope of beating cancer and you know your treatment of for arthritis, it must make you feel very humble and grateful that you are not there for their treatment. Hope the meds make you feel a whole lot better.
RYN: I hear music in water sounds. Love hearing it, trickle, gush, surf. Any type of water sounds is music (to me) 🙂
Oh, a heavy poem. Very powerful. Good luck. K.
a sad truth in this. love the title-line.
This touches me. My favourite of yours to date, Tammy, and those two truths are absolute to me – bold to write them publicly… but as an ageing professional poet told me recently, we must be bold!
Second chances do belong to the privileged.
Moving poem.
This was profound and touching~ Very moving…
Sending you healing warmth and hugs!
An surprising, powerful poem. Please say you’re feeling better now.
I get this treatment (TX) monthly. It works over the long run. Rheumatoid arthritis is measured, among other things, by the sedimentation rate. Last time I saw my doctor, my SED rate was finally coming down for the first time since I retired (one of the reasons I retired). So we’ll see next time if it’s down more, and that means this stuff is working. Just cuz I was getting the TX doesn’t mean anything bad is going on. Just the opposite. If you don’t see my poems, then it’s bad stuff going on.
so true that second chances belong to the privileged. So many people do not get second chances. I think it would be hard to be surrounded by cancer patients, but it also must help you to appreciate life to the fullest. Hard though, I do hope I will always continue to see your poems. Wishing you all the best with your treatments.
P.S. I agree with Luke: We must be bold. We must be honest in our poetry. You are. I appreciate that. It is a gift to those who read your words.
thank you. that’s such a nice, nice thing to say. wow.
This was direct, to the heart of the matter. I know what it’s like to be around IVs, for whatever reason, and the whoosh of oxygen tanks and that hiss of life support. Your observation of healing and the privileged is right on target. Part of why I’m an activist for universal health care (especially for our rarified-air-breathing Congress) and full access to birth control options for women.
I hope your RA gets under control. I have a slight case of Osteo in my hips and when it kicks up, it’s like a toothache in my butt, so if you have advanced arthritis, know that you are in my prayers. Peace, Amy
Hope this love song (recording and lyrics) will bring a smile!
Get better soon! So well written!
Wow. Just thinking about this one.
Catch My Words
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2012/04/atoz-meets-ww-clever.html
Awesome poem! I am sure writing this poem was therapeutic. I hope you will be feeling much better soon. Thanks also for suggesting that I turn off word verification on my blog. I have done so and never thought it would have been that easy. Take care and my best wishes to you.
very emotional and a very involved picture&subject. obamascare……