I have many decades of experience observing responses to illness, because I’ve being dealing with a heart condition since birth. The responses to illness I’ve seen include:
- pity,
- sympathy,
- empathy,
- fear,
- courage,
- ignorance,
- ingenuity,
- misunderstanding,
- understanding,
- denial,
- acceptance,
- coldness,
- warmth,
- despair,
- hope,
- disrespect,
- respect,
- anxiety,
- calm,
- avoidance,
- acceptance,
- confusion,
- clarity,
- cruelty,
- caring,
- neglect,
- kindness,
- resentment,
- inspiration,
- isolation,
- connection,
- distancing,
- embracing,
- hate, and
- love.
What responses to illness have you observed, in others and in yourself?
Now that our cat, Oscar, is ill with cancer, I’m noticing my responses to him, which are based on the golden rule:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I am treating Oscar when he is ill as I always wish to be treated when I am ill: with respect, caring, compassion, understanding, love, and connection.
Last night, my responses to Oscar included dancing with him to Steppin’ Out.” by Joe Jackson. Would you like to respond to this by dancing with us?
Personally, I think dancing is a great response to everything.
Do you see responses to illness in my other photos from yesterday?
My response to that last photo is this: In this current time of illness, many people would go more places if more places had drive-thrus.
My final response in this blog post is gratitude for what I’ve got, including Oscar, my health, and YOU!
Care, fear, isolation possibly, as now, all coming together.
Thank you for this response, my friend.
I could see that Oscar loves being loved by you.♡(⺣◡⺣)♡
Oscar was still up for some very fancy footwork there. You two make great dance partners.
As I don’t drive, I never go to drive-through of any kind and I can only remember being at a drive-thru restaurant twice in my life, both times when I was a teenager. It felt very exotic.
♡´･ᴗ･`♡
Thanks for dancing with me here, lovely readers!
♡(.◜ω◝.)♡
Be there, steppin out, into the night …
You picked a great song to cut the rug with your awesome Oscar, Ann.
Thank you, my awesome friend.
We found out last weekend that our dog has an inoperable tumour and doesn’t have long left. I responded with irrational fury at the universe, then was immediately grateful that, due to circumstances, I can spend every hour of the day with him right now. Sorry about Oscar–I definitely know what you’re going through.
Thank you for this very meaningful and helpful response, my friend. Love to you and your dog. ❤ ❤
Cuuuuute! My very recent post is of an animal is a little cute and very funny
Thanks for sharing, Alex.
You have a loving heart, Ann. You’re the person I would choose if I were to get ill. You’re loving company would ease the pain and sorrow. God bless always ❤
Thank you for this loving response.
Like others I’m so happy Oscar danced with you. I love Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out” but I also thought about the song “Flight 180” by Bishop Allen that includes the line “If you feel like dancin’ dance with me.”
Thanks for dancin’ with me, Chris.
It seems that Oscar has purrfect timing in his dancing!
And you have purrfect timing in your responses!
So many dancing songs and so many ways to dance. Oscar is going to dance as he feels fit. Especially if you’re his partner.
So many ways to respond, Lisa, and I love yours.
Many responces indeed only supportive ones are the ones I like, Oscar dances better then me
Thank you for another supportive response, my friend.
sometimes people go through all of those, in no particular order and back and forth. i’m so glad you chose to share a dance with the dapper oscar, you truly are the fred and ginger of the multi-species world. not only do you share a dance you share a love and respect for each other.
Your responses, including this one, make me very happy, beth.
Go Ann and Oscar! Love the dancing 🕺 💃
Love the comment, Kellie!
I didn’t know Ann! I’m so sorry!
Thank you, Maria.