Weather Wise

 

By now, you are likely tired of hearing about the weather.  Sick of the bad news from me, sick of the problems that the drought has caused, and sick dealing with the life changing questions that go along with it.  So, I am not going to talk about weather in this article.  My forecast really hasn’t changed, and I don’t need to beat a dead horse this month.  With all of you dealing with so much, I wanted to share a story with you about what I’ve been dealing with this year.  Kind of a weird forum to vent, but I want you guys to know more about me.  Everyone cool with that?  I thought so…ha ha ha.

My wife has been chronically ill since 2003.  She has an autoimmune disease that short circuits her immune system so it can’t tell the difference between what is good for the body and what is bad.  It is a little like Lupus, RA, and other autoimmune diseases that are so common now.  She was completely healthy before she took ill, athletic, talented, etc.  The illness obviously changed our lives forever.  She’s a trooper deals with everyday the best that she can, and was doing pretty well until late 2010…

In January of 2011, she was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension.  When we went to the hospital the right side of her heart was failing.  For the first time, I wondered if she was going to make it.  But, the docs did their job and she started her recovery.  She spent two weeks in the ICU, lost 60lbs, and basically had to teach her leg muscles how to work again.  The medicine she takes to control her PH, is given via a pump 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.  We mix the drug at home, put it in the fridge, etc…

She finally got her strength back by summertime, and had been doing pretty well until August.  In August, a nasty rash showed up on her face of all places.  The docs really can’t do anything for it, and really don’t understand what is causing it, but they assume the autoimmune disease is attacking her face.  Needless to say, her self esteem hasn’t been the best, and many days feels depressed and not wanting to face the world.  Recently, she was feeling better and we went out to eat and had a pretty good night.  It actually seemed normal for the two hours we were out to dinner.  When the previous years have been anything but normal…

Why am I telling you this?  For sympathy?  No.  For attention?  No.  Do I need more friends?  No, but we can always use more friends…ha ha.  I am telling you this for one reason, which I will tell you in a minute.  The other night, when my wife and I were out to dinner, she stated that she just wanted to feel normal again.  Have a job again (she taught first grade), not have a pump attached to her all the time, feel pretty again, etc.  Now I think she is beautiful and always have, but I know what she is talking about.  She then said, that she hopes that nobody takes their health for granted.  ‘Cause once your health goes, nothing else really matters…

I know that saying, “if you have your health, you have everything”, gets said a lot.  However, most people do not understand what it truly means.  When you see your wife, dad, mom, son, daughter, or whoever, go from healthy and active to disabled, it resonates.  Now I know many of you have to deal with health problems, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and I think I met my cuss word quota for the next two years, when I was talking to doctors on the phone today.  So, this is likely an article that you understand.  

This brings me to my reason.  Through all the tough times, the drought, the La Nina, the sold cattle, the dry watering holes and wells, the fires, the ranch sales and all the other bad things we’ve seen happen this year, one thing still resonates.  And I live it every day…  Please remember what my wife said, that if you have your health, you have everything and nothing else matters.  Easy to say, right?  That has to be the reason that so many people say it, right?  Wait a minute, maybe the reason so many people say it, is because so many people have gone through it enough to truly understand it.  I am going through it, and I finally understand it.

One test after another it seems…rather it is family illness, lean years, sick cattle, drought or whatever.  I am very competitive and try to do my very best at everything I do.  That’s all good, but if I lose my health, none of it matters.  I am starting to get it…  

During these tough times, I hope you have family and friends to lean on.  I know I do, and they help greatly.  They put things in perspective for me.  As a friend, that’s all I am trying to do for you…just put things into perspective…from a guy that’s going through some tough times in a different way.

Sorry for the different tone folks, but I wanted to share that with you.  I hope all of you are doing well and we’ll get back on track with some weather next month.

As always feel free to drop me a line if you have questions:  bbledsoe@southernlivestock.com

We'll chat again in November.

Brian