Her diagnosis is early Alzheimer’s disease, and simply sitting in the waiting room with individuals who are exhibiting symptoms of the disease elicits fear.

She is informed of the progressive nature of the disease, counseled about necessary lifestyle changes and even given statistics about probable outcome.

Now referred to as an Alzheimer’s patient, and even classified by stage, she leaves the office feeling uneasy, as if her identity has been altered.

The children tried to cope, but at times, the best they could do was to go into a room and scream, sometimes for more than an hour, emerging exhausted and distant.  They struggled to find comfort in play, unburdened by the weight of their experiences.

He was visibly shattered.  Despite his accomplishments as a successful businessman and elite athlete, his intolerance for his humanity raged.

He briefly skimmed over the reason for his visit:  advanced metastatic cancer.
And then, without pause, the insults starting flying.

Not at me…. at himself.

People drove for hundreds of miles to join the celebration.

His attributes were many, but I couldn’t help but wonder whether something in particular about this man of only 23 years sparked this incredible outpouring of love and admiration.

What was it about the way that he lived his life that affected so many people, of all ages and walks of life, so deeply?

This month, my lessons started when I contracted an illness that left me no choice but to abandon all plans and get into bed.

The symptoms were intense, and my suggestion to patients to find a place of balance and breathe when they are dealing with challenging illnesses, was now appropriate for me.