The Not So Long Goodbye

Meet my friend Doug. Well, my former friend. See, Doug's a dialysis machine and he was my good buddy for the last six weeks. Six weeks, three times a week, 4 hours each session.

The good thing about Doug was he never once complained throughout those four hours when I'd read and not talk to him. Or when I drank my morning coffee without buying hime one. Nope. And he still supported me.

But all that changed today and it's a day I'm gonna remember for a long time. See, today Doug and I parted ways. Yep. That's right. I stopped needing Doug or any of his many friends because today I stopped needing dialysis.

Many of the nurses dropped by today to express their best wishes and some told me it was rare for people to come off dialysis. So Doug, you done good. And I'm sorry if I rushed out after my blood work without saying goodbye. But once the doctor pulled that line out of my chest I wasn't gonna stick around and press my luck.

So, fewer trips to the hospital. No longer getting up at 6:30am. The end to imposing upon my dear, dear wife to chauffeur me to and from dialysis sessions, to bring me my breakfast and coffee while Doug and I were one with the universe, to initially push my wheelchair and later prop me up when I no longer needed one from the hospital entrance to the dialysis unit.

I'll miss the wonderful doctors and nurses in the dialysis unit. But that's a loss I'm willing to suffer . And I know that they'll understand.

And so, because I relate to so much in my life through music, here's a special little tune...

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Check out Ziva's Inferno for the rest of today's photos.

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