I have just caught up on my blog postings from the past few years, as well as some older blogs that were never posted previously. This is why there are so many postings in a few day’s time.
I’ve included the original dates that the blogs were created to add context and timeframe, because much of what I wrote about has come true. It is important, at least to me, to document the undeniable fact that I have been much more perceptive than most of the well-known professional commentators and podcasters who, let’s face it, have no idea what they are talking about.
So, as by way of an explanation, I had to change my priorities over the past few years. I’ve been a caregiver of sorts for my wife, who fought like hell for nearly two years to avoid starting dialysis. At the same time she endured a year of chemotherapy for multiple myeloma. I had to watch as she slowly deteriorated, her kidneys becoming more and more unable to filter her blood, balance out her blood chemistry, and regulate the retained fluid in her body. In the end, she had no life energy left.
Thankfully, pretty much at the last moment, she agreed to get a second opinion, which confirmed that her choice was either to begin dialysis or suffer certain death by multiple organ failure. She chose to begin dialysis, which she calls her part-time job, and her life energy has come back. Dialysis is truly a life-affirming treatment. And, her multiple myeloma continues to be in remission.
I am not some sort of saint who has sacrificed their own life to help their spouse out in a time of need. Many people have done the same. This is what you do if you believe in your marriage vows. Unlike many, our story seems to have a happy ending, with many more years of shared life experiences to come. I feel fortunate for that. Not all stories have a happy ending.
This just illustrates the unpredictability of life.
Now, thankfully, I have the time to refocus my energies back to my blogging, and to my attempts to find some way to contribute to the discussions regarding our society, our politics, and life in general.
My challenge is to find a means to reach a mainstream audience. My efforts in submitting essays to the print media have proven to be an epic failure. Trying to connect with well-known commentators and podcasters is proving difficult, as it seems that there is no means of communicating with them other than through their handlers and publicists. I am not interested in an autograph or buying merchandise. I am interested in an exchange of ideas. How quaint is that?
I would encourage everyone to read all my old blogs, as I think that I have a great deal to contribute. Frankly, as I read through my more recent blogs as I was posting them, I was struck by how right I have been. My writing seems to have improved as well.
If only I was more photogenic!